Celebrities are always under the spotlight and have their photo taken for use in Newspapers, gossip TV shows, and any other platform for which the public can see them. But have you ever wondered whether it might be the last ever photo you see of a particular celebrity?
And by last, we don't mean that they're leaving the spotlight to live in a monastery. But last as in their last ever on this earth. We've lost many iconic celebrities over the years, this year included. Here we've found the last photos of some iconic celebrities who have passed on.
PATRICK SWAYZE, 57, 1952-2009
Dirty Dancing, Point Break, Donnie Darko, and Ghost were just some of Patrick Swayze’s beloved movies as a famed actor and dancer. In early 2008, he found out that he had stage 4 pancreatic cancer which took his life a year and a half later on September 14, 2009. His mother, Patsy Swayze, was known as an American film choreographer, dancer, and dance instructor. Because Patrick attended dance lessons with his mother, he was able to meet his wife Lisa Niemi. Lisa helped him finish his memoir, The Time of My Life which was released on the same month that he died.
WHITNEY HOUSTON, 48, 1963-2012
Whitney Houston, at times referred to as “The Voice” for her supreme vocal talent, is still considered one of the best-selling artists in music with her records of over 200 million sold worldwide. Unfortunately, the nightingale was found submerged in a bathtub on February 11, 2012. Death reports said that Houston drowned and died due to the effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use. Bobby Brown, whose marriage with Whitney lasted from 1992-2007, shared that he simply wished for her to be remembered for the music that she gave to the world. Despite her sad demise, I Will Always Love You will always be playing in the hearts of true hardcore Whitney fans.
Tammy Faye - Died At 65, Cancer
Tammy Faye was a Christian evangelist, singer, and talk show hostess who rose to fame for the work she put into the PTL Club, which she co-founded in 1974 with her ex-husband Jim Bakker. The club was a televangelist program that initially aired as praise and worship and went on to follow a more talk show approach.
But after Bakker was indicted for fraud, conspiracy, and indecent assault, she divorced him in 1992 and remarried to contractor Roe Messner. In 1996 she was diagnosed with colon cancer. She fought the ailment for 11-years but eventually passed away in 2007.
EDDIE VAN HALEN, 65, 1955-2020
Guitarist Eddie Van Halen bestowed the world with his music through the rock band Van Halen. The man that popularized the tapping guitar solo technique didn't just play in it, too, for he co-founded it and was its main songwriter. As such, he's often referred to as one of history's greatest guitarists. Sadly, we had to say goodbye to him in 2020 after lung cancer took his life. At the time of his passing, he was at the age of 65. Van Halen's fans later converted his Pasadena childhood landmarks into memorials.
DORIS DAY, 97, 1922-2019
Doris Day had her family and friends around when she took her last breath at her Carmel Valley home in 2019. A month before succumbing to pneumonia, she got to celebrate her 97th birthday, which saw about 300 fans gathered in Carmel for the celebration. Day had a thriving Hollywood career as America's sweetheart and arguably history's top female box-office star. The passionate animal rights activist, who had experienced a string of abusive husbands after four marriages, was also linked to Charles Manson, narrowly escaping death during his 1969 Sharon Tate killing spree.
CASS ELLIOT, 32, 1941–1974
Without Cass Elliot, The Mamas & the Papas would've never been completed. As one of the quartet's main vocalists, the singer-songwriter was affectionately dubbed Mama Cass. Her incredible work with the folk-rock vocal group even got her inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The soulful voice she had was the perfect touch to songs like Monday, Monday, California Dreamin', and Words of Love. And after The Mamas & the Papas disbanded, she continued to thrive as a soloist with the chart-topper Dream A Little Dream Of Me. However, Elliot was taken too soon, at just 32, when she perished due to heart failure while sleeping.
STEVE JOBS, 56, 1955-2011
Steve Jobs is the big brain behind Apple Inc., which made him one of the world's most successful business tycoons. He was also lucky to find love in Laurene Powell Jobs, who officially became his wife at the Yosemite National Park in 1991. Over a decade later, in 2003, he would be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and would choose to cure it using alternative medicine. Some believe that this choice ended up leading to his untimely death in 2011. When Laurene inherited her husband's shares in Apple and Disney, she turned her into one of the world's wealthiest women, having around $20.7 billion to her name.
JOE DIFFIE, 61, 1958–2020
Millions of human lives have been lost all over the globe since the pandemic hit in 2019, and sadly, one of them was that of Joe Diffie. The American country singer was only 61 during his passing. He started as a youngster working in an oil field until eventually landing a music career that blew up in the '90s. Some of his songs that made it to the charts were Bigger Than the Beatles, Pickup Man, and Home. The Grammy-winning musician and longtime Grand Ole Opry member will surely be missed in the country music scene.
MARY TYLER MOORE, 80, 1936-2017
Some folks might think actress Mary Tyler Moore was well in this picture because of the usual cheerfulness she exhibits, but the last years of her life weren't great. Her health had gotten worse since she got diagnosed with Type I diabetes following a miscarriage. By the 2000s, she was already in bad shape and went on to have a meningioma surgically removed in 2011. Three years since then, Moore suffered heart and kidney issues, nearly going blind. After all that, she contracted pneumonia and passed away from its complications in 2017.
FARRAH FAWCETT, 62, 1947-2009
The world was robbed of Farrah Fawcett only three years after discovering she had cancer, which was in 2006. She was only 62 at the time of her death, and Farrah's Story (2009) came out on NBC, documenting how she battled the illness. Fawcett earned her fourth Emmy nod for producing the documentary. Her passing didn't instantly get substantial media coverage because only a few hours since her demise, the King of Pop Michael Jackson also lost his life. Fawcett's last picture, shot around April 2009, was at an airport.
ANDY GRIFFITH, 86, 1926–2012
Andy Griffith became a household name as the host of The Andy Griffith Show. He had six decades of experience as an actor and a comedian before he died while at his North Carolina family home. His demise came merely two days after celebrating his 86th birthday. During the early '80s, Griffith got diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, which led to his feet getting paralyzed. The deceased actor, currently survived by two kids, got bound in a wheelchair but still made it to his final acting gig in the 2008 film Play the Game.
JOHN LENNON, 40, 1940-1980
John Lennon made his mark in history by co-founding The Beatles and making music of his own as a singer-songwriter. Eerily, though, the peace activist got his last shot taken on his death day. In the photograph, he is signing a Double Fantasy album copy. It was for fan Mark David Chapman, who, just hours after, would shoot the music icon four times in the back outside of his Manhattan apartment. Following cremation at the Ferncliff Cemetery, Lennon's ashes were scattered in Central Park. As for Chapman, he is still currently in prison after pleading guilty to his crime.
NATALIE WOOD, 43, 1938-1981
We have lost several stars due to unfortunate accidents through the years, and Natalie Wood is one of them. What's sadder is she was just 43 when she passed away. Her lifeless floating body was located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California's Catalina Island in 1981. She was wearing a nightgown, and the authorities later discovered that Wood was then spending the weekend in her yacht with Robert Wagner, her then-husband, and some company. After an autopsy, it was declared that her death was due to a drowning incident.
Alec Guinness - Died At 86, Cancer
Sir Alec Guinness should've been knighted for his performance in the film Kind Heart Coronets alone, after playing nine D'Ascoyne family characters in the 1949 film. But he is probably best remembered for playing the original Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars Episode VI: A New Hope.
He received an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Obi-Wan But had already won one in 1957 for his role in Bridge Over The River Kwai. In his later life, both he and his wife suffered from cancer, which he had in his prostate and liver, and ultimately also caused his death in August 2000.
Alexa Kenin - Died At 23, Cause Of Death Unspecified
Alexa Kenin's life and film career came and went in a flash. But it was a pretty high octane blitz all the same. Between 1972 and 1989, she had roles in various projects from sitcoms like Little Darlings to classic '80s films like Pretty In Pink.
She also had a part as an aspiring singer in the film Honkytonk Man. One notable role she actually turned down was that of Regan MacNeil, the possessed girl in The Exorcist. Kenin passed away suddenly in September 1985, her cause of death is unknown, and her family doesn't wish to make it public.
Sean Connery - Died at 90, Died in good return
He became a star mainly by starring as James Bond in Thunderball and Goldfinger in the ‘60s. By the time the ‘80s came around, Sean Connery’s reputation was preceding him as he continued to play the role until 1983. It was during that era when he won his Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for portraying Jimmy Malone in The Untouchables. Sean has now recently turned 90 and is worth a whopping $350 million. He’s been married to Micheline Roquebrune since 1975. The last film in which he participated in before officially retiring was Sir Billi the Vet in 2012. Sean connery past away on 31/10/2020 at the age of 90.
Amanda Blake - Died At 60, Liver Failure
Amanda Blake's legacy goes beyond film. She and her third husband, Frank Gilbert, ran the first successful program for raising Cheetahs in captivity. But hey, she'll always be remembered for her role as Miss Kitty Russel in the western TV series Gunsmoke, to which Blake once brought a lion one time.
She also had a role in the 1954 version of Robinson Crusoe and was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. Blake was a heavy smoker, and, despite rumors that she died of AIDS-related ailments, the doctor's report says her cause of death was liver failure.
Andy Gibb - Died At 30, Heart Inflammation
In true rock star fashion, Andy Gibb lived fast, died young, and left a good looking corpse. The youngest of the brother's Gibb, but not associated with the BeeGees, he shot to fame thanks to his hit song, I Just Wanna Be Your Everything, which he sang in his brothers' signature falsetto tone.
Other songs in his catalog include An Everlasting Love, Don't Throw It All Away, and Rest Your Love On Me. Unfortunately, drug abuse curtailed his career and by the time he had kicked his habit and was recording a new album, be passes away due to inflammation of the heart, as a result of cocaine abuse.
Andy Kaufman - Died At 35, Lung Cancer
While others described him as a comedian, actor, and wrestler, Andy Kauffman chose to refer to himself by every other tag but those. Instead, he called himself a song and dance man and was widely seen as an anti-comedian.
Some of his most notable gags included a longstanding wrestling feud with Jerry "The King" Lawler that got so intense he famously got physical live on Letterman, although it was revealed to be staged. After trying various natural medicines, Kauffman died of lung cancer in 1984. A biographical film about him called Man On The Moon was released in 1999. Jim Carrey played him.
Audra Lindley - Died At 79, Leukemia
Audra Lindley is known for a spate of TV roles she had in shows like Love Boat, Bridget Loves Bernie and Fay. She is probably best known for her role in Three's Company as the landlord Helen Roper, as well as the subsequent spinoff The Ropers.
Lindley also had some appearances in films like Revenge Of The Stepford Wives and Best Friends opposite Goldie Hawn and Burt Reynolds. Another fun role she had was as Phoebe's mother in Friends, while she also played Cybil Shepherd's mother in the show, Cybil. She passed away due to Leukemia in 1997.
Bob Marley - Died At 36, Skin Cancer
To some, Bob Marley is a prophet sent to share a message of peace and love. In reality, he was a man who wanted to spread his message of hope and tell the world that everything is going to be alright. He suffered for his message too, and once was shot in an attempted assassination.
Marley played a concert the very next night, and when he was asked how he could work, he replied that the people making the world a bad place aren't taking a day off. The No Woman No Cry hitmaker died of complications due to skin cancer.
Carroll O'Connor - Died At 76, Heart Attack
Carroll O'Connor is widely known for playing the character Archie Bunker in the classic sitcom All In The Family and its spinoff Archie Bunker's Place. Playing Bunker won him four Emmy Awards and also opened doors to another crime drama called In The Heat Of The Night.
He was voted number 38 of TV Guide's Top 50 Greatest TV Stars of All-time and won two Golden Globes to go with his primetime Emmy Award haul. O'Connor passed away from a heart attack brought on by diabetes. Following his death, TV Land showed an entire weekend marathon of All in the Family episodes.
Michelle Thomas - Died At 30, Cancer
Steve Urkel may have been a little eccentric and, well, a little different. But he still had a girlfriend. Her name was Myra Monkhouse, who was played by Michelle Thomas. Michelle had been in a few well-known shows before getting on Family Matters.
These other roles include playing Justine Phillip in the Cosby Show. Myra also had a part in Hanging With The Homeboys and did music videos for Boyz II Men and Dru Hill. Despite not drinking or smoking and living a healthy lifestyle as a vegetarian, Thomas succumbed to a rare skin cancer type.
Kelly Preston - Died At 57, Cancer
Kelly Preston's death came out of nowhere for everyone but those closest to her. This is because she and her husband, John Travolta, wanted to keep her condition as secret as they possibly could. Preston had been suffering from breast cancer, and they had kept it under wraps for two years.
But the star of films like For The Love Of The Game and Mischief wasn't just taking it on the chin. She was on treatment at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas and received treatment at other facilities. But in July 2020, John and Ella Bleu Travolta announced from a joint Instagram account that Kelly had passed away.
Chadwick Boseman - Died At 43, Cancer
The world went into shock and mourning when news broke that Chadwick Boseman had died due to colon cancer. He is renowned for being the lead actor in the film Black Panther, But he was also a talented actor who actually specialized in biographical films.
Some of these roles include playing James Brown in the 2014s Get On Up, baseball legend Jackie Robinson in the 2013 film called 42, and supreme court justice Thurgood Marshall in 2017's Marshall. But it was as Black Panther that he was named one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2018 by Time Magazine.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg - Died at 87, Pancreatic Cancer
As the Supreme Court of the United States' associate justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was seen as a moderate consensus-builder as opposed to a major lawmaker. She was the first Jewish woman to serve on the court and only the second woman to do so.
Bader became a sort of pop culture icon for her liberal views on the law and was dubbed the Notorious RBG for her reputation and arguments. She eventually embraced that moniker as well. Bader died in September 2020 due to complications from pancreatic cancer. When her death was announced, thousands of people laid flowers at the supreme court building.
Diana Rigg - Died At 82, Cancer
Not many people know this, but at one point, the enigmatic James bond was married. The film it happened in was On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and the person who played this particularly historic Bond girl was Dianna Rigg. Still don't know who she is?
Modern viewers and in particular, Game of Thrones fans, will know her as the indomitable Olenna Tyrel, top dog of House Tyrel, and a constant thorn in Lannister sides. While her death shook the world, her daughter said that she had been diagnosed with lung cancer in March 2020.
Cliff Robinson - Died At 53, Lymphoma
Cliff Robinson is a one-time NBA All-Star who played for several franchises, including the Portland Trailblazers, Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, and New Jersey Nets. He also gained a different kind of fame when he participated in the reality contest Survivor and managed to go unrecognized for a few weeks.
But he was eventually found out, and after rubbing one contestant up the wrong way, he was eliminated in 14th place. During his retirement, he became a cannabis entrepreneur and was an activist for legalizing marijuana. Despite going for surgery to remove cancerous cells, he died of Lymphoma in August 2020.
Regis Philbin - Died At 88, Hearth Attack
Regis Philbin is best known for his long-standing run on the show Live! With Regis and a number of co-hosts from Kathy Lee Gifford to Kelly Ripa. But he also became the go-to man for new shows, ushering in the American version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and America's Got Talent, among others.
He has won Daytime Emmy's for Outstanding Talkshow Host and won the Outstanding Gameshow Host Award. He had been dealing with heart problems for a while and had an angioplasty in 1993 and a triple bypass in 2007. But he still succumbed to a heart attack as a result of coronary artery disease.
John Lewis - Died At 80, Cancer
John Lewis is a renowned American civil rights activist who was one of the Big Six group leaders who organized the historic March on Washington. He was also part of the infamous Selma to Montgomery Marches that saw an attack on marchers, including Lewis, by Police and State Troopers.
The Democrat served 17 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and even became the dean of the Georgia congressional delegation because of his tenure length. Then, the one thing that could end that tenure happened when Lewis passed away in July 2020 at his home. He had a long battle with pancreatic cancer.
Naya Rivera - Died At 33, Drowning
Naya Rivera was a popular up and coming actress who shot to fame in the series Glee as the gay cheerleader Santana Lopez. For the role, she earned several awards, including two Grammy's, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an ALMA Award. This makes her death more tragic.
Rivera was out with her son and rented a boat to go out onto lake Piru in California. When the boat wasn't returned on time, the owner went out looking for it. What they found was Rivera's son in a life jacket. According to the child, they were swimming when the current got rough, and she saved him, but couldn't save herself.
Elizabeth Taylor - Died At 79, Heart Failure
Elizabeth Taylor is one of the most iconic actresses and personalities in Hollywood and has been making waves in the industry since her debut in the film There's One Born Every Minute. She was named the 7th greatest screen legend by the American Film Institute in 1999.
Taylor didn't like many of the roles she was cast in by her studio MGM, and this even led to her resenting the studio controlling the roles actors and actresses take. She did, however, earn an Oscar for a role she didn't like when she starred in Butterfield 8. Taylor died in 2011, and as requested, was 15-minutes late for her own funeral.
Erin Moran - Died At 56, Cancer
We all remember Happy Days for lead character Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarella, played by Henry Winkler, but Erin Moran also gained some fame from the show. She played the sister of the actual main character Richie Cunningham, who was played by Ron Howard.
After developing a bit of a cult following, the network gave her a spinoff called Joanie Loves Chachi. But the show never lasted, and Moran herself admitted that she would rather have continued with Happy Days. She and three other former cast members tried to sue CBS for image rights infringements but lost the suit. Moran passed away in April 2017 due to throat cancer.
Diana, Princess of Wales - Died At 36, Motor Vehicle Accident
Before she married Prince Charles, the late Princess Diane was a simple kindergarten assistant. But once she became a royal, she had a constant spotlight on her life since she and was the subject of constant media scrutiny, as is the case with every member of the Royal family.
But it was the spotlight she was constantly under that contributed to her death on 31 August 1997. While trying to outrun a group of paparazzi who were hounding them, their driver would hit a wall in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in France, killing her and her partner Dodi al-Fayed. 32.10 million people watched her funeral.
Gene Wilder - Died At 83, Alzheimer's Disease
In the modern era, Gene Wilder has been immortalized in a meme. However, that meme is a testament to his iconic performance in the role of Willy Wonka (Sorry Johnny Depp) in 1971s Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory. The irony is that the performance didn't even earn him an Oscar nomination.
That honor goes to the 1967 film the Producers, for which he earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Despite his legendary status, Wilder only ever won one major award, A Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy for his last ever acting role in Will & Grace. Wilder passed away in 2016 due to Alzheimer's disease.
James Garner - Died At 86, Heart Attack
While he garnered some exposure for his performances in shows like The Rockford Files and Maverick, James Garner actually made a name for himself as the perfect wingman. He starred in The Great Escape with Steve McQueen, The Americanization of Emily with Julie Andrews, and Murphy's Romance with Sally Field.
In the 2000s, Garner would even star in Space Cowboys with Clint Eastwood and The Notebook, with Gena Rowland. While he was never the top star in these movies, he always performed brilliantly, even receiving an Oscar nomination for his role in Murphy's Romance. Garner suffered a life-changing stroke in 2008 and died in 2014 due to heart failure.
Tony Burton - Died At 78, Pneumonia
Tony Burton had a short but fruitful career as a professional boxer in the late '50s. Sadly that career was cut short after he was jailed for an armed robbery. But fortunately, his jail time exposed him to acting, and he spent his three years incarcerated studying the art form.
Ironically, despite switching careers, one of his most prominent acting roles came in boxing films. He was cast as the trainer for Appolo Creed in the Rocky films, later becoming Rocky's trainer in Rocky III and IV. After being in and out of the hospital for the final years of his life, Burton passed away in February 2016 due to pneumonia.
Freddie Mercury - Died At 45, Complications From Aids
Widely regarded as one of the most charismatic stage performers and the best rock n roll frontmen in history, Freddie Mercury is Mostly known for his work with the band Queen. He also had a solo career, most noted for his work on the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games song.
Besides all of the hits he created for Queen, one of his most talked-about moments came during his pivotal performance at 1985's Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium. There he sang what's known as the note heard around the world during a mid-set vocal solo. Mercury passed away in 1991, one day after announcing that he had contracted HIV.
Jonathan Brandis - Died At 27, Suicide
Like a rock star, Jonathan Brandis joined the 27's Club in 2003 when he hung himself in his apartment. According to reports, he was drinking heavily and suffering from depression and had warned people around him that he wanted to kill himself.
Things were way different in the late '80s and '90s. Brandis had the pick of the top film and starred as Bill Denborough in Stephen King's IT miniseries. Brandis also played Bastian Bucks in Neverending Story II. But somehow, he lost his appeal to filmmakers, and when he was edited out of a decent role in the film hart's War, he had lost hope.
John Ritter - Died at 54, Heart Failure
John Ritter rose to fame in Three's Company playing Jack Tripper. His performance in the show was so well received that even when the show ended, he landed roles in films like Problem Child and the Mini-Series IT as the adult version of Ben Hanscombe.
Ritter was still starring in the sitcom 8 Simple Rules when he died of an Aortic Dissection. While he was rehearsing for an episode of the show, he was rushed to a nearby hospital after feeling ill and constantly vomiting. He died at the hospital. Comedy legend Don Knotts called him the most remarkable physical comedian globally,
Aretha Franklin - Died At 76, Cancer
No other singer's death symbolized the end of an era quite like that of Aretha Franklin. Known as the Queen of Soul, Franklin sang a list of hits as long as the high notes she could sustain in her prime: From Respect to You Make Me Feel, Chain of Fools, and I Say A Little Prayer.
She eventually succumbed to a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, a distinct type of Pancreatic Cancer. Franklin never left a will, but she did leave an impression, with tributes pouring in from Bill Clinton to Jennifer Hudson. Conveniently, Hudson, known as the Princess of Soul, will be playing Franklin in a biopic called Respect.
Benjamin Keough - Died At 27, Suicide
Not only was Benjamin Keough the only grandson of Elvis Presley, but he was also the spitting image of the King. The son of Lisa Marie Presley and singer-songwriter Danny Keough, he was often asked for photos due to his uncanny resemblance to his grandfather.
He died due to suicide, but the real reason was never revealed. According to reports, he locked himself in a bathroom at a party for the joint birthday of his girlfriend Diane Pinto and brother-in-law Ben Smith Petersen. Keough had a shotgun with him and shot himself in the head.
Lucille Ball - Died At 77, Aneurism
Affectionately known as Lucy, Lucille Ball is most famous for having her own segment on TV called The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour. In this segment, she was the star and producer of numerous Lucy-inspired sitcoms like I Love Lucy, The Lucy Show, Here's Lucy, and Life With Lucy.
Lucille also produced Broadway shows, and all of her skills as a producer led to her becoming the first woman to run a television studio. That studio, Desilu Productions, was responsible for popular shows like Mission Impossible and Star Trek. She succumbed to an abdominal aortic aneurysm after waking up with a sore back.
Jan Crouch - Died At 77, Stroke
Jan Crouch is one of the founding members of the Trinity Broadcast Network (TBN), along with her husband and Jim Bakker. Together they turned the network into an international Christian broadcasting behemoth, But they also got into trouble with the law.
While Bakker was investigated for fraud, Crouch herself was put in the spotlight after her granddaughter brought embezzlement allegations against her. It was said that she used company money to fund her lavish lifestyle. There were also allegations of her having an affair while another granddaughter came forward, saying an employee indecently assaulted her. Crouch died of a stroke in 2016
Nicole Brown Simpson - Died At 35, Murdered
A murder that sparked some of the most dramatic live footage ever film in a news broadcast. At the time, Nicole Brown Simpson, the ex-wife of NFL star and actor O.J Simpson, was found murdered in her home. O.J, who had a history of physically abusing her, became a person of interest.
He never turned himself in and was involved in a car chase to be apprehended. Helicopter footage of the chase was broadcast on TV, with channels breaking the 1994 NBA Finals to show it. O.J was acquitted of murder charges but served time for an unrelated 2007 breaking and entering incident. He served time of 33 years.
Gary Coleman - Died At 42, Fell Down the Stairs
Gary Coleman is one of the most recognizable child stars in TV history. He rose to prominence in the popular sitcom Diff'rent Strokes as the witty younger child Arnold Jackson. It was also here that he coined his iconic phrase, "Whatchu tawkin' 'bout Willis."
He won the Young Artist Award for Best Young Actor in a Comedy Series and also got his own animated series called the Gary Coleman Show, where he voiced himself. He also had various film roles, although due to his small size and childlike features, he was always typecast as a child or midget. Coleman died in the hospital after falling down the stairs and hitting his head.
Jerry Orbach - Died At 69, Cancer
Upon his death, Jerry Orbach was renowned as one of the last leading men on the Broadway musical scene. This claim is backed up by a Broadway and Off-Broadway resume that includes playing Gallo in The Fantasticks and Bill Flynn in the original run of Chicago.
Orbach also had his fair share of film roles, most notably as the strict father in Dirty Dancing. His best-known screen role was as detective Lenny Briscoe in the long-running drama Law & Order. Two years into Law & Order, Orbach was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He fought the disease for 10-years while working on the show but eventually succumbed in 2004.
Lisa Robin Kelly - Died At 43, Multiple Drug Exposure
She had several appearances in Married... With Children, Charmed, and Silk Stalkings. You might also remember Lisa Robin Kelly as Laurie Foreman, the sister of main character Eric Foreman in the classic TV show That 70's Show.
Unfortunately, Kelly had issues that often made her erratic. She left That '70s Show abruptly, admitting later that she had not run from the show, but from a drinking problem, she had developed. Kelly also had legal issues but tried to put that behind her by checking into rehab. Unfortunately, While at the rehab facility, she passed away due to multiple drug exposure.
Burt Reynolds - Died At 82, Heart Attack
Burt Reynolds is renowned for his mustache, rugged charm, and starring as the loveable rogue in films like Deliverance, The Longest Yard, and Smokey And The Bandit. He also had roles in iconic TV shows like Gunsmoke, Dan August, and Hawkin rugged roles that made him a hit with the ladies.
Reynolds also authored a children's book and released three easy listening music albums. But despite his success, he still filed for bankruptcy, mostly due to his extravagant lifestyle and a costly divorce from Loni Anderson. It took him two years to come out of bankruptcy. Reynolds died of a heart attack in a hospital in 2018.
Phil Hartman - Died At 49, Murdered
Phil Hartman was shot and killed in his sleep by his third wife Brynn Omdahl, who was struggling with drug use and Phil's absence from home. After snuffing out one of the most underrated comedy careers, she committed suicide herself.
It was an underrated career indeed. Hartman had a hand in the development of the Pee-Wee Herman character with Paul Reubens and also helped write the screenplay for Pee-Wee Herman's Big Adventure. He also became popular on Saturday Night Live and, at the time of his death, was voicing several characters on The Simpsons.
Michael Jackson - Died At 50, Cardiac Arrest
11-years after his death, and still no one has been able to usurp Michael Jackson as the King of Pop. He is recognized as The Most Successful Entertainer Of All Time by the Guinness Book Of World Records, while his album, Thriller is the best selling album of all time with 66 million sales.
Yet despite his success, Jackson ran into financial difficulties with insurmountable debt, the unpaid staff at Neverland ranch leading him to sell the theme park abode. To get on his feet, he planned a comeback tour, but three weeks before he was due to begin, he was found dead at his rented Los Angeles mansion.
John Wayne - Died At 72, Cancer
John Wayne was the poster child of Hollywood manliness. He made westerns tough before Clint Eastwood came along as the Man With No Name. Some of his biggest productions include the 1969 version of True Grit, The Big Trail, Red River, and The longest day opposite Dean Martin.
As if it was poetry in motion, Wayne's final screen appearance was in a film called The Shootist where he played a gunfighter battling cancer. He would later be diagnosed with stomach cancer, making fewer and fewer public appearances. His last was at the 1979 Oscars before he succumbed to his ailment. Wayne would posthumously receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Mac Miller - Died At 26, Drug Overdose
Mac Miller had been working in the Pittsburgh Hip Hop scene since the age of 15. By 2010, when he was 18, he signed a record deal with independent label Rostrum Records. His first album became the first independent album to chart on Billboard since 1995.
Miller went on to record prolifically and also went into production, producing his own work as well as other artists' music. But he also had substance abuse issues, which he mentions in his songs, but that also ultimately took his life when he overdosed in September 2018. In 2020 his final album, Circles, was released posthumously.