Died January 23

Dick Traum (1940–2024), champion of disabled athletes 

Dick Traum was a disabled athlete, entrepreneur, and advocate whose organization, Achilles International, pushed athletic events to provide wider access and resources to competitors with disabilities.

Melanie (1947–2024), Brand New Key singer

Melanie was a folk singer and songwriter who had major hits in the 1970s with “Brand New Key” and “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain),” and she was one of three women who performed solo acts at Woodstock.

Frank Farian (1941–2024), Milli Vanilli creator

Frank Farian was a German singer, songwriter, and record producer who created the hit pop acts Milli Vanilli and Boney M. 

Charles Osgood (1933–2024), longtime CBS News Sunday Morning host 

Charles Osgood was the host of “CBS News Sunday Morning” from 1994 to 2016 and the host of radio’s “The Osgood File” for close to 50 years.

Carol Sloane (1937–2023), jazz singer

Carol Sloane was a jazz singer who had a burgeoning career in the 1950s and ‘60s before rock became the dominant style of popular music.

Polo Polo (1944–2023), Mexican comedian

Polo Polo was one of Mexico’s most popular comedians, with an international following.

Lloyd Morrisett (1928–2023), “Sesame Street” co-creator

Lloyd Morrisett was the co-creator of the Children’s Television Workshop (CTW) and the classic children’s TV show “Sesame Street.”

Martine Colette (1942–2022), exotic animal rescuer with Wildlife Waystation

Martine Colette was an animal welfare activist who founded Wildlife Waystation, a Los Angeles-area sanctuary for wild and exotic animals.

Vachik Mangassarian (1948–2022), actor in “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” and “NCIS”

Vachik Mangassarian was a character actor known for appearances on “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” and “NCIS.”

Thierry Mugler (1948–2022), fashion designer who dressed Beyonce, Madonna

Thierry Mugler was a French fashion designer known for his avant garde haute couture, who created designs for celebrities including Beyonce and Madonna.

Hal Holbrook (1925–2021), actor known for “All the President’s Men,” “Into the Wild”

Hal Holbrook was an actor known for his one-man show, “Mark Twain Tonight!” as well as for roles in movies including “All the President’s Men” and “Into the Wild” and in the TV show “Evening Shade.”

Andrew Brooks (1969–2021), scientist who developed first COVID-19 spit test

Andrew Brooks was a research professor at Rutgers University and CEO of Infinity Biologix, who developed the first FDA-approved rapid saliva test for COVID-19.

Larry King (1933–2021), longtime host of CNN’s “Larry King Live”

Larry King was a well-known talk show host who was the star of CNN’s “Larry King Live” for 25 years, interviewing a wide variety of prominent people.

Marsha Kramer (1945–2020), actress known for “Modern Family,” “Peter Pan”

Marsha Kramer was an actress whose notable roles included Margaret, Jay’s assistant on “Modern Family.” Kramer appeared in that role in 14 episodes over seven seasons of the long-running series. She was also known for her Broadway performance as Wendy in the 1979 revival of “Peter Pan,” against Sandy Duncan as the title character. Kramer had a recurring role on “Frasier” and also made appearances on TV shows including “Touched by an Angel,” “Cheers,” “Malcolm in the Middle,” and “Newhart.”

Jim Lehrer (1934–2020), longtime anchor of “PBS NewsHour”

Jim Lehrer was a broadcast journalist well known for hosting “PBS NewsHour” for more than 30 years. Lehrer joined Robert MacNeil to cohost the program in 1976, when it was titled “The MacNeil/Lehrer Report.” When MacNeil left in 1995, it became “The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer,” renamed “PBS NewsHour” in 2009. In the 36 years before his 2011 retirement, Lehrer became a giant of broadcasting known for his directness. He always strove simply to report the news, feeling that opinion and analysis had no place in what he did. Lehrer moderated twelve presidential debates, more than any other moderator in U.S. history, most recently the first presidential general election debate of 2012. He was also a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and an author of plays, novels, memoirs, and screenplays, including the novel “Top Down” about the Kennedy assassination. Lehrer was honored with the National Humanities Medal and the George Foster Peabody Broadcast Award, and he was a member of the Television Hall of Fame.

Robert Dowdell (1932 – 2018), starred on TV’s “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea”

Played Chip Morton on the popular 1960’s sci-fi series…

2018 Kentucky School Shooting Victims

Two teens were killed in a shooting at Marshall County High School in Benton, Kentucky.

Lari White (1965 – 2018), country singer-songwriter

“Now I Know” was a top 5 hit song…

Joel Taylor (2018), "Storm Chasers" star

Joel Taylor was one of the stars of “Storm Chasers” on the Discovery Channel.

Wyatt Tee Walker (2018), civil rights pioneer

Helped assemble Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic "Letter From Birmingham Jail"…

Hugh Masekela (1939–2018), father of South African jazz

Anti-apartheid activist authored the protest song “Soweto Blues.”

Bobby Freeman (1940–2017), Do You Want to Dance singer

Bobby Freeman, a rhythm and blues singer-songwriter known best for his hit song “Do You Want To Dance,” died Monday, Jan. 23, 2017, according to The New York Times. He was 76.

Lee O'Denat (2017), WorldStarHipHop website founder

WorldStarHipHop website founder Lee O'Denat, aka Q, died Monday, Jan. 23, 2017, according to multiple news sources. He was 43. TMZ first reported the news.

Bimba Bosé (1975 - 2017), model, actress, and singer

Bimba Bosé, an Italian-born model, actress, and singer, died Monday, Jan. 23, 2017, of cancer at a hospital in Madrid, Spain, according to multiple news sources. She was 41.

Remembering Ernie Banks

When Hall of Famer and Chicago Cubs legend diedJan. 23, 2015 at 83, Chicago fans went into mourning for their beloved "Mr. Cub."Below, read tributes to the great shortstop. As Ernie would say,"It's a beautiful day for a ballgame... Let's play two!"

Bob Keeshan: Captain Kangaroo

Bob Keeshan's career took him from a short stint as the original Clarabell the Clown on NBC's Howdy Doody to a 30-year run as Captain Kangaroo on his own CBS show. The New York Times called the captain "one of the most enduring characters television ever produced."

The Highs and Lows of Nell Carter

Nell Carter's life was a study in extremes.