Are you aware of the celebrities who died in 2016?

By: Olivia Cantor
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Are you aware of the celebrities who died in 2016?
Image: TMDB

About This Quiz

The year 2016 was unforgettable in many ways. We will always remember the people who left us in 2016 — those who made an impact in the world of global pop culture, sports, and politics. Are you familiar with the celebrities who died in 2016? Take this quiz and find out.
He portrayed Pavel Chekov in the Star Trek film reboots, starring alongside Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto aboard the Enterprise.
John Cho
Eric Bana
Karl Urban
Anton Yelchin
Yelchin was found dead by his friends. A freak accident left him sandwiched between his vehicle and a wall in front of his home, causing his death.
This American writer was termed as a “futurist,” for authoring the book Future Shock in the 1970s.
Neil DeGrasse Tyson
Alvin Toffler
Toffler is credited for coining the phrase, “information overload.” In his book, Future Shock, he also predicted the rise of Internet technology — our current source of information overload.
Carl Sagan
Philip K. Dick
He originally played Willy Wonka in the 1971 film, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
Gene Wilder
Wilder popularly made comedy films with another silver screen genius, Mel Brooks. He also wrote screenplays from time to time.
Martin Short
Steve Martin
Dana Carvey

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This playwright is popular for penning the work, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Tennessee Williams
Tony Kushner
Edward Albee
Albee was successful in American modern theater. He won Pulitzer Prizes and a Tony Award for his works.
Jonathan Larson
The golfing world also lost one of its icons in 2016. Which pioneering golfer died in September 2016?
Tiger Woods
Michael Jordan
Billy Wilder
Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer was 87 when he died. He enjoyed a 60-plus year career in professional golf.
This British singer-songwriter was also known by his alter ego, Ziggy Stardust.
John Lennon
David Bowie
The pioneering gender-bending imagery and music of David Bowie will surely be missed. The world lost him to liver cancer in January 2016.
Elton John
Freddie Mercury

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The latest 2016 death that knocked the wind out of the Star Wars fandom was that of this actress, who starred in the original and continued series.
Carrie Fisher
We first saw Carrie Fisher portray Princess Leia Organa in the original 1977 Star Wars movie. Fisher reprised her role as Leia in The Force Awakens, known as General Leia Organa. It will be interesting to see how this series will continue without her pivotal role.
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Bradshaw
Carrie Zucker
After Carrie Fisher died, her Hollywood mom also died the next day. Who is this iconic actress?
Vivien Leigh
Debbie Reynolds
Debbie Reynolds was one of Hollywood’s leading ladies during the 1950s, up to the '70s. She was married to fellow actor, Eddie Fisher, Carrie’s dad.
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Olivia Hussey
This former US First Lady was taken from this world by heart failure in 2016.
Patsy Reagan
Lucy Reagan
Nancy Reagan
Like her husband, Nancy Reagan had a Hollywood acting career prior to being First Lady. She also supported his husband’s conservative values in running 1980s America.
Shirley Reagan

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This founder of the group Earth, Wind & Fire also died in 2016.
Maurice Red
Maurice Green
Maurice White
Earth, Wind & Fire was a very popular soul, disco, funk, R&B-jazz type of musical group headed by Maurice White. Their legacy left a lasting impression on the music scene, which can still be felt today.
Maurice Brown
This British actor was known for playing Severus Snape in the Harry Potter film series.
Alan Bates
Alan Rockwell
Alan Alda
Alan Rickman
Alan Rickman made an impression back in the 1980s, as the German terrorist Hans Gruber in the first Die Hard film. He was a well-respected actor of the stage, the small screen, and the silver screen.
The world of boxing also got dimmer with the death of The Greatest. What was his name?
Moringer Ali
Muhammad Ali
Born Cassius Clay, Ali was known for his line, “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” Aside from boxing, he was known for his civil rights advocacy.
Mohandras Ali
Mariner Ali

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This young singer, a third placer in The Voice, was gunned down in 2016.
Christina Aguilera
Christina Grimmie
Grimmie first became popular on YouTube as a cover song artist. She was only 22 when she died.
Christina Ricci
Christina Applegate
Nick Menza, who died due to heart failure, was a former drummer for this rock metal band.
Slayer
Aerosmith
Metallica
Megadeth
Menza played with other bands aside from Megadeth. He formed a new group and was active with it at the time of his death.
This ‘80s TV sitcom actor is Robin Thicke’s dad.
Albert Thicke
Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke died in December 2016. He starred in Growing Pains as Kirk Cameron’s dad and he had a late-night talk show. It was reported that the surviving cast members of Growing Pains attended his wake.
Andrew Thicke
Allister Thicke

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The world also lost this pioneering American astronaut, famous for being the first one to travel and orbit around the planet.
John Glenn
Glenn made his historic orbit in 1962. He contributed to the public’s interest in space exploration during the 1960s.
Neil Armstrong
Michael Collins
Buzz Aldrin
This former Wham! singer didn’t "wake us up" before he went out, to paraphrase their famous song.
George Michael
George Michael’s songs and legacy have left an impact on global popular culture. A memorable album of his is Listen Without Prejudice. His gay identity empowered others and he was an advocate for many causes.
George Clinton
George Eads
George Williams
This famous political figure of Cuba also left us in 2016.
Hilario Castro
Pablo Castro
Fidel Castro
Castro was a proclaimed socialist and a controversial world leader during the time of his reign. He was a Marxist-Leninist communist believer.
Raul Castro

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The author of To Kill A Mockingbird died peacefully in her sleep.
Hyndra Lee
Hopper Lee
Harper Lee
Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird is now hailed as a classic. The 1960s novel won for her a Pulitzer Prize.
Hyper Lee
British record producer George Martin died in 2016. This composer-musician was also touted as the informal fifth member of this famous British band.
Beatles
The Beatles' fifth member, said to be George Martin, died in his house in Wiltshire. He now joins Beatles members George Harrison and John Lennon who have gone ahead of him.
Monkees
Jets
Four Seasons
This American country music legend took a bow in 2016.
Kenny Rogers
Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard’s legendary career spanned decades. He was inducted into several musical halls of fame for his country music contributions.
Willie Nelson
Johnny Cash

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This elderly actress was well-loved and remembered as Raymond’s mother in TV’s Everybody Loves Raymond.
Dahlia Roberts
Dolly Roberts
Doris Roberts
Doris Roberts enjoyed a good film career during the late ‘60s, into the ’70s and ‘80s. Her continued career on television also earned her awards.
Dina Roberts
Wrestling fans mourned the departure of this female wrestler-turned-actor.
Indya
Chyna
Chyna was a professional wrestler, popular in ladies’ pro wrestling. She also became a fitness expert, producing exercise training videos. She was also called Mamacita.
Russya
Persya
The other star of Star Wars to die in 2016 was Kenny Baker, famous for being “inside” this droid.
R2-D2
Before full animatronics were utilized on film, producer George Lucas literally put people inside suits and costumes for his Star Wars trilogy. Kenny Baker was inside R2-D2 and this made a mark on fans worldwide.
C-3PO
BB=8
THX 1138

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This popular romantic comedy film director wrapped up production in 2016.
Wes Craven
Nora Ephron
Garry Marshall
Garry Marshall directed many popular romcoms, including Pretty Woman and Valentine’s Day. He was also an actor, writer, and producer.
Sam Raimi
This American stand-up comic and TV sitcom actor took a bow in 2016.
Jerry Seinfeld
Chris Rock
Garry Shandling
Garry Shandling was a popular talk show host of his own show, as well as that of a fictional one. Film roles included the Iron Man and Captain America-linked Marvel films, as the corrupt Senator Stern.
Larry Sanders
This D4L hiphop artist died in a car crash.
Tupac Shakur
Shawty Lo
Shawty Lo, born as Carlos Rico Walker, founded his own hip-hop label in the early 2000s. He is best known for his single, Dey Know.
Snoop Doggy Dog
Busta Rhymes

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This transgender actress-advocate was part of the Arquette clan of actors in Hollywood.
Alexis Arquette
Alexis Arquette preferred to appear in independent movies that had meatier roles and storylines. Patricia, David, and Rosanna Arquette are her more famous Hollywood siblings.
Amanda Arquette
Arianna Arquette
Alicia Arquette
This ‘90s boy band manager died in prison.
Lou Conman
Lou Pearlman
Lou Pearlman was the manager of The Backstreet Boys, NSync, and a host of other popular musical artists who sued him later for fraudulent acts. He is a convicted felon due to his Ponzi schemes related to fraudulent investments.
Lou Hitman
Lou Whitman
This Canadian singer-poet’s “Hallelujah” song was so popular that many artists covered it.
Juan Severo
Rudyard Kipling
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen was a poet and novelist who took to composing songs eventually. He is known as a singer-songwriter who influenced many of our contemporary artists.
Robert Langston

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This actor is known for playing Napoleon Solo, his character in The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
James Vaughn
Robert Vaughn
Robert Vaughn enjoyed a healthy TV acting career. He also made a name for himself in the film industry.
Stuart Vaughn
Otto Vaughn
This TV actress portrayed the mom in The Brady Bunch.
Martina Navratilova
Shirley Bassey
Caroline Howard
Florence Henderson
Florence Henderson played the pivotal mother role of Carol Brady in The Brady Bunch, in the late 1960s and ‘70s. She died due to heart failure, as reported.
The influential author of Foucault’s Pendulum also died in 2016.
Vikram Seth
Chinua Acebe
Arundhati Roy
Umberto Eco
Umberto Eco also authored The Name of the Rose. He was a university professor and literary critic as well.

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The comic book illustrator Steve Dillon also died in 2016. Which of the following works did he illustrate?
Preacher
The Punisher
Hellblazer
All of the above
Dillon worked with both DC Comics and Marvel Comics. But the British artist worked on many English titles as well.
This legendary musician-composer-producer is well-known for his Purple Rain album and persona.
The King
Prince
Prince was another gender-bending musical genius that gifted the global pop culture with uniqueness and creativity. He won many accolades in his career and remains influential to fellow artists.
Duke
The Count
You Got:
/35
TMDB