Pro wrestling star Hulk Hogan, Sopranos actor Jerry Adler, What’s Happening actress Danielle Spencer, King of the Hill cast member Jonathan Joss, and Smallville alum Terence Stamp were among the names omitted from this year’s “In Memoriam” segment during the Emmys broadcast.
This year’s tribute featured Vince Gill and Lainey Wilson performing Gill’s song “Go Rest High on That Mountain” against a backdrop of photos of screen stars and creators who have died since last year’s ceremony — such as Maggie Smith, Michelle Trachtenberg, George Wendt, Ozzy Osbourne, David Lynch, Quincy Jones, and Anne Burrell. Eventually a chorus joined Gill and Wilson on stage to finish out the song.
However, Hogan, Adler, Spencer, Joss, Stamp, and stars such as Gene Hackman and Val Kilmer were not featured. Instead, their names, and the names of many, many others, were included on a much longer “In Memoriam” tribute on the Emmys website.
Introducing the “In Memoriam” segment, Phylicia Rashad paid tribute to her “beloved” Cosby Show son, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who died in an accidental drowning in Costa Rica in July. He was 54. Turning to the rest of the tribute, Rashad said, “Even though they may no longer be here with us we can all smile knowing that their impact will remain, knowing that their lasting impressions will continue to live on in story, knowing that they touched our lives.”
She added, “Whether you grew up watching them or have just now discovered their brilliance, their light remains in the very fabric of our industry.”
Hogan, a wrestling legend who headlined the WWE’s flagship event WrestleMania eight times and won the WWE championship six times, died July 24 at 71. In addition to his wrestling career, he appeared as himself on Baywatch and Spy Hard, among other titles, and cohosted an episode of Saturday Night Live alongside fellow former pro wrestler Mr. T. Hogan also appeared across episodes of The A-Team, Robot Chicken, and The Goldbergs, and notably headlined the 2000s family reality show Hogan Knows Best with his first wife, Linda Hogan, and their children, Brooke and Nick.
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Vince Gill and Lainey Wilson perform at the 2025 Emmys
Adler, the veteran actor who spent six seasons playing Herman “Hesh” Rabkin on The Sopranos, died in his sleep on Aug. 23; he was 96. After starting his career as a stage and production manager on several Broadway shows, Adler pivoted to acting in his 60s. He appeared on episodes of True Colors, One Life to Live, and Northern Exposure, and booked regular gigs on Mad About You, Hudson Street, and Alright Already. But perhaps his best known role would come in 1999, when David Chase called him in to play a loan shark and associate of Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) on The Sopranos. The actor would later play Bob Saget’s father on Raising Dad and crude lawyer Howard Lyman on CBS’ The Good Wife. He also had a memorable role in the film Manhattan Murder Mystery.
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Spencer was a former child star who became a household name playing Dee Thomas on the ABC sitcom What’s Happening. She died Aug. 11, at 60. Born in the Bronx, she mostly booked bit parts before landing What’s Happening in 1976, when she was 11 . Spencer played Dee, the smart-aleck younger sister of Roger “Raj” Thomas (Ernest Thomas) and daughter of Mabel (Mabel King). Her character became known for her catchphrase, “Ooooh, I’m gonna tell Mama!”
The series ran for three seasons, and almost a decade later was revived as What’s Happening Now. Spencer reprised her role as a college-aged Dee on a recurring basis. Spencer eventually became a veterinarian in 1996.
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