Every Actor In The Glee Cast Who Passed Away

The following article contains a mention of suicide. Sadly, there is a significant number of the Glee cast who have passed away, either from causes later in life or from more tragic circumstances. Glee premiered in May 2009 and ushered in an era of Ryan Murphy TV shows that, collectively, may still not rival the cultural influence of his hit series about a glee club at the fictional William McKinley High School. Though American Horror Story may now be more well-known, and American Crime Story more critically acclaimed, Glee, particularly the first season, was a phenomenon. With Murphy sharing he's considering a Glee reboot, the cast has been even more relevant. Glee utilized a fantastic ensemble cast of talented actors and singers who drove the tongue-in-cheek comedy of the teen show. However, they're better known for belting out Glee's incredible covers of songs, which are sometimes even better than the originals. While the series' quality admittedly dipped quickly, the early seasons of the show are some of the best network TV has had to offer. Glee often brought in famed TV actors and singers for guest and recurring roles, though as the years passed, a number of them have died, along with a few key young actors from the main cast. Glee Actor Character Cory Monteith Finn Hudson Mark Salling Noah Puckerman Naya Rivera Santana Lopez Robin Trocki Jean Sylvester Michael Lerner Sidney Greene Tim Conway Marty Rogers Olivia Newton-John Herself Meat Loaf Barry Jeffries Jean Sincere Ancient Librarian Barbara Tarbuck Nancy Bletheim Jane Galloway Heitz Lillian Adler Phyllis Applegate Birdie Lawrence Tonita Locastro Imelda Mike Hagerty Pete Sosnowski Michael Mandell Mo Roger Keller Bill Patty Duke Jan Sonya Eddy Angry Mom James Lipton Himself Suzanne Krull Eccentric Vogue Woman Edmund Shaff Hipster Male Cory Monteith (1982-2013) Finn Hudson Actor: Cory Monteith struggled with substance addictions for much of his life, and tragically, on July 13, 2013, at the age of 31, he was found dead in his Vancouver hotel room due to a combined heroin and alcohol toxicity. Despite his life being cut so short, he still managed an impressive career. On television, Monteith played Gunnar in Kaya and Charlie Tanner in Kyle XY. In film, he appeared in Monte Carlo as Owen Andrews and in Final Destination 3 as Kahill. Monteith was also an accomplished drummer, which is why Finn can be seen playing the drums in a handful of scenes in the show. He was also an avid philanthropist, wanting to give back when he found success. His favorite non-profit group was Project Limelight, an organization based in Vancouver that is a free performing arts program for children. Character: At the start of the series, Finn Hudson is the quarterback of the football team with a secret talent for singing. Though he's embarrassed by this side of himself, his on-again, off-again romantic interest, Rachel Berry (Lea Michele), pulls out the sensitive side of his character. Mark Salling (1982-2018) Noah Puckerman Actor: Mark Salling marks another tragic passing among the cast of Glee. On January 30, 2018, Salling was found dead near his Los Angeles home, having taken his own life at the age of 35. He was awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to child pornography possession charges and was expected to receive four to seven years in prison. Along with Glee, Salling appeared in an episode of Walker, Texas Ranger as Billy and was a special guest star on The X Factor. His only two film roles beyond Glee: The 3D Concert Movie were two direct-to-video movies, Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering as James Rhodes, and The Graveyard as Eric. Character: Noah Puckerman is Finn's best friend and another star athlete on the football team. He's the bad boy of the school and a serial dater, but his mischief is more on the lovable side, making him a generally good friend. As the show progresses, he becomes a more responsible and honest person and less of a bully, embracing his place among the Glee Club. A Glee reboot would have to touch on Puck's absence, especially considering his character was serving in the military in honor of Finn. Naya Rivera (1987-2020) Santana Lopez Actor: Naya Rivera's death is both tragic and heroic. Rivera and her four-year-old son, Josey, had rented a boat on a reservoir in Ventura County, California, Lake Piru, on July 8, 2020, when she disappeared. Josey was found alone sleeping on the boat and the search operation found Rivera's body in the lake. The sheriff's report and statements from Josey suggested that a strong rip current exhausted Rivera while she and her son were swimming and, with her last ounce of strength, managed to push her son into the boat but was unable to get in herself (via Elle). Rivera was a champion of LGBTQ+ rights and was an active philanthropist. She was particularly involved with The Trevor Project, which aims to help LGBTQ+ teens who might be considering taking their own lives. Her other TV roles included Collette Jones in Step Up: High Water, Blanca Alvarez in the series Devious Maids, and Donna in The Bernie Mac Show. Rivera's film performances include playing Vera in At the Devil's Door and voicing Selena Kyle in Batman: The Long Halloween. Character: Santana Lopez is one of the most popular cheerleaders in Sue Sylvester's (Jane Lynch) squad and began the series as a mean girl. She softened later in the show and eventually came out as bisexual, marrying Brittany (Heather Morris). Despite that softening, she maintained a biting wit that gave her some of the best one-liners in the show. Her solo performances are also fan-favorites. As one of the most important Glee characters, a reboot of the show would have to provide an extensive explanation for Santana's absence. Robin Trocki (1956-2019) Jean Sylvester Actor: Robin Trocki passed away in her Burbank home on December 14, 2019, at the age of 63, from complications with Alzheimer's disease. She played Jean Sylvester, Sue's older sister, on Glee, and this was her only acting role. Character: Sue Sylvester treats everyone pretty terribly, that is, save for her sister Jean. Jean has Down syndrome and lives in an assisted living facility. She only appears in a handful of episodes, but her appearances in the series serve to show that Sue does have a heart. Jean passes away at the end of season 2. Michael Lerner (1941-2023) Sidney Greene Actor: Michael Lerner passed away at a hospital in Burbank on April 8, 2023, at the age of 81, from complications arising from a series of brain seizures. Before that, he was known as a prolific character actor, appearing in many notable productions. On television, Lerner played Mel Horowitz in the Clueless series and Judge Myron Winkleman in Courthouse. His film roles included Mr. Greenway in Elf, Mayor Ebert in Godzilla, Senator Brickman in Days of Future Past, and Jack Lipnick in Barton Fink, which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Character: Sidney Greene is a director and producer who appeared in a handful of episodes in season 4. He was working on the Broadway play Funny Girl when Rachel auditioned. Tim Conway (1933-2019) Marty Rogers Actor: Tim Conway had a prolific and award-winning career before he died on May 14, 2019, at the age of 85 from normal pressure hydrocephalus at a care facility in Los Angeles. Conway earned six Emmy Awards from 13 nominations and was nominated for two Golden Globes, winning once. His best-known television roles include various characters on The Carol Burnett Show, Ensign Charles Beaumont Parker on McHale's Navy, and he was the voice of Barnacle Boy on SpongeBob SquarePants. In movies, Conway played Amos Tucker in The Apple Dumpling Gang and Tim in The Shaggy D.A. Character: Marty Rogers appears alongside Billy Dee Williams and June Squibb in season 5, episode 19, "Old Dog, New Tricks." These three are retired actors and members of a nursing home trying to put on a stage version of Peter Pan. Glee was well known for stunt casting legendary pop culture figures in bit parts, and Conway is one of many who appear throughout the run of the show. Olivia Newton-John (1948-2022) Herself Actor: Olivia Newton-John died on August 8, 2022, in her home in the Santa Ynez Valley of California after a long fight against breast cancer. She was 73 years old. Before that, she was a Golden Globe-nominated singer and actor who was best known for her performance as Sandy Olsson in Grease and Kira in Xanadu. Newton-John's TV roles include many appearances as herself on American Idol, ​​RuPaul's Drag Race, and Dancing with the Stars. She also won four Grammy Awards, including one for Video of the Year for "Physical". Character: Olivia Newton-John appears as herself in a recurring role on Glee. She makes fun of her own "good girl" public image, playing a diva-ish singer who helps Sue repair her reputation by letting her appear in a remake of the music video for "Physical". Newton-John later appeared as a self-centered judge in a singing competition. Meat Loaf (1947-2022) Barry Jeffries Actor: Michael Lee Aday, aka Meat Loaf, died on January 20, 2022, at the age of 74, with his wife, Deborah Gillespie, by his side. Though no cause of death was given, there was speculation that the performer died from COVID-19 complications (via The Guardian). Meat Loaf was best known as a musician, and his 1977 album Bat Out of Hell was at one point the 4th best-selling album in history (via Forbes). The star also appeared in plenty of TV shows and movies. On television, he appeared in Ghost Wars as Doug Rennie and in one episode of Monk as Reverend Hadley Jorgensen. His notable film roles include Eddie in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Robert "Bob" Paulsen in Fight Club, and Tiny in Wayne's World. Character: Barry Jeffries, along with Tim Stanwick (Barry Bostwick), appears in season 2, episode 5, as managers of a local news station who plot to help Sue create an exposé on the upcoming school play. Jean Sincere (1919-2013) Ancient Librarian Actor: Jean Sincere passed away in Los Angeles on April 3, 2013, at the age of 93 from natural causes. Her notable TV credits include appearing in single-episode roles in shows like Frasier, iCarly, Malcolm in the Middle, ER, 7th Heaven, and more. In movies, Sincere voiced Mrs. Hogenson in The Incredibles and played Ruby in Pulse. Character: Noted only as the Ancient Librarian, this school employee is constantly seen shushing the Glee Club members just as they are about to break into song. She's responsible for a great running gag in the show since it's made clear that the Glee Club's antics aren't appreciated by the rest of the school. She speaks for the first time when she requests that the club make a song for her church. Barbara Tarbuck (1942-2016) Nancy Bletheim Actor: Barbara Tarbuck died in her Los Angeles on December 26, 2016, at the age of 74 due to complications from the neurodegenerative Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease. Her notable TV roles include playing Mother Superior Claudia in American Horror Story: Asylum, Barbara Colohan in NYPD Blue, and Lady Jane Jacks in General Hospital. Tarbuck's movie roles include Helen in Big Trouble and Connie Vaughn in Walking Tall. Character: Nancy Bletheim is the William McKinley High geometry teacher whose only appearance comes in season 3, episode 1 of Glee. It's rare for many other teachers outside of Mr. Schue and Coach Sylvester to be featured in the show since their own battle over arts in schools takes up more time than the kids actually going to class.