Robert Duvall, Jerry Kennedy, Sonny Jurgensen, and Lamonte McLemore Die

These guys were in movies such Bullitt, True Grit, M*A*S*H, and the Godfather; was a country record producer, songwriter, and guitarist; was a professional quarterback for 18 seasons in the NFL; and a vocalist, actor, composer, photographer, and a founding member of The 5th Dimension.

Robert Selden Duvall was born on January 5, 1931, in San Diego, California, to a U.S. Navy admiral and a mother with a theatrical bent, and he grew up in a disciplined yet creatively curious household that moved with his father’s postings, experiences that later helped inform his deep and varied portrayals onscreen. He attended Principia College in Illinois, graduating in 1953, and served in the United States Army from 1953 to 1954 before

studying drama under Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City, where his classmates included future luminaries and the foundations of his craft were firmly laid. Duvall’s career began on stage and in television in the late 1950s and early ’60s, but his breakthrough came with film roles that revealed his remarkable range and depth.

From the reclusive Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird to the calculating consigliere Tom Hagen in The Godfather and its first sequel, and from the manic Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore in Apocalypse Now to the soulful country singer in Tender Mercies, the latter earning him the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1984 and cementing his

status as one of the most respected actors of his generation. Throughout a career spanning more than seven decades, Duvall brought an intense realism and curiosity to nearly 100 film and television roles, garnering seven Academy Award nominations, multiple Golden Globes, BAFTAs, Emmy Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

He was also writing and directing projects such as The Apostle and Assassination Tango. His personal life, marked by a devotion to his craft and a love of storytelling, saw him married several times, including a long partnership with Argentine actress and collaborator Luciana Pedraza, whom he wed in 2004;

he had no children but was beloved by a wide circle of friends, colleagues, and admirers who regarded him as a generous and intellectually engaged presence. Duvall died peacefully at his home in Middleburg, Virginia, on Sunday, February 15, 2026 — a Sunday — at the age of 95, and his passing was

announced the following day by his wife, who described him as her “everything” and remembered his passion for life and art; he is survived by Luciana and a legacy of performances that defined much of American cinema in the second half of the twentieth century and beyond.

Jerry Glenn Kennedy was born on August 10, 1940, in Shreveport, Louisiana, where from an early age he demonstrated an extraordinary affinity for music, drumming on household objects as a child and soon picking up a Silvertone guitar that would begin his lifelong journey into sound. His formative years were shaped by the vibrant musical

culture of the South; he took lessons from local guitarist Tillman Franks and soaked up performances on the legendary Louisiana Hayride stage, even attending shows by the likes of Hank Williams, experiences that ignited his passion for country and rock performance. Kennedy’s gifts blossomed remarkably early: he signed his first recording contract with RCA at just 11 years old and became a teen idol in his local high school before being invited to Nashville in 1961, where he joined the elite circle of session musicians that would come to be known as the “A-Team.”

In Nashville Kennedy’s career expanded beyond the fretboard as he became one of the most in-demand guitarists in the business, his unmistakable licks opening Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman” and grounding the iconic guitar lines of Tammy Wynette’s “Stand By Your Man,” while his Dobro work powered Jeannie C. Riley’s “Harper Valley P.T.A.” and he contributed to sessions for Bob Dylan,

Elvis Presley, Kris Kristofferson and Ringo Starr, imprinting his artistry on some of the most enduring records of the twentieth century. As his reputation grew, Kennedy’s talents as a producer and executive came to the fore: after taking the reins of

Smash Records he became head of Mercury Records’ country division, nurturing artists like Roger Miller to chart-topping success, producing nearly all of Jerry Lee Lewis’s country output and helping steer the careers of Tom T. Hall, the Statler Brothers, Johnny Rodriguez, Reba McEntire and others; his vision and musicianship earned him four Grammy Awards

and recognition in the Musicians Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame’s “Nashville Cats” series. Offstage, Kennedy’s life was rooted in family and the collaborative community of Nashville, and his influence extended through his children, with his son Gordon Kennedy becoming a Grammy-winning songwriter and producer in his own right.

Jerry Kennedy died on Wednesday, February 11, 2026 — a Wednesday — at the age of 85 in Nashville, Tennessee, reportedly following a period of declining health, leaving behind his wife Dolores Dea-Kennedy, his sons Gordon, Bryan and Shelby, along with three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and his sisters; the legacy of his musicianship and production work continues to resonate across generations of American music.

Christian Adolph “Sonny” Jurgensen III was born on August 23, 1934, in Wilmington, North Carolina, where his athletic gifts first emerged as he excelled in football, basketball, baseball and even youth tennis before becoming a standout at New Hanover High School; a multi-sport star who transitioned into a quarterback role as a senior, he attracted attention from college scouts and went on to attend Duke University,

where he continued to develop his football skills under coach William D. Murray and laid the groundwork for what would become a legendary professional career. After a remarkable collegiate run that showcased his strong arm, accuracy and competitive intellect, Jurgensen was selected in the fourth round of the 1957 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles and began an eighteen-season professional career that saw him become one of the NFL’s most celebrated passers;

he was part of the Eagles’ 1960 NFL Championship team and later became a marquee quarterback for the Washington franchise, where his precision passing and leadership earned him multiple Pro Bowl selections, a place on the NFL’s 1960s All-Decade Team and eventual induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983,

with his No. 9 jersey retired and enshrined in both the Philadelphia Eagles’ and Washington Commanders’ halls of fame. Known for his combination of grit, wit and consummate skill, Jurgensen thrilled fans with seasons leading the league in passing yards and touchdowns, and after retiring from the field following the 1974 season he transitioned into a long and beloved broadcasting career as a color

commentator on radio and television, bringing his deep knowledge of the game and engaging personality to generations of football audiences. Off the field, Sonny’s life was rooted in family — he met his first wife Suzanne Long at Duke with whom he had two sons before later marrying Margo Hurt in 1967 and raising a blended family that included four sons, and his devotion to his loved ones was as much a part of

his legacy as his accomplishments on the gridiron. Jurgensen died of natural causes at his home in Naples, Florida, on Friday, February 6, 2026 — a Friday — at the age of 91 after a brief stay in hospice care, and he is survived by his wife Margo, his sons and a large extended family including grandchildren and great-grandchildren, with tributes from across the football world celebrating his impact as one of the sport’s great quarterbacks and cherished personalities.

Herman Lamonte McLemore was born on September 17, 1935, in St. Louis, Missouri, into a family that nurtured his early love of music and athleticism, and after graduating from high school he enlisted in the United States Navy where he served as an aerial photographer, a role that not only gave him technical training behind the lens but also ignited a lifelong passion for visual storytelling.

Following his military service McLemore pursued a brief stint in professional baseball in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ farm system before his dual talents for music and photography pulled him in new directions, leading him to Southern California where he became part of a jazz ensemble and, through a photo shoot at a beauty pageant, met future collaborators who would help shape his destiny. In 1965 he co-founded a vocal group initially known as the Versatiles, which soon became The 5th Dimension,

and as a bass vocalist and organizer of the ensemble McLemore helped forge the group’s distinctive “champagne soul” blend of pop, jazz and R&B that produced chart-topping hits such as “Up, Up and Away,” “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In,” “Wedding Bell Blues,” “One Less Bell to Answer” and others, earning the group six Grammy Awards and a lasting place in the soundtrack of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Alongside his musical achievements McLemore built a remarkable career in photography, becoming one of the first African American photographers hired by Harper’s Bazaar and contributing powerful images to Jet, Ebony, Playboy and People magazines while celebrating Black beauty and culture across decades of work;

his lens captured fellow musicians, everyday people and moments of cultural significance in a career that bridged artistry and advocacy. McLemore’s personal life was deeply intertwined with his creative pursuits, and he published his autobiography From the Hobo Flats to The 5th Dimension: A Life Fulfilled in Baseball,

Photography, and Music in 2014, reflecting on the journeys that took him from St. Louis to international stages. He died of natural causes at his home in Las Vegas on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 — a Tuesday — at the age of 90 after suffering a stroke several years earlier, and he is survived by his wife of 30 years, Mieko McLemore, his daughter Ciara, his son Darin, his sister Joan and three grandchildren; his legacy endures through the music he helped create and the powerful imagery he left behind.