BLOGGING THE VIEW: 15 notable deaths in 2022… so far

We were so excited to leave 2021 behind us – the further away we get from 2020, the better! Unfortunately, 2022 has had its own brand of tragedy to throw at the world.

Besides the wars, load-shedding and climate crisis, we’ve also had to deal with saying goodbye to some cherished global figures.

And this week we had to learn that beloved Murder, She Wrote star, Angela Lansbury, has solved her last crime.

Here’s a moment to remember those who we have lost so far this year.

1. Angela Lansbury (96)
While she’s most widely known for her role as Jessica Fletcher, the crime-solving busybody in the incredibly murderous village of Cabot Cove, Angela Lansbury’s career actually began long before that. In 1942, she featured in Gaslight, a movie that earned her an Oscar nomination, and she has since cut across film, television and theatre, starring in the Broadway musical, Mame. She was nominated for 18 Emmys, won six Golden Globes and even an honourary Academy Award.

2. Queen Elizabeth II (96)
This will easily be the most memorable death of 2022 – that of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. In her lifetime, the queen met with 15 prime ministers, as well as 13 American presidents. Coronated in 1952 at the age of 25, she celebrated her Platinum Jubilee last year before her eldest son, Charles, ascended to the throne in September.

3. Sidney Poitier (94)
A ground-breaker in cinematic history, Poitier was the first black actor to win an Academy Award for Lillies of the Field in 1964. He even pivoted from acting to directing, earning numerous awards over his illustrious career, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.

4. Mikhail Gorbachev (91)
The Nobel Peace Prize winner and former Soviet president, Gorbachev had a major influence on the global landscape at a time when the nuclear arms race had nations gripped in fear. He oversaw the dissolution of the Soviet Union and played an important role in the fall of the Berlin Wall.

5. James Caan (82)
The world got to know James Caan as the heir apparent of the ‘Don’ Corleone – Santino ‘Sonny’ Corleone – in the first of The Godfather trilogy. Earning a nomination for best supporting actor, he reprised his role in the sequel and starred in several epic films thereafter.

6. Marvin Lee Aday ‘Meat Loaf’ (74)
Like a Bat Out of Hell, Meat Loaf blazed through life with a zest and passion that was unmatched, winning a Grammy for his song I’d Do Anything for Love. His fame wasn’t restricted to song; he also made a name for himself on the big screen, most notably in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

7. Olivia Newton-John (73)
From sweet little Sandra Dee to the leather-clad Sandy, Olivia’s iconic transformation in Grease will forever be burned in the minds of those in their formative years of the 80s and 90s. She collaborated with co-star John Travolta a few times, but also made waves in the music industry with her hit song, Physical. In later years, she became an advocate for those fighting breast cancer, eventually succumbing to the disease this year.

8. Ivana Trump (73)
The long-suffering ex-wife of former US president Donald Trump, Ivana died after collapsing in her home earlier this year. Born in Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic), she moved to the US in 1976 and married Trump the following year, having three children with him. The two separated in 1990 and divorced in 1992.

9. Shinzo Abe (67)
A revered diplomat and Japan’s longest-serving prime minister was tragically assassinated by a man with a homemade gun. During his time at the helm, he was able to improve Japan’s international relations, restoring his country’s military and reigniting the economy.

10. Ray Liotta (67)
The man everyone loved to hate, Ray Liotta became a staple in the cinematic world after his breakout role in Something Wild in 1986. However, he was best known as Henry Hill, the renowned mobster in Goodfellas.

11. Gilbert Gottfried (67)
Just reading his name will immediately bring that high-pitched nasal voice to mind, brought to cartoon life as the parrot Iago in Disney’s Aladdin. He featured in many films but his true love was stand-up comedy, often featuring at comedy clubs and late night television shows.

12. Bob Saget (65)
Another American stand-up comedian, Saget was renowned for playing strait-laced dad Danny Tanner in the television show Full House and later Fuller House. Most recently, he narrated the hugely popular television series How I Met Your Mother.

13. Coolio (59)
If you grew up in the 90s, the name Coolio will immediately have you rapping Gangsta’s Paradise, the theme song from the film Dangerous Minds. The song took the Grammy for best solo rap performance in 1996 and Coolio won an America Music Award for favourite rap/hip-hop artist.

14. Anne Heche (53)
The actress who featured in television, film and on Broadway tragically died from injuries suffered during a car crash in Los Angeles. She overcame childhood abuse, drug and alcohol abuse to make a name for herself.

15. Taylor Hawkins (50)
The enlivened drummer of the Foo Fighters for the past 25 years, Hawkins died while on tour in March. Previously drumming with Alanis Morissette’s band, Hawkins quickly took to Foo Fighters, fast becoming one of Dave Grohl’s best friends and confidants.

The year is not over, but hopefully we’re past the worst of our major losses (touch wood!).

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