Weird Unexpected Death of Celebrity’s Children

Shocking and unexpected death of celebrity’s children, sometimes makes their fans, puzzled, why in spite of their parents popularity, living in fame and luxurious life, why this sudden and tragic death of their child becomes controversial.  No matter what the age, if the parent is still alive, they can suffer the death of a child.

1)  Art Linkletter

Arthur Gordon “Art” Linkletter born July 17, 1912 , died May 26, 2010 was a Canadian-born American television and radio personality, famous host of House Party interviewing children, which ran for radio and CBS television for 25 years, and NBC’s People Are Funny for 19 years and a good friend of Walt Disney. He became a naturalized US citizen in 1942, and the celebrity with one of the longest marriages in America, at nearly 75 years. He married Lois Foerster on November 25, 1935, and they had five children: Arthur Jack  a television host also known as Jack Linkletter, Dawn, Robert, Sharon and Diane.  Art and Lois Linkletter outlived three of their five children, Diane Linkletter, who died on October 4, 1969 at the age of 20, by jumping from the 6th floor kitchen window ,while still studying at UCLA)  Linkletter claimed that she committed suicide because she was on, or having a flashback from, an LSD. Robert Linkletter, youngest son of Art Linkletter, died from a tragic car accident on September 12, 1980. Arthur Jack Linkletter (1937 – 2007) died from Lymphoma. Art Linkletter’s wife, Lois died at the age of 95 on October 10, 2011.

Jack Linkletter

Arthur Jack Linkletter, or Jack Linkletter, born November 20, 1937, was an American TV host and entertainer and game show host, the son of Art Linkletter. He was the oldest son among the Linkletter’s five children. He was inspired by his father’s work and followed Art’s footsteps. Jack died of Lymphoma on December 18, 2007 at his home in Cloverdale, California. He was survived by his parents, Art and Lois, younger siblings Dawn and Sharon and his children Mike, Dennis and Laura.

Diane Linkletter ,daughter of Art Linkletter

2)    David Carradine (son of John Carradine)

John Carradine ,born Richmond Reed Carradine born February 5, 1906 , died November 27, 1988, was an American actor, best known for his roles in horror films, Westerns and Shakespearean theater, and he was one of the most prolific character actors in the history of Hollywood. John Carradine died from multiple organ failure at age 82, in Milan, Italy, on November 27, 1988.

David Carradine , born John Arthur Carradine on December 8, 1936 and died on June 4, 2009, he was found dead inside his hotel room at Swissotel Nai Lert Park Hotel in Wireless Road, near Sukhumvit Road, Central Bangkok, Thailand. David Carradine was an American actor and martial artist, best known for his role as a warrior monk, Kwai Chang Caine ,in the 1970s television series kung fu. He was a member of a productive acting family dynasty that began with his father,John Carradine. Carradine  revealed and had proclaimed himself to be a “serial monogamist”.  He was in Bangkok to shoot his latest film, Stretch. A police official said that Carradine was found hanging by a rope naked in the room’s closet  causing immediate speculation that his death was suicide, and was reported evidence suggested that his death was the result of autoerotic asphyxiation or accidental asphyxiation.  Two autopsies were conducted and concluded that the death was not caused by suicide.

3)   Dean Martin

Dino Paul Crocetti, famously known as Dean Martin born on June 7, 1917, and died on December 25, 1995, Christmas Day, was an American singer, actor, TV star and comedian.  Martin was diagnosed with lung cancer at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in September 1993, and in early 1995 retired from public life. He died of acute respiratory failure resulting from emphysema at his Beverly Hills home on Christmas morning 1995, at age 78.

Claudia Martin (daughter of Dean Martin)

Claudia Gail Martin, daughter of Dean Martin from a previous marriage, was born March 16, 1944, died from breast cancer on February 16, 2001 at the age of 56.

Dean Paul Martin (son of Dean Martin)

Dean Paul Martin, Jr (November 17, 1951 – March 21, 1987) was an American entertainer, noted as a tennis player, a singer and actor, and a military pilot. Dean Paul is the son of famous performer Dean Martin and his second wife, Jeanne Biegger. Dean Paul was the fifth of Dean Martin’s seven children, and was Jeanne’s eldest son. Dean Paul obtained his pilot’s license at the age of 16, became an officer in the California Air National Guard in 1981. Previously married to actress Olivia Hussey, and had a son, Alexander Martin.

4)   Bruce Lee

Lee Jun-Fan, better known as Bruce Lee, born November 27, 1940, died, July 20 1973) was a Chinese American, Hong Kong martial arts instructor and actor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, founder of  Jeet Kune Do, and the son of Cantonese opera actor Lee Hoi-Chuen. He is widely considered as one of the greatest influential martial artist of all time. Lee collapsed in Golden Harvest  studios, on May 10, 1973 while doing dubbing work for the Enter The Dragon movie. Suffering from headaches, seizures  he was immediately rushed to Hong Kong Baptist Hospital where doctors diagnosed cerebral edema.They were able to reduce the swelling through the administration of mannitol. The same symptoms that occurred in his first collapse were later repeated on the day of his death.

Brandon Lee (Son of Famous actor Bruce Lee)

Brandon Bruce Lee (February 1, 1965 , in Oakland, California, and died on March 31, 1993) was an American actor and martial artist, and was the son of martial arts film star Bruce Lee and Linda Emery. After a promising start in action movies and the signing of a multi-film contract with 20th Century Fox , Lee was accidentally shot and killed in North Carolina  at the age of 28 while filming The Crow. Brandon was eight, when his father died suddenly from cerebral edema.

5)   Kirk Douglas

Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch, December 9, 1916) is an American stage and film actor, film producer and author.  He is one of the last surviving actors from Hollywood’s “golden age”. He survived a helicopter crash in February 1991, where two people died. Douglas married twice, first to Diana Dill, on November 2, 1943. The couple had two sons, actor Michael Douglas (it was announced on August 16, 2010 that Michael Douglas was suffering from throat cancer  and would undergo radiation and chemotherapy treatment) and producer Joel Douglas. They divorced in 1951. He then married, Anne Buydens German American producer, on May 29, 1954. They had two sons, producer Peter Douglas and actor Eric Douglas who died July 6, 2004 of a drug overdose.

Eric Douglas (son of Kirk Douglas)

Eric Anthony Douglas (June 21, 1958 – July 6, 2004) was an American actor who appeared in several movies and television shows and was also a stand-up comedian. Eric Douglas was the youngest son of actor Kirk Douglas and Anne Buydens, and was born in Los Angeles, California. His brother is Peter Douglas  and his half-brothers are Michael Douglas and Joel Douglas.  Eric Douglas was found dead in his apartment by his housekeeper in his Manhattan apartment, on July 6, 2004, at the age of 46. The caused of death is “acute intoxication” from the combined effects of alcohol, tranquilizers, and painkillers.

6)  Vincent Neil Wharton , heavy metal lead singer of MotleyCrue band, lost his daughter. 

Vincent Neil Wharton (born February 8, 1961) is an American vocalist and musician, best known as the lead vocalist of heavy metal Motley Crue band. Neil married his first wife, Beth Lynn, in 1981; they divorced in 1985. In April 1987, Neil married Sharise Ruddell, a fashion model and mud wrestler. The couple had one daughter, Skylar, before divorcing in 1993. Skylar was diagnosed with cancer, and died at the age of 4.

7)  Mia Farrow

Mia Farrow (born February 9, 1945) is an American actress, singer, humanitarian, and fashion model. Farrow married singer Frank Sinatra on July 19, 1966, divorced in 1968. In 1970, Farrow married the musician Andre Previn , had three children, twins Matthew and Sascha, born February 26, 1970, and Fletcher, born March 14, 1974). In 1973 and 1976, respectively, they adopted Vietnamese infants Lark Song and Summer “Daisy” Song (born October 6, 1974), followed by the adoption of eight-year-old Soon-Yi  (born October 8, 1970) from Korea around 1978. André and Mia divorced in 1979. In 1980, Farrow began seeing film director Woody Allen. Together they adopted Moses “Misha” Farrow (born January 27, 1978, adopted 1980) and Dylan “Eliza” Farrow (born July 11, 1985, now called Malone). On December 19, 1987, Mia gave birth to Satchel O’Sullivan Farrow, now known as Ronan Seamus Farrow . Farrow and Allen parted after Farrow discovered a sexual relationship between Allen and her adopted daughter Soon Yi. Her adopted daughter  Tam Farrow  died of heart failure in 2000 at the age of 19^.  On Christmas Day 2008, her adopted daughter Lark Previn died after a long illness. Although no official cause was released, her death was rumored to be AIDS-related. As of March 2012, Mia Farrow has 13 living children and nine grandchildren.

Lark Previn, adopted daughter of actress Mia Farrow and internationally acclaimed pianist Andre Previn, died on Christmas day following a long illness, according to the New York medical examiner.  She is survived by daughters Sara, 13, and Christine, 12.  A neighbor said that the young mom was obviously ailing and had grown thin and had lost most of her hair in recent months.  Lark’s brother Tam Farrow died at age 21 in 2000 following a long illness.

8)  Caroll O’Connor

Carroll O’Connor (born John Carroll O’Connor on August 2, 1924, died from a heart attack from a diabetes complications, in Culver City, California on June 21, 2001) was an American producer, actor and director whose television career spanned four decades.  In 1962, while filming Cleopatra in Rome, O’Connor and his wife adopted a six day old baby and named him Hugh, after Carroll O’Connors brother who passed away earlier.  When Hugh was 17-years-old, he worked as a courier on the set of Archie Bunker’s Place, and sometimes play the role of  Officer Lonnie Jamison on In the Heat of the Night for his son. In 1995, Hugh O’Connor committed suicide  after a long battle with drug addiction, at the age of 32.

9)   Dr Dre, Rapper

Andre Rommel Young, better known as Dr. Dre, an American rapper, record producer, record executive, lost his second son, Andre Young, Jr. who died from overdose of morphine and heroin, at age 20, on August 23, 2008.

10)  Hunter Tylo

Deborah Jo Hunter better known as Hunter Tylo (born, July 3, 1962) is an American author, former model and actress, best known for her Dr. Taylor Hayes role on The Bold and the Beautiful.  Tylo first marriage was to Tom Moreheart, they had a son,Christopher “Chris” Morehart.  In 1987, She married Michael Tylo in 1987, with whom she had daughters Izabella Gabrielle  and Katya Ariel Tylo and son Michael Tylo, Jr. The marriage ended in 2005. In 1998, her infant daughter Katya was diagnosed with a rare cancer of the eye called retinoblastoma. Doctors removed the affected right eye and began Chemotherapy. Later in the year a tumor was detected in Katya’s other eye,that tumor inexplicably disappeared. Katya recovered and wears a prosthetic right eye. On October 18, 2007, Tylo’s 19-year old son,Michael Tylo,Jr., died from drowning  in the family pool in Henderson, Nevada. The cause of death was drowning due to seizure disorder,” and the death was ruled accidental by the Clark County Coroner.

11)   John Travolta (lost his son Jett Travolta)

John Joseph Travolta (born February 18, 1954) is an American actor, dancer, and singer. After appearing on Welcome Back, Kotter, a television series,Travolta was first became known in the 1970s, and starring in the box office Saturday Night Fever and Grease‘s success. Travolta is a certified private pilot and owns five aircraft, including an ex-QantasBoeing 707-138 airliner. The plane bears the name Jett Clipper Ella in honor of his children. Travolta was in a relationship with actress Diana Hyland, whom he met while filming The Boy in the Plastic Bubble, Hyland died of breast cancer in 1977. Travolta married actress Kelly Preston in 1991. The couple had a son, Jett(April 13, 1992 – January 2, 2009) , and a daughter,Ella Bleau was born in 2000, and the youngest son Benjamin was born on November 23, 2010 in Florida,their youngest son, Benjamin, was born on November 23, 2010 in Florida. On January 2, 2009, Travolta and Preston’s son, Jett, died while on their vacation in The Bahamas. Jett Travolta, had seizures history suffering from a rare disease called Kawasaki disease, and the cause of death attributing to a seizure. It was in 2009, when John Travolta and wife Preston, revealed that their son, Jett was suffering from autism and having regular seizures.

12)  O.J. Simpson

Orenthal James “O. J.” Simpson (born July 9, 1947), nicknamed “The Juice”, is a retired American college and professional footbal player, football broadcaster, actor, and criminal.  In 1995, Simpson was acquitted of the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman after a lengthy, publicized criminal trial. A civil court awarded a judgment against Simpson for their wrongful deaths in 1997, and paid little of the $33.5 million penalty. Simpson was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada in September 2007, and charged with armed robbery, kidnapping and numerous felonies. In 2008, he was found guilty and sentenced to thirty-three years’ imprisonment, with a minimum of nine years without parole.  He is serving his sentence at the Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada. Simpson’s first marriage to Marguerite L. Whitley on June 24, 1967, they had three children Arnelle (born December 4, 1968), Jason (born April 21, 1970) and Aaren Lashone ( born September 24, 1977, who died in August 1979, from drowning into the family swimming pool, a month before Aaren’s 2nd birthday).

13)   Bill Cosby’s Son found Murdered

William Henry “Bill” Cosby, Jr. (born July 12, 1937) is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. He later starred in his own series, The Bill Cosby Show and met his wife Camille Hanks Cosby while he was performing stand-up in Washington, D.C., in the early 1960s. They married on January 25, 1964, and had five children: daughters Erika Ranee ( born 1965), Erinn Chalene (born 1966), Ensa Camille (born 1973), and Evin Harrah (born 1976), and son Ennis William (born 1969). His son Ennis died  was shot dead while changing a flat tire on the side of Los Angeles Interstate 405, on January 16, 1997. Ennis stopped to help a friend on a freeway, Mikail Markhasev when he was murdered.

14)   Eric Clapton

Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE (born 30 March 1945) is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Eric Clapton recovered from being a drug addict and alcoholic in 1998,  founded a medical facility for substance users, in Antigua, the Crossroads Centre.  In 1984, while still married to Pattie Boyd, Clapton began a year-long relationship with Yvonne Kelly. The two had a daughter, Ruth, who was born in January 1985, but her existence was kept a secret by her parents. She was not publicly revealed as his child until 1991.  Clapton and Boyd divorced in 1988 following his affair with Lory Del Santo, an  Italian model who gave birth to their son, Conor, on 21 August 1986. Conor Clapton died  in 1991, after the fell from a Manhattan high rise, Eric Clapton was inspired to compose “Tears in Heaven”, for the lost of his son.

15)  Mike Tyson

Michael Gerard “Mike” Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is a retired American professional boxer.0 years, 4 months and 22 On May 25, 2009, Tyson’s 4-year-old daughter, Exodus, was found by her 7-year-old brother, Miguel, unconscious and tangled in a cord, dangling from an exercise treadmill. The child’s mother untangled her, administered CPR and called for medical attention. Exodus was listed in “extremely critical condition” and was on life support at the St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, but Exodus died of her injuries on May 26, 2009.

16)   Sylvester Stallone, lost his son Sage Stallone

Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone (born July 6, 1946), nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, producer, director and screenwriter, and one of the highest paid action star. Sylvester Stallone is an action hero icon. He has played two famous movie characters: Rocky Balboa, the boxer who overcame challenges to fight for love and glory, and John Rambo, a brave soldier. Stallone has been married three times. At age 28, on December 28, 1974, he married Sasha Czack. The couple had two sons, Sage Moonblood (born May 5, 1976 and died July 13, 2012) and Seargeoh (born 1979) his younger son was diagnosed with “autism“at an early age. The couple divorced on February 14, 1985. The same year his divorce finalized, he married model/actress, Brigitte Nielsen, on December 15, 1985, in Beverly Hills, California. His second marriage lasted two years. In May 1997, Stallone married Jennifer Flavin; he has three daughters with her: Sophia Rose (born August 27, 1996), Sistine Rose (born June 27, 1998), and Scarlet Rose (born May 25,2002).

Sage Moonblood Stallone was born on May 5, 1976, died on  July 13, 2012 due to accidental intoxication of drugs at age 36. Sage Stallone was an American actor, film director, film producer, and screenwriter.  Stallone was married briefly to Starlin Wright. The marriage was annulled in 2008.  Stallone was found dead in his Studio City home on July 13, 2012. Law enforcement says that he could have been dead for at least three days up to a week. No one had heard from him in days, the LAPD report that evidence indicated Sage’s death was accidental.

17)  Bing Crosby’s Children

Bing Crosby had three other sons from his marriage to the former jazz singer and actress Dixie Lee, who died in 1952: Gary, Lindsay and Dennis, Philip’s twin brother, all have now died. The four brothers had mixed degrees of success in show business. In the late 1950′s they teamed up as the Crosby Boys, a nightclub act, and performed in Las Vegas and elsewhere, including their father’s television programs. In 1977,  Bing Crosby died at age 74. Lindsay Crosby committed suicide in 1989, and Dennis Crosby killed himself two years later. Gary Crosby died of complications of lung cancer in 1995. Phillip Crosby, the last surviving son  died of heart failure at the age of 69, in 2004.

Dennis Crosby, the son of Bing Crosby and actress Dixie Lee, died on May 7, 1991 from a self inflicted gunshot wound. A third brother, Gary Crosby, recounts in a biography of their father how Bing had moments of abuse towards his children. Dennis also suffered from alcohol and drug abuse. He was born on July 13, 1934. As an actor, he appeared in a few episodes of “Ben Casey.” Lindsay Crosby, was born on January 5, 1938 and died on December 11, 1989, also from gunshot wound. He was also an actor. Gary Crosby died of lung cancer complications in 1995.

 Anna Nicole Smith

Vickie Lynn Hogan Marshall  born November 28, 1967, died on February 8, 2007, in her hotel room in Hollywood, Florida, as a result of prescription drugs overdose. Her first screen name was known  as Vickie Smith, before settling on Anna Nicole Smith, was an American model, actress and television personality. Within the final six months of her life, Smith was the focus mourning for the loss of his son Daniel and the paternal custody of her new born daughter Dannielynn.  Smith’s 20-year-old son, Daniel Smith, born on January 22, 1986,  died on September 10, 2006 in his mother’s hospital room while visiting her and his half sister, at the Doctors Hospital, Nassau, Bahamas. Daniel is the son of Anna Nicole from previous relationship, Billy Smith. After the coroner labeled the death “reserved,” Anna Smith hired Cyril Wecht,  forensic pathologist  to perform a second autopsy, stated Daniel Smith accidentally overdosed on Zoloft, Lexapro and methadone.

18) Matthew Ansara son of Barbara Eden and Michael Ansara

Matthew Ansara was born August 29, 1965, the son of Barbara Eden and Michael Ansara, died from a heroin overdose in June 25, 2001. Matthew was getting married soon to his fiance Leanna Green. Matthew was also an actor like his parents, appearing in “Your Mother Wears Combat Boots”,  an episode of “Harper Valley PTA”, and “To Protect and Serve.” He was suffering from clinical depression leading him to drug overdose.

 Dana Plato ((November 7, 1964 – May 8, 1999)   and Son Tyler Edward Lambert ( (July 2, 1984 – May 6, 2010)

Dana Michelle Plato, was an American actress best known for her role as Kimberly Drummond, Diff’rent Strokes, a US television comedy series. Plato died at the age of 34 of an overdose of Lortab, a painkiller along with Soma. Almost 11 years to the day of Dana Plato’s death, Plato’s sonTyler Lambert died at age 25 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head in Tulsa, Oklahoma on May 6, 20120.  His grandmother, Joni Richardson, stated that Lambert was experimenting with both drugs and alcohol, which may have contributed to his suicide.

19) Marlon Brando

Marlon Brando, Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American screen and stage actor, he won his second Academy Award for The Godfather,playing Vito Corleone (1972), a role critics consider among his greatest.  Brando married actress Anna Kashfi in 1957, Brando and Kashfi had a son,Christian Brando, on May 11, 1958; they divorced in 1959. Tahitian actress Tarita Teriipia, she was 20 years old, 18 years younger than Brando, Teriipia became the mother of two of his children, Simon Teihotu Brando (born 1963) and Tarita Cheyenne Brando. Courtney Love, singer-actress has claimed to be Brando’s granddaughter, making Frances Bean Cobain (1992) his great-granddaughter.  On July 1, 2004, Brando died of pulmonary fibrosis and respiratory failure from with congestive heart failure at the UCLA Medical Center. He left behind 11 children as well as over 30 grandchildren. The cause of death was intentionally withheld and his lawyer citing privacy concerns, failing eyesight caused by diabetes  and liver cancer.

Tarita Cheyenne Brando, born on February 20, 1970, was the daughter of  Marlon Brando by his third wife, Tarita Teriipia, a Tahitian actress he met in 1962. Cheyenne was injured when she crashes the jeep of his boyfriend, after her father refused to allow her to visit his boyfriend while on a shooting location in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The accident left her with with a scar on her face ending up her modelling career. In 1990, Cheyenne, claimed that her boyfriend and father of her unborn child, Dag Drollet, was abusing her, that lead to her half-brother’s, Christian Brando‘s anger and shot to death Drollet. Cheyenne was suffering from mental depression , and she was in a unstable state of mind. Her father sent her to Tahiti for medical treatment, which prevented Cheyenne to be issued a subpoena by the US authorities, to testify for Christian’s trial. Cheyenne gave birth to a son named Tuki Brando, a successful model. Cheyenne was diagnosed with schizophrenia, lost custody of her son, isolated from her friends, and attempted to commit suicide by sleeping pills overdose. Cheyenne died on April 16, 1995, by hanging herself  at her mother’s house. She was 25 years old. Marlon Brando and half-brother Christian were not able to attend her funeral.

Christian Brando, the eldest son of Marlon Brando, born on May 11, 1958, pleaded guilty to manslaughter accidentally killed Dag Drollet, the boyfriend of his half sister, Cheyenne. Christian Brando shot Dag Drollet on May 16, 1990 in Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles at Marlon Brando’s residence. Christian was released in 1996 from prison. He plead no contest to his abused-wife, Deborah Presley, and was given probation. Christian Brando died of pneumonia on January 26, 2008 at the age of 49.

20) Nikki Bacharach daughter of Burt Bacharach
and Angie Dickenson

Nikki Bacharach, the daughter of songwriter Burt Bacharach and actress Angie Dickenson, died in January 2007 from using helium combined with a plastic bag. She had Asperger Syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger’s syndrome or Asperger disorder, is an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) , which may have led to her bizarre death. Nikki was born in 1966.

  Richard “Richie” Charleston Meeker (1956 – 1980)