Celebrities Who Have Died In 2017: Don Rickles’ Death Takes Humor Out Of The World And Adds To Growing List
On Thursday, the world lost one of the funniest people on the face of the planet as Don Rickles passed away at the age of 90, and he is far from the only celebrity who has died in 2017. Last year was probably one of the worst 12-month periods ever for heartbreaking losses due to celebrity deaths, and fans have been hoping this year wouldn’t be much of the same. While 2017 hasn’t had the same high numbers as 2016, it doesn’t make any of these celebrity deaths easy to take.
As reported by TMZ, one of the most influential comedians died on Thursday morning as Don Rickles passed away due to kidney failure. The man who was known as one of the most insulting comedians of all time also lent his iconic voice to Mr. Potato Head in the Toy Story trilogy, and the world mourned his loss.
A tribute to Don Rickles. pic.twitter.com/pDZUsPydw3
— Oh My Disney (@OhMyDisney) April 7, 2017
Rickles had been in the acting spotlight for decades, and it is really difficult to believe he won’t be around anymore, but that is the case with so many others as well.
Earlier this year, the world lost many other actors and actresses such as Bill Paxton, Dick Gautier, Sir John Hurt, Mary Tyler Moore, and Miguel Ferrer. Some of them died much later in their lives, but it is still hard to imagine that they are gone. Then, there are those such as Paxton who passed away at the young age of 61 due to complications after surgery, as reported by People.
It wasn’t just the TV and movie world which lost a number of entertainment celebrities as music won’t sound nearly as smooth thanks to 2017. So far, celebrity deaths in music include Chuck Berry, Joni Sledge, and Al Jarreau.
Here is a list of the notable names who have been taken from the world in 2017:
- William Peter Blatty – author
- Bill Paxton – actor
- Richard Machowicz – actor/Navy seal
- Paul Goble – author
- Mary Tyler Moore – actress
- Francine York – actress
- Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka – wrestler
- Al Jarreau – singer
- Miguel Ferrer – actor
- Eugene Cernan – astronaut
- “The Outlaw” Ron Bass – wrestler
- Gordon Kaye – actor
- Dick Gautier – actor
- Ivan Koloff – wrestler
- Eddie Kamae – singer
- Richard Hatch – actor
- George “The Animal” Steele – wrestler
- Frank Pellegrino – actor
- Sir John Hurt – actor
- Norma McCorvey – “Jane Roe”
- Dick Gautier – actor
- Yordano Ventura – baseball
- David Rockefeller – billionaire
- Nicole Bass – wrestler/radio personality
- Buddy Greco – singer
- Chuck Barris – TV host
- Peter Sarstedt – singer
- Chavo Guerrero Sr. – wrestler
Fans of the professional wrestling community are being hit extremely hard this year with the celebrity deaths as they have lost “Chavo Classic,” Ivan Koloff, Nicole Bass, George “The Animal” Steele, and Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka. Every year, a large number of wrestling deaths fill the list, but this year is gathering too quickly.
The late George “The Animal” Steele. Boston Garden. Mid-1980s. #Wrestlemania pic.twitter.com/RCK5rXL7tX
— Rear Admiral (@RearAdBsBlog) April 1, 2017
Just by looking at the list of celebrity deaths in 2017, one can never accept those that are no longer a part of this world, but the list is rather short. In 2016, it seemed like another big name was gone almost every week and sometimes, every other day.
Losing a family member or close friend is never something that is easy to take, and some people say it really isn’t normal to be upset over the death of someone they’ve never met. Still, celebrities come into our homes and are a part of our lives for many years, and that means it really isn’t easy to accept the deaths of Don Rickles, Bill Paxton, and many others. The list of celebrity deaths in 2017 is not incredibly lengthy at this point, but reading it is still depressing.
[Featured Image by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images]
