Celebs That Have Died From Pancreatic Cancer - Page 17

Pancreatic cancer has claimed the lives of some of the world’s most talented and influential figures across film, music, television, and beyond. Known for its aggressive nature and late detection, the disease has taken icons who shaped entertainment and culture for generations. From the soulful voice of Aretha Franklin and the timeless charm of Patrick Swayze to the brilliance of Alan Rickman and Alex Trebek, their contributions continue to resonate long after their passing. This list honors the artists, entertainers, and leaders who battled pancreatic cancer and left an indelible mark on history

Patrick Swayze 

 The star of Dirty Dancing and Ghost died 20 months after being diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Michael Landon

 Best known for his roles on the TV shows Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie, Landon passed away just three months after his diagnosis.

Alan Rickman

The English actor famous for playing Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series kept his illness private and died at age 69.

Charlotte Rae

 Known for her role as Edna Garrett on Diff’rent Strokes and its spinoff The Facts of Life, Rae died at 92 after a diagnosis of both pancreatic and bone cancer.

Richard Hatch

The Battlestar Galactica actor died at age 71.

Fred Gwynne

Best known as Herman Munster on the 1960s TV series The Munsters, Gwynne died of pancreatic cancer at 66.

Donna Reed

 The actress from It’s a Wonderful Life and The Donna Reed Show died of the disease at age 64.

John Hurt

The English actor, who appeared in films such as Alien and Harry Potter, was 77 when he died of pancreatic cancer.

Aretha Franklin

The legendary “Queen of Soul” died from a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, a rarer form of the disease.

D’Angelo

The R&B soul singer recently died at 51 after a private battle with pancreatic cancer.

Benjamin Orr

 The co-founder and bassist of the new wave band The Cars died less than six months after his diagnosis.

Luciano Pavarotti

The acclaimed opera singer had surgery for a pancreatic tumor in 2006 and died from complications the following year.

Sharon Jones 

The soul and funk singer died in 2016 from the disease, three years after her initial diagnosis.

Dizzy Gillespie

The jazz trumpet player and innovator of the bebop style was receiving treatment for pancreatic cancer at the time of his death. 

Alex Trebek

The longtime host of Jeopardy! was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in 2019 and continued hosting the show throughout his treatment.

Steve Jobs

The co-founder of Apple had a rare, slower-growing type of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, not the more common and aggressive form.

Jerry Springer

The host of the controversial daytime talk show died from pancreatic cancer in 2023. 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

The Supreme Court Justice died from complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer, having been first diagnosed in 2009.

Sally Ride

The first American woman in space died of the disease 17 months after her diagnosis.

Gene Upshaw

The Hall of Fame offensive lineman for the Oakland Raiders died just three days after his diagnosis.

Jonathan Gold 

The Los Angeles Times restaurant critic was 57 when he died. 

George Pérez

Comic book artist known for The Avengers and Teen Titans.

Simone Signoret

French actress and Academy Award winner.

Michael Houser

Guitarist and founder of Widespread Panic.

Ray Price 

American country music singer.

Frank Herbert 

 Author of the Dune series.