Famous People Deaths

As requested, I am writing the 3^rd series on famous people deaths.

As any ordinary girl, I admired and became an avid fan of celebrities who became famous. Singers who sang my favorite songs, film directors who’ve directed my favorite movies and other celebrities that made me smile will always be remembered. Famous people deaths have shocked most fans, but after years pass, some of us will forget their contribution.

1) John Lennon of the Beatles

John Lennon, one of the founder of the group Beatles, became famous around the world. He was an English musician, singer and composer. On December 8, 1980, as he returned to his home in Dakota in New York from Record Plant Studio with wife Yoko Ono. He was shot by Mark David Chapman. The gunman, Chapman, a 25 year-old security guard from Honolulu, Hawaii quietly hand Lennon a copy of his Double Fantasy album for autograph.

John Lennon was pronounced dead at St Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital. On December 10,1980, John Lennon was cremated at Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York in a private funeral services as Ono’s request and the ashes was given to Yoko Ono.

2) George Harrison of the Beatles

George Harrison was an English singer, songwriter, actor, film producer and rock guitarist . He became famous as the Beatles’ lead guitarist he was called “the quiet Beatle”. Harrison embraced Hinduism and Indian culture since he admired Indian mysticism. He introduced sitar music and Hare Krishna movement, in western music industry and organized major charity concerts in Bangladesh with Ravi Shankar. He was married to Pattie Boyd, a model. They were married in 1966  and divorced in 1974. Harrison then   married the company’s secretary, Olivia Trinidad Arias and had a son, Dhani Harrison. In December 30,1999, Harrison was attacked inside his home by Michael Abram. George Harrison was stabbed  seven times, he acquired head injuries and punctured lungs . He was then saved by his wife Olivia. His wife  struck Abram with Fireplace poker. Harrison survived the attack. In 1997, Harrison discovered he had a throat cancer, which he attributed by his heavy smoking habits. He died on November 29, 2001 and was cremated at the Hollywood Forever cemetery and his ashes was scattered in the Ganges River in India by family and close relatives in a private ceremony in a Hindu tradition.

3) Andy Gibb (Bee Gees)

Andy Gibb, born Andrew Roy Gibb on March 5, 1958 in Manchester, England. He was the youngest among the Gibb’s family, and the male siblings who formed the group Bee Gees, Barry, twin brothers Robin and Maurice. Andy died on March 1988 due to inflammation of heart muscles or called “myocarditis”, attributed from abused on drug and alcohol used.

4) Maurice Ernest Gibb or Maurice Gibb,was born on December 22,1949. He was a song writer-singer, record producer and famous musician from the Bee Gees group along with other siblings Barry and twin brother Robin. Maurice died on January 12, 2003 due to volvulus, a bowel obstruction in which a loop of twisted small intestines and complications. He had a cardiac arrest before the surgery was performed.

Bee Gees became famous and successful when Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, dominated the world charts, following Stayin’ Alive –Night Fever hit and became number one in mid-March, 1978.

5) Karen Carpenter

Karen Anne Carpenter was born on March 2,1950. She was an American singer and drummer. In 1970s, Karen and brother Richard formed “The Carpenters” and her songs became  famous. She suffered Anorexia Nervosa and also Bulimia, a known eating disorder. At that time, she weighed 145 pounds, and began her “Stillman Diet”, under a doctor’s supervision, and her weight began to drop to 91 pounds. Her condition ( Anorexia nervosa) contributed to her health complications. She later on had a heart failure and died at age 32 (February 4, 1983). Karen was married to Thomas James Burris, a real estate developer, who was 9 years older than Karen. Her married life was a failure and the couple filed divorce in November 1981.

6) Patrick Swayze

Patrick Swayze, was an American actor, singer and dancer, song writer born August 18,1952. He portrayed tough guy roles, bit player and a romantic leading man. He became famous with his Dirty Dancing hit film and Ghost movie with Debbie Moore. In 1991, he was named as the “Sexiest Man Alive” by the People Magazine. In January 2008, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died on September 14,2009. 7) Paul Newman

Paul Newman was born on January 26,1925. He was an American actor, entrepreneur,humanitarian, film director, professional racing driver and co-founder of Newman’s Own, a food company . He donated the tax profit to charities. In 2010 reports, the donations exceeded to $300 million. Paul Newman died on September 26, 2008 of lung cancer at the age of 83.

Christopher Reeve

Christopher Reeve, born as Christopher D’Olier Reeve, on September 25,1952. He was an American actor, producer, film director, author and screenwriter. He became famous for his superhero role Superman, a fictional comic character. On May 27, 1997, Reeve became quadriplegic from an accident in an equestrian competition in Virginia, where he was thrown from his horse. The accident caused serious spinal injuries. He was required to be on his wheelchair with breathing apparatus for the rest of his life. On October 10, 2004, Reeve died of cardiac arrest at the age of 52. Reeve’s body was cremated and his ashes were scattered.

Dana Morosini Reeve

After Christopher Reeve’s death, his wife Dana headed the Christopher Reeve Foundation, helping people with spinal cord injuries and research for embryonic stem cells. In 2005, Dana was diagnosed with lung cancer and died on March 6, 2006. 9) Richard Harris

Richard Harris, born Richard St John Francis Harris on October 1,1930. Harris was an Irish actor, singer-songwriter, theatrical producer, writer and film director. He portrayed Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter films. and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was his last film. On October 25,2002, Richard Harris died of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at the age of 72, two weeks before the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets premiere showing.

Here’s the next 7 famous people deaths:

10) Leslie Nielsen

Leslie William Nielsen was born February 11,1926, a Canadian-American actor-comedian. In 1980′s, the film Airplane was a success the movie also made him famous. His following movie Naked Gun was also a hit. In the film series, Nielsen portrayed the role of an accident-prone detective named  Lt. Frank Drebin. Leslie Nielsen had hearing impairment and he was using hearing aid. Leslie Nielsen died on November 28,2010 due pneumonia complications, and according to reports, he died while sleeping.

11) Tony Curtis

Tony Curtis was born Bernard Schwartz in Brooklyn, New York on June 3,1925. He was  married five times and he was the father of actresses Kelly and Jamie Lee Curtis. Curtis was diagnosed with advanced cirrhosis in 1984, which he attributed from extensive used of alcohol and addiction to cocaine. He was confined at the Betty Ford clinic for rehabilitation for his illnesses. He nearly died in December 2006 due to pneumonia after his heart bypass surgery, and was in coma for many days;  And again, on July 8,2010, Curtis suffered (COPD) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and was admitted to a hospital in Las Vegas due to severe asthma attack after his book signing at Costco in Henderson,Nevada. He died of cardiac arrest on September 29,2010 and interred on October 4,2010, at Palm Memorial Park Cemetery in Green Valley,Nevada.

12) Janet Leigh

Jeannette Helen Morrison or much known as Janet Leigh, was born on July 6, 1927 She was an American actress, and wife of famous actor Tony Curtis from 1951 to 1962. She is the mother of Kelly and Jamie Lee Curtis. Janet Leigh suffered from peripheral neuropathy and vascullitis, which caused gangrene to her right hand. (Vasculitis is the disorder of heterogeneous group that described as inflammatory destruction of the blood vessels which affects both arteries and veins). Janet Leigh died on October 3,2004.

13) John Dye (Touched By An Angel actor)

John Dye was born John Carroll Dye on January 31,1963 in Amory, Mississippi. An American actor known for his role as Andrew, in Touched By An Angel television series. On January 10, 2011 he was found dead in his San Francisco, California home due to heart disease.

14) Jackie Cooper

Born John Cooper, Jr on September 22,1922. He was an American actor, producer and executive and television director and a child actor who was able to manage his acting career until his adulthood. He have earned lots of awards for his various hit films. He was married three times. He portrayed the roles of Perry White–the Editor of Daily Planet in the Superman hit film series, starred by Christopher Reeve . On May 3,2011, Jackie Cooper died after a short illness.

15) Phil Hartman

Philip Edward “Phil” Hartman was born on September 24, 1948 in Brantford, Ontario Canada and the family moved to US, when Hartman was age 10. He was an American-Canadian actor, comedian, graphic artist and screenwriter. Hartman was divorced twice and married  the third time to Brynn Omdahl in 1987. The couple had two children, but the marriage was beginning to fall apart since Brynn was addicted to drugs. On May 27, 1998 night, Phil and Brynn had an argument regarding her drug use and addiction. Consequently, Phil threatened to leave her if she won’t stop using drugs .

At past 2 a.m., Brynn, intoxicated with cocaine entered the bedroom with a 38 caliber gun and shot Phil in the head twice and one in his side. Then after the shooting she drove to their friend’s house, Ron Douglas and confessed she shot her husband. Douglas called 911 at 6:20 am and police came and escorted the Hartman’s children out from the house. Brynn locked herself inside the bedroom and shot herself in the head. Phil Hartman was cremated at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park and Mortuary in Glendale,California. His ashes was scattered over Santa Catalina Island’s Emerald Bay. His two children will receive inheritance as soon they turn age 25. It is estimated that Hartman’s estate is about $1.23 million.

16) Jeff Conaway (“Grease” star)

Jeffrey Charles William Michael Conaway was born on October 5, 1950. He was known for his roles in his US television series Taxi and Babylon 5, and the movie hit “Grease” as John Travolta’s co-star with Olivia Newton John. On May 11,2011 he was found unconscious by his family . It was said that he overdosed from pain medications. But his attending physician, Dr. Drew Pinsky, diagnosed him as “pneumonia with sepsis”, not overdose on drugs. On May 26,2011 his life support was removed and he died the following day at age 60.

Last on this list- famous people deaths:
17) Dame Elizabeth Rosemond “Liz” Taylor

Dame Elizabeth Rosemond “Liz” Taylor was born on February 27,1932. Liz Taylor was a British-American actress, and started her career as a child actress with MGM and became Hollywood’s Golden Age and the world’s most famous movie actress. She was famously called “velvet eyes” because of her violet eyes, her acting ability that garnered awards, her glamorous lifestyle and multiple marriages. Michael Jackson became her best friend since 1991, when Liz married her 8th and final husband in MJ’s Neverland Ranch. Among her husbands are:
A.Conrad “Nicky” Hilton, first husband, hotel heir (his father Conrad Hilton, is the founder of Hilton Hotels). They got married on May 6,1950 but the marriage lasted for only 9 months. He is the uncle of famous heiress Paris Hilton. Nicky Hilton died of heart attack at age 42.

B. Michael Wilding, a British actor, married Liz Taylor on February 21,1952 until their divorce on January 26,1957. Michael Wilding died from head injuries he acquired from a fall from a stairs during an epileptic attack on July 8,1979. He was cremated and his ashes was scattered.

C. Michael Todd and Liz Taylor got married on February 2,1957 until Todd’s death on March 22,1958 when his private plane, Lucky Liz crashed near Grants, New Mexico. Michael Todd, was an American theatre and film producer and best known for his produced hit film Around The World in Eighty Days. Todd was 47 when he married 24 year-old Liz. They had a daughter, Elizabeth Frances “Liza” Todd, born on August 7,1957.

D. Eddie Fisher: Edwin John Fisher born on August 10,1928, Michael Todd’s best friend, a most famous and successful singer in 1950s, sold his records over million and hosted his own television show. He divorced his first wife to marry her best friend’s widow, Liz Taylor, the most controversial affair in in the movie industry. They got married on May 12,1959 until they divorced on March 6,1964. On September 9,2010, Fisher broke his hip and undergo a surgery and died after 13 days of complications on March 23,2011, he was 82 years old. He was cremated and buried near her last wife Betty Lin, who died on April 15,2001. His second wife Liz Taylor died after 6 months and one day after Fisher’s death.

E. CBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, an order of chivalry) Richard Walter Jenkins or much known as Richard Burton, born on November 10,1925, was a Welsh actor. Burton was nominated seven times for an Academy awards, and was considered Hollywood highest paid actor. He was link to Liz Taylor during filming of Cleopatra, and the affair was very controversial since both of them were still married. After filing divorce, Taylor and Burton married on March 15,1964 until their divorce on June 26,1974,
Burton and Taylor remarried on October 10,1975 and after 16 months they divorced (they divorced on July 29,1976). Burton chose to leave US because of tax burden and resided in Switzerland. Burton died on August 5,1984 at age 58 due to cerebral haemorrhage. He had a severe stroke which he attributed to his drinking and smoking habits.

F. John Warner a Republican US Senator from Virginia and Liz Taylor married on December 4,1976, but Liz Taylor became deppressed and entered Betty Ford Clinic, and divorced Warner on November 7,1982.
G. Liz eight and final husband, Larry Fortensky, a construction worker tie their knot on October 6,1991, held at Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch, and since then, Liz and MJ became very close friends. Taylor and Fortensky divorced on October 31,1996, but they remained friends, in fact he received an inheritance of $800,000 USD from Liz Taylor’s will. On January 29,1999, Larry Fortensky fell down from stairs at his residence that caused him coma for 6 weeks, suffering from temporary memory loss. He was unable to work since his accident, and is  still on medication.