The 2026 Emmy Awards set aside time to honor the stars they had lost, and the names recognized were many — though far from complete. The show’s In Memoriam segment, meant to pay tribute to the biggest stars who died over the past year, featured a performance by Noah Kahan alongside tributes to Dolly Parton and Rob Reiner. Yet viewers at home soon spotted which names were missing from the screen.
Kahan, a Vermont native fresh off the American leg of his Great Divide tour, performed Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” He was introduced by presenters Macaulay Culkin, Annie Murphy, and Dan Levy, who used the moment to honor Catherine O’Hara, who played their mothers in Home Alone and Schitt’s Creek.
Dolly Parton Gets Her Own Segment
A moment was set aside for remembering country music icon and activist Dolly Parton after her passing. Reba McEntire performed “Appalachian Memories” from Parton’s musical catalogue, and Steel Magnolias costar Sally Field spoke before the main In Memoriam segment, offering a sweet tribute.
The way the piece was arranged set Parton apart from the other names on the list, giving her passing particular weight. This also meant her death was recognized twice — once in the broader montage, and again in the Parton-specific segment.
The Main In Memoriam Runners
A lengthy roll call of names made up the core part of the tribute section, and some of the figures it singled out included:
- James Van Der Beek
- Anthony Geary
- Isiah Whitlock Jr.
- Desmond Wilson
- June Lockhart
- Anthony Head
- Diane Ladd
- Sid Krofft
- Ted Turner
- Patricia Crowley
- Eric Dane
- Hayden Panettiere
- Louise Lasser
- T.K. Carter
- Robert Duvall
- Robert Carradine
- Vincent Pastore
- Maria Riva
- Randolph Mantooth
- Jon Cypher
- Gene Shalit
- Cleto
- Sam Neill
- Hal Williams
- Tim Curry
- Shelley Fabares
- Bob Mackie
- James Burrows
The list carries many names, and it is simple to overlook what has been left out given how packed it reads. The people following closely did not miss those absences.
The Names Left Off
The audience did not wait long before pointing out which names had been left off the final list. Among the most obvious was Peter Cullen, the voice actor who is best remembered as Optimus Prime in Transformers.
The montage left out Daveigh Chase, the voice of Lilo in Lilo & Stitch and a star of The Ring. Viewers noted that Nicholas Brendon, who played Xander Harris on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, failed to show up, despite Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz acknowledging the collective losses of many stars from the beloved series.
Walker, Texas Ranger star Chuck Norris was gone. Along with him vanished Grizz Chapman from 30 Rock, Patrick Muldoon from Starship Troopers, and Jaye P. Morgan from The Gong Show.
Given the enormous number of names being recognized, some omissions were bound to happen. The individuals left out who stood out, however, carried their own cultural weight.
Curtis Recognizes Rob Reiner
The show had not yet managed to fill its most significant vacancy when Jamie Lee Curtis acknowledged Rob Reiner, a man who was killed in December 2025, along with his wife, who was likewise honored.
Reiner’s co-star from The Bear and New Girl, Curtis, pointed to his posthumous Emmy win for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. She revealed that he now owns the record for the longest gap between acting Emmys, with 48 years separating his most recent win from the one before it.
Reiner’s dad, Carl Reiner, previously held that record with 37 years.
The Record Holders
A man whose life ended before the award arrived now holds the longest gap between Emmys, and that fact makes the tribute both heavy-hearted and oddly curious. Curtis’s announcement gave the crowd a moment of surprise, turning what should have been a solemn occasion into something close to astonishment.
The record set by Carl Reiner lasted for many years. It has now passed to his son.
What Fans Are Watching For
For decades, the Emmys have sparked audience arguments about which performers get their moment and which do not. One of the few times the ceremony officially marks mortality is during the In Memoriam segment, where the show presents a carefully selected tribute to those who have died.
The exclusions became a talking point from the start of this year’s edition, with fans pointing to particular names and asking why they had been left out.
Audiences clearly care deeply about these recognitions, as the exchange demonstrates. A program that pauses to honor someone is held to a high standard by viewers, who want it to be accurate.
The Bottom Line
The 2026 Emmy Awards did what it set out to do: it honored a large group of departed stars with a moving tribute. But it also left some fans disappointed, and the list of snubs — Peter Cullen, Daveigh Chase, Nicholas Brendon, Chuck Norris, Grizz Chapman, Patrick Muldoon, and Jaye P. Morgan — proves the curators missed some significant names.
Part of the story involves Parton getting her own dedicated moment within the segment’s structure. That arrangement explains some exclusions, though it does not cover all of them.
The strangest detail here is the record itself. Carl Reiner previously owned it, with a span of 37 years between acting Emmys. Now it belongs to his son, Rob Reiner, who was tragically killed in December 2025, making the gap 48 years.
A strange inheritance for someone whose victory came after he was gone.
The 2026 Emmy Awards made time to remember. Some stars got the recognition they deserved. Others did not.
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