Ozier Muhammad/The New York Times
Francine Pascal pictured in New York on April 13, 2011.
New York
AP
—
Francine Pascal, a onetime soap opera writer whose “Sweet Valley High” novels and the ongoing adventures of twins Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield and other teens captivated millions of young readers, has died at age 92.
Pascal died Sunday, her publisher, Penguin Random House, said. It did not immediately have additional information Tuesday.
Starting in 1983, Francine Pascal oversaw the completion of more than 150 “Sweet Valley High” stories with the help of others. They were set in an imaginary Los Angeles suburb, one of “gently rolling hills” and a “fantastic white sand beach” nearby. In best sellers such as “Double Love,” “Power Play” and “All Night Long,” the Wakefield girls and their schoolmates navigate dating, family conflicts, sibling rivalries, more troubling themes such as race, divorce and mortality and even vampires and werewolves.
See more
“Sweet Valley is the essence of high school,” Pascal told People magazine in 1988. “It’s that moment before reality hits, when you really do believe in the romantic values — sacrifice, love, loyalty, friendship — before you get jaded and slip off into adulthood.”
Saban Int'l/Everett Collection
The lives of the Wakefield twins at Sweet Valley High also spawned a TV series which ran for four years from 1994.
Her books sold more than 200 million copies, and included “Sweet Valley” spinoffs and sequels. After the initial novels took off, Pascal brought in outside writers, providing them general outlines and a “bible” of the books’ characters.
“It was mostly very young, new writers,” she told Entertainment Weekly in 2019. “The story outlines weren’t chapter by chapter, more like acts: You get from here to here in the first quarter, then you have to get from here to here. Don’t forget, they already had the bible, where I had written deeply into the lives of the twins and their backgrounds. With the characters, you knew what they liked, you knew what the walls in their room (looked like), every single thing about them.”
Louis Monier/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images
Barbara Taylor Bradford, a British journalist who became a publishing sensation in her 40s with the saga “A Woman of Substance” and wrote more than a dozen other novels that sold tens of millions of copies, died on Sunday, November 24. She was 91.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Chuck Woolery, the smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster and accused the government of lying about COVID-19, died on Saturday, November 23. He was 83.
Bettmann Archive/Getty Images
Fred Harris, a former US senator from Oklahoma, presidential hopeful and populist who championed Democratic Party reforms in the turbulent 1960s, died on November 23. He was 94.
Jonathan Wiggs/The Boston Globe/Getty Images
Alice Brock, whose Massachusetts-based eatery helped inspire Arlo Guthrie’s deadpan Thanksgiving standard, “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree,” died at age 83. Her death was announced by Guthrie on November 22.
Kylie Anee Pickett/Fairfax Media/Getty Images
Pioneering travel guidebook writer Arthur Frommer died on November 18 “at his home, surrounded by loved ones,” according to his daughter, Pauline Frommer. He was 95.
Brownie Harris/Hallmark Movie Channel/Everett Collection
Paul Teal, a film and TV actor known best for his role in the CW’s teen soap ‘One Tree Hill,’ died from cancer on Friday, November 15. He was 35.
Imperial Household Agency/AP
Japanese Princess Yuriko, the wife of wartime Emperor Hirohito’s brother and the oldest member of the imperial family, died Friday, November 15. She was 101.
Alex Brandon/AP
Former Solicitor General Ted Olson, who served two Republican presidents as one of the country’s best known conservative lawyers and successfully argued on behalf of same-sex marriage, died on November 13. He was 84.
Tom Copi/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Roy Haynes, one of the world’s most influential jazz drummers, died at the age of 99, his daughter Leslie Haynes-Gilmore told the New York Times in an article published on November 12.
The Chosunilbo JNS/ImaZinS Editorial/Multi-Bits/Getty Images
South Korean actor Song Jae-lim, a former model who rose to prominence in K-dramas, was found dead in his apartment in Seoul on November 12. He was 39. A police official told CNN that no evidence of foul play was found at the scene, and a note was discovered in the apartment.
Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images
Tony Todd, the veteran actor who played the eponymous phantom killer in the original "Candyman" horror franchise, died at 69, his talent agent confirmed on Saturday, November 9.
RacingOne/ISC Images & Archives/Getty Images
NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison died at the age of 86, the auto racing body announced on November 9. Allison, with 85 Cup Series wins, is fourth place on NASCAR's all-time wins list.
Erik S. Lesser/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Bernard “Bernie” Marcus, the billionaire Home Depot cofounder and a Republican megadonor who in recent years became an outspoken supporter of former President Donald Trump, died at the age of 95, the company announced on November 5.
Bobby Holland/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Musical titan Quincy Jones, the composer and producer who added his tasteful polish to recordings by everyone from Ray Charles to Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson, died on November 3, according to his representatives. He was 91.
CBS/Everett Collection
Teri Garr, an Oscar-nominated actress known for her work in films like “Young Frankenstein,” “Tootsie” and “Mr. Mom,” died on October 29, according to her manager. She was 79.
Paul Natkin/Getty Images
Phil Lesh, bassist and founding member of iconic rock band the Grateful Dead, died on October 25. He was reportedly 84.
Matt Kelley/AP
Amir Abdur-Rahim, the head coach of the men's basketball team at the University of South Florida, died October 24 from complications during a medical procedure, the university said. He was 43 and was considered a rising star among young coaches.
Rick Stewart/Getty Images
Fernando Valenzuela, the legendary pitcher whose incredible rise to stardom with the Los Angeles Dodgers captivated baseball fans and created the cultural phenomenon known as “Fernandomania,” died October 22, according to the Dodgers. He was 63.
Earl Gibson III/Getty Images
Thelma Mothershed Wair, one of the nine Black students who integrated a high school in Arkansas’ capital city of Little Rock in 1957 while a mob of white segregationists yelled threats and insults, died October 19 at the age of 83. The students who integrated Central High School were known as the Little Rock Nine.
Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Mitzi Gaynor, the effervescent dancer and actor who starred in the 1958 film “South Pacific” and appeared in other musicals with Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly, died on October 17, her managers confirmed in a statement to the Associated Press. She was 93.
Christopher Polk/Getty Images
Liam Payne, a former member of the boy band One Direction, died October 16 after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, according to police. He was 31.
Victoria Will/AP
Ethel Kennedy, the widow of former US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and a longtime human rights activist, died October 10, her family said. She was 96.
Dan Hallman/Invision/AP
Cissy Houston, Grammy-winning singer and mother of Whitney Houston, died at the age of 91, according to a representative of Whitney Houston's estate on October 7.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
Frank Fritz, who appeared on the History Channel antiques collector show "American Pickers," died September 30, according to a statement released by his co-presenter Mike Wolfe. Fritz was 60.
Eric Marrapodi/CNN
Pete Rose, Major League Baseball's all-time hit king whose signature gritty hustle couldn't outpace the gambling transgressions and obfuscation that kept him out of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, died at the age of 83, it was reported on September 30.
Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Reuters
Gavin Creel, a Tony-winning Broadway veteran known for his work in productions of "Hello, Dolly!" "Waitress" and "The Book of Mormon," died on September 30, according to his representative. Creel was 48.
Scott Cunningham/NBAE/Getty Images
Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo, known for his shot-blocking and famed finger wave after denying opponents at the hoop, died from brain cancer on September 30, according to the NBA. He was 58. Mutombo was an eight-time NBA All-Star who won the league's Defensive Player of the Year award four times.
Silver Screen Collection/Moviepix/Getty Images
Ron Ely, the tall, musclebound actor who played the title character in the 1960s NBC series “Tarzan,” died Sunday, September 29, his daughter told The Associated Press. He was 86.
Tom Hill/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Kris Kristofferson, a Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and A-list Hollywood actor, died on September 28, his family spokesperson said. He was 88.
Evans Vestal Ward/Peacock/Getty Images
Actor Drake Hogestyn, known for his role as John Black on the soap opera "Days of Our Lives," died following a battle with cancer, his family announced on September 28. He was 70.
Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP
Maggie Smith, one of Britain's best-known actresses whose long career ranged from starring opposite Laurence Olivier in "Othello" on stage and screen, to roles in "Harry Potter" and "Downton Abbey," died on September 27, her sons announced in a statement shared by their publicist Clair Dobbs. She was 89. See her life and career in pictures.
William Nation/Sygma/Getty Images
John Ashton, the veteran character actor who memorably played the gruff but lovable police detective John Taggart in the "Beverly Hills Cop" films, died September 26. He was 76.
Barry Sweet/AP
Dan Evans, a popular three-term Republican governor of Washington state who went on to serve in the US Senate, died on September 20, according to the University of Washington. He was 98.
Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP
Tito Jackson, one of the brothers who made up the pop group the Jackson 5, died at age 70, his sons announced on September 15.
Ian Gavan/Getty Images
Michaela Mabinty DePrince, the ballerina born during a civil war in Sierra Leone who performed in Beyoncé's "Lemonade" visual album, died at the age of 29, according to an announcement posted to her official Instagram page on September 13. No cause of death was given.
Anglia Press Agency Ltd/Shutterstock
Actor and racer Chad McQueen, son of Hollywood legend Steve McQueen, died on September 11, according to a statement by his attorney. He was 63.
David Corio/Redferns/Getty Images
Frankie Beverly, the lead singer of Maze, died September 10 at the age of 77, his family announced.
Rick Rycroft/AP
James Earl Jones, an award-winning actor whose career spanned seven decades, died September 9 at the age of 93, according to his agent. Jones was famous for his deep, commanding voice. Two of his most iconic voiceover roles were the villainous Darth Vader in the "Star Wars" franchise and the wise Mufasa in Disney's "The Lion King." Jones is also the voice of the CNN tagline "This Is CNN."
ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Con/Getty Images
James Darren, an actor, director and singer who had his breakout role of Moondoggie in the 1959 movie "Gidget," died September 2 at the age of 88, Variety reported.
Damian Dovarganes/AP
Linda Deutsch, a special correspondent for the Associated Press, died at the age of 80 on September 1. Deutsch, a trial writer for nearly 50 years, had a front-row seat to courtroom history. She covered many of the nation's most significant criminal and civil trials — Charles Manson, O.J. Simpson and Michael Jackson, among others.
Peter Drury/AFP via Getty Images
The king of New Zealand's indigenous Māori people, Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII, died on August 30, according to his representatives. He was 69.
Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images
NHL star Johnny Gaudreau died on August 29 after he and his brother, Matthew, were struck by an SUV while riding bikes on a New Jersey roadway, officials said. Gaudreau was 31. His brother, 29, also died.
Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images
Leonard Riggio, who transformed the publishing industry by building Barnes & Noble into the country's most powerful bookseller before his company was overtaken by the rise of Amazon.com, died on August 27. He was 83.
Tom Jenkins/Getty Images
Former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson died on August 26, his representatives confirmed to CNN. He was 76. In January, Eriksson revealed that he had terminal cancer and had "about a year" to live, prompting an outpouring of support from former colleagues and wellwishers around the world.
CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images
John Amos, who played the patriarch on the hit sitcom "Good Times" and the role of the adult Kunta Kinte in the famed miniseries "Roots," died on August 21, his son announced in a statement. Amos was 84.
David Sherman/NBAE/Getty Images
Al Attles, the basketball Hall of Famer who coached the Golden State Warriors to the 1975 NBA title, died on August 20, the team announced. He was 87.
NBC/Getty Images
Legendary TV personality Phil Donahue, whose eponymous chat show ran from 1967 to 1996, died August 19 after a long illness, his family announced in a statement. He was 88.
Sunset Boulevard/Corbis/Getty Images
Alain Delon, the French actor, producer and writer whose cool, enigmatic beauty made him an international sex symbol, died on August 18, according to a family statement. He was 88.
Chris Graythen/NASCAR/Getty Images
Late model dirt-racing icon Scott Bloomquist died in a plane crash near his home in Mooresburg, Tennessee, on August 16, according to local officials. He was 60.
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Oscar-nominated actress Gena Rowlands, whose screen career spanned nearly seven decades, died at the age of 94, her son's agent confirmed on August 14.
Lucy Pemoni/AP
Wally Amos, the charismatic founder of Famous Amos cookies, died on August 13, according to reports. He was 88.
Francois G. Durand/Getty Images
Former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, a tech pioneer who was one of Google's earliest employees, died after living with lung cancer for two years, her husband announced on August 9. She was 56.
Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Juan "Chi Chi" Rodriguez, a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and the victorious 1973 US Ryder Cup team, died on August 8. He was 88.
Evelyn Floret/The LIFE Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Francine Pascal, a onetime soap opera writer whose "Sweet Valley High" novels captivated millions of young readers, died on July 28. She was 92.
Monica Schipper/Getty Images
Erica Ash, an actress known for her role on BET's "Real Husbands of Hollywood" series, died at the age of 46, according to a statement from her mother. Ash died after a "long and courageous battle with cancer," according to the statement.
Rich Fury/Getty Images for Arroyo Seco Weekend
John Mayall, a pioneering blues musician who was recently announced as a 2024 inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, died on July 23. He was 90.
Joshua Roberts/Getty Images
Sheila Jackson Lee, a longtime Democratic congresswoman from Texas who was an outspoken advocate for Black Americans for decades, died at the age of 74, her family announced on July 19.
Everett Collection
Bob Newhart, whose stammering, deadpan unflappability carried him to stardom as a standup comedian and later in television and movies, died on July 18, according to a statement from his longtime publicist Jerry Digney. He was 94.
Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images
Lou Dobbs, the longtime business news anchor who became one of Donald Trump's most vocal supporters in media, died on July 18. He was 78.
Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images
Actress Cheng Pei-pei, best known for her martial arts roles in films such as "Come Drink with Me" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," died July 17, her family wrote in a statement posted on Facebook. She was 78.
Nicole Wilder/NBCUniversal/Bravo/Getty Images
Naomi Pomeroy, renowned chef and "Top Chef Masters" star, died in a tubing accident in Corvallis, Oregon, local authorities said on July 17. She was 49.
G. Newman Lowrance/AP
Jacoby Jones, who scored two touchdowns in Super Bowl XLVII for the Baltimore Ravens, died at the age of 40, according to statements released July 14 from the Ravens, the Houston Texans and the NFL. No cause of death was immediately made public.
ABC Photo Archives/Disney/Getty Images
Actor James B. Sikking, best known for roles in the TV shows "Hill Street Blues" and "Doogie Howser, M.D." died of complications from dementia at the age of 90, according to a statement from his publicist released on July 14.
Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
Shannen Doherty, an actress who starred on the popular series "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "Charmed" and documented her nine-year battle with breast cancer, died on July 13, according to her longtime publicist. She was 53.
Harry Langdon/Getty Images
Richard Simmons, the perennial 1980s workout personality who was defined by his uplifting spirit, died at the age of 76, according to multiple reports on July 13.
Taylor Jewell/Invision/AP
Sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer died July 12 at the age of 96, her publicist told CNN. Westheimer was a leading advocate of sexual education for decades, dispensing colorful, witty advice in her distinctive German accent.
Steve Nesius/AP
Longtime NFL and college football coach Monte Kiffin died at the age of 84, the University of Mississippi announced on July 11. Kiffin was a longtime defensive coordinator in the NFL who coached several teams. He was noted as the mastermind behind the "Tampa 2" defensive scheme which helped lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl victory in 2002.
Stanley Bielecki Movie Collectio/Getty Images
Shelley Duvall, best known for her roles in "The Shining" and several acclaimed Robert Altman films, died July 11 at the age of 75, her longtime partner told The Hollywood Reporter.
Jason Kempin/Getty Images
Joe Bonsall, who left the legendary singing group The Oak Ridge Boys after 50 years due to a neuromuscular disorder, died at the age of 76, his management team announced on July 9. Bonsall died from complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, according to his representatives.
Jim Cooper/AP
Robert Towne, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of a number of acclaimed movies, including the classic 1974 noir thriller "Chinatown" starring Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway, died on July 1, according to his publicist. He was 89.
Bettmann Archive/Getty Images
Baseball Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda died at age 86, his family announced via the San Francisco Giants on June 28. Cepeda was an 11-time All-Star during his 17 seasons in the major leagues with six teams, including the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals.
Lara Solanki/ABC/Getty Images
Martin Mull, a veteran character actor who appeared in more than a hundred films and television shows, including "Roseanne," "Veep" and "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman," died on June 27, his daughter shared in a post on social media. He was 80.
Tim Boyles/Getty Images
Bill Cobbs, a veteran Hollywood actor known for roles in "Demolition Man," "That Thing You Do!" and "Air Bud," among many others, died on June 25, according to a family member. He was 90.
Markus Cuff/Corbis via Getty Images
Seth Binzer, who went by the stage name Shifty Shellshock and was lead singer of the band Crazy Town, died on June 24, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's online records. His cause of death was listed as "deferred," pending additional investigation. He was 49.
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Donald Sutherland, a veteran actor known for roles in "M*A*S*H," "Klute" and "The Hunger Games," died at the age of 88, according to a statement from his agency CAA on June 20.
Bettmann Archive/Getty Images
Willie Mays, the dynamic baseball Hall of Famer who shined in all facets of the game and made a dramatic catch in the 1954 World Series, died June 18 at the age of 93, the San Francisco Giants announced.
George Long/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images
Legendary NBA player and executive Jerry West died June 12 at the age of 86, according to the Los Angeles Clippers. West was a 14-time All-Star who helped lead the Los Angeles Lakers to the NBA Finals nine times. A silhouette of West during a Lakers game was famously the inspiration for the NBA's logo.
Alyssa Pointer/Pool/Getty Images
The Rev. James Lawson Jr., a civil rights icon who trained activists in nonviolent protest, died on June 9, according to the pastor at Holman United Methodist Church in Los Angeles, where Lawson was reverend emeritus. Lawson was 95.
NASA
William Anders, a NASA astronaut who was one of the first three people to orbit the moon, died in a plane crash in Washington state, his son confirmed on June 7. He was 90.
Rick Kern/WireImage/Getty Images
Mark Ross, the rapper who performed as Brother Marquis in the hip-hop group 2 Live Crew, died at the age of 58, according to posts shared on 2 Live Crew's social media accounts on June 3. No cause of death was shared.
Tony Gutierrez/AP
Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Allen died on June 2, according to the Dallas Cowboys. He was 52. The seven-time All-Pro guard died suddenly while in Mexico vacationing with his family, according to the Cowboys.
M. Spencer Green/AP
Marian Robinson, the mother of former first lady Michelle Obama, died on May 31, according to a statement from the Obama and Robinson families. She was 86.
David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images
Bill Walton, the Hall of Fame center who won a record 88 straight games at UCLA, won two NBA championships and later put the "color" in color commentator, died May 27 following a prolonged battle with cancer, the NBA announced. He was 71.
Jennifer Lourie/FilmMagic/Getty Images
Richard M. Sherman, who with his late brother Robert wrote songs for the 1964 Disney classic "Mary Poppins" as well as the song "It's a Small World," died May 25 at the age of 95. His death was confirmed in an announcement on the Walt Disney Company website, where Sherman was referred to as "one of the most prolific composer-lyricists in the history of family entertainment, and a key member of Walt Disney's inner circle of creative talents."
Andrew Redington/Getty Images
PGA Tour golfer Grayson Murray died May 25 at the age of 30, and his parents later confirmed that he died by suicide. Murray won the Sony Open earlier this year, ending a six-and-a-half-year winless streak during which he admitted to struggling with mental health and physical issues.
Fairfax Media/Getty Images
Morgan Spurlock, the filmmaker and former CNN series host whose McDonald's documentary "Super Size Me" was nominated for an Academy Award, died of cancer complications on May 23, according to his family. He was 53.
CNN
Alice Stewart, a veteran political adviser and CNN political commentator who worked on several GOP presidential campaigns, died at the age of 58, law enforcement officials confirmed on May 18. Her body was found outdoors in a neighborhood in northern Virginia. No foul play was suspected, and officers believe a medical emergency occurred.
George Chinsee/WWD/Penske Media/Getty Images
Dabney Coleman, a veteran film and television actor known for roles in "9 to 5," "Boardwalk Empire" and "Tootsie," died on May 16, according to a statement from his daughter Quincy Coleman. He was 92.
Chad Hipolito/AP
Alice Munro, the Nobel Literature Prize winner best known for her mastery of short stories, died at the age of 92, a spokesperson at her publisher confirmed on May 14.
Vince Bucci/Invision/AP
Sam Rubin, a longtime entertainment anchor for KTLA in Los Angeles, died at the age of 64, fellow anchor Frank Buckley announced on May 10. Rubin was a mainstay for celebrity interviews and covered all things Hollywood for decades.
Mark Mainz/Getty Images
Roger Corman, a colorful producer and director whose low-budget movies helped establish major Hollywood talents such as Jack Nicholson and directors James Cameron and Martin Scorsese, died May 9 at the age of 98.
Nick Laham/Getty Images
Sean Burroughs, a 2000 Olympic gold medalist, Little League World Series winner and former first-round Major League Baseball pick, died May 9, the California-based Long Beach Little League organization announced. He was 43. Burroughs died of a cardiac arrest, his mother, Debbie, told the Southern California News Group via text, the San Bernardino Sun reported.
Paul Natkin/Getty Images
Steve Albini, an audio engineer who influenced the sound of legendary indie and alternative rock musicians such as Nirvana and the Pixies, died of a heart attack on May 7, according to his recording studio. He was 61.
20th Century Fox/Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock
Actor Bernard Hill, best known for supporting roles in "Titanic" and "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, died May 5, his agent told PA Media. He was 79.
Bob Berg/Getty Images
Frank Stella, the American artist renowned for his abstract works, died on May 4, his longtime representative said in a statement. He was 87.
CBS Photo Archive/CBS/Getty Images
Susan Buckner, best known for playing cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical "Grease," died on May 2. She was 72.
GAB Archive/Redferns/Getty Images
Guitarist Duane Eddy, best known for twangy riffs on hits such as "Rebel Rouser" and "Cannonball," died at the age of 86, a representative confirmed on May 1.
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc./Getty Images
Donald Payne Jr., a Democrat who represented New Jersey's 10th District, died at the age of 65, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced on April 24. Payne had served in Congress since 2012, when he won a special election to succeed his late father.
Santiago Lyon/AP
Terry Anderson, the former Mideast correspondent for the Associated Press who was kidnapped in 1985 and held captive for nearly seven years in Lebanon, died on April 21, his daughter told CNN. He was 76.
Lefteris Pitarakis/AP
Mohammad Faris, Syria's only astronaut, died April 19 from complications of a heart attack he suffered a month earlier, according to a close friend who spoke to CNN over the phone. Faris, known as the "Armstrong of the Arab World," was 72.
Terry Wyatt/Getty Images
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on "American Idol" in 2006, died at the age of 47, according to a statement on her verified social media on April 19. The cause of death was not immediately available.
Fin Costello/Redferns/Getty Images
Dickey Betts, a vocalist, guitarist and the co-founder of the Allman Brothers Band, died at age 80, according to a family statement shared by his longtime manager on April 18. Notable songs by Betts include "Ramblin' Man," "Blue Sky" and "Jessica."
Focus On Sport/Getty Images
Whitey Herzog, the Baseball Hall of Famer who managed the St. Louis Cardinals to the 1982 World Series title with a style of play known as "Whiteyball," died at the age of 92, his family announced via the Cardinals on April 16.
NY Daily News/Getty Images
Longtime broadcast journalist Robert MacNeil, who covered some of the biggest headlines of the 20th century and co-anchored PBS nightly news for two decades, died April 12 at the age of 93. With fellow journalist Jim Lehrer, MacNeil co-founded the MacNeil/Lehrer Report that would later become PBS NewsHour.
Giuseppe Cacace/AFP/Getty Images
Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli died at the age of 83, his eponymous brand confirmed on April 12. Cavalli made his mark on the fashion world with distinctive, glamorous animal prints.
Vince Bucci/AFP/Getty Images
O.J. Simpson, the former NFL star and broadcaster whose athletic achievements and fame were eclipsed by his 1995 acquittal in the brutal killings of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman, died of cancer, his family announced on April 11. He was 76.
Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images
Physicist Peter Higgs, whose theory of an undetected particle in the universe changed science and was vindicated by a Nobel prize-winning discovery half a century later, died at the age of 94, the University of Edinburgh said on April 9.
Emerson Miller/Paramount+
Cole Brings Plenty, the "1923" actor who went missing, was found dead April 5 in a wooded area in Kansas, police and his family said. The actor, 27, was last seen in the early morning hours of March 31 leaving the Lawrence, Kansas, area in a white Ford Explorer, according to a "missing" flier posted to the Instagram page of his uncle, "Yellowstone" actor Mo Brings Plenty.
Michael Dwyer/AP
Larry Lucchino, whose Boston Red Sox teams won three World Series while he was president and CEO, died on April 2, according to his family. He was 78.
Scott Garfitt/BAFTA/Getty Images
Actor Chance Perdomo, star of the "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" and "Gen V," died March 30, following a motorcycle accident, according to his representative. He was 27.
Earl Gibson III/WireImage/Getty Images
Louis Gossett Jr., a star of film and television who won an Academy Award for his performance in "An Officer and a Gentleman," died on March 29, according to a statement from his family. He was 87.
Florion Goga/Reuters
Joe Lieberman, the first Jewish vice-presidential nominee of a major party, whose conscience and independent streak later led him on a journey away from his home in the Democratic Party, died on March 27, according to a statement from his family. He was 82.
Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service/Getty Images
Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos died March 23 at the age of 94, his family announced in a statement. Angelos, who had owned the Orioles since 1993, agreed in January to sell the franchise.
Lionel Hahn/Abaca/Sipa/AP
M. Emmet Walsh, a celebrated character actor with credits including "Blade Runner," "Blood Simple" and "Knives Out," died March 19 at the age of 88.
Mireya Acierto/FilmMagic/Getty Images
Longtime LGBTQ+ activist David Mixner, who was a leader in the fight for social change and equality, died at the age of 77, LGBTQ+ Victory Fund President and CEO Annise Parker announced on March 11.
Tom Hill/WireImage/Getty Images
Eric Carmen, the former lead vocalist of The Raspberries and singer of "All by Myself," died at the age of 74, according to his website on March 11.
Atsushi Onodera/The Yomiuri Shimbun/AP
Akira Toriyama, the Japanse manga artist who created the enormously popular and influential "Dragon Ball" series, died of a brain condition at the age of 68, his production studio said on March 8.
Archive Photos/Getty Images
Steve Lawrence, an award-winning pop singer who often performed with his late wife Eydie Gormé as the duo Stevie & Eydie, died from Alzheimer's disease on March 7, according to a statement from his publicist. He was 88.
Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images
Chris Mortensen, an award-winning journalist and longtime NFL insider for ESPN, died on March 3, the network announced. He was 72.
Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times/Redux
Influential interior designer Iris Apfel, a style icon who landed a major modeling contract at 97, died March 1 at the age of 102.
Christopher Morris/Corbis/Getty Images
Former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney died at the age of 84, according to Canadian media reports citing his daughter's social media post on February 29.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Comedian and actor Richard Lewis, whose self-deprecating humor and acerbic wit in shows like "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Anything but Love" entertained audiences for decades, died on February 27, according to his publicist Jeff Abraham. He was 76.
Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images
Kenneth Mitchell, an actor who appeared in the series "Star Trek: Discovery" and Marvel's "Captain Marvel," died at the age of 49, his family announced in a statement on February 25. Mitchell was diagnosed with ALS in 2018.
Andrew Chin/Getty Images
Chris Gauthier, an actor whose credits include "Once Upon a Time," "Eureka" and several popular Hallmark Channel projects, died on February 23, according to a statement posted by his agent. The 48-year-old died "after a brief illness," the statement said.
Focus On Sport/Getty Images
Charles "Lefty" Driesell, who coached college basketball for more than four decades, died February 17 at the age of 92, according to a statement from James Madison University, where Driesell coached from 1988 to 1997. Driesell also coached at Davidson College, the University of Maryland and Georgia State University.
Maxim Shemetov/Reuters
Jailed Russian opposition figure and outspoken Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny, who made global headlines when he was poisoned with a nerve agent in 2020, died February 16 at the age of 47, the Russian prison service said. Navalny "felt unwell after a walk" and "almost immediately" lost consciousness, the prison service said. It said it was investigating his "sudden death."
Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post/Getty Images
Bob Edwards, the longtime National Public Radio host and a goliath of the broadcasting world, died on February 10, his wife, NPR reporter Windsor Johnston, confirmed in a Facebook post. He was 76.
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Former Chilean President Sebastián Piñera died in a helicopter crash in Chile, his office said in a statement on February 6. Piñera, 74, was Chile's president from 2010 to 2014 and again from 2018 to 2022.
Christopher Polk/Getty Images
Country singer Toby Keith died February 5 after a battle with stomach cancer. He was 62. Keith was known for hits including "Red Solo Cup" and "I Wanna Talk About Me." His 2002 song "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)," released in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, made him a household name.
Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP
Actor Carl Weathers, who came to fame as Apollo Creed in the "Rocky" movies and proceeded to appear in dozens of movies and TV shows from "Predator" to "The Mandalorian," died on February 1, according to his manager Matt Luber. Weathers was 76.
Kenneth Lambert/AP
Jean Carnahan, who became the first woman to represent Missouri in the US Senate after she was appointed to replace her husband following his death, died Tuesday, January 30. She was 90.
AP
Chita Rivera, an iconic performer of stage and screen with credits including "Chicago," "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and "Sweet Charity," died on January 30. She was 91. Rivera's longtime publicist Merle Frimark confirmed the news to CNN, saying Rivera died "in New York after a brief illness."
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Melanie Safka, the singer who went by the mononym Melanie, died on January 23, according to Billy James of Glass Onyon PR. She was 76. Melanie performed at the Woodstock Festival in 1969 and was famous for songs including "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" and "Brand New Key."
Greg Doherty/Getty Images
Former CBS journalist Charles Osgood died January 23, at his home in New Jersey, CBS News reported. He was 91. Osgood was best known as the anchor of the network's venerable "CBS Sunday Morning" program from 1994 to 2016, succeeding original host Charles Kuralt.
HUM Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images
Italian soccer great Luigi "Gigi" Riva died January 22 at the age of 79, according to the Italian Football Federation. Riva is Italy's all-time leading goalscorer.
Helen Comer/Pool/The Jackson Sun/AP
Dexter Scott King, the youngest son of Martin Luther King Jr., died after a battle with prostate cancer, according to statements from his family and the King Center on January 22. He was 62.
AP
Norman Jewison, an Oscar-nominated director whose diverse resume included "In the Heat of the Night" and "Fiddler on the Roof," died on January 20, according to his publicist. He was 97.
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Mary Weiss, a singer who was part of the 1960s girl group the Shangri-Las, died, Miriam Linna of Norton Records confirmed to Rolling Stone on January 19. She was reportedly 75 years old.
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Canadian world champion pole vaulter Shawn Barber died January 17 at the age of 29, his agent Paul Doyle told CNN. Barber passed away from medical complications, according to a statement from the University of Akron's athletics department. "Barber had fallen ill and had been experiencing poor health for some time," the statement said.
Fred Sabine/NBC/Getty Images
Actor Bill Hayes, who was a mainstay on the NBC soap opera "Days of Our Lives" for more than 50 years, died on January 12, his agent confirmed in an email. He was 98.
FOX/Getty Images
Actor Adan Canto, known for his roles in TV shows "The Cleaning Lady" and "Designated Survivor," died of appendiceal cancer on January 8, according to his publicist Jennifer Allen. He was 42.
AP
German soccer icon Franz Beckenbauer, widely considered to be one of the greatest players in the history of the game, died on January 7, according to the German football federation. He was 78.
Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images
Soccer icon Mário Zagallo, a four-time World Cup winner with Brazil as a player and coach, died at the age of 92, a post on his official Instagram account announced on January 6.
ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content/Getty Images
David Soul, best known for his role in the popular 1970s television series "Starsky & Hutch" died on January 4, his wife announced in a statement to CNN. He was 80.
Walt Disney Pictures/Everett Collection
Glynis Johns, the British actress known for her role as feminist icon Mrs. Banks in 1964's "Mary Poppins," died on January 4, her longtime manager Mitch Clem told CNN. She was 100. Johns' career as a film, TV and stage actor spanned nearly nine decades.
Born Francine Paula Rubin, Pascal was a New York City native who studied journalism at New York University, wrote for such magazines as Cosmopolitan and Ladies’ Home Journal and, with second husband John Pascal, found work with the soap opera “The Young Marrieds.” When Francine Pascal began thinking of creating her own series, she took a friend’s advice and developed what became the Sweet Valley books.
The concept: “Dallas” for young people. The main characters: twin sisters, one mischievous (Jessica), the other more sensible (Elizabeth).
“There are a lot of twins in my life,” she told Entertainment Weekly. “My sister-in-law was a twin. People are always fascinated by twins. You’ll never be alone.”
Pascal and her first husband, Jerome Offenberg, divorced in 1963. They had three daughters, one of whom, Jamie, died in 2008. John Pascal died in 1981.