Bones Actors You May Not Know Are Dead

It's difficult to believe that the popular crime procedural "Bones" has been off the air for nine years now, but such is the passage of time, we suppose. The classic Fox drama ran from 2005 to 2017, putting in an impressive 246 episodes over the course of 12 seasons. It starred David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel as an FBI agent and forensic anthropologist who collaborate on a seemingly endless series of challenging crimes. Although they initially clash, their workplace relationship rivals Mulder and Scully from "The X-Files" in terms of will-they-won't-they energy. (And they kept an unconventional pact to keep their off-screen relationship positive as well.) They're the undisputed stars of the show, but they have a broad, talented ensemble cast surrounding them every step of the way.

Although "Bones" is a relatively recent television series, it has sadly experienced the deaths of several of its cast members, from both one-off guest stars to series regulars. Here are some of the actors from "Bones" that we've lost since the show has gone off the air (and some who passed away while it was actually still on).

In the Season 6 episode "The Daredevil in the Mold," Eddie Hassell played Ty Van Herweg, a BMX rider who is questioned by investigators after another rider turns up dead. He was only 20 years old when the episode aired, but was well on the way to a thriving career as an actor. 

In addition to his one-off appearance on "Bones," Hassell was featured in key roles in "Jobs" and "The Kids Are All Right," two major awards contenders of the early 2010s. He also worked steadily on television, with credits on "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," "'Til Death," "Southland," and "Devious Maids." Unfortunately, his career was cut tragically short. In 2020, he was shot in a Texas robbery, and although paramedics took him to a local hospital, he was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. Hassell was just 30 years old at the time of his death.

Although Heavy D was best known for his career as a rapper — he performed as part of Heavy D & the Boyz and later as a solo artist, putting out nine albums between 1987 and 2011 — he also had more than a few acting credits to his name. He was a recurring cast member on "Living Single," "Roc," and "Boston Public," while appearing as Bernard as part of the main cast of "The Tracy Morgan Show." He also appeared on the big screen, with memorable performances in "The Cider House Rules," "Step Up," and "Tower Heist." During the first season of "Bones," Heavy D played Sid Shapiro, the owner of a restaurant frequented by Booth and other members of the team. 

On November 8, 2011, Heavy D collapsed outside his house and was taken to the hospital, where he died hours later at the age of 44. It was discovered that he had a pulmonary embolism as a result of a blood clot, likely caused by the long flight home from a Michael Jackson tribute concert in Cardiff, Wales, he had performed at days earlier.

Ed Asner is a name that hardly needs introduction — he does hold a record for the most Emmy wins by any male actor, after all (tied with Bryan Cranston). Back in the 1970s, Asner played Lou Grant on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," a role that brought him a new level of fame and led to a spinoff series called "Lou Grant." 

He also had a thriving career as a voice actor, playing J. Jonah Jameson on "Spider-Man: The Animated Series," in addition to many other roles. And although he's primarily known for his work on television, he's been featured in a number of major films on the big screen, including "JFK," "Elf," and "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules." For the younger generations, his voice may be his most recognizable aspect — he played the curmudgeon and secret romantic Carl in Pixar's "Up."

As far as "Bones" goes, he was featured as Rufus Tucker in "The New Tricks in the Old Dogs," a retiree who is questioned by Booth and Brennan in the aftermath of a suspicious death. The episode was released in 2017, and Asner died four years later of natural causes. He was 91 years old.

If you're not sure where you've seen Hal Holbrook (aside from his one-off performance on "Bones" as Red Hudmore, of course), that makes sense — he had quite a few credits over the course of his long career. In addition to playing Deep Throat in "All the President's Men," Father Malone in "The Fog," and Francis Preston Blair alongside Daniel Day-Lewis in "Lincoln" (to name just a few), he was cast as Ron Franz in "Into the Wild," a role that earned him an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor. Holbrook's TV credentials were equally impressive — he was nominated for 11 Emmy Awards, ultimately taking home five.

On January 23, 2021, Hal Holbrook passed away quietly at home of natural causes, aged 95. In addition to his work on film and television, he's a beloved figure for fans of Mark Twain — his long-running production of "Mark Twain Tonight!" went a long way in preserving the author's legacy.

On the 11th season of "Bones," Jay Thomas guest-starred as Lenny Jay, who falls under suspicion from the team when the death of an escape artist and employee of The Magic Palace exposes the dark side of the magic community. Thomas was a familiar face on film and television, appearing in a number of projects beginning in the '70s. He was featured in over 20 episodes of "Mork & Mindy," and had recurring arcs on "Cheers," "Married People," "Murphy Brown," and "Hercules." 

Thomas also starred opposite Joanna Gleason in the '90s sitcom "Love & War," which ran for three seasons. On the big screen, he's best known for his work opposite Richard Dreyfuss in "Mr. Holland's Opus," where he played the sympathetic gym teacher, Bill Meister. His last on-screen credit was a five-episode run on "Ray Donovan," stretching from 2013 to 2017. On August 24, 2017, Thomas passed away from throat cancer at the age of 69.

Although Michael Clarke Duncan only appeared on one episode of "Bones," he has a larger footprint on the series than it would seem at first glance. His character, Leo Knox, was one of the key parts of a "Bones" spinoff series, "The Finder," a two-hander that also starred Geoff Stults. 

Although the series was promptly cancelled after just 13 episodes, "Bones" showrunner Hart Hanson admitted that he had planned to bring Duncan back for future episodes — plans that were put on hold after the actor suffered a heart attack. Two months later, Duncan died in September 2012 at the age of 54, after a long and successful career that included an Academy Award nomination for his work in "The Green Mile" alongside Tom Hanks, as well as appearances in "Armageddon," "Planet of the Apes," "Sin City," and "The Island."

If television royalty ever existed, then Betty White certainly had her own throne, crown, and court. The veteran performer was a legend in the industry from the days of early TV, best known for her work on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "The Golden Girls." During the 2000s, she experienced a career resurgence with a supporting role in the romantic comedy "The Proposal" starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, and all of a sudden Betty White was everywhere again. 

She had a main cast role on "Hot in Cleveland" and at the age of 88 became the oldest host in "Saturday Night Live" history. On "Bones," she played Beth Mayer, a forensic anthropologist who worked with the team in two episodes during Seasons 11 and 12.

Betty White died on December 31, 2021, less than three weeks from what would have been her 100th birthday.

David Boreanaz's Seeley Booth doesn't have a great relationship with his father (to say the least), but he does have a gem of a father figure in his grandpa Hank, played by Ralph Waite. The famed television actor was no stranger to playing family patriarchs — back in the 1970s, he was the stalwart John Walton Sr. on "The Waltons, a role that he performed for nearly 200 episodes. 

Some of his other high-profile credits include turns in "Cool Hand Luke" (his film debut), "Five Easy Pieces," "Roots," "The Bodyguard," "Carnivale," and "NCIS." He ended his career with an impressive 70 episodes on "Days of Our Lives," where he played Father Matt from 2009 to 2014. In addition to his work as an actor, Waite was an active member of the Democratic Party, running for Congress three times in the '90s. On February 13, 2014, Waite passed away from natural causes at the age of 85.

On Season 10 of "Bones," Howard guest-starred in the first two episodes as Jerold Norsky, a retired security guard fading in and out of lucidity who might just have more going on than meets the eye.

These days, Rance Howard is largely known as being the father of Hollywood actor and director Ron Howard — but since the '50s, Rance was an actor in his own right. In addition to working in many of his son's films, including "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," "Frost/Nixon," "Cinderella Man," "A Beautiful Mind," and "Apollo 13," you can find him in classics such as "Chinatown," "The 'Burbs," "Ed Wood," and "Independence Day."

On November 25, 2017, it was reported that Howard had passed away from heart failure at the age of 89, brought on by an infection of the West Nile virus. Ron Howard said of his father on social media (via Daily Express), "He stood especially tall for his ability to balance ambition with great personal integrity. A depression-era farm boy, his passion for acting changed the course of our family history. We love and miss you Dad."

George Coe took part in some downright iconic projects on the big and small screen. Back in the '70s, he was a member of the legendary original cast of "Saturday Night Live," appearing in several episodes over the course of its debut season. He was featured in classic films like "The Stepford Wives," "Kramer vs. Kramer," and even "The Mighty Ducks" (he played the judge who makes the questionable decision to sentence Gordon Bombay, convicted of driving under the influence, to be responsible for a bunch of preteen hockey players). 

As a TV actor, he was featured in over 140 episodes of the '70s soap opera "The Doctors," as well as appearing on shows like "Matlock," "The West Wing," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," and "Gilmore Girls" before his one-episode stint on "Bones." In the Season 2 episode "The Priest in the Churchyard," he played Father William Donlan, a senior priest who has more than a few secrets to his name. 

In the years leading up to his death, Coe took on the recurring voice role of Woodhouse, Sterling's stiff-upper-lipped butler on "Archer." On July 15, 2015, Coe passed away after a long period of failing health at the age of 86.

During the first two seasons of "Bones," Heath Freeman took on the role of Howard Epps, a charming young serial killer who plagues Booth and Brennan despite already being behind bars at the time of his first appearance on the show. He turned up in three episodes of "Bones," often creating chaos for the team, either by acting through an accomplice on the outside or simply by his mere presence.

Freeman began his acting career in 2001, and in addition to his multi-episode arc on "Bones," he was also featured on "ER," "NCIS," "Tru Calling," "The Closer," and "Raising the Bar." On the big screen, he starred alongside Luke Wilson in the historical sports drama "12 Mighty Orphans." 

Sadly, in 2021 Freeman passed away at the age of 41, the cause of death officially considered an accidental overdose. His manager gave a public statement in the aftermath of his death, saying of the actor, "A brilliant human being with an intense and soulful spirit, he leaves us with an indelible imprint in our hearts. His life was filled with deep loyalty, affection, and generosity towards his family and friends, and an extraordinary zest for life."

Of all the actors who have appeared on this list, Penny Marshall is the only one who turned up on "Bones" playing herself. In the Season 1 episode "The Woman at the Airport," Brennan is getting some (largely unwanted) attention for the upcoming movie based on her true crime book, and Penny Marshall, in her capacity as a director, is at her side.

Marshall got her start back in the '70s, when she played Laverne on the "Happy Days" spinoff "Laverne & Shirley." As she showcased genuine comedic chops as a performer, she transitioned to a career behind the camera, becoming one of the most successful female directors of the 1980s and 1990s. Among her greatest hits are "Big," "A League of Their Own," and "Riding In Cars With Boys."

On December 18, 2018, Penny Marshall died at age 75 from a variety of health issues, including cardiopulmonary failure, cardiac arrest, and diabetes.

Ryan O'Neal was, unfortunately, the first recurring cast member from "Bones" to pass away. Between Seasons 2 and 12, he appeared in 24 episodes as Max Keenan, the long-absent father of Brennan. An actor with a prolific Hollywood career, O'Neal made his on-screen debut back in the '60s, and was catapulted to stardom with his work in 501 episodes (yes, really) of the popular series "Peyton Place." 

He was nominated for an Academy Award for his work in the 1970 romantic drama "Love Story," and drew critical praise alongside his daughter Tatum O'Neal in "Paper Moon," a film that made her the youngest actor (she was just 10 years old at the time) to ever win an Oscar. Although he wasn't nominated for "Barry Lyndon," it remains one of his most popular films. He worked steadily throughout the 2000s, appearing in "Bull," "Miss Match," "Desperate Housewives," and "90210." On December 8, 2023, O'Neal died from congestive heart failure. He was 82 years old.