2016 was a sad year in celebrity deaths. We lost so many great talents like Alan Rickman, David Bowie, Prince, Harper Lee, Muhammad Ali, Doris Roberts, Merle Haggard, Patty Duke, Nancy Reagan, George Gaynes, Abe Vigoda, and many others. There were also the incredibly sad and unexpected deaths of Anton Yelchin and Christina Grimmie, both gone too soon. Anton was one of my favorites. He was so young and talented and was just starting to explode in his career. And then, to kick us in the feels once more, at the end of the year we lost Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds within a day of each other. Debbie was always one of my favorites.
Here are my past correct predictions for celebrity deaths of each year...
In 2011, I predicted 6 deaths correctly (author Lillian Jackson Braun - 97, actor Peter Falk - 83, Kim Jong-il - 69, Andy Rooney - 91, Elizabeth Taylor -78, and Amy Winehouse - 27).
In 2012, I correctly predicted 7 with Ray Bradbury - 91, Dick Clark - 82, Robin Gibb - 62, Andy Griffith - 85, Larry Hagaman - 80, Etta James -73, and Joe Paterno - 85.
2013 was a down year for my predictions with only 4. Patty Andrews - 94, Nelson Mandela - 95, Peter O'Toole - 81, and Margaret Thatcher - 87 all died this past year. However, we also lost those we didn't expect, like Paul Walker, James Gandolfini, Cory Monteith,
In 2014, I hit 8 correct predictions with actress and screen legend Lauren Bacall - 89, Sid Caesar - 91, actor (and one of my favorites) James Garner - 86, author PD James - 94, actor (The Professor from Gilligan's Island) Russel Johnson - 89, lawyer (and sister of author Harper Lee) Alice Lee - 103, actor Mickey Rooney - 93, and world leader Ariel Sharon - 85.
For 2015, I only got 4 correct including music legend B.B. King - 89, actor Christopher Lee - 93, actress Maureen O'Hara - 93 (what a legend), and author Terry Pratchett - 67. Then there were the shocking deaths of Robin Williams and others that no one could predict.
In 2016, I had 10 hits on my list (Rene Angelil - 73, Muhammad Ali - 74, Fidel Castro - 90, Zsa Zsa Gabor - 98, John Glenn - 95, Merle Haggard - 79, Harper Lee - 89, Nancy Reagan - 94, Abe Vigoda - 94, Gene Wilder - 83).
Hopefully we won't lose as many in 2017...
Celebrity Death Watch 2017
Buzz Aldrin - 86
Ed Asner - 87
Bob Barker - 95
Chuck Berry - 90
Honor Blackman - 91
Wilford Brimley - 82
Tom Brokaw - 76
Mel Brooks - 90
Gary Busey - 72
Barbara Bush - 91
George HW Bush - 92
Amanda Bynes - 30
Jimmy Carter - 91
Rosalynn Carter - 89
Carol Channing - 95
Cher - 70
Honor Blackman - 91
Wilford Brimley - 82
Tom Brokaw - 76
Mel Brooks - 90
Gary Busey - 72
Barbara Bush - 91
George HW Bush - 92
Amanda Bynes - 30
Jimmy Carter - 91
Rosalynn Carter - 89
Carol Channing - 95
Cher - 70
Chevy Chase - 73
Chris Christie - 54
Beverly Cleary - 100
Joan Collins - 83
Tim Conway - 83
Macaulay Culkin - 36
Charlie Daniels - 80
Doris Day - 94
Olivia De Havilland - 100
Bob Dole - 93
Kirk Douglas - 100
Aretha Franklin - 75
Annie Glenn - 96
John Goodman - 64
Mikhail Gorbachev - 85
Billy Graham - 98
Steven Hawking - 75
Tippi Hedren - 86
Hugh Hefner - 90
Hal Holbrook - 91
Glynis Johns - 93
Louis Jourdan - 95
George Kennedy - 91
Larry King - 83
Chris Christie - 54
Beverly Cleary - 100
Joan Collins - 83
Tim Conway - 83
Macaulay Culkin - 36
Charlie Daniels - 80
Doris Day - 94
Olivia De Havilland - 100
Bob Dole - 93
Kirk Douglas - 100
Aretha Franklin - 75
Annie Glenn - 96
John Goodman - 64
Mikhail Gorbachev - 85
Billy Graham - 98
Steven Hawking - 75
Tippi Hedren - 86
Hugh Hefner - 90
Hal Holbrook - 91
Glynis Johns - 93
Louis Jourdan - 95
George Kennedy - 91
Larry King - 83
Henry Kissinger - 93
Kris Kristofferson - 80
Shia LaBeouf - 30
Angela Lansbury - 91
Cloris Leachman - 90
Kris Kristofferson - 80
Shia LaBeouf - 30
Angela Lansbury - 91
Cloris Leachman - 90
Stan Lee - 94
Jerry Lewis - 90
Courtney Love - 52
Rose Marie - 90
Lisa Minnelli - 70
Joni Mitchell - 73
Taylor Momson - 23
Demi Moore - 54
Mary Tyler Moore - 80
Roger Moore - 89
Jim Nabors - 86
Bob Newhart - 87
Kim Novak - 93
Jerry Lewis - 90
Courtney Love - 52
Rose Marie - 90
Lisa Minnelli - 70
Joni Mitchell - 73
Taylor Momson - 23
Demi Moore - 54
Mary Tyler Moore - 80
Roger Moore - 89
Jim Nabors - 86
Bob Newhart - 87
Kim Novak - 93
Ozzy Osbourne - 68
Regis Philbin - 85
Prince Philip - 95
Christopher Plummer - 88Regis Philbin - 85
Prince Philip - 95
Sidney Poitier - 90
Pope Benedict XVI - 89
Pope Benedict XVI - 89
Carl Reiner - 94
Burt Reynolds - 80
Keith Richards - 73
Don Rickles - 90
David Rockefeller - 101
Marion Ross - 88
Eva Marie Saint - 93
George Segal - 82
Charlie Sheen - 51
Jerry Stiller - 89
Phil Spector - 76
Jeffrey Tambor - 72
Gloria Vanderbilt - 92
Jerry Van Dyke - 85
Adam West - 88
Betty White - 95
Joann Woodward - 86
Herman Wouk - 101
Burt Reynolds - 80
Keith Richards - 73
Don Rickles - 90
David Rockefeller - 101
Marion Ross - 88
Eva Marie Saint - 93
George Segal - 82
Charlie Sheen - 51
Jerry Stiller - 89
Phil Spector - 76
Jeffrey Tambor - 72
Gloria Vanderbilt - 92
Jerry Van Dyke - 85
Adam West - 88
Betty White - 95
Joann Woodward - 86
Herman Wouk - 101
