Robin Williams, Bowie, Philip Seymour Hoffmann, James Gandolfini, Alan Rickman.
The world seems a poorer place without them.
Princess Diana was the same age as my sister, and the little princes are the same age as my nephews. My sister even looked a bit like her. I had never taken much interest in Princess Diana, but it was an awful shock when she died, and I was deeply saddened by it. Both because she had been so unhappy in her marriage and her life was cut short just as she was free, but also of course because whenever I looked at photos of her and her boys, the sadness for them was magnified by the strong reminder of my sister and the fear of loss. Diana had flaws of course, but I do think she was a very loving mother, and when I think about it, it still makes me sad that her sons don’t have her in their lives.
When I think of celebrities that I was particularly sorry to see their spirits pass from this world, the ones that come to mind are Prince, Alan Rickman, Robin Williams, Elizabeth Montgomery (I adored her in her Bewitched role as a child), and Mr. Rogers.
Roddy mcdowall planet of the apes
Never an actor or singer, but many writers. Most recently Pat Conroy, but Madeleine L’Engle, Robert B. Parker, Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, and some others hit me hard. I was only surprised to be affected by Heinlein’s death. When I read TO SAIL BEYOND THE SUNSET, I immediately pegged it as being intended to be his final novel and thought he was probably not long for the world; nonethless his actual death a few months later saddened me.
John Entwistle, George Carlin, and Lemmy.
I had a very similar reaction to his death which surprised me because celebrity deaths, as a rule, don’t affect me like that other than a passing “I’m so sorry” and thoughts to the family. I wasn’t a huge INXS fan, but I liked them well enough. I felt more sorry for his daughter than anyone else.
Both Michael Jackson’s and Whitney Houston’s deaths hit me like a ton of bricks – again, never been a huge fan of either but liked both of them well enough. Again, more thoughts about their kids.
Then Prince.
I’ve been mouthing some of his lyrics without realizing it. Somebody in my neighborhood owns a red Corvette (not kidding) and I’ve found myself murmuring “Baby you’re much too fast” whenever I see it. I’ve always thought him a genius. I would’ve loved to have seen him in concert.
The bigger thing? We’re all in the same age bracket. That’s what’s hitting me more than anything else.
Buddy Holly. His tour agent had called me to ask me if I wanted to book them locally, in Wisconsin. I started working on it, but things didn’t work out, so I did not book them. If I had, their itinerary would have probably been different, they might not have gone to Mason City on that date, would still be alive, and nobody would ever know what I had done to save them.
I see what you did there.
The hardest celebrity deaths for me have been Charles Schulz (of “Peanuts” fame), John Lennon, George Harrison (I’m a big Beatles fan), Jim Henson, and Maurice (1949-2003) and Robin Gibb (1949-2012) of the Bee Gees.
There were several… but it was mostly because I loved their work… whether in music or film or TV.
But here’s the thing: their work lives on after them, it can be played again and again, and … I didn’t know any of them personally.
I’m not sure when it came to me, but one day I realized that grieving for the loss of famous people who I never knew (and who wouldn’t or couldn’t have given a damn even if they did) was a waste of time that I could use to focus on positive things in my own life.
Don McLean’s song, a favorite of mine, helps us to remember the large loss that night. If anyone is ever near Clear Lake IA and the weather is decent, try heading to the intersection of 315th St. & Gull Ave. It is 6 miles north of the Surf Ballroom by the lake. I think you can find the spot by searching Google Maps for ‘Buddy Holly Crash Site’. Park by the Buddy Holly eyeglasses and walk the half mile west down the path in the corn field to the memorial. The plane crash was before I was born, but with the song, a fresh visit to the Surf Ballroom (Buddy Holly’s wife autographed the pay phone that he called her from before the crash), and fresh sentiments left at the memorial site, it is moving.
I enjoyed reading everyone’s inputs. However my reaction is summed up by Just Asking Questions, Tapiotar and Procrustus - deaths are sad, some of these people were great, but none hit me especially hard. I guess I’ve never gotten so wrapped up in any celeb.
I did think of Princess Diana, and Robin Williams largely because man mentioned him but als as some have said, he gave so much laughter and joy to others that it is a true tragedy that he felt compelled to take his own life.
Diana was so young and her final years were often tormented by the paparazzi and a loveless and VERY public marriage. Charles chose poorly, and then treated her like shit. A true Prince Asshole. Maybe that’s harsh, but so be it.
Me too, usually. There’s a bit of “send not to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee” when I hear of a celebrity’s death, but usually I just feel a bit sad for the family, then move on. Bowie and Prince really haven’t affected me, save to note their accomplishments, and I’m disappointed that I’ll never seen Alan Rickman in anything new; but in general, I note passings and move on.
Which is why I was surprised at how hard Sir Pterry’s death hit me. Especially as we all knew it was coming. But the news of his demise threw me into a real funk for several days; his clear-eyed humanism did much to shape my world-view, as well as offering an ideal for which to strive.
There are a few who come to mind, about whom I feel a particular sadness about their untimely loss to the music world, as well as the sad circumstances of their deaths.
Karen Carpenter
Minnie Riperton
Stan Rogers
Carter Stanley
Johnny Ace
Others may come to mind later.
Oh, I forgot to mention Princess Diana. That was a special and separate kind of sorrow, I have to say my suburban housewife friends and I DID weep for her as for no other ‘celebrity death’. She was our age, we had followed her doings for years, and she was so badly treated by the Royal family. The news of the accident and death was SO unexpected. Leaving behind those two boys, that funeral, and the grief of them, and Prince Charles! I cried buckets watching the funeral procession. Just devastating.
A few shocked me senseless, like River Phoenix and Heath Ledger, but nothing has devastated me like Robin Williams. I’d always been a big fan and hoped to see him perform his stand up some day, but nothing could be prepared me for how heartbreaking his death was. It’s been all this time, and I still can’t watch a single thing of his. Sometimes I wonder if that’ll have even been harder than what Alice will be.
Reminds me of this for some reason…
[QUOTE=Paul McCartney]
The grand old painter died last night,
His paintings on the walls.
Before he went, he bade us well,
And said goodnight to us all.
Drink to me, drink to my health,
You know I can’t drink anymore.
Drink to me, drink to my health,
You know I can’t drink anymore.
[/QUOTE]
Hey! Someone who knows where I got my handle. 
Or, rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. 
I’ve been shocked and saddened greatly by a few deaths in the last year or so (Bowie, Prince, and Robin Williams come immediately to mind). But the one that sat me on my ass the hardest, put me in a funk that lasted for weeks was Jerry Garcia. When I heard that news I got that dazed feeling that you get where you know people are talking to you but you can’t even begin to comprehend what they’re saying. I had to go home from work, called in sick the next day after that. It’s been over 20 years since that happened, and I still occasionally have “Dead Dreams” where I’m at a show and he comes back onstage.
Steve Irwin. I was a huge fan, and thru the years, felt as if he had let us into his life. If I had had to guess how he was going to die, it would have been a crocodile or venomous snake. NEVER would I have guessed a stingray.
Pro wrestler Brian Pillman. Flyin’ Brian was my favorite wrestler. I followed his career from the very beginning. He was so young and talented. I stopped watching pro wrestling completely when he died.
Heath Ledger. He had so damned much left to share.
Glenn Frey. The Eagles have long been my favorite group, and there wasn’t even a clue that he was sick. Then… BAM.
Prince. Musical genius. Again, no clue he wasn’t well.
Others hit me, but none so hard as these.
I was going to say Michael too, so pleasantly surprised someone beat me to it. I heard the announcement on the radio and was so shocked. I had lost interest in INXS a few years before his death but always enjoyed listening to the older singles. I had not known of the messes he was in with the Geldoffs and that he left a daughter who reportedly had not inherited anything as he had little money left in his final years? And I too had that feeling, there was not a big huge newspress in the U.S. like Michael’s or Prince’s, but guessing in his native country of course.