obituaries

Dame Vera Lynn, the endearingly popular “Forces’ Sweetheart” who serenaded British troops abroad during World War II, has died at 103. During the war and long after, Lynn got crowds singing, smiling and crying with sentimental favorites such as “We’ll Meet Again,” and “The White Cliffs of Dover.” “The family are deeply saddened to announce …

Longtime comic book writer and editor Denny O’Neil died Thursday at home of natural causes, Games Radar reports. He was 81. Best known for his work writing DC Comics’ “Batman” and editing Batman titles from 1986 to 2000, O’Neil also worked at Marvel Comics on such series as “Spider-Man” and “Iron Man.” Over the course …

Rock ’n’ roll journeyman Bob Kulick, known for his guitar and production work for Kiss and for penning the “SpongeBob SquarePants” song “Sweet Victory,” has died. He was 70. Kulick’s younger brother — and another Kiss alumnus — Bruce confirmed the news on Facebook Friday, writing, “I am heartbroken to have to share the news …

“Seinfeld” actor Richard Herd has died at age 87. A rep for Herd told The Wrap that the veteran character actor died of cancer-related causes, surrounded by his family at home in Los Angeles. Herd appeared in 11 episodes of the hit series as Mr. Wilhelm — George Costanza’s (Jason Alexander) boss in recurring seasons, …

Melissa Etheridge’s son Beckett with ex-partner Julie Cypher has died. He was 21. “We’re sad to inform you that Melissa’s son Beckett passed away and there will not be a Concerts From Home show today. – #TeamME,” the musician’s Twitter account posted on Wednesday. No cause of death was disclosed. Etheridge has been hosting Facebook …

NEW YORK — Comedy veteran Jerry Stiller, who launched his career opposite wife Anne Meara in the 1950s and reemerged four decades later as the hysterically high-strung Frank Costanza on the smash television show “Seinfeld,” died at 92, his son Ben Stiller announced Monday. He died of natural causes, his son — a comedy star …

Little Richard, one of the founding fathers of rock ‘n’ roll and whose flamboyance and fire were just as much his calling cards as his pompadour, eyeliner and piano pounding, died Saturday at his brother’s home in Nashville. He was 87. The cause of death was bone cancer. Richard, whose machine gun delivery, “Wop-bop-a-loo-bop-a-lop-bam-boom” from …

Rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Little Richard died Saturday morning in his Nashville home at the age of 87, the artist’s son Danny Penniman confirmed to Rolling Stone. His cause of death is currently unknown. Considered a founding father of rock ‘n’ roll, Little Richard — born Richard Wayne Penniman in 1932 — landed his first …

Mercury Prize-nominated UK rapper Ty has lost his battle with the coronavirus, the Guardian reports. He was 47. The hip-hop star, born Ben Chijioke, had been in declining health since at least early April, when he was “admitted into the hospital with medical complications related to COVID-19,” according to a fundraiser launched in his name. …

Brian Howe, singer for English rock group Bad Company, has died from cardiac arrest. He was 66. A family member tells TMZ that the supergroup frontman passed away Wednesday at his Florida home. The vocalist, who replaced Paul Rodgers as the band’s lead singer in 1986, was known to have heart issues and had suffered …