Elf stars who have sadly died 21 years since fan-favourite Christmas movie

Elf is one of the greatest Christmas films to ever have been made, and it has amassed fans across the globe.

However, they unfortunately don’t realise that some of the stars they saw on screen are no longer with us.

Just as Love Actually fans have just found out that 11 cast members have died since its release in 2003, the same can unfortunately be said about Elf, which was released in the same year.

Now that we’re two decades on from it originally donning our screens, it would seem fairly obvious that perhaps some people would have passed away, but the realisation doesn’t make it any easier to come to terms with.

Elf is a Christmas staple for many households.

It told the innocent story of Buddy (Will Ferrell), a human who was raised by elves at the North Pole.

When the news finds him that he’s not actually an elf, he travels to New York to find his biological dad.

That’s when he encounters Zooey Deschanel (Jovie), and the rest is history (ish).

Elf was so successful following its release that it managed to gross $220 million (£178.9 million) at the box office against its $33 million (£26.8 million) production budget.

However, little did anyone know that some of its cast wouldn’t be here to celebrate its nostalgia with us.

James Caan died in 2022 (New Line Cinema)

James Caan

Caan was a major part of the story in Elf as he played Walter Hobbs, Buddy’s dad.

His career was immense, and he took roles in everything from The Godfather to Misery with Kathy Bates.

Unfortunately, Caan died on 6 July 2022, Caan at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, at the age of 82.

He had suffered a fatal heart attack caused by coronary artery disease.

Michael Lerner was the big bad (New Line Cinema)

Michael Lerner

Lerner plated Fulton Greenway, Hobbs's boss and is the main antagonist and played his part fantastically.

He was in X-Men: Days of Future Past and the TV show Clueless too.

However, Lerner sadly passed away at the age of 18 in 2023 after complications from brain seizures.

Ed Asner was Santa (New Line Cinema)

Ed Asner

Asner played Santa Clause on the film, and has had a colourful decades within the industry, which began in the 50s.

The actor had major roles in things like The Spectacular Spider-Man where he played Uncle Ben and even voiced the grumpy grandpa in Pixar’s Up.

An advocate for autistic people, having had raised autistic children and grandchildren, he was known to be a great man up until his death in 2021 from natural causes.

Remember the polar bear cub? (New Line Cinema)

Ray Harryhausen

Harryhausen played a very small role, but it was arguably the cutest.

He was the voice of the polar bear cub in the film and also an animator and special effects creator.

He lived in London right up until his death in 2013 at the age of 92.

Gilbert Gottfried was a loved comedian (NBC)

Gilbert Gottfried

Gottfried played Fulton Greenway too, but he was playing the TV special adaptation version, Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas.

You’ll know him as the voice of Disney’s Iago in Aladdin.

The comedian was well known in Hollywood and it was a shock to everyone when the news came in of his 2022 death at 6, which was caused by recurrent ventricular tachycardia.

Bob Newhart died this year (New Line Cinema)

Bob Newhart

Newhart was a legend of comedy and was known for his deadpan delivery among his many TV and film appearances, and his variety show, The Bob Newhart Show.

In the film, he played Buddy’s adoptive dad, Papa Elf.

Newhart died on 18 July 2024 at the age of 94 from complications of several short illnesses.