Noteworthy: In January, the world lost two significant entertainment figures: filmmaker David Lynch and music star Marianne Faithfull.
Lynch, famed for films such as “Mulholland Drive” and the television series “Twin Peaks,” originally gained popularity in the 1970s with the film “Eraserhead” and has continued to surprise and excite viewers in the years since. Faithfull, a British vocalist and pop legend, inspired and co-wrote some of the Rolling Stones’ most popular songs; her admirers included Beck, Billy Corgan, Nick Cave, and PJ Harvey.
Other people who died in January include figure skater Dick Button, French far-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen, musician Wayne Osmond, former Planned Parenthood leader Cecile Richards, former Greek prime minister Costas Simitis, and French aviator Valérie André.
Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in January :
JANUARY
Wayne Osmond is 73. A vocalist, guitarist, and founding member of the million-album-selling family band The Osmonds, best known for 1970s adolescent singles like “One Bad Apple,” “Yo-Yo,” and “Down By the Lazy River.” Jan. 1.
David Lodge is 89. A witty and prolific British novelist and critic who gently satirised academics, religion, and even his own hearing loss in such widely acclaimed works as the Booker Prize contenders “Small World” and “Nice Work.” Jan. 1.
Rosita Missoni is 93. The grandmother of the famed Italian design brand that elevated colourful zigzag-patterned knitwear to high fashion and helped pioneer Italian ready-to-wear. Jan. 1.
James Arthur Ray is 67. A self-help guru whose multimillion-dollar career collapsed when he led a sweat lodge ceremony in Arizona that killed three people. Jan. 3.
Costas Simitis is 88. A former Greek prime minister who played a key role in the country’s adoption of the euro as its currency. Jan. 5.
Jean-Marie Le Pen is 96. The founder of France’s far-right National Front was notorious for his fiery speech against immigration and multiculturalism, which gained him both loyal admirers and broad condemnation. Jan. 7.
Peter Yarrow, aged 86. The singer-songwriter is best known as one-third of Peter, Paul, and Mary, the folk-music three whose passionate harmonies captivated millions as they raised their voices in support of civil rights and opposition to war. Jan. 7.
Nancy Leftenant-Colon, aged 104. The first Black woman to join the United States Army Nurse Corps following the military’s desegregation in the 1940s. Jan. 8.
Sam Moore is 89. The surviving half and upper voice of the 1960s duo Sam & Dave noted for such classic successes as “Soul Man” and “Hold On, I’m Comin.'” Jan. 10.
José “Cha Cha” Jiménez is 76. A well-known participant in the civil rights and liberation movements, he founded the Young Lords in Chicago and co-founded the Rainbow Coalition. Jan. 10.
David Lynch is 78. The filmmaker was praised for his distinct dark and dreamy vision in films including “Blue Velvet,” “Mulholland Drive,” and the television series “Twin Peaks.” Jan. 16.
Bob Uecker is 90. He turned a mediocre playing career into a punchline for film and television appearances as “Mr. Baseball” and a Hall of Fame broadcasting career. Jan. 16.
Joan Plowright is 95. An award-winning British actor who, with her late husband Laurence Olivier, helped to revitalise the country’s theatrical industry in the decades following World War II. Jan. 16.
Cecile Richards is 67. A national advocate for abortion access and women’s rights who oversaw Planned Parenthood for 12 turbulent years. Jan. 20.
Mauricio Funes is 65. A Salvadoran president spent the last years of his life in Nicaragua to evade different criminal charges. Jan. 21.
Valérie André is 102. A French aviator and parachutist who became France’s first female general officer. Jan. 21.
Garth Hudson is 87. The Band’s brilliant keyboardist and all-around musician who used a diverse range of sounds and styles to bring a conversational twist to rock favourites like “Up on Cripple Creek,” “The Weight,” and “Rag Mama Rag.” Jan. 21.
Richard Williamson is 84. An ultra-traditionalist Catholic bishop whose denial of the Holocaust caused a stir in 2009 when Pope Benedict XVI rehabilitated him and several members of his breakaway organisation. Jan. 29.
Dick Button is 95. He was one of the greatest men’s figure skaters of all time, as well as a pioneer and promoter of his sport. Jan. 30.
Marianne Faithfull is 78. The British pop queen, muse, libertine, and old soul who inspired and co-wrote some of the Rolling Stones’ most famous songs, as well as a torch singer and survivor of the lifestyle she formerly represented. Jan. 30.