deaths

Ben Cross, the English actor best known for his portrayal of the British Olympic athlete Harold Abrahams in the 1981 Oscar winner “Chariots of Fire” and as Sarek in the 2009 reboot “Star Trek,” has died at age 72 following illness. The veteran stage and screen star passed away this morning in Vienna, his family …

Actress Kristen Johnston, known for her roles on “Sex and The City” and “3rd Rock from the Sun,” is mourning the loss of her sister Julie Herschede. “Yesterday my beautiful younger sister Julie lost her battle with addiction,” she tweeted on Tuesday. “I know she’s finally at peace. She had the best belly laugh in …

Quinn Coleman, also known as “DJ Spicoli,” died suddenly on Sunday of unknown causes at age 31. He is survived by his father Randy Coleman and mother Debra Lee, who is the former CEO of BET. “Quinn was a loving son, brother, cousin and friend, a passionate DJ and A&R executive with a bright future …

Ash Christian, an Emmy award-winning producer, actor, filmmaker and founder of Cranium Entertainment, died in his sleep on Thursday in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. He was 35. Born on Jan. 16, 1985, in Paris, Tex., Christian began writing and directing short films at the age of 14, and moved to Los Angeles to pursue his dreams …

Jane Lynch fondly remembered her former “Glee” co-star Naya Rivera today as “a force” whose talent was under-recognized. Lynch spoke about Rivera during the fourth hour of the “Today” show on Wednesday, speaking with Jenna Bush Hager. The 33-year-old Rivera died last month from drowning in a California lake. “She was a force of nature, …

Trini Lopez, a singer and guitarist who gained fame for his versions of “Lemon Tree” and “If I Had a Hammer” in the 1960s and took his talents to Hollywood, died Tuesday. He was 83. Filmmaker P. David Ebersole, who just finished shooting a documentary on Lopez with Todd Hughes, confirmed that Lopez died from …

Raymond Allen, an actor who had memorable recurring roles on classic ’70s sitcoms “Sanford and Son” and “Good Times,” died yesterday of a non-COVID respiratory illness at a long-term care facility in California. He was 91. Allen’s death was announced by his daughter, Ta Ronce Allen, on a Facebook post yesterday. The actor was best …

Screenwriter Kurt Luedtke, known for his Oscar-winning adapted screenplay “Out of Africa,” died on Sunday. He was 80. The Detroit Free Press reported that the Luedtke, who worked at the newspaper during the 1960s and ’70s, passed away after a long illness in a Michigan hospital. Luedtke, a Michigan native, first worked in journalism before …

Martin Birch, the British music producer whose credits include albums by Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Whitesnake and Black Sabbath, has died. He was 71. News of his death was revealed by Whitesnake frontman David Coverdale on Twitter on Aug. 9. The cause of death is as yet unknown. “It is with a very heavy heart …

Former “Love Island” host Caroline Flack took her own life after learning she was facing an assault trial — that she feared would end her career and put her at the center of unbearable media scrutiny, a British coroner ruled Thursday. Flack, 40, was found dead in her London home in February, weeks before she …