What you might not know about the American author
Following his aphasia diagnosis in 2022, Bruce Willis' family announced his retirement from acting and from the spotlight. In early 2023, his family provided a further update with the sad news that he had a new diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia. This rare form of dementia affects the parts of the brain associated with personality, behavior, and language, rather than memory.
Robin Williams sadly took his own life in 2014, at the age of 63. He had reportedly been suffering from depression, memory loss, paranoia, and insomnia for many years. His autopsy revealed that he had undiagnosed and severe Lewy body disease. His wife, Susan Schneider Williams, said that the post-mortem diagnosis finally explained his years of mental decline. She became an advocate for LBD awareness and research.
Rita Hayworth was the ultimate star of the Golden Age of Hollywood. She appeared in over 60 films and was nicknamed "The Love Goddess." Hayworth was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 62, which contributed to her early death at the age of 68. Alzheimer’s wasn't a well-known condition in the 1980s, and her diagnosis helped to raise public awareness.
The Hollywood actor and US president passed away from pneumonia at the age of 93 in 2004. His wife Nancy revealed that he had been living with Alzheimer’s disease for the last 10 years of his life, and that it caused complications that contributed to his death.
The Scottish actor best known for portraying James Bond for many years passed away in 2020. He was 90 years old, and had been living with dementia in his final years. His cause of death was pneumonia and heart failure.
The legendary crooner was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016, although he and his family only disclosed this information in 2021, when he was 94. Despite his declining memory, his collaborator Lady Gaga said that he still knew exactly what he was doing when the music came on. He passed away on July 21, 2023.
James Stewart's illustrious film career spanned five decades. He only slowed down after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's in his eighties. He passed away from a heart attack in 1997 at the age of 89.
Peter Falk, the actor and comedian best known for playing the titular detective in the long-running series 'Columbo,' was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2008. He passed away in 2011 at the age of 83 from pneumonia with complications caused by Alzheimer's.
Egyptian actor Omar Sharif starred in some of the most significant films of the 20th century, from 'Lawrence of Arabia' (1962) to 'Doctor Zhivago' (1965). His son announced that the cinema legend had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2015 after becoming forgetful and confused. He died of a heart attack that same year, aged 83.
Country music star Glenn Campbell is perhaps best known for his 1975 hit 'Rhinestone Cowboy.' He released more than 70 albums during his lengthy career, but retired shortly after announcing his Alzheimer's diagnosis in 2011.
Charlton Heston was a prolific award-winning actor who is also remembered as a dedicated activist, both for the civil rights movement and later more conservative politics. Heston retired from acting (and his role as the president of the NRA) in 2002 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. He passed away in 2008 at the age of 84.
The "Iron Lady" was Britain's first female prime minister, and perhaps its most controversial. She lived with dementia towards the end of her life and passed away from a stroke in 2013, aged 87.
Casey Kasem was one of the most famous radio personalities in the US for decades, and also famously lent his voice to the character Shaggy in the 'Scooby-Doo' franchise. He retired in 2009, and his daughter revealed he had been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia a few years later. His condition became severe and he was unable to speak or care for himself prior to his death. He passed away in 2014 at the age of 82.
Estelle Getty, best remembered as Sophia on 'The Golden Girls,' died of Lewy bodies dementia in 2008, just a few days before her 84th birthday.
Another famous artist of the 20th century, this time an abstract expressionist, Willem de Kooning began to suffer from memory loss in his seventies. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in the 1980s, and died of the illness in 1997 at the age of 92.
Evelyn Keyes was a starlet of the Golden Age of Hollywood who appeared in classics like 'Gone With the Wind' (1939) and 'The Seven Year Itch' (1955). She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in the 1990s and passed away from cancer in 2008 at the age of 91.
Nicknamed "Mr. C," Perry Como was a famous singer and actor for 50 years. He passed away in 2001 at the age of 89, after reportedly suffering from symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.
One of the most famous American painters of the 20th century, Norman Rockwell was diagnosed with dementia in his final years, which rendered him unable to create art. He died of emphysema at age 84 in 1978.
Eddie Albert, known for classic films like 'Roman Holiday' (1953) and 'The Heartbreak Kid' (1972), was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 1995. He passed away from pneumonia in 2005 at the age of 99.
Sources: (Brevard Alzheimer’s Foundation) (Verywell Health)
See also: Celebrities open up about mental illness
However, he made a critically acclaimed documentary about his condition called 'Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me' in 2014. It included Campbell's final song, 'I'm Not Gonna Miss You,' which earned a Grammy and a nomination for the Oscar for Best Original Song. He passed away in 2017 at the age of 81.
Changes in behavior, empathy, and emotional regulation are common symptoms of this form of dementia, which can be very distressing for the sufferer and their loved ones. Additionally, aphasia impacts a person's ability to speak and understand language. Willis was 67 years old when his diagnosis was shared.
Star of Westerns, war films, and anything action, Charles Bronson was a household name for decades. He retired from acting when he started to experience health issues in his seventies. His family confirmed that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2001. His 2005 death was caused by a combination of lung cancer, heart failure, pneumonia, and Alzheimer’s. He was 81 years old.
Etta James was one of the great female voices of the 20th century. After a lengthy career, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2008 when she was 70 years old. She passed away shortly afterward, in 2012.
A statement released by Wendy Williams’ care team on February 2, 2024, revealed that the 59-year-old TV host is suffering from aphasia and frontotemporal dementia. What's even more shocking is that her diagnosis is identical to that of Bruce Willis. According to the statement, Williams began to exhibit worrying symptoms in recent years, such as erratic behavior, loss of words, and difficulties understanding financial transactions, which prompted her to undergo a battery of tests. She received her diagnosis in 2023.
Vincente Minnelli, the famed film director who was husband to Judy Garland and father to Liza Minnelli, suffered from Alzheimer's disease later in life. He died of emphysema and pneumonia in 1986 at the age of 83.
In medicine, dementia is a general term for the impaired ability to remember, think, or make decisions. There are many disorders that fall into this category, from Alzheimer's to Lewy body dementia. But while we often think of dementia and Alzheimer's disease as normal parts of aging, this isn't really the case. The CDC estimates that up to 40% of cases of dementia are actually preventable, or could at least be delayed.
Like the rest of the population, many celebrities have been diagnosed with some form of dementia late in life before passing away in their senior years. However, some have been unlucky enough to develop the condition at much younger ages, and have their golden years taken from them.
In this gallery, click through to learn which famous faces lived with dementia in one form or another.
Famous people diagnosed with dementia
Did you know these celebrities experienced some form of dementia?
CELEBRITY Health
In medicine, dementia is a general term for the impaired ability to remember, think, or make decisions. There are many disorders that fall into this category, from Alzheimer's to Lewy body dementia. But while we often think of dementia and Alzheimer's disease as normal parts of aging, this isn't really the case. The CDC estimates that up to 40% of cases of dementia are actually preventable, or could at least be delayed.
Like the rest of the population, many celebrities have been diagnosed with some form of dementia late in life before passing away in their senior years. However, some have been unlucky enough to develop the condition at much younger ages, and have their golden years taken from them.
In this gallery, click through to learn which famous faces lived with dementia in one form or another.