Actors In Adam Sandler Movies You May Not Know Are Dead

Love him or hate him, you can't deny the fact that Adam Sandler has left his mark on Hollywood. Since the 1990s, the former "Saturday Night Live" standout has offered up a profusion of comedy movies – some undoubtedly great, others not so much – that have left audiences either laughing or groaning. During that time, he's established a core team of dependable comic friends, including Chris Rock, Kevin James, David Spade and Rob Schneider, and also worked with some of the most well-known actors on the planet, such as Jennifer Aniston, Steve Buscemi, and of course, Drew Barrymore. He's nothing if not a skilled collaborator.

Over the years, Sandler's flicks have featured a slew of talented cast members, ranging from NBA stars to musical icons, in supporting roles. Some are one-offs, only appearing in one movie, whereas others return for more on-set laughs in additional films. Given that the Sandman has been making movies for over two decades, it's inevitable that some of his former costars are unfortunately no longer with us. Here are some beloved actors in Adam Sandler movies that you might not know have passed away.

Ray Liotta's death in May 2022 rocked the world. The mega-talented actor, best known for playing the main protagonist, Henry Hill, in Martin Scorsese's 1990 gangster classic "Goodfellas," passed away in his sleep while working on the upcoming movie "Dangerous Waters" in the Dominican Republic. He was 67 years old, with a slew of movie credits and impressive awards, including an Emmy win for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series thanks to his work in "ER." 

While Liotta's death is pretty common knowledge at this point, it might be less known that he actually starred in one of Adam Sandler's Netflix movies before he died. In 2020's "Hubie Halloween," the "Shades of Blue" actor played Pete Landolfa, one of Hubie's many bullies. Although Liotta's character in the flick was a major jerk, Sandler noted that he was the polar opposite in real life, tweeting that he was a "tremendous actor" and a "sweetheart of a dad," while adding, "[He was] such a great funny man to know. Prayers are with his whole family."

While losing someone always hurts, there's arguably nothing worse than losing someone who still has a whole life ahead of them. That's precisely what happened in the case of Disney Channel breakout Cameron Boyce, who in 2019 died of SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy) at the young age of 20. Boyce was probably best known for his roles in Disney TV shows like "Descendants" and "Jessie," but he also starred as Adam Sandler's son, Keithie, in the highly lucrative "Grown Ups" franchise.

When speaking to Young Hollywood, the teenage star admitted that Sandler was actually the first person who he was starstruck by, noting that since he was nine years old when they first met, Sandler's trademark immature jokes were right up his alley. "A nine-year-old likes their fart jokes. So, he's good at those." However, that bond clearly developed into something deeper, as the comedian took Boyce's passing incredibly hard. "Too young. Too sweet. Too funny. Just the nicest, most talented, and most decent kid around. Loved that kid," Sandler wrote on his social media accounts. "Thank you, Cameron, for all you gave to us. So much more was on the way. All our hearts are broken."

Sandler even honored Boyce in the credits of "Hubie Halloween." A few minutes after the film ends, a picture of the late actor appears on the screen, as well as a heartfelt tribute that reads: "You live on forever in our hearts and are truly missed every day." 

1999's "Big Daddy" has perhaps the most tearjerking scene in any Adam Sandler movie. In the film, it's established that Sonny (Sandler) has an estranged relationship with his father, Lenny, played by Oscar-nominated screenwriter and actor Joseph Bologna. This relationship is tested when, during a hearing to establish whether or not Sonny was a good father to Julian, Sonny asks his dad to question him. It's a truly powerful scene that will make you want to call up your own dad and tell him, "I love you."

While "Big Daddy" was Bologna's only appearance in a Sandler flick, it was most definitely a memorable one. So much so that, when he passed away in 2017, it's arguably one of the parts he was most remembered for, despite the fact that he'd been starring in TV shows and movies since 1971. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he died from pancreatic cancer at the age of 82.

In early 2021, the world was rocked with the news that Cloris Leachman, treasured actress and comedian, had passed away of natural causes. The Oscar-winning star, who was 94 when she died, made her onscreen debut in 1947's "Carnegie Hall," accumulating a laundry list of acting credits over the next 70 years. In total, she starred in more than 280 films and TV shows alongside some of Hollywood's most elite celebrities, ranging from Gene Wilder to Paul Newman.

Another one of Leachman's prestigious costars was Adam Sandler. It's easy to forget that the "Young Frankenstein" actress actually popped up in not one, but two of the Sandman's movies. In 2004's moody romantic drama, "Spanglish," Leachman played Evelyn, Sandler's alcoholic mother-in-law. One year later, she took on a small but quite hilarious role in 2005's remake of "The Longest Yard," wherein she played the warden's assistant with an especially aggressive crush on Sandler's character, Paul Crewe. 

The pair had a natural chemistry that apparently extended even after the cameras stopped rolling. When Sandler learned of Leachman's passing, he tweeted that she was "a true legend," and even crowned her as "one of the funniest of all time." That's quite high praise coming from someone who has made movies with so many A-list comedians throughout his career.

Adam Sandler has an undeniable ability to seamlessly combine laughs and sports. With films like "Happy Gilmore" and "The Longest Yard," the Sandman has been responsible for helping create some of the most memorable sports comedies of all time. However, his most quotable sports laugher was easily 1998's timeless classic, "The Waterboy."

Sandler stars as good-hearted momma's boy Bobby Boucher, an oft-bullied waterboy for the University of Louisiana football "foos-ball" team. After he's fired from UL, Bobby's given a second chance by Coach Klein (Henry Winkler) and his South Central Louisiana State University Mud Dogs, where he learns that his place on the gridiron is actually on the field as opposed to the sidelines. With enough laughs to make an ornery alligator smile, "The Waterboy" is arguably the funniest football film in history, mostly due to the great performances of Sandler and his fellow cast members.

Sadly, some of those cast members are no longer with us. Jerry Reed, who perfectly captured Coach Klein's fiercely competitive nemesis, Red Beaulieu, passed away in 2008 due to emphysema, a dangerous lung condition. Reed was not only a talented actor, starring as Cledus Snow in three "Smokey and the Bandit" films during the late '70s and early '80s, but also a chart-topping country music star. During his music career, he took home three Grammy awards, and was even inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2017. Talk about an impressive legacy to leave behind!