Remembering those we lost in the film world in 2016
- Published
Alan Rickman, the memorably lugubrious star of Die Hard, Truly, Madly, Deeply and the Harry Potter films, died in January aged 69. Famous for playing villains on screen, he was perfectly cast in the Potter series as the saturnine Severus Snape.
Burt Kwouk, who died in May aged 85, appeared in three James Bond films and countless TV shows. Yet he is likely to be best remembered for playing manservant Cato Fong, opposite Peter Sellers' Inspector Clouseau, in the Pink Panther series.
The sudden death in June of actor Anton Yelchin robbed the world of a bright talent at the tragically youthful age of 27. Best known for playing Star Trek's Chekov, he was killed by his own car in a freak accident at his home in Los Angeles.
Garry Marshall, who died in July aged 81, made his name with TV shows like Happy Days before moving to the big screen to direct Beaches, Pretty Woman and The Princess Diaries.
Other directors who passed away included Michael Cimino, best known for The Deer Hunter; Guy Hamilton, director of three James Bond films including Goldfinger; and Curtis Hanson, Oscar-winning director of 8 Mile and LA Confidential.
In August we said goodbye to 83-year-old Gene Wilder, the much-loved actor whose roles in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The Producers and Young Frankenstein firmly established him as one of Hollywood's top comedy talents.
Alexis Arquette - pictured with sisters Rosanna and Patricia - died in September aged 47. According to her siblings, the transgender actress and activist died while listening to David Bowie's music.
Though best known for singing Audrey Hepburn's parts in My Fair Lady, the late Marni Nixon did appear in person in such films as The Sound of Music. Charmian Carr, another member of that classic musical's cast, was 73 when she passed away in September.
Actor Bill Nunn was another loss in September. He appeared in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy and nursed Harrison Ford in Regarding Henry. Yet he will be best known for playing "Radio" Raheem in Spike Lee's 1989 film Do the Right Thing.
Other actors who left us this year included Kenny Baker, synonymous with R2-D2 in the Star Wars films; the distinguished Frank Finlay, star of The Three Musketeers; and George Kennedy, Oscar-winning star of Cool Hand Luke and Airport.
In the run-up to Christmas, we said goodbye to Zsa Zsa Gabor, the Hungarian-born beauty whose on-screen credits were overshadowed by her colourful life off camera.
French screen star Michele Morgan also departed in December. Pictured here in 1948, Morgan starred in 1938's Quai des Brumes and won the first best actress prize at the Cannes film festival.
On 27 December we lost US actress Carrie Fisher, who will be best remembered for her role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars series. Fisher, who was 60, died following a cardiac arrest on a flight from London to Los Angeles just before Christmas.
Just a day after the death of her daughter Carrie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds died at the age of 84. US media reported she had a stroke on 28 December and her son Todd confirmed her death later that day. Reynolds was best known for her starring role alongside Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain in 1952.