The original Mickey Mouse Club Mouseketeer, who went on to become a bathing beauty for the ages in kitschy classics like Beach Party and Beach Blanket Bingo, died April 8 after a long battle against multiple sclerosis. She was 70.
The former U.K. Prime Minister, channeled by Meryl Streep in 2011's The Iron Lady, died April 8 after suffering a stroke. She was 87.
The esteemed novelist and screenwriter earned widespread acclaim for her literate, delicately calibrated work on a string of prestigious Merchant Ivory films. Two of them—A Room With a View and Howard's End—earned her a pair of Oscars for Best Adapted Screenplay. She died on April 3 at the age of 85 after a long illness.
As a member of backup group The Jordanaires, the tenor sang over the years with artists such as Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, George Jones and Kenny Rogers. He died at 88 following a long illness.
The 1970s-era porn star, best known for his role as the doctor in Deep Throat with Linda Lovelace, died of pancreatic cancer on March 19. He was 65.
The Emmy-winning executive producer of Homeland died suddenly of a heart attack on March 18. He was 65.
The musician, best known for the groups Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co., died at his home in Indianapolis at the age of 39 after a long battle with alcoholism.
The Iron Maiden drummer died in his sleep on Mar. 12 at the age of 56.
The British guitarist and founding member of Ten Years After died unexpectedly in Spain following a routine surgical procedure, according to a statement on his website. He was 68. His family said in a statement: "We have lost a wonderful, much loved father and companion."
The founding member of Motown group The Miracles died March 3 in Detroit after a long battle with an undisclosed illness. He was 73.
The actor, best known for starring in big and small-screen Westerns, died Feb. 27. The skilled horse rider was 89.
The Temptations singer (standing, far left), who was a member of the R&B group in the '70s and '80s, died Feb. 27. He was 89.
The pianist, whose victory at Moscow's International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1958 made him an artistic hero during the Cold War, died Feb. 27. He was 78.
The nine-fingered guitarist, a fixture on the Chicago blues scene who played on more than 30 albums (and lost his right pinky finger in a cotton gin accident at 13), died Feb. 21 at a Philadelphia hospital. He was 75 and had suffered from emphysema and heart trouble.
The actor, best known for playing Mr. Gaines on A Different World, died Feb. 19. He was 76.
The British rocker, one of the pioneers of psychedelia and a founding member of the band Soft Machine, died Feb. 18 at his home in Montolieu, France. He was 68. His most recent album was 2007's The Unfairground.
The country singer was found dead in Heber Springs, Ark., on Feb. 17 of what authorities called an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. She was 37.
Beatles' collaborator and British rocker Tony Sheridan died Feb. 16 of unknown causes. He was 72.
Bass player and founding member of the Dave Clark Five band passed away on Feb. 13. He was 72.
The jazz trumpeter, whose work gained prominence in the '50s and '60s, died Feb. 4. He was 80.
The Boondock Saints producer died suddenly Feb. 8 of an aortic aneurysm; he was only 42.
The trombone player was the last surviving member of The Glenn Miller Orchestra. He died of pneumonia at age 95.
The make-up artist responsible for characters like Star Wars' Yoda and Chewbacca inspired many other artists to follow his work, like his assistant in this picture. Freeborn died on Feb. 6. He was 98.
The Troggs' singer, known for hits like "Wild Thing" and "Love Is All Around," lost his batle with cancer at age 71.