Celebrities We Lost in 2012

December 31, 2012Gossip Cop

9:28 am, December 31st, 2012

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In 2012, we said goodbye to more than two dozen celebrities who had gifted us with decades of music, television, and movies.

Whether succumbing to a long illness or old age, expected or shocking, the loss of these stars hurt all the same.

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1.Whitney Houston

The music legend was found dead in the bathtub of her Beverly Hilton hotel room on February 11, the night before the Grammy Awards. Her sudden death at the age of 48 shocked the industry and fans worldwide. It later was determined that Houston died from an accidental drowning, though heart disease and cocaine use were contributing factors.

2.Larry Hagman

The "Dallas" star was surrounded by his best friends and co-stars Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray when he passed away on November 23 from cancer complications at age 81. His death will be written into the upcoming second season of the TNT "Dallas" reboot.

3.Dick Clark

The "American Bandstand" and "New Year's Rockin' Eve" host -- nicknamed "America's Oldest Teenager" -- died at 82 years young on April 18 after suffering a massive heart attack, roughly eight years after recovering from a stroke.

4.Andy Griffith

On July 3, the TV icon -- best known for "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Matlock" -- passed away at age 86, nearly two months after his co-star and friend George "Goober" Lindsey died at 83 years old.

5.Adam Yauch

A founding member of the Beastie Boys, MCA was unable to attend the group's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April due to his illness, and lost his battle with cancer just a few weeks later on May 4 at age 47.

6.Michael Clarke Duncan

The Green Mile actor suffered a myocardial infarction in July, from which he never fully recovered, remaining in the hospital until he passed away at 54 years old on September 3.

7.Donna Summer

The 63-year-old "Queen of Disco," known for hits like "Last Dance" and "Hot Stuff," died from cancer on May 17.

8.Sherman Hemsley

No cause of death was given when it was announced "The Jeffersons" star had died on July 24 at age 74, although it was revealed a few weeks later that he had suffered a complication from lung cancer.

9.Phyllis Diller

The comedy legend died in her sleep on August 20 while reportedly receiving hospice care in the months prior. She was 95.

10.Robert Hegyes and Ron Palillo

The "Welcome Back, Kotter" co-stars died less than seven months apart, with 60-year-old Hegyes (left) suffering a heart attack on January 26, and Palillo, 63, succumbing to one as well on August 14.

11.Davy Jones

The former teen heartthrob, propelled to superstardom through his band The Monkees, suffered a fatal heart attack on February 29 at age 66.

12.Etta James

The soulful singer was 73 when she died on January 20 from leukemia complications, after also suffering from dementia and hepatitis C.

13.Nora Ephron

The screenwriter, director, and author's death at age 71 on June 26 shocked even her closest friends who had no idea she was gravely ill. Her son later revealed she died from pneumonia caused by leukemia.

14.Robin Gibb

On May 20, the Bee Gees singer died at 62 years old after what his family called a "long battle with cancer and intestinal surgery.” The month before, the musician had fallen into a coma but miraculously awoke a week later.

15.Jack Klugman

The "Odd Couple" star, also known for his role on “Quincy, M.E.," died on Christmas Eve at his home in Los Angeles. He was 90.

16.Tony Scott

Perhaps best known for directing "Top Gun," the 68-year-old filmmaker committed suicide on August 19, jumping to his death from the Vincent Thomas Bridge in Los Angeles.

17.Jenni Rivera

The Mexican-American singer, 43, was among the seven dead in a plane crash near Sierra Madre on December 9.

18.Gore Vidal

The media legend was 86 years old when he died from pneumonia complications on July 31.

19.Ernest Borgnine

The Academy Award winner -- for the movie Marty -- was surrounded by his family when he passed away at a Los Angeles hospital at age 95 on July 8.

20.Mike Wallace

The "60 Minutes" veteran won 21 Emmys and five Peabody Awards before dying on April 7 at 93 years old.

21.Don Cornelius

The 75-year-old "Soul Train" creator committed suicide at his California home on February 1.

22.Ray Bradbury

The Fahrenheit 451 author, who was among the most influential fiction writers of the 20th century, died at age 91 on June 5.

23.Neil Armstrong

The astronaut, who made history when he became the first person to walk on the moon, was reportedly recovering from heart surgery when he died on August 25 at 82 years old.

24.Maurice Sendak

Perhaps best known for Where The Wild Things Are, the author-illustrator died from stroke complications at age 83 on May 8.

25.Levon Helm

The Band musician was suffering from throat cancer when he passed peacefully at age 71 on April 19 at New York's Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

26.Kathryn Joosten

The two-time Emmy winner, best known for her roles on "Desperate Housewives" and "The West Wing," had battled lung cancer before her death on June 2.

27.Richard Dawson

The "Family Feud" host and "Hogan's Heroes" star was 79 years old when he died from complications due to esophageal cancer on June 2.

28.George McGovern

The one-time Democratic candidate for President was in hospice care for a combination of medical conditions when he passed away on October 21 at age 90.