Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is worldwide known as a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and other critical mental functions and, eventually, the ability to do simple tasks. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, a late-onset type of disease, generally occur in a person in their mid-60s. Early onset is rare, usually between a person’s 30s and mid-60s. This disease is the cause of about 60-70% of all dementia cases. Among older adults, AD is the most common cause of dementia.
As per the Alzheimer’s Association, one in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia.
Here is a list of some famous and well-known people who passed away due to Alzheimer’s disease or complications of this disease.
Glen Campbell (1936-2017)
Glen Travis Campbell was an American country singer and accomplished guitarist. He became an international superstar in the 1960s and 1970s with several pop and country hits. His professional career spanned over five decades, during which he released a total of 64 albums and sold over 45 million records. In 2011, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. In 2014, he joined the Alzheimer’s long term care and facility as a patient. His decades-long musical career ended in August 2017. After a six-year struggle with Alzheimer’s disease, he died at the age of 81.
Tony Bennett (1926-2023)
American Jazz and traditional pop singer Anthony Dominick Benedetto, who is known as Tony Bennett, suffered from Alzheimer’s disease in 2021. Many people with Alzheimer’s end up losing their ability to speak, understand, and even recognize their loved ones, but Tony was a special case. He could recognize his people and even the lyrics of the song. The music legend spent the last few years of his life performing while battling the disease. He died at the age of 96.
Perry Como (1912-2001)
Pierino Ronald Como, popularly known as Perry Como, was known as one of the nicest guys in showbiz. Despite selling over 100 million records and hosting the NBC TV network’s biggest variety show- the Chesterfield Supper Club, the actor never displayed any false airs or graces. He suffered from Alzheimer’s disease for two years. However, his family never went public about his diagnosis during his lifetime. At the age of 88, Commo passed away at his Florida home in May 2001 (just six days before his 89th birthday). It is reported that the singer died in his sleep.
Charles Bronson (1921-2003)
Popular American actor Charles Bronson was known for his tough guy persona and roles in action films. The 80-year-old actor was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in the mid-1990s. As the disease progressed, the actor’s health began to deteriorate rapidly. He could no longer leave home alone and was experiencing disorientation, confusion, and difficulty doing everyday tasks. The Death Wish actor couldn’t even recognize his own wife and family members. As per reports, he was getting holistic and conventional treatment from doctors in Los Angeles and New York. Despite these challenges, he continued to work, and his last film was Family of Cops III in 1999. He passed away in 2003.
Ronald Reagan (1911-2004)
Ronald Wilson Reagan, an American actor and politician, was the 40th President of the United States from 1981 to 1989. In the American region, he was considered one of the most important conservative figures. Five years after leaving office, he was formally diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 1994 and announced it to the public by way of a handwritten letter. He died 10 years later, at the age of 93 due to pneumonia which was complicated by Alzheimer’s.
Charlton Heston (1923-2008)
Charlton Heston, an American actor and political activist, gained stardom for his leading man roles in several Hollywood films. In 2002 (like his friend Ronald Reagan), he also announced publicly that he was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. The disease progressed rapidly, so much so that sometimes he was unable to get out of bed. In 2006, it was reported that his Alzheimer’s was at an advanced stage, and his family worried that he would not survive. In 2008, the actor passed away due to complications of Alzheimer’s (pneumonia).
Rita Hayworth (1918-1987)
Rita Hayworth was an American actress, dancer, and pin-up girl who rose to stardom in the 1940s and ’50s. Known for her mesmerizing smile and sensational dancing, this Hollywood star faced memory problems and dramatic mood changes, which her close friends and colleagues knew, but at that time, it was misattributed to alcoholism. Despite fairly obvious signs of the illness, she wasn’t correctly diagnosed for several years. Her daughter Yasmin revealed that it was not until 1981 that a neurologist finally diagnosed Rita with Alzheimer’s. The actress’ diagnosis was made public, and her daughter took an opportunity to spread awareness. In 1987, Rita died from the disease at the age of 68.
Sugar Ray Robinson (1921-1989)
Walker Smith Jr., well-known as Sugar Ray Robinson, was an American professional boxer. The boxer, who had been a victim of Alzheimer’s disease for six years, died at the age of 67. However, the cause of his death is not known. Apparently, Robinson, who lived in Los Angeles, was rarely seen in public due to the ravaging illness, a mysterious brain disease of uncertain cause and with no known cure. His business manager revealed to AP that the boxer also suffered from diabetes and high blood pressure.
Burgess Meredith (1907-1997)
Burgess Meredith was known as one of the most accomplished actors of the century and was called “a virtuosic actor.” The American actor and filmmaker was most famous for playing The Penguin in the 1960s TV series Batman and George Milton in Of Mice and Men. Also, he has narrated many documentaries and films during his long professional life. The actor died at the age of 89 in his home in Malibu, California, from complications of Alzheimer’s disease and melanoma.
Peter Michael Falk (1927-2011)
Peter Michael Falk, who is best known for his role in the TV series Columbo, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in December 2008. He suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and advanced dementia, which got worse after a series of dental operations in 2007. The actor’s condition worsened again after a hip operation. His doctor revealed that the actor didn’t even remember his most popular role! The 81-year-old, who was suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s disease, died at his Beverly Hills, California home.
Eddie Albert (1906–2005)
Eddie Albert was not only a versatile actor but was also an outspoken environmentalist and humanitarian activist. The actor, who is known for his 1960s sitcom Green Acres, died at 99 at his Pacific Palisades home due to pneumonia. In 1995, Eddie was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. His son, who had given up on his acting career to take care of his father, revealed that his father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s about ten years ago but was active and lived a happy life.
Rosa Parks (1913–2005)
Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was an American activist who helped initiate the civil rights movement in the United States. She was named the First Lady of Civil Rights and Mother of the Freedom Movement by the United States Congress. Rosa wrote her autobiography My Story in 1992 and lived a peaceful life until she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. In 2005, she passed away due to complications from Alzheimer’s. At the time of her death, she was 92 years old. She was survived by her 13 nieces and nephews along with her sister-in-law, other cousins, and their families.
Imogene Coca (1908-2001)
Imogene Coca is best known for playing opposite Sid Caesar in the live 90-minute Your Show of Shows (1950). For this particular show, she was nominated for five Emmy Awards and won the Best Actress award in 1951. The comedienne died from natural causes incidental to Alzheimer’s disease at her home in Westport, Connecticut. At the time of her demise, Imogene Coca was 92 years old.
Sidney Poitier (1927-2022)
Sidney Poitier was the first Black actor and first Bahamian to win the Best Actor award at the Academy Awards. During his professional career, he was known for playing strong leading African American male roles in films and shows. Reportedly, the Bahamian-American actor and diplomat died at his home in Los Angeles from a combination of heart failure, prostate cancer, and Alzheimer’s dementia. He was 94 years old at the time of his tragic death.
Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
Aaron Copland, the classical composer and conductor of his own and other American music, was referred to by his peers and critics as the “Dean of American Composers.” He was known for producing music in various genres including chamber music, opera, vocal works, and film scores. In the 1980s, his health deteriorated. In 1990, he died of Alzheimer’s disease and respiratory failure in North Tarrytown, New York.
Kirk Alyn (1910-1999)
Kirk Alyn was the first on-screen actor to play Superman or Clark Kent in Superman (1948) and Atom Man vs. Superman (1950). The actor died in 1999 in The Woodlands, Texas, of Alzheimer’s disease. At the time of his death, the renowned actor was 88 years old. After his funeral, his ashes were scattered off the coast of California.
Dorian Leigh (1917-2008)
Dorian Elizabeth Leigh Parker, known as Dorian Leigh, was an American model and was considered one of the first supermodels who was well-known not only in the US but also in Europe. In 2008, she died due to Alzheimer’s disease in a Falls Church, Virginia nursing home at the age of 91.
Otto Preminger (1905-1986)
Austrian-born American director Otto Preminger was dubbed the most hated man in Hollywood. He was known for his monstrous behavior on sets. Apparently, he had confessed to actor Nicol Williamson that he was called “Otto the Monster.” Although he was nominated thrice for Golden Globes, he never received an Oscar. In 1986, the actor-director died in New York City due to the effects of lung cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. He was 80 years old at the time of his demise.
Bill Mauldin (1921-2003)
William Henry Mauldin, aka Bill Mauldin, was known for his World War II cartoons depicting American soldiers. The American editorial cartoonist won two Pulitzer Prizes for his work. One of his seven sons told The Associated Press that his father died at a Newport Beach nursing home due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease, including pneumonia. Bill was 81 years old when he passed away.
Raquel Welch (1940-2023)
In her career spanning over 50 years, Raquel Welch starred in over 30 films and 50 television series and appearances. Reportedly, the Golden Globe winner died of cardiac arrest at the age of 82. As per the death certificate obtained by People, Alzheimer’s disease was also listed as a condition that led to the death of the famous personality.
Rip Torn (1931-2019)
In his career spanning over 60 years, Elmore Rual “Rip” Torn Jr., earned the reputation of a versatile actor on both stage and screen. The Larry Sanders Show actor passed away at the age of 88 due to Alzheimer’s dementia at his Connecticut home.
B. Smith (1949-2020)
The model-turned-TV host and lifestyle guru B. Smith was one of the country’s first high-profile black models. In 2013, the author and restaurateur was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. After a seven-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease, she died at the age of 70 at home in Long Island, New York.
Pat Summitt (1952-2016)
The legendary University of Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Sumitt battled early onset dementia, ‘Alzheimer’s Type, since 2011. She was reportedly 59 when she was diagnosed with it. Pat died peacefully at the age of 64. The details of her disease were revealed in her memoir “Sum It Up,” which she wrote with Sally Jenkins.
Rosalie Abrams (1921-2010)
Rosalie Abrams was an American feminist playwright, actress, and activist. Although Abrams was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, she served as a greeter at the local Unitarian church. She died from complications related to Alzheimer’s disease in 2010. At the time of her death, Rosalie Abrams was 88 years old.
Frankie Albert (1920-2002)
Frank Cullen Albert, who was an American professional football player and coach, died due to complications of Alzheimer’s disease in 2002. He was 82 years old at the time of his tragic death.
Mabel Albertson (1901-1982)
Mabel Ida Albertson was popular for playing the roles of nosey neighbors and interfering grandmothers on TV and in films. The American African actress, who was known for her role as Phyllis Stephens in the TV sitcom Bewitched, retired from acting in the mid-1970s. She reportedly suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, a mental deterioration disorder. After suffering seven years of poor health, Mabel passed away at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California. She was 81 years old at the time of her death.
Alex Anderson (1920-2010)
Alexander Hume Anderson Jr. suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and passed away at the age of 90 in Carmel, California, due to complications from the disease. The cartoonist was known for his creation of the television characters Rocky the Flying Squirrel and his buddy, the bumbling moose Bullwinkle, but he was not directly involved in The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.
Ralph Herrick Andrews (1927-2015)
Ralph Andrews, who was best known for his game shows that he produced like You Don’t Say, Zoom, Show Me, and Wedding Party, died of Alzheimer’s at the age of 87.
Michael Ansara (1922-2013)
American actor Michael Ansara passed away in 2013 at his home in Calabasas, California, at the age of 91. His former agent, Michael B. Druxman, revealed that the cause of the actor’s death was complications from Alzheimer’s disease. Michael was best known for playing American Indians and for his role as Klingon in three different Star Trek series.
Carol Arthur (1935-2020)
Carol Arthur DeLuise passed away after an 11-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease at the Mary Pickford House at the Motion Picture & Television Fund home in Woodland Hills. The 85-year-old actress was known for playing supporting roles in Mel Brooks-directed films.
William Asher (1921-2012)
William Milton Asher died at the age of 90 in Palm Desert, California, from complications of Alzheimer’s. The television director was known for directing or producing over two dozen series, including Our Miss Brooks, I Love Lucy, and Bewitched.
Bob Barker (1923-2023)
Robert William Barker, also known as Bob Barker, was an American media personality and animal rights advocate. He was a longtime host of The Price is Right (1972 to 2007). According to a death certificate viewed by NBC News, the Truth or Consequences host passed away at the age of 99 due to Alzheimer’s disease. In a statement, his longtime friend Nancy Burnet revealed that Bob continued to speak and remained physically active through exercise until just before he passed away.
Etta James (1938-2012)
Jamesetta Hawkins, aka Etta James, suffered from chronic leukemia and Alzheimer’s. It was in 2010 that her son revealed that she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. She breathed her last on January 20, 2012, just five days before her 74th birthday.
Lili Damita (1904-1994)
Lili Damita, a French-born actress who became one of Hollywood’s most glamorous celebrities, passed away at the age of 90 in Good Samaritan Medical Center in Palm Beach, Florida. As per an Associated Press report, the actress suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.
Gene Wilder (1933-2016)
Gene Wilder passed away in 2016 at the age of 83 at home in Stamford, Connecticut, from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. His fourth wife, Karen Wilder, had revealed to Vanity Fair how the disease had taken his memories and fine motor skills. Gene was known mainly for his comedic roles and for his portrayal of Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971).
Edmond O’Brien (1915-1985)
Edmond O’Brien died at the age of 69 at St. Erne’s Sanitorium in Inglewood, California, due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease. He was one of the most respected character actors in American cinema.
Arlene Golonka (1936-2021)
Arlene Leanore Golonka was known for playing bubbly, eccentric blondes in supporting stage, film, and television character roles. The actress, who became popular for her role of Millie on Marberry R.F.D and The Andy Griffith Show, died in her sleep at a memory care facility in West Hollywood after a battle with Alzheimer’s. She was 85 years old at the time of her death.
Buddy Baer (1915-1986)
American boxer and actor Jacob Henry Baer, aka Buddy Baer, was known as the gentle giant of professional boxing during the Joe Louis era. Baer, who suffered from diabetes, hypertension, and Alzheimer’s disease, died at the age of 71 at Veterans Hospital in California.
Carol Jenkins Barnett (1956-2021)
Carol Jenkins Barnett, daughter of George W. Jenkins, the founder of Publix Super Market, was listed in Forbes’ list of The World’s Billionaires every year from 2008. In 2016, at the age of 59, the American philanthropist and businesswoman was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s. She died at the age of 65 due to the complications of Alzheimer’s.
Lloyd Wendt (1908-2007)
Lloyd Wendt was a longtime Chicago journalist and the author of several books. He died at the age of 99 in a Sanford, Florida, nursing home, where he had lived for several years and was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
Anita Ellis (1920-2015)
Anita Kert Ellis lived in Manhattan and has suffered from Alzheimer’s since 2000. She died in 2015 at the age of 95. Anita was a Canadian-born American actress and singer. She was well-known for dubbing Rita Hayworth’s songs in Gilda.
Hal Ketchum (1953-2020)
American country music singer and songwriter Hal Michael Ketchum was known for songs like “Small Town Saturday Night” and “Past the Point of Rescue.” In April 2019, his wife Andrea revealed that Hal was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia and that he would be retiring from his performing career. The country singer died at the age of 67 at his home in Fischer, Texas, due to complications of dementia.
Thomas Beck (1909-1995)
Thomas Beck passed away in 1995 after battling Alzheimer’s disease and heart conditions in Miami Shores, Florida. He was known for playing juvenile leads in several Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto films. Also, he is known for playing the part of Will Rogers in 1935’s Life Begins at 40.
