From comedy legends to music icons, incredible talent was lost this year.
As we near 2018, ET is paying tribute to the stars we lost in 2017.
From comedy legends to music icons, incredible talent was lost this year. Take a look back at some of the celebrities who we said goodbye to below.
Mary Tyler Moore
The year started off on a sad note, as the Mary Tyler Moore Show and Dick Van Dyke Show star died on Jan. 25 at 80 years old. In a statement to ET at the time, Moore's rep revealed that the beloved actress died "in the company of friends and her loving husband of over 33 years, Dr. S. Robert Levine."
Moore's death was caused by cardiopulmonary arrest after she had contracted pneumonia. She made her last public appearance on an episode of ABC's Katie with Katie Couric in 2013, where she reunited with her former Mary Tyler Moore Show co-stars Valerie Harper, Betty White, Cloris Leachman and Georgia Engel ahead of her guest-starring spot on Hot in Cleveland.
Bill Paxton
The 61-year-old actor died unexpectedly during surgery on Feb. 25, after suffering from a heart condition. Paxton starred in a slew of films, including blockbuster hits Aliens, Apollo 13, Titanic and Twister. The four-time Golden Globe nominee also starred in HBO's Big Love for five seasons, the History Channel's Hatfields & McCoys and most recently, CBS' new show Training Day.
Paxton married Louise Newbury in 1987 and is survived by his two kids: 23-year-old James, who is an actor on USA’s Eyewitness, and 20-year-old Lydia.
Chris Cornell
The music industry was shocked when the Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman died unexpectedly in Detroit, Michigan, on May 18. His cause of death was later determined to be suicide by hanging. He was 52 years old.
Cornell, who was one of the biggest voices in the '90s grunge movement, was mourned by family as well as fans. His wife, Vicky, revealed that he made it a point to spend time with their children ahead of his death. Cornell shared two kids with Vicky -- 13-year-old daughter Toni and 12-year-old son Christopher, as well one 17-year-old daughter, Lillian, with his ex-wife, Susan Silver.
Chester Bennington
Bennington, who was a close friend of Cornell's and godfather to his son, Christopher, died on July 20. The Linkin Park frontman was just 41 years old when he was found dead in Los Angeles; his death was later ruled suicide by hanging.
The singer appeared to be in good spirits in a Carpool Karaoke episode filmed just days before he died. The father of six, who won two GRAMMYs throughout his career with Linkin Park, was remembered in a star-studded concert in October.
Hugh Hefner
Hefner was 91 years old when he died on Sept. 27, more than six decades after he started the Playboy empire. The mogul founded the magazine in 1953 in part with a $1,000 loan from his mother, and went on to become one of the most successful entrepreneurs of the 20th century.
Hefner, who died at the Playboy Mansion of natural causes, was buried at Westwood Village Memorial Park in Los Angeles, next to Marilyn Monroe -- who appeared on the first issue of Playboy -- in the same mausoleum. He famously bought the crypt adjacent to the Some Like It Hot star 25 years ago for $75,000. Hefner is survived by his wife, Crystal, and four grown children: Christie, who served as CEO of Playboy Enterprise for more than 20 years, David, Marston and Cooper.
Tom Petty
The rock icon died on Oct. 2 at 66. Petty suffered cardiac arrest at his home in Malibu, and was taken to UCLA Medical Center, but could not be revived. In a statement to ET at the time, Petty's longtime manager revealed that he died peacefully "surrounded by his family, his bandmates and his friends."
Over his four decades in music, Petty released 13 albums with his band, The Heartbreakers, as well as three solo LPs. He's responsible for hits like “American Girl,” “Free Fallin'” and “Last Dance With Mary Jane," which became regarded as some of the most timeless songs in rock history. Petty remained on the road until his death, recently wrapping a critically acclaimed 40th anniversary tour with his band.
See more of the stars we lost in the gallery below.
