Teddy Pendergrass - Best known for his soulful voice on love songs like "If You Don't Know Me By Now," R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass was a sex symbol in the 1970s. He survived a car accident in 1982 that left him partially paralyzed and made him an advocate for people with spinal cord injuries. On January 13, he died at age 59 following a battle with colon cancer.
Zelda Rubinstein - She didn't even go into acting until her 40s, but after switching from work as a medical lab technician, Zelda Rubinstein had a successful stint in showbiz until her death January 27. Audiences will remember her best for her parts in "Poltergeist," "Sixteen Candles," and "Teen Witch" -- roles that usually had something to do with the supernatural. Rubinstein was 76.
Frances Reid - Actress Frances Reid played Alice Horton on NBC's "Days of Our Lives" for more than 40 years -- so long that her character, the female center of the show, had great-great grandbabies by the end! She last appeared on the soap opera in 2007. The Texas native died at 95 on February 3.
Captain Phil Harris - One of the stars of Discovery's "Deadliest Catch," Captain Phil Harris collapsed after suffering a massive stroke in the stateroom of his boat Cornelia Marie. He was hospitalized for 11 days before dying from complications on February 9 at age 53. Son Jake, who along with brother Josh worked on the boat and the show, later told People that he'd be looking at his dad's captain's seat "in a different way."
Alexander McQueen - Designer Alexander McQueen, 40, was known for dressing fashion icons Sarah Jessica Parker, Lady Gaga, Kate Moss, and others in his often outrageous creations. He once built an entire collection around the Salem witch trials! The high-end fashion crowd mourned after he committed suicide in his London home, where his body was found February 11.
Corey Haim - Can you imagine the 1980s without teen idol Corey Haim, who acted in movies such as "Lucas," "The Lost Boys," and "License to Drive"? Sadly, the former child star went on to do several stints in rehab and, near the end of his short life, starred with BFF Corey Feldman in the A&E reality show "The Two Coreys" in an attempt to revive his career. Shockingly, he died on May 18 at 38, reportedly from natural causes that included a combination of pneumonia, respiratory trouble, and heart problems.
Peter Graves - Long before Tom Cruise came along, Peter Graves was one of the secret agents taking on "Mission: Impossible" on TV each week in the late '60s. The 83-year-old actor's career also included roles in "Airplane!" and "7th Heaven" before his death on March 14.
John Forsythe - The voice of "Charlie's Angels" was silenced when John Forsythe died April 1 at age 92. The silver-haired actor reprised his role in the movies with Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz beginning in 2000, and in between he played the ruthless Blake Carrington on the quintessential '80s nighttime sudser, "Dynasty."
Dixie Carter - the actress behind "Designing Women's" feisty Julia Sugarbaker, passed away April 10 at age 70 from endometrial cancer. Since 1984, she had been married to her husband, 85-year-old actor Hal Holbrook, who also played her sweetie on the show.
Lynn Redgrave - It was a tough year for the Redgrave family of actors. After suddenly losing Natasha Richardson (the daughter of Lynn Redgrave's sister Vanessa Redgrave) in 2009, "Gods and Monsters" star Lynn died of breast cancer May 2 at age 67. Her older brother, stage actor Corin Redgrave, died less than a month earlier.
Lena Horne - singer actress who died May 9 at 92, broke racial barriers and was one of the first black entertainers to become a huge mainstream star. (She also played the Good Witch role in Michael Jackson's 1978 movie "The Wiz"!)
Dennis Hopper - actor\director best known early in his career for flicks like "Easy Rider" and later as characters like the villain in "Speed," died at age 74 on May 29. About two months before his death from prostate cancer, friends like Jack Nicholson were on hand as he revealed his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Rue McClanahan - Thank you for being a friend, Rue! Rue McClanahan, who was best known for her role as maneater/southern belle Blanche Devereaux on "The Golden Girls," died June 3 at age 76. Her former co-star Betty White, now the last living member of the group, said the loss "hurts more than I ever thought it would, if that's even possible."
Robert Schimmel - Although he managed to beat cancer, comedian Robert Schimmel died tragically in a car accident at age 60 on September 3. In life, though, the funny man kept fans laughing as a frequent guest on radio's "The Howard Stern Show."
Rich Cronin - in the summer of 1999, boy band LFO's hit "Summer Girls," which mentioned New Kids on the Block, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Chinese food, was everywhere. Sadly, the group's lead singer/songwriter Rich Cronin lost a battle with leukemia at just 36 on September 8.
Eddie Fisher - crooner who died September 22 at age 82, was once involved in the biggest scandal in showbiz since the beginning of Brangelina! He famously divorced his wife Debbie Reynolds to marry her best friend, Elizabeth Taylor. (He and Taylor called it quits five years later.) Fisher was also dad to actresses Carrie Fisher and her half-sister, Joely Fisher.
Actress Gloria Stuart was in her 80s when she was nominated for an Oscar for her role as the older version of Rose in the blockbuster movie "Titanic." Film critic Leonard Maltin said, "She was thrilled by the attention that that performance brought her and really wanted to win that Oscar." (It went to Kim Basinger for "L.A. Confidential.") Stuart passed away at age 100 on September 26.
Funnyman Greg Giraldo shocked fans of his Comedy Central Roast appearances when he accidentally overdosed on prescription pills in a New Jersey hotel before a scheduled stand-up performance. Giraldo died days later on September 29 at age 44.
Tony Curtis, who died September 29, will always be remembered for his gender-bending turn in the 1959 classic, "Some Like It Hot," with Marilyn Monroe. The former lothario's first marriage was to leading lady Janet Leigh ("Psycho"), which produced future scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis. He was 85.
Barbara Billingsley portrayed the ideal mom on "Leave It to Beaver" in the late '50s and early '60s. The actress signed off at the age of 94 on October 16.
Tom Bosley - We lost another parenting icon, Tom Bosley, who played Mr. Cunningham (aka Mr. C) on "Happy Days," on October 19. He was 83.
Jill Clayburgh, 66, lost her battle with cancer after more than 20 years of fighting it on November 5. She played "An Unmarried Woman" in an Oscar-nominated role in 1978 and later starred in TV's "Dirty Sexy Money." Clayburgh also had a role in Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal's romance "Love and Other Drugs," which is in movie theaters now.
Leslie Nielsen - Just don't call him Shirley! Audiences said goodbye to "Airplane!" and "The Naked Gun" actor Leslie Nielsen, 84, on November 28
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