Gone but not forgotten, these are the actors, filmmakers, and craftspeople we’ve lost this year.
(November 20, 1942 – January 2, 2019)
Best known for his roles on “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Arrested Development,” Einstein was also beloved for creating the character Super Dave Osborne. He was a frequent guest on late-night shows throughout his nearly 50-year career, and the comedy world in particulared mourned his passing. He was 76.
(November 24, 1952 – January 12, 2019)
A longtime independent film distributor and executive, Urman was 66 when he passed away following a brief battle with cancer. He helped shepherd such films as “Monster’s Ball,” “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead,” and “Taxi to the Dark Side” to theaters in addition to leading the awards campaign for “Half Nelson.”
Read our full obituary here.
(January 31, 1921 – January 15, 2019)
A comedy and musical legend, Channing was a Tony and Golden Globe winner in addition to receiving an Oscar nomination for her role in “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” As big a star on Broadway as she was in Hollywood, the actress, singer, dancer, and comedian was best known onstage and onscreen for her performances in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” and “Hello, Dolly!” She was 97 when she died of natural causes.
(February 24, 1932 – January 26, 2019)
A three-time Academy Award winner — for “Summer of ’42,” “Yentl,” and the song “The Windmills of Your Mind” from “The Thomas Crown Affair” — was a revered composer for his entire half-century career. In addition to composing the scores for “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” and “The Young Girls of Rochefort,” both for director Jacques Demy, he also worked with Louis Malle on “Atlantic City,” Orson Welles on “F for Fake” and “The Other Side of the Wind.” He died of sepsis at the age of 86.
(October 17, 1926 – February 3, 2019)
Though best known for her leading role in “Creature From the Black Lagoon,” Adams was active in film and television for just under 70 years. She began her career in B-movie westerns and went on to appear in everything from “Bend of the River” and “Go Ask Alice” to “Murder, She Wrote” and “Lost.” She was 92.
(May 9, 1936 – February 7, 2019)
One of the most revered actors of his generation, Finney was a five-time Oscar nominee (for “Tom Jones,” “Murder on the Orient Express,” “The Dresser,” “Under the Volcano,” and “Erin Brokovich”) as well as a BAFTA, Golden Globe, Emmy, and Screen Actors Guild Award recipient. His sprawling filmography saw him appear in everything from “Scrooge” and Miller’s Crossing” to “Big Fish” and “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead,” with his final role coming in 2012’s “Skyfall.” He died of a chest infection at 82.
Read our full obituary here.
(March 22, 1941 – February 16, 2019)
Best known for two very different roles — as an angel in Wim Wenders’ “Wings of Desire” and as Adolf Hitler in “Downfall” — the Swiss actor displayed more range in that pair of projects than many actors do throughout their entire career. Ganz was arguably even more acclaimed for his theatrical career, and held the Iffland-Ring — an honor passed from one performer to another, reserved for the “most significant and most worthy actor of the German-speaking theatre.” Only eight others have been bestowed with the honor, and Ganz held it for 23 years.
Read our full obituary here.
(April 17, 1933 – February 9, 2019)
President and CEO of The Walt Disney Company from 1978 to 1984, Miller, who was also Walt Disney’s son-in-law, oversaw the creation of both the Touchstone label and the Disney Channel. His tenure at the company also saw it venture into both computer (“Tron”) and stop-motion (“Frankenweenie”) shorts. He was 85.
(April 13, 1924 – February 21, 2019
Donen never won a competitive Academy Award, but the “Singin’ in the Rain” and “Charade” director earned an honorary Oscar for Lifetime Achievement in 1998 — and delivered an all-time-great acceptance speech. Credited with all but reinventing Hollywood musicals, he was also a celebrated choreographer remembered for his working relationship with Gene Kelly. He died at 94 as the last surviving high-profile director of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Read our full obituary here.
(April 6, 1929 – February 28, 2019)
A four-time Oscar winner for his work on “Gigi,” “porgy and Bess,” “Irma la Douce,” and “My Fair Lady,” Previn was involved with creating the music of more than 50 movies. His varied filmography covered everything from David Lynch’s “The Elephant Man” to Luc Besson’s “Léon: The Professional,” and he also won 10 Grammys. He was 89.
(died March 2019)
Berends, who directed five documentaries and most recently served as a cameraman on “Free Solo,” spent much of his career shining a light on underreported conflicts — especially in Africa. Read our full obituary here.
(October 11, 1966 – March 4, 2019)
News of Perry’s passing at the young age of 52 shocked Hollywood and led to outpourings of support as well as countless stories of his personal and professional kindness. A teen icon for his leading role in “Beverly Hills 90210,” the actor introduced himself to a new generation of viewers as a supportive father on “Riverdale.”
Read our full obituary here.
(July 15, 1936 – March 23, 2019)
A revered figure in the horror genre best known for directing such films as “It’s Alive,” “Gold Told Me To,” and “The Stuff,” Cohen also wrote the screenplays for films like “Phone Booth” and “Maniac Cop.” He jumped between horror, science fiction, and even blaxploitation throughout his decades-long career. Cohen was 77. Read our full obituary here.
(April 23, 1941 – March 24, 2019)
As former co-chairman of New Line Cinema, Lynne was instrumental in bringing “The Lord of the Rings” to the silver screen. He also had success with everything from “Austin Powers” and “Rush Hour” to “Seven” and “Boogie Nights.” He was 77.
(May 30, 1928 – March 29, 2019)
Adored by several generations of filmmakers and cinephiles alike, the “Godmother of the French New Wave” had a singular career that lasted more than 60 years. She won an honorary Palme d’Or and Academy Award in addition to receiving the coveted Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, and remains most celebrated for such films as “Cléo from 5 to 7,” “Le Bonheur,” and “The Gleaners and I.” Her final project, the documentary “Faces Places,” earned an Academy Award nomination. Varda was 90.
Read our full obituary here.
(January 22, 1935 – April 7, 2019)
A favorite collaborator of both John Cassavetes and Wes Anderson, Cassel was a pioneering force in the world of independent film. He earned an Oscar nomination for his role in “Faces,” one of seven films he made with Cassavetes, and worked with Anderson on “Rushmore,” “The Royal Tenenbaums,” and “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.”
“It doesn’t matter how beautifully a film is photographed,” he once said. “The acting tells your story. It’s what people relate to. If you don’t believe the characters, it doesn’t work.” Cassel was 84.
Read our full obituary here.
(November 11, 1939 – April 14, 2019)
Though best remembered for her 11 collaborations with Ingmar Bergman — including “The Seventh Seal,” “Wild Strawberries,” “The Magician,” “The Passion of Anna,” and “Persona” — Andersson also worked with John Huston (“The Kremlin Letter”) and Robert Altman (“Quintet”) throughout her nearly 60-year career. She suffered a stroke in 2009 and passed away at the age of 83.
