The Big Bang Theory: 5 actors who passed away

The Big Bang Theory is undoubtedly one of the most heartwarming and beloved sitcoms of all time. First released on September 24, 2007, the iconic series was created by Bill Prady and Chuck Lorre. It revolved around a group of geeky and goofball scientists and their hilariously woven and fascinating endeavors in love and life.

The show ran for a total of 12 seasons and became a fan favorite over the years. The Big Bang Theory had a promising lead cast, including Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Jim Parsons, Kunal Nayyar, Simon Helberg, Mayim Bialik, and Melissa Rauch, among others.

However, throughout twelve seasons, the CBS sitcom also featured some highly intriguing supporting actors like Vernee Watson, John Ross Bowie, Brian Thomas Smith, and Kate Micucci. The show also featured some phenomenal guest stars from the comic book industry as well as real-life scientists, including Stephen Hawking, Stan Lee, Bill Gates, Bill Nye, and more.

However, unfortunately, some of the beloved stars on CBS' The Big Bang Theory are not around anymore. They have sadly passed away since their time on the show.

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From Stan Lee to Carrie Fisher, a list of 5 The Big Bang Theory stars who are no more

1) Stan Lee

Stan Lee, the iconic mastermind behind the titular characters of the Marvel comic books, including Black Panther, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, and many more, was one of the guest stars on The Big Bang Theory. Stan Lee made an exciting and brief appearance as himself in the episode, titled, The Excelsior Acquisition, in the sitcom's season 3.

In the episode, Penny and Sheldon were seen tracking Lee down after Sheldon, unfortunately, missed an autograph-signing event. The lead characters were shown obsessing over Stan Lee throughout the episode. Sadly, the comic book legend passed away at the age of 95 in 2018, leaving an unparalleled legacy behind.

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2) Stephen Hawking

Given that the sitcom is based on the lives of some nerdy scientists, it is not a surprise that some of the biggest real-life scientists in the world made guest appearances on the CBS comedy series. However, when a revolutionary scientist like Stephen Hawking appeared on the show as a guest star, audiences were blown away all around the world.

Hawking appeared in a total of seven episodes, including The Hawking Excitation, The Relationship Diremption, The Extract Obliteration, The Troll Manifestation, The Geology Elevation, The Celebration Experimentation, and The Proposal Proposal. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the show's creator, Chuck Lorre, spoke about Stephen Hawking being part of the sitcom. He said:

"All of professor Hawking's dialogue was preprogrammed and triggered through a voice synthesizer,...When we offered to do that, we were told he preferred to program and trigger his lines by himself. He wanted to 'act.'"

Hawking was diagnosed with motor neurone disease at the age of 22. The legendary scientist sadly passed away at the age of 76 in 2018.

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3) Carol Ann Susi

One of the most significant characters of The Big Bang Theory was a character who never appeared on the show. The audience only heard her voice. It was Mrs. Wolowitz, Howard Wolowitz's mother. The character was given voice by actor Carol Ann Susi. She was somewhat of an icon herself and had a huge impact on the show.

The actor Carol Ann Susi tragically passed away in 2014, at the age of 62. To pay tribute to the character, the creators decided to let Mrs. Wolowitz also pass away in the show. The character died in her sleep peacefully while on a vacation in Florida. The lead characters were seen grieving for the loss.

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4) Carrie Fisher

Carrie Fisher, one of the most highly acclaimed and beloved actresses in the sci-fi world, also made a guest appearance in the CBS sitcom, The Big Bang Theory. The actress is best known for her portrayal of the titular role as Princess Leia in the popular franchise, Star Wars.

Carrie Fisher appeared in an episode, The Convention Conundrum, in season 7. In the episode, Sheldon was seen hanging out with James Earl Jones. The two went on to arrive at Fisher's doorstep to prank her by bringing her bell and then ditching her. Fisher was seen rushing out of her house to fight with a baseball bat in her hands.

It was quite entertaining and special to see Carrie Fisher play a brief, lovable, and playful role on screen. Sadly, the actor died on December 27, 2016, after going into cardiac arrest at the age of 60.

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5) Adam west

Adam West, another legendary Hollywood star, who is best known for playing the iconic role of Batman in the 1960s TV series titled the same, also appeared on The Big Bang Theory as a guest star. He made a special appearance in the episode, The Celebration Experimentation, in season 9, as himself.

In the episode of The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon's friends were seen inviting West to Sheldon's birthday party after they found out about Sheldon's desire to see Batman appear at his birthday party since his sixth birthday.

In the episode, the guest star was even seen poking fun at his iconic role as "Batman" when he said that he thought Michael Keaton was the best Batman.

Adam West sadly died at the age of 88 in 2017 due to leukemia.

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Other actors of the CBS sitcom who have also sadly passed away, include Jessica Walter, Leonard Nimoy, Jane Galloway Heitz, and a few others.

Viewers can watch The Big Bang Theory, which is currently streaming on Netflix.