Famous People Who Died In 2019

American actor Cameron Boyce achieved stardom as a teenager when he played one of the leads in the television show, Jessie. His role in the Descendants television film catapulted him to bigger heights. He also starred in a number of successful feature films like Grown Ups. He died in July 2019, at a young age of 20, due to epilepsy.

Luke Perry was an actor who became a teen idol in the 1990s after portraying Dylan McKay in the popular TV series, Beverly Hills, 90210. Before his death at the age of 52, due to an ischemic stroke, he had advocated the testing of colorectal cancer through colonoscopy.

Austrian Formula One driver and aviation entrepreneur Niki Lauda was a three-time F1 World Drivers' Champion. Considered to be one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time, he was once involved in a near-fatal accident. He founded and ran three airlines as an aviation entrepreneur and also served as the team manager of the Jaguar Formula One racing team.

Nipsey Hussle was an American rapper who left behind quite a legacy when he was fatally shot at the age of 33. His death was met with a strong artistic response as more than 50 murals dedicated to him were painted in Los Angeles alone within a few months after his death. As a rapper and activist, Hussle influenced several youngsters.

Peggy Lipton achieved fame after playing Julie Barnes in the TV series The Mod Squad; her character Julie became a fashion icon. Peggy is also credited with raising her children Kidada and Rashida Jones—both celebrities—after marrying Quincy Jones. Interestingly, Peggy achieved all these after overcoming nervousness and stuttering as a child after being sexually abused by a relative.

Albert Finney was an English actor known for his contribution across all the three major acting mediums: films, television and theatre. A recipient of Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA, and Emmy awards, Albert Finney also received nominations for prestigious awards, such as the Academy Award and Tony Award. 

Diahann Carroll was an American actress, model, singer, and activist. In 1962, she became the first African-American woman to receive a Tony Award under Best Actress in a Musical category. She is credited with starring in Julia, the first American TV series to star a black woman in a non-stereotypical role; Carroll's portrayal of Julia earned her a Golden Globe.

Dutch actor Rutger Hauer, tagged as the Best Dutch Actor of the Century by the Dutch public, gained spotlight with his debut film, Turkish Delight, the most successful film in the history of Dutch cinema. Moving on, he gained international recognition with other Dutch films like Spetters, and etched his name in Hollywood with films like Nighthawks and Blade Runner.   

A prominent actor who was active in the entertainment industry for five decades, Robert Forster was known for his versatility. As a college student, he initially planned to study law but eventually changed his mind and ventured into acting. Dedicated to his profession with a passion, he continued working even after being diagnosed with cancer.

Automobile executive Lee Iacocca became known for developing the Ford Mustang and Pinto cars while working for the Ford Motor Company in the 1960s. In his later career, he served as the president, CEO, and chairman of Chrysler. Revered for his brilliant leadership skills, he was named the 18th-greatest American CEO of all time by Portfolio Magazine. 

Peter Fonda, son of Henry Fonda and brother of Jane Fonda, was an icon of the anti-establishment 1960s’ counterculture. He is best known for his Academy Award-nominated screenplay of Easy Rider and his Golden Globe-winning performances in the TV film The Passion of Ayn Rand and the film Ulee's Gold.

René Auberjonois is best remembered as Odo from the series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He also delivered a Tony-winning performance in the play Coco. He had voiced many video-game characters, such as Karl Schafer in the Uncharted video games. He had also narrated many books, including several Pendergast novels

Gloria Vanderbilt was an American fashion designer, actress, author, and socialite. As a child, she was subjected to a child custody trial, which the press named trial of the century due to its high-profile nature. As a designer, Vanderbilt is credited with developing and popularizing designer blue jeans. She also launched a line of household goods and perfumes.

Actor, Danny Aiello, is best remembered for playing Salvatore "Sal" Frangione in the Spike Lee film Do the Right Thing. The role earned him an Academy Award nomination. As a young man, he held many odd jobs before breaking into films. Handsome, talented, and ambitious, he soon made a name for himself in Hollywood.

I. M. Pei was a Chinese-American architect who drew inspiration from the garden villas at Suzhou when he was young. He is credited with founding I. M. Pei & Associates, an independent design firm, in 1955. Today, the award-winning firm is known by the name, Pei Cobb Freed & Partners. Pei is known for designing structures like the Mesa Laboratory.

Former child actor and teen idol Philip McKeon is best known as Tommy Hyatt from the long-running sitcom Alice. He has also appeared in film such as Ghoulies 4 and in series such as The Love Boat. He is the older brother of actor Nancy McKeon.

A veteran actor with a career spanning six decades, Ron Leibman was best known for his work as a theater actor. He was the recipient of one Drama Desk Award and one Tony Award. He appeared in over 500 performances of the play Rumors in a span of three years. He had also acted in many films and TV shows. 

The second son of Hilton Hotels founder Conrad Hilton, Barron Hilton was initially a skilled photographer and had even learned to fly planes. A sports enthusiast, he had also been the AFL president. A philanthropist, too, he left 97% of his wealth to his own charitable foundation.