It was a murder case almost everyone had an opinion on. O.J. Simpson’s “trial of the century” over the 1994 killings of his ex-wife and her friend bared divisions over race and law enforcement in America and brought an intersection of sports, crime, entertainment and class that was hard to turn away from.

In a controversial verdict, the football star-turned-actor was acquitted in a criminal trial but later found civilly liable in the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. Years later, he served nine years in prison on unrelated charges. His death in April brought an end to a life that had become defined by scrutiny over the killings.

But he was just one of many influential and noteworthy people who died in 2024.

Here is a roll call of some noteworthy figures who died in 2024 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):

JANUARY

Glynis Johns, 100: A Tony Award-winning stage and screen star who played the mother opposite Julie Andrews in the classic movie “Mary Poppins” and introduced the world to the bittersweet standard-to-be “Send in the Clowns” by Stephen Sondheim. Jan. 4.

David Soul, 80: The actor-singer was a 1970s heartthrob who co-starred as the blond half of the crime-fighting duo “Starsky & Hutch.” Jan. 4.

Franz Beckenbauer, 78: He won the World Cup as a player and coach and became one of Germany’s most beloved personalities. Jan. 7.

Joyce Randolph, 99: A veteran stage and television actor whose role as the savvy Trixie Norton on “The Honeymooners” provided the perfect foil to her dimwitted TV husband. Jan. 13.

Mary Weiss, 75: The lead singer of the 1960s pop group the Shangri-Las, whose hits included “Leader of the Pack.” Jan. 19.

Charles Osgood, 91: He anchored “CBS Sunday Morning” for more than two decades, was host of the long-running radio program “The Osgood File” and was referred to as CBS News’ poet-in-residence. Jan. 23.

N. Scott Momaday, 89: A Pulitzer Prize-winning storyteller, poet, educator and folklorist whose debut novel “House Made of Dawn” is widely credited as the starting point for contemporary Native American literature. Jan. 24.

Chita Rivera, 91: The dynamic dancer, singer and actress who garnered 10 Tony nominations, winning twice, in a long Broadway career that forged a path for Latina artists and shrugged off a near-fatal car accident. Jan. 30.

FEBRUARY

Carl Weathers, 76: A former NFL linebacker who became a Hollywood action movie and comedy star, playing nemesis-turned-ally Apollo Creed in the Rocky movies, starring with Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Predator” and teaching golf in “Happy Gilmore.” Feb. 1.

Toby Keith, 62: A hit country crafter of pro-American anthems who riled up critics and was loved by millions of fans. Feb. 5. Stomach cancer.

Henry Fambrough, 85: The last surviving original member of the iconic R&B group The Spinners, whose hits included “It’s a Shame,” “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love” and “The Rubberband Man.” Feb. 7.

Bob Edwards, 76: He anchored National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition” for almost 25 years and was the baritone voice who told many Americans what had happened while they slept. Feb. 10.

Alexei Navalny, 47: The fiercest foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin who crusaded against official corruption and staged massive anti-Kremlin protests. Feb. 16.

Lefty Driesell, 92: The Hall of Fame coach whose folksy drawl belied a fiery on-court demeanor that put Maryland on the college basketball map and enabled him to rebuild several struggling programs. Feb. 17.

Richard Lewis, 76: An acclaimed comedian known for exploring his neuroses in frantic, stream-of-consciousness diatribes while dressed in all-black, leading to his nickname “The Prince of Pain.” Feb. 27.

MARCH

Akira Toriyama, 68: The creator of the best-selling Dragon Ball and other popular anime who influenced Japanese comics. March 1. Blood clot.

Chris Mortensen, 72: The award-winning journalist covered the NFL for close to four decades. March 3.

David E. Harris, 89: He flew bombers for the U.S. military and broke barriers in 1964 when he became the first Black pilot hired at a major U.S. airline. March 8.

Eric Carmen, 74: The singer-songwriter fronted the power-pop 1970s band the Raspberries and later had soaring pop hits such as “All by Myself” and “Hungry Eyes” from the hit “Dirty Dancing” soundtrack. March 11.

M. Emmet Walsh, 88: The character actor brought his unmistakable face and unsettling presence to films including “Blood Simple” and “Blade Runner.” March 19.

Lou Whittaker, 95: A legendary American mountaineer who helped lead ascents of Mount Everest, K2 and Denali. March 24.

Joe Lieberman, 82: The former U.S. senator of Connecticut nearly won the vice presidency on the Democratic ticket with Al Gore in 2000. Complications from a fall. March 27.

Louis Gossett Jr., 87: The first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries “Roots.” March 28.

APRIL

Lou Conter, 102: The last living survivor of the USS Arizona battleship, which exploded and sank during the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. April 1.

Peter Higgs, 94: The Nobel prize-winning physicist proposed the existence of the so-called “God particle” that helped explain how matter formed after the Big Bang. April 8.

O.J. Simpson, 76: The decorated football superstar and Hollywood actor. April 10.

Robert MacNeil, 93: He created the even-handed, no-frills PBS newscast “The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour” in the 1970s and co-anchored the show with his late partner, Jim Lehrer, for two decades. April 12.

Carl Erskine, 97: He pitched two no-hitters as a mainstay on the Brooklyn Dodgers. April 16.

Bob Graham, 87: A former U.S. senator and two-term Florida governor who gained national prominence as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee in the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks and as an early critic of the Iraq war. April 16.

Dickey Betts, 80: The guitar legend who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, “Ramblin’ Man.” April 18.

Roman Gabriel, 83: The first Filipino-American quarterback in the NFL and the league MVP in 1969. April 20.

Terry Anderson, 76: The globe-trotting Associated Press correspondent became one of America’s longest-held hostages after he was snatched from a street in war-torn Lebanon in 1985 and held for nearly seven years. April 21.

Duane Eddy, 86: A pioneering guitar hero whose reverberating electric sound on instrumentals such as “Rebel Rouser” and “Peter Gunn” helped put the twang in early rock ’n’ roll and influenced George Harrison, Bruce Springsteen and countless others. April 30.

MAY

Dick Rutan, 85: He, along with copilot Jeana Yeager, completed one of the greatest milestones in aviation history: the first round-the-world flight with no stops or refueling. May 3.

Jeannie Epper, 83: A groundbreaking performer who did stunts for many of the most important women of film and television action of the 1970s and ’80s, including Lynda Carter on “Wonder Woman.” May 5.

Bernard Hill, 79: An actor who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” and went down with the ship as the captain in “Titanic.” May 5.

Steve Albini, 61: An alternative rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more. May 7.

Pete McCloskey, 96: A pro-environment, anti-war California Republican who co-wrote the Endangered Species Act and co-founded Earth Day. May 8.

Roger Corman, 98: The “King of the B’s” helped turn out such low-budget classics as “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Attack of the Crab Monsters.” He gave many of Hollywood’s most famous actors and directors early breaks. May 9.

Alice Munro, 92: The Nobel laureate was a Canadian literary giant who became one of the world’s most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history’s most honored short-story writers. May 13.

Dabney Coleman, 92: The mustachioed character actor specialized in smarmy villains such as the chauvinist boss in “9 to 5” and the nasty TV director in “Tootsie.” May 16.

Peter Buxtun, 86: The whistleblower who revealed that the U.S. government allowed hundreds of Black men in rural Alabama to go untreated for syphilis in what became known as the Tuskegee study. May 18.

Ivan F. Boesky, 87: The flamboyant stock trader whose cooperation with the government cracked open one of the largest insider trading scandals in the history of Wall Street. May 20.

Morgan Spurlock, 53: The documentary filmmaker and Oscar nominee whose most famous works skewered America’s food industry and who notably ate only at McDonald’s for a month to illustrate the dangers of a fast-food diet. May 23. Complications of cancer.

Bill Walton, 71: He starred for John Wooden’s UCLA Bruins before becoming a Hall of Fame center for his NBA career and one of the biggest stars in basketball broadcasting. May 27.

JUNE

Jerry West, 86: Selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive, his silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo. June 12.

Willie Mays, 93: The electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players. June 18.

Donald Sutherland, 88: The Canadian actor whose wry, arresting screen presence spanned more than half a century of films from “M*A*S*H” to “The Hunger Games.” June 20.

Martin Mull, 80: His droll, esoteric comedy and acting made him a hip sensation in the 1970s and later a beloved guest star on sitcoms including “Roseanne” and “Arrested Development.” June 27.

JULY

Joe Bonsall, 76: A Grammy award winner and celebrated tenor of the country and gospel group the Oak Ridge Boys. July 9.

Shelley Duvall, 75: The intrepid, Texas-born movie star whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.” July 11.

Dr. Ruth Westheimer, 96: The diminutive sex therapist became a pop icon, media star and best-selling author through her frank talk about once-taboo bedroom topics. July 12.

Shannen Doherty, 53: The “Beverly Hills, 90210” star whose life and career were roiled by illness and tabloid stories. July 13.

Richard Simmons, 76: He was television’s hyperactive court jester of physical fitness who built a mini-empire in his trademark tank tops and short shorts by urging the overweight to exercise and eat better. July 13.

James Sikking, 90: He starred as a hardened police lieutenant on “Hill Street Blues” and as the titular character’s kindhearted dad on “Doogie Howser, M.D.” July 13.

Jacoby Jones, 40: A former NFL receiver whose 108-yard kickoff return in 2013 remains the longest touchdown in Super Bowl history. July 14.

Cheng Pei-pei, 78: A Chinese-born martial arts film actor who starred in Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” July 17.

Bob Newhart, 94: The deadpan accountant-turned-comedian became one of the most popular TV stars of his time after striking gold with a classic comedy album. July 18.

Lou Dobbs, 78: The conservative political pundit and veteran cable TV host was a founding anchor for CNN and later was a nightly presence on Fox Business Network for more than a decade. July 18.

Sheila Jackson Lee, 74: The longtime congresswoman from Texas helped lead federal efforts to protect women from domestic violence and recognize Juneteenth as a national holiday. July 19.

Abdul “Duke” Fakir, 88: The last surviving original member of the beloved Motown group the Four Tops, which was known for such hits as “Reach Out, I’ll Be There” and “Standing in the Shadows of Love.” July 22.

AUGUST

Jack Russell, 63: The lead singer of the ’80s metal band Great White, whose hits included “Once Bitten Twice Shy” and “Rock Me,” and who was fronting his band the night 100 people died in a 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island. Aug. 7.

Juan “Chi Chi” Rodriguez, 88: A Hall of Fame golfer whose antics on the greens and inspiring life story made him among the sport’s most popular players during a long professional career. Aug. 8.

Susan Wojcicki, 56: A pioneering tech executive who helped shape Google and YouTube. Aug. 9.

Wallace “Wally” Amos, 88: The creator of the Famous Amos cookie empire went on to become a children’s literacy advocate. Aug. 13.

Gena Rowlands, 94: She was hailed as one of the greatest actors ever to practice the craft and a guiding light in independent cinema as a star in groundbreaking movies by her director husband, John Cassavetes. She later charmed audiences in her son’s tear-jerker “The Notebook.” Aug. 14.

Peter Marshall, 98: The actor-and-singer-turned-game-show-host played straight man to the stars for 16 years on “The Hollywood Squares.” Aug. 15.

Phil Donahue, 88: His pioneering daytime talk show launched an indelible television genre that brought success to Oprah Winfrey, Montel Williams, Ellen DeGeneres and many others. Aug. 18.

Al Attles, 87: A Hall of Famer who coached the 1975 NBA champion Warriors and spent more than six decades with the organization as a player, general manager and most recently team ambassador. Aug. 20.

John Amos, 84: He starred as the family patriarch on the hit 1970s sitcom “Good Times” and earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the 1977 miniseries “Roots.” Aug. 21.

Johnny Gaudreau, 31: An NHL player known as “Johnny Hockey,” he played 10 full seasons in the league. Aug. 29. Killed along with his brother when hit by a car while riding bicycles.

SEPTEMBER

James Darren, 88: A teen idol who helped ignite the 1960s surfing craze as a charismatic beach boy paired off with Sandra Dee in the hit film “Gidget.” Sept. 2.

Sergio Mendes, 83: The Grammy-winning Brazilian musician whose hit “Mas Que Nada” made him a global legend. Sept. 5.

James Earl Jones, 93: He overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen, eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN, “The Lion King” and Darth Vader. Sept. 9.

Joe Schmidt, 92: The Hall of Fame linebacker who helped the Detroit Lions win NFL championships in 1953 and 1957 and later coached the team. Sept. 11.

Tito Jackson, 70: One of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5. Sept. 15.

John David “JD” Souther, 78: A prolific songwriter and musician who helped shape the country-rock sound that took root in Southern California in the 1970s with his collaborations with the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt. Sept. 17.

Kathryn Crosby, 90: She appeared in such movies as “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad,” “Anatomy of a Murder” and “Operation Mad Ball” before marrying famed singer and Oscar-winning actor Bing Crosby. Sept. 20.

John Ashton, 76: The veteran character actor who memorably played the gruff but lovable police detective John Taggart in “Beverly Hills Cop.” Sept. 26.

Maggie Smith, 89: The masterful, scene-stealing actor who won an Oscar for the 1969 film “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and gained new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films. Sept. 27.

Kris Kristofferson, 88: A Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and an A-list Hollywood actor. Sept. 28.

Drake Hogestyn, 70: The “Days of Our Lives” star appeared on the show for 38 years. Sept. 28.

Pete Rose, 83: Baseball’s career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied. Sept. 30.

Dikembe Mutombo, 58: The Basketball Hall of Famer and former Denver Nuggets center was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game. Sept. 30. Brain cancer.

OCTOBER

Ethel Kennedy, 96: The wife of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy raised their 11 children after he was assassinated and remained dedicated to social causes and the family’s legacy for decades thereafter. Oct. 10.

Liam Payne, 31: A former One Direction singer whose chart-topping British boy band generated a global following of swooning fans. Oct. 16. Died after falling from a hotel balcony.

Mitzi Gaynor, 93: The effervescent dancer and actor starred as Nellie Forbush in the 1958 film “South Pacific” and appeared in other musicals with Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly. Oct. 17.

Fernando Valenzuela, 63: The Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981. Oct. 22.

Phil Lesh, 84: A classically trained violinist and jazz trumpeter who found his true calling by reinventing the role of rock bass guitar as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. Oct. 25.

Teri Garr, 79: The quirky comedy actor rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley movies to co-star in such favorites as “Young Frankenstein” and “Tootsie.” Oct. 29. Multiple sclerosis.

NOVEMBER

Quincy Jones, 91: The music titan whose vast legacy ranged from producing Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album to writing prize-winning film and television scores. Nov. 3.

Bernard “Bernie” Marcus, 95: The co-founder of The Home Depot, a billionaire philanthropist, and a big Republican donor. Nov. 4.

Bobby Allison, 86: He was founder of racing’s “Alabama Gang” and a NASCAR Hall of Famer. Nov. 9.

Bela Karolyi, 82: The charismatic, if polarizing, gymnastics coach turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power in the sport. Nov. 15.

Chuck Woolery, 83: The affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19. Nov. 23.

Lou Carnesecca, 99: The excitable St. John’s coach whose outlandish sweaters became an emblem of his team’s rousing Final Four run in 1985 and who was a treasured figure in New York sports. Nov. 30.

DECEMBER

Rickey Henderson, 65: The baseball Hall of Famer was the brash speedster who shattered stolen base records and redefined baseball’s leadoff position. Dec. 20.