Celebrity is fleeting
and there are times when our favorite actors, musicians, and other shining
stars are extinguished too soon in the height of their careers. Here are some
of the famous faces who died all too young.
Paul Walker
The sudden death of
this charismatic Fast & Furious actor shocked the world. After leaving a
charity event in California, Walker got a lift from race car driving friend,
Roger Rodas. Both were killed in the fiery crash – for Paul, at just 40 years
old while his career was taking off.
Cory Monteith
This popular
character on the FOX TV show Glee was often in a battle with addiction and
depression; an abrupt end to his career at the age of 31.
Heath Ledger
It is often said that
only the good die young. This rising star passed away at age 28 from an
accidental overdose of prescription drugs. Heath died just before the hugely
successful movie, The Dark Knight, was released to theaters. In his starring
role as the Joker, Heath won a posthumous Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
Brittany Murphy
Brittany enjoyed fame
as the Clueless star. She had a brilliant career ahead of her when she died at
a young age from complications of anemia and pneumonia.
Jim Morrison
Fans adored and
worshipped this popular rock idol and “Doors” singer. It is believed that he
died at age 27 from a heart attack, which may have been brought on by a
possible drug overdose.
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain and
Nirvana made music history as one of the greatest music groups ever. Although
his death at age 27 is listed as a suicide, many people have wondered if foul
play was involved.
John Ritter
John Ritter, who
starred opposite Suzanne Somers in his role as Jack Tripper on ‘Three’s
Company,’ was taken from us at the age of 54. An aortic dissection was the
cause of his sudden death.
Whitney Houston
She was one of the
greatest singers of all time. In her later years, Whitney struggled with
addiction and died at age 48; she drowned in a hotel bathtub from an apparent
drug overdose.
Bruce Lee
He was taken from us
too soon. Bruce Lee’s fame as a martial artist was matched only by his amazing
worldwide popularity as a movie star. When he suddenly died at age 32 from a
brain swelling, the entire world mourned his death.
Brandon Lee
He followed in his
father’s footsteps in too many ways. Like his dad, Bruce Lee, Brandon was a
rising film star and martial artist. A freak accident while filming the The
Crow took his life at age 28.
Natasha Richardson
Natasha Richardson
was a brilliant British film and Broadway stage actor and the beloved spouse of
Liam Neeson. A skiing accident cut her life short at age 45.
River Phoenix
This popular rising
film star died of heart failure at the young age of 23, while he was outside a
West Hollywood nightclub, The Viper Room. It is believed an overdose of drugs
and alcohol led to his death.
Natalie Wood
It was reported that
this beautiful star drowned in a tragic boating accident at age 43. Officially,
the cause of her death is listed as “drowning and other undetermined factors.”
Recently, however, new information has come to light that has led some people
to believe that her death may have involved foul play.
Aaliyah
This brilliant
R&B singer and rising film star had her life and career cut short at age 22
in a tragic plane crash. Fans around the world mourned her sudden death.
Lisa ‘Left-Eye” Lopes
As a former member of
the female R&B group, TLC, Lopes was very popular with fans. She was only
30 years old when her life was taken from us in a tragic car crash.
Jim Henson
He was the creator of
The Muppets and beloved by millions of children and their parents around the
world. Henson’s brilliant career and life was cut short at age 53. His death
was caused by toxic shock from a powerful streptococcal infection.
John Belushi
John Belushi was a
comic genius, who became famous on NBC’s successful Saturday Night Live show.
His fame and popularity grew even more after he starred in films like the Blues
Brothers and Animal House. Belushi’s tragic death at age 33 was the result of a
drug overdose.
Princess Diana
Diana, Princess of
Wales, was married to Prince Charles, the heir apparent and oldest son of Queen
August 31,1997, Diana was fatally injured in a car crash when her limo driver
tried to lose the paparazzi that were tailing her car. She was 36 at the time. Her
sons are Prince William and Prince Harry.
Marvin Gaye
This world-famous
Motown singer was fatally shot by his father on April 1, 1984. While his
parents were in a heated argument, Marvin tried to intervene on his mother’s
behalf. Ironically, the gun that killed him was the same gun Marvin had given
to his father to protect their home from intruders. He died at age 44.
Amy Winehouse
This amazing singer
was truly destined for super stardom until she tragically died of alcohol
poisoning at the young age of 27 years. Winehouse had battled with addiction
for years. The world of music lost a great talent.
Selena Quintanilla
Perez
She was one of the
hottest and most talented Mexican-American music stars with millions of fans
around the world. Sadly, Selena was fatally shot on March 31, 1995, a mere two
weeks before she turned 24. The shooter was her fan club President, Yolanda
Saldívar.
John Lennon
Along with Paul,
George and Ringo, John Lennon made music history with the Beatles. Tragically,
while still only 40 years old, he was fatally shot on December 8, 1980 by Mark
David Chapman. Imagine all the songs he could have written if he were still
alive today.
James Dean
Actor James Dean was
your classic Hollywood “bad boy.” During his brief film career, which lasted
only 5 years, before a car accident took his life at a mere 24 years of age,
Dean managed to star in such blockbuster films as East of Eden, Rebel Without a
Cause, and Giant.
Jonathan Brandis
This talented young
actor seemed destined for Hollywood stardom, yet fate threw him a curve and his
career didn’t take off as many had expected. This may have lead to his
depression and eventual suicide at age 27.
Corey Haim
Corey Haim was a
rising young star when his career was abruptly cut short by a deadly bout with
pneumonia at age 38. Many people believed an addiction to painkillers may have
played a role in his death as well.
Tupac Shakur
Tupac was already a
famous rapper when he was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas on
September 7, 1996. Six days later he was dead at age 25. To this day, his name
and his legend carry on.
Christopher ‘Biggie’
Wallace
Known as Biggie, the
Bad Boy Records rapper was also shot and killed in a drive-by shooting on March
9, 1997. He was just 24 years old when he died.
Michael Clarke Duncan
Most audiences will
remember Michael Clarke Duncan for his Oscar-nominated role as John Coffey in
The Green Mile. Starring opposite Tom Hanks, Duncan held his own with a
performance that any actor could be proud of. He died of a heart attack on July
2012 at 54 years of age.
Philip Seymour
Hoffman
This Academy Award
winner was a brilliant actor. He was destined for greatness. Sadly, he died of
a drug overdose at 46 years of age.
James Gandolfini
The Sopranos TV show
made Gandolfini famous. His acting was dead on! This Emmy winner’s career was
on a path to greatness when he died at 51 of a sudden heart attack while on
vacation with his family in Italy.
Michael Jackson
His music career will
never be matched. Michael Jackson was one of this century’s greatest
entertainers. Tragically, Jackson was only 50 when he died from complications
with prescribed drugs. A controversy continues to surround his death.
Marilyn Monroe
She redefined the
classic blonde bombshell. There will never be another actress like her. And
like so many other stars, Marilyn died of a drug overdose. She was only 36 when
she died in 1962.
Chris Farley
Christopher Crosby
"Chris" Farley (February 15, 1964 – December 18, 1997) was an
American comedian and actor. Farley was known for his loud, energetic comedic
style, and was a member of Chicago's Second City Theatre and cast member of the
NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live between 1990 and 1995. Farley and
Chris Rock were introduced as two of the show's new cast members in early 1990.
In late 1997, Farley died as a result of a drug overdose at the age of 33.
Matthew Garber
Known for his role as
Michael Banks in “Mary Poppins,” Garber passed away at the age of 21 in 1977
from Hemorrhagic necrotizing pancreatitis, caused from contracting hepatitis in
India the previous year.
Carl ‘Alfalfa”
Switzer
The curse of the
original Little Rascals cast runs deep, and the precocious Alfalfa was no
stranger to untimely death. At 31, following an argument of $50, he was shot
and killed.
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