Celebrity deaths 2017 – the stars who died last year, from David Cassidy to Roger Moore
IN 2017 the world was forced to bid a sad farewell to some of its most famous and beloved stars from the world of sports, entertainment and television.
Here we take an opportunity to honour some of the iconic figures who are sadly no longer with us...
December
Keith Chegwin, 60
Keith Chegwin, 60, was born January 17, 1957 and was an English television broadcaster and actor.
He was best known for hosting children’s game show Cheggers Plays Pop in the 1970s, which was his launch to fame.
Keith Chegwin, 60, was born January 17, 1957 and was an English television broadcaster and actor.
He was best known for hosting children’s game show Cheggers Plays Pop in the 1970s, which was his launch to fame.
Keith died following a “long-term battle with a progressive lung condition” on December 11, 2017.
November
David Cassidy, 67
Veteran pop star David Cassidy died aged 67 after suffering from multiple organ failure.
The former teen idol, who starred in 1970s sitcom The Partridge Family, battled against ill health in recent months before passing away surrounded by his loved ones.
He made his stage debut in 1969 while still a teenager, before signing with Universal Studios and moving to Los Angeles.
Cassidy was cast as Keith Partridge in the musical TV show The Partridge Family in 1970, a role which catapulted him into the spotlight.
The show ran until 1974, and spawned the release of eight studio albums and five compilations.
The Partridge Family scored the biggest selling song of 1970 with I Think I Love You which featured David on lead vocals. The song remains the star's most well known hit.
Keith Barron, 83
TV actor Keith Barron, best known for his role in the sitcom Duty Free, passed away after a short illness.
The actor also appeared in Coronation Street and Where the Heart is.
He also featured in the series Take Me Home and the movie The Land That Time Forgot.
In a statement confirming his death, Barron's agent said the actor was "immensely proud" of his "long and varied career".
October
Sean Hughes, 51
Hughes appeared as a captain on the popular BBC music quiz show Never Mind The Buzzcocks alongside Phil Jupitus and Mark Lamarr, appearing on the show between 1996 and 2002.
He died of liver cirrhosis, pals confirmed in a series of tweets, on October 20.
Fellow funny man Jason Manford tweeted: "Very sad to hear about Sean Hughes. A brilliant comic and a lovely bloke. RIP."
Jack Dee added: "Very sad to hear about Sean Hughes. Started on the circuit with him back in the day. RIP."
Brent Briscoe, 56
Twin Peaks actor Brent Biscoe passed away on October 18 after a short stay in hospital.
He is said to have suffered a "serious fall", which results in internal bleeding and heart complications, according to Variety.
His agent said: "We lost a class act on Wednesday. Brent played hundreds of roles throughout his career but his greatest role was to his family and friends.
"He was as genuine as they come. We will miss him dearly."
Gord Downie, 53
Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie passed away at the age of 53 after a battle with brain cancer.
The dad-of-four was surrounded by his family as he passed, and they later released a statement saying they "knew this day was coming".
They wrote: "As a musician, he lived 'the life' for over 30 years, lucky to do most of it with his high school buddies.
"At home, he worked just as tirelessly at being a good father, son, brother, husband and friend. No one worked harder on every part of their life than Gord. No one."
Danielle Darrieux, 100
Danielle passed away on October 17 after suffering "a little fall" at her home in Bois-le-Rois, south of Paris, before her death.
The French star became a Hollywood icon after appearing in black-and-white movies including
After France capitulated to the Germans in 1940, Darrieux brought shame on her family by working for Continental, a Nazi-run film production company, appearing in two of their movies.
She even made a notorious propaganda visit to Berlin in 1942, although she later insisted she solely wanted to visit her second husband, who was imprisoned there.
She continued working until well past her 90th birthday, with her last major notable role being the voice of a grandmother in the 2007 animated film Persepolis.
Roy Dotrice, 94
Game of Thrones star Roy Dotrice passed away at the age of 94.
His family said in a statement that he "died peacefully on Monday October 16 in his London home surrounded by family, including his three daughters, grandchildren and great-grandson".
The actor, who played Hallyne the Pyromancer in the hit TV series, also narrated George RR Martin's A Song Of Ice And Fire audiobook collection.
His narration saw him awarded a place in the Guinness World Records in 2004 for the greatest number of characters voiced in an audio book at 224.
Roy was also known for his role as Leopold Mozart in Oscar-winning film Amadeus.
Kevin Cadle, 62
Former British basketball coach and Sky Sports presenter Kevin Cadle died unexpectedly on October 16.
The face of NFL and NBA coverage in the UK passed away in a shock to his family, the British Basketball League confirmed.
A British Basketball League tweet said: "We are shocked and saddened to hear that #BritishBasketball has lost a true legend in Kevin Cadle. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends."
NFL UK tweeted: "We are shocked & saddened to hear of the death of Kevin Cadle, a great friend of #NFLUK for so long. Our thoughts are with his loved ones."
Tom Petty, 66
Tom Petty died after suffering a cardiac arrest at his Malibu home on October 2.
The musician, 66, was found unconscious and rushed to UCLA Santa Monica Hospital where he was put on life support.
In the early hours of the morning a statement from Tom's manager Tony Dimitriades confirmed the star's death, saying :
“We are devastated to announce the untimely death of our father, husband, brother, leader and friend Tom Petty.
“He died peacefully at 8.40pm [4.40am BST] surrounded by family, his bandmates and friends.”
September
Hugh Hefner, 91
Playboy founder Hugh Hefner died September 27 surrounded by loved ones at his iconic mansion at the age of 91.
The self-styled godfather of the sexual revolution passed away from natural causes after decades transforming the original lads' mag into a £150million empire.
He is survived by his third wife Crystal Harris, a former Playboy Playmate who was Miss December 2009.
Liz Dawn, 77
Legendary Coronation Street actress Liz Dawn passed away on September 26.
The star - who was a giant of the small screen in British front rooms for 34 years playing Vera Duckworth - passed away last night after a long battle with lung condition emphysema.
A statement from her family said: "We are devastated and heartbroken at the passing of our much-loved wife, mother, sister, grandmother and great grandmother, the incredible Liz Dawn.
"Liz died peacefully last night at home with her loving family around her.
"She has been the love, light and inspiration in our lives and we are bereft at her passing."
Tony Booth, 85
Tony Booth, the father of Cherie Blair and actor in Till Death Us Do Part, passed away aged 85.
The Liverpudlian was born to a working class family and developed his love of acting when he was in the Army.
He was posted to Paris and stayed there for five years in repertory theatre before moving onto TV in the 1960s.
Bobby Knutt, 71
Benidorm and Emmerdale star Bobby Knutt's death was announced on September 25 after he passed away unexpectedly in the South of France.
The Sheffield-born actor's death was announced by Benidorm's writer Derren Litten, who wrote online:"Benidorm star and Sheffield legend Bobby Knutt passes away aged 71. Good night Knutty, your Benidorm family loves you. X".
He was married to Donna Hartley - once hailed the "golden girl" of British athletics - before she passed away in June 2013 aged 58.
He was born in Sheffield in 1945 where he started his showbiz career as a singer in group Bob Andrews and the Questors.
Jake LaMotta, 95
Boxing legend Jake LaMotta died aged 95 on September 19.
His daughter Christi announced the star's passing with a small Facebook condolence that read: "Jake LaMotta July 10, 1922 - September 19 2017 - Rest in Peace Pop."
He took part in 106 matches in his professional career, winning 83 of them - and had a professional rivalry with Sugar Ray Robinson in the ring.
As part of his iconic career, he became the inspiration behind the Hollywood blockbuster, Raging Bull.
In the film, Robert De Niro played the star, and even trained to a professional standard to try and match the legend's skills.
As well as becoming a World Middleweight Champion, he also forged a career as a stand-up comedian.
Chuck Low, 89
Chuck Low, who played Morris "Morrie" Kesseler in the Scorsese Mafia mega hit Goodfellas, died at a New Jersey nursing home on September 18.
The actor also starred in The Mission, King of Comedy, Once Upon a Time in America, Scent of a Woman and The Sopranos.
Chuck rose to the rank of Major in the US military spending four years on active duty and a further 30-years as a reserve as well as eight in the National Guard.
A funeral with full military honours was held on September 20 in Edmonton, New York where he was laid to rest following a three gun salute.
Harry Dean Stanton, 91
Pretty in Pink and Twin Peaks star Harry Dean Stanton died aged 91 on September 15.
The silver screen veteran, best known for his roles in the crime thriller and sci fi flick Alien, passed away peacefully at a hospital in Las Vegas today.
The life-long bachelor is succeeded by some members of his family.
He was being treated at the Cedars-Sinai Hospital before his tragic passing.
The Kentucky-born screen star, who also featured high-profile flicks The Green Mile and Godfather II, in a career which spanned six decades, was also known as a musician and singer.
August
Glen Campbell, 81
The singer passed away surrounded by family and friends, leaving the country music world mourning.
He had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2011.
Glen released over 70 albums, 12 of which went gold and was known as one of the best country singers to have ever lived.
Robert Hardy, 91
The Harry Potter actor died in Denville Hall, a North West London retirement home for actors on August 3.
He enjoyed a successful career which spanned decades with notable roles including the lovable Siegried Farnon in BBC's All Creatures Great and Small and Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge in four Harry Potter films.
His family described him as “gruff, elegant, twinkly, and always dignified”.
Bruce Forsyth, 89
The legendary TV presenter and ‘King of Strictly Come Dancing’ died on August 18 after being unwell for some time.
The telly legend is survived by his wife Lady Wilnelia Forsyth and six children – daughters Debbie, Julie and Laura, from his first marriage to Penny Calvert; Charlotte and Louisa with his second wife Anthea Redfern, and his son Jonathan with Wilnelia.
Bruce's family released a statement in which they expressed their gratitude to “the many people who have sent cards and letters to Bruce wishing him well over his long illness and know that they will share in part, the great, great loss they feel.”
Jerry Lewis, 91
The actor - who first found fame as Dean Martin's comedy partner in the 1950s - passed away at home surrounded by his family on August 20.
Jerry was one of America's biggest ever stars, with his career spanning multiple decades over radio, television, music and film.
He was even nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 1977 for his charity work that saw him raise more than $2.5bn for the fight against Muscular Dystrophy.
His later years were beset with health problems, with him undergoing major surgeries including open-heart surgery in 1983.
July
Hywel Bennet, 73
The Carmathenshire-born star's agent confirmed on August 3 that he had passed away in July.
Soap fans will remember him for his role as Jack Dalton in EastEnders though others may remember him for his roles in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Last of the Summer Wine.
The Welshman hit the big time when he took the role of James Shelley in the sitcom of the same name.
Robert Anker, 27
The Diversity dancer, who also performed on shows such as Strictly Come Dancing and The X Factor, died after being involved in a car crash in Canada.
The Essex-born entrepreneur moved to Canada in 2016 to live with his fiancee Cyndi.
Diversity rose to fame after becoming one of the most popular winners in the history of Britain's Got Talent in 2009.
Chester Bennington, 41
The Linkin Park singer died on July 20 after committing suicide by hanging at his Los Angeles home.
Linkin Park hit the limelight with their debut album Hybrid Theory in 1999, and continued their success with the global hit Meteora in 2003.
Chester is survived by his wife, Talinda Ann Bentley, and six children – Jamie, 21, Isaiah, 19, Draven, 15, Tyler Lee, 11, and Lily and Lily, 7.
Carol Lee Scott, 74
Carol Lee Scott, known as kids TV character Grotbags, passed away in early July.
Her niece confirmed her death on Twitter in a heartwarming tribute.
The character of Grotbags – a bright green witch known for her scattered clothing and witches robe and hat – became a much-loved TV character in the early nineties after originally appearing in Emu’s World on ITV.
June
Barry Norman, 83
The veteran film critic, whose career spanned decades, died in his sleep on June 30.
His heartbroken daughters Samantha and Emma paid tribute to their “remarkable” dad in an emotional statement.
They said: “He had a great life, a wonderful marriage and an enviable career."
Adam West, 88
The actor who became a pop culture icon, playing hero Batman passed away on June 10.
He leaves his wife Marcelle and died in Los Angeles after a short battle with leukaemia.
Cheick Tiote, 30
The ex-Newcastle ace died from a heart attack on June 5 after collapsing in training while training with his Chinese club, Beijing Enterprises.
He leaves behind three children and a fourth who was reportedly due to be born the week of his tragic death.
Peter Sallis, 96
Screen star Peter Sallis, the voice of Wallace in the Oscar-winning animated hit Wallace and Gromit died on June 2.
The veteran actor also featured in every episode of long-running BBC sitcom Last of the Summer Wine as Norman “Cleggy” Clegg.
He died peacefully at a care home with his family by his side.
May
Sir Roger Moore, 89
The legendary James Bond actor died on May 23 after a short battle with cancer.
He leaves behind his fourth wife Kristina and his family said in their statement announcing his death that he wanted to be remembered for his charity work.
Chris Cornell, 52
The Soundgarden and Black Hole legend was confirmed dead on May 17.
He was born Christopher John Boyle in 1964 and in 1998 he would embark on a solo career that would eventually see him sing the theme tune for the first Daniel Craig James Bond film, Casino Royale.
April
Tim Pigott-Smith, 70
The British actor, who starred in many TV favourites including Downton Abbey and Jewel in the Crown, died on April 7.
A star of the stage as well as TV and film, he was awarded an OBE in the 2017 New Year Honours list and was due to tour Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman when he passed away.
He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Pamela Miles and their son Tom.
March
Ronnie Moran, 83
The former Liverpool captain and caretaker boss died at the age of 83 after a short illness.
Left back Moran skippered the club and won the old First Division league titles in 1964 and 1966.
Colin Dexter, 86
Inspector Morse creator Colin Dexter died peacefully at his home in Oxford, aged 86 on March 21.
The crime writer was best known for publishing a series of novels about the detective which were adapted into the long-running TV series starring John Thaw.
February
Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, 45
Best known as a model and IT girl, Tara Palmer-Tomkinson sadly passed away at her London home aged 45 after suffering from a brain tumour.
Tara grew up with a close relationship with with the royal family and her parents were friends with the Prince of Wales.
Palmer-Tomkinson was an English socialite, TV presenter and model whose life was regularly followed and publicised, the IT girl also appeared on I'm A Celebrity in 2002.
January
Graham Taylor, 72
The former England football manager passed away from a suspected heart attack on January 12.
The former Aston Villa and Watford boss managed the international football team between 1990 - 1993.
He is survived by his wife Rita, 75, and two grown-up daughters Joanne, 50, and Karen, 48.
