1 of 3 | John Prine died April 7. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI |
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LOS ANGELES, April 14 (UPI) -- The entertainment industry has been rocked by deaths related to the coronavirus pandemic. The worlds of music, theater, sports, film and television have lost many veteran performers.
Here are some of the notable entertainers who have died of complications related to COVID-19.
Terrence McNally
Four-time Tony Award winning playwright Terrence McNally died March 24. The author of Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, Love! Valour! Compassion! and more, McNally was 81.
Manu Dibango
Jazz musician Manu Dibango died March 24. Dibango's famous song "Soul Makossa" was sampled by Michael Jackson in "Wanna Be Starting Something." He was 86.
Jenny Polanco
Fashion designer Jenny Polanco died March 24 in the Dominican Republic, the country's first COVID-19 death. Polanco said she'd contracted the virus in Spain. Her age was not disclosed.
Floyd Cardoz
Chef Floyd Cardoz died March 25, one week after checking into the hospital with coronavirus symptoms. The Top Chef Masters winner was 59.
Mark Blum
Actor Mark Blum died March 26. Blum played Rosanna Arquette's husband in the '80s comedy Desperately Seeking Susan and recently appeared on You and Succession. He was 69.
Joe Diffie
Country singer Joe Diffie died March 29. He'd announced his diagnosis on March 27. Diffie was 61.
Maria Mercader
CBS broadcast journalist Maria Mercader died March 29. She was a cancer survivor on medical leave from the network for an unrelated matter when she contracted the coronavirus. She was 54.
Ken Shimura
Comedian Ken Shimura died March 29 of pneumonia caused by COVID-19. Shimura went to the hospital March 20 and tested positive for the virus March 23. He was 70.
Andrew Jack
British actor Andrew Jack died March 31. Jack played Caluan Ematt in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi and was working on The Batman at the time of his death. He was 76.
Adam Schlesinger
Musician Adam Schlesinger died April 1. Schlesinger co-founded the band Fountains of Wayne, wrote music for films such as That Thing You Do! and Music and Lyrics and was part of the music team for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. He was 52.
Ellis Marsalis
Jazz pianist Ellis Marsalis died April 1. The father of Branford, Wynton, Delfayo and Jason Marsalis also taught famous pianists pianists Harry Connick Jr., Terence Blanchard and more. He was 85.
Patricia Bosworth
Author and actor Patricia Bosworth died April 2 of pneumonia caused by COVID-19. An actor on television in the '50s and '60s, Bosworth later wrote biographies of Marlon Brando, Jane Fonda, Diane Arbus and Montgomery Clift. She was 86.
Tom Dempsey
NFL kicker Tom Dempsey died April 4. He played for the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills and Houston Oilers in his career. He was 73.
John Prine
Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter John Prine died April 7 while receiving treatment for COVID-19 and pneumonia. Prine recorded albums from his self-titled 1971 release to 2018's The Tree of Forgiveness. He appeared on Swamp Doggs' 2020 album Sorry You Couldn't Make It. He was 73.