2000-2009: A Decade of Shocking and Sudden Celebrity Deaths

On New Year's Eve 1999, most people were caught up in the uncertainties of the dreaded Y2K scare. While the New Year 2000 came in with relatively few problems and no major computer crashes, it ushered in a decade that would prove to feature some shocking and sudden celebrity deaths. Here's a look back at some of the most shocking and sudden celebrity deaths of the past 10 years.

Charles Schulz. The death of the beloved Peanuts cartoonist on February 12, 2000 was a sad day for fans of the comic strip. Schulz announced his retirement in late 1999 after he discovered he had colon cancer. While Schulz' death from colon cancer wasn't sudden, the day he died was especially emotional for fans. Charles Schulz died the day before his last original Peanuts comic strip appeared in Sunday newspapers.

Dale Earnhardt. Race car driver Dale Earnhardt died suddenly in a February 2001 crash while racing in the Daytona 500. He was 49 years old.

Aaliyah. The young actress and singer appeared in the movie Romeo Must Die and recorded a hit single for the movie (Try Again). On her way home from a music video shoot in the Bahamas on August 25, 2001, she was killed in a plane crash. It was later found that the pilot of the plane had cocaine and alcohol in his system.

Lisa Left Eye Lopes. The perky singer enjoyed success with hits like Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg and Waterfalls as part of the popular R&B group TLC. She died at the age of 30 in a car crash in Hondurus.

John Ritter. On September 11, 2003 the Three's Company and 8 Simple Rules star wasn't feeling well. He died later that day at age 54 due to an undetected heart problem.

Steve Irwin. The Crocodile Hunter star was doing what he loved best when he died after a freak accident in September, 2006. Irwin was pierced in the chest by a stingray while filming his show in Australia. He was 44 years old.

Anna Nicole Smith. The onetime Playmate and Guess model had recently given birth to her baby daughter, Dannielynne. Smith died suddenly in 2007 after a prescription drug overdose, just 5 months after the sudden death of her son, Daniel.

Heath Ledger. The 28 year old Dark Knight star was in his prime when he died suddenly in January, 2008 of an accidental prescription drug overdose.

Tim Russert. The 58 year old Meet the Press anchor had just returned from a family vacation when he died suddenly of a heart attack in June 2008.

Bernie Mac. The actor/comedian died from complications of pneumonia in August, 2008. He was just 50 years old.

Natasha Richardson. The 45 year old actress and wife of Liam Neesen fell during a March 2009 ski lesson. She later died from head injuries.

Billy Mays. The OxyClean infomercial pitchman died suddenly in June 2009 at age 50 of a heart attack.

David Carradine. The Kung Fu star died of accidental asphyxiation in June 2009. He was 72 years old.

Michael Jackson. June 2009 was a terrible month for celebrity deaths, but the most shocking, unexpected was the death of the King of Pop. Michael Jackson's sudden death at age 50 left his fans and the music world reeling. He left behind 3 children.

John Hughes. The 59 year old director of 80's hit movies like Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club died suddenly of cardiac arrest in August of 2009.

DJ AM. Known off stage as Adam Goldstein, this DJ and musician was one of two survivors in a fatal plane crash in 2008 (the other survivor was Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker). DJ AM's shocking death less than a year later was due to an accidental drug overdose.

Brittany Murphy. The 32 year old star of films like Clueless, 8 Mile and Sin City died suddenly of cardiac arrest on December 20, 2009.

Other Celebrities Who Passed Away this Decade:

Many of these celebrities battled long illnesses prior to their death. While their deaths weren't sudden, these celebrity passings left fans in a state of shock and mourning:

Walter Matthau. On July 1, 2000 the Odd couple and Bad News Bears star died of a heart attack age 79.

Carroll O'Connor. The All in the Family star succumbed to a 2001 heart attack at the age of 76.

Jack Lemmon. The Odd Couple star died in June 2001 at age 76 after privately battling colon cancer.

George Harrison. The Beatles guitarist and songwriter died in 2001 of cancer.

Dudley Moore. The star of movies 10 and Arthur died in 2002 after a battling terminal brain disorder and pneumonia.

Fred Rogers. The beloved PBS children's television host died in 2003 of cancer. He was 74 years old.

Johnny Cash. The legendary singer and songwriter died just 4 months after his wife June Carter Cash in 2003.

Katherine Hepburn. The 96 year old African Queen star died of natural causes in 2003.

Bob Hope. The actor and comedian lived to be 100 years old. He died in 2003.

Bob Keeshan. TheCaptain Kangaroo star died in January 2004 at the age of 77.

Marlon Brando. The Godfather star died in 2004 after suffering from multiple medical problems.

Christopher Reeve. The Superman star died in 2004 of a heart attack due to complications from an infection. The actor had been paraplegic since 1995, after a fall while horse riding. Sadly, Reeve's wife Dana died soon after, in 2006 from lung cancer.

Johnny Carson. The Tonight Show host had long retired before he died in 2005 from emphysema. He was 79 years old.

Peter Jennings. The World News Tonight anchor died in 2005 after announcing that he had lung cancer.

Richard Pryor. The comedian died in December 2005 after a heart attack.

Aaron Spelling. The creator of shows like Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Charlie' Angeles, and Beverly Hills 90210 died in 2006.

Merv Griffin. The talk show host and game show creator died in 2007 at age 82.

Charles Lane. The beloved character actor (It's a Wonderful Life, Petticoat Junction) died in 2007 at the age of 102.

Evil Knievel. The stunt performer died in 2007 at age 69 after suffering from a lung disorder.

Charlton Heston. The legendary actor suffered from Alzheimer's disease. He died in 2008 at age 82.

George Carlin. The controversial comedian died in 2008 from a heart attack. He was 71.

Paul Newman. The 83 year old actor and philanthropist died in 2008 of lung cancer.

Bea Arthur. The star of the sitcoms Maude and The Golden Girls star died in April 2009 of cancer.

Ed McMahon. Johnny Carson's Tonight Show sidekick died in June 2009 at age 86.

Farrah Fawcett. The Charlie's Angels beauty died in June 2009 after a long battle with cancer.

Walter Cronkite. The legendary broadcast journalist died in July 2009.

Patrick Swayze. The Dirty Dancing star died in September 2009 after battling pancreatic cancer.

Sources:
Wikiepdia
IMDB.coms