Phil Hartman: May 28, 1998



Cocaine use and alcohol reportedly contributed to Brynn Hartman's decision to shoot her husband, actor Phil Hartman, at point-blank range with his own Smith & Wesson .38 as he slept in the bed they shared in their Encino, Calif. home. She shot him twice in the head and once on his side.

Hartman, best known for his work on Saturday Night Live, NewsRadio, and for voicing several characters on The Simpsons, had reportedly threatened to divorce his wife of 11 years, during an argument over her drug use. Along with her drug problems, which resulted in two stints in rehab, Brynn also suffered from depression. She was taking the antidepressant drug, Zoloft, at the time of the shooting.

Shortly after admitting to a friend that she killed her husband in the early morning hours of May 28, 1998, Brynn climbed into the couple's bed where Phil's dead body still lay and sitting up against the headboard she put the gun in her mouth and fired her own fatal shot. When police arrived, they found Brynn's dead body slumped over that of her husband, orphaning the couple's two children. In 1999, Hartman's estate filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Pfizer, the manufacturer of the antidepressant drug that Brynn was taking, as well as her psychiatrist. Pfizer settled.

Bonnie Lee Bakley: May 4, 2001



Though out of the public eye for some time, Robert Blake — star of Truman Capote's 1967 film In Cold Blood, and the 1970's show Baretta — became a household name again after he was charged with murdering his wife of one year, Bonnie Lee Bakley.

The high profile trial intrigue centered on Bakley's background and the couple's strange history. She was widely known as a con artist and for allegedly swindling men for money and had been arrested for writing $200,000 in bad checks, along with having more than 30 fake identifications. She served jail time before meeting Blake in 1999 and becoming his wife after a paternity test proved he was the father of her daughter, Rose, which she initially named Christian Shannon Brando after claiming Marlon Brando's son, Christian, was the father.

On May 4, 2001, the couple had dinner at a restaurant, and upon leaving the restaurant, Blake claimed to have realized that he left his revolver in the restaurant and returned to retrieve it. When he came back to the car, he found his wife dead with a gunshot wound to her head. Blake was charged with one count of murder with special circumstances, two counts of solicitation of murder, and one count of murder conspiracy. He was acquitted in 2005, but found liable for the wrongful death of his wife in the civil case filed by Bakley's children and ordered to pay $30 million in restitution.

Stars Who Died Too Soon



1. YouTube star Logan Bratayley died in October, 2015. He was 13.

2.Jim Carrey’s on-again/off-again girlfriend Cathriona White was found dead on September 28, 2015

3.Simone Battle of G.R.L. was found dead on September 5, 2014

4.‘American Idol’ alum Michael Johns died in August 2014

5.Peaches Geldof — the 25-year-old daughter of iconic music mogul Bob Geldof — died in April 2014

6.Amy Winehouse was found dead in her London apartment on July 23, 2011. She was 27.

7.Whitney Houston was found dead in her Beverly Hills hotel room on February 11, 2012. She was 48

8.Jenni Rivera died in a tragic plane crash on Dec. 9, 2012. She was 43.

9.Robin Gibb passed away following a long battle with cancer on May 20, 2012

10.Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, died of a cardiac arrest at the age of 50 in Los Angeles on June 25, 2009

11.DJ AM — whose real name was Adam Goldstein — was found dead in a NYC apartment on August 28, 2009. He was 36.

12.TLC singer Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopez was killed in a car accident in Honduras at age 30 on April 25, 2002

13.Queen of R&B, Aaliyah, died in a plane crash in the Bahamas at the age of 22 on August 25, 2001

14.America’s golden boy, John F. Kennedy Jr. lost his life in a plane crash on his way to Martha’s Vineyard on July 16, 1999. He was 38 years old.

15.Beloved folk artist John Denver passed in a plane crash at age 53 on October 12, 1997

16.West Coast hip-hop legend Tupac Shakur had his life taken in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas at age 25 on September 13, 1996

17.Diana, the Princess of Wales, lost her life in an automobile accident at 36 years old on August 31, 1997

18.The East Coast rap superstar Notorious B.I.G. was shot down in LA at the age of 24 on March 9, 1997

19.Prince of Motown, Marvin Gaye left us at the age of 44 after being shot by his father on April 1, 1984

20.‘Nirvana’ front man Kurt Cobain’s struggles with addiction led to his end with a bullet to the head at 27 years old on April 5, 1994

21.Leader of the Revolution, iconic musician John Lennon was shot at the age of 40 by an alleged stalker in front of his apartment building on December 8, 1980

22.Elvis “The King” Presley died on August 16, 1977 in his Graceland mansion. The cause of death was a cocktail on 10 prescription drugs. He was just 42 years old.

23.Famed ‘Doors’ front man Jim Morrison passed away in his Paris hotel room at the age of 27 on July 3, 1971

24.Known as the best guitarist in history, Jimi Hendrix died due to an overdose at age 27 on September 18, 1970

30 Actors Who Lost Their Lives Way Too Soon.


Here are stars whose lives were tragically taken too soon.

#1. Bridgette Andersen

The "Savannah Smiles" star died in 1997 at the age of 21 from a drug overdose.

#2. Gary Coleman

The star of "Different Strokes" known for saying, "What you talkin' about Willis?" passed away at the age of 42 from a brain hemorrhage.

#3. Judith Barsi

She starred in "Jaws: The Revenge" and was the voice of "The Land Before Time." She was murdered by her father and then he committed suicide. She was only 10 years old.

#4. Lee Thompson Young

Young committed suicide at the age of 29 in 2013. The Disney star had suffered from bipolar disorder.

#5. Heather O'Rourke

She played Carol Anne in Speilberg's 1982 movie "Poltergeist" and sequels, "Poltergeist II: The Other Side" and "Poltergeist III."

In 1988, during the filming of 'Poltergeist III', Heather suffered flu-like symptoms that were the result of congenital intestinal stenosis. She went into cardiac arrest and died on the operating table at the age of 12.

#6. Brad Renfro

Renfro was one of main stars of "The Client." He died in 2008 at age 25 of an accidental heroin overdose.

#7. Carl Switzer

Alfalfa from 'Our Gang' was played by Carl Switzer. He was shot during a fight with a man who believed owed him money. He was only 31 years old.

#8. Dana Plato

Dana played in the television series "Different Strokes." She died at the age of 35 in 1999 after taking a fatal dose of lortab and valium.

#9. Jonathan Brandis

The "Ladybugs" star died in 2003 at age 27. Brandis was found alive after trying to hang himself. He died from injuries.
Jonathan Brandis

#10. Anissa Jones

Sadly, the main character of "Family Affair" died in 1976 at 18. She received her $70,000 trust when she became a legal adult and got into a life of drugs. She died of an overdose of barbiturates, phencyclidine, and cocaine.

#11. Corey Haim

The star of 80's teen films like the "Lost Boys," "Lucas," and "License to Drive" turned to drugs when his career slowed down. He was 38 when he died of complications due to pneumonia.

#12. Justin Pierce

He was best known for his role as Casper in "Kids." Justin never got his acting career off the ground. He appeared in few episodes of "Malcolm in the Middle" and in "Next Friday." He hung himself in Las Vegas at the age of 25.

#13. J. Madison Wright Morris

Morris, who is best-known for her role in "Grace Under Fire," died in 2006 at age 21. She received a heart transplant at the age of 15. The actress died from a heart attack one day after coming back from her honeymoon.

#14. River Phoenix

The child and teen star of "Stand by Me" and "Explorers" died in 1993 at age 23. He collapsed outside of the Viper Room nightclub in Los Angeles. He died from an overdose of cocaine and morphine.

#15. Bobby Driscoll

Bobby Driscoll started in several Disney productions, "Song of the South," "So Dear To My Heart," and "Treasure Island." He was also the voice of Peter Pan. As an adult, he had trouble finding work and started using drugs. His body was found in a New York tenement on March 30, 1968.

#16. Christopher Pettiet

The popular teen star of "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead" died of drug overdose in in 2000.

#17. Brittany Murphy

As a young teen, Brittany appeared in "Blossom" and "Drexel's Class." Her first big screen appearance was in "Clueless." She also had a role in "Girl Interrupted" and starred with Ashton Kutcher in "Just Married." She had a promising career ahead of her, but her life was cut short at the age of 32. She went into cardiac arrest and was found in her bathroom. Her husband, Simon Monjack, died five months later, also from cardiac arrest. Her family suspects foul play.

#18. Matthew Garber

Matthew, known for his role in "Mary Poppins," passed away at the age of 21 in 1977. The cause of death was acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis.

#19. Tara Correa-McMullen

Tara starred in "Judging Amy" as a character who was killed by gang members. She met a similar fate when she was killed by a shotgun blast at the age of 16.

#20. Rob Knox

The actor from "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" tragically died in 2008 at the age 18 while trying to defend his brother from an attacker.

#21. Scotty Beckett

Another child star from "Our Gang" passed away at the age of 38 in 1968. The death was caused by an overdose of barbiturates.

#22. Dana Hill

Dana played Audrey Griswald in National Lampoon’s "European Vacation." At a young age, she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. She slipped into a diabetic coma in May of 1996, suffered a massive stroke in June, and died in July at the age of 32.

#23. Lucille Ricksen

The silent movie star died at the age 14. Lucille fell ill during a filming and was later diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1925.

#24. Josh Ryan Evan

Josh had notable guest spots on "Ally McBeal," "7th Heaven," and "Poltergeist: The Legacy." He also starred as Timmy on the soap opera "Passions." In 2002, Josh died died from complications related to a congenital heart condition

#25. Billy Laughlin

Little Froggy from "Our Gang" died in 1948 at the age of 16. He was a passenger on the back of a motor scooter and was hit by a truck.

#26. Michael Cuccione

The star of TV movie "2gether" died in 2001 just 8 days after his 16th birthday of pneumonia. At the age of 9, Cuccione had survived Hodgkin's disease after rounds of chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant.

#27. Ashleigh Aston Moore

At the age of 26, the "Now and Then" actress died from an accidental heroin overdose in 2007.

#28. Sammi Kane Kraft

The star of the "Bad News Bears "remake died in 2012 from injuries sustained in a car accident. She was a passenger in a car that was rear-ended by a semi-truck.

#29. Norman Chaney

The child actor who played Chubby from "Our Gang" died in 1936 at age 21. Chaney died from complications during surgery for his glandular disorder.

#30. Michelle Thomas

The popular star who played the role of Myra Monkhouse of "Family Matters"died at the age of 30 in 1998. She was diagnosed with a rare form of stomach cancer and had two surgeries for it. She died shortly after being released from the hospital after the 2nd surgery.

Famous People Killed by the Illuminati



List of famous people killed by the Illuminati, with information about of each death and sacrifice. The Illuminati is a secret society that is rumored to control all world events. The Illuminati and members of their organization are especially influential in the entertainment industry. It is alleged that members must make a blood sacrifice to the clan in order to gain fame and reach higher ranks. Many famous people have allegedly been killed by the Illuminati for failure to comply with the plan. Still others were killed as part of one of these Illuminati blood sacrifices and for the greater good of the organization.

1. Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, just days before his comeback concerts were scheduled to take place in London. Jackson is thought to have been a member of the Illuminati until he started speaking out against them. Before his death, Jackson began to speak out against the powers that be and their need to control everything in the music industry. He also stated that there was a conspiracy to defame him by labeling him a “freak” and a “child-molester.”

2. John Lennon

John Lennon was seen as a threat to many people in power. The INS even attempted to deport him, and the FBI had him under surveillance. Lennon frequently spoke out against the evils of industry, and it is believed that his assassin Mark David Chapman was under Illuminati mind control when he killed John Lennon.

3. John F. Kennedy

It is believed that John F. Kennedy was previously working with the Illuminati. When he began to resist, the Illuminati orchestrated his assassination.
John F. Kennedy was killed on November 22, 1963, and his assassination has been the subject of many conspiracy theories for decades.

4. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was seen as a great threat to the Illuminati as he was a very influential man.
When he began speaking out against the Vietnam war, which had great financial benefits for many corporations, the Illuminati orchestrated a scenario in which it would be easy for King to be killed. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

5. Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln saw big business and corporations as a big threat to him and the Southern Confederacy. The Illuminati planned Lincoln’s assassination to stop him from speaking out against them, and it was carried out on April 15, 1865.

6. Kurt Cobain

The Illuminati wanted to use Kurt Cobain as a mind-control tool, but Cobain was very reluctant to participate in fame He was seen as a threat to the Illuminati, so they orchestrated his death. Kurt Cobain died from a gun shot would on April 5, 1994. The death was labeled a suicide, but many people have doubted and debated the circumstances.

7. Jim Morrison

Jim Morrison was fascinated with the occult, and many believed him to be a reptilian member of the Illuminati. His death was believed to have been constructed by the Illuminati, although other people believe that Morrison is still alive and well, and the Illuminati helped him to fake his death.
Morrison supposedly died of a heart attack on July 3, 1971. His death wasn’t reported in the media until three days later, and many people have claimed to have seen Morrison in seedy places all over the world since then.

8. John F. Kennedy, Jr.

Many people believe that John F. Kennedy, Jr., like his father, was killed by the Illuminati. Rumor has it that JFK, Jr. had information that proved that the CIA and George H. W. Bush were directly involved in the assassination of his father. Allegedly, Kennedy was preparing to publish this information at the time of his death. He died in a plane crash on July 16, 1999.

9. Robert F. Kennedy

Like Martin Luther King, Jr., Robert F. Kennedy was seen as a great threat to the Illuminati’s plans for a war in Vietnam. After his brother's assassination, it was common belief that he will be the next US President. He was killed on June 6, 1968, by a lone gunman.

10. Malcolm X

Malcolm X was a very influential man and a great threat to the Illuminati. He spoke frequently, promoting a revolt against the “power structure” by using “extreme measures.” Malcolm X was assassinated on February 21, 1965.

11. Frank Zappa

Frank Zappa frequently spoke about TPTB using mind control in music, film, news, and politics. The first attempt on Zappa’s life came in 1971, when he was attacked during a concert. Many believe that he was purposefully injected with cancer, which killed him on December 4, 1993.

12. Bob Marley

Bob Marley was seen as an influential figure by many all around the world. Through his music, he promoted love, happiness, and togetherness, all things that do not fit into the Illuminati’s agenda. Many believe that Marley was injected with a rare form of cancer by people who wanted to silence him. He died on May 11, 1981.

13. Diana, Princess of Wales

The British "royal" Family is a very prominent family in the Illuminati. When Princess Diana and Prince Charles separated, it was an embarrassment for the Royals. Princess Diana was beloved amongst the people of England and the world, and since she was no longer associated with the Royals, she had to go.

She was killed in a car accident on August 31, 1997. There is strong evidence that she was sacrificed at the order of the British "royal" Family and the execution was carried out by the SAS. Mohamed Al-Fayed, father of Dodi Al-Fayed (Lady Diana's lover), has openly accused the British "royal" Family of assassinating his son and Lady Di.

Lady Diana also knew about the true nature of the "royal" family’s genetic history and the reptilian control. Her nicknames for the Windsors were “the lizards” and “the reptiles” and she used to say in all seriousness: “They’re not human”. - Reference (Also read David Icke's book "The Biggest Secret")

14. Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee often spoke of being watched by a demon. His death was suspected to have been an Illuminati sacrifice. Bruce Lee died suspiciously of an allergic reaction to prescription pills on July 20, 1973.

15. Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix was labeled a subversive person by the U.S. government, which employs many members of the Illuminati. He was very paranoid in the days leading up to his death, and he often spoke about dying before he reached the age of 30. Jimi Hendrix died after choking on his own vomit on September 18, 1970.

16. Tupac Amaru Shakur

Tupac was probably the most loved rapper of all times and one of the very few who exposed the Illuminati. How did he (or others) knew so much about the Illuminati and the fake music industry? And if he was co-opted by them, then why did he exposed them, eventually? The only logical explanation is that he was co-opted by them on his way up and, it must have been fun for a while, until he understood that these parasites are inhumane and responsible for most of the world's problems.

In fact, Tupac is responsible for the term Killuminati, which means the Killing of the Illuminati. And because he was so fervently against them, the Illuminati killed him on the night of September 7, 1996. But the strangest thing about Tupac was his name. Tupac Amaru means "Shining Serpent" in Incan, and refers to the great creator god of the pre-Inca and Inca cultures, Viracocha.

In his human form, Viracocha was a very tall Aryan, with white skin, blonde hair and blue eyes. In his non-human form, he was a human-eating reptilian. Sounds familiar?

Viracocha was known throughout the Central and South America under many names, depending on the culture: Quetzalcoatl (by the Aztecs), Kukulkan (by the Mayas), Votan (in Palenque), Zamna (in Izamal) or Gucumatz (by the K'iche Maya).

All of the above names translate the same: the Feathered Serpent, which meant that this reptilian god had the capability of flight. He was also described as shining. You can read more about it here, here and here.

So, whatever happened to Tupac in his life, he was definitely knowledgeable of the occult.

10 Actors Who Tragically Ended Their Lives



Although their lives seem exciting and appealing, and though their screen personas have brought joy and wonder to the rest of us, the lives of film, television, and stage actors are not always easy. In some cases, failed relationships, deaths in the family, or health problems may drive them to an early grave—at their own hands. Inspired by the recent suicide of the beloved Robin Williams, this list is a collection of 10 other beloved actors who tragically ended their lives.

1 Charles Boyer

This acclaimed French actor with the instantly recognizable face was the absolute picture of success. Boyer’s career spanned over 50 years and some 80 films, and he garnered four Academy Award nominations. But it was the 1930s and 1940s that were his golden times. Classic films like The Garden of Allah, Algiers, Love Affair, and the thriller Gaslight captured his sensuous appeal as a romantic leading man and a talented thespian.

Although he was born in a small French town in 1899 and didn’t know a word of English, Boyer refused to allow that to stifle his creativity. He made a name for himself in French cinema beginning with his first film, L’Homme du Large, and later moved to Hollywood to further his career. Over the years, he starred opposite voluptuous beauties like Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, Bette Davis, and many more.

Boyer was known not only for his films, but also his television appearances, his advocacy for French-American relations, and for inspiring the legendary animated character Pepe le Pew. He retired from his career in the 1970s to take care of his first and only wife, Pat Paterson, who was afflicted with cancer at the time. Her death in 1978 proved too much for Boyer to handle, though, and he ended his life two days after by ingesting a lethal dose of barbiturates.

2 Brad Davis

With a torturous start in life at the hands of a sexually abusive mother and an alcoholic father, Brad Davis learned destructive habits early in life. However, acting was his dream, and after winning a music talent contest in his teenage years, he worked at Theatre Atlanta and later studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Art.

After appearing in theater productions, soap operas, television movies, and the mini-series Roots, he won acclaim with his film debut, 1979’s Midnight Express, for which he won a Golden Globe Award along with several other nominations. He also starred in the drama Querelle, a landmark film for the gay community.

His adult career, however, was marred by his arrests and wild behavior, with accounts of him shooting framed portraits of himself, spreading his own feces on hotel walls, and, in one instance, ripping his shirt off at a Hollywood party and shouting, “Who’s got the drugs?” After reportedly sobering up from his long-time struggle with alcohol and cocaine abuse, Davis learned that he had AIDS, most likely either due to his drug abuse or alleged bisexual lifestyle. Frightened of having people discover his affliction, he ended his life with the aid of some close friends.

3 David Rappaport

Standing at just 119 centimeters (3’11”) tall, the English actor David Rappaport was one of the finest dwarf actors of his generation. Although obviously much shorter than his contemporaries, he was a recurring actor in television shows like L.A. Law and The Wizard, and a knockout in films like The Bride and the comedy classic Time Bandits, in which he acted alongside Sean Connery and John Cleese. He was even chosen to appear in Star Trek: The Next Generation in a role that can be seen on the Season 3 Blu-ray collection.

However, over his lifetime, he claimed that he battled depression because of intolerance and prejudice due to his appearance. In an interview, he confessed, “I look at boring people every day, and I say, ‘God, I wish I could be like that,’ but my lot is to be unique, special, so I have to put up with it.”

After a failed suicide attempt in March 1990 by inhaling automobile exhaust, he succeeded that May in Laurel Canyon Park, where the police found his body after he shot himself.

4 Brian Keith

Born in New Jersey to a family of actors, it didn’t take long for the acting bug to bite Brian Keith. His film debut was at the age of three, and while he lent himself to radio and stock productions, he decided to serve with the United States Marine Corps beginning at the age of 19. Although he was awarded an Air Navy medal for his service, Keith’s true calling was always acting. Back on home ground, the robust, gruff actor started off on Broadway in plays like Mister Roberts, and it didn’t take long for major studios to notice him.

Starting in 1953 with a career that would last some 35 years, Keith went on to star in a host of wildly popular sitcoms and TV shows such as Family Affair, Hardcastle and McCormick, and the eponymous The Brian Keith Show. His film career also left little to be desired, as the adaptable actor portrayed anything from family men to cowboys to detectives and starred in classics like The Wind and the Lion and The Parent Trap.

Unfortunately, he was later diagnosed with cancer and died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his California home in 1997.

5 Steven Keats

When speaking about television and film of the 1970s, it would be remiss not to mention Steven Keats, a talented actor of both mediums who was raised in Brooklyn, although both of his parents were Jewish immigrants from Denmark. After an education at the Yale School of Drama and Montclair State College, and after serving with the Air Force in Vietnam, he decided to try his hand at acting. His Broadway debut was in 1970 with Oh! Calcutta.

It was his later performances in films like Hester Street, Death Wish, and The Gambler that caught the attention of the public and brought him acclaim. His Emmy-nominated performance in the miniseries Seventh Avenue in 1977 as ruthless clothing entrepreneur Jay Blackman, though, was perhaps his finest work.

Despite his success in film and television, his three failed marriages and other unknown conditions left him in a dejected state, and in May 1994, he was found dead from suicide in his Manhattan apartment.

6 Richard Farnsworth

Starting out as a humble stunt man and continuing in that field for 30 years, doubling for giants like Henry Fonda and Roy Rogers, this brilliant yet unassuming man finally turned to acting at the ripe age of 57. Although already an older man, he took his work seriously and eventually received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1978’s Comes a Horseman. Although he established himself after that in other major roles in films like The Grey Fox and Tom Horn, his greatest achievement was portraying real-life Alvin Straight in The Straight Story, for which he received an Academy Award.

During that time, however, Farnsworth had been diagnosed with terminal bone cancer and found himself unable to walk. He was later partially paralyzed after a surgery. At the age of 80, frustrated and depressed, Farnsworth wrote a suicide note and shot himself in his home.

7 Sammee Tong

Born in San Francisco, Tong was educated in Hawaii before embarking on a career in Hollywood. Starting in the 1930s, he appeared in uncredited bits in many films, although he was credited with roles in classics like It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. In 1959, he appeared along with John Forsythe as a regular on his first television show, Bachelor Father. Known for his fondness for comedy, the Chinese entertainer also toured nightclubs as a singer and a comedian.

After some 25 years performing in films and on television, while starring alongside Mickey Rooney in the sitcom Mickey, Tong was found dead in his home with an empty bottle of sleeping pills close to his body and the note, “I have taken my own life. No one is to blame.” Other than the assumed dissatisfaction with his life, no motive for his self-inflicted drug overdose could ever be determined.

8 Freddie Prinze

The father of Freddie Prinze Jr. and one of the funniest stand-up comics of his time, Prinze broke ground for Hispanic actors like no one before him. Best loved for his performance in the 1970s television show Chico and the Man, he also performed for president Jimmy Carter and cracked up Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show.

The man who had made $2 an hour as an usher for Broadway suddenly had a bright future ahead of him. However, although he had signed contracts with NBC and Caesar’s Palace that would’ve secured him over $7 million and was negotiating with film studios like Warner Bros. and Universal, his addiction to cocaine and Quaaludes and his impending divorce depressed him. On January 28, 1977, in Los Angeles, Prinze wrote a suicide note, put a gun in his mouth, and sent a .38-caliber bullet through his head.

9 Spalding Gray

Praised as the greatest American storyteller of his generation as much for his unique style of writing and acting as his ability to touch an audience with insightful and profound comments about life, Spalding Gray made theatrical monologues popular with his performances of such classics as Monster in a Box and Swimming to Cambodia, both of which were adapted to film. He also starred in supporting roles in many classic comedy films, such as Kate and Leopold, King of the Hill, and Beaches.

It was in Ireland in 2001 that the car Gray was in collided with a van, crushing his hip and shattering part of his skull. After the accident, Gray struggled with depression. Whether it was due to brain damage, tragic events like his mother’s suicide, or something else entirely remains unknown. He began to talk about suicide, and even attempted it several times, although some that believe it was a viewing of Tim Burton’s Big Fish that finally convinced him to attempt the big one. On January 10, 2004, Gray allegedly jumped off the Staten Island Ferry. His body was found two months later.

10 George Sanders

With his sophisticated mannerisms, charming persona, and silky, deep voice, it didn’t take long for George Sanders to take Hollywood by storm as the villainous and smarmy scoundrel, which he showcased wonderfully in films like Rebecca, All About Eve, and The Picture of Dorian Grey. He even lent his voice to Shere Khan in the animated film The Jungle Book.

Even after garnering much acclaim, receiving an Oscar, and romancing several female celebrities, Sanders was not known for his happiness. In his autobiography, he wrote, “I am a disagreeable person. I am a hateful person.” He also remarked that women should be beaten and were worth very little, advocating a 25 percent tax for actresses so they wouldn’t make as much as male actors. Late in life, he was afflicted by an incapacitating stroke that affected his speech, along with several other health problems.

In 1972, Sanders checked into a hotel in Spain and overdosed on prescription drugs, leaving behind a suicide note that read in part: “Dear World, I am leaving because I am bored.”

Dorothy Stratten Death (February 28, 1960 - August 14, 1980)



Dorothy was born on Feb. 28, 1960 Vancouver, British Columbia as Dorothy Hoogstratten. When she was just 3, her father abandoned the family, which at the time consisted of Stratton, her mother, Nelly, and a younger brother, John Arthur. The mother remarried and had another daughter, Louise. The union didn’t last long and ended in divorce.

Teenage Stratten didn’t seem destined for magazine goddess fame. She was awkward, fretted about being plain and having “big hands,” and passed her time writing poems, often about loneliness and death.

Stratten started working at the Canadian Dairy Queen when she was 14 and stayed there for years. When barely 17, she was spotted working in the restaurant by shady "entrepreneur" Paul Snider, nine years her elder. Snider saw the beautiful girl's face and knew immediately he could turn her into a star. Turns out he was right. But unfortunately for Dorothy, he was right.

Snider had also grown up in Vancouver. After failing in legitimate jobs, he became a pimp, playing the role perfectly in a mink and black Corvette, wrote Teresa Carpenter in a Pulitzer Prize-winning article on the case that ran in the Village Voice in 1980.

For a time, Snider continued to try to earn his keep in the world’s oldest profession in Los Angeles, tooling around in a gold limousine. When he finally realized he wouldn’t make it as a flesh peddler, he headed back north, stepped into the Dairy Queen, and began wooing the wholesome beauty behind the counter.

Then, in a move that might seem bizarre for a young man in love, he hired a photographer to take nudes of his new girlfriend and shipped them off to Playboy.

After beginning a relationship with the young blonde, Snider finally convinced her that she would be great as a Playboy model and that she could become rich and famous if she could get comfortable taking her clothes off for the camera. At first, the shy girl-next-door shrugged off the notion, but Snider, the greasy devil he was, finally convinced her to pose for his camera. After amassing a small personal collection of nude photos of Dorothy, Snider then sent them to Playboy Magazine in Los Angeles, specifically to the home of Hugh Hefner. Heffy like-y and after only two days of ogling her shots, called for the young Hoogstratten. Snider's plan was now set in motion, and unbeknownst to her, Dorothy's life was on a collision course with danger.

In seemingly no time at all, Dorothy, after changing her surname to Stratten, became quite the hot ticket around 'ol Hef's mansion. This didn't set too well with Snider however and he soon decided he wanted a piece of the action, since he was, after all, the one that sent Dorothy's pics to Hefner in the first place. Snider would introduce himself to Hefner as Dorothy's manager, but the magazine magnate could see right through Snider's oily facade and came to loathe the guy.

Meanwhile, Dorothy's fame was soaring ever higher and higher. Her photo shoot at Playboy was a hit and she would eventually go on become the October '79 Playboy Playmate and word around the mansion was that she was being mentioned as becoming the Playmate of the Year and perhaps even the Playmate of the Quarter-Century.

Paul SniderBut Snider was feeling left behind.














As Dorothy's star grew brighter and brighter, Hefner decided to introduce her to some of the bigwigs of Hollywood's upper-crust, including filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich who was once a director of such huge movie hits as Paper Moon, What's Up, Doc?, and The Last Picture Show. And wouldn't you know it, Bogdanovich had just conveniently terminated a rocky relationship with another young, blonde aspiring actress, Cybill Shepherd who we all know was in Bogdanovich's The Last Picture Show and eventually went on to to TV stardom with Bruce Willis in the popular ABC sit-com, Moonlighting.

Stratten and Bogdanovich would eventually become quite the item. He decided she was ready to hit it big in show business and that he was ready to give her a plum role. After all, she had already taken a bit role in Galaxina as a sexy robot. Bogdanovich wanted the world to see that his new girlfriend was more than just a sexy bimbo with big boobs.

In January 1980, Stratten returned to the pages of Playboy as the Playmate of the Year and was cast in a film more than a cut above her previous jobs. “They All Laughed” starred Audrey Hepburn and Ben Gazzara, and was directed by Peter Bogdanovich.

 “I could hardly believe that she existed, that she wasn’t a dream,” Bogdanovich would later write in “The Killing of the Unicorn.”

They began a romance during filming in New York in the spring of 1980. By the time Stratten returned to Los Angeles, she was ready to close the chapter on her first marriage — and Snider already had another tall pretty blonde he was living with and grooming for stardom.

The estranged couple agreed to meet on Aug. 14, 1980. Stratten thought it was to work out the details of their split. But Snider had other plans.

The director, who was about twice her age, fell hard for Stratten, immediately.

Meanwhile, Snider was absolutely turning green with jealousy. He still believed he was responsible for Dorothy's success and that he should also be recognized. But Dorothy was ready to move on from Snider and everyone was encouraging her to do so. But being the nice girl-next-door she was, it was hard for Dorothy, After all, she had actually married Snider earlier just to get him off of her back. Nice logic.

In August in 1980, Dorothy decided to meet with Snider one last time, so she could end this thing for good. She agreed to meet Paul at his apartment where the couple had once lived together. Dorothy traveled all the way from New York, where she was in the middle of filming They All Laughed, directed by none other than Peter Bogdanovich.

The next day, Snider's flat-mates had not heard a peep from the love birds. Finally, a neighbor checked in on them.

What that neighbor saw was horrifying. Lying in a face down position on the bed was Dorothy Stratten's nude body, covered entirely in blood, including bloody handprints across her bottom. A sizable clump of hair had been torn from her head and was clenched in Snider's hand. Her left pinkie finger was detached and missing. Oh, and one more thing - so was her entire face.

Next to Dorothy's bloody corpse was what was left of Snider's body. He had a gunshot between the eyes (which had left quite a gaping hole) and one of his eyes was dangling out of the socket. Naturally, his body was also nude. Would you think more highly of the guy if it weren't?

Both Dorothy and Snider were covered in a swarm of ants.

“Death of a Playmate” was the headline on a story in one L.A. newspaper the next day. Stratten was found dead in the apartment she had shared with Snider, half her face blown away by a blast from a 12-gauge shotgun. Snider was nearby, dead from a self-inflicted wound. She had been raped, but it was impossible to say for sure whether the act came before or after death.








One interesting thing that couldn't be explained at first was some strange mechanical device in the bedroom. Home-made looking. The coroner's office could only surmise that it was some kind of kinky "love contraption," or sex bench. It was later discovered by authorities that Snider had converted a weight bench into a sex device and hoped to eventually market it to the porn industry. Naturally, that too was a failure.

Though not confirmed by the coroner's office, many knowledgeable experts on the Stratten case speculate that Snider killed Stratten in the bedroom, strapped her lifeless body to the bench, then proceeded to have sex with her corpse for the next half hour or so. Once done with her, he tossed her lifeless body onto the bed and killed himself.

Dorothy Stratten was dead at 20.

In a sick twist that could only come from Hollywood, Peter Bogdanovich would eventually marry Dorothy's younger sister, Louise. But they separated in 2001 and would eventually divorce.

There have been two movies made about the tragic life and death of Dorothy Stratten: Death of A Centerfold which starred Jamie Lee Curtis as Stratten; and Star 80 which featured Mariel Hemingway as Stratten and Eric Roberts as Snider. Star 80's climatic murder scene was shot in the actual apartment where the real murder/suicide took place. We recommend this latter film.