Died April

Spencer Milligan (1937–2024), dad Rick Marshall on Land of the Lost

Spencer Milligan was an actor best known for playing Rick Marshall, the park ranger and widowed father on the popular Saturday morning adventure show, “Land of the Lost.” 

Maria De Aragon (1942–2024), actress who played Greedo in Star Wars

Maria De Aragon was a Canadian actress who worked in B movies in the 1970s before landing her best known – and uncredited – role, playing Greedo in “Star Wars.” 

Diane Ford (1955–2024), stand-up comedian in HBO specials 

Diane Ford was a stand-up comedian known for her HBO comedy specials and for appearances on such shows as “An Evening at the Improv.” 

Aaron Thomas (1937–2024), all-time great NY Giants tight end

Aaron Thomas was a tight end for the New York Giants and one of the team’s elite players in the 1960s, tied for sixth in all-time TD receptions for the team. 

Frank Wakefield (1934–2024), bluegrass mandolin virtuoso

Frank Wakefield was a bluegrass mandolinist and songwriter who innovated new techniques on his instrument.

Duane Eddy (1938–2024), early rock and roll guitar hero 

Duane Eddy was an early rock and roll guitar hero known for his influential twangy sound, heard on songs like “Peter Gunn” and “Rebel Rouser.” 

Paul Auster (1947–2024), New York Trilogy author 

Paul Auster was a novelist, poet, and screenwriter best known for his “The New York Trilogy,” the collection of his books “City of Glass,” “Ghosts,” and “The Locked Room.”

Nick Daniels III (1955–2024), mainstay of New Orleans funk scene

Nick Daniels III was a bass player and mainstay of the New Orleans funk scene best known as the co-bassist and co-vocalist for Dumpstaphunk.

Zack Norman (1940–2024), Romancing the Stone actor 

Zack Norman was an actor, comedian, and producer who played an antiquities smuggler in “Romancing the Stone.” 

Wally Dallenbach Sr. (1936–2024), influential Indy car racer

Wally Dallenbach Sr. was an Indy car champion and Hall of Fame racer who, as Chief Stewart of Competition for Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) for more than 20 years, pushed for new safety reforms still used today.

Korey Cunningham (1995–2024), former Giants and Pats offensive lineman

Korey Cunningham was an offensive lineman in the NFL who played 31 career games, most of them with the New York Giants. 

Sonja Christopher (1937–2024), original Survivor contestant

Sonja Christopher was a contestant on the first season of “Survivor” in 2000 and the first person ever voted off the show.

Marla Adams (1938–2024), longtime Young and the Restless star

Marla Adams was an actress best known for her Emmy winning-portrayal of the manipulative Dina Abbott Mergeron on daytime soap the “Young and the Restless,” a role she played on and off for five decades. 

Bob Cole (1933–2024), Hall of Fame hockey broadcaster

Bob Cole was a Hall of Fame hockey commentator who was a mainstay on Canadian NHL broadcasts for 50 years.

Olga Fikotová (1932–2024), Olympic gold medalist discus thrower

Olga Fikotová was an Olympic gold medal-winning and record-setting discus thrower whose romance with American athlete Hal Connolly made waves in her home country of Czechoslovakia.

Mike Pinder (1941–2024), the Moody Blues' last original member

Mike Pinder was the original keyboardist and the last surviving founding member of the superstar English rock band the Moody Blues, and an inductee in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Donald M. Payne Jr. (1958–2024), six-term U.S. Congressman from N.J.

Donald M. Payne Jr., was a second-generation United States congressman from New Jersey who served six terms in office, following in the footsteps of his namesake congressman father.

Terry Carter (1928–2024), Battlestar Galactica, McCloud star

Terry Carter was an actor and Emmy Award-winning producer best known as the original Col. Tigh on Battlestar Galactica and Sgt. Joe Broadhurst on McCloud.

Eva Evans (2024), TikTok star and Club Rat creator

Eva Evans was a TikTok star known for sharing tips about life in New York City and for creating the Amazon Prime series, “Club Rat.” 

Ray Garton Jr. (1962–2024), award-nominated horror writer

Ray Garton Jr. was an author and novelist nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for “Live Girls,” who was also known for works such as “Seduction,” “Darklings,” his “A Nightmare on Elm Street” novelizations, and the controversial book, “In a Dark Place.” 

Rev. Cecil Williams (1929–2024), San Francisco pastor and humanitarian

Rev. Cecil Williams was the pastor of Glide Church in San Francisco for 60 years, turning it from a small congregation to San Francisco’s largest social services provider, one years ahead of its time in welcoming LGBTQ members.

Stephanie Sparks (1973–2024), golfer and The Big Break host

Stephanie Sparks was an amateur golf champion who hosted TV shows on the Golf Channel, such as the reality competition series “The Big Break.”  

Terry Anderson (1947–2024), reporter held hostage in Lebanon

Terry Anderson was an Associated Press reporter who was held hostage in Lebanon by Islamic militants for nearly seven years from 1985 to 1991.

Roman Gabriel (1940–2024), Rams, Eagles quarterback 

Roman Gabriel was a quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles in the 1960s and ‘70s.

David Pryor (1934–2024), U.S. senator and Arkansas governor

David Pryor was a Democratic politician who served as governor of Arkansas in the 1970s, as well as representing the state in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. 

Howie Schwab (1960–2024), ESPN trivia show host

Howie Schwab was a longtime ESPN producer who became an on-air personality with his trivia show, “Stump the Schwab,” in which he showed off his deep knowledge of sports.

Meg Bennett (1948–2024), The Young and the Restless actress and writer 

Meg Bennett was an actress and screenwriter on such soap operas as “The Young and the Restless,” “General Hospital,” and “Santa Barbara.” 

Dave McCarty (1969–2024), won 2004 World Series with the Red Sox

Dave McCarty was an 11-season Major League Baseball veteran who won a World Series with the 2004 Red Sox, helping the team break its 86-year World Series drought.

Mandisa (1976–2024), Grammy-winning American Idol finalist

Mandisa was a contemporary Christian singer who came to prominence when she competed in season five of “American Idol” in 2006.

Dickey Betts (1943–2024), Allman Brothers Band guitarist and singer

Dickey Betts was a guitarist, singer and songwriter best known as one of the founding members of the iconic classic rock act the Allman Brothers Band and the writer of classics like “Ramblin’ Man,” “Blue Sky” and “Jessica.”

Arthur “Pooch” Tavares (1943–2024), lead singer for R&B group Tavares

Arthur “Pooch” Tavares was the lead singer for Grammy Award-winning R&B group Tavares, known for “Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel” and “More Than a Woman” from the “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack.

Jerry Savelle (1946–2024), author and televangelist

Jerry Savelle was an author and televangelist who wrote over 70 books, spoke in over 3,000 churches and preached “prosperity gospel,” which says giving to religious causes will bring wealth back to the donor.

Bob Graham (1936-2024), former U.S. senator and Florida governor

Bob Graham was a Democratic politician who served as the governor of Florida in the 1970s and ‘80s and went on to become a three-term U.S. senator.

Carl Erskine (1926–2024), All-Star pitcher during Dodgers’ heyday

Carl Erskine was an All-Star pitcher and the last of the “Boys of Summer” Dodgers teams of the 1940s and 1950s, who hurled two no-hitters with the team during their most illustrious era.

Ken Holtzman (1945–2024), pitcher for Cubs, A’s 

Ken Holtzman was a pitcher who threw two no-hitters with the Chicago Cubs and won three World Series with the Oakland A’s.

Ron Thompson (1941–2024), played Pete and Tony in American Pop

Ron Thompson was an actor best known for playing Detective Nopke on “Baretta” and his multiple roles in Ralph Bakshi's 1981 animated film, “American Pop,” where he played father and son duo Pete and Tony.

Beverly LaHaye (1929–2024), conservative activist and author 

Beverly LaHaye was a conservative activist, author and founder of Concerned Women for America who became a powerful voice in opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment, gay rights, and other social issues.

Faith Ringgold (1930–2024), artist known for quilts 

Faith Ringgold was an artist and author known for her quilts, paintings and children’s books depicting Black American life.

Rico Wade (1972–2024), key player in Atlanta’s hip-hop scene

Rico Wade was a member of the Atlanta-based production trio Organized Noize, a key player in Atlanta’s hip-hop scene, and one of the architects of the “Dirty South” sound.

Roberto Cavalli (1940–2024), maximalist fashion designer

Roberto Cavalli was an Italian fashion designer known for his bold prints and inventive styles.

Eleanor Coppola (1936–2024), documentary filmmaker 

Eleanor Coppola was a documentary filmmaker best known for “Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse,” which chronicles the making of her husband Francis Ford Coppola’s landmark picture, “Apocalypse Now.” 

Robert MacNeil (1931–2024), MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour co-anchor

Robert MacNeil was a Canadian-American journalist who co-founded the long running news program that is now known as “PBS NewsHour.” 

O.J. Simpson (1947–2024), NFL star, defendant in trial of the century

O.J. Simpson was an NFL star of the 1970s’ Buffalo Bills who went on to an acting career before becoming embroiled in one of the most notorious trials of the 20th century, accused of murdering his ex-wife.

Akebono Tarō (1969–2024), Hawaiian-born sumo star

Akebono Tarō was a Hawaiian-born sumo star who became the first ever non-Japanese wrestler to achieve the sport’s highest rank and helped lead a resurgence of interest in the sport. 

Trina Robbins (1938–2024), pioneering cartoonist and comics historian

Trina Robbins was a pioneering cartoonist who was among the first female artists of the underground comix movement, who later became a noted comics historian.

Mister Cee (1966–2024), influential hip-hop DJ

Mister Cee was an influential hip-hop DJ who spun for Big Daddy Kane and helped discover Notorious B.I.G. 

Keith LeBlanc (1954–2024), Grandmaster Flash, Nine Inch Nails drummer

Keith LeBlanc was a drummer whose work can be heard on early hip-hop records by The Sugarhill Gang and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, as well as on tracks by such artists as Nine Inch Nails and R.E.M.

Peter Higgs (1929–2024), Higgs boson particle Nobel Prize winner 

Peter Higgs was a British theoretical physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics for proposing the existence of the subatomic particle that bears his name, the Higgs boson.

Ralph Puckett Jr. (1926–2024), last Korean War Medal of Honor recipient 

Ralph Puckett Jr. was an Army Ranger who served with valor in the Korean War and received the Medal of Honor more than 70 years later.