2020 has been a bizarre year due to the pandemic, which adversely impacted the film, TV show and comic book industries. And, as we do each year, we want to remember and honor those #SciFi & #Fantasy artists that the world has lost over the past year. In 2019, we lost at least 32 artists. This year we lost at least 25.
Many of the sci-fi & fantasy franchises that were impacted by the deaths that occurred in 2020 are listed below.
- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
- The Avengers (British TV series)
- Battle Beyond the Stars
- The Bionic Woman
- D.C. Comics (Wonder Woman)
- Doctor Who
- Fantasy Island
- The Fantastic Journey
- The Fifth Element
- Game of Thrones
- The Immortal
- J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth
- Knight Rider
- The Light at the Edge of the World
- Mad Max
- Marvel Comics (Black Panther, Captain America, the Avengers)
- Night Gallery
- The Powers of Matthew Star
- The Ray Bradbury Theater
- Robot Jox
- Saturn 3
- Six Million Dollar Man
- Star Trek
- Star Wars
- Strange New World
- Tales from the Crypt
- The Time Tunnel
- Touched by an Angel
- Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
- The Wild Wild West
Our condolences to all of the families, friends & fans of the following artists that we lost in 2020.
January
Author & illustrator Christopher John Reuel Tolkien passed away at the age 95 on Jan. 16, 2020. Born on Nov. 21, 1924, he was the third & youngest son of the author J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973), as well as the editor of much of his father’s posthumously published work. He drew the original maps for his father’s #TheLordOfTheRings books, which he signed as C.J.R.T.
From a child, Christopher Tolkien had long been part of the critical audience for his father’s fiction, such as listening to his father’s tales of Bilbo Baggins, which were published as #TheHobbit. As a teenager and young adult, he offered a lot of feedback on “The Lord of the Rings” during its 15-year development. He also had the task of interpreting his father’s sometimes self-contradictory maps of Middle-earth in order to produce the versions that were used in the books. He re-drew the main map in the late 1970’s to clarify the lettering and correct some errors and omissions.
J.R.R. Tolkien had written a large amount of material connected to the Middle-earth legendarium that was not published during his lifetime. He had originally intended to publish #TheSilmarillion along with “The Lord of the Rings”, and parts of it were in a finished state when he died in 1973; but the project was incomplete.
Once referring to his son Christopher as his “chief critic and collaborator”, J.R.R. Tolkien had named Christopher his literary executor in his will. With this authority, Christopher organized the masses of his father’s unpublished writings, some of which had been written on odd scraps of paper a half-century earlier. Much of the material was handwritten. Complicating matters, his father would sometimes write a newer draft over a half-erased first draft. Also, it was not uncommon for the names of characters routinely changing between the beginning and ending of the same draft.
Christopher worked on the manuscripts and was able to produce an edition of “The Silmarillion” for publication in 1977. His assistant for part of the work was Guy Gavriel Kay, who became a noted fantasy author himself.
“The Silmarillion” was followed by “Unfinished Tales” in 1980 and “The History of Middle-earth” in 12 volumes between 1983 and 1996. Most of the original source-texts have been made public from which “The Silmarillion” was constructed.
In April 2007, Christopher Tolkien published “The Children of Húrin”, whose story his father had brought to a relatively complete stage between 1951 and 1957 before abandoning it. This was one of J.R.R. Tolkien’s earliest stories. Its first version dated back to 1918, and several versions were published in “The Silmarillion”, “Unfinished Tales”, and “The History of Middle-earth”.
“The Children of Húrin” is a synthesis of these and other sources. “Beren and Lúthien” is an editorial work and was published as a stand-alone book in 2017. The next year, “The Fall of Gondolin” was published also as an editorial work. “The Children of Húrin”, “Beren and Lúthien”, and “The Fall of Gondolin” make up the three “Great Tales” of the Elder Days, which J.R.R. Tolkien considered to be the biggest stories of the First Age.
Christopher served as chairman of the Tolkien Estate, Ltd., which was the entity formed to handle the business side of his father’s literary legacy. He also served as a trustee of the Tolkien Charitable Trust until his retirement in 2018.
In 2001, Christopher expressed doubts over “The Lord of the Rings” film trilogy that was directed by Peter Jackson. He questioned the viability of a film interpretation that retained the essence of the work, but stressed that this was just his opinion. In 2008, he commenced legal proceedings against New Line Cinema, which he claimed owed his family £80 million in unpaid royalties. In September, 2009, he and New Line reached an undisclosed settlement. He also withdrew his legal objection to “The Hobbit” films. But, in a 2012 interview with “Le Monde”, he criticised the films saying, “They gutted the book, making an action film for 15 to 25-year-olds.”
Actor Robert Leroy Sampson died on Jan. 18, 2020 at the age of 86. He played Sar 6 in #StarTrek #TOS, Chris Miller in #TheTwilightZone, Lt. Peter Chandler in #TheOuterLimits, Capt. Williams in #VoyageToTheBottomOfTheSea, Chuck Hutchins in #TheImmortal, Dr. Akers / Bo Taggart in #WonderWoman (TV series), Dixon in #KnightRider, Ron Elliott in #ThePowersOfMatthewStar, Henry Innis in #Automan, Commissioner Jameson in #RobotJox, & more.
Writer & director Terry Jones died at the age of 77 on Jan 21, 2020. He played Dennis’s Mother / Sir Bedevere / Left Head / Prince Herbert / Voice of Cartoon Scribe in #MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail, which he also co-wrote and co-directed. He played King Arnulf in #EricTheViking, which he also wrote & directed. He played Toad in #MrToadsWildRide, which he directed and co-wrote. He played Scientist Alien (voice) / Van Driver in #AbsolutelyAnything, which he directed and co-wrote. He played poacher in #Jabberwocky, Prof. Mac Krill (English voice) in #AFishTail (“Hjælp! Jeg er en fisk”), Messenger Bird (voice) in #Dinotopia (2002 miniseries), Mr. Kreosote in #StrangerThanFiction, & more, including playing a variety of characters in the British sketch comedy series #MontyPythonsFlyingCircus, for which he also wrote a number of the sketches.
Actress Marj Dusay died on Jan. 28, 2020, at the age 83. She played Kara in “#StarTrek: #TOS”, Dr. Brandes in #TheBionicWoman, Mildred in #Galactica1980, Rachel in #TheFantasticJourney (TV series), Dr. Brandes in #TheBionicWoman, Dolores Hammond / Crystal Fair in #TheWildWildWest, KAOS girl in #GetSmart, & much more.
Actor & miscellaneous crew member Alan Harris died on Jan. 31, 2020 at the age of 81. He played Leia’s Rebel Escort in “#StarWars IV: #ANewHope”, Bossk / Bespin Security Guard / stand-in for C-3PO for Anthony Daniels in “Star Wars V: #TheEmpireStrikesBack”, Stormtrooper / stand-in for C-3PO for Anthony Daniels in “Star Wars VI: #ReturnOfTheJedi”, double for actor Terrence stamp as Chancellor Finis Valorum in “Star Wars I: #ThePhantomMenace”; Vervoid / Sevateem Council Member in #DoctorWho; Main Mission Operative / Alphan / Entran Prisoner / Patient in #Space1999; Skydiver Engineer / Interceptor Pilot in #GerryAnderson’s #UFO; man in street in #Scrooge; prison guard in #AClockworkOrange; photographer in #JourneyToTheFarSideOfTheSun; Doctor / Hotel Porter / Journalist / Man at Party in #TheAvengers (TV series); an uncredited stand-in for Peter Hinwood in #RockyHorrorPictureShow; stand-in in #TheDarkCrystal; stand-in for Christopher Reeve & Gene Hackman in #Superman (1978), stand-in for Gene Hackman in “Superman II”; & more.
February
Legendary Hollywood actor Kirk Douglas has died at the age of 103 on Feb. 5, 2020. He played Ned Land in #20000LeaguesUnderTheSea, Denton in #TheLightAtTheEdgeOfTheWorld, Adam in #Saturn3, Capt. Matthew Leland in #TheFinalCountdown, General Kalthrob in #TalesFromTheCrypt, Ross Burger in #TouchedByAnAngel, & more, including playing Spartacus in the classic 1960 drama #Spartacus. He was awarded an honorary Oscar in 1996, and was nominated 3 times for Best Actor for his roles in #Champion (1949), #TheBadAndTheBeautiful (1952) & #LustForLife (1956). He was a true Hollywood icon.
Actor Kevin Conway has died at the age of 77 on Feb. 5, 2020. He played Kahless in “#StarTrek: #TNG”, Donavon Stamp in #LifeOnMars, operative at warehouse in #DarkAngel, the control voice in #TheOuterLimits, & more.
Young British actor Raphael Coleman, a.k.a., Iggy Fox, died at the age of 25 on Feb. 7, 2020. He had played Eric Brown in #NannyMcPhee, Ronnie Tyler in #TheFourthKind, & more. While the cause of death has not been released, he reportedly collapsed while on a trip. Raphael had left acting to become a zoologist and an advocate for wildlife preservation & climate change awareness.
Actor Robert Conrad has died at the age of 84 on Feb. 8, 2020. He played Jim West in #TheWildWildWest, & more, including playing Maj. Greg ‘Pappy’ Boyington in the World War 2-based action-adventure-drama TV series #BlackSheepSquadron.
Actor Gene Dynarski has passed away at the age of 86 on Feb. 27, 2020 . His death was reported on April 24, 2020, but he died on Feb. 27, 2020. He played Krodac / Ben Childress in “#StarTrek: #TOS”; Cmdr. Orfil Quinteros in #TNG; Benedict in #Batman (1966 TV series); Centaur I / Guard in #VoyageToTheBottomOfTheSea; Warden Barmak in #LandOfTheGiants; Ike in #CloseEncountersOfTheThirdKind; Ernie Stefaniuk in #TheXFiles; Vasil in #TheInvisibleMan (1976 TV series); & more.
March
Actor Max von Sydow died at the age of 90 on March 9, 2020. He played Lor San Tekka in “#StarWarsVII: #TheForceAwakens”, Doctor Kynes in #Dune (1984), Emperor Ming in #FlashGordon (1980), Three-Eyed Raven in #GameOfThrones, King Osric in #CononTheBarbarian (1982), Director Lamar Burgess in #MinorityReport, Judge Fargo in #JudgeDredd, Henry Farber in #UntilTheEndOfTheWorld, Vigo (voice) in “#Ghosbusters II”, Doctor Paul Novotny in the sci-fi / horror film #Dreamscape, uncredited role in #TheIcePirates, & more, including playing Father Merrin in the horror films #TheExorcist & “#Exorcist II: #TheHeretic”.
Actor Lyle Waggoner has died at the age of 84 on March 17, 2020. He played Colonel Steve Trevor, Jr. / Major Steve Trevor in #WonderWoman (TV series); mechanical man #1 in #LostInSpace; Xerko in #MorkAndMindy; Al / Gilberto DeVincenzo / Monty in #FantasyIsland; & much more, including 7 years playing multiple characters on the TV variety show #TheCarolBurnettShow.
April
Actor and dialect coach Andrew Jack has died at the age of 76 from #COVID19 on April 1, 2020. He played Major Ematt in “#StarWars VII: #TheForceAwakens”, “Star Wars VIII: #TheLastJedi”, Moloch (voice) in “#Solo: A Star Wars Story”; & more. He was also a dialect coach (miscellaneous crew) for a large number of films, including #Dolittle, “#Avengers: #Endgame”, “Avengers: #InfinityWar”, “#Thor: #Ragnarok”, “#RogueOne: A Star Wars Story”, #GuardiansOfTheGalaxy, “#SnowWhite and #TheHuntsman”, “#CaptainAmerica: #TheFirstAvenger”, #AlienVsPredator, #TheLordOfTheRings (#TheFellowshipOfTheRing, #TheTwoTowers, #ReturnOfTheKing), & more.
Actress Honor Blackman passed away at the age of 94 on April 6, 2020. She played Catherine Gale in #TheAvengers (1961 TV series, 43 episodes), Professor Lasky in #DoctorWho, & more, including her best known role as Pussy Galore in the James Bond spy film #Goldfinger.
Actor Malcolm Dixon has died at the age of 66 on April 9, 2020. Born in Sept., 1953 (his exact birthdate is unknown), he played Leektar the Ewok Warrior in “#StarWars VI: #ReturnOfTheJedi” (he was also a film extra in “Star Wars IV: #ANewHope), an Oompa Loompa in #WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory, a dwarf in #FlashGordon, Strutter in #TimeBandits, an additional performer in #TheDarkCrystal, Goblin Corps in #Labyrinth, Diddy in #SnowWhite (1987), Nelwyn Band Member in #Willow, & more.
June
British actor Sir Ian Holm died at the age of 88 on June 19, 2020. He played old Bilbo Baggins in #TheHobbit film saga (#AnUnexpectedJourney & #TheBattleOfTheFiveArmies) and #TheLordOfTheRings film saga (#TheFellowshipOfTheRing & #TheReturnOfTheKing); Father Vito Cornelius in #TheFifthElement; Napoleon in #TimeBandits; Ash in #Alien; Terry Rapson in #TheDayAfterTomorrow; Jonas Muller (voice) in #Renaissance; Skinner (voice) in #Ratatouille; Sirius / Boris / the Devil in #SimonMagus; Naville in #ALifeLessOrdinary; Walter Bailiff in #LochNess; Pod in #TheBorrowers (miniseries); Dr. Murnau in #Kafka; Reverend Charles L. Dodgson / Lewis Carroll in #Dreamchild; Mr. Kurtzmann in #Brazil; Puck in #AMidsummerNightsDream; & more.
July
Actor John Saxon died at the age of 84 on July 25, 2020. He played Sador in #BattleBeyondTheStars, Consul Tarrant in #TheFantasticJourney (TV series), Captain Radl in #WonderWoman (TV series), Nedlick in #TheBionicWoman, Nedlick / Maj. Frederick Sloan in #TheSixMillionDollarMan, Capt. Anthony Vico in #StrangeNewWorld (TV movie), Dylan Hunt in #PlanetEarth (TV movie), Ianto in NightGallery, Marco Polo in #TheTimeTunnel, Allan Brenner in the sci-fi / horror film #QueenOfBlood, Dr. Jack Costain in the sci-fi / horror film #BloodBeastFromOuterSpace, Michael Anderson / Cyrano de Bergerac / Monsieur Berandt Sabatier / Evan Watkins / Professor Harold DeHaven / Colin McArthur / Dr. Roger Sullivan in #FantasyIsland, Dudley Stone in #TheRayBradburyTheater, Benjamin O’Connell in #Monsters (TV series), himself in #WesCravensNewNightmare, & more.
August
Actor Chadwick Boseman died at the age of 42 on August 28, 2020. He played T’Challa / Black Panther in “#CaptainAmerica: #CivilWar”, #BlackPanther, “#Avengers: #InfinityWar”, “Avengers: #Endgame”; Thoth in #GodsOfEgypt; Cameron James in #Fringe; & more.
Actress Diana Rigg has passed away at the age of 82 on Sept. 10, 2020. She played Emma Peel / Lola in the British TV series #TheAvengers, Olenna Tyrell in #GameOfThrones, Mrs. Gillyflower in #DoctorWho, Helena in #AMidsummerNightsDream, & much more, including Tracy in the James Bond film #OnHerMajestysSecretService.
October
Scottish-born actor Sir Sean Connery has died at the of 90 on Oct. 31 2020. He played Prof. Henry Jones in “#IndianaJones and the #LastCrusade”; Zed in #Zardoz; Marshall William O’Neil in #Outland; King Agamemnon / fireman in #TimeBandits; the Green Knight in “#SwordOfTheValiant: The Legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”; Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez in #Highlander & “Highlander 2: #TheQuickening”; King Richard in #RobinHood; King Arthur in #FirstKnight; voice of Draco in #Dragonheart; Allan Quatermain in #LeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen; Paul Bradley in #Meteor; & much more, including the original James Bond, 007.
November
Actress Louise Pajo has died at the age of 80 on Nov. 23, 2020. She played Miss Scott / nurse in #GerryAnderson’s #UFO, Gia Kelly in #DoctorWho, Miss Craven in #TheAvengers (1961 British TV series), TV host in #Spellbinder, Helen Masters in #Prisoner, & more.
Venerable British actor David Prowse has died at the age of 85 on Nov. 28, 2020. He played #DarthVader in “#StarWars IV: #ANewHope”, “Star Wars V: #TheEmpireStrikesBack” and “Star Wars VI: #ReturnOfTheJedi”); though the character was voiced by James Earl Jones. David Prowse also played Julian in #ACkockworkOrange, Cloud Creature in #Space1999, Minotaur in #DoctorWho, Red Herring and Black Knights in #Jabberwocky, Android in #TheTomorrowPeople, & more.
December
Actor Hugh Keays-Byrne has died at the age of 73 on Dec. 3, 2020. He played Toecutter in #MadMax (1979), Immortan Joe in “Mad Max: #FuryRoad” (2015), Grunchlk in #Farscape, McNiff in #JourneyToTheCenterOfTheEarth (1999 miniseries), Lord Vile in #TheBloodOfHeroes, Moondance in #Badlands2005 (TV movie), Danny in #Starship, Eagle in #TheChainReaction, & more.
Actor Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister has died at the age of 62, presumably from natural causes on Dec. 10, 2020. He played President Lindberg in #TheFifthElement, Klaang in “#StarTrek: #Enterprise”, GR55 in #UniversalSoldier, tattooed prisoner in #TheDarkKnight, Brother Clarence in #JudgementDay, Digit in #TheMeteorMan, & more.
Actor Jeremy Bulloch died at the age of 75 on Dec. 17, 2020. He played the iconic character of #BobFett and an imperial officer in “#StarWars V: #TheEmpireStrikesBack”, Boba Fett in “Star Wars VI: #ReturnOfTheJedi”, an imperial officer & Capt. Colton in “Star Wars III: #RevengeOfTheSith”; Hal / Tor in #DoctorWho; Landis in #Chocky; Tom Manners in #Thriller (1974 TV series); & more, including playing an HMS Ranger crewman in the James Bond spy film #TheSpyWhoLovedMe, and Smithers in the James Bond films #ForYourEyesOnly & #Octopussy.
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