Emmy Award Winners

James Houghton (1948–2024), Knots Landing star

James Houghton was an actor and screenwriter known for his onscreen work on “Knots Landing” and “The Colbys,” as well as his writing for “The Young and the Restless.” 

Thom Christopher (1940–2024), One Life to Live star

Thom Christopher was an actor and soap opera star best known for his long runs on “One Life to Live” and “Loving,” as well as for playing Hawk on “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.” 

Helen Gallagher (1926–2024), award-winning star of Ryan’s Hope

Helen Gallagher was an award-winning actress, decorated with two Tony Awards for her stage work and best known for her three-time Daytime Emmy Award-winning turn as Maeve Ryan on “Ryan’s Hope.”

Judith Jamison (1943–2024), leader of Alvin Ailey dance troupe

Judith Jamison was an acclaimed dancer and choreographer who eventually became artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the famed modern dance company based in New York City.

Maggie Smith (1934–2024), star of Downton Abbey and Harry Potter

Maggie Smith was an Oscar, Emmy, and Tony-winning actress known for roles in “Downton Abbey” and the “Harry Potter” series, along with dozens of other notable movies, television shows, and stage performances.

James Earl Jones (1931–2024), the voice of Darth Vader and Mufasa

James Earl Jones was the acclaimed actor whose deep, rich voice was featured as Darth Vader in several “Star Wars” films and as Mufasa in “The Lion King.”

Peter Marshall (1926–2024), longtime Hollywood Squares host

Peter Marshall was a television entertainer and game-show star best known for his 16-year, 5,000-episode run as the host of “Hollywood Squares” from 1966 to 1981.

Gena Rowlands (1930–2024), A Woman Under the Influence star

Gena Rowlands was an actress known for roles in such films as “A Woman Under the Influence” (1974) and “Gloria” (1980), both of which earned her Academy Award nominations for Best Actress.

Bob Tischler (1946–2024), former head writer on Saturday Night Live

Bob Tischler was a television writer and producer who produced four comedy albums before becoming the “Saturday Night Live” head writer in the early 1980s, helping champion Eddie Murphy’s rise to stardom.

Lou Dobbs (1945–2024), television host and political commentator

Lou Dobbs was a television host and political commentator best known for his 30-year association with CNN and his decade with Fox Business Network, a tenure which came to an end when Dobbs was fired after promoting election conspiracies. 

Bob Newhart (1929–2024), star of The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart

Bob Newhart was the deadpan comedian and actor known best for starring in his self-titled sitcoms, "The Bob Newhart Show" and "Newhart."

Russell Morash (1936–2024), This Old House creator

Russell Morash was a TV producer who pioneered how-to TV as the creator of “This Old House” and director of “The French Chef,” among other PBS shows.

Bill Cobbs (1934–2024), actor known for Night at the Museum

Bill Cobbs was an actor known for many of his nearly 200 roles on film and TV, including parts in “Night at the Museum,” “Demolition Man,” “The Bodyguard,” “The West Wing,” and "I’ll Fly Away.” 

Tony Lo Bianco (1936–2024), played Sal Boca in The French Connection

Tony Lo Bianco was a Tony Award-nominated actor best known for playing Sal Boca in the neo-noir classic, “The French Connection.”

Sam Rubin (1960–2024), longtime entertainment news anchor

Sam Rubin was a longtime Los Angeles news anchor known for his more than three decades of celebrity interviews.

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. 

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.” 

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.” 

Louis Gossett Jr. (1936–2024), award-winning star of Roots

Louis Gossett Jr. was the Oscar- and Emmy-winning star of such movies and TV series as “An Officer and a Gentleman” and “Roots.” 

Joe Camp (1939–2024), Benji filmmaker 

Joe Camp was the creator, screenwriter, and director behind the beloved “Benji” movie franchise.

Janice Burgess (1952–2024), creator of The Backyardigans

Janice Burgess created the Nickelodeon animated show “The Backyardigans.”

Seiji Ozawa (1935–2024), norm-breaking conductor 

Seiji Ozawa was an offbeat, norm-breaking Japanese conductor who led the Boston Symphony Orchestra longer than any other music director.

Rod Holcomb (1943–2024), TV director on ER, Lost 

Rod Holcomb was a TV director and producer who helmed the pilot and series finale of “ER,” along with dozens of other TV episodes.

April Ferry (1932–2024), Game of Thrones costumer

April Ferry was an Emmy Award-winning costume designer for such films and television shows as “Rome,” “Game of Thrones,” “Big Trouble in Little China,” and “Free Willy.”  

Reggie Wells (1947–2024), Oprah Winfrey’s longtime makeup artist 

Reggie Wells was Oprah Winfrey’s personal makeup artist for more than 25 years, and he also worked with many other notable women.

Tom Wilkinson (1948–2023), The Full Monty star

Tom Wilkinson was an English actor whose performances in “Michael Clayton” and “In the Bedroom” earned him two Academy Award nominations and who is arguably best known for his work in “The Full Monty” and “Shakespeare in Love.”

Andre Braugher (1962–2023), Brooklyn Nine-Nine star 

Andre Braugher was an actor known for his performances as police officers on TV’s “Homicide: Life on the Street” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” 

Norman Lear (1922–2023), legendary TV sitcom creator

Norman Lear was a TV sitcom legend who created classic shows including “All in the Family" and “Sanford and Son.” 

Ross McDonnell (1979–2023), cinematographer known for The First Wave

Ross McDonnell was a photographer, cinematographer, and director who won Emmy Awards for his work on the documentaries “The First Wave” and “The Trade.” He went missing in New York in November 2023.

Billy Miller (1979–2023), The Young and the Restless star

Billy Miller was an actor who won Daytime Emmy Awards for his performance as Billy Abbott in the soap opera “The Young and the Restless.” 

Ron Cephas Jones (1957–2023), Emmy-winning This Is Us actor 

Ron Cephas Jones was an actor who won two Emmy Awards for his portrayal of William Hill on the hit NBC drama “This Is Us.”

Johnny Hardwick (1958–2023), voice of Dale on King of the Hill 

Johnny Hardwick was a stand-up comedian, writer, and voice actor who played Dale Gribble, Hank Hill’s conspiracy-theorist friend on the animated TV show "King of the Hill."

Glenda Jackson (1936–2023), Oscar-winning actress and politician 

Glenda Jackson was a British actress who won Academy Awards for Best Actress for her performances in “Women in Love” and “A Touch of Class” before being elected to Parliament.

Harry Belafonte (1927–2023), legendary singer, actor, and activist

Harry Belafonte was the “King of Calypso,” a singer known for his signature song, “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song),” as well as an actor and a prominent civil rights activist.

Gerald Fried (1928–2023), film and television composer 

Gerald Fried was an American film and television composer. He is best known for his work scoring "Roots” and composing Star Trek’s iconic fight-scene music.

Eugene Lee (1939–2023), designed SNL, Wicked, Sweeney Todd stages

Eugene Lee was a set designer who worked with “Saturday Night Live” for almost 50 years and won Tony Awards for sets including “Wicked.”

Billy Packer (1940–2023), Emmy-winning college basketball announcer

Billy Packer was a longtime college basketball announcer who covered the NCAA tournament for decades.

Drew Griffin (1962–2022), CNN investigative reporter 

Drew Griffin was a veteran award-winning investigative reporter for CNN.

Stuart Margolin (1940–2022), “The Rockford Files” co-star 

Stuart Margolin was a longtime character actor who starred as con man Evelyn “Angel” Martin on “The Rockford Files.”

John Aniston (1933–2022), “Days of Our Lives” star

John Aniston was an actor who starred as Victor Kiriakis on “Days of Our Lives” for decades as well as the father of actress Jennifer Aniston.

Joanna Simon (1936–2022), opera singer and TV correspondent   

Joanna Simon was an acclaimed opera singer and an Emmy-winning arts reporter for PBS’s “MacNeil-Lehrer News Hour.”

Pat Carroll (1927–2022), voice of Ursula in “The Little Mermaid”

Pat Carroll was an Emmy Award-winning actress who provided the voice of villain Ursula in the Disney classic, “The Little Mermaid.”

Mary Alice (1936–2022), “A Different World” and “Sparkle” actress 

Mary Alice was an actress who starred in the musical film “Sparkle” and won a Tony award for her performance in “Fences."

Tony Walton (1934–2022), award-winning set designer 

Tony Walton was a legendary British set and costume designer who won an Oscar for his work on “All That Jazz.”

Louie Anderson (1953–2022), Emmy-winning “Baskets” star and comedian

Louie Anderson was a comedian and actor who starred in “Baskets” and created the cartoon series “Life With Louie.”

Marilyn Bergman (1928–2022), Oscar-winning “The Way We Were” songwriter

Marilyn Bergman was a songwriter who won three Academy Awards for her work.

Marc Pilcher (1967–2021), Emmy-winning “Bridgerton” hair and makeup designer

Marc Pilcher was a British hair and makeup designer who won an Emmy Award for his work on “Bridgerton.”

Michael Constantine (1927–2021), “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” dad

Michael Constantine was an actor best known for playing Toula’s father, Gus Portokalos, in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” and its sequel.

Ed Asner (1929–2021), actor known for “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “Up”

Ed Asner was an actor who rose to fame playing cranky newsman Lou Grant on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” from 1970 to 1977 and had later voice acting fame in 2009’s “Up.”