Stars We've Lost in 2024

The legendary crooner -- best known as one half of the music duo Steve and Eydie with wife Eydie Gormé -- died on Mar. 8, at his home in Los Angeles. He was 88. The GRAMMY and Emmy Award-winning entertainer died as as result of "complications due to Alzheimer’s disease," according to a statement released by his family. Lawrence is best remembered for his 1962 cover of "Go Away Little Girl," as well as "Pretty Blue Eyes," "Footsteps" and "Party Doll," although the majority of his success as a musician came as a club and lounge singer, often with wife Gormé. The pair performed as Steve and Eydie until Gormé retired from singing in 2009, before her death in 2013. During his career, Lawrence was nominated for a Tony Award in 1964 for his performance as Sammy Glick in the Broadway production of What Makes Sammy Run? Lawrence was also the winner of two Emmy Awards, as well as a GRAMMY, alongside his wife, for Best Performance By a Vocal Duo or Group for "We Got Us" in 1961 -- the first year the category was presented. Film fans might best remember Lawrence, however, for his brief but memorable appearance in the beloved 1980 musical comedy classic The Blues Brothers, in which he played Maury Sline, the manager for the film's titular music group. Lawrence is survived by his son, David, daughter-in-law, Faye, granddaughter, Mabel, and brother, Bernie. He was predeceased by Gormé, as well as their son, Michael, who died in 1986.

Sister Wives stars Janelle and Kody Brown's son, Garrison Brown, died at age 25. His parents took to their respective Instagram accounts to share the sad news on March 5. 

"Kody and I are deeply saddened to announce the loss of our beautiful boy Robert Garrison Brown," the shared post read. "He was a bright spot in the lives of all who knew him. His loss will leave such a big hole in our lives that it takes our breath away. We ask that you please respect our privacy and join us in honoring his memory."

Janice Burgess, the Emmy-winning creator of Nickelodeon's The Backyardigans, died on March 2 in hospice care in Manhattan. She was 72. 

Nickelodeon confirmed the screenwriter's death in a statement to ET. "We are saddened to learn of the passing of one of the great architects of Nick Jr. and creator of the globally beloved series, The Backyardigans. Janice was one of the greats--inherently creative and kind, and dedicated to the preschool audience everywhere," a rep for the children's television network shared. 

Jim Beard, the musician best known as the keyboardist for Steely Dan, died on March 2 in a New York City hospital from complications due to a sudden illness, Deadline reported. He was 63.

The band also announced Beard's death, writing on its website, "It is with great sadness that we announce the loss of our friend and colleague JIM BEARD 1960 - 2024."

Stand-up comedian Richard Lewis died in February, his rep confirmed to ET on Feb. 28. He was 76.

The entertainer -- who was born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Englewood, New Jersey -- is perhaps best known for his role in the '80s sitcom Anything But Love alongside Jamie Lee Curtis, portraying Prince John in the 1993 movie Robin Hood: Men in Tights and most recently for playing a fictionalized version of himself in Larry David's HBO series, Curb Your Enthusiasm. 

Michael Jones, who was best known as Ted DiBiase's bodyguard Virgil in WWE in the late 1980s and early 1990s, died at age 61 in February. News of Jones' death was initially shared by Mark Charles III, a wrestling referee and Jones' friend.

"My dear friends, it is with great sorrow that I bring news from the Jones family of the passing of our beloved Michael Jones, whom we know and loved as Virgil, Vincent, Soul Train Jones and more," Charles wrote on Facebook. "Virgil passed peacefully at the hospital this morning and I ask that you pray for him and for his family. May his memory be eternal!"

Robin Windsor, the former Strictly Come Dancing pro, died at the age of 44. 

Windsor's website confirmed his death with a post on Feb. 20, which read, "It is with deep sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of our beautiful Robin. ... He lit up any room he walked into, he was a nurturing soul always full of fun. He brought so much happiness to anyone who saw him dance. Strictly Come Dancing, Burn the Floor and many other dance shows along with all the school children around the country who he gave his time. Robin was a strong advocate for mental health and worked closely with the Sane Charity. The dance world has lost some of its sparkle today."

The stage, screen and radio star -- best known for her role in the 1954 holiday classic White Christmas -- died on Feb. 15. She was 85. Whitfield died at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital in Washington, surrounded by her family, according to her obituary. She had been hospitalized after an "unexpected accident while on a walk in her neighborhood." She began working in the theater in 1949 and appeared in numerous stage productions, including Annie Get Your Gun. She began booking small roles on TV shows the following year, with bit parts in Racket Squad, One Man's Family, and Hollywood Opening Night, as well as several small film roles. Her most memorable role came in 1954, when Whitfield was only 15, in the beloved musical comedy White Christmas, in which she played Susan Waverly, the granddaughter of Major General Thomas Waverly (Dean Jagger), who owns the Columbia Inn hotel where Bing Crosby's Bob Wallace and Danny Kaye's Phil Davis perform. Whitfield continued acting throughout the following decades in small roles, with her final appearance coming in the 1999 Robert Altman dramedy Cookie's Fortune. Whitfield is survived by daughters Julie and Allison, her son Evan, as well as her seven grandchildren.

Antonio "Tony" Hutson, the former NFL offensive lineman, died at the age of 49.

The news of Hutson's death was shared via an obituary on legacy.com that was published on Feb. 9, but no official date of death was given.

In 1996, Hutson was signed to the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent. However, his NFL career was briefly paused, as he was dropped when a benign tumor was found. In 1997, he was promoted to active on the team's roster. 

After being cut from the Cowboys in 2000, he was signed with the Washington Commanders (then known as the Washington Redskins), where he played until the end of the season. Hutson ended his NFL career in 2021, after playing with the Oakland Raiders. 

Toby Keith -- the country music sinter known for hits like "Should've Been a Cowboy," "Red Solo Cup," "Who's Your Daddy?" and "Made in America" -- died following a cancer battle on Feb. 5. He was 62. 

"He fought his fight with grace and courage," read a statement on the late musician's website. 

Carl Weathers, best known for his iconic role as Apollo Creed in the Rocky film series and his appearances on The Mandalorian, died on Feb. 1. He was 76. 

"We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers," the actor's family said in a statement to ET. "...Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to film, television, the arts, and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner, and friend."

Chita Rivera, the pioneering Broadway legend who dazzled in productions such as West Side Story, Kiss of the Spider Woman, and Chicago, died on Jan. 30, 2024. She was 91.

"It is with immense personal sorrow that I announce the death of the beloved Broadway icon Chita Rivera. My dear friend of over 40 years was 91," her rep, Merle Frimark, shared in a statement to ET.

Her daughter, Lisa Mordente Rivera, also shared a statement, saying that her mother died in New York "after a brief illness."

Bill Hayes, the beloved soap star who was a staple on Days of Our Lives, died on Jan. 12, 2024. He was 98.

"It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of our beloved Bill Hayes," a statement from his rep to ET read. 

"One of the longest running characters on Days of our Lives, Bill originated the role of Doug Williams in 1970 and portrayed him continuously throughout his life," the statement continued. "He and his wife, Susan Seaforth-Hayes, remained the foundation of the Williams-Horton family spanning more than 50 years."

Alec Musser, the actor known for his work on All My Children, died on Jan. 12, 2024. He was 50. 

Musser's fiancée, Paige Press, revealed the news on Jan.13, 2024 via Instagram, alongside a series of pictures of her and Musser.

"RIP to the love of my life," Press wrote. "I will never stop loving you. My heart is broken."

Lynne Marta, who starred in Footloose, Joe Kidd and more, died on Jan. 11, 2024. She was 78. 

A friend of the star confirmed the news of her death with The Hollywood Reporter, sharing that she had suffered from cancer. 

Marta played the aunt of Kevin Bacon's character in Footloose (1984), the companion of Robert Duvall's character in Joe Kidd (1972), and a school teacher in Three Men and a Little Lady (1990). On TV, she served as a regular on Love, American Style and appeared in 24 episodes of Days of Our Lives. She had roles on Starsky & Hutch, Charlie's Angels, Designing Women, and Law & Order, among many others. Her final on-screen credit came in 2004 when she played an attendant on American Dreams. 

Actor Christian Oliver, who starred in such movies as Speed Racer, The Good German and Valkyrie, was killed along with his two daughters when their small plane crashed into the sea off a Caribbean island on Jan. 4, 2024. He was 51.

The owner and pilot of the plane, identified as Robert Sachs, also died in the crash.

According to the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, Oliver and his daughters, Madita Klepser, 10, and Annik Klepser, 12, were on board the single-engine plane when it took off from J.F. Mitchell Airport in Becquia and headed for nearby St. Lucia before it experienced difficulties and landed in the ocean.