January 15, 2018 · 0 Comments
By Jasen Obermeyer
The year 2017 is over, and it was certainly an interesting one. From a series of devastating hurricanes and tropical storms, the seemingly never-ending coverage of United States President Donald Trump, North Korea, and yes, even celebrity deaths.
Though 2017 didn’t have nearly as many celebrities pass as in 2016, there were still several prominent men and women in several forms of entertainment who passed away, some tragically and young, others peacefully and old.
In the world of movies, Bill Paxton died at the age of 61. He was famous for his appearances in high profile films such as Predator 2, Aliens, Titanic, Twister, and Apollo 13, and starred in the television miniseries Hatfields and McCoys.
Whether you just like the original James Bond actor Sean Connery, or the newest incarnation with Daniel Craig, one can’t deny the hole Roger Moore left in the hearts of many diehard Bond fans. He starred in a record seven Bond films, with Live and Let Die, and The Spy Who Loved Me ranked as some of the finest of all 20-plus Bond films.
George Romero, 77, was called “the father of the zombie film,” pioneering the horror film genre, and bringing zombie films to the mainstream with his movie Night of the Living Dead.
In the world of television, Mary Tyler Moore, 80, pushed the boundaries of stereotypical images and women and helped push gender norms, through her roles in the Mary Tyler Moore Show, and The Dick Van Dyke Show.
Some may know him for his portrayal as Batman in the 1960’s television show, others for his eccentric fictional portrayal of himself in Family Guy. Adam West died at the age of 88 from leukemia, having brought laughter to old and young across generations.
The music industry took a severe toll this year, leaving a big hole with several musicians dying from tragic deaths.
Chris Cornell, frontman for the Seattle grunge band Soundgarden, one of the genre’s pioneers, committed suicide in May, hours after performing a concert, joining fellow grunge icons Kurt Cobain and Layne Staley in drug- and suicide-related deaths.
Only a few months later, Linkin Park’s co-lead singer Chester Bennington killed himself, at the age of 41.
For Canadians, Gord Downie’s death was expected, but never accepted. The singer for The Tragically Hip succumbed to his brain cancer at the age of 53. An icon in his own right, he touched the hearts of many, inspiring countless others to go into the music industry.
Malcolm Young, the co-founder and guitarist for the rock band AC/DC, died at 64. He was part of one of the biggest, most popular bands in the world, releasing hit albums like “Highway to Hell,” “Back in Black,” and “The Razor’s Edge.”
Another musician who passed away was Chuck Berry. Though he was 90, and hadn’t released new material since the early 1970’s, he kept touring and playing. Berry was essentially one of the pioneers of rock and roll, with classics like “Maybellene,” “Rock and Roll Music” and “Johnny B. Goode,” being etched into any rock lover’s heart.
With sports, former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay died when his seaplane crashed into the Gulf of Mexico. He was a beloved Jays player, and was known for pitching the 20th perfect game in major league baseball history.
Another famed Toronto sports team player who passed away was Johnny Bower, the Toronto Maple Leafs goalie during the Original Six era, and one of the most famous and beloved Leafs players. He was 93.
Other celebrity deaths include Don Rickles, at the age of 90, one of the most well-known insult comics, and for his appearances on various talk shows, and the voice of Mr. Potato Head in the Toy Story franchise; and Hugh Hefner, the founder of the Playboy magazine.