Cory Monteith

Actor Cory Monteith saw his career skyrocket after he was cast as a reluctant high school athlete who joins a fledgling choir group on "Glee" (Fox, 2009-15), a toe-tapping, sing-along comedy series that captured the public's imagination. Viewers immediately fell in love with the Canadian-born actor who had little acting experience up until that time, aside from a recurring role as a mean-spirited teen on "Kyle XY" (ABC Family, 2006-09), and limited action on both "Smallville" (The WB/The CW, 2001-2011) and "Supernatural" (The WB/The CW, 2005- ). Despite a limited résumé, which also included small parts in features like "Final Destination 3" (2006) and "White Noise: The Light" (2007), Monteith established himself as a force to be reckoned with from the first "Glee" episode, thanks to his memorable rendition of Journey's 1981 power ballad, "Don't Stop Believing." Throughout the series run of the pop-culture phenomenon, Monteith rode the wave and stepped up to larger roles in features like the romantic comedy "Monte Carlo" (2011), further establishing himself as a promising young performer worthy of continued success. This upward trajectory was abruptly halted when Monteith was found dead in his Vancouver hotel room on July 13, 2013, leaving fans and peers distraught at his sudden passing at only age 31.