2021 was a year the world saw the passing of some polarizing figures, including actors, athletes, musicians, politicians, and a member of the Royal Family.
As another year comes to a close, we take a look back to remember several famous faces we lost in 2021:
Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda passed away at the age of 93 on Jan. 7. He managed the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1976-96, guiding them to World Series championships in 1981 and 1988.
Siegfried Fischbacher, famous for being part of the magician duo Siegfried and Roy, died on Jan. 13 at the age of 81.
Music producer Phil Spector, who was convicted in 2009 of murdering actress Lana Clarkson in 2003, died of natural causes at the age of 81 on Jan. 16.
Baseball legend Hank Aaron passed away on Jan. 22 at 86. When he retired from MLB in 1976, he had hit 755 home runs during his stellar career. He was also the first player in the bigs to record 500 home runs and 3,000 hits.
Talk show host extraordinaire Larry King died on Jan. 23 at age 87. He was a fixture nightly on CNN from 1985-2010, interviewing everyone from the Dalai Lama to Elizabeth Taylor.
Actor Hal Holbrook died on Jan. 23 at 95. He was known for his performance as Mark Twain in a one-man show and starring in the political thriller “All the President’s Men."
Oscar-winning actor Cloris Leachman died at the age of 94 on Jan. 27. She won an Academy Award in 1971 for her role in "The Last Picture Show." She was also known for her roles in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "Young Frankenstein."
Cicely Tyson died on Jan. 28 at age 96. She was nominated for an Oscar in 1973 for her role as the sharecropper’s wife in “Sounder.” She also won a Tony Award in 2013 at age 88.
Dustin Diamond, whose most famous role was playing Samuel “Screech” Powers on “Saved by the Bell,” died at 44 on Feb. 1. He passed away a month after being diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.
Christopher Plummer's career spanned nearly 75 years, most notable playing Captain Georg Von Trapp in 1965's “The Sound of Music.” He won an Oscar in 2010 for his role in “Beginners.” Plummer died on Feb. 5 at the age of 91.
Hustler Magazine founder Larry Flynt died on Feb. 10 at 78 years old. Flynt founded the magazine in 1974. He became paralyzed from the waist down in 1978 when he was shot by Joseph Paul Franklin, who reportedly shot him over a picture in a Hustler magazine.
Political talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh died of complications of cancer on Feb. 17. He was 70.
"Arrested Development" actor Jessica Walter died on March 24 at age 80. Her acting career spanned six decades, including roles in “Play Misty for Me,” “Grand Prix,” and “The Group.”
Beloved children's author Beverly Cleary, behind the popular characters Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins, died at 104 on March 25.
Prince Phillip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, died April 9 at 99. He and the Queen of England were married for 73 years, and he passed away two months shy of his 100th birthday.
Bernie Madoff died in prison on April 14 at the age of 82. The disgraced former investment adviser was convicted in 2009 for running one of the largest Ponzi schemes in U.S. history.
"Peaky Blinders" and "Harry Potter" film actor Helen McCrory passed away on April 16 after battling cancer. She was 52.
Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist DMX died on April 19 after suffering a heart attack. He was 50.
Oscar-winning actress Olympia Dukakis passed away on May 1 at age 89. She won an Academy Award for her supporting role as the mother in “Moonstruck."
Tawny Kitaen, star of '80s rock music videos, died on May 7 at 59. She also starred opposite Tom Hanks in the 1984 comedy "Bachelor Party."
Charles Grodin died on May 18 at the age of 86. His most notable roles were in “The Heartbreak Kid” and as the father in the “Beethoven” comedies.
Celebrity defense lawyer F. Lee Bailey, best known for his high-profile clients, including O.J. Simpson, died on June 3 at 87.
Ned Beatty, whose first film role in 1972's "Deliverance" launched his long, stellar career, died on June 13 of natural causes. He was 83.
Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld died at the age of 88 on June 29. He served under Presidents Gerald Ford and George W. Bush.
Legendary WWE wrestler Paul Orndorff, known as "Mr. Wonderful," passed away on July 12. He was 71.
Hip-hop pioneer Biz Markie, best known for the 1989 classic “Just a Friend,” died on July 16. He was 57.
Infomercial tycoon Ron Popeil, who hawked everything from the Mr. Microphone to the Pocket Fisherman, died on July 28 at 86 years old.
Legendary college football coach Bobby Bowden died at 91 on Aug. 8. He was the head coach of the Florida State Seminoles from 1976-2009, guiding them to a national championship in 1993 and 1999.
Charlie Watts, the iconic drummer for The Rolling Stones, died on Aug. 24 at 80.
Willard Scott, the beloved weatherman who charmed viewers of NBC’s “Today” show for more than three decades, died on Sept. 4 at 87.
Actor Michael K. Williams died on Sept. 6 at 54. The New York City's medical examiner said Williams died of acute drug intoxication.
Comedian Norm Macdonald lost his life on Sept. 14 after a nine-year battle with cancer. He was 61.
Longtime announcer for “The Late Show With David Letterman,” Alan Kalter, died on Oct. 4. He was 78.
Former Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State Colin Powell died on Oct. 18 from complications of COVID-19. He was 84.
Rapper Young Dolph died on Nov. 17 after being shot in Memphis, Tennessee. He was 36.
Broadway icon Stephen Sondheim, who won nine Tony Awards, eight Grammys, and an Academy Award, died on Nov. 26 at age 91.
Former U.S. senator and Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole died on Dec. 5. He was 98.
Former Denver Broncos star Demaryius Thomas was found dead on Dec. 9 at his home in Georgia after suffering from a possible medical issue. He was 33.
Author Anne Rice, best known for her novel “Interview With the Vampire," died on Dec. 11 from complications of a stroke. She was 80.
South Africa’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning activist Desmond Tutu died on Dec. 26. He was 90.
The director of the movie "Dallas Buyers Club" and the HBO series "Big Little Lies," Jean-Marc Vallee, died on Dec. 26. He was 58.
Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid died peacefully in his sleep on Dec. 28. He was 82.
.John Madden passed away on Dec. 28 at the age of 85. He was the head coach of the Oakland Raiders and led them to win Super Bowl XI.
Betty White died on Dec. 31 at 99. She first became a household name for her role as Sue Ann Nivens on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" in the 1970s. Her most notable work was on the 1980s sitcom "Golden Girls." White passed away 17 days before her 100th birthday.
