Celebrity Deaths 2015

by Michael RichComment — Updated November 21, 2023

The Fiftiesweb is grateful to Paula Valenzuela for her very gracious help with compiling this list!

Donna Douglas
Donna Douglas
January 01
Celebrity Deaths 2015
Rod Taylor
January 07
Taylor Negron
Taylor Negron
January 10
Bob Simon
Bob Simon
February 11
Leslie Gore
Lesley Gore
February 16
Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Nimoy
February 27
James Best
James Best
April 6
Lewis Geoffrey
Lewis Geoffrey
April 7
 Suzanne Crough
Suzanne Crough
April 27
B.B. King
B.B. King
May 14
Anne MearaAnne Meara
May 24
Christopher Lee
Christopher Lee
June 7
Mary Ellen Trainor
Mary Ellen Trainor
June 8
Dick VanPatten
Dick Van Patten
June 23
Omar Sharif
Omar Sharif
July 10
Theodore Bikel
Theodore Bikel
July 21
Frank Gifford
Frank Gifford
Aug. 09
Dean Jones
Dean Jones
Sept. 01
Martin Milner
Martin Milner
Sept. 06
Yogi Berra
Yogi Berra
Sept. 22
Maureen O'Hara
Maureen O’Hara
Oct. 24
Al Molinaro
Al Molinaro Oct. 30
Fred Thompson
Fred Thompson Nov. 1
David Canary
David Canary Nov. 16
Robert Loggia
Robert Loggia Dec. 4
Martin BrooksMartin Brooks Dec. 7 Natalie Cole
Natalie Cole Dec. 31
Wayne Rogers died
Wayne Rogers Dec 31

Gone But Not Forgotten – 2015

January

01 – Mario Cuomo, Politician – Former Governor of New York from 1983 to 1994 – age 82

02 – Donna Douglas, Actress – Elly May Clampett on “The Beverly Hillbillies” – age 81

02 – Little Jimmy Dickens, C&W Musician – biggest hit, “May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose” – age 94

04 – Stuart Scott, Sportscaster – anchor on ESPN’s Sports Center – age 49

07 – Rod Taylor, Actor – “The Time Machine”, “The Birds”, “Sunday in New York” – age 84

08 – Curtis Lee, Singer – “Pretty Little Angel Eyes”, “Under the Moon of Love” – age 75

10 – Taylor Negron, Actor – “Angels in the Outfield”, “The Last Boy Scout” – age 57

11 – Anita Ekberg, Actress – Sylvia in La Dolce Vita (1960) – age 83

15 – Samuel Goldwyn Jr, – Film Producer – Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) – age 88

17 – Don Harron, Actor – Charlie Farquharson on “Hee Haw” – age 90

30 – Geraldine McKeown, Actress – Miss Marple, in the series “Marple” (2004-’09) – age 82

February

11 – Bob Simon, Journalist – television correspondent for CBS News (1969–2015) – age 73

12 – Gary Owens, Voice Actor – the announcer on Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In (1968-1973) – age 80

14 – Louis Jourdan, Actor – Gigi (1958), Octopussy (1983) – age 93

16 – Lesley Gore, Singer/ Songwriter – “It’s My Party” & “You Don’t Own Me” – age 68

27 – Leonard Nimoy, Actor/Director – Spock in the original Star Trek series and through out the franchise (1966-2013) – age 83

March

09 – Windell Middlebrooks, Actor – Miller High Life tv beer commercials – age 36

15 – Sally Forrest, Actress – Son of Sinbad (1955) – age 86

20 – Jim Berry, Cartoonist – “Berry’s World” (1963-2003) – age 83

21 – Alberta Watson, Actress – Madeline in “La Femme Nikita” – age 60

April

01 – Cynthia Lennon, 1st wife of John Lennon of the Beatles, married, 1962 divorced, 1968 – age 75

03 – Sarah Brady, Crusader for gun control, wife of James Brady, the White House Press Secretary under President Reagan – age 77

06 – James Best, Actor – Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane in “The Dukes of Hazard” (1979-1985) – age 88

06 – Ben Powers, Actor – Thelma’s husband Keith on “Good Times” – age 64

07 – Geoffrey Lewis, Actor – Orville Boggs in “Every Which Way But Loose” and “Any Which Way You Can” – age 79

08 – James Hellwig, Pro Wrestler – The Ultimate Warrior, WWF two time champion – age 54

14 – Percy Sledge, R&B Singer – “When a Man Loves a Woman” – age 73

23 – Sawyer Sweeten, Actor – one of two twins sons on “Everyone Loves Raymond” – age 19

26 – Jayne Meadows, Actress – I’ve Got a Secret and What’s My Line TV shows – age 95

27 – Jack Ely, Musician & Singer – sang “Louie Louie” (1963) while with the Kingsmen – age 71

27 – Suzanne Crough, Actress – Tracy Partridge on “The Partridge Family” – age 52

30 – Ben E. King, R&B Singer – “Stand by Me” (1961) and “Spanish Harlem” – age 76

May

01 – Grace Lee Whitney, Actress – Yeoman Janice Rand in Star Trek the original series – age 85

06 – Errol Brown, Singer/songwriter (UK) lead singer for the funk band “Hot Chocolate”, recorded his own version of “Give Peace a Chance” – age 71 (liver cancer)

09 – Elizabeth Wilson, Actress – The Birds (1963) – age 94

14 – B.B. King, Blues singer/guitarist – “The King of Blues”, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Presidential Medal of Freedom – age 89

24 – Anne Meara, Actress/Comedienne – Stiller and Meara comedy team, parents of actor and comedian Ben and Amy Stiller – age 85

29 – Betsy Palmer, Actress – a regular panelist on I’ve Got a Secret – age 88

30 – Beau Biden, Politician – Attorney General of Delaware and son of Vice President Joe Biden – age 46

June

07 – Christopher Lee, Actor – Saruman in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy (2001–2003)- age 93

08 – Mary Ellen Trainor, Actress – Dr. Stephanie Woods in all 4 Lethal Weapon movies – age 62

11 – Dusty Rhodes, Pro Wrestler – three-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion – age 69

11 – Jim Ed Brown, C&W Performer – “Looking Back To See”, “Pop a Top” – age 81

23 – Dick Van Patten, Actor – Tom Bradford on “Eight is Enough” – age 86

25 – Patrick MacNee, Actor – agent John Steed in the Avengers – age 93

July

10 – Omar Sharif, Actor – Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Doctor Zhivago (1965) and Funny Girl (1968) – age 83

11 – Roger Rees, Actor – Robin Colcord in Cheers and Lord John Marbury in The West Wing – age 71

18 – Alex Rocco, Actor – Moe Greene in The Godfather – age 79

21 – Theodore Bikel, Actor – Sheriff Max Muller in The Defiant Ones – age 91

26 – Bobbi Kristina Brown, Singer – only child of Whitney Houston – age 22

30 – Lynn Anderson, C&W Singer – (I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden – age 67

31 – Gerald S. O’Loughlin, Actor – Lt. Ed Ryker on the TV show “The Rookies” (1972-’76) – age 93

31 – Roddy “Rowdy” Piper Wrestler – WWE Hall of Fame in 2005, named as the top villain in wrestling – age 61

August

01 – Cilla Black, Singer / Actress – “Anyone Who Had a Heart” “You’re My World” – age 72

09 – Frank Gifford, Football player and television sportscaster – ABC’s Monday Night Football 1971-’97 – age 84

10 – Buddy Baker, NASCAR driver – won two NASCAR Championships and inducted into the Hall of Fame – age 74

16 – Emma Didlake, she was oldest living American World War II veteran when she died- age 111

17 – Yvonne Craig, Actress / Dancer – Batgirl and Barbara Gordon in Batman (1967-68)- age 78

20 – Melody Patterson, Actress – Wrangler Jane in F-Troop (1965-67) – age 66

 30 – Wes Craven, Director / Producer – A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise – age 76

September

01 – Dean Jones, Actor – several Walt Disney movies incl. “The Love Bug” and both sequels – age 84

03 – Judy Carne, Actress – the “sock-it-to-me” girl on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In (1968–1970)- age 76

04 – Jean Darling, Actress – last surviving cast of Our Gang silent era – age 93

06 – Martin Milner, Actor – Route 66 (1960-64) and Adam-12 (1968-75) – age 83

07 – Dickie Moore, Actor – regular in the Our Gang series (1932-33) – age 89

19 – Jackie Collins, Novelist – Hollywood Wives (1983) – age 77

20 – Jack Larson, Actor – Jimmy Olsen in Adventures of Superman (1952-58) – age 87

22 – Yogi Berra, Baseball Player – New York Yankees for most of 1946–65) appeared in 21 World Series games winning 13 – age 90

28 – Frankie Ford, Singer – sang “Sea Cruise” (1959) – age 76

29 – Pat Woodell, Actress / Singer – Bobbie Jo Bradley on Petticoat Junction – age 71

October-

06 – Billy Joe Royal, Singer – sang “Down in the Boondocks” (1965) – age 73

06 – Kevin Corcoran, Actor – Moochie in Spin and Marty segments – age 66

20 – Cory Wells, Singer – one of the three front men for Three Dog Night – age 74

21 – Marty Ingels, Actor – I’m Dickens, He’s Fenster (1962–1963)

24 – Maureen O’Hara, Actress – Miracle on 34th Street (1947) – age 95

30 – Al Molinaro, Actor – Al on Happy Days – age 96

31 – Gregg Palmer, Actor – played in many western’s Gunsmoke (20) episodes etc. – age 88

November-

01 – Fred Thompson, Actor/Politician – Senator from Tennessee (1994-2001) and acting; portrayed the DA in Law & Order – age 73

11 – Nathaniel Marston, Actor – One Life to Live (2001-’07) – age 40

16 – David Canary, Actor – Candy on Bonanza (1967-73) – age 77

20 – Jim Perry, TV Host – Host of “$ale of the Century” – age 82

28 – Marjorie Lord, Actress – Kathy “Clancy” Williams on “Make Room for Daddy” – age 97

December-

03 – Scott Weiland, Singer / Song Writer – front man for Stone Temple Pilots – age 48

04 – Robert Loggia, Actor – “Scarface”, “Big”, “An Officer and a Gentleman” – age 85

07 – Martin E. Brooks, Actor – Dr. Rudy Wells on “Six Million Dollar Man” – age 90

20 – Patricia Elliott, Actress – Renée Divine Buchanan on “One Life to Live” (1988-2011) – age 77

22 – Brooke McCarter, Actor – Paul in “The Lost Boys” – age 52

24 – William Guest, Singer – One of the Pips and cousin of Gladys Knight – age 74

27 – Meadowlark Lemon, Basketball Player – Harlem Globetrotters (1956-1980) – age 83

28 – Lemmy Kilmister, Musician – founded the group Motörhead, one of the first heavy metal bands – age 70

31 – Wayne Rogers, Actor – Captain “Trapper” John McIntyre on “MASH” – age 82

31 – Natalie Cole, Singer – Daughter of Nat King Cole, sang “Unforgettable”- age 65

31 – Beth Howland, Actress – Vera Gorman in the TV show “Alice” – age 74

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