Every Actor In The Glee Cast Who Passed Away

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 original 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.

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. 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.

Cory Monteith As Finn Hudson

Date Of Birth: May 11, 1982

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 hotel room due to a mixed blood toxicity of heroin and alcohol. 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.

Notable Movie & TV Roles:

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 As Noah Puckerman

Date Of Birth: August 17, 1982

Actor: Mark Salling marks another tragic passing among the cast of Glee. On January 30, 2018, Salling was found dead, having taken his own life at the age of 35. 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.

Notable Movie & TV Roles:

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.

Naya Rivera As Santana Lopez

Date Of Birth: January 12, 1987

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.

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 life. 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.

Notable Movie & TV Roles:

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, pairing well with Puck. She softened later in the show and eventually came out as bisexual, marrying Brittany (Heather Morris). Despite that softening, she maintains a biting wit that gives her some of the best one-liners in the show. Her solo performances are also fan-favorites.

Robin Trocki As Jean Sylvester

Date Of Birth: June 30, 1956

Actor: Robin Trocki, who passed away on December 14, 2019, at the age of 63, from complications with Alzheimer’s disease, only had one role in her acting career, as Jean Sylvester on Glee.

Notable Movie & TV Roles:

Character: Sue Sylvester treats everyone pretty terribly, that is, save for her older sister Jean. Jean has Down syndrome and lives in an assisted living facility. Jean only appears in a handful of episodes, but her appearances in the series serve to show that Sue does have a heart. She passes away at the end of season 2.

Michael Lerner As Sidney Greene

Date Of Birth: June 22, 1941

Actor: Michael Lerner passed away 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.

Notable Movie & TV Roles:

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. His screen time is limited in the series and his character isn’t fully fleshed out since much of the focus in that storyline is on the different styles of Rachel and Santana.

Tim Conway As Marty Rogers

Date Of Birth: December 15, 1933

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. 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.

Notable Movie & TV Roles:

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 that appear throughout the run of the show.

Olivia Newton-John As Herself

Date Of Birth: September 26, 1948

Actor: Olivia Newton-John died on August 8, 2022, at the age of 73 from cancer. Before that, she was a Golden Globe-nominated singer and actor who was best known for her performance as Sandy Olsson in Grease. Her other notable film roles include Kira in Xanadu and Lina Bingham in It’s My Party. 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”.

Notable Movie & TV Roles:

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. It’s a fun role for musical fans to see her in since they are so used to seeing the actor playing good-girl characters instead.

Meat Loaf As Barry Jeffries

Date Of Birth: September 27, 1947

Actor: Meat Loaf is 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). Meat Loaf, real name Michael Lee Aday, appeared in plenty of TV shows and movies as well. On television, he appeared in Ghost Wars as Doug Rennie and 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.

Notable Movie & TV Roles:

Character: Barry Jeffries, along with Tim Stanwick (Barry Bostwick), appear 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. It’s not a huge role for him, but like many other larger-than-life pop culture figures, was one that made the audience pause to find out just where they knew him from.

Jean Sincere As Ancient Librarian

Date Of Birth: August 16, 1919

Actor: Jean Sincere passed away 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.

Notable Movie & TV Roles:

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 the club make a song for her church.

Barbara Tarbuck As Nancy Bletheim

Date Of Birth: January 15, 1942

Actor: Barbara Tarbuck died on December 26, 2016, at the age of 74 after contracting 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.

Notable Movie & TV Roles:

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. Shue 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.

Jane Galloway Heitz As Lillian Adler

Date Of Birth: September 18, 1941

Actor: Jane Galloway Heitz died on November 13, 2019, at the age of 78 due to heart failure. Before that time, she had frequent small roles in shows like Shameless as Claire, Monk as Essie, and Grey’s Anatomy as Annie’s Mom. Heitz’s film roles include Nurse Irma Beck in I Know Who Killed Me and Audrey in Madison​​​​​​.

Notable Movie & TV Roles:

Character: Lilian Adler only appeared in the pilot of Glee, as the original glee club director. Not all fans will realize that though since her scenes were cut and are now only available in the director’s cut. But her photograph is hung up inside the glee club trophy case with the quote “By its very definition, glee is about opening yourself up to joy.” That makes Jane Galloway Heitz a bigger presence in the show than she might have thought since Mr. Shue frequently looks to her picture for inspiration.

Phyllis Applegate As Birdie Lawrence

Date Of Birth: May 8, 1930

Actor: Phyllis Applegate, who died on January 13, 2023, at the age of 92, appeared in numerous TV shows and movies, generally in small roles. On TV, she played Myrtle in Better Call Saul, Ida Pearl in Any Day Now, and Darnell’s Grandmother in My Name Os Earl. Applegate’s movie credits include Grace in Insidious: Chapter 3 and Aunt Billy in Black Dynamite.

Notable Movie & TV Roles:

Character: Birdie Lawrence appears in Glee season 4, episode 3, as a member of the Show Choir Rules Committee. Characters who appeared in sequences of judging competitions or setting up competitions often only appeared in the show once. Those actors were “day players” for the show, able to come in and do a day’s work and make a lasting impression on an episode.

Tonita Castro As Imelda

Date Of Birth: January 15, 1953

Actor: Tonita Castro died on May 8, 2016, at the age of 63 after a fight with stomach cancer. Castro’s television credits include Edna in Dads, Faust in Go On, and Consuela in Kroll Show. Her film roles include Elsa in Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, Aunt Rosita in Our Family Wedding, and Bonita in Funny People.

Notable Movie & TV Roles:

Character: In season 1, episode 21, Imelda appears briefly as Sue’s housekeeper. With not much of Sue’s homelife shown outside of her relationship with her sister and her desire to have a child in later seasons, it’s unknown if Sue keeps her household staff around throughout the series.

Mike Hagerty As Pete Sosnowski

Date Of Birth: May 10, 1954

Actor: Mike Hagerty died on May 5, 2022, at the age of 67 after suffering a seizure and slipping into a coma. Hagerty’s notable TV roles include Frank McNamara on The George Carlin Show, Mr. Treeger on Friends, and Mike on Lucky Louie. His film credits include Davy in Wayne’s World and a Peanut Vendor in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me​​​​​​.

Notable Movie & TV Roles:

Character: Pete Sosnowski is the associate director of the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles and presides over the 2010 Western Ohio Sectionals Championship, eventually revealing that New Directions and the Warblers tied. He appears in season 2, episode 9.

Michael Mandell As Mo

Date Of Birth: June 11, 1959

Actor: Michael Mandell passed away on July 26, 2020, at the age of 60. Before then, he performed in TV shows like Person of Interest as Keach, The Electric Company as Mr. Abercrombie, and NYC 22 as Alton Fancy. His movie roles include Cleavon in I Love You Phillip Morris and Murray in New Year’s Eve. He also notably performed twice in the stage production of Elf as the Macy’s Store Manager.

Notable Movie & TV Roles:

Character: Mo appears briefly in season 2, episode 22, “New York”.

Roger Keller As Bill

Date Of Birth: November 19, 1949

Actor: Roger Keller died on January 10, 2017, from cancer at the age of 67. He only appeared in a handful of television roles up until that point. Keller played Reverend Forke in Murphy Brown, and unnamed characters in shows like Frasier, Cheers, and Wings.

Notable Movie & TV Roles:

Character: Bill is a minor character who briefly appears in season 3, episode 12, “The Spanish Teacher”.

Patty Duke As Jan

Date Of Birth: December 14, 1946

Actor: Patty Duke, who died on March 29, 2016, at the age of 69 from sepsis, earned an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for playing Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker. She was also nominated for four Golden Globes in her career, winning twice, and she earned 10 Emmy nominations and won three times. Duke’s other notable film roles include Neely O’Hara in Valley of the Dolls and Natalie Miller in Me, Natalie. Her TV credits include Patty Lane on The Patty Duke Show and Bernadette Hennessey Armagh in Captains and the Kings.

Notable Movie & TV Roles:

Character: Jan is a jeweler in season 4, episode 22 who helps Blaine Anderson (Darren Criss) pick out a ring for Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer). Jan and her girlfriend Liz (Meredith Baxter) have dinner with the young men and encourage them to take the leap, explaining how views of queerness have changed since they were young. Jan then proposes to Liz, inspiring Blaine to do the same.

Sonya Eddy As Angry Mom

Date Of Birth: June 17, 1967

Actor: Sonya Eddy passed away on December 19, 2022, at 55 after non-emergency surgery led to an infection. She had appeared in dozens of TV shows and movies before then. On TV, she was best known for performances in General Hospital as Epiphany Johnson, Legit as Ramona, and Those Who Can’t as Tammy. Eddy’s notable film roles include Debra in V/H/S/99 and Hanna in The Incredible Burt Wonderstone​​​​​​.

Notable Movie & TV Roles:

Character: The Angry Mom played by Sonya Eddy appears in season 3, episode 4, where she throws a brick at Principal Figgins (Iqbal Theba).

James Lipton As Himself

Date Of Birth: September 19, 1926

Actor: James Lipton was an actor, writer, and talk show host best known for hosting Inside the Actors Studio, which earned him 18 Emmy nominations and one win. He only ever appeared in small roles. On TV, he played Warden Stefan Gentles in Arrested Development, Dr. Richard Rohl in Suburgatory, and Lotzi in The Goldbergs. His film credits include Bewitched as himself and Bolt as the voice of the director. Lipton passed away on March 2, 2020, at the age of 90 from bladder cancer.

Notable Movie & TV Roles:

Character: James Lipton appears as himself in Glee season 3, episode 22. As Finn is graduating from high school, he auditions for Lipton to get a spot in the Actors Studio.

Suzanne Krull As Eccentric Vogue Woman

Date Of Birth: July 8, 1966

Actor: Suzanne Krull passed away on July 27, 2013, at the age of 47 after suffering an aneurysm. Krull is best known for playing Lynn Karnoff on Lost and Miss Burvitch in Zoey 101. Her movie roles included performances in Race to Witch Mountain as Gail Ross and Rudderless as Bertie Dupree.

Notable Movie & TV Roles:

Character: Season 4, episode 3 sees Suzanne Krull as an eccentric interviewer for Vogue fashion magazine.

Edmund Shaff As Hipster Male

Date Of Birth: May 19, 1935

Actor: Edmund Shaff died on June 16, 2023, at the age of 88. Shaff had small roles on shows like Modern Family as Victor, Desperate Housewives as Walter, and Mad Men as Chester Rockingham. His film roles include parts in Herbie Fully Loaded as Dean and Set It Off as Mr. Zachery​​​​​​.

Notable Movie & TV Roles:

Character: In season 2, episode 9, of Glee New Directions competes against another group called the Hipsters. Despite their name, they are not a Brooklyn music group. Instead, they are a team of older, but surprisingly spry, singers, one of whom is Bill.

Glee Honored Cory Monteith’s Death In A Touching Episode

Monteith Was Honored In Season 5, Episode 3 “The Quarterback”

…Monteith shouldn’t be remembered for how he died, but for how much joy he brought to the lives of others.

Cory Monteith passed away as the cast was filming season 5 of Glee. Filming halted and the cast and crew were given time off while a new episode was drafted to honor him. It was named “The Quarterback” in honor of his character, Finn Hudson, whose character died off-screen between episodes 2 and 3 of the season.

The episode was an emotional one for the cast and the fans of the show as it revolved around the characters grieving the loss of Finn, but in reality, it was the loss of Monteith. Chris Colfer’s Kurt provides the voiceover that announces Finn’s death, and the character refuses to tell the audience the manner of death so that the episode can be about honoring Finn’s life instead. This was a fitting way to remind the audience that Monteith shouldn’t be remembered for how he died, but for how much joy he brought to the lives of others.

The episode brought many members of New Directions back together to attend a memorial service for Finn. Lea Michele, who had been dating Monteith at the time of his death, didn’t return as Rachel Berry until the final moments of the episode to perform a farewell song with “Make You Feel My Love.”

Songs featured in the episode include the opening number “Seasons of Love” performed by several cast members, originally from RENT, and Naya Rivera’s emotional rendition of The Band Perry’s “If I Die Young.” Producers of the show agreed to donate proceeds from the sale of the EP for the episode to Monteith’s favorite charity, Project Limelight.

The episode is remembered as one of the most emotional, and one of the best episodes of Glee during the show’s run. “The Quarterback” remains the highest-rated episode of Glee by fans on ranking platforms and on databases like IMDb.