In memoriam: Stars we lost in 2012

Singer Etta James died on Jan. 25, 2012, of complications from leukemia. She was 73.

Photo: Etta James performs at the 2009 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on April 26, 2009, in New Orleans.

Pictures: Etta James, 1938-2012

Don Cornelius

"Soul Train" creator Don Cornelius shot himself to death on Feb. 1, 2012. He was 75.

Photo: Don Cornelius presents the BET Lifetime Achievement Award onstage during the 2009 BET Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on June 28, 2009, in Los Angeles.

Pictures: Don Cornelius, 1936-2012

Whitney Houston

Singer Whitney Houston died on Feb. 11, 2012, of accidental drowning. Coroner's officials cited heart disease and cocaine use as contributing factors. She was 48.

Photo: Whitney Houston attends the 37th annual American Music Awards in Los Angeles on Nov. 22, 2009.

Pictures: Whitney Houston, 1963-2012

Davy Jones

Musician Davy Jones died of a heart attack on Feb. 29, 2012. He was 66.

Photo: Davy Jones speaks during the "60's Pop Rock: My Music" panel during the PBS portion of the 2011 Summer TCA Tour held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on July 30, 2011, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Pictures: Davy Jones, 1945-2012

Mike Wallace

"60 Minutes" correspondent Mike Wallace died on April 7, 2012, at the age on 93.

Photo: Correspondent Mike Wallace signs his book at the 2005 Book Expo held at the Javits Center on June 4, 2005, in New York.

Pictures: Mike Wallace, 1918-2012

Dick Clark

TV personality Dick Clark died of a heart attack on April 18, 2012. He was 82.

Photo: TV personalities Dick Clark, left, and Ryan Seacrest attend the 37th Annual Daytime Entertainment Emmy Awards held at the Las Vegas Hilton on June 27, 2010, in Las Vegas.

Pictures: Dick Clark, 1929-2012

Levon Helm

Drummer and singer Levon Helm died of cancer on April 19, 2012. He was 71.

Photo: Levon Helm performs during his concert at the Beacon Theatre on March 8, 2008, in New York.

Pictures: Levon Helm, 1940-2012

Adam Yauch

Adam "MCA" Yauch of the Beastie Boys died of cancer on May 4, 2012, at the age of 47.

Photo: Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys performs at the Tibet Freedom Concert in Chicago on June 13, 1999.

Pictures: Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch, 1964-2012

Maurice Sendak

Children's book author Maurice Sendak died on May 8, 2012, of complications from a stroke. He was 83.

Photo: Maurice Sendak is photographed doing an interview at his home in Ridgefield, Conn., on Sept. 6, 2011.

Pictures: Maurice Sendak, 1928-2012

Vidal Sassoon

Hairstyling pioneer Vidal Sassoon died on May 9, 2012, at the age of 84.

Photo: Hairstylist Vidal Sassoon attends the "Vidal Sassoon: The Movie" event at Barnes & Noble on Sept. 6, 2011, in Santa Monica, Calif.

Donna Summer

Singer Donna Summer died of cancer on May 17, 2012, at the age of 63.

Photo: Donna Summer performs at the Nobel Peace concert in Oslo, Norway on Dec. 11, 2009.

Pictures: Donna Summer, 1948-2012

Robin Gibb

Bee Gees member Robin Gibb died on May 20, 2012, following a long battle with cancer and intestinal surgery. He was 62.

Photo: Robin Gibb attends the World Music Awards 2010 at the Sporting Club on May 18, 2010, in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Pictures: Robin Gibb, 1949-2012

Kathryn Joosten

Actress Kathryn Joosten ("Desperate Housewives") died at the age of 72 on June 2, 2012, after battling lung cancer.

Photo: Kathryn Joosten arrives at The Academy Of Television Arts & Sciences' 21st Annual Hall Of Fame Gala at the Beverly Hills Hotel on March 1, 2012, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Pictures: Kathryn Joosten, 1939-2012

Ray Bradbury

Author Ray Bradbury died after a lengthy illness on June 5, 2012, at the age of 91.

Photo: Legendary science fiction author Ray Bradbury poses with his new book at a luncheon celebrating the film "I've Loved You So Long" at the residence of The Consul General of France-Los Angeles on Jan. 9, 2009, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Pictures: Ray Bradbury, 1920-2012

Ann Rutherford

Actress Ann Rutherford, Scarlett O'Hara's youngest sister in "Gone With the Wind," died on June 11, 2012, at the age of 94. She had heart problems and was in declining health.

Photo: Actress Ann Rutherford is shown in New York on Nov. 5, 1971.

Pictures: Ann Rutherford, 1917-2012

Nora Ephron

Writer-director Nora Ephron died on June 26, 2012, of pneumonia resulting from acute myeloid leukemia. She was 71.

Photo: Nora Ephron arrives at a special screening of ''Julie & Julia" held at the Mann Village Theatre on July 28, 2009, in Westwood, Calif.

Pictures: Nora Ephron, 1941-2012
Pictures: The films of Nora Ephron

Andy Griffith

Actor Andy Griffith ("The Andy Griffith Show," "Matlock") died of a heart attack on July 3, 2012. He was 86.

Photo: Andy Samuel Griffith at the Freedom Awards Ceremony at the White House in Washington on Nov. 9, 2005.

Pictures: Andy Griffith, 1926-2012

Ernest Borgnine

Actor Ernest Borgnine ("Marty," "McHale's Navy") died of renal failure on July 8, 2012. He was 95.

Photo: Ernest Borgnine displays the Academy Award and Golden Globe he received in 1956 for the movie "Marty" on Jan. 13, 2008, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Pictures: Ernest Borgnine, 1917-2012

Sherman Hemsley

Actor Sherman Hemsley ("The Jeffersons") died of lung cancer on July 24, 2012, at the age of 74.

Photo: Actor Sherman Hemsley attends the 2nd Annual TV Land Awards held on March 7, 2004, at The Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, Calif.

Pictures: Sherman Hemsley, 1938-2012

Sage Stallone

Actor Sage Stallone ("Rocky V"), the son of actor Sylvester Stallone, died on July 13, 2012, from natural causes due to a heart condition. He was 36.

Photo: Sage Stallone arrives at the premiere of MGM's 'Rocky Balboa' at the Grauman's Chinese Theater on Dec.r 13, 2006, in Hollywood, Calif.

Pictures: Sage Stallone, 1976-2012

Celeste Holm

Actress Celeste Holm ("All About Eve," "Gentleman's Agreement") died on July 15, 2012, at the age of 95.

Photo: Actress Celeste Holm poses at a friends' home in Santa Monica, Calif., on March 12, 1997.

Pictures: Celeste Holm, 1917-2012

Gore Vidal

Writer Gore Vidal died from complications of pneumonia on July 31, 2012. He was 86.

Photo: Author Gore Vidal appears in conversation with writer Jon Wiener at the 12th Annual L.A. Times Festival of Books in Royce Hall on the U.C.L.A. campus on April 28, 2007, in Los Angeles.

Pictures: Gore Vidal's memorial

Marvin Hamlisch

Conductor Marvin Hamlisch died after a brief illness on Aug. 6, 2012. He was 68.

Photo: Marvin Hamlisch performs on stage at the 2009 New York Philharmonic Spring Gala at Avery Fisher Hall on April 20, 2009, in New York.

Pictures: Marvin Hamlisch, 1944-2012

Helen Gurley Brown

Longtime Cosmopolitan magazine editor Helen Gurley Brown died on Aug. 13, 2012, after a brief hospitalization. She was 90.

Photo: Helen Gurley Brown attends the opening reception for the Israeli Film Festival at the headquarters for the Directors Guild of America on Feb. 23, 2006, in New York.

Pictures: Helen Gurley Brown, 1922-2012

Ron Palillo

Todd Williamson/Getty Images for TV Land

Actor Ron Palillo, who played Arnold Horshack on "Welcome Back, Kotter," died of a heart attack on Aug. 14, 2012. He was 63.

Photo: Ron Palillo arrives at the 6th annual TV Land Awards held at Barker Hangar on June 8, 2008, in Santa Monica, Calif.

Ron Palillo, 1949-2012

Phyllis Diller

Comedienne Phyllis Diller died on Aug. 20, 2012, at the age of 95.

Photo: Phyllis Diller smiles backstage at the "weSparkle Night - Take III" benefit at the Gindi Theatre on May 3, 2004 in Bel Air, Calif.

Pictures: Phyllis Diller, 1917-2012

Tony Scott

Director Tony Scott died after jumping off a Los Angeles bridge on Aug. 19, 2012. He was 68.

Photo: Tony Scott arrives at the premiere of "Unstoppable" on Oct. 26, 2010, in Westwood, Calif.

Pictures: Tony Scott, 1944-2012
Pictures: The films of Tony Scott

Hal David

Lyricist Hal David died of complications from a stroke on Sept. 1, 2012, at the age of 91.

Photo: Hal David arrives at the 42nd Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards in New York on June 16, 2011.

Michael Clarke Duncan

Actor Michael Clarke Duncan ("The Green Mile") died on Sept. 3, 2012, of complications from a heart attack. He was 54.

Photo: Michael Clarke Duncan speaks onstage during the "The Finder" panel during the Fox Broadcasting Company portion of the 2012 Winter TCA Tour at The Langham Huntington Hotel and Spa on Jan. 8, 2012, in Pasadena, Calif.

Pictures: Michael Clarke Duncan, 1957-2012

Andy Williams

Singer Andy Williams died on Sept. 25, 2012, after a yearlong battle with bladder cancer. He was 84.

Photo: Andy Williams attends the 2009 Grammy Salute To Industry Icons honoring Clive Davis at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Feb. 7, 2009, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Pictures: Andy Williams, 1927-2012

Larry Hagman

Actor Larry Hagman ("Dallas," "I Dream of Jeannie") died on Nov. 25, 2012, from complications from his battle with cancer. He was 81.

Photo: Larry Hagman attends the Channel 5 Dallas Launch Party at Old Billingsgate Market on Aug. 21, 2012, in London.

Pictures: Larry Hagman, 1931-2012.

Dave Brubeck

Jazz musician Dave Brubeck died of heart failure on Dec. 5, 2012, at the age of 91.

Photo: Dave Brubeck plays a keyboard at his induction with 12 other honorees into the 2008 California Hall of Fame at The California Museum on December 15, 2008 in Sacramento, Calif.

Pictures: Dave Brubeck, 1920-2012

Jenni Rivera

Singer Jenni Rivera died in a plane crash on Dec. 9, 2012. She was 43.

Photo: Jenni Rivera arrives at the Billboard Latin Music Awards 2012 at Bank United Center on April 26, 2012 in Miami, Fla.

Pictures: Jenni Rivera, 1969-2012

Ravi Shankar

Indian music legend Ravi Shankar died on Dec. 11, 2012, at the age of 92. The musician's foundation issued a statement saying that he had suffered upper respiratory and heart problems and had undergone heart-valve replacement surgery on Dec. 6.

Photo: Indian musician and sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar performs during a concert in Bangalore, India, on Feb. 7, 2012.

Pictures: Ravi Shankar, 1920-2012

Jack Klugman

Actor Jack Klugman ("The Odd Couple," "Quincy, M.E.") died on Dec. 24, 2012. He was 90.

Photo: Jack Klugman presents at the American Cinema Editors' 54th Annual ACE Eddie Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Feb. 15, 2004, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Charles Durning

Actor Charles Durning died on Dec. 24, 2012 at his home in New York. He was 89.

Photo: Charles Durning accepts the life achievement award at the 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 27, 2008.