9 Iconic Celebrities Who Died Last Week: Famous Actors, Comedians, Musicians Who Passed Away
Several celebrities, including a "Game of Thrones" star and a director of cult classics, died over the past week.
Fans are mourning the loss of these nine stars who made their mark in film, TV, comedy, music, and media.
Here are the nine celebrities who passed away from May 5 to May 12:
1. Susan Backlinie - May 11
Susan Backlinie -- an actress who played a key role in the movie "Jaws" -- has died. 🕊
— TMZ (@TMZ) May 13, 2024
All we know 👉 https://t.co/CQRaZbNUTw pic.twitter.com/vS2eXDdJ7e
Actress and stuntwoman Susan Backlinie died at her home in Ventura, California, Saturday. She was 77.
Her husband, Harvey Swindall, told TMZ that Backlinie suffered a heart attack.
Backlinie was known for her role in Steven Spielberg's "Jaws," in which she played Chrissie Watkins, the woman who gets eaten by sharks in the opening scene.
She also appeared in "1941" and did stunt work in films and TV shows such as "The Great Muppet Caper," "Day of the Animals," and "The Fall Guy."
2. Rudy Moreno - May 10
Comedian Rudy Moreno dead at 66 following hospitalization https://t.co/rZrT66sYSo
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 12, 2024
The comedy world lost another great after Rudy Moreno died at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, California, Friday. He was 66.
His son, Nate, confirmed the comedian's death to Fox News Digital.
Moreno -- who was dubbed the "Godfather of Latino Comedy" -- suffered a stroke, sepsis, and eventual organ failure.
As an actor, Moreno appeared in television series such as "Arrested Development," "ER," "Everybody Loves Raymond," and "George Lopez."
3. Sam Rubin - May 10
KTLA entertainment reporter Sam Rubin also passed away Friday. He was 64.
The Emmy-winning entertainment journalist was pronounced dead at UCLA West Hills Hospital and Medical Center in California after suffering a heart attack at his home and going into full cardiac arrest, unnamed sources told TMZ.
At the time of his death, Rubin had been working for Los Angeles news network KTLA for 33 years.
Throughout his career, he interviewed numerous stars, including Zendaya, Mariah Carey, Tom Hanks, Ryan Seacrest, Usher, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, among many others.
4. Dennis Thompson - May 9
Sad news
— Punkrock History (@PunkRockStory) May 10, 2024
The drummer of the punk band MC5, Dennis Thompson, is dead. He died at the age of 75 as a result of a heart attack in Detroit
Thompson was the last living member of MC5's original line-up. He was nicknamed “Machine Gun” because of his aggressive drumming pic.twitter.com/ajqNvS3GWS
Drummer Dennis Thompson of Detroit-based proto-punk band MC5 died Thursday, a month after suffering a heart attack, the Detroit Free Press reported. He was 75.
Thompson joined guitarist Wayne Kramer and bassist Fred "Sonic" Smith, the band's founding members, in MC5 in 1965.
As Kramer also died earlier this year, Thompson is now the only living original member of MC5.
5. Roger Corman - May 9
Fans are mourning the loss of legendary director and producer Roger Corman, who died Thursday at the age of 98, according to Entertainment Weekly.
Corman, who was dubbed "King of the Bs" and "The Pope of Pop Culture," directed, produced, and distributed hundreds of low-budget horror, science fiction, and crime movies over his eight-decade career.
Among his work were cult classics such as 1964's "The Masque of the Red Death" and 1960's "The Little Shop of Horrors."
Corman helped launch the careers of the likes of Jack Nicholson, Ron Howard, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, and James Cameron.
6. James Gregory - May 9
Comedian James Gregory also passed away Thursday. He was 78.
His family revealed in a post on Facebook that Gregory died from cardiac complications.
Gregory was known for calling himself "The Funniest Man in America" in the 1980s.
The salesman-turned-comedian was scheduled to perform two shows in Hoover, Alabama, on Friday and Saturday at the time of his passing, TMZ reported.
His autobiography, "A Bushel of Beans and a Peck of Tomatoes: The Life and Times of 'The Funniest Man in America,'" is set to be released in November.
7. Steve Albini - May 7
Punk rock icon Steve Albini died of a heart attack Tuesday. He was 61.
The staff at his Electrical Audio recording studio in Chicago confirmed his passing to EW.
Albini released music with his three bands: Big Black, Rapeman, and Shellac.
He also served as a recording engineer for the likes of Nirvana, Pixies, the Breeders, and Jimmy Page and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin, among many others.
8. Ian Gelder - May 6
"Game of Thrones" fans are heartbroken over the death of actor Ian Gelder, who was known for his role as Kevan Lannister in the hit HBO series.
Gelder died on May 6 at the age of 74 after a battle with bile duct cancer, his husband, actor Ben Daniels, announced via Instagram.
In addition to "Game of Thrones," Gelder also starred in "Torchwood," "Doctor Who," "Poirot," and "His Dark Materials," among other TV series.
Gelder was also a "regular" on the Royal Shakespeare Company stage, having played characters such as Antonio in "The Merchant of Venice" and Clarence in "Richard III."
9. Bernard Hill - May 5
"Titanic" actor Bernard Hill died on May 5. He was 79.
His manager confirmed Hill's passing to EW.
Hill, who played Captain Edward Smith in the 1997 blockbuster hit, also appeared in two "Lord of the Rings" movies: "The Two Towers" and "The Return of the King."
His other acting credits included Clint Eastwood's "True Crime," 1999's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "The Scorpion King," and "Valkyrie."
