Terrence McNally, Joe Diffie are among celebrities who have died from coronavirus
First the coronavirus outbreak shuttered entertainment venues and events around the world. And now it is starting to claim the lives of artists, entertainers and other celebrated figures.
Here is a list of notable names among the tens of thousands of COVID-19 deaths worldwide. Sadly, it will be updated regularly, as will the tally of celebrities who are testing positive for the novel coronavirus.
Terrence McNally, playwright (1938-2020)
"Timing is everything in the theater, and Terrence McNally, a Broadway maestro who exuded eternal gratitude for the life the stage had given him, knew the importance of making a meaningful exit," wrote Times critic Charles McNulty in his appreciation.
"Having survived the AIDS epidemic and lung cancer, he died of complications from coronavirus on [March 24] at age 81. As the nation and the world are left reeling from the new pandemic, McNally, whose plays and musicals preached a gospel of living more fully through an awareness of loss, urges us through his death to take this disease seriously and to care for ourselves and one other — just as he instructed us to do in an earlier plague when he was a playwright at the top of his game."
Floyd Cardoz, restaurateur-chef (1960-2020)
Chef Cardoz — who competed on “Top Chef,” won “Top Chef Masters” and operated successful restaurants in both India and New York — died March 25 of complications from the coronavirus, his company said in a statement. He was 59.
Cardoz had traveled from Mumbai to New York through Frankfurt, Germany, on March 8. He was hospitalized with a fever in New Jersey a week before his death and subsequently tested positive for COVID-19.
Mark Blum, actor (1950-2020)
Blum, the actor known for roles in “'Crocodile' Dundee” and “Desperately Seeking Susan,” died March 25 from complications of COVID-19. He was 69.
Blum died at New York Presbyterian Hospital after being diagnosed a week prior with the coronavirus, said Janet Zarish, his wife of 15 years. The couple had not traveled recently or knowingly been in contact with anyone with the virus, she said, but Blum had asthma.
Manu Dibango, saxophonist (1933-2020)
Jazz musician Manu Dibango, who fused African rhythms with funk to become one of the most influential musicians in world dance music, died March 24 of an illness linked to the coronavirus, according to his music publisher. He was 86.
The Cameroon-born saxophonist, who gained international fame with his 1972 song “Soul Makossa,” died in a hospital in the Paris region.
Joe Diffie, country singer-songwriter (1958-2020)
A star of the 1990s country scene, Diffie died March 29 of complications related to COVID-19, according to publicist Scott Adkins. Diffie was 61.
Diffie had five No. 1 hits on the Billboard country chart, including "Home," "If the Devil Danced (in Empty Pockets)," "Third Rock From the Sun," "Pickup Man" and "Bigger Than the Beatles." A native of Tulsa, Okla., Diffie also wrote hits for others, including Tim McGraw, Conway Twitty and Jo Dee Messina.
Ken Shimura, comedian (1950-2020)
Popular Japanese comedian Shimura died March 29 from the coronavirus infection, becoming Japan’s first known celebrity to be a victim of the disease. He was 70.
Shimura, who attracted fans of all generations with his slapstick comedy and funny faces, had been treated at a Tokyo hospital, according to his agency, Izawa Office. He was diagnosed with pneumonia after contracting the coronavirus.
Alan Merrill, musician/songwriter (1951-2020)
Merrill — who co-wrote the song “I Love Rock and Roll,” which became a signature hit for fellow rocker Joan Jett — died March 29 in New York of complications from the coronavirus. He was 69.
Daughter Laura Merrill shared the news on her Facebook page, writing, “I was given 2 minutes to say my goodbyes before I was rushed out. He seemed peaceful and as I left there was still a glimmer of hope that he wouldn’t be a ticker on the right hand side of the CNN/Fox news screen,” she wrote. “I walked 50 blocks home still with hope in my heart. The city that I knew was empty. ... By the time I got in the doors to my apartment I received the news that he was gone.”
Andrew Jack, dialect coach/actor (1944-2020)
We lost a man today. Andrew Jack was diagnosed with Coronavirus 2 days ago. He was in no pain, and he slipped away peacefully knowing that his family were all 'with' him.
Take care out there, lovers x@RealHughJackman @chrishemsworth @RobertDowneyJr pic.twitter.com/fm5LevA8n2— Gabrielle Rogers (@GabrielleRoger1) March 31, 2020
Jack died early March 31 from COVID-19 complications at a hospital near London, his rep confirmed to TMZ.
The dialect coach worked on accents with stars including Robert Downey Jr., Emma Thompson, Liam Hemsworth and Pierce Brosnan and helped create the dialects for the various fictional languages in the "Lord of the Rings" movies.
The 76-year-old also appeared periodically as an actor in movies including "Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens," "Sherlock Holmes" and "Avengers: Endgame."
"He was in no pain, and he slipped away peacefully knowing that his family were all 'with' him," his wife, Gabrielle Rogers, wrote on Twitter. Rogers, who is also a voice, dialect and acting coach, was reportedly quarantined in Australia when Jack died.
