Died December 2

Israel Vázquez (1977–2024), three-time world champion boxer

Israel Vázquez was a Mexican boxer nicknamed "El Magnifico" whose three world championships and rivalry with Rafael Márquez made him one of Mexico’s most beloved boxers.

Gary Friedkin (1952–2022), Clarence the cook on “Happy Days”   

Gary Friedkin was an actor who played Clarence the cook on “Happy Days” and starred in the film “Young Doctors in Love.”

Al Strobel (1939–2022), the One-Armed Man in “Twin Peaks”

Al Strobel was an actor who was best known for his role as Phillip Gerard, the “one-armed man” on the cult TV series “Twin Peaks.”

Darlene Hard (1936–2021), 3-time major tennis champion

Darlene Hard was a Hall of Fame tennis player who won 3 major singles championships and 13 major doubles championships.

Frank Carney (1938–2020), co-founder of Pizza Hut

Frank Carney was a businessman who co-founded Pizza Hut along with his brother.

Hugh Keays-Byrne (1947–2020), played villains in “Mad Max” movies

Hugh Keays-Byrne was an English-Australian actor best known for portraying two different villains in “Mad Max” (1979) and “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015).

Rafer Johnson (1934–2020), Olympic decathlon legend

Rafer Johnson won the decathlon gold medal at the 1960 Olympic games in Rome and was the first Black American to be the flag bearer for the U.S. Olympic team.

Pat Patterson (1941–2020), WWE Hall of Famer

Pat Patterson was a wrestling star who helped built World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and was a mentor to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

Jimmy Cavallo (1927–2019), rock and roll pioneer

His band is believed to be the first white group to play the Apollo Theater.

D.C. Fontana (1939–2019), pioneering “Star Trek” writer

She wrote the classic “Star Trek” episode “Journey to Babel.”

Perry Wallace (1948–2017), broke down racial barriers in college basketball

Perry Wallace, who broke down a racial barrier in the Deep South by becoming the first black varsity basketball player in the Southeastern Conference, has died after a battle with cancer.

Mark Gray (1952 - 2016), country music singer-songwriter

The country music singer-songwriter co-wrote No. 1 hit songs for group Alabama.

Billy Chapin (1943 - 2016), child actor of the 1950s

Billy Chapin, a child actor who was popular in the 1950s, died Dec. 2, 2016, according to multiple news sources. Chapin was 72.

Sammy Lee (1920–2016), Olympic diving champion

Sammy Lee, a two-time Olympic diving champion, died Friday, Dec. 2, 2016, of pneumonia in Newport Beach, California, according to The Associated Press. He was 96.

2016 Oakland Building Fire Victims

At least 36 people are confirmed dead in a building fire in Oakland, California, that began Friday, Dec. 2, 2016, according to CNN.

Sandy Berger (1945 - 2015), former U.S. national security adviser

Former U.S. national security adviser Sandy Berger, who helped craft President Bill Clinton's second-term foreign policy and later got into trouble over the mishandling of classified documents, died Wednesday, according to The Associated Press. Berger was 70 and in ill health. The announcement about the death came from a spokesman for Berger's consulting firm, the AP said.

Desi Arnaz, TV Innovator

Twenty-seven years after Desi Arnaz's death, we're showcasing three of the ways he helped influence television.

Odetta Sings Folk Songs

Odetta may not be as much a household name as Bob Dylan—but it was she who inspired him to pick up an acoustic guitar and sing folk music. She might not have the folk-music fame of Joan Baez, but Baez called her a goddess. Carly Simon may have been the bigger star, but she said she went weak in the knees when she had a chance to meet Odetta.

Aaron Copland, Dean of American Composers

Aaron Copland, known as the Dean of American Composers, died 20 years ago on this day. In his honor, we present 20 facts about his life and work.