TV celebrities’ deaths in 2016

The end of a year means looking ahead to new beginnings, but also looking back at favorite people we said farewell to … including television personalities whose respective gifts brought valued entertainment or information to viewers.

Here’s a remembrance of some who passed in 2016:

Florence Henderson: The loss of one of television history’s favorite “moms” gave a sad ending to Thanksgiving for countless “Brady Bunch” fans of multiple generations.

Alan Thicke: Seen recently as himself in the pilot of “This Is Us,” the “Growing Pains” dad also wrote or co-wrote some of TV’s most familiar theme songs, including “The Facts of Life” and “Diff’rent Strokes.”

Garry Marshall: The producing-directing mentor of such comedy classics as “Happy Days,” “Laverne & Shirley,” “Mork & Mindy” and “The Odd Couple” also made his mark as a guest star.

Morley Safer: Just days after his retirement from “60 Minutes,” one of the staples of the CBS newsmagazine passed.

Patty Duke, William Schallert and Eddie Applegate: This year saw not only the loss of the award-winning star (times two) of “The Patty Duke Show,” but also of two of her co-stars on the show.

Garry Shandling: The droll comedian gave TV two of its groundbreaking comedies, “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show” and the talk-program satire “The Larry Sanders Show.”

Robert Vaughn: Among the bountiful work the smooth-voiced actor did, his incarnation of “Man From U.N.C.L.E.” Napoleon Solo stands very tall.

Doris Roberts: If “Everybody Loves Raymond,” they also loved his mother – and also from other shows including “Remington Steele.”

Abe Vigoda: The ever-dour Phil Fish of “Barney Miller” (and its “Fish” spinoff) had one of the most distinctive images of any television performer.

Pat Harrington Jr.: While his TV career reached back to the days of Steve Allen and Jack Paar, Harrington cemented his fame as handyman Schneider on “One Day at a Time.”

Gene Wilder: Though his main fame was from movies, the gentle funnyman had his encounters with the home screen, including “Will & Grace” and his own series “Something Wilder.”

Joseph Mascolo: As Stefano DiMera on “Days of Our Lives,” this actor was one of daytime drama’s top villains over the better part of three decades-plus.

Muhammad Ali: Throughout his boxing career – and especially during his years of humorous byplay with sportscaster Howard Cosell – “The Greatest” often turned up on TV.

Arnold Palmer: Certainly known from his participation in golfing events, this legend of the links also became a readily identifiable product spokesman.

Glenn Frey: “Miami Vice” and “Wiseguy” helped The Eagles member with his transition into acting, which sometimes involved his music as well.

Prince: Whether in a Super Bowl halftime show or a “New Girl” episode, any TV gig by “The Purple One” drew attention.

David Bowie: The iconic singer-songwriter-actor’s TV appearances weren’t frequent, but they surely were memorable, as confirmed by his Christmas duet with Bing Crosby.