Famous People Who Died In 2002

Lisa Lopes, popularly known as “Left Eye,” was a member of the Grammy-winning hip-hop/R&B girl band TLC. Apart from rapping and singing, she also co-wrote songs and managed the band’s outfits, album titles, and artworks. Lopes died in a car accident in Honduras, leaving behind her incomplete second solo album.

A multitalented personality, Richard Harris was an Irish actor, singer, director and writer. He began as a stage actor and later moved to films. His famous films include This Sporting Life, Camelot, A Man Called Horse, Gladiator and the first two Harry Potter films. He released numerous musical albums, published a poetry book and ventured into film direction with Bloomfield.

Layne Staley was an American musician best known for his tenor voice and distinct vocal style. The original lead singer of the band Alice in Chains, Layne Staley is credited with the success of the rock band in the early-1990s. His untimely demise at age 34 has inspired several songs, such as Bleeding The Orchid, and a couple of biographies.

A rebellion at heart with a colourful personality, Princess Margaret Rose Windsor, Countess of Snowdon could not be more different from her reserved elder sister, Queen Elizabeth II. Known for her lavish lifestyle filled with parties and drinks and glamour, this fiercely independent Royal’s life was rocked with scandals and unfulfilled romances.

James Coburn was an American actor who played the quintessential tough guy roles in action and Western films throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was characterized by his lanky physique and toothy grin. A martial arts student, Coburn was a close friend of Bruce Lee; he was one of the pallbearers at Bruce Lee's funeral in 1973.

Ted Williams was an American baseball player who spent his entire 19-year MLB career with the Boston Red Sox. A nineteen-time All-Star and two-time Triple Crown winner, Ted Williams is widely considered one of the greatest hitters in the history of baseball. In 1991, he was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Robert Urich was an American actor whose contribution to the TV industry earned him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; he was the only person on the walk with a name starting with the alphabet U until Usher was added. Apart from his contribution to the entertainment industry, Robert Urich also worked towards raising money for cancer research.

Milton Berle was part of the initial Golden Age of Television, and his significant TV roles earned him the nicknames Uncle Miltie and Mr. Television. The multiple Emmy-winning artist began as a child actor on stage and in silent films and later gained fame on Texaco Star Theatre.

John Entwistle was an English singer-songwriter, bass guitarist, and music producer. He is credited with co-founding the popular rock band, The Who, for which he served as the original bass guitarist and backing vocalist. Nicknamed Thunderfingers, Entwistle was named in Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Bass Players list. He was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Billy Wilder was an Austrian-born American film producer, screenwriter, and director. Widely considered one of the most versatile and brilliant filmmakers of Classical Hollywood cinema, Wilder became the first person to win Oscars as a screenwriter, director, and producer for his 1960 film The Apartment.

Rod Steiger was an American actor. Regarded as one of Hollywood's most dynamic and charismatic stars, Steiger often played offbeat, volatile, and crazed characters. A well-known method actor, Rod Steiger received the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of police chief Bill Gillespie in the 1967 mystery drama film, In the Heat of the Night.

Johnny Unitas was an American football player who played as a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). A three-time NFL champion and three-time NFL Most Valuable Player, Unitas is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the NFL. In 1979, Johnny Unitas was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Douglas Glenn Colvin, or Dee Dee Ramone, was a co-founder, bassist, and singer of the punk rock band The Ramones. He had also written some of the band’s hits such as Wart Hog and Rockaway Beach. He had a lifelong struggle with heroin addiction and died of a drug overdose.

Merlin Santana was an American actor who played important roles on TV series like The Cosby Show and The Steve Harvey Show. He was shot dead at the age of 26 by Damien Andre Gates who was later convicted of first-degree murder. Merlin Santana's untimely death was mourned by several celebrities.

Chuck Jones was an American animator, painter, and voice actor. Jones is best remembered for his work on Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes. He is credited with founding Chuck Jones Enterprises where he produced and directed the film adaptation of The Phantom Tollbooth. During the course of his career, Chuck Jones received three Academy Awards and the Edward MacDowell Medal.

Dhirubhai Ambani was an Indian business tycoon. He is credited with founding Reliance Industries, which is currently the largest company in the country in terms of revenue. Dhirubhai Ambani's life and career inspired the 2007 drama film Guru, in which his character was portrayed by Abhishek Bachchan.

Spike Milligan was a British-Irish actor, writer, poet, comedian, and playwright. He is credited with co-creating and writing the popular radio comedy program, The Goon Show. His comic novel Puckoon has been adapted into a film and stage play. In August 1999, BBC conducted a poll, according to which Spike was voted the funniest person of the last millennium.

Astrid Lindgren was a Swedish writer remembered for authoring children's book series and children's fantasy novels. In 1967, the Astrid Lindgren Prize was established in her honor. Lindgren was honored with the Right Livelihood Award in 1994 for her work as a children's writer. In 2017, it was revealed that Lindgren is the 18th most translated author in the world. 

Stephen Jay Gould was an American evolutionary biologist, paleontologist, and historian of science. One of the most widely read and influential authors of popular science, Gould was named a Living Legend in April 2000 by the US Library of Congress. He is also counted among the most frequently cited scientists, as far as evolutionary theory is concerned.

Byron White was an American lawyer and football player. He served as an associate justice of the US Supreme Court from 1962 to 1993. Before beginning his legal career, White was part of the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National Football League. He also played a crucial role during World War II, serving as an intelligence officer in the US Navy.

Hansie Cronje was a South African international cricketer. He captained the South African national cricket team in the 1990s. In 2000, he was implicated in a cricket match-fixing scandal and banned from the sport for life. He died in a plane crash in 2002. It was rumored that he was murdered on the orders of a cricket betting syndicate.

Known to fans as The Slammer, American golfer Sam Snead ruled the PGA scene for decades and won more than 185 tournaments throughout his career. His record of 82 PGA tour victories remains unbroken. Cartoonist and golf lover Charles M. Schulz mentioned Snead often in his Peanuts strip.

Bob Hayes was an American athlete and a football player. An Olympic gold medalist and a Super Bowl ring winner, Hayes was inducted into both Pro Football Hall of Fame as well as the United States Olympic Hall of Fame. He won gold medal in 100m and 4 x 100m relay in 1964 Tokto Oympics  Hayes was once regarded as the world's fastest human.

Lonnie Donegan was a British musician and singer-songwriter. He is remembered for his contribution to a genre of folk music called Skiffle which earned him the nickname King of Skiffle. Donegan is credited with influencing British rock and pop musicians of the 1960s. Thanks to his influence on American music, Donegan is considered an important figure in the British invasion.