BLOGGING THE VIEW: 10 celebrity deaths in 2024

We’re nearing the end of the year, which means it’s time for some reflection. While lots of great things have happened this year, we’ve also lost a number of great people – some far too soon.

Here’s a look at some of the well-known individuals who crossed over to the other side this year.

1. Quincy Jones (91) | music producer
Died: 3 November
He is renowned for his role in the music industry, being the right-hand man to both Frank Sinatra and Michael Jackson, and was the producer behind the fundraising 1985 song We Are the World, featuring some of the biggest names in the music industry.

2. Graham ‘Dingo’ Dinkelman (44) | conservationist
Died: 26 October
The South African conservationist who shot to global fame through his wildlife YouTube videos tragically died in ICU one month after being bitten by a green mamba at his home in Shongweni.

3. Liam Payne (31) | musician
Died: 16 October
One of the founding members of the popular boy band One Direction died after falling off a balcony in Buenos Aires. The singer shot to fame on the show X Factor at the tender age of 16, spending half his life in the public eye.

4. Kris Kristofferson (88) | musician and actor
Died: 28 September
The American country music star died at his home, having suffered from Lyme Disease and memory loss. He had an impressive life, starting as a Golden Gloves boxer who went on to earn a Rhodes Scholarship to study literature at Oxford University, becoming a Captain in the US Army and a helicopter pilot before eventually getting Johnny Cash’s attention as a songwriter.

5. Drake Hogestyn (70) | actor
Died: 28 September
The long-time Days of Our Lives star, who played the character John Black for nearly four decades, died just one day before his 71st birthday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

6. Dame Maggie Smith (89) | actress
Died: 27 September
Best-known by current audiences for her role as Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter, Dame Maggie Smith had a long and illustrious career which saw her earning an EGOT – Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony.

7. John Ashton (76) | actor
Died: 26 September
Best known for his portrayal as a grumpy but ultimately lovable policeman in the Beverly Hills Cop movies, John Ashton died after a battle with cancer.

8. Tito Jackson (70) | musician
Died: 15 September
Michael Jackson’s brother, who was part of the family band the Jackson 5, died after a suspected heart attack. The Jackson 5 also included brothers Jackie, Jermaine and Marlon, with the band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.

9. James Earl Jones (93) | actor
Died: 9 September
The man with one of the most iconic voices in history died at his home in New York. He was renowned for roles in some of the most notable recent films, including Star Wars, The Lion King, Coming to America, and Dr Strangelove.

10. Donald Sutherland (88) | actor
Died: 20 June
Boasting an illustrious film career of more than 200 movies, this notable actor died from chronic pulmonary disease. His latest role in The Hunger Games saw him play the fiendish President Snow, with his actor son Kiefer continuing the family legacy.

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