The Emmys do their best to have fun with the endless handing out of trophies, but there’s one part of the show where things absolutely have to get serious: the In Memoriam montage. It’s a chance for everyone to reflect upon those who passed in the last year after making a stamp on the television industry, in one way or another.
The segment for this year’s ceremony was introduced by Anthony Anderson, with a song performed by John Legend. The names spanned all parts of the industry, from behind the scenes to on the small screen. There were beloved character actors, like Howard Hesseman, David Warner, Dwayne Hickman, Willie Garson, Robert Morse, Dean Stockwell, and Paul Sorvino. There was Tony Sirico, Paulie Walnuts from The Sopranos. There were movie icons who did time on TV, like James Caan, Ray Liotta, Anne Heche, and Sidney Poitier.
There were comics like Jak Knight, Gilbert Gottfried, Louie Anderson, and — one of the most shocking deaths of this year — Bob Saget. There were people who worked in other industries but who nonetheless were big on TV, including The Monkees’ Michael Nesmith, NFL coach and commentator John Madden, and Vin Scully, the euphonious sportscaster for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
And there were TV legends, from Estelle Harris to Nichelle Nichols to Betty White, who passed away mere weeks before what would have been her 100th birthday. They will all be missed but their work will be celebrated forever.