The following deaths of notable individuals related to American television occurred in 2014.
January Date Name Age Notability SourceJan. 3George Goodman83Economics journalist/author (writing as "Adam Smith") and host of PBS' Adam Smith's Money WorldObituary for George Goodman from The Hollywood Reporter, January 3, 2014.Jan. 5Carmen Zapata86Actress (TV roles including Viva Valdez, Villa Alegre, and Santa Barbara)Obituary for Carmen Zapata from The Hollywood Reporter, January 6, 2014.Jan. 6Mónica Spear29Actress/model and former Miss Venezuela (TV roles including the Telemundo-produced telenovelas Flor Salvaje, La Mujer Perfecta, Mi Prima Ciela and Pasión Prohibida)Telenovela Soap Star and Ex-Miss Venezuela Killed in Attempted Robbery from Variety, January 7, 2014. Larry D. Mann91Canadian actor (best known as voice of Yukon Cornelius in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer; other roles included Gunsmoke, Bewitched, Hogan's Heroes, Green Acres and Hill Street Blues)Jan. 10Eric Lawson72Actor and model best known as the Marlboro Man in the late 1970s (TV work includes guest roles on Baretta, The Streets of San Francisco, Charlie's Angels, Dynasty, and Baywatch)Ex-Marlboro man dies from smoking-related disease Yahoo! News, January 27, 2014.Jan. 12Frank Marth91Actor (Guest spots on The Honeymooners, The Fugitive, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., M*A*S*H, and The Young and the Restless)The Honeymooners' Frank Marth Dies at 91 Seattle Post-Intelligencer, January 12, 2014.Jan. 14Mae Young90Professional Wrestling Hall of Famer (First person to wrestle in nine decades; NWA Florida Women's Champion, NWA United States Women's Champion, NWA Women's Tag Team Champion)Jan. 16Russell Johnson89Actor (Professor Roy Hinkley on Gilligan's Island)"Russell Johnson, the Professor on 'Gilligan's Island,' Is Dead at 89" from Yahoo, January 16, 2014.Dave Madden82Actor (Mr. Kincaid on The Partridge Family)"Dave Madden, 'Partridge Family' star, dead at 82" from The Chicago Tribune, January 16, 2014. Jan. 17Roy Garber49Businessman and reality television participant (Shipping Wars)"'Shipping Wars' Star Roy Garber Dies at 49" from TV Guide, January 19, 2014.Jan. 18Sarah Marshall80Actress (Credits include a regular role in Miss Winslow & Son, and guest roles in The Twilight Zone, Star Trek, Cheers, Get Smart, Three's Company and Alfred Hitchcock Presents)Sarah Marshall Dies from TV Guide, January 21, 2014.Jan. 19Ben Starr92Screenwriter (most notably as co-creator of The Facts of Life and Silver Spoons)Obituary for Ben Starr from Variety, January 20, 2014.Jan. 22Luis Ávalos67Cuban-born American actor (The Electric Company)Luis Ávalos Dies: ‘The Electric Company’ Cuban Actor Dead At 67 Latin Times, January 22, 2014. Chet Curtis74News anchor (notable for anchoring at WCVB-TV/Boston from 1972 to 2004, and serving as host of The Chet Curtis Report on New England Cable News from 2004 to 2014)"Chet Curtis, longtime Boston TV news anchor, dies at 74", The Boston Globe. Retrieved January 25, 2014.Jan. 30Arthur Rankin, Jr.89Animator/director and co-founder of Rankin/Bass Productions (producer of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, ThunderCats and other animated TV series and specials)Obituary for Arthur Rankin, Jr. from The Hollywood Reporter, January 31, 2014. Jan. 31Christopher Jones72Actor (Jesse James in The Legend of Jesse James)Christopher Jones, Rising Star Actor Who Quit the Field, Dies at 72 The New York Times, February 8, 2014. Judy Martin49Television news anchor on News 12 Long Island from 1998 to 2014, as well as CNBC.Award-winning local news anchor found dead in Long Island home New York Daily News, February 1, 2014.
February Date Name Age Notability SourceFeb. 2Philip Seymour Hoffman46Actor (The Yearling, the mini-series Empire Falls and Liberty! The American Revolution)Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman, 46, has died USA Today, February 2, 2014.Feb. 3Richard Bull89Actor (Nels Oleson on Little House on the Prairie, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea)Obituary for Richard Bull from People.com, February 4, 2014.Feb. 6Ralph Kiner91Major League Baseball player and TV/radio broadcaster for the New York MetsObituary for Ralph Kiner from The New York Times, February 6, 2014.Feb. 9Eric Bercovici80Writer/producer (series work including I Spy and Hawaii Five-O, miniseries/movies including Shōgun and Noble House)Obituary for Eric Bercovici from Variety, February 12, 2014.Feb. 10Doppler the Weathercat18In-house cat at WSTM-TV/Syracuse, New YorkTV's Doppler the Weather Cat has died, CNY Central announces. The Post-Standard. Retrieved February 11, 2014.Shirley Temple85Actress (TV work includes Shirley Temple's Storybook)"Shirley Temple Black, actress and diplomat, dies at 85" from The Washington Post, February 11, 2014.Feb. 12Sid Caesar91Comedic actor (Your Show of Shows, Caesar's Hour, guest appearances on Saturday Night Live and Whose Line Is It Anyway?)Natale, Richard (February 12, 2014). Sid Caesar, master of comedy, dies at 91. Variety. Retrieved February 12, 2014. Feb. 13Ralph Waite85Actor (John Walton, Sr. on The Waltons; the miniseries Roots; recurring roles on NCIS, Kickin' It and Bones)Ralph Waite, Patriarch of The Waltons, Dies at 85 People, February 13, 2014.Feb. 14John Henson48Puppeteer and actor (CityKids, Muppets Tonight, It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie, The Muppets' Wizard of Oz)Feb. 15Jamie Coots42Preacher/faith healer and reality television personality (National Geographic Channel's Snake Salvation)"Jamie Coots, well-known Middlesboro preacher, dies from snakebite" from Kentucky.com, February 16, 2014.Feb 17Mary Grace Canfield89Actress (best known as Ralph Monroe on Green Acres; guest appearances on General Hospital, The Hathaways, and Bewitched)‘Green Acres’ Actress Mary Grace Canfield Dies at 89 Variety, February 17, 2014.Feb. 18Nelson Frazier, Jr.43Professional wrestler, known by the ring names Mabel, Viscera and Big Daddy V (WWF Hardcore Champion and WWF World Tag Team Champion)Nelson Frazier Jr., Former WWE Star Big Daddy V, Passes Away at Age 43 Bleacher Report, February 19, 2014. Feb. 20Garrick Utley74TV journalist (worked with NBC News, ABC News and CNN)Versatile TV newsman Garrick Utley dies at 74, The Washington Post (via the Associated Press), February 21, 2014. Feb. 24Harold Ramis69Writer/actor/director (TV work including writer/performer for SCTV and director on The Office)Obituary for Harold Ramis from Chicago Tribune, February 24, 2014.Feb. 25Jim Lange81Game show host (several shows, most notably The Dating Game) and announcer (The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show)Obituary for Jim Lange from AP via The Hollywood Reporter, February 27, 2014. Feb. 26 Roger Hill65Actor (One Life to Live)Roger Hill, Who Played Cyrus in ‘The Warriors,’ Dies at 65 Variety, February 25, 2014.
March Date Name Age Notability SourceMar. 1Jim Boyle66News Director for KSAT-TV"KSAT12 remembers longtime news director" from KSAT 12 (March 1, 2014)Mar. 2Ted Bergmann93Writer/producer (various shows/specials including Three's Company and Grammy Award telecasts) and executive with DuMont Television NetworkObituary for Ted Bergmann from Deadline.com, March 7, 2014.Mar. 5Geoff Edwards83Game show host (Starcade, Treasure Hunt, Play the Percentages, Chain Reaction, Jackpot!) and actor (Petticoat Junction)Scott Kalvert49TV, film, and music video producer/director (executive producer on Nickelodeon's 2009 TV movie School Gyrls)"Scott Kalvert, 'Basketball Diaries' Director, Dies at 49" from The Hollywood Reporter, March 7, 2014.Hank Rieger95Publicist (work with NBC and his own firm) and former president of Academy of Television Arts & SciencesObituary for Hank Rieger from The Hollywood Reporter, March 7, 2014.Mar. 6Sheila MacRae92English actress, best known as Alice Kramden on The Honeymooners and Madelyn Richmond on General HospitalActress Sheila MacRae of 'Honeymooners' dies at 92 Yahoo! News, March 7, 2014.Mar. 7Hal Douglas89Voice actor (among television network and commercial clients include The WB, A&E and History)Mar. 9William Guarnere90World War II hero and author who was portrayed by Frank John Hughes in the HBO mini-series Band of Brothers'Band of Brothers' vet William Guarnere dies at 90 Yahoo! News, March 9, 2014.Mar. 10Cynthia Lynn77 Actress, probably best known for her role as Colonel Klink's secretary Helga in Hogan's Heroes‘Hogan's Heroes’ Star Cynthia Lynn Dies at 76 Variety, March 11, 2014Mike Manhatton56News anchor at WTOC-TV in Savannah, GA from 1981 to 2014Mar. 12Richard Coogan99Actor (Captain Video and His Video Rangers, The Californians)Richard P. Coogan Obituary The Los Angeles Times, March 13, 2014.Mar. 13Abby Singer96TV/film unit production manager and director, who created the penultimate shot (the next to last shot of the day before the last shot) called "The Abby Singer Shot" or "Martini Shot" "Famed Production Manager Abby Singer Dead at 96" from Variety, March 13, 2014.Debra Steele49News anchor on WJRT-TV/Flint/Tri-Cities, Michigan from 2003 to 2006Former ABC12 reporter, anchor dies in Ypsilanti WJRT-TV, March 14, 2014.Mar. 14John Agoglia76TV executive (notably as head of business affairs with NBC and president of subsidiary NBC Enterprises)John Agoglia, Top NBC Exec in ‘Must-See TV’ Era, Dies at 76 from Variety, March 18, 2014.Mar. 15David Brenner78Comedian and actor (over 200 appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as a guest and guest host)Mar. 19Fred Phelps84Pastor, lawyer and politician (founder of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, whose homophobic remarks about the LGBT community, as well as those afflicted with AIDS, earned him a guest spot on Ricki Lake in 1993 (and caused the host to order him and his family to leave the studio)"Fred Phelps, Westboro Baptist Church Founder, Dies at 84" from TV Guide, March 20, 2014.Mar. 21Adrian Taylor60News producer (60 Minutes, The Early Show), winner of the Peabody Award (2012)Mar. 22Patrice Wymore87Actress (The Errol Flynn Theatre, Perry Mason); wife of Errol FlynnMar. 23James Rebhorn65Actor (Credits include As the World Turns, Guiding Light, Homeland, White Collar and as the district attorney who sent the primary characters in Seinfeld to jail in the 1998 series finale)"‘Homeland’ Actor James Rebhorn Dies at 65" from Variety, March 23, 2014.Mar. 24Dave Brockie50Canadian musician, best known as "Oderus Urungus", lead singer of metal band Gwar (frequent guest appearances on Red Eye w/Greg Gutfeld and numerous tabloid talk shows)Gwar Frontman Dave Brockie Found Dead Music Feeds, March 24, 2014.Mar. 25Ralph Wilson95Businessman, founder of the NFL's Buffalo Bills; owned WWTV (1978–88) and KICU-TV (1981–2000)Fink, James (March 25, 2014). Buffalo Bills founder Ralph Wilson dies; Hall of Famer founded team 55 years ago. Business First. Retrieved March 25, 2014.Mar. 28Lorenzo Semple, Jr.91Screenwriter (Batman, The Green Hornet)Mar. 29Dane Witherspoon56Actor (Santa Barbara, Capitol) Mar. 30Kate O'Mara74British actress, best known for her role on the U.S. drama DynastyFormer Dynasty actress Kate O'Mara dies at 74. The Telegraph. Retrieved March 30, 2014.Mar. 31Frankie Knuckles59DJ and record producer (TV appearances include Unsung, Pump Up the Volume, Rock & Roll, Ibiza: Barefoot in the Med, The 2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, NY77: The Coolest Year in Hell, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and Yo Gabba Gabba!)Frankie Knuckles, 'Godfather of House Music,' Dead at 59 Rolling Stone, April 1, 2014.
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