Famous Celebrity Deaths

Hollywood has had its fair share of dramatic instances where tragic death seems to be a normal occurrence and not so much otherwise. In 2011, the death of Amy Winehouse caused quite a stir among the music and film industry, with people not surprised about how and why it happened.

I for one presumed that it had something to do with either drugs or alcohol, and not a common case like an accident.

There are deaths in the fraternity that have famous actors and actresses usually as victims of drug abuse and a life that drives them to take the worst of decisions to end their lives, which we cannot speculate given the haziness of the situation.

It is upsetting to turn on the television set or tune into the radio only to hear about yet another celebrity death. Some of us have now accepted the fact that tragedy is Hollywood's way of bidding their best actors and actresses goodbye.

The lucky few that died normal deaths didn't stir up such controversy or have something dark going on in their lives to leave us all mouth-gaping at their untimely deaths. It is unfortunate to lose those we've adored off and on screen for so many years into each one's career.

There have been many deaths that have all come as shocks - Ronnie Montrose, Levon Helm, Mike Hossack, Steve Jobs, Lee Alexander McQueen, Mike Wallace, Dick Clark, Ralph McQuarrie, and Ian Abercrombie to name a few. Let's now explore the different deaths that have occurred in the past years of the rich and famous.

He was a renowned artist and distinctive figure who shaped the music industry with respect to R&B, soul and funk guitar. He was best known for his 'wah-wah' pedal usage, and had been interviewed about this technique for the documentary Cry Baby: 

The Pedal That Rocks the World featuring the greats of the music industry like Eddie Van Halen and Slash. He was 65 years old when he died of cancer on May 1st, 2012.

Her name is instantly known among those who remember her hit single 'I Will Always Love You' as the OST for the movie The Bodyguard (which she was starred in).

It earned her quite a reputation for being the only female artist in history to have a best-selling single, which also won her the 1994 Grammy Award for Album of the Year, featuring the track as part of its playlist.

She was much-loved by fans, where her untimely and abrupt end came all too soon. She was found in her bathtub submerged in water, where the verdict of her death was said to have been the effects of atherosclerotic disease and cocaine - a deadly match. She passed away on February 11th, 2012.

Donald Cortez Don Cornelius 1936-2012 (Producer/Show Host)

He was the legendary creator of the dance/music franchise 'Soul Train' which he hosted from the year 1971 to 1993. He was caught up in various felonies related to domestic violence, and was convicted of spousal abuse of which he denied.

He was found in Mulholland Drive with a self-inflicted gunshot wound aimed at his head, where it was rumored to have been a case of dementia or Alzheimer's that may have pushed him to take his own life.

Adam 'MCA' Yauch was known as the founding member of the band Beastie Boys. He was respected for his stance in the music industry and was an inspiration to others who joined post the band's formation and growing success.

He was diagnosed with a cancerous parotid gland subsequently undergoing radiation therapy and surgery. He died on May 4th, 2012 at the age of 47.

Amy Winehouse, was only 27 when she was found dead in her apartment in London on 23rd July, 2011. She was a talented singer with a voice that was musically acclaimed for its edginess and fresh sound.

Her ex-husband Blake Fielder-Civil, reported that she once went into a fit (in a past incident) and stopped breathing post black out, where he gave her mouth to mouth resuscitation to help revive her. Winehouse's autopsy didn't conclude anything concrete, where the evidence that it may have been drugs has not been brought to light.

The death of Ryan Dunn, star of the hit movie series 'Jackass' was something the cast wasn't prepared for. The blow intensity was felt more by Johnny Knoxville, boss of the 'Jackass' movie runs.

Ryan was suspected of drunk driving, while being one of two passengers in the car wreck that killed both present, as the car swerved off the road and burst into flames thereafter. The incident has been termed as an 'auto accident' and not a 'DUI' scenario.

The death of Brittany Murphy was one of those unexpected tragedies that you wouldn't ever see coming, where although not highly acclaimed as an actress, she did do her bit to squeeze herself into the limelight every now and then.

The 'Girl Interrupted' star was known for her quirky acting when it came to comedy and romance like 'Just Married' where she starred opposite funny man Ashton Kutcher. Reportedly, Murphy died from a cardiac arrest while in the shower.

Rumors circulated about her having an eating disorder while even dealing with drugs, where her husband Simon Monjack snuffed the bad talk saying that Hollywood was responsible for her death. By that he meant his late wife was under pressure from the film industry, where the final cause of her death was due to stress and depression.

Heath Ledger reined in the hearts of the female audiences in '10 Things I Hate About You' as the bad boy Australian who woes actress Julia Stiles as part of a bet, who later ends up falling for her. The star's death created a wave of confusion and talk - being as sudden as the death of Michael Jackson.

The star's last film 'The Dark Knight' was the highlight of the actor's career, and a big push rise for his stature as an actor since 'Brokeback Mountain' where it all tragically came to an end in 2008.

He was found dead in his apartment, where autopsy reports revealed that The star's last film 'The Dark Knight' was the highlight of the actor's career, and a big push rise for his stature as an actor since 'Brokeback Mountain' where it all tragically came to an end in 2008.

He was found dead in his apartment, where autopsy reports revealed that the actor had died due to an overdose on prescription pills, due to his insomnia related troubles.

Whether it was deliberate or an accident hasn't been made conclusive. the actor had died due to an overdose on prescription pills, due to his insomnia related troubles. Whether it was deliberate or an accident hasn't been made conclusive.

Bruce Lee was said to have suffered from cerebral edema, where medical reports called it 'death by misadventure'. He died due to a brain swelling incident that led him to suffer constant headaches and blackouts.

Traces of Equagesic was found in his blood stream which acted as both a relaxant and painkiller. Rumors of course followed like they seem to when someone famous dies from a death that isn't concrete in evidence, that drugs were involved as part of Bruce's death.

Much-loved and highly respected for his sultry vocals and fluid dance moves, Elvis Presley was America's sweetheart where his life came abruptly to an end after saturating his system with too many drugs. His body at the time was weak, and he would force himself to perform on stage for his fans, where his death did give them solace to see his suffering end.

Overdosing on the drugs led him to believe that they were helping him, and the turnout was shocking when he was found dead on his bathroom floor. He was only 42 when he was found dead.

Anna Nicole Smith was beautiful, talented and the center of controversy. She was immersed with problems in and around her life, and probably spiraled out of control after the death of her son. She was found in her hotel room, where
she was being resuscitated but without any sign of life after several tries.

The drug chloral hydrate when mixed with other prescription drugs that she was on, was a deadly mix that led to her death, where depression was a known side effect.

The mystery circulating around the incident was that the drugs that were supposed to be for her husband, was found in her system leading to rumors that this may have been a suicide if not an accidental death.

Gary Coleman when seen on the infamous sitcom 'Diff'rent Strokes' could only leave a smile on my face with his adorable chubby cheeks and witty child-like humor.

Starting at the young age of 8, Gary Coleman was America's favorite little kid (Arnold Jackson) who died at the age of 42 from congenital kidney disease. He will be missed by many of his fans, where 'Diff'rent Strokes' is still as big a hit as it was back in the day.

Elizabeth Taylor was a profound actress who made her mark in the film industry, starting out in black and white while then moving into an era of color and style.

Known for her classiness, her strong and subdued way of putting forward a character was both professional and recognized.

She was most definitely an iconic actress of her time and is still very much revered even today. She'd been suffering from congestive heart failure for so long, that it finally took a toll on her and led her weak heart to finally give out. She died at age 79.

I'm sure a lot of us tuned in to 'The Bernie Mac Show', where Mac plays himself in a series that were loosely based on his real life. Rising slowly up the ladder of success, Bernie Mac has his way of tickling audiences' funny bone, most often recognized as a class A stand up comedian more than an actor.

He suffered from complications due to pneumonia, and was hospitalized and said to be responding well to the treatment being done on him. Sadly his system couldn't take it anymore and he passed away in August 2008.

Peter Falk was someone any mystery loving fanatic would adore, with his calm demeanor while addressing crimes, and his skeptical and shrewd manner in solving cases as Detective Columbo in the hit series 'Columbo'. He'd been suffering from Alzheimer's disease, battling it out for a while, before passing away this year, 2011.

Michael was able to throw a large casting net of influence over people of all ages, making it big for himself as a child when he appeared as the lead singer among his brothers in the music group 'The Jackson 5'.

Fans around the world were obsessed with his drive and passion to make music that was both powerful and magnetic. The moonwalker died from a cardiac arrest during the time when he was putting together his much-anticipated concert 'This is It', where only the rehearsal footage was then made public.

Fans were devastated world-wide, including members of his family and those who knew him well. He was 50 when he died on June 25th, 2009.

The infamous crocodile hunter was a hearty Australian that managed to make the most dangerous of situations, a fascinating one.

With his eccentric ways and his obvious passion for the wild, Steve Irwin was seen as an iconic naturalist of his time. Steve Irwin was killed in a stingray attack, where his daring self may have pushed the boundaries a tad too much, sadly leading to his demise.

In Hollywood when an actor/actress dies, the publicity they get is cruel and interrupting since the paparazzi has no leash that one can tug onto. It is upsetting to hear about our favorite stars dying, especially if the causes weren't natural. All we can do is keep their memory alive through their work and dedication during the time that they were present, and pass it down for generations to come.