 Donna Reed 1977 |  Gilda Radner 1989 |  Harry Reasoner 1991 |  John Russell 1991 |  John Ritter 2003 |  Fred Rogers 2003 |  Tony Randall 2004 | |
 President Ronald Reagan 2004 |  Christopher Reeve 2004 |  Prince Rainier III 2005 |  William Rehnquist 2005 |  Lou Rawls 2006 |  Patsy Ramsey 2006 |  Tim Russert 2008 | Â |
 Candace Rich 2008 |  Natasha Richardson 2009 |  Pernell Roberts 2010 |  Lynn Redgrave 2010 |  Jane Russell 2011 |  Cliff Robertson 2011 |  Andy Rooney 2011 | |
 Sally Ride 2012 |  Dale Robertson 2013 |  Harold Ramis 2014 |  James Rebhorn 2014 |  Mickey Rooney 2014 |  Joan Rivers 2014 |  Alan Rickman 2016 | |
 Nancy Reagan 2016 |  Doris Roberts 2016 |  Debbie Reynolds 2016 |  Don Rickles 2017 |  Sean Rich 2019 |  Little Richard 2020 |  Carl Reiner 2020 |
Eddie Rabbitt b. 1941. d. 1998 (lung cancer)
Singer – Every Which Way But Loose, I Love a Rainy Night
Yitzak Rabin b. 1922 d. 1995 (assassinated)
Israeli Prime Minister
Gilda Radner (Wilder) b. 1946 d. 1989 (ovarian cancer)
Actress/comedian – SNL, married to Gene Wilder
Prince Rainier III b. 1923 d. April 6, 2005 (heart, lung and kidney failure)
Monaco monarch who married Grace Kelly in 1956
John Raitt b. 1917 d. February 20, 2005 (complications from pneumonia)
Musical theatre – Carousel, Oklahoma, Pajama Game; father of Bonnie Raitt
Dack Rambo b. 1941 d. 1994 (AIDS)
Actor – Jeff Sonnet on Guns of Will Sonnett; twin of Dirk
Dirk Rambo b. 1941 d.1967 (fire)
Twin of Dack
Harold Ramis b. 1944 d. Feb. 24, 2014 ( vasculitis)
Actor – Egon Spengler in Ghostbusters and Russell Ziskey in Stripes
Patsy Ramsey b. 1956 d. June 24, 2006 (ovarian cancer)
Mother of slain child beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey
Ayn Rand b. 1905 d. 1982
Writer/Philosopher – Fountainhead, Atlas Shrugged
Sally Rand b. 1903 d. 1979 (heart failure)
Fan dancer, actress
Sue Randall b. 1935. d. 1984
Actress – Miss Landers on Leave It To Beaver
Tony Randall b. 1920 d. May 17, 2004 (complications from a prolonged illness)
Actor – Felix Unger on The Odd Couple
Boots Randolph b. 1927 d. 2007 (brain hemorrhage)
Musician – 1963 saxophone hit “Yakety Sax”
Basil Rathbone b. 1892 d. 1967
Actor – Sherlock Holmes
Thurl Ravenscroft b. 1914 d. May 22, 2005 (prostate cancer)
Actor – Voice of Tony the Tiger
Lou Rawls b. 1935 d. January 6, 2006 (lung cancer)
Singer – Lady Love
Aldo Ray b. 1926 d. 1991
Actor
James Earl Ray b. 1928 d. 1998 (liver failure)
Confessed assassin of Martin Luther King, Jr. He quickly recanted his confession
Johnnie Ray b. 1927 d. 1990 (liver failure)
Singer – Cry
Martha Raye b. 1916 d. 1994
Comedian
Gene Rayburn b. 1917. d. 1999 (heart disease) Game show host -The Match Game
Sam Rayburn b. 1882 d. 1961 (cancer)
US Speaker of The House
Maureen Reagan b. 1941 d. August 8, 2001 (cancer)
Activist – daughter of President Ronald Reagan
Nancy Reagan b. 1921 d. March 6, 2016 (in her sleep)
First Lady of the U.S.(1981-1989) Husband, 40th President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan b. February 6, 1911 d. June 5, 2004 (pneumonia)
President of the United States 1981-1989
Harry Reasoner b. 1923. d. 1991 (heart attack)
Journalist and host of 60 Minutes
James Rebhorn b. 1948 d. 2014 (skin cancer)
Secretary of Defense Albert Nimzicki in “Independence Day”
Otis Redding b. 1941 d. 1967 (plane crash)
Musician – Sittin on the Dock of the Bay
Orville Redenbacher b. 1907 d. 1995
Popcorn Pioneer
Lynn Redgrave b. 1943 d. 2010 (breast cancer)
Actress – Oscar nominated for “Georgey Girl” also did Weight Watchers commercials
Alan Reed b. 1920 d. 1977
Actor – Voice of Fred Flintstone
Donna Reed b. 1921 d. 1986 (pancreatic cancer)
Actress – The Donna Reed Show
Herb Reed b. 1928 d. 2012 (heart disease)
Muscian/ Singer – Founded The Platters (1953) and was last surviving original member
Jerry Reed b. 1937 d. 2008 (emphysema)
Country Musician, Actor/ co-starred in Smokey and the Bandit
Lou Reed b. 1942 d. 2013 (complications from a liver transplant)
Musician – 1960’s group “The Velvet Underground” also solo hit “Walk on the Wild Side”
Oliver Reed b. 1938 d. 1999 (heart attack)
Actor – Bill Sykes in Oliver!
Robert Reed b. 1932 d. 1992 (AIDS)
Actor – Mike Brady in the Brady Bunch
Roger Rees b. 1944 d. 2015 (stomach cancer)
Robin Colcord in Cheers and Lord John Marbury in The West Wing
Harold Henry “Pee Wee” Reese b. 1918 d. 1999 (cancer)
Baseball Player – The Brooklyn Dodgers
Christopher Reeve b. September 25, 1952 d. October 10, 2004 (complications of infection)
Actor/advocate – Superman and advocate for stem cell research
Dana Reeve b. 1961 d. March 6, 2006 (lung cancer)
Widow of actor Christopher Reeve
George Reeves b. 1914 d. 1959 (suicide? – gunshot wound to the head with a 9mm Luger pistol)
Actor – Superman
Steve Reeves b. 1926 d. 2000 (complications from lymphoma)
Actor and Body Builder – Mr. Universe
Donald Regan b. 1919 d. June 10, 2003
Secretary of the Treasury and Chief of Staff under Pres. Ronald Reagan
William Rehnquist b. 1924 d. September 3, 2005 (thyroid cancer)
Associate Justice United States Supreme Court 1972-2005, Chief Justice 1986-2005
Charles Nelson Reilly b. 1931 d. 2007 (pneumonia)
Actor – many game shows, The Ghost & Mrs. Muir
Hugh Reilly b. 1915 d. 1998 (emphysema)
Actor – Paul Martin on Lassie
Carl Reiner b. 1922 d. 2020
Creator, producer, writer, and actor on “The Dick Van Dyke Show“
Estelle Reiner b.1914 d. 2008 (natural causes)
Actress/ also Mother of Rob and wife to Carl Reiner
Lee Remick, b. 1935 d. 1991 (cancer)
Actress – The Omen
Duncan Renaldo b. 1904 d. 1980 (lung cancer)
Actor – The Cisco Kid
Brad Renfro b. 1982 d. January 15, 2008
Actor – Mark Shay in The Client
Michael Rennie b. 1909 d. 1971
Actor – Klaatu in Day the Earth Stood Still
Janet Reno – b.1938 d. 2016 (Parkinson’s Disease)
Attorney General of the United States 1993-2001 nominated by President Bill Clinton
Oscar de la Renta b. 1932 d. 2014 (cancer)
Fashion Designer – dressed Jacqueline Kennedy, Ann Hathaway, Amy Adams, Sarah Jessica Parker and many more
Judith Resnick b. 1950 d. 1986
Space shuttle Challenger astronaut
Tommy Rettig b. 1941 d. 1996 (heart attack)
Actor – Jeff on Lassie
Paul Revere b. 1939 d. 2014 (cancer)
Musician – front man and organist for Paul Revere and The Raiders
Charles Revson b. 1906 d. 1975
Revlon Founder
Alejandro Rey b. 1930 d. 1987 (cancer)
Actor
Debbie Reynolds b. 1932 d. 2016 (stroke)
Actress – Kathy Selden in “Singin’ in the Rain”, Mother of Carrie Fisher (died the day after her daughter)
Madlyn Rhue b. 1935 d. December 16, 2003 (pneumonia and multiple sclerosis)
Actress – “Bracken’s World” as Marjorie Grant
Mack Rice b. 1933 d. 2016 (Alzheimer’s disease)
Song writer – “Mustang Sally” & “Respect Yourself”
Buddy Rich b. 1917 d. 1987
Drummer
Candace Rich b. 1950 d. May 20, 2008
Writer, author, webmaster, beloved Sister – created FiftiesWeb.com and others
Sean Rich b. 1980 d. June 25, 2019
Fisherman/outdoorsman/beloved Son – jack of all trades, he contributed to the lives of everyone he met
Little Richard b. 1932 d. May 09, 2020 (bone cancer)
Singer/song writer – “Tutti Frutti” (1955), “Long Tall Sally” (1956), rock & Roll Hall of Fame (1986)
Ann Richards b. 1933 d. September 13, 2006 ( esophageal cancer)
Governor of Texas 1991 – 1995
Elliot Richardson b. 1920 d. 1999 (brain hemorrhage)
Attorney General of US who refused to fire Archibald Cox so Nixon fired him
J. P “Big Bopper” Richardson, Jr. b. 1930. d. February 3, 1959 (plane crash)
Singer – Chantilly Lace
Natasha Richardson b. 1963 d. March 18, 2009 (brain damage due to a sking accident)
Tony Award winning Actress – from an acting dynasty family
Sir Ralph David Richardson b. 1902. d. 1983 (stroke)
Actor – Alexander Gromeko in Dr. Zhivago
Eddie Vernon Rickenbacker b. 1890 d. 1973 (heart failure)
America’s “Ace of Aces”
Don Rickles b. 1926 d. 2017 (kidney failure)
Comedian/Actor – comedic style was “King of the insults”, starred in C.P.O. Sharkey (1976-78)
Alan Rickman b. 1946 d. 2016 (cancer)
Hans Gruber in “Die Hard” (1988) and Severus Snape in Harry Potter
Nelson Riddle b. 1921 d. 1985 (cardiac and kidney failure)
Composer and orchestra leader
Sally Ride b. 1951 d. 2012 (pancreatic cancer)
Physicist/Astronaut – 1st woman in space 1983 on Challenger
Bobby Riggs b. 1918 d. 1995 (prostate cancer)
Tennis player – famous match with Billy Jean King
Jack Riley b. 1935 d. 2016 (pneumonia)
Actor – Elliot Carlin on “The Bob Newhart Show”
Michael Ritchie b. 1938 d. April 16, 2001 (complications of prostate cancer)
Director – Fletch, Downhill Racer
John Ritter b. 1948 d. September 11, 2003 (aortic dissection – heart)
Actor – “Three’s Company” – son of Tex Ritter (below)
Tex Ritter b. 1905 d. 1974
Western Actor
Joan Rivers b. 1933 d. Sept. 4, 2014 (complications from throat surgery)
Comedian/Writer/TV Host – best known for her self deprecating humor and celebrity bashing
Phil Rizzuto b. 1917 d. August 13, 2007 (pneumonia)
New York Yankee shortstop and Baseball Hall of Famer
Harold Robbins b. 1916 d. 1997 (heart failure)
Writer – The Carpetbaggers
Jerome Robbins b. 1918 d. 1998 (stroke)
Choreographer – West Side Story
Doris Roberts b. 1925 d. 2016
Actress – Marie Barone on “Everybody Loves Raymond” (1996–2005)
Oral Roberts b. 1918 d. 2009 (natural causes)
Christian Minister, author, televangelist and founder of Oral Roberts University
Pernell Roberts b. 1928 d. 2010 (pancreatic cancer)
Actor – portrayed Adam Cartwright on “Bonanza” ’59-’65 and Dr John McIntyre on “Trapper John”
Cliff Robertson b. 1923 d. 2011 (natural)
played young Lt. Jack Kennedy in “PT-109”
Dale Robertson b. 1923 d. 2013 (lung cancer)
Actor – Tales of Wells Fargo (1957-’62), Death Valley Days (1969-’72)
Edward G. Robinson b. 1893 d. 1973 (cancer)
Actor best known for portraying a gangster in numerous roles
Jason Robards b. 1922 d. December 26, 2000 (metastasized lung cancer)
Actor – Dashiell Hammett in Julia
Gail Robbins b. 1931 d. April 12, 2011(colon cancer)
Musician with The Highwaymen, “Michael Row the Boat Ashore” also father to Tim Robbins
Eddie Robinson b. 1919 d. April 3, 2007 (Alzheimer’s disease)
Head football coach for 56 years at Grambling State University
Jackie Robinson b. 1919 d. 1972
Baseball Hall of Famer, 1962
Max Robinson b. 1939 d. 1988 (AIDS)
Journalist – First full-time black evening news anchor, ABC
Sugar Ray Robinson b. 1921 d. 1989
Boxer
Vickie Sue Robinson d. 2000 b. 1955
Singer (disco) – Turn theBeat Around
Alex Rocco b. 1926 d. 2015 (cancer)
Actor – Moe Greene in The Godfather
Laurance Rockefeller b. 1910 d. July 7, 2004 (pulmonary fibrosis)
Billionarie philanthropist
Nelson Rockefeller b. 1908 d. 1979 (heart attack)
US Vice President and Governor of New York
Lt. Gov. Win Rockefeller b. 1948 d. July 16, 2006 (blood disorder)
Arkansas politician, billionaire great-grandson of Standard Oil founder John D. Rockefeller
Norman Rockwell b.1894 d. 1978
Artist
Gene Roddenberry b. 1921 d. 1991 (heart attack)
Producer/writer – Star Trek
Peter Rodino b. 1909 d. May 7, 2005
House Judiciary Committee chairman who directed the impeachment investigation of Nixon
Richard Rodgers b. 1902 d. 1979
Composer 1/2 of Rodgers and Hammerstein
Bobby Rogers b. 1940 d. 2013
Singer / songwriter – original member of The Miracles (1956 – ’11)
Fred Rogers b. 1928 d. February 27, 2003 (stomach cancer)
Television’s “Mister Rogers”
Ginger Rogers b. 1911 d. 1995 (diabetic coma)
Dancer/Entertainer
Kenny Rogers b 1938 d. 2020
C&W singer/songwriter/actor – sang with The First Edition – “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” (1969) and solo won a Grammy Award for “The Gambler”
Roy Rogers, (Leonard Franklin Slye) b. 1911 d. 1998 (congestive heart failure)
Cowboy Actor/Singer/Entertainer – “King of Cowboys”
William P. Rogers b. 1909 d. January 2, 2001
Eisnehower’s Attorney General (1957–1961) and Nixon’s Secretary of State
Esther Rolle b. 1920 d. 1998 (diabetes)
Actress – Florida Evans on “Good Times”
Howard Rollins b. 1950 d. 1996 (lymphoma)
Actor – Virgil Tibbs in TV version of In the Heat of The Night
Ruth Roman b. 1923 d. 1999
Actress
Cesar Romero b. 1907 d. 1994
Actor – Joker on TV’s Batman plus many other roles
George Romney b. 1907 d. 1995 (heart attack)
Chairman of American Motors, Governor of Michigan, Secretary of HUD (1969-1972)
Andy Rooney b. 1919 d. 2011 (complications from minor surgery)
Writer – commentary on 60 Minutes news show for 33 years (’78-’11)
Mickey Rooney b. 1920, d. 2014
Actor, performed on stage and in films from 1920 till 2014, Boys Town (1938)
Teddy Rooney b. 1950 d. 2016 (a long illness)
Actor/Musician – son of Mickey Rooney and Martha Vickers
David Rose b. 1909 d. 1990
Composer – “The Stripper” and music of TV themes
Judd Rose b. 1955 d. 2000 (brain cancer)
Journalist
Ethel Rosenberg b. 1915 d. June 19, 1953 (executed)
Convicted Spy
Julius Rosenberg b. 1918 d. June 19, 1953 (executed)
Convicted Spy
Steve Rossi b. 1932 d, June 22, 2014 (cancer)
Singer / Comedian – the straight man half of the comedy duo “Allen & Rossi” with Marty Allen
Judith Rossner b. 1935 d. August 9, 2005
Author – Looking for Mr. Goodbar
Carl T. Rowan b. 1925 d. 2000
Journalist/columnist
Dan Rowan b. 1922 d. 1987 (lymphatic cancer)
Comedian – Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In
Billy Joe Royal b. 1942 d. 2015
Singer – Down in the Boondocks (1965)
Mike Royko b. 1932 d.1997 (brain aneurysm and strokes)
Columnist
Pete Rozelle b. 1926 d. 1996 (brain cancer)
NFL commissioner from 1960-1989
Jerry Rubin b. 1938 d. 1994 (killed while jaywalking)
Activist – One of the Chicago Seven
Jack Ruby b. 1911 d. 1967
Shot and killed Lee Harvey Oswald
Wilma Rudolph b. 1940 d. 1994
Olympic athlete – 3 Golds in 1960 for track and field
Jimmy Ruffin b. 1936 d. 2014
Singer – recorded “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted”
Louis Rukeyser b. 1933 d. May 2, 2006 (multiple myeloma)
Journalist – Wall $treet Week With Louis Rukeyser
Janice Rule b.1931 d. October 17, 2003 (cerebral hemorrhage)
Actress – Bell, Book and Candle
Dean Rusk b. 1909 d. 1994
US Secretary of State from 1961-1969 under JFK and LBJ
Jane Russell b. 1921 d. 2011 (respiratory Failure)
Legendary Actress – “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” and “the Road” movies with Bob Hope
John Russell b. 1921 d. 1991
Actor – Marshal Dan Troop on the Lawman
Leon Russell b. 1942 d. 2016
Musician / Songwriter – “A Song for You”, “Tight Rope” and “This Masquerade”
Nipsey Russell b. 1924 d. October 2, 2005 (cancer)
Poet laureate of television – Hollywood Squares, The $50,000 Pyramid, and Match Game
Rosalind Russell b. 1908 d. 1976 (cancer)
Actress – Auntie Mame
Irene Ryan b.1902 d. 1973 (stroke)
Actress – Granny on The Beverly Hillbillies
Tim Russert b. 1950 d. 2008 (heart attack) Political Commentatory and host of NBC’s Meet the Press
Search by Name:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Search by Year:
2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997
Leave a Reply