The Unforgettable Legacies: 6 Iconic Actresses Hollywood Lost In 2024

The year 2024 has marked a period of profound loss for the global entertainment community, as we bid farewell to a roster of immensely talented actresses whose work spanned decades, from the Golden Age of Hollywood to modern television classics. The passing of these stars, whose careers collectively garnered Oscars, Tonys, and Emmys, leaves an undeniable void in the world of film, television, and theatre.

This tribute serves as a detailed remembrance, focusing on the lives, most iconic roles, and final moments of the notable actresses who passed away in 2024, ensuring their contributions to the arts are not forgotten. The list includes beloved figures whose deaths were widely mourned, such as a Beverly Hills, 90210 star and a Harry Potter legend, offering a fresh, current-date perspective on their enduring legacies.

In Memoriam: The Iconic Actresses Who Passed Away in 2024

The following list details the lives and careers of the most prominent actresses who died in 2024, offering a biographical profile for each star.

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1. Dame Maggie Smith (1934–2024)

• Full Name: Dame Margaret Natalie Smith
• Born: December 28, 1934, Ilford, Essex, England
• Died: September 27, 2024, London, England
• Age: 89
• Cause of Death: Passed away peacefully in a hospital (unspecified illness).
• Career Highlights: A triple-crown winner of acting (Oscar, Emmy, Tony), she was one of the most decorated actresses in history. Her career spanned over 70 years.
• Iconic Roles: Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter film series, Violet Crawley in Downton Abbey, and the title role in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (for which she won her first Oscar).

2. Shannen Doherty (1971–2024)

• Full Name: Shannen Maria Doherty
• Born: April 12, 1971, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
• Died: July 13, 2024, Malibu, California, U.S.
• Age: 53
• Cause of Death: Metastatic breast cancer.
• Career Highlights: A defining figure in 1990s television, her career was marked by strong, often rebellious female characters.
• Iconic Roles: Brenda Walsh in Beverly Hills, 90210, Prue Halliwell in Charmed, and Heather Duke in the cult classic film Heathers.

3. Shelley Duvall (1949–2024)

• Full Name: Shelley Alexis Duvall
• Born: July 7, 1949, Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
• Died: July 11, 2024, Blanco, Texas, U.S.
• Age: 75
• Cause of Death: Complications from diabetes.
• Career Highlights: Known for her distinctive look and work with auteur directors like Robert Altman and Stanley Kubrick, she was a Golden Globe nominee and Emmy winner.
• Iconic Roles: Wendy Torrance in The Shining, the title role in Popeye, and roles in Annie Hall and Nashville.

4. Glynis Johns (1923–2024)

• Full Name: Glynis Margaret Payne Johns
• Born: October 5, 1923, Pretoria, South Africa
• Died: January 4, 2024, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
• Age: 100
• Cause of Death: Natural causes.
• Career Highlights: A British actress and singer whose career spanned over seven decades, she was an Oscar nominee and a Tony Award winner.
• Iconic Roles: Winifred Banks (Mrs. Banks) in Disney’s Mary Poppins and Desiree Armfeldt in the original Broadway production of A Little Night Music, for which she won a Tony.

5. Chita Rivera (1933–2024)

• Full Name: Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero
• Born: January 23, 1933, Washington, D.C., U.S.
• Died: January 30, 2024, New York City, New York, U.S.
• Age: 91
• Cause of Death: A short illness.
• Career Highlights: A legendary American actress, dancer, and singer, she was a Broadway icon, receiving 10 Tony Award nominations and winning two.
• Iconic Roles: Anita in the original 1957 production of West Side Story, Velma Kelly in Chicago, and the title role in Kiss of the Spider Woman.

6. Helen Gallagher (1926–2024)

• Full Name: Helen Gallagher
• Born: July 19, 1926, New York City, New York, U.S.
• Died: November 24, 2024, Manhattan, New York, U.S.
• Age: 98
• Cause of Death: Unspecified.
• Career Highlights: A celebrated American actress, dancer, and singer, she achieved the rare feat of winning both Tony and Daytime Emmy Awards.
• Iconic Roles: Maeve Ryan in the soap opera Ryan's Hope (winning three Daytime Emmys) and roles in classic Broadway musicals like Pal Joey and Sweet Charity.

The Enduring Legacy of Shannen Doherty's Battle and Career

Shannen Doherty's death in July 2024 at the age of 53 was one of the most widely reported and emotionally resonant celebrity losses of the year.

Her passing from metastatic breast cancer, a disease she had bravely chronicled since her initial diagnosis in 2015, brought a somber close to a life lived fiercely in the public eye.

Doherty’s career was defined by her breakout role as Brenda Walsh in Beverly Hills, 90210, a show that defined a generation of teen drama.

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She later cemented her status in pop culture as Prue Halliwell on the supernatural hit Charmed.

Beyond her television success, her performance in the 1988 dark comedy Heathers remains a testament to her sharp, uncompromising acting talent.

Her public transparency about her cancer journey transformed her into an advocate and a symbol of resilience, offering an unvarnished look at the realities of fighting the disease, which resonated deeply with fans and the public alike.

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Dame Maggie Smith: A Global Icon's Final Curtain Call

The world paused on September 27, 2024, with the news of Dame Maggie Smith’s death. At 89, she left behind a legacy that is virtually unmatched in its breadth and critical acclaim, spanning over seven decades of work in film, television, and theatre.

Dame Maggie Smith was known for her unparalleled wit and commanding presence, making her a formidable figure in any role she undertook.

For younger generations, she is instantly recognizable as the stern but secretly kind Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter franchise, a role that showcased her ability to balance gravitas with an underlying warmth.

However, it was her portrayal of the Dowager Countess Violet Crawley in Downton Abbey that introduced her to a new global audience, earning her multiple Emmy Awards and solidifying her status as a cultural phenomenon.

Her career triumphs included two Academy Awards (for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and California Suite), a Tony Award, and four Emmy Awards, making her one of the few performers to achieve the "Triple Crown of Acting."

Remembering the Versatility of Shelley Duvall and Glynis Johns

The losses in 2024 also included two actresses whose careers highlight incredible versatility and unique cinematic contributions: Shelley Duvall and Glynis Johns.

Shelley Duvall: The Auteur's Muse

Shelley Duvall’s passing in July 2024 at age 75 marked the end of a unique acting career that began almost accidentally.

Discovered by director Robert Altman, she became a muse for the auteur cinema movement of the 1970s, starring in films like Nashville and 3 Women, the latter earning her a Cannes Film Festival Best Actress award.

Her most famous and demanding role was as Wendy Torrance, the fragile wife in Stanley Kubrick's psychological horror masterpiece, The Shining.

Duvall’s later career also included her beloved children's television series, Faerie Tale Theatre, which earned her an Emmy Award nomination.

Glynis Johns: The Centenarian Star

Kicking off the year of losses, Glynis Johns died in January 2024 at the remarkable age of 100.

The British star was an international treasure whose career spanned from the 1930s to the early 2000s.

Johns is perhaps best known to millions as the suffragette mother, Winifred Banks, in the 1964 Disney classic Mary Poppins, where she famously sang the rousing "Sister Suffragette."

She also had a distinguished stage career, winning a Tony Award for her performance of "Send in the Clowns" in Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music, a song written specifically for her unique, husky voice.

The passing of these actresses—Dame Maggie Smith, Shannen Doherty, Shelley Duvall, Glynis Johns, Chita Rivera, and Helen Gallagher—serves as a poignant reminder of the power of performance and the indelible mark left by true artists on our collective culture.