Actors From Sam Raimi Movies You May Not Know Passed Away

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Lots of people know Sam Raimi for lots of reasons.

You might know the filmmaker best as the wonderfully inventive director of the three Tobey Maguire-starring "Spider-Man" films. If you're a horror fan, you know him as the creator of the "Evil Dead" series. You may also know him as the director of cult classics like "Darkman" and "Drag Me to Hell." Or possibly as the producer of the TV series "Xena: Warrior Princess" TV series, or films like "Time Cop" and John Woo's American debut "Hard Target." More recently, Raimi took another trip back into Marvel territory by directing "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." 

The Michigan born, self-taught filmmaker made his initial splash as a unique talent who was able to do a heck of a lot with tiny budgets and DIY special effects. The "Evil Dead" films showed Hollywood that Raimi was resourceful and inventive, and you knew that with a real budget he could do spectacular things — a point underlined by the "Spider-Man" series (which also proved Raimi could do more than gory horror).

There have been a number of great actors in Raimi's films, led of course by the famously square jawed Bruce Campbell — part of the Raimi crew from the beginning, still cameoing in projects like "Multiverse" — and he has also worked with such Hollywood faves as Tobey Maguire, Kevin Costner, Liam Neeson, Cate Blanchett, and Benedict Cumberbatch, among many others.

But when a filmmaker is active for more than four decades, some of the actors used along the way will unfortunately die. Here's a list of Raimi collaborators you may not know have passed away.

A beloved actor whose career was marred by scandal, Cliff Robertson got a late career reinvention/resurrection playing Uncle Ben in the first two "Spider-Man" films for Sam Raimi.

Robertson grew up in La Jolla, CA. He served in World War II and fought in the South Pacific. He then lit out to New York to become an actor, where he enrolled in the famed Actor's Studio and performed on Broadway. In addition to his stage work, Robertson built a strong reputation for great TV performances on shows like "Playhouse 90," back when television was a new medium.

One of Robertson's best-known roles was in the movie "Charly," where he played a mentally challenged man who became a genius. Robertson won best actor for the role.

Robertson kept acting steadily throughout the '70s, until he got caught up in "Hollywoodgate," one of the biggest show business scandals of the era. David Begelman, the president of Columbia, was caught embezzling money, and he forged a check in Robertson's name for a sizable amount of money. Robinson blew the whistle on Begelman, and he was blacklisted for years. The entire debacle was recounted in the best-selling book "Indecent Exposure."

Robertson finally came back in the '80s, memorably playing Hugh Hefner in "Star 80,' and he was also the spokesperson for AT&T. Robertson then capped off his career playing Uncle Ben in the first two "Spider-Man" films, his performances putting the "Hollywoodgate" scandal behind him for good.

Robertson died on September 10, 2011, the day after he turned 88 years old.

Best known for playing Radio Raheem in "Do the Right Thing," Bill Nunn also became famous for playing Robbie Robertson, editor at the Daily Bugle, in the Sam Raimi "Spider-Man" films.

Nunn was a native of Pennsylvania, graduating from Morehouse College in 1976. He launched an acting career when he hooked up with Spike Lee for his second film, "School Daze," which Lee based on his own experiences when he went to Morehouse.

"Do the Right Thing" was a powerful, controversial hit in the summer of 1989, and Nunn played a pivotal figure in the film whose death at the hands at the police sets off a riot near the end of the film.

Nunn appeared in four films for Lee including "He Got Game," and "Mo' Better Blues." He also acted in "New Jack City," "Regarding Henry," "Sister Act," "Money Train," and "Idlewild."

Nunn died on September 24, 2016 at the age of 62. Lee paid tribute to him on social media by writing, "My dear friend, my dear Morehouse brother – Da great actor Bill Nunn. Long live Bill Nunn. Radio Raheem is now resting in power...May God watch over Bill Nunn." 

A native of Tennessee, Michael Jeter was another Raimi actor who was able to transition seamlessly from the stage to movies to television. He appeared in the Raimi film "The Gift," but he was also well known for performing on "Evening Shade," where he won an Emmy for playing football coach Herman Stiles, and a Tony Award for his performance in "Grand Hotel."

Jeter was also a regular on "Sesame Street," playing the character of Mr. Noodle. He made his big screen debut in the Woody Allen film "Zelig," and he had notable roles in "The Polar Express," "The Fisher King," "The Green Mile," "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," "Patch Adams," and more. Jeter also made guest appearances on "Picket Fences," "Chicago Hope," "Suddenly Susan," and "Murphy Brown," among other notable TV shows.

Jeter died on March 30, 2003 at the age of 50. Jeter was HIV positive, but it was not suspected as a factor in his death at the time.

Like Paul Smith, Nicholas Worth was a strong, burly actor who often played villains and tough guys. He first gained notice in the low-budget slasher film "Don't Answer the Phone," and in the Wes Craven DC comics adaptation of "Swamp Thing," but he was able to transcend the low budget B-movie world, landing over a hundred roles in movies and television over a span of several decades. 

Worth, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, went to Carnegie Mellon University with the hopes of becoming an actor, and he was also a paratrooper in 101^st Airborne division in Vietnam.

Worth played the role of Pauly in "Darkman," and he also starred in such films as the Kevin Costner hit "No Way Out," the Clint Eastwood war film "Heartbreak Ridge," "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!", "Hell Comes to Frogtown," and "Barb Wire" with Pamela Anderson, among others.

Worth died on May 7, 2007 at the age of 69.

Stuart Cornfeld is one of those Hollywood insiders Raimi loved to put in cameos in his movies. Cornfeld had a small role in "Darkman," and he also had a memorable cameo as Judge Reinhold's boss at Captain Hook's Fish and Chips in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," but he was primarily a producer throughout his career.

Cornfeld graduated from the American Film Institute, and became friendly with Anne Bancroft. Bancroft hooked Cornfeld up with Mel Brooks, and he started out as Mel's assistant on "High Anxiety." Cornfeld then became an executive producer on "The Elephant Man," and he also produced David Cronenberg's remake of "The Fly," which was a Mel Brooks production as well. 

Cornfeld next joined forces with Ben Stiller, and they started their own company, Red Hour Films. Together they made "Zoolander," "Starsky & Hutch," "Dodgeball," "Blades of Glory," and "Tropic Thunder," among other comedy classics.

Cornfeld died of cancer on June 25, 2020 at the age of 67.

Pat Hingle was the kind of character actor who had been working steadily for decades, and then he became widely known for playing a single role: Commissioner Gordon in Tim Burton's "Batman." Hingle fits into the Raimi universe because he had a key role in the Sam Raimi Western "The Quick and the Dead."

Hingle moved from Texas to New York to launch his acting career, and he was mentored by director Elia Kazan. Hingle had a small role in Kazan's masterpiece "On the Waterfront," then he had a notable role in Kazan's "Splendor in the Grass," playing Warren Beatty's father. 

Hingle had the distinction of starring in four plays that won the Pulitzer Prize: "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "J.B," "That Championship Season," and "Strange Interlude." Hingle also had featured roles in the Clint Eastwood films "Hang 'Em High" and "Sudden Impact," as well as the acclaimed drama "The Grifters" and more.

Hingle died on January 3, 2009 at the age of 84.