List of Famous people who died in 2000

Michael Wellington Stapleton-Cotton, 5th Viscount Combermere was a British academic and Crossbencher in the House of Lords. He was the eldest son of Francis Stapleton-Cotton, 4th Viscount Combermere.

Louis Quilico, was a Canadian opera singer. One of the leading dramatic baritones of his day, he was an ideal interpreter of the great Italian and French composers, especially Giuseppe Verdi. He was often referred to as "Mr Rigoletto" in reference to the Verdi opera. During his 45-year-long career he shared performing credits with opera's greatest stars. He spent 25 consecutive years at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. After his retirement from the stage in 1998 he continued to perform and record, most often with his second wife, pianist Christina Petrowska Quilico,, with whom he made four CDs. The couple also toured together extensively in concerts until Quilico's death in 2000. Quilico received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award, Canada's highest honour in the performing arts, in November 1999 for his lifetime contribution to classical music.

Lee Arnold Petty was an American stock car racing driver who competed during the 1950s and 1960s. He was one of the pioneers of NASCAR and one of its first superstars. He is also the father of Richard Petty, who went on to become one of the most successful stock car racing drivers of all time.

Ustad Allarakha Qureshi, popularly known as Alla Rakha, was an Indian tabla player who specialized in Hindustani classical music. He was a frequent accompanist of sitar player Ravi Shankar and was largely responsible for introducing Tabla to the western audience.

Richard Mulligan was an American television, film and character actor known for his role as Burt Campbell, the loving, protective husband of Cathryn Damon's character, in the sitcom Soap (1977–81). Later, Mulligan had a starring role as Dr. Harry Weston in Empty Nest (1988–95), for which he won both the Emmy Award and the Golden Globe Award for Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 1989. Mulligan was the younger brother of film director Robert Mulligan.

Yuki Ogura was a Japanese nihonga painter. Her maiden name was Yuki Mizoguchi. She was known for her bijinga.

Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Kotyonochkin was a Soviet and Russian animation director, animator and artist. He was named People’s Artist of the RSFSR in 1987. He is most famous for directing the popular animated series Well, Just You Wait!

Captain Guy Edward Ruggles-Brise was a British Second World War officer and High Sheriff of Essex