We Last Saw Them in 2023 - Vol. II Quiz

Answer: Jim Brown

Jim Brown was an African-American fullback, playing with the Cleveland Browns from 1957 and 1965, and was invited to the Pro Bowl every year that he was a member of the NFL. At his retirement he had made 106 touchdowns, and was the only NFL member to average more than 100 rushing yards per game. Number 32 with the Cleveland Browns, his number while with the team, was retired by the team in his honor. Brown was also an activist, as well as an actor, playing in such classics as "The Dirty Dozen" (1967), "100 Rifles" (1969), and "Running Man" (1987).

He died on May 18th, 2023, at the age of 87.

Answer: Tina Turner

Originally one half of the group Ike & Tina Turner, Tina performed such hits as "River Deep--Mountain High" (1966). She made her smashing comeback in the 1980s, becoming a superstar with such songs as "What's Love Got to Do With It" (1984), "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)" (1985), and "GoldenEye" (1995). Tina was also a successful actress during her career, appearing in "Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome" (1985), for which she was awarded the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress.

In her later years she relinquished her American citizenship for a Swiss citizenship; she died in Switzerland on May 24th, 2023, of natural causes.

Answer: Alan Arkin

Alan Arkin was a successful actor from early on in his career, earning an Tony Award for Best Actor in 1963 for his role in the play "Enter Laughing". In 2006, he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for his role in the film "Little Miss Sunshine". Over his career he also received a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe, as well as 6 Emmy nominations.

He was known for his roles in the films "The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming" (1966), "The In-Laws" (1979), and "Edward Scissorhands" (1990).

He died on June 29, 2023, aged 89.

Answer: Tony Bennett

Tony Bennett was born as Anthony Dominick Benedetto in 1926; he died of Alzheimer's disease on July 21st, 2023. His first hit, "Because of You", was also the last song he sang before his death. His songs include "Because of You" (1951), "Cold Cold Heart" (1951), "Rags to Riches" (1953), "Fly me to the Moon" (1965), and many duets in his later career, which extended right up to 2021.

He recorded with artists such as Lady Gaga and Michael Bublé. He was also an excellent artist.

Answer: Marlene Hagge

Marlene Hagge died aged 86 on May 16 2023, after a fall. At the age of 13 she finished 8th in the U.S. Women's Open, and was named the Associated Press Athlete of the Year two years later, becoming the youngest person ever to be given that title. She was the youngest of 13 women to found the Ladies' Professional Golf Association in 1950.

She had 26 LPGA tour wins over her career, and won the 1956 LPGA Championship. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002.

Answer: Paul Reubens

Born in 1952, Paul Reubens began his career as a comedian in the 1970s, but didn't get his big break until the debut of "The Pee-Wee Herman Show" in 1981. It ran until 1984. This spawned movie sequels as well as another TV show on CBS, "Pee-Wee's Playhouse" (1986-1991). On July 30th, 2023, Reubens passed away from cancer with which he had been ill for 6 years. He was 70 years old.

Answer: Sinead O'Connor

Sinead O'Connor, also known as Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor, first became successful with her first album, "The Lion and the Cobra", in 1987. Her next album, "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" (1990) was her biggest-selling album ever, selling over 7 million copies, in part thanks to the song "Nothing Compares 2 U" on it.

She was also an activist, and was vocal against abuse in the Catholic Church, and spoke out about Irish politics. She died at the age of 56, of undisclosed cause, on July 26, 2023.

Answer: Daniel Ellsberg

Born in 1931, Daniel Ellsberg was an employee of the RAND corporation when he leaked documents known as the Pentagon Papers in 1971. These documents, related to the Vietnam War, which Ellsberg was against, were published publicly in several United States newspapers, sparking controversy and a court case.

He was charged with espionage, but acquitted in 1973, in part due to the evidence against him being acquired illegally. He remained a political activist and published author. When he died on June 16th, 2023, of pancreatic cancer, he was 92 years old.

Answer: Glenda Jackson

Glenda Jackson had two successful careers; her first was that of an actress. She won two Academy Awards for Best Actress for her roles in "Women in Love" (1970) and "A Touch of Class" (1973), as well as many other awards, including three Emmy, and one Tony Award (for "Three Tall Women" [2018]).

She also became a Member of Parliament, serving there as a Labor party member from 1992 to 2015, when she resumed acting. She died on June 15th, 2023, at the age of 87.

Answer: Cormac McCarthy

Cormac McCarthy began his literary career with his first book, "The Orchard Keeper" (1965). He wrote many novels over his lifetime, including "Blood Meridian" (1985), "All the Pretty Horses" (1990), and "No Country for Old Men" (2005). This was later adapted into a film by the Cohen brothers in 2007, winning the Academy Award for Best Picture. McCarthy died at the age of 89, on June 13, 2023.

He was at home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, at the time.