7 ‘That ’70s Show’ Stars Who’ve Sadly Passed Away

Not everything about That ‘70s Show is a laughing matter.

The beloved Fox sitcom has seen numerous stars pass away over the years.

Whether they’ve had notable roles on the series, which ran for eight seasons, or just brief arcs, they’ve all made an impact at some point. On the plus side, with all seasons streaming on Peacock, fans can always look back at their favorite episodes with their favorite actors, and it will be like they’re still here. But their memory surely lives on.

Betty White

The legendary actress appeared in four episodes of Season 5 as Bea Sigurdson, Kitty’s mother. Some of Betty White’s more notable credits include, of course, The Golden Girls, The Proposal, Lake Placid, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Hot in Cleveland, Toy Story 4, The Lorax, You Again, The Bold and the Beautiful, Boston Legal, and Ladies Man. She passed away in December 2021, less than a month before her 100^th birthday.

Howard Hesseman

Howard Hesseman appears in three episodes throughout Seasons 3 and 4 as Max, the owner of WFPP Radio Station. He can also be seen in Fresh Off the Boat, Silver Skies, Christmas in Vermont, Wild Oats, Halloween II, Boston Legal, and The Sky is Falling, among others. Hesseman died from complications of colorectal surgery in January 2022 at age 81.

James Avery

James Avery portrayed Point Place Police Officer Kennedy in three episodes of Season 6. He is best known for his role as Philip Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Other credits include Hunt for the Labyrinth Killer, Who’s Your Caddy?, The Closer, The Third Wish, Star Trek: Enterprise, Raise Your Voice, The Division, and Dr. Dolittle 2. Avery died on New Year’s Eve 2013 at 68, following complications from open heart surgery.

Lisa Robin Kelly

Lisa Robin Kelly was the first actress to portray Eric’s big sister, Laurie, starring in the first five seasons before ultimately getting kicked off due to her unreliability, since she was using cocaine at the time. The show merely said she would be attending beauty school, but Christina Moore eventually replaced her in Season 6. Other credits include Late Last Night, Clubland, Kill the Man, The Survivor, Married… with Children, Days of Our Lives, and Payback. Kelly died in her sleep in August 2013 at just 43 years old at a rehab facility.

Mary Tyler Moore

Another legendary actress briefly appeared on That ‘70s Show. Mary Tyler Moore guest starred in three episodes of Season 8 as Christine St. George, host of What’s Up, Wisconsin who hires Jackie since she’s one of her biggest fans but then later fires her after Jackie finds out too much about her personal life. Along with The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Moore is known for Ordinary People, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Hot in Cleveland, Blessings, The Ellen Show, and Cheaters. She died in January 2017 at age 80 from cardiopulmonary arrest complicated by pneumonia.

Tanya Roberts

Tanya Roberts portrayed Donna’s mother, Midge Pinciotti, in Seasons 1-3 and Seasons 6-7. She is also known for The Blues Brothers Animated Series, Hot Line, The Pandora Directive, Deep Down, Almost Pregnant, Twisted Justice, Purgatory, Charlie’s Angels, Pleasure Cove, and The Last Victim. Roberts died in January 2021 at 71 years old of sepsis from a urinary tract infection.

Tom Poston

Tom Poston appeared in three episodes of Season 5 as Kitty’s father, Burt Sigurdson. He is best known for his roles in Committed, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, Beethoven’s 5^th, Christmas with the Kranks, Newhart, The Old Dark Horse, and Mork & Mindy. Poston passed away from respiratory failure in April 2007 after a brief illness at age 85.