Latest in Obituaries

Billy Joe Shaver, the outlaw-country original who wrote classic songs for the likes of Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings and whose “Live Forever” was performed by Robert Duvall in the 2009 Best Picture Oscar nominee Crazy Heart, died today after a stroke in Waco, TX. He was 81. A friend confirmed his death to our…

Prince Azim, a film producer and a famed party figure who was fourth in line to the Brunei throne, has died at the age of 38. Cause of death was not confirmed but local media said he had been battling illness for a long time. A week of national mourning has been declared in Brunei. Known for rubbing shoulders with…

Ming Cho Lee, an innovative and influential scenic designer whose career of more than 60 years included unforgettable creations for Broadway, Off Broadway, regional theater, opera and dance, died Oct. 23 at his Manhattan home. He was 90, and a cause of death has not been specified. A cornerstone of the Yale School of…

Lee Kun-hee, the chairman of Samsung Electronics who guided the corporation to becoming the world's biggest producer of smartphones, televisions and memory chips, has died. He was 78. Lee died Sunday, according to a Samsung statement. He had been hospitalized since a heart attack in 2014, and was treated for lung…

Jerry Jeff Walker, a Texas favorite country singer who crossed over to the pop charts by writing the hit Mr. Bojangles, has died at age 78. He had cancer, according to family spokesman John T. Davis. "He had battled throat cancer for many years, and some other health issues," Davis said Saturday. Walker came out…

William Blinn, the screenwriter for Prince’s Purple Rain and creator of Starsky & Hutch, has died at age 83. He passed Thursday of natural causes at an assisted living community in Burbank, according to his daughter, Anneliese Johnson. “If you were an aspiring writer in the 70's & 80's, like I was, Bill’s work defined…

Robert DeMora, a costume designer with film credits that include Risky Business, The Wanderers and The Birdcage but who made his biggest splash creating dazzling, near-surreal costumes for Bette Midler like her famous sequined mermaid gowns, died Sept. 21 at his home in Upstate New York’s Jeffersonville. He was…

Marge Champion, a dancer who achieved nationwide television fame in the 1950s with her husband and dance partner Gower Champion and even then had already contributed to cinema history as a movement model for three classic Walt Disney animated films, died Wednesday in Los Angeles. She was 101. Her death was announced…

James Randi, a magician whose many TV appearances led him to a second career as a respected paranormal investigator, has died at 92. The James Randi Foundation confirmed his death in a tweet on Tuesday, saying he died of "age-related causes." Born Randall James Zwinge in 1928, he entered show business as a teenager…

Tony Lewis, the distinctive voice at the front of the 1980s band The Outfield which scored a Top 10 hit with “Your Love” among other catchy pop rock singles, has died, according to his official website and social channels. He was 62. No date or cause of death was reported. “It is with great sadness and sorrow to…

Spencer Davis, the Welsh rhythm guitarist and songwriter who lent his name to one of the most popular and influential British Invasion groups of the 1960s with hits including "Gimme Some Lovin'” and "I'm a Man", died Monday of pneumonia in Los Angeles. He was 81. His death was announced by longtime agent and friend…

Writer-producer Dana Baratta, known for projects including Dawson’s Creek, Jessica Jones and Good Behavior and a close collaborator with producer Melissa Rosenberg, died on Sunday She was 59. Her family announced Baratta’s death after a years-long battle with ovarian cancer. Born in a small town in Maine, Baratta…