Obituaries
Rob Reiner said he was ‘never, ever too busy’ for his son
In 2015, Reiner collaborated with his son, Nick Reiner, on Being Charlie, a story about addiction, loosely based on Nick's experiences. Rob Reiner talked about the film with Fresh Air in September.
‘General Hospital’ star Anthony Geary of Luke and Laura fame dies at 78
Anthony Geary, who rose to fame in the 1970s and '80s as half the daytime TV super couple Luke and Laura on "General Hospital," has died. He was 78.
Remembering Rob Reiner, who made movies for people who love them
The movies Reiner directed, from A Few Good Men to The Princess Bride, weren't just good — they were people's favorites, the types of films people come back to again and again.
‘The Mask’ and ‘Pulp Fiction’ actor Peter Greene dies at 60
The character actor was best known for playing villains in movies like Pulp Fiction and The Mask. Greene was found dead in his New York City apartment on Friday, his manager and friend told NPR.
Author Sophie Kinsella, who penned the ‘Shopaholic’ books, has died at 55
The author, whose real name was Madeleine Sophie Wickham, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer in late 2022.
Raul Malo, lead singer of The Mavericks, has died at 60
The son of Cuban immigrants, Malo and his band blended country, rock and roll, folk, jump blues, Latin music and Cajun rhythms into a distinct sound anchored by his unmistakable voice.
Rafael Ithier, a legend of salsa music, dies at 99
The pianist, composer and arranger spent more than six decades turning El Gran Combo into one of the premier salsa institutions of Latin America and beyond.
Frank Gehry, whose designs defied gravity and convention, dies at 96
Gehry transformed modern architecture with exuberant buildings such as the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Guggenheim Museum. "I've always been for optimism and architecture not being sad," he said.
American chess grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky dies at 29
The Charlotte Chess Center, where Naroditsky trained and worked as a coach, announced his death, calling him "a talented chess player, educator, and beloved member of the chess community."
Former Japanese PM Murayama, known for apology over wartime aggression, dies at 101
Tomiichi Murayama, Japan's prime minister from 1994, was best known for the "Murayama Statement," an apology delivered on the 50th anniversary of Japan's World War II surrender.
Ace Frehley, lead guitarist in Kiss, dies at 74
The co-founding member of the band was known as the Spaceman and had a hit single of his own in "New York Groove."
NPR ‘founding mother’ Susan Stamberg has died
Susan Stamberg, an original National Public Radio staffer who went on to become the first U.S. woman to anchor a nightly national news program, has died.
D’Angelo, R&B’s reluctant icon, has died at 51
The expressive singer made just three albums, including his 1995 debut, Brown Sugar, but retreated from the public after each. He had been battling cancer, according to a statement from his family.
Hollywood’s quirky leading lady, Diane Keaton, dies aged 79
Diane Keaton, who remained one of Hollywood's quirkiest and most beloved actors decades after her Academy Award-winning performance in the movie Annie Hall, has died aged 79.
Diane Keaton, Oscar-winning star of ‘Annie Hall’ and ‘The Godfather,’ dies at 79
The actor, known for her quirky, vibrant manner and depth was 79. Across her decades-long career, she worked with prominent filmmakers including Francis Ford Coppola, Woody Allen and Nancy Meyers.
Jane Goodall, legendary primatologist, has died at age 91
Jane Goodall, primatologist who transformed our understanding of the lives of apes, has died, according to an announcement from the Jane Goodall Institute.
George E. Hardy, Tuskegee Airman, dies at 100
George E. Hardy was the youngest Red Tail fighter pilot at 19 years old and completed 21 missions across Europe during World War II.
Assata Shakur, a fugitive Black militant sought by the U.S. since 1979, dies in Cuba
Assata Shakur, a Black liberation activist who was given political asylum in Cuba after her 1979 escape from a U.S. prison, has died. Officials in New Jersey, where Shakur had been arrested, convicted and imprisoned, said she was 78.
‘I was quite a maverick kid’ — ‘Fresh Air’ went behind the scenes with Robert Redford
The legendary actor died Tuesday at 89. "I wasn't learning the way I was supposed to learn ..." he explained in 2013. "I realized that my education was going to happen when I got out in the world."
Robert Redford knew how to make a thriller
Robert Redford could do drama. He championed small films. And he made thrillers that are perfect for curling up on the couch on a weekend afternoon.
Movie star and visionary Robert Redford has died at age 89
A movie star to his core, Robert Redford has died after a visionary career in cinema, including founding the Sundance Institute that transformed the market for independent films.
Hermeto Pascoal, whimsical Brazilian composer nicknamed ‘The Sorcerer,’ dies at 89
Pascoal said he had composed thousands of pieces. "I am 100 percent intuitive," he once told NPR. Miles Davis called him one of the most important musicians in the world.
Bobby Hart, who co-wrote ‘Last Train to Clarksville’ and other Monkees hits, dies
Bobby Hart teamed with Tommy Boyce on such hits as "Last Train to Clarksville" and "I'm Not Your Steppin' Stone."
Earl Richardson, an educator ‘armed with history’ and who changed HBCUs, dies
Richardson, a former president at Baltimore's Morgan State University, led a lawsuit that ended in a historic settlement for four historically Black colleges and universities in Maryland. He was 81.
Charlie Kirk, a Trump ally and voice for young conservatives, dies at age 31
Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was arguably the most influential voice in young conservatism, and played a pivotal role in President Trump's return to the White House.
Christoph Von Dohnányi, longtime conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra, has died
Known for his intellectual and illuminating touch on the podium, the refined conductor was also surprisingly outspoken when it came to politics and his peers.
Davey Johnson, who won 2 World Series with Orioles, managed Mets to title, dies at 82
Davey Johnson, an All-Star second baseman who won the World Series twice with the Baltimore Orioles as a player and managed the New York Mets to the title in 1986, died Friday.
Ken Dryden, Hall of Fame goalie for the Montreal Canadiens, dies at age 78
Dryden backstopped the NHL's most successful franchise to championships in six of his eight seasons in the league from 1970-71 to '78-79. He died after a fight with cancer.
Fashion designer Giorgio Armani, whose name became synonymous with luxury, dies at 91
Armani's clothes highlight the body as an object of art. Celebrities have flaunted his fashion on red carpets for decades. He revolutionized the suit jacket, with casual silhouettes and softer colors.
Oscar-nominated actor Graham Greene, of ‘Dances With Wolves,’ dies at 73
One of the most respected Indigenous actors of his generation, Greene appeared in more than 200 television shows and movies. He played a Lakota warrior in the 1990 blockbuster Dancing With Wolves.
Focus on the Family Founder James Dobson dies at 89
Conservative Christian leader James Dobson, who founded Focus on the Family and was once called "the nation's most influential evangelical leader," died Thursday.
Terence Stamp, ’60s British film legend and star of ‘Superman,’ dies at 87
The English actor was best known for starring as the arch-villain in the original Superman films and for depicting the title character in Billy Budd.
