WASHINGTON — Let’s take another moment of silence for some of the greats we lost in 2017.
This year brought the loss of some of the most influential celebrities — big name filmmakers, actors, musicians and the like.
These are the people who reformed their fields and created art we’ll enjoy for years to come. Check out the gallery below to remember those who will never be forgotten.
Born: Jan. 7, 1928
Died: Jan. 12, 2017 William Peter Blatty, known for his novel and subsequent screenplay of “The Exorcist,” was an influential writer and filmmaker in the horror genre. He won an Academy Award for his screenplay of the “The Exorcist,” and multiple Golden Globes for “The Exorcist” and “The Ninth Configuration.” He died from multiple myeloma. Photo: William Peter Blatty joins WTOP’s Jason Fraley at the Exorcist Steps commemoration in Georgetown on Oct. 30, 2015. (WTOP/Jason Fraley)
WTOP/Jason Fraley
Born: May 18, 1943
Died: Jan. 15, 2017 Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka was a former professional wrestler credited for introducing the high-flying style of wrestling to the WWF. He was inducted to the WWF Hall of Fame in 1996. His attorney said he died from “due to complications from his ongoing medical problems.” Photo: In this Nov. 2, 2015, file photo, former professional wrestler Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka leaves Lehigh County Courthouse in Allentown, Pa. (Michael Kubel/The Morning Call via AP)
Michael Kubel/The Morning Call via AP
Born: Dec. 29, 1936
Died: Jan. 25, 2017 Mary Tyler Moore was an actress known for roles on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” as well as in the musical, “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” Many of these roles revolutionized the way women were seen on screen and on the stage, as they pushed against stereotypical gender roles for women. She died from cardiac arrest due to pneumonia. Photo: This Jan. 8, 2012 file photo shows actress Mary Tyler Moore at the taping of “Betty White’s 90th Birthday: A Tribute To America’s Golden Girl” in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Vince Bucci)
AP Photo/Vince Bucci
Born: Jan. 22, 1940
Died: Jan. 25, 2017 Sir John Hurt was an English actor whose long career spanned from stage to screen. He was known for his roles in “Midnight Express” and “Alien,” as well as many voice-over roles due to his distinctive, deep voice. He won many awards, including a Golden Globe and BAFTA awards. Hurt passed away after battling pancreatic cancer. Photo: This Feb. 12, 2012, file photo shows actor Sir John Hurt posing with his award for “Outstanding Contribution to Cinema” backstage at the BAFTA Film Awards 2012, at The Royal Opera House in London. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan)
AP Photo/Joel Ryan
Born: March 12, 1940
Died: Feb. 12, 2017 Al Jarreau was a prominent jazz musician who was awarded seven Grammy awards, and nominated 12 other times. He was best known for his album “Breakin’ Away.” He died from respiratory failure. Photo: In this Sunday, Feb. 11, 2007, file photo, Al Jarreau poses with his awards for best pop instrumental performance for “Mornin'” and best traditional R&B vocal performance for “God Bless the Child” at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian
Born: May 17, 1955
Died: Feb. 25, 2017 Bill Paxton was an actor and filmmaker, known for his roles from “The Terminator” in 1984 to “Nightcrawler” in 2014. His role on the HBO show “Big Love” earned him 3 Golden Globe nominations. He died from a stroke days after surgery to replace a heart valve and repair damage to his aorta. Photo: In this May 31, 2015, file photo, Bill Paxton arrives at the Critics’ Choice Television Awards at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
Born: Nov. 15, 1919
Died: Feb. 26, 2017 Judge Joseph Wapner was an American judge and TV personality. He presided as the judge on the show “The People’s Court,” as the first judge on an arbitration reality TV show in the genre’s history. Wapner died at home in his sleep. Photo: In this Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009, file photo, Judge Joseph Wapner is honored with star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes
Born: Oct. 18, 1926
Died: March 18, 2017 Chuck Berry was a prominent musician who reformed the genre of rock and roll through rhythm and blues. Known for songs like “Rock and Roll Music” and “Johnny B. Goode,” he was one of the first musicians inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He died after his caretaker found him unconscious and was pronounced dead in his home by officials. Photo: In this Saturday, May 30, 2009 file photo, Chuck Berry performs at The Domino Effect, a tribute concert to New Orleans rock and roll musician Fats Domino, at the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
AP Photo/Patrick Semansky
Born: May 8, 1926
Died: April 6, 2017 Don Rickles was a comedian and actor, known for his “insult comedy.” He became popular for his appearances on talk shows like “The Dean Martin Show,” “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” and “Late Show with David Letterman.” Rickles was the voice for Mr. Potato Head in “Toy Story” and won a Primetime Emmy Award for the documentary “Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project.” He died from kidney failure. Photo: In this Sept. 21, 2008 file photo, Don Rickles is honored for best individual performance in a variety or music program for “Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project,” at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Born: Feb. 20, 1946
Died: April 11, 2017 J. Geils was a guitarist and leader of The J. Geils Band, best known for the song “Centerfold.” He began his career interested in jazz and blues and the band’s music was subsequently influenced by those genres, making it hard to categorize. He died of natural causes. Photo: In this Aug. 6, 2011 photo, J. Geils, left, and Peter Wolf of J.Geils Band perform at the Fleet Boston Pavilion in Boston. (Faith Ninivaggi/The Boston Herald via AP)
Faith Ninivaggi/The Boston Herald via AP
Born: July 12, 1959
Died: April 12, 2017 Charlie Murphy, Eddie Murphy’s older brother, was a comedian, writer and actor. He was best known for his roles as a writer and actor on
the Comedy Central sketch-comedy show “Chappelle’s Show,” starring Dave Chappelle. Murphy died after battling leukemia. Photo: In this Nov. 3, 2012 file photo, comedian Charlie Murphy appears at “Eddie Murphy: One Night Only,” a celebration of Murphy’s career in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Born: July 20, 1964
Died: May 17, 2017 Chris Cornell was a musician, best known for being the lead vocalist of the bands Soundgarden and Audioslave. He was a prominent figure in the ’90s grunge movement. He received a Golden Globe nomination for the song “The Keeper,” which appeared in the film “Machine Gun Preacher.” He also helped co-write and perform the theme song to the James Bond film “Casino Royale.” He died by hanging himself in a Detroit hotel room. Photo: In this Sept. 5, 2008, file photo, musician Chris Cornell performs on stage during Conde Nast’s Fashion Rocks show in New York. (AP Photo/Jeff Christensen)
AP Photo/Jeff Christensen
Born: Oct. 14, 1927
Died: May 23, 2017 Sir Roger Moore was best known for starring as James Bond from 1973 to 1985. He was knighted for his charity work and was indicted to the Hollywood Hall of Fame in 2007. Moore died after a short battle with cancer that had spread to his liver and lungs. Photo: This is a April 22, 1996 file photo of veteran British actor Roger Moore, poses for a portrait, in the Studio City section of Los Angeles (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Born: Dec. 8, 1947
Died: May 27, 2017 Gregg Allman was a musician, best known for performing in the Allman Brothers Band with his brother, Duane. They were known for their album, “At Fillmore East,” and songs such as “Midnight Rider” and “Melissa.” He died due to complications with liver cancer. Photo: In this Nov. 9, 2011 file photo, singer Gregg Allman arrives at the 45th Annual CMA Awards in Nashville, Tenn. Allman’s last album, “Southern Blood,” will be released in September. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini)
AP Photo/Evan Agostini
Born: Sept. 19, 1928
Died: June 9, 2017 Adam West was widely known for his role as Batman in the ’60s ABC series of “Batman,” the 1966 “Batman” film, and two animated Batman feature films. He died after briefly battling leukemia. Photo: Adam West poses on the black carpet at the launch event of Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Junk Food Clothing’s Batman Classic TV Series-inspired product line at Meltdown Comics on Thursday, March 21, 2013 in Hollywood, CA. (Photo by Casey Rodgers/Invision for Warner Bros./AP Images)
Photo by Casey Rodgers/Invision for Warner Bros./AP Images
Born: Dec. 21, 1935
Died: June 16, 2017 John G. Avildsen was a director, best known for films such as “Rocky” and “The Karate Kid,” which went on to become major Hollywood franchises. He won the 1976 Academy Award for “Best Director” for “Rocky” and was nominated for a Golden Globe and BAFTA for the same category and film in the same year. Avildsen died from pancreatic cancer. Photo: In this March 28, 1977, file photo, John G. Avildsen shows off the Oscar he won for best director for “Rocky,” at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles. (AP Photo)
AP Photo
Born: June 20, 1928
Died: July 15, 2017 Martin Landau was an actor, best known for his role in the television series, “Mission: Impossible,” as well as his role as Bela Lugosi in the film “Ed Wood.” Throughout his career, Landau won an Academy Award and two Golden Globes, and was Oscar-nominated and Emmy-nominated. Landau died Saturday of unexpected complications during a short stay at UCLA Medical Center. Photo: Actor Martin Landau, left, poses for photographers on his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Monday, Dec. 17, 2001, in Los Angeles. Landau, who was honored with the 2,187th star on the wold famous walk, has had an acting career spanning more than four decades in nearly 90 films. Pictured to Landau’s right are friend Gretchen Becker and Landau’s godson Dylan Becker. (AP Photo/Rene Macura)
AP Photo/Rene Macura
Born: March 20, 1976
Died: July 20, 2017 Chester Bennington was a musician, best known for being the lead singer of the band Linkin Park. Linkin Park rose to the mainstream after their first album, “Hybrid Theory.” They sold 65 million records worldwide. Bennington committed suicide by hanging himself in his Los Angeles home. Photo: In this Dec. 13, 2014 file photo, Chester Bennington poses in the press room at the 25th annual KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas in Inglewood, Calif. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)
Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP
Born: Nov. 5, 1943
Died: July 27, 2017 Sam Shepard was a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Oscar-nominated actor and celebrated author. He was best known for his play “Buried Child,” as well as his role in the film “The Right Stuff.” He died of complications from related to Lou Gehrig’s disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ASL). Photo: In this Sept. 29, 2011 file photo, actor Sam Shepard poses for a portrait in New York. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)
AP Photo/Charles Sykes
Born: Jan. 23, 1928
Died: July 31, 2017 Jeanne Moreau was a French actress who appeared in over 100 films in France and Hollywood by the time of her death. She won multiple lifetime achievement awards, including an honorary Oscar in 1998. She is best known for her role in the French film “Jules et Jim.” The French president Emmanuel Macron and Moreau’s agent shared news of her death without sharing the cause. Photo: In this Saturday, Dec. 1, 2007 file photo French actress Jeanne Moreau poses for photographers on the red carpet prior to the 20th European Film Awards ceremony at the Arena in Berlin. (AP Photo/Miguel Villagran)
AP Photo/Miguel Villagran
Born: April 22, 1936
Died: Aug. 8, 2017 Glen Campbell was a musician and actor, who was best known for a comedy show called “The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour,” as well as multiple hit songs in the ’60s and ’70s, including “Rhinestone Cowboy.” In 2011, he shared that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and became a patient at an Alzheimer’s care center. Photo: In this July 27, 2011 photo, musician Glen Campbell poses for a portrait in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
AP Photo/Matt Sayles
Born: Oct. 12, 1932
Died: Aug. 19, 2017 Dick Gregory was a comedian and civil rights activist. During the ’60s, he rose to prominence for his humor that poked at racism. Gregory was the first black comedian who successfully crossed over to wider audiences. He was arrested multiple times and went on many hunger strikes to protest against the Vietnam War and racial injustice. He died after being hospitalized for a severe bacterial infection. Photo: In this July 21, 2012 file photo, comedian and activist Dick Gregory poses for a portrait during the PBS TCA Press Tour in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP
Born: March 16, 1926
Died: Aug. 20, 2017 Jerry Lewis was a comedian and actor, best known for his slapstick humor, which he performed over radio, television, film, and on stage. He performed with Dean Martin for a period of time in a comedy show called “Martin and Lewis,” and starred in well-known films like “The Nutty Professor.” He won many awards over the span of his long and wide-ranging career. Lewis died of natural causes. Photo: In this Friday, April 8, 2016, file photo, Jerry Lewis interacts with the press at the Friars Club before his 90th birthday celebration in New York. (Photo by Brad Barket/Invision/AP)
Photo by Brad Barket/Invision/AP
Born: Feb. 20, 1950
Died: Sept. 3, 2017 Walter Becker was a musician, songwriter and record producer. He was best known for being the co-founder, guitarist, bassist and songwriter for the band Steely Dan. Steely Dan won 4 Grammy awards for their album “Two Against Nature.” He died while being treated for esophageal cancer. Photo: In this July 4, 2009 file photo, Walter Becker, of U.S. rock group Steely Dan, performs in the Stravinski Hall stage at the 43nd Montreux Jazz Festival, in Montreux, Switzerland. (AP Photo/Keystone, Jean-Christophe Bott)
AP Photo/Keystone, Jean-Christophe Bott
Born: April 15, 1937
Died: Sept. 13, 2017 Frank Vincent was an American actor, best known for playing mobsters and gangsters in multiple Martin Scorsese films and in the television series “The Sopranos.” His family said he died peacefully and gave no cause of death. Photo: Frank Vincent, who plays Frank Leotardo on the HBO television series “The Sopranos,” takes part in a news conference outside SilverCup Studios, where the “The Sopranos” films, in Queens, New York, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2006. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)
AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams
Born: July 14, 1926
Died: Sept. 15, 2017 Harry Dean Stanton was a legendary character actor, known for his many roles in indie films and big Blockbuster films alike. He had roles in “Alien,” “The Godfather II” and “Pretty in Pink.” He died of natural causes. Photo: In this Feb. 4, 2008, file photo, actor Harry Dean Stanton arrives at a celebration for actress Marion Cotillard in West Hollywood, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Born: April 9, 1926
Died: Sept. 27, 2017 Hugh Hefner was a businessman and magazine publisher, best known for founding the magazine “Playboy,” and for his infamous home known as the Playboy Mansion. He died of natural causes. Photo: This Oct. 13, 2011 file photo shows American magazine publisher, founder and Chief Creative Officer of Playboy Enterprises, Hugh Hefner at his home at the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Kristian Dowling)
AP Photo/Kristian Dowling
Born: Oct. 20, 1950
Died: Oct. 2, 2017 Tom Petty was a musician, best known as the lead singer of the band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Throughout his music career, he sold 80 million records world-wide, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time. He was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. Petty died at the UCLA Medical Center after suffering from cardiac arrest. Photo: In this March 18, 2002 file photo, Tom Petty, of the band Tom Petty and the Heart Breakers, speaks after being inducted at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
AP Photo/Kathy Willens
Born: Feb. 28, 1928
Died: Oct. 24, 2017 Fats Domino was a musician, known for being a pioneer of Rock and Roll music. Throughout his career, he sold more than 65 million records. He also had 35 records in the U.S. Billboard Top 40, and five of his albums were certified gold. He died of natural causes. Photo: In this Nov. 9, 2007 file photo, music legend Fats Domino performs on the NBC “Today” television show in New York. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
AP Photo/Richard Drew
Born: Jan. 6, 1953
Died: Nov. 18, 2017 Malcolm Young was a musician, best known as the co-founder and guitarist of the legendary band AC/DC. AC/DC were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003. The band broke the news in a Facebook post. They did not say exactly how Young died, but they did say that Young had been diagnosed with dementia in 2014. Photo: A March 3, 2003 file photo of AC/DC co-founder and guitarist Malcolm Young at an event in London. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)
Yui Mok/PA via AP
Born: Aug. 8, 1932
Died: Nov. 19, 2017 Mel Tillis was a country singer, best known for many Top 10 hits in the ’70s, like “I Ain’t Never” and “Coca-Cola Cowboy.” He had been awarded the most-coveted award for country artists, the Country Music Associate Award for “Entertainer of the Year.” He was also awarded the National Medal of Arts for his contributions to the genre by then-President Barack Obama. He died of respiratory failure. Photo: In this July 6, 2013, file photo, Mel Tillis performs at the Oklahoma Twister Relief Concert at the Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla. (Photo by Alonzo Adams/Invision/AP)
Photo by Alonzo Adams/Invision/AP
