Stars From Blossom You Didn't Know Died

Those who grew up in the 1990s will no doubt recognize Jonathan Brandis, who became a teen idol after a string of heartthrob roles. Brandis was six when he made his onscreen debut, appearing in a 1982 episode of long-running soap opera "One Life to Live." 1990 was huge for the Connecticut native: he played Bastion in "The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter" and the young Bill Denbrough in the cult classic TV adaptation of Stephen King's "It." The following year, he appeared on "Blossom" as Stevie, a boy that both Blossom and her best friend Six (Jenna von Oÿ) take a shining to.

Brandis was perhaps best known for playing Lucas Wolenczek in the Steven Spielberg-produced sci-fi series "SeaQuest DSV." He appeared in all 57 episodes of the show, which ran for three seasons between 1993 and 1996. It was "SeaQuest DSV" "that garnered him a Young Artists Award in 1993 and helped turn him into a teen idol," CBS News noted. "At one point, he was getting 4,000 fan letters a week." 

Brandis landed a role in Ang Lee's "Ride with the Devil" a few years later, though his career began to slow down when the '00s arrived. He was cast as Pvt. Lewis P. Wakely in 2002's "Hart's War" (a Bruce Willis-led wartime drama), but his scenes got cut from the film. In November 2003, reports that the actor had died by suicide emerged. Police later confirmed that this was indeed the case, devastating his fans. He was 27.

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ at​ 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

Veteran actor Ian Abercrombie, who appeared as Mr. Winters in the "Blossom" Season 5 episode "Hi Diddly Dee," died of kidney failure in 2012, actor and producer Cathy Lind Hayes confirmed to the Los Angeles Times. He was 77.

Abercrombie was born in England but moved to the U.S. as a teenager. His first appearance on an American stage came in 1955 when he secured a part in "Stalag 17," but his career was put on hold a few years later when he got drafted. He returned to acting after the Army, and the experience likely came in handy during his first film shoot: he appeared as an uncredited POW in the 1965 World War II movie "Von Ryan's Express." He went on to land roles in movies including "Army of Darkness," "Addams Family Values," "The Lost World: Jurassic Park," and "Wild Wild West," but he would become best known for his work on the small screen.

Abercrombie appeared in seven episodes of "Seinfeld" as Mr. Pitt, the "pain in the neck" boss of Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Elaine Benes. "I have been around as an actor for 40-odd years, and this show knocked me out of the ballpark," he told CNN at the time (via the Los Angeles Times). He subsequently showed up on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Star Trek: Voyager," and The WB's "Birds of Prey," in which he played Batman's butler, Alfred Pennyworth. In his final onscreen role, he played Professor Crumbs in Disney Channel's "Wizards of Waverly Place."

An award-winning character actor who plied his trade on the stage and screen, Barnard Hughes played WWII veteran Buzz Richman on "Blossom," grandfather to the eponymous teen. Hughes died in his native New York in 2006 at the age of 90, his son, director Doug Hughes, told The New York Times. He was well known to the Manhattan-based newspaper, having received rave reviews for his Broadway work. He was showered with praise by veteran theater critic Walter Kerr in 1978 when he took on the lead role in a production of Hugh Leonard's "Da." Hughes was "masterly in the role of a lifetime, working skillfully as a watchmaker with every jewel in place," Kerr wrote. He won the Tony Award for best actor for his work in the play.

Around the same time, Hughes was making headway with his onscreen career (he actually debuted as a teenager, but he wouldn't become a recognized name until he was old enough to play serious and/or fatherly types). He scooped an Emmy for his turn as Judge Felix Rushman in "Lou Grant," and he would pop up in several big films in the decades that followed, including "Tron," "The Lost Boys," "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit," and "Doc Hollywood." To "Blossom" fans, however, he will always be bohemian grandpa Buzz Richman, who loved cigars almost as much as he loved women (he dated Phyllis Diller's character in the Season 4 episode "Sex, Lies and Mrs. Peterson").

Hollywood history is littered with stories of talented actors we lost too soon, but few are quite as sad as that of Brittany Murphy, who died under seemingly suspicious circumstances in December 2009, aged 32. The Los Angeles County coroner's office said the death was accidental, claiming that a combination of factors (including "community acquired pneumonia" and "multiple drug intoxication," per CNN) was to blame.

Theories that the actor had been poisoned began to spread, and the rumor mill went into overdrive when Murphy's 40-year-old husband (screenwriter Simon Monjack) was found dead under similar circumstances a matter of months later. When a new documentary about Murphy's death was released in 2020, forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht told Fox News that he believes it was indeed accidental and that people have to move on. "Now it's all over," he said. "There's no way meaningful scientific studies can be done. But there's no question about the pneumonia. This was shown and proven."

The Atlanta native was best known for her roles in films like "Clueless," "Just Married," "Girl, Interrupted," "Sin City," and "8 Mile," in which she played the love interest of Eminem (Murphy became close to the rapper while making the movie). Before all of that, she played Wendy in the "Blossom" Season 4 opener, in which the titular teen moves to Paris to live with her mom. Other early roles include Molly on "Almost Home," Abby on "Party of Five," and Sarah on "Sister, Sister."

Eileen Brennan, who was nominated for an Oscar for her turn opposite Goldie Hawn in the hit 1980 comedy "Private Benjamin," died of bladder cancer in 2013, her publicist confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. She had previously survived breast cancer. "No one ever made me laugh more!" Hawn said in a tribute tweet. "Now I cry. Please keep singing darling from on high. Rest." She was 80.

Speaking to The Associated Press in 1988, Brennan revealed that playing drill captain Doreen Lewis in "Private Benjamin" (a role she reprised in the '80s TV show of the same name, which led to an Emmy win) was a real blast. "I love meanies," she said (via The Monitor). "You know why? Because they have no sense of humor. People who are mean or unkind or rigid — think about it — cannot laugh at themselves." Brennan was also known for playing salt-of-the-earth waitress Genevieve in Peter Bogdanovich's "The Last Picture Show," a Best Picture nominee, and brothel madam Billie in the Paul Newman-led crime caper "The Sting," a Best Picture winner. Other notable feature credits include "Daisy Miller," "At Long Last Love," "Murder by Death," and the cult classic board game adaptation, "Clue."

In "Blossom," Brennan played the title character's neighbor and confidante Agnes, appearing in three Season 1 episodes. She also flexed her comedic chops on the likes of "Home Improvement," "7th Heaven," "Lizzie McGuire," and "Will & Grace," on which she recurred as acting coach Zandra.