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Year in review: Influential people who died in 2023
Here’s a roll call of some of the year’s most notable deaths
Yevgeny Prigozhin rose from being an ex-con and hot dog vendor to winning lucrative Kremlin contracts and heading a formidable mercenary army. But it all came to a sudden end when the private plane carrying him and others mysteriously exploded over Russia.
Prigozhin's Aug. 23 death put an exclamation point on what had already been an eventful year for the brutal mercenary leader. His Wagner Group troops brought Russia a rare victory in its grinding war in Ukraine, capturing the city of Bakhmut. But internal friction with Russian military leaders later burst into the open, with Prigozhin briefly mounting an armed rebellion — the most severe challenge yet to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s rule.
The rebellion was called off and a deal was struck in less than 24 hours. However, just two months later, Prigozhin joined the list of those who have run afoul of the Kremlin and died unexpectedly.
He was just one of a number of noteworthy people who died in 2023, Here’s a roll call of some of the influential figures the world lost:
January
Fred White, 67. A drummer who backed up his brothers Maurice and Verdine White in Earth, Wind & Fire. Jan. 1.
Jeff Beck, 78. A guitar virtuoso who pushed the boundaries of blues, jazz and rock ‘n’ roll, influencing generations of shredders and becoming known as the guitar player’s guitar player. Jan. 10.
Lisa Marie Presley, 54. The only child of Elvis Presley and a singer-songwriter dedicated to her father’s legacy. Jan. 12.
Robbie Knievel, 60. An American stunt performer who set records with daredevil motorcycle jumps following in the tire tracks of his thrill-seeking father Evel Knievel. Jan. 13.
Gina Lollobrigida, 95. An Italian film legend who achieved international stardom during the 1950s and was dubbed “the most beautiful woman in the world” after the title of one of her movies. Jan. 16.
David Crosby, 81. The brash rock musician who evolved from a baby-faced harmony singer with the Byrds to a mustachioed hippie superstar and troubadour in Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Sept. 18.
Cindy Williams, 75. She was among the most recognizable stars in America in the 1970s and 1980s for her role as Shirley on the beloved sitcom “Laverne & Shirley.” Jan. 25.
Barrett Strong, 81. One of Motown’s founding artists and most gifted songwriters who sang lead on the company’s breakthrough single “Money (That’s What I Want)” and collaborated with Norman Whitfield on such classics as “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” “War” and “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone.” Jan. 28.
February
Paco Rabanne, 88. The Spanish-born designer known for perfumes sold worldwide but who made his name with metallic space-age fashions that put a bold, new edge on catwalks. Feb. 3.
Pervez Musharraf, 79. The general who seized power in a bloodless coup and later led a reluctant Pakistan into aiding the U.S. war in Afghanistan against the Taliban. Feb. 5.
Burt Bacharach, 94. The singularly gifted and popular composer who delighted millions with the quirky arrangements and unforgettable melodies of “Walk on By,” “Do You Know the Way to San Jose” and dozens of other hits. Feb. 8.
David Jude Jolicoeur, 54. Widely known as Trugoy the Dove, he was one of the founding members of the Long Island hip-hop trio De La Soul. Feb. 12.
Raquel Welch, 82. Her emergence from the sea in a skimpy, furry bikini in the film “One Million Years B.C.” propelled her to international sex symbol status in the 1960s and ’70s. Feb. 15.
Richard Belzer, 78. The longtime stand-up comedian who became one of TV’s most indelible detectives as John Munch in “Homicide: Life on the Street” and “Law & Order: SVU.” Feb. 19.
March
Tom Sizemore, 61. The “Saving Private Ryan” actor whose bright 1990s star burned out under the weight of his own domestic violence and drug convictions. March 3.
Gary Rossington, 71. A co-founder and last surviving original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd who helped write the classic answer song “Sweet Home Alabama” and played unforgettable slide guitar on the rock anthem “Free Bird.” March 5.
Chaim Topol, 87. A leading Israeli actor who charmed generations of theatergoers and movie-watchers with his portrayal of Tevye, the long-suffering milkman in “Fiddler on the Roof.” March 8.
Robert Blake, 89. The Emmy award-winning performer who went from acclaim for his acting to notoriety when he was tried and acquitted in the killing of his wife. March 9.
Pat Schroeder, 82. A pioneer for women’s and family rights in Congress. March 13.
April
Ben Ferencz, 103. The last living prosecutor from the Nuremberg trials, who tried Nazis for genocidal war crimes. April 7.
Al Jaffee, 102. Mad magazine’s award-winning cartoonist and ageless wise guy who delighted millions of kids with the sneaky fun of the Fold-In and the snark of “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions.” April 10.
Harry Belafonte, 96. The civil rights and entertainment giant who began as a groundbreaking actor and singer and became an activist, humanitarian and conscience of the world. April 25.
Carolyn Bryant Donham, 88. The white woman who accused Black teenager Emmett Till of making improper advances, leading to his lynching in Mississippi in 1955. April 25.
Jerry Springer, 79. The onetime mayor and news anchor whose namesake TV show featured a three-ring circus of dysfunctional guests willing to bare all — sometimes literally — as they brawled and hurled obscenities before a raucous audience. April 27.
May
Gordon Lightfoot, 84. The legendary folk singer-songwriter known for “If You Could Read My Mind” and “Sundown” and for songs that told tales of Canadian identity. May 1.
Vida Blue, 73. A hard-throwing left-hander who became one of baseball’s biggest draws in the early 1970s and helped lead the brash A’s to three straight World Series titles before his career was derailed by drug problems. May 6.
Jim Brown, 87. The pro football Hall of Famer was an unstoppable running back who retired at the peak of his career to become an actor as well as a civil rights advocate during the 1960s. May 18.
Tina Turner, 83. The unstoppable singer and stage performer who teamed with husband, Ike Turner, for a dynamic run of hit records and live shows in the 1960s and ’70s and survived her horrifying marriage to triumph in middle age with the chart-topping “What’s Love Got to Do With It.” May 24.
June
Pat Robertson, 93. A religious broadcaster who turned a tiny Virginia station into the global Christian Broadcasting Network, tried a run for president, and helped make religion central to Republican Party politics in America through his Christian Coalition. June 8.
Theodore “Ted” Kaczynski, 81. Branded the “Unabomber” by the FBI, he was the Harvard-educated mathematician who retreated to a shack in the Montana wilderness and ran a 17-year bombing campaign that killed three people and injured 23 others. June 10.
Silvio Berlusconi, 86. The boastful billionaire media mogul who was Italy’s longest-serving premier despite scandals over his sex-fueled parties and allegations of corruption. June 12.
Treat Williams, 71. An actor whose nearly 50-year career included starring roles in the TV series “Everwood” and the movie “Hair.” June 12. Motorcycle crash.
Daniel Ellsberg, 92. The history-making whistleblower who by leaking the Pentagon Papers revealed longtime government doubts and deceit about the Vietnam War and inspired acts of retaliation by President Richard Nixon that helped lead to his resignation. June 16.
Alan Arkin, 89. The wry character actor who demonstrated his versatility in everything from farcical comedy to chilling drama, receiving four Academy Award nominations and winning an Oscar in 2007 for “Little Miss Sunshine.” June 29.
July
James Lewis, 76. The suspect in the 1982 Tylenol poisonings that killed seven people in the Chicago area, triggered a nationwide scare and led to an overhaul in the safety of over-the-counter medication packaging. July 9.
Tony Bennett, 96. The eminent and timeless stylist whose devotion to classic American songs and knack for creating new standards such as “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” graced a decadeslong career that brought him admirers from Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga. July 21.
Sinead O’Connor, 56. The gifted Irish singer-songwriter who became a superstar in her mid-20s was as much known for her private struggles and provocative actions as her fierce and expressive music. July 26.
Randy Meisner, 77. A founding member of the Eagles who added high harmonies to such favorites as “Take It Easy” and “The Best of My Love” and stepped out front for the waltz-time ballad “Take It to the Limit.” July 26.
Paul Reubens, 70. The actor and comedian whose Pee-wee Herman character — an overgrown child with a tight gray suit and an unforgettable laugh — became a 1980s pop cultural phenomenon. July 30.
August
Mark Margolis, 83. The Emmy-nominated actor who played murderous former drug kingpin Hector Salamanca in “Breaking Bad” and then in the prequel “Better Call Saul.” Aug. 3.
Robbie Robertson, 80. The Band’s lead guitarist and songwriter who in such classics as “The Weight” and “Up on Cripple Creek” mined American music and folklore and helped reshape contemporary rock. Aug. 9.
Magoo, 50. The rapper known for his work in the hip-hop duo Timbaland & Magoo and hit song “Up Jumps da Boogie” featuring Aaliyah and Missy Elliott. Aug. 13.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, 62. As head of the Wagner Group, he made his name as a profane and brutal mercenary boss before mounting an armed rebellion that was the most severe and shocking challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s rule. Aug. 23. Plane crash.
Bob Barker, 99. The enduring, dapper game show host who became a household name over a half century of hosting “Truth or Consequences” and “The Price Is Right.” Aug. 26.
September
Jimmy Buffett, 76. The singer-songwriter who popularized beach bum soft rock with the escapist Caribbean-flavored song “Margaritaville” and turned that celebration of loafing into a billion-dollar empire of restaurants, resorts and frozen concoctions. Sept. 1.
Bill Richardson, 75. A two-term Democratic governor of New Mexico and an American ambassador to the United Nations who dedicated his post-political career to working to secure the release of Americans detained by foreign adversaries. Sept. 1.
Dianne Feinstein, 90. A centrist Democrat from California and champion of liberal causes who was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1992 and broke gender barriers throughout her long career in local and national politics. Sept. 28.
October
Dick Butkus, 80. A Hall of Fame middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears whose speed and ferocity set the standards for the position in the modern era. Oct. 5.
Rudolph Isley, 84. A founding member of the Isley Brothers who helped perform such raw rhythm and blues classics as “Shout” and “Twist and Shout” and the funky hits “That Lady” and “It’s Your Thing.” Oct. 11.
Suzanne Somers, 76. The effervescent blonde actor who played Chrissy Snow on the television show “Three’s Company” and later became an entrepreneur and New York Times bestselling author. Oct. 15.
Richard Roundtree, 81. The trailblazing actor who starred as the ultrasmooth private detective in several “Shaft” films beginning in the early 1970s. Oct. 24.
Richard Moll, 80. A character actor who found lasting fame as an eccentric but gentle giant bailiff on the original “Night Court” sitcom. Oct. 26.
Matthew Perry, 54. The Emmy-nominated “Friends” actor whose sarcastic, but lovable Chandler Bing was among television’s most famous and quotable characters. Oct. 28.
November
Bob Knight, 83. The brilliant and combustible coach who won three NCAA titles at Indiana and for years was the scowling face of college basketball. Nov. 1.
George “Funky” Brown, 74. The co-founder and longtime drummer of Kool & The Gang who helped write such hits as “Too Hot,” “Ladies Night,” “Joanna” and the party favorite “Celebration.” Nov. 16.
Rosalynn Carter, 96. The former first lady was the closest adviser to Jimmy Carter during his one term as U.S. president and their four decades thereafter as global humanitarians. Nov. 19.
Marty Krofft, 86. A TV producer known for imaginative children’s shows such as “H.R. Pufnstuf” and prime-time hits including “Donny & Marie” in the 1970s. Nov. 25.
Henry Kissinger, 100. The former secretary of state exerted uncommon influence on global affairs under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, earning both vilification and the Nobel Peace Prize. Nov. 29.
December
Sandra Day O’Connor, 93. The former U.S. Supreme Court justice was an unwavering voice of moderate conservatism and the first woman to serve on the nation’s highest court. Dec. 1.
Norman Lear, 101. The writer, director and producer who revolutionized prime-time television with “All in the Family,” “The Jeffersons” and “Maude,” propelling political and social turmoil into the once insulated world of TV sitcoms. Dec. 5.
Ryan O’Neal, 82. The heartthrob actor who went from a TV soap opera to an Oscar-nominated role in “Love Story” and delivered a wry performance opposite his charismatic 9-year-old daughter Tatum in “Paper Moon.” Dec. 8.
Andre Braugher, 61. The Emmy-winning actor who would master gritty drama for seven seasons on “Homicide: Life on The Street” and modern comedy for eight on “Brooklyn 99.” Dec. 11.
Tom Smothers, 86. He was half of the Smothers Brothers and the co-host of one of the most socially conscious and groundbreaking television shows in the history of the medium. Dec. 26.
Herb Kohl, 88. A former Democratic U.S. senator from Wisconsin and former owner of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks. Dec. 27.
Shecky Greene, 97. Gifted comic and master improviser who was revered by his peers and live audiences as one of the greatest standup acts of his generation. Dec. 31.
Cale Yarborough, 84. Considered one of NASCAR’s all-time greatest drivers, and the first to win three consecutive Cup titles. Dec. 31.
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