JoBlo.com’s tribute to the people from film & TV we lost in 2014

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

“When you lose someone you love, they never really leave you. They just move into a special place in your heart.” ~ Frankenweenie

As 2014 draws to a close, we here at JoBlo.com want take a moment to honor some of the people who sadly passed away this year. Our deepest respect goes out to everyone in the industry we have lost, and our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of those who died in 2014. These people will always be remembered for how they impacted the world of film and television.

In Memory Of…

Roger Lloyd-Pack

English character actor Roger Lloyd-Pack appeared in such films as INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE, HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE and TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY, and TV series like Only Fools and Horses, The Bill and Doctor Who. Lloyd-Pack is also the only actor to star in both the 1970s and 2008 versions of the BBC series Survivors. Roger Lloyd-Pack died of pancreatic cancer on January 15.

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Considered by many to be one of the greatest actors of his generation, Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead from combined drug intoxication on February 2. Hoffman won Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA Best Actor awards for his portrayal of Truman Capote in Bennett Miller's CAPOTE, and also received nominations for his performances in CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR, DOUBT, THE SAVAGES and THE MASTER. The ALMOST FAMOUS and HAPPINESS star was best known for his tremendous range as an actor, and for his collaborations with director P.T Anderson, appearing in all but two of Anderson's films. At the time of his death, Philip Seymour Hoffman was filming for THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 2, and was also planning on directing a Prohibition-era drama called EZEKIEL MOSS.

Shirley Temple

Shirley Temple was without a doubt the most famous child actor of all time. Temple began her film career when she was three, and from 1935 through 1938 was Hollywood's top box-office star, appearing in films like BRIGHT EYES, THE LITTLE COLONEL, CURLY TOP and HEIDI. In 1935 at the age of six, Temple won the first Juvenile Academy Award for her work, and is still the youngest person ever to be honored by the Academy. Although the actress retired from movies in 1950, she dabbled in television before becoming involved in politics, running for Congress in 1967, and serving as the United States Ambassador to Czechoslovakia from 1989 to 1992. Temple passed away on February 10 at the age of 85.

Harold Ramis

Actor/writer/director Harold Ramis died from complications of autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis on February 24 at age 69. Besides starring in STRIPES, GHOSTBUSTERS and GHOSTBUSTERS II, the SCTV alumni also helped write all three films, and in addition directed comedy classics such as CADDYSHACK, NATIONAL LAMPOON'S VACATION and GROUNDHOG DAY. Ramis was also behind the camera for YEAR ONE, THE ICE HARVEST, ANALYZE THIS, ANALYZE THAT and BEDAZZLED, and before his death was involved with the development of GHOSTBUSTERS 3.

Hal Douglas

Even the biggest cinephiles probably wouldn't be able to pick Hal Douglas out of a line-up, however many will always remember his (as described by Douglas) "throaty, chesty, in need of clearing" voice. Known as the "In a world…" guy, Douglas narrated thousands of movie trailers during his sixty-year career, including promos for LETHAL WEAPON, CON AIR, MARVIN'S ROOM and MEN IN BLACK, and was a World War II veteran. Hal Douglas also provided voice-overs for countless TV commercials and stage plays, and at age 89 died of pancreatic cancer on March 7.

James Rebhorn

James Rebhorn was one of those, "Hey, it's that guy!" actors who appeared in over 100 movies, TV series and plays during his career. Rebhorn is probably best known for appearing in the climatic scenes in MY COUSIN VINNY and SCENT OF A WOMAN, as well as his roles in INDEPENDENCE DAY, THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, THE GAME and MEET THE PARENTS. The character actor most recently had recurring roles on USA's White Collar and Showtime's Homeland, and starred in REAL STEEL and SLEEPWALK WITH ME. James Rebhorn had been battling melanoma since 1992, and it claimed his life on March 21.

Mickey Rooney

It's been said "big things come in small packages," and that's definitely the case with Mickey Rooney, who as an adult was only a little over five feet tall. The former child star appeared in over 300 movies during his career, and besides being a talented actor (Laurence Olivier once called him, "the greatest actor of them all"), Rooney could also sing, dance and play several musical instruments. Rooney was probably best known for his Oscar nominated turns in THE BLACK STALLION, THE BOLD AND THE BRAVE, THE HUMAN COMEDY, and BABES IN ARMS, his portrayal of I.Y. Yunioshi in BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S, and for his Golden Globe and Emmy Award winning performance in the 1981 television movie BILL. Mickey Rooney died in his sleep on April 6 at the age of 93.

Bob Hoskins

Although Bob Hoskins didn't start acting until he was 26 and claimed he never took a single acting class, "The Cockney Cagney" won a BAFTA Award for his performance 1986's MONA LISA, and was also nominated for BAFTAs in 1980 and 1983 for his work in THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY and THE HONORARY CONSUL. However, for many who grew up in the 1980s and early 1990s, he will be remember most for two roles: Eddie Valiant in WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT and Smee in Steven Spielberg's HOOK. Not one to mince words, Hoskins once said director Francis Ford Coppola "couldn't piss in a pot," and considered SUPER MARIO BROS. to be the worst thing he ever did, saying the experience was "a f*ckin' nightmare." The UNLEASHED and SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN star announced his retirement from acting in 2012 after being diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2011, and died on April 29 from pneumonia at the age of 71.

H.R. Giger

Influential Swiss set designer and surrealist painter Hans Rudolf Giger died on May 12 after being injured in a fall. Giger won an Oscar in 1980 for his design of the Alien creature from the Ridley Scott film, and in 2013 was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame. Known for his biomechanical artwork, H.R. Giger also created the design for Sil in SPECIES, worked on Alejandro Jodorowsky's unproduced DUNE adaptation, and designed the cover art for several albums, including Debbie Harry's KooKoo, Danzig's Danzig III: How the Gods Kill and Emerson, Lake & Palmer's Brain Salad Surgery.

Rik Mayall

Alternative comedy trailblazer Rik Mayall died of an "acute cardiac event" on June 9 at the age of 56. The Young Ones star and co-writer influenced an entire generation of comedians with his cult series, especially after MTV started airing the British sitcom in 1985. Mayall created the BBC2 series Bottom with fellow British comedian Ade Edmondson (as well as several other projects), and played the mischievous titular character in the 1991 cult film Drop Dead Fred. Mayall was also a voice-over artist, providing the voice for characters in the Watership Down series, the 1995 animated adaptation of The Wind in the Willows, the children's show Shoebox Zoo, and SpongeBob SquarePants.

Ruby Dee

Besides being an Emmy and Screen Actors Guild Award winning actress, Ruby Dee was also a civil rights activist. Both Dee and her late husband Ossie Davis received the Lifetime Achievement Freedom Award from the National Civil Rights Museum in 2005, and she was also a member of the Congress of Racial Equality. Best known for her roles in A RAISIN IN THE SUN, DO THE RIGHT THING and AMERICAN GANGSTER, Dee also appeared in the 1979 miniseries Roots: The Next Generation and the soap opera Guiding Light. Dee died from natural causes on June 11 at the age of 91, and after being cremated, her ashes were placed in the same urn as Ossie Davis', with the inscription "In this thing together."

Eli Wallach

Character and method actor Eli Wallach passed away at the age of 98 on June 24. While Wallach's most famous role was as Tuco (the "Ugly") in Sergio Leone's THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY, he starred in more than ninety films during his career, including THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, THE MISFITS, HOW THE WEST WAS WON, THE GODFATHER PART III, THE HOLIDAY and THE HOAX. The BAFTA, Tony, and Emmy Award winning actor was also a television and stage veteran, and appeared in TV series like Batman (as Mr. Freeze), Kojak, Highway to Heaven, ER and Nurse Jackie.

James Garner

James Garner appeared in over 50 films and several television series over his five decade career. The Golden Globe and Emmy Award winning actor's best known TV roles were playing Bret Maverick in Maverick and Jim Rockford in The Rockford Files, and he was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame and Television Hall of Fame in 1990. Garner was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in 1985's MURPHY'S ROMANCE, and also appeared in films like THE GREAT ESCAPE, Richard Donner's MAVERICK, SPACE COWBOYS and THE NOTEBOOK. Garner died after suffering a heart attack on July 19 at age 86.

Dick Smith

Nicknamed "The Godfather of Make-Up," Richard Emerson "Dick" Smith passed away at age 93 on July 30. Smith won the Best Make-Up Academy Award for his work on 1984's AMADEUS, and was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Oscar in 2011 (the first make-up artist to receive the award) for "his unparalleled mastery of texture, shade, form and illusion." Smith was also known for his work on films like THE GODFATHER, THE EXORCIST, TAXI DRIVER, SCANNERS and DAD, and was the make-up director for NBC for fourteen years.

Robin Williams

"Shocked" doesn't even begin to describe people's reaction to Robin Williams' suicide on August 11. While his struggles with depression and addiction were common knowledge, it was still devastating to hear the much-loved actor and comedian had taken his own life. Known for his over-the-top performances (both on the big screen and on stage as a comedian), Williams was just as good in roles that called for him to dial it down a bit, like in DEAD POETS SOCIETY, AWAKENING, INSOMNIA, and ONE HOUR PHOTO. Williams won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his work in GOOD WILL HUNTING, and received multiple nominations from different organizations for his turns in ALADDIN, GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM, THE FISHER KING, MRS. DOUBTFIRE and the ABC series Mork & Mindy. We'll miss you, Genie.

Lauren Bacall

Born Betty Joan Perske, Lauren Bacall was known for her throaty voice, seductive looks, and for appearing in film noirs like TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT, THE BIG SLEEP, DARK PASSAGE and KEY LARGO with Humphrey Bogart, who she married in 1945. Bacall won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Oscar for her work in Barbra Streisand's THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES, and starred in films such as HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE, DESIGNING WOMAN, MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, DOGVILLE and BIRTH. The actress also performed on Broadway, and won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her roles in Applause (1970) and Woman of the Year (1981). Lauren Bacall died at the age of 89 on August 12 after suffering a stroke.

Don Pardo

Long-time Saturday Night Live announcer Don Pardo died in his sleep at the age of 96 on August 18. Pardo worked for NBC for 70 years, and besides being the announcer for SNL since the show's debut in 1975, was also an announcer for early versions of programs like The Price Is Right, Jackpot and Jeopardy. Although Pardo semi-retired from NBC in 2004, he continued to announce for SNL until his death, and for several episodes pre-recorded his parts from his home. A month after his death, it was announced that former cast member Darrell Hammond (who also filled in for Pardo several times when he was sick) would take over announcing for the late-night comedy show.

Richard Attenborough

Yes, Richard Attenborough played John Hammond in JURASSIC PARK and its sequel, but he was also an accomplished director. He won Best Picture and Best Director Oscars for 1982's GANDHI, and was behind the camera for films like CHAPLIN, SHADOWLANDS and CRY FREEDOM. As a performer, Attenborough was typecast playing timid characters early in his career, but went on to star as Kris Kringle in the 1994 version of MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, "Big X" in John Sturges' THE GREAT ESCAPE, and won back-to-back Best Supporting Actor Golden Globes for THE SAND PEBBLES and 1967's DOCTOR DOLITTLE. Richard Attenborough moved into a nursing home with his wife in 2013 due to his declining health, and passed away on August 24, five days before his 91st birthday.

Joan Rivers

After she stopped breathing during a minor throat surgery on August 28 and was put on life support, actress and comedian Joan Rivers died on September 4 at age 81. Rivers first gained fame with her guest appearances on The Tonight Show, and later became the first woman to host a late night TV show with The Late Show with Joan Rivers. Known for her crass humor and red carpet interviews with her daughter Melissa, Rivers won a Daytime Emmy for The Joan Rivers Show, and wrote multiple best selling memoirs. Rivers' most prominent film role was as the voice of Dot Matrix in Mel Brooks' SPACEBALLS, and she also appeared on several reality series and game shows during her 55 year career.

Jan Hooks

Former Saturday Night Live cast member and Designing Women star Jan Hooks died on October 9 at the age of 57. Hooks was a regular player on SNL from 1986 to 1991, and made cameo appearances until 1994. The actress and comedian also appeared in Tim Burton's BATMAN RETURNS (as the Penguin's image consultant) and played Miss Leavey in SIMON BIRCH. In addition to voicing Manjula Nahasapeemapetilon (Apu's wife) on The Simpsons from season 9 to 14, Hooks' other credits included 3rd Rock from the Sun and 30 Rock.

Richard Kiel

Best known for playing the steel-toothed assassin Jaws in the Bond films THE SPY WHO LOVED ME and MOONRAKER, Richard Kiel died on September 10, three days before his 75th birthday. The 7'2" actor suffered a head injury in a car accident in 1992 that affected his balance (as well as his acting career), but it didn't stop him from starring in HAPPY GILMORE as Mr. Larson, or reprising his Jaws character (credited as "Famous Big Guy with Silver Teeth") in INSPECTOR GADGET. Richard Kiel also appeared in such films as 1974's THE LONGEST YARD, CANNONBALL RUN II, and THE GIANT OF THUNDER MOUNTAIN, and TV series like The Twilight Zone, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., and The Wild Wild West.

Mike Nichols

One of only a few people to win an Oscar, Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award, Mike Nichols directed the Dustin Hoffman classic THE GRADUATE, and his WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? adaptation received Oscar nods in every eligible category. Nichols' other big screen credits included CATCH-22, THE BIRDCAGE, CLOSER and CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR; however, he considered his HBO miniseries Angels in America to be the crowning achievement of his career. Nichols also directed Broadway productions of The Odd Couple, Annie, Spamalot and Death of a Salesman. The legendary director died of a heart attack on November 19 at the age of 83.