Deaths So Far (and it's just July)

[IceWizard]

MAR






Joey Molland, the rock guitarist and last surviving member of Badfinger, died on March 1 at 77.
Born in Liverpool, England, on June 21, 1947, Molland began his recording career in earnest
when he was 20. After playing in the short-lived group Gary Walker & the Rain, Molland joined
Badfinger as their guitarist in 1970. The Welsh band was one of the first artists that the Beatles
signed to their Apple Records label. The core Badfinger lineup of Molland, singer-guitarist Pete Ham,
singer-bassist Tom Evans, and drummer Mike Gibbins recorded five albums, which yielded such
hit singles as "No Matter What," "Without You," "Day After Day," and "Baby Blue." They stayed
together until 1974. Molland also made appearances on George Harrison's All Things Must Pass
and The Concert for Bangladesh, and played guitar on John Lennon's 1971 album, Imagine.
In later years, Molland recorded music as a solo artist and a member of the group Natural Gas,
and he launched his own incarnation of Badfinger (dubbed Molland's Badfinger) in the early '80s.
He remained active with the band until his death.







George Lowe, a voice actor known for bringing Space Ghost to life in Space Ghost Coast to Coast,
died March 2 at 67. Lowe first utilized his vocal talents working at local Florida radio station WWJB
when he was 15. From there, he did voice-over work for TBWS and Cartoon Network before eventually
landing his iconic lead role in the aforementioned animated series in 1994. The show first ran from
1994 to 1999 on Cartoon Network. It was later revived in 2001 on Adult Swim, where it aired through
2004. Lowe also voiced the beloved character in the Space Ghost Coast to Coast spinoff Cartoon Planet,
as well as Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters, The Brak Show, Jellystone,
and Robot Chicken, among others.









Pamela Bach, an actress and the ex-wife of David Hasselhoff, died March 5 in Los Angeles at the
age of 62. She made her Hollywood debut in a 1973 episode of soap The Young and the Restless
and went on to appear on shows Otherworld, T.J. Hooker, and Knight Rider. She wed Hasselhoff,
whom she met on set of Knight Rider, in 1989 but separated in 2006. Bach, who also went by
Pamela Hasselhoff, also starred in shows Cheers, The Fall Guy, and Sirens, and movies
Appointment with Fear, Nudity Required, and Mansion of Blood.








Brian James, songwriter and founding guitarist of the Damned, died March 6 aged 70. James penned
the British punk single, "New Rose," and served as the band's lead songwriter on their debut album,
Damned Damned Damned (1977), though he would depart to work on solo outings after the release
of their poorly received sophomore album. This included being a founding member of The Lords of the
New Church, which launched in 1981 and released three studio albums before their breakup in 1989
(James would regroup with them for brief stints in later years). The original members of the Damned
also reunited memorably in 1988 and 2022 for a UK tour. Additionally, James also had notable
collaborations with Iggy Pop, Stewart Copeland of the Police, Wayne Kramer of MC5,
Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses, and Clem Burke of Blondie, among others.









Bruce Glover, the esteemed character actor who starred opposite Sean Connery as Bond villain Mr. Wint
in Diamonds are Forever, died on March 12 at 92. Across his decades-long career, Glover accrued over
100 onscreen credits, and appeared in dozens of plays. Born on May 2, 1932 to parents Herbert and Eva,
Glover began his career with a string of TV shows including Perry Mason, Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible,
and The Dukes of Hazard. His most high profile gig came in 1971, when he landed the role of assassin
Mr. Wint alongside Putter Smith's Mr. Kidd in the James Bond film Diamonds are Forever. Glover furthered
his success as Duffy in 1974's Chinatown and hustler James Coburn in 1975's Hard Times. He also appeared
in the cult hit Walking Tall, and TV shows including Hart to Hart, The A-Team and Murder, She Wrote.
The late actor is survived by his son, actor Crispin Glover, with whom he shared his final credit in 2015's
Influence. His wife, Betty Glover, died in 2016.








Actor Wings Hauser, died March 15 at his home in Santa Monica, Calif., years after being diagnosed with
COPD, his daughter, Bright Hauser, confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. He was 77. Hauser appeared
on TV shows beginning in the '70s from Baretta and Emergency! to The A-Team, China Beach, House,
and Castle. He was in the movies Vice Squad, Norman Mailer's Tough Guys Don't Dance, and
Michael Mann's The Insider. He was perhaps best known for his role as Greg Foster on The
Young and the Restless, which he first played in 1977 through 1981, before returning to it in 2010.
In addition to Bright, Hauser was the father of Yellowstone actor Cole Hauser.









Jesse Colin Young, one of the voices behind the Youngbloods' 1960s anthem "Get Together," died
March 16 at 83. Young and his group's most famous song reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100
chart in 1969, and contained the famous lyrics, "Come on people now / Smile on your brother /
Everybody get together / And try to love one another right now." Their version of the track, originally
the work of songwriter Chet Powers, was part of the self-titled debut album for the band, which
also featured Jerry Corbitt, Lowell "Banana" Levinger, and Joe Bauer. While "Get Together" was their
most successful hit, even ending up on the soundtracks of Forrest Gump and The Simpsons decades
later, the Youngbloods recorded five albums in all before breaking up in 1972. In the following
decades, Young wrote and recorded music as a solo artist, and he and his wife, Connie Young,
formed an independent record label. He released his final album, Dreamers, in 2019.









Jack Lilley, the actor, stuntman, and wrangler known for his work on Westerns including Little House
on the Prairie, Bonanza, Gunsmoke, and Rawhide, died Mar. 19 at 91. Born in Santa Clarita, Calif.,
Lilley got his start in entertainment with an uncredited role as a cowhand in the 1956 Western film
Gun for a Coward. He would go on pull double duty as an actor and stunt coordinator on films like
1974's Blazing Saddles and television series like Rawhide, The Wild Wild West, and The High Chaparral.
He was featured in more than 35 episode of Little House throughout its run from 1974 until 1983,
and also appeared in its three made-for-TV movies. Lilley is survived by three sons, five grandchildren,
and six great grandchildren.









George Foreman, the boxing legend and grill entrepreneur, died on March 21 at the age of 76. Foreman
was born in 1949 in Marshall, Tex., ascending to the very top of his sport by the time he was 19.
He was a two-time world heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist, amassing a 37-0 record
in his first four years as a pro boxer. But Foreman didn't stop there, ushering in several successful
afterlives after he stepped out of the ring as the mogul behind a popular portable grill, a TV star with
his own ABC sitcom, and Masked Singer scene stealer. Foreman is survived by his wife and 11 children,
including five sons, all named "George Foreman," and six daughters.








Richard Chamberlain, the leading man who launched his career as the dashing title character of NBC's
Dr. Kildare, died from complications following a stroke on March 29 at 90, two days away from his 91st
birthday. The beloved TV actor, who won three Golden Globes and earned four Emmy nominations
across his career, became a TV staple after landing the role of young medical intern Dr. James Kildare.
The hour-long medical drama was an immediate hit, airing until 1966. Chamberlain's success continued
from there: He starred in 1978's Centennial, originated the role of John Blackthorn in 1980's Shōgun,
and found further success with 1983's The Thorn Birds. His work across the three projects earned him
the nickname "King of the Miniseries." Chamberlain also appeared in such notable films as Petulia,
Julius Caesar, The Music Lovers, The Last Wave, The Three Musketeers, and The Towering Inferno.









Richard Norton, an Australian actor, martial arts expert, and stunt coordinator who trained such stars as
Charlize Theron and Liam Neeson, died on March 30. He was 75. Born Jan. 6, 1950, in Croydon, Australia,
Norton began practicing judo when he was 11. He was initially trained to become a bodyguard and worked
for such acts as ABBA, David Bowie, Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac, and John Belushi. While serving as a
fight choreographer, his credits included the 1993 CBS series Walker, Texas Ranger, The Condemned,
Dark Phoenix, and both James Gunn's Suicide Squad films. Along with coordinating stuntwork on both
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and Mad Max: Fury Road, Norton also played the role of the Prime Imperator,
a lead henchman to the villainous Immortan Joe. Across his career, Norton worked one-on-one with
several screen stars, training Theron, Neeson, Scarlett Johansson, Sophie Turner, Anya Taylor-Joy,
Ben Affleck, Margot Robbie, Charlie Hunnam, and more. He is survived by his wife, Judy.