In Memoriam: People We Lost So Far In 2017

Joseph Wapner, Judge

L.A. County Superior Court and TV show “The Peoples Court” (1981-93) America’s first reality TV judge Joseph Wapner died Feb. 26 after having been admitted to the hospital with breathing issues. He was 97

Neil Fingleton

Neil Fingleton was an English actor and basketball player. He was the tallest British-born man and the tallest man in the European Union at 7 ft 7.56 in (232.6 cm) in height and among the 25 tallest men in the world. This title has been confirmed by the Guinness Book of Records in the summer of 2007. Fingleton appeared in “47 Ronin”, “Jupiter Ascending.” He died on February 25th at age 36. The cause of death has been reported by British media as heart failure.

Bill Paxton

Was an American Actor and Film Director who appeared in such films as “Aliens”, “Predator 2”, “True Lies”, “Apollo 13”, “Twister” (Just to name a few). Paxton also starred in the HBO drama series Big Love, earning three Golden Globe Award nominations during the show’s run. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for portraying Randolph “Randall” McCoy in the History Channel miniseries Hatfields & McCoys (2012). Paxton’s final film appearance was in The Circle, released two months after his death. On February 25, Paxton died at the age of 61 from complications following heart surgery.

Joy Hruby

Joy Elaine Hruby was an Australian actress and entertainer, comedian, TV presenter and interviewer, producer, film-maker, author and celebrity agent with a career spanning more than 50 years. Best known for Joy’s World TV show. She was age 89.

Larry Coryell

Larry Coryell was an American Jazz Musician known as the “Godfather of Fusion”. Coryell died Feb. 19 of heart failure at the age of 73.

Warren Frost

An American actor. His work was mainly in theater, but he worked in films and television sporadically from 1958. He is known for television roles on Matlock, The Larry Sanders Show, and Seinfeld, and particularly as Doctor Hayward on Twin Peaks, a series co-created by his son Mark Frost. Frost died at his home in Middlebury, Vermont, on February 17, following a long illness at the age of 91.

George Steele

Professional Wrestler better known by his ring name George “The Animal” Steele, was an American professional wrestler, school teacher, author, and actor. Steele portrayed Swedish wrestler and actor Tor Johnson in Tim Burton’s film Ed Wood. On February 16, Myers died in hospital care due to kidney failure, at the age of 79.

Al Jarreau

Al Jarreau was an American singer and musician. He received a total of seven Grammy Awards and was nominated for over a dozen more. Jarreau is perhaps best known for his 1981 album Breakin’ Away. He also sang the theme song of the late-1980s television series Moonlighting, and was among the performers on the 1985 charity song “We Are the World.” On February 12, Jarreau died of respiratory failure, at the age of 76, just two days after announcing his retirement.

Alice Lude

A singer who entered show business after graduating from high school. Along with two other women, she formed a band called The Williams Sisters and later joined a band called The Music maids who performed in several movies, including Broadway Melody of 1940, Hit Parade of 1943 and Meet Me in St. Louis. Alice Ludes died on February 12, at age 104.

Mike Ilitch

Was an American entrepreneur, founder, and owner of the international fast food franchise Little Caesars Pizza. He owned the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League and Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. Ilitch died on February 10, 2017, at the age of 87.

Harold Gregory “Hal” Moore, Jr.

Harold Gregory “Hal” Moore, Jr. was a United States Army lieutenant general and author. He was a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross, which is the U.S. military’s second-highest decoration for valor, and was the first of his West Point class (1945) to be promoted to brigadier general, major general, and lieutenant general commanded actual battle in Vietnam memorialized in movie “We Were Soldiers” commanded actual battle in Vietnam memorialized in movie “We Were Soldiers”. Moore died on February 10, three days before his 95th birthday

Richard Hatch

Richard Lawrence Hatch was an American actor, writer, and producer. Hatch was best known for his role as Captain Apollo in the original Battlestar Galactica television series. Hatch died on June 7, of pancreatic cancer, while he was under hospice care at the age of 72.

Alec McCowen

Alec McCowen, Was an English Actor known for his numerous film and stage productions including ‘Q’ Algy in “Never Say Never Again” He died on February 6 at the age of 91.

“Professor” Irwin Corey

“Professor” Irwin Corey, Actor/Comedian who was a frequent guest on game and talk shows for four decades. Corey died on February 6 at age 102

Sonny Geraci

Geraci was a Musician and Singer who played with The Outsiders (“Time Won’t Let Me”), and Climax (“Precious and Few”). Geraci died on February 5, at the age of 69.