Heath Ledger could be the latest star to have died from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. Ledger was taking anti-depressants as well as the “dangerous drug” Ambien at the time of his death, although his autopsy today was inconclusive. While most celebrity drug deaths have been the result of either suicide or the use of illegal drugs, a surprising number of stars have died by accident — from medications you can purchase at the corner pharmacy. Here are 12 of the most famous:
1. MARILYN MONROE. Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind” died from an overdose of sleeping pills — specifically, Nembutal and chloral hydrate [pictured]. Although Monroe’s death was officially listed as a suicide in 1962, many forensic experts and investigators now say the overdose was more likely to have been accidental.
2. ELVIS PRESLEY. Perhaps the most famous prescription-drug abuser of all time, Elvis died in 1977 from an overdose of medications while on the toilet in his Graceland mansion. Presley’s ex-wife wrote: “Presley was taking Placidyls [pictured] to combat severe insomnia in ever increasing doses and later took Dexedrine to counter the sleeping pills’ after effects.” Presley’s personal physician, Dr. George C. Nichopoulos, concluded: “Elvis’s problem was that he didn’t see the wrong in it. He felt that by getting [pills] from a doctor, he wasn’t the common everyday junkie…”
3. JUDY GARLAND. The Wizard of Oz star was found dead in her London bathroom by her husband in 1969. Coroner Gavin Thursdon said the cause of death was an accidental overdose of Seconal [pictured].
4. HOWARD HUGHES. The germophobic genius and subject of Martin Scorcese’s The Aviator died in 1976 in route to a Houston hospital from his Acalpulco estate. Although the official cause of death was liver failure, his autopsy showed lethal amounts of codeine and valium [pictured] in his system.
5. ANNA NICOLE SMITH. According to Wikipedia, “Ultimately her death [in 2007] was ruled an accidental drug overdose of the sedative chloral hydrate that became increasingly lethal when combined with other prescription drugs in her system, specifically 4 benzodiazepines: Klonopin (Clonazepam), Ativan (Lorazepam), Serax (Oxazepam), and Valium (Diazepam). Furthermore, she had taken Benadryl (Diphenhydramine) and Topamax (Toprimate), an anticonvulsant GABA agonist, which likely contributed to the sedative effect of chloral hydrate and the benzodiazepines.”
6. DOROTHY DANDRIDGE. The first African-American actress to be nominated for an Academy Award, Dandridge was found dead in West Hollywood in 1965 from an overdose of Imipramine [pictured], a tricyclic antidepressant. It’s believed she improperly combined the medication — which she took for her bipolar disorder — with pain medication she received after breaking an ankle.
7. DANA PLATO. The long-troubled Diff’rent Strokes star died from an accidental overdose of Vanadom [pictured] and Vicodin at her mother-in-law’s Oklahoma home in 1999.
8. KEITH MOON. The Who drummer died in 1978 from an accidental overdose of Heminevrin [pictured], a medication taken as part of a program to wean him off alcohol.
9. ROB PILATUS. The Milli Vanilli star, disgraced after the public learned the music duo did not actually sing on its hit records, died in 1998 of an accidental overdose of a medication (reportedly methadone [pictured]) designed to help him with drug withdrawal symptons.
10. ROBERT WALKER. Perhaps the most bizarre accidental prescription-drug death. The star of Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train died mysteriously in 1951 after being given an injection of the “truth serum” sodium amytal [pictured] by psychiatrists at his home.
11. NICK DRAKE. The influential singer-songwriter died at his childhood home in the U.K. in 1974 from an accidental overdose of the antidepressant amitriptyline [pictured].
12. PAIGE SUMMERS. The 1998 Penthouse Pet of the Year was found dead in her fiance’s home in 2003 from a combination of the painkillers codeine and oxycodone. Her death may or may not have been an accident; some have pointed a finger at fiance Bracey Bobbitt — who was a pharmacist.
54 responses so far ↓
1 tom // Jan 24, 2008 at 1:39 am
Where is Jimi Hendrix? He also died of an accidental overdose. Also Nick Drake is commonly known to have commited suicide so…doesnt quite fit the accidental title.
2 Me // Jan 24, 2008 at 4:06 am
shouldnt heath ledger be added to this list?
3 Un-named // Jan 24, 2008 at 1:22 pm
I should be dead
4 Cary Byrd // Jan 25, 2008 at 3:26 pm
Hendrix could be included, since he took sleeping pills the night he died. But he was also drunk and died by choking on his own vomit.
5 Cary Byrd // Jan 25, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Oh, and most accounts say Drake’s death was accidental — although with drug overdoses, it’s hard to know for sure. Many would think Dana Plato and Rob Pilatus were suicides too.
6 jeff // Feb 6, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Heath Ledger died at age 28 as a result of “acute intoxication by the combined effects” of the drugs oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine. Sad and tragic.
7 Rob Boyd // Feb 8, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Drugs I love them and hate them. Who knows when you decide to take an xtra 1/2 of a val its going to punch your ticket.
8 Nameless // Feb 15, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Marilyn Monroe’s death wasn’t accidental. I know this for sure because I killed her. I’m serious.
9 stephanie // Feb 16, 2008 at 4:30 pm
elton johns ‘candle in the wind’ was written for princess diana, not for marilyn monroe.
10 Angela // Feb 18, 2008 at 1:48 am
Ambien (zolpidem) was not found in Heath Ledger’s toxicology report.
11 7leads // Feb 20, 2008 at 2:10 am
All these people are sad…think of the other millions of addicts you don’t read about.
12 Rob // Feb 20, 2008 at 8:39 am
Stephanie, Elton John’s original Candle in the Wind was recorded for Marilyn Monroe. He wrote a new version for Princess Diana after her death.
13 andy // Feb 20, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Elton wrote Candle In the Wind for Marilyn first – it was later changed for Dianas funeral.
14 Tententwo // Feb 20, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Here’s another: Socrates -> hemlock.
15 Cary Byrd // Feb 20, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Re: Candle in the Wind. It was originally written about Marilyn. He updated it when Diana died.
16 k // Feb 20, 2008 at 11:04 pm
stephanie, by ur comment “candle in the wind” written for Princess diana. Cary Byrd is right it was written for Marilyn. Sad but true i remember the release of this song. The truth be told most of these “accidental overdoses” are usually pills washed down with booze.
17 RateMyWalrus.com // Mar 8, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Yummy pills, mmmm.
18 carolyn // Apr 6, 2008 at 2:50 pm
candle in the wind was written for marilyn…….diana’s song was called “goodbye england’s rose” different lyrics, same music (tune)
19 anonymous // Jun 28, 2008 at 7:59 pm
“Candle in the Wind” was originally written for Marilyn Monroe and later adapted for Princess Diana. hence the last verse “..Goodbye Norma Jean From the young man in the 22nd row Who sees you as something as more than sexual More than just our Marilyn Monroe”
20 Florida Times-Union credits eDrugSearch.com in editorial | The eDrugSearch Blog // Jul 23, 2008 at 11:39 am
[...] For those who haven’t read it, here’s the full blog post on celebrity prescription drug overdoses. [...]
21 jessica // Aug 7, 2008 at 11:09 pm
i miss heath
22 phantomwicca // Aug 11, 2008 at 10:32 pm
Stephanie, Candle In The Wind was originally written for Marilyn Monroe. When Princess Diana died, he re-wrote it for her. Listen to the original. ” Goodbye Norma Jean…” That was Monroe’s real name.
23 Jim // Sep 7, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Heath Ledger is mentioned in the opening line, giving the motivation for the list.
24 seaford rox sox // Sep 24, 2008 at 5:36 pm
Where is heath ledger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
what about jimi hendrix!!!!!!!!!!!
heath was in dark night how can you people forget!!!!!!!!!
25 ali // Oct 1, 2008 at 10:40 pm
where’s Bruce Lee a Master of Martial Arts , whose impact also was felt in the industry of film and movie, followed also his son Brandon lee ,call it strange circumstances or drug misuse
26 Katrina // Oct 14, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Ok ok we get it, so what if “Candle In The Wind” was written for Norma Jean aka Marilyn Monroe… what I find amazing is that Anna Nichole Smith over dosed on the SAME EXACT pills as Marilyn Monroe.. And the females ALMOST looked like sisters.. And what is up with Smith’s obsession with Monroe?? Kinda creepy if you ask me.
27 Ilike2touchmyself // Oct 19, 2008 at 3:49 pm
ali… Bruce Lee died from a swollen brain problem and Brandon died from an accidental shooting. Either were drug related. dum ass
28 YOYOYO!!!! // Oct 23, 2008 at 6:03 am
These people need to get lives. there so stupid
29 Sam // Oct 23, 2008 at 10:40 pm
I think you mean NEITHER. Dum ass!
30 JackJoe // Nov 21, 2008 at 2:29 pm
um… not to be rude, burt this article was in response to Heath’s death, and is mentioned in the first few lines of the article. guess you were just flipping thru the pictures, eh?
31 Dink // Jan 5, 2009 at 9:57 am
M.A.R.C.S. knows no boundries; M.A.R.C.S. doesn’t discriminate.
Don’t Hate
In Memory of those gone
The Victims of M.A.R.C.S. (2007)
32 2L8 // Jan 27, 2009 at 1:40 am
heath ledger??!! why doesnt anyone talk about Brad Renfro who died a few days earlier?
33 Dink // Jan 30, 2009 at 4:30 pm
M.A.R.C.S. is an acronym for ; Murder, Abuse Rape, Chronical Illness, Suicide I have been helping to bury victims of these incidents by selling t-shirts, poetry, books that I have written. The worst part of these is the innocent victims left behind; children. Hope you will buy books, poetry, or t-shirts in memory of a loved one. Carol Frieszell aka Dink
34 satan // Mar 12, 2009 at 12:03 pm
never woulda happened if they stuck to the ganja
35 allllllie and dalyeee // May 19, 2009 at 11:17 am
um WHAT? dalye is weard shes also cooooool. lol. field day is on the 26th of Mayyyy… ::))
36 Brandy // Jun 1, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Candle in the wind was originally for Marylin Monroe and then after Princess Diana died he remade it for her.
37 snapper // Jun 10, 2009 at 6:30 pm
ALL SOULD BE LOVED ..DEAHT COMES TO US ALL GOD PICKS AMEN
38 Another One Bites The Dust « Writeratthesea’s Blog // Jun 27, 2009 at 3:48 am
[...] http://www.pharmacytechs.net/blog/18-celebrities-who-died-from-prescription-drugs Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Here’s the commercial where Michael Jackson’s hair caught on fireRavaged by drugsStars tweet their reaction to Michael Jackson’s death [...]
39 logan // Jun 28, 2009 at 7:38 pm
You forgot the most well-known to me who died from this….RIVER PHOENIX….
40 Johnny // Jul 22, 2009 at 6:25 am
Dorothy Dandridge was not the first African American to be nominated for an Academy Award, Butterfly McQueen was, for her role in “Gone With the Wind.” And YOYOYO, I wouldn’t call people stupid when you don’t know the difference between “there”and “they’re.”
41 Just Me // Jul 22, 2009 at 9:06 am
Ok! We know Candle in the Wind was for Monroe. Amen Snapper. Don’t glorify the stars who od’ed, remember them and pray for those- famous or not -who are struggling with thier own demons
42 aes // Jul 22, 2009 at 10:01 am
wrestling promoter, heart complications brought on by drug abuse.
Nick Adams (36) – actor, drug overdose.
Stuart Adamson – musician, Big Country, self-asphyxiation under the influence of alcohol.
Kerry Gene Adkisson (33) – professional wrestler, suicide, after arrest for cocaine possession and drug problems.
Michael Brent Adkisson (23) – professional wrestler, suicide, overdosed on tranquilizers.
Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (35) – writer, committed suicide by overdosing on barbiturates.
Dennis Allen – infamous drug dealer, drug induced heart failure.
GG Allin (36) – punk musician, heroin overdose.
Bridgette Andersen (21) former child actress, alcohol and heroin overdose.
Pier Angeli (39) Italian-born actress, died of anaphylactic shock after being given a tranquilizer by her doctor.
Matthew Ansara – actor and bodybuilder, heroin overdose.
Chris Antley – champion horse-racing jockey, drug-related causes.
West Arkeen – musician, drug overdose.
Howard Arkley – painter, drug overdose.
Kevyn Aucoin – photographer & make-up artist, kidney and liver failure due to Tylenol toxicity, due to prescription painkillers addiction.
[edit] B
Chet Baker (58) – jazz trumpeter and singer.
Florence Ballard (32) – musician, The Supremes, cardiac arrest strongly exacerbated by long-term drug abuse.
Lester Bangs (33) – musician, writer, overdose of painkillers, possibly accidental.
Jean-Michel Basquiat (27) – painter, heroin overdose.
Scotty Beckett (38) – American former child actor, suicide, barbiturate overdose.
Steve Bechler – Major League Baseball pitcher, after using the drug ephedra.
John Belushi (33) – of the Blues Brothers, actor, and comedian, heroin and cocaine overdose (speedball).
Wes Berggren – musician, Tripping Daisy.
George Best (59) – ex-footballer with Manchester United, multiple organ failure exacerbated by chronic long-standing alcoholism.
Leah Betts (18) – schoolgirl, ecstasy related.
Len Bias (22) – basketball star; died of cocaine overdose before ever playing in the NBA.
Bam Bam Bigelow (45) – professional wrestler, toxic levels of cocaine and temazepam.
Count Gottfried von Bismarck (44) – Aristocrat, suspected drug overdose.
Mike Bloomfield (36) – blues guitarist, heroin overdose.
Tommy Bolin (25) – musician, Deep Purple, drugs overdose and/or alcohol poisoning.
John Bonham (32) – musician Led Zeppelin, alcohol related asphyxiation caused by choking on his own vomit.
Christopher Bowman (40) – former professional ice skater, possible prescription drug overdose.
Elisa Bridges (29) – model, acute intoxication – combined effects of heroin, methamphetamine, meperidine and alprazolam.
Erik Brødreskift (30) – musician, Borknagar,Gorgoroth,and Immortal, suicide – pill overdose.
Lenny Bruce (40) – comedian, morphine overdose.
Tim Buckley (28) – rock and roll musician, heroin overdose.
Chad Butler (aka “Pimp C”) – rap musician, accidental overdose of Promethazine/Codeine “syrup” mixed with a pre-existing medical condition, sleep apnea[1][2].
Paul Butterfield (44) – musician, drug and alcohol overdose.
[edit] C
Andrés Caicedo (25) – writer, drug overdose, possibly suicide.
Toy Caldwell – musician, Marshall Tucker Band.
Casey Calvert – guitarist of Hawthorne Heights, accidental drug overdose through mixture of opiates, citalopram, and clonazepam.
Ken Caminiti (41) – former Major League Baseball player; acute cocaine and opiates intoxication.
Max Cantor – journalist, actor, heroin overdose, he became an addict while researching addicts in New York.
Truman Capote (59) – writer, liver disease complicated by phlebitis and multiple drug intoxication.
Sonny Clark – musician, hard bop pianist, heroin overdose.
Steve Clark (30) – musician, Def Leppard, accidential death (anti-depressants, painkillers and alcohol).
Montgomery Clift – actor, heart attack due to severe alcoholism and drug abuse.
Kurt Cobain (27) – musician, Nirvana, alleged suicide by gunshot after heroin overdose.
Natasha Collins (31) – actress – cocaine overdose.
Brian Cole – musician, the Association, heroin overdose.
Brian Connolly – musician, Sweet, liver damage caused by long-term substance abuse and chronic alcoholism.
Megan Connolly (27) – actress, heroin overdose.
Pamela Courson – common law wife of Jim Morrison of The Doors, heroin overdose.
Carl Crack (30) – musician, Atari Teenage Riot, drug overdose.
Darby Crash (22) – punk musician, of The Germs, suicide by heroin overdose.
Robbin Crosby (42) – musician, ex-Ratt, contracted HIV as a result of long-time heroin addiction and died of a heroin overdose.
[edit] D
Dalida (54) – singer, suicide, barbiturates overdose (sleeping pills).
Dorothy Dandridge (42) – actress, singer, anti-depressant overdose.
Jesse Ed Davis (43) – guitarist, session musician, drug overdose.
Paul Demayo (38) – professional bodybuilder, heroin overdose.
Teri Diver (29) – pornographic actress, cardiac arrest caused by overdose of migraine medication.
DJ Screw (29) – musician, heart attack thought to be result of codeine overdose.
Desmond Donnelly (53) – politician/ businessman/ journalist, suicide under influence of alcohol/ overdose of barbiturates.
Tommy Dorsey (51) – jazz musician and bandleader, choked to death while sleeping with the aid of drugs.
John Dougherty – musician, Flipper, heroin overdose.
Eric Douglas – stand-up comedian, “acute intoxication” by the effects of alcohol, tranquilizers and painkillers.
Nick Drake (26) – musician, anti-depressant overdose, disputed suicide.
Michael Dransfield (24) – poet, heroin overdose.
Kevin DuBrow (52) – rock vocalist, cocaine overdose.
Bobby Duncum, Jr. – professional wrestler, prescription drug overdose.
Anthony Durante – professional wrestler, drug overdose.
[edit] E
Jeanne Eagels (35) – actress, alcohol and/or heroin abuse.
John Entwistle (57) – musician, bassist for the Who, died from heart failure brought upon by cocaine use.
Brian Epstein (32) – Manager of The Beatles, accidental sleeping pill overdose.
Howie Epstein (47) – musician, ex-bassist with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, heroin overdose[3].
[edit] F
Chris Farley (33) – comedian who rose to fame on Saturday Night Live, cocaine and morphine overdose (speedball).
Pete Farndon (31) – musician, the Pretenders, drowned/ heroin overdose.
Rainer Werner Fassbinder – playwright, director, cocaine overdose (possible suicide).
Brenda Fassie (39) – singer, cocaine overdose.
Keith Ferguson – musician, the Fabulous Thunderbirds.
Althea Flynt – co-publisher of Hustler magazine, drowned after passing out after drug overdose.
Zac Foley (31) – musician, EMF, heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, temazepam, barbiturates and alcohol in bloodstream.
Katy French (24) – model and socialite, cocaine use.
Sigmund Freud (83) – neurologist, long-term cocaine use, physician assisted morphine overdose (euthanasia).
[edit] G
Rory Gallagher (47) – musician, Taste, died of pnemonia and a liver failure, caused by side effects of a combination of doctor-prescribed drugs.
Danny Gans (52) – Impressionist, Las Vegas entertainer. Accidental drug overdose, May 1st, 2009.
Paul Gardiner – musician, Tubeway Army, drug overdose.
Judy Garland (47) – singer and actress, disputed drug overdose as cause of death.
Lowell George (34) – musician, Little Feat, heart attack – habitual drug abuse probable cause.
Talitha Getty (30) – actress (Barbarella) and socialite (Wife of John Paul Getty Jr), heroin overdose in Rome 1971.
Andy Gibb (30) – singer, younger brother of the Bee Gees; cardiac damage strongly exacerbated by cocaine and alcohol abuse.
Simon Gipps-Kent – actor, morphine poisoning, suspected drug overdose.
Trevor Goddard (40) – former professional boxer turned actor, cocaine, heroin, hydrocodone, and diazepam overdose.
Dwayne Goettel (31) – musician, Skinny Puppy, heroin overdose.
Paul Gonsalves (53) – jazz tenor saxophonist, Duke Ellington, narcotics overdose
Gribouille (26) – singer, drugs overdose.
[edit] H
Clinton Haines – noted computer hacker, heroin overdose on 21st birthday.
Bobby Hatfield – musician, The Righteous Brothers, heart attack triggered by cocaine overdose.
Tim Hardin – folk musician, heroin and morphine overdose.
Brynn Hartman – wife and murderer of comedian Phil Hartman, suicide after cocaine and alcohol.
Phyllis Haver – actress, intentional barbiturate overdose
James Hayden (29) – actor, heroin overdose.
Joey Hawthorne – professional poker player, drug overdose.
Eddie Hazel – musician, guitarist, of the P-funk collective, liver failure.
Mitch Hedberg – comedian, multiple drug toxicity (cocaine and heroin).
Tim Hemensley – indie musician, member of GOD, heroin overdose
Margaux Hemingway (41) – actress, disputed suicide, overdose of phenobarbital.
Jimi Hendrix (27) – rock and roll musician, respiratory arrest caused by alcohol and barbiturate overdose and vomit inhalation.
Curt Hennig – professional wrestler, cocaine overdose.
Gino Hernandez (28) – wrestler, cocaine overdose.
Randy Jo Hobbs – musician.
Abbie Hoffman – self-identified communo-anarchist, social and political activist in the United States, suicide by overdose of Phenobarbital pills
El Duce Hoke – musician, drummer and singer in the Mentors, hit by train when alcohol intoxicated (disputed murder theories).
Hollywood Fats – musician, heroin overdose.
Gary Holton (33) – actor, Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, alcohol and morphine overdose.
James Honeyman-Scott – musician, the Pretenders, cocaine overdose.
Shannon Hoon (28) – musician, singer in Blind Melon, cocaine overdose.
Howard Hughes (70) – aviator, engineer, industrialist, movie producer, playboy, liver failure – autopsy showed lethal amount of codeine and also valium in body.
Gertrude Hullett – died of barbiturate overdose while being treated by suspected serial killer John Bodkin Adams.
Elizabeth Hulette (42) – professional wrestling manager, accidental overdose of alcohol, alprazolam, temazepam, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and anabolic steroids.
Harold Hunter (31) – professional skateboarder and actor, apparent cocaine overdose.
Phyllis Hyman – singer, suicide involving lethal amounts of alcohol and temazepam.
[edit] J
Steven Ronald “Stevo” Jensen – musician, The Vandals, prescription drug overdose.
Joëlle, American born French singer, drug overdose.
Anissa Jones (18) – actress (played “Buffy” on American TV series Family Affair), accidential overdose of cocaine, PCP, methaqualone and secobarbital.
Brian Jones – musician, the Rolling Stones, drowned, very likely due to alcohol and barbiturate intoxication.
Rob Jones (a.k.a. The Bass Thing) – musician – former bassist of The Wonder Stuff, heroin/cocaine/alcohol overdose.
Russell Jones (a.k.a. Ol’ Dirty Bastard) – hip hop musician, accidential overdose, cocaine and prescription painkiller[4].
Janis Joplin (27) – rock and roll and blues musician, heroin overdose.
Rick James (56)- Punk-Funk/Rock Legend Died August 6, 2004 of a drug induced heart-attack
[edit] K
John Kahn – musician, Jerry Garcia Band, complications of heart disease, heroin, cocaine, and antidepressants found in his body.
David Kennedy – fourth child of Robert F. Kennedy, cocaine and pethidine overdose.
Bernard Kettlewell – lepidopterist and medical doctor, drug overdose.
Dorothy Kilgallen, Irish-American journalist and television game show panelist, fatal combination of alcohol and secobarbital, perhaps concurrent with a heart attack
John Kordic – hockey player, died during struggle with police after cocaine overdose.
[edit] L
Alan Ladd (50) – actor, acute overdose of alcohol and hypnotic barbiturates, probable suicide [5].
Arcadia Lake – pornographic actress, drug overdose.
Barbara La Marr – actress, drug-related death in Hollywood.
Karen Lancaume – pornographic actress, overdose of temazepam (suicide).
Carole Landis – actress, overdose of barbiturates (suicide).
Heath Ledger (28) – actor, accidental death Combined Drug Intoxication of various prescription drugs, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, temazepam, and others[6].
Bruce Lee (32) – actor, martial artist, died of acute cerebral edema due to a reaction to compounds present in the prescription pain killing drug Equagesic.
Gerald Levert – R&B singer, son of O’Jays singer Eddie Levert – accidental combination of prescription medications.
Frank X. Leyendecker – illustrator, drug overdose.
Debbie Linden – glamour model & actress, heroin overdose.
Eugene Lipscomb – American football player, heroin overdose.
Mike Lockwood – professional wrestler, choked on his own vomit after overdose of painkillers and alcohol.
Trinity Loren (real name: Joyce Evelyn McPherson) – porn star, model, and stripper, accidental overdose of prescription painkillers.
Bela Lugosi (73) – actor, drug-related heart attack.
Zoe Tamerlis Lund – former child musical prodigy turned model, actress, and writer, heart failure due to heroin use.
Donyale Luna (34) – first notable African American supermodel & actress, drug overdose.
Frankie Lymon – musician, doo wop singer, heroin overdose.
Aaron Lynch – writer on memetics, opiate-based painkiller overdose (coroner ruled accidental death.)
Phil Lynott (36) – musician, Thin Lizzy, health breakdown caused by a heroin overdose. (speedball.)
[edit] M
Billy Mackenzie – musician, the Associates, overdosed on temazepam, amitriptyline, and paracetamol (suicide).
Chris Mainwaring – Australian Footballer, alleged accidental overdose.
Bibek Maitra
Sherri Martel – professional wrestler, accidental overdose with multiple drugs in her system, including high amounts of oxycodone.
David McComb (36) – musician, The Triffids, heroin overdose.
Jimmy McCulloch – musician with Wings, guitarist, heroin overdose.
Robbie McIntosh – musician, Average White Band, heroin overdose.
Clyde McPhatter – singer, complications of heart, liver, and kidney disease due to alcoholism.
Aimee Semple McPherson – Canadian-born evangelist and media sensation in the 1920s and 1930s, overdose of prescription barbiturates.
Jonathan Melvoin – touring keyboardist for the Smashing Pumpkins, heroin overdose.
Amedeo Modigliani – painter, tubercular meningitis — exacerbated by poverty, overworking, and excessive use of alcohol and narcotics.
Joëlle Mogensen – singer, drug overdose.
Marilyn Monroe (36) – actress, overdose of barbiturate-based sleeping pills.
Ken Montgomery – musician, D.O.A.
Keith Moon – musician, the Who, accidental overdose on anti-seizure medication prescribed for alcoholism.
Edith Alice Morrell – died of morphine overdose while being treated by suspected serial killer John Bodkin Adams.
Chester Morris – actor, drug overdose.
Jim Morrison (27) – musician, The Doors, heart failure, alcohol abuse (cause and fact of death disputed).
Billy Murcia – musician, the New York Dolls, accidental suffocation after drugs and alcohol.
Brent Mydland – musician, keyboardist, of the Grateful Dead, cocaine/morphine overdose.
[edit] N
Delphine Neid – musician, The Nuns, drugs overdose.
Joachim Nielsen (36) – rock musician in the band Jokke & Valentinerne, drug overdose
Bradley Nowell (28) – musician, Sublime, heroin overdose.
[edit] O
Hugh O’Connor – actor, of In the Heat of the Night TV series, suicide under influence of cocaine.
Lani O’Grady – actress, of Eight Is Enough – multiple drug intoxication.
Johnny O’Keefe – musician/ singer, heart attack after prescription drugs addiction.
Christina Onassis – daughter of the billionaire Aristotle Onassis, pulmonary edema, caused by constant drug abuse and dramatic weight changes.
Bryan Ottoson – musician, American Head Charge, accidental prescription-drug overdose.
[edit] P
Marco Pantani (34) – cyclist, Tour de France winner; acute cocaine intoxication.
Charlie Parker (34) – jazz musician; the official cause of death was (lobar) pneumonia and a bleeding ulcer, his death was hastened by his drug and alcohol abuse
Robert Pastorelli (49) – television actor, heroin overdose.
Gram Parsons (26) – country musician, of the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers, overdose, purportedly of morphine and tequila.
Chris Penn (40) – actor (Reservoir Dogs), brother of Sean Penn, heart disease and prescription drugs.
Art Pepper (56) – jazz musician.
Christopher Pettiet (24) – actor.
Jack Pickford (36) – actor, syphillis & alcohol and drug abuse.
Kristen Pfaff (27) – musician, ex-member of Hole, heroin overdose.
Esther Phillips (48) – musician, singer, liver and kidney failure due to alcohol and heroin dependency.
John Phillips (65) – musician, of the Mamas and the Papas, heart failure due to lifetime of alcohol and narcotics abuse.
River Phoenix (23) – actor, overdose of heroin and cocaine (speedball).
Jeffrey Lee Pierce (37) – musician, the Gun Club.
Rob Pilatus (32) – musician, Milli Vanilli, drug overdose.
Dana Plato (34) – actress, of Diff’rent Strokes, suicide – overdose of muscle relaxant Vanadom (carisoprodol)and Vicodin.
Pola – model, appeared in Vogue and Cosmopolitan – heroin overdose in 1975.
Darrell Porter (50) – professional baseball catcher (Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals) turned broadcaster, cocaine overdose.
Freddie Prinze (22) – comic, actor (Chico and the Man), self-inflicted gunshot wound while under the influence of Quaaludes
[edit] Q
Glenn Quinn (32) – Actor Angel (TV series), heroin overdose.
[edit] R
Dee Dee Ramone (50) – musician, the Ramones, heroin overdose.
James Ray – singer, drug overdose.
Michael Reeves – film director, barbiturate overdose.
Wallace Reid (31) – actor, flu caused by morphine addiction.
Jimmy Reilly (17) – musician, Watertower West and Tony And The Tigers, heroin and alcohol overdose.
Elis Regina (36) – singer, fatal alcohol and temazepam interaction.
Brad Renfro (25) – actor, overdose of heroin and morphine[7].
Ryszard Riedel (37) – blues and rock vocalist with the Polish band Dżem due to cardiac insufficiency due to long time drug abuse (especially heroin)|
Rachel Roberts (53) – actress – barbiturate overdose (suicide).
Don Rogers (23) – American football player, cocaine overdose.
Alma Rubens – actress, flu caused by heroin addiction.
David Ruffin (50) – musician, the Temptations, drug overdose.
[edit] S
George Sanders (65) – actor, barbiturates overdose (suicide).
Catya Sassoon (33) – model and actress, overdose of hydromorphone and cocaine.
Joe Schermie – musician, Three Dog Night, heart attack resulting from long-term drug abuse
Ronnie Scott (69) – jazz tenor saxophonist and jazz-club owner, died accidentally from a mixture of brandy and temazepam.
Jean Seberg – actress, barbiturate and alcohol overdose (suicide).
Jason Sears – musician, Rich Kids on LSD, treatment with natural drugs.
Rod Scurry (36) – Major League Baseball relief pitcher, cocaine-induced heart attack.
Edie Sedgwick – actress.
Bobby Sheehan – musician, Blues Traveler, drug overdose.
Eric Show – baseball player, cocaine and heroin overdose (speedball).
Pavlos Sidiropoulos – rock musician, heroin overdose.
Judee Sill – folk musician, heroin overdose.
Don Simpson – film producer, heart attack, reports of 20 drugs in his body at time of death.
Tom Simpson – road racing cyclist, dehydration and exhaustion while cycling, amphetamines and alcohol usage.
Hillel Slovak (26) – musician, Red Hot Chili Peppers, heroin overdose.
Anna Nicole Smith (39) – Playboy playmate, actress, reality show star, lethal combination of chloral hydrate and various benzodiazepines.
Daniel Smith (20) – Son of Anna Nicole Smith, part-time actor and director, lethal combination of methadone, Lexapro and Zoloft.
Davey Boy Smith (39) – professional wrestler, heart attack – steroid abuse may have contributed.
Freddy Soto – comedian, writer and actor, mixture of alcohol, alprazolam, and fentanyl.
Louie Spicolli – professional wrestler, choked on vomit after drugs and alcohol overdose.
Layne Staley (34) – musician, Alice in Chains, cocaine and heroin overdose (speedball).
Joey Stefano (26) – pornographic actor, overdose of cocaine, morphine, heroin and ketamine.
Inger Stevens – actress, suicide – overdose of sleeping pills.
Rory Storm – musician, suicide – sleeping pills overdose.
Margaret Sullavan (48) – actress, deliberate barbiturate overdose.
Paige Summers – pornographic model & actress, a drug overdose from a combination of the painkillers codeine and oxycodone.[8]
Screaming Lord Sutch – singer and politician, suicide following Prozac overdose.
[edit] T
Zoë Tamerlis Lund – musician turned model, heart failure after sustained heroin and cocaine abuse.
Warren Tartaglia (Walid al-Taha) – jazz musician & one of six founders of Moorish Orthodox Church of America, heroin overdose.
Chase Tatum (34) former wrestler for the now-defunct World Championship Wrestling organization, apparent drug overdose.
Vinnie Taylor – musician, Sha Na Na, heroin overdose.
Gary Thain – musician, Uriah Heep, drug overdose.
Jotie T’Hooft – poet, drug overdose, suicide.
Johnny Thunders – musician, the New York Dolls, alcohol and methadone poisoning.
John Thompson – poet, “a brutal mix of barbiturates and liquor.”
Georg Trakl – playwright, cocaine overdose.
D. M. Turner (34) – author/psychonaut, drowned in a bathtub while on ketamine.
Ike Turner (76) – musician/producer, died from cocaine overdose with high blood pressure and emphysema as contributing factors[9].
Dick Twardzik – bebop jazz pianist, heroin overdose.
[edit] U
Stu Ungar (45) – Three-time World Series of Poker Main Event winner, heart condition caused by long-term cocaine abuse.
Enrique Urquijo – singer, drug overdose.
[edit] V
Paul Vaessen – former professional footballer with Arsenal, post mortem found he had a high levels of methadone, heroin, temazepam, diazepam, and alcohol in his bloodstream.
Lupe Vélez – actress, secobarbital overdose (suicide).
Michael VerMeulen – magazine editor, drug overdose.
Sid Vicious (21) – musician, the Sex Pistols, heroin overdose, disputed suicide
[edit] W
Robert Hudson Walker – actor, died suddenly after being administered sodium amytal by his doctor.
Shelby Walker (31) – female boxer and Martial arts fighter, apparent medicine overdose.
Jeremy Michael Ward – musician, The Mars Volta, apparent heroin overdose.
Dinah Washington – musician, singer, overdose of diet pills and alcohol.
Dave Waymer (34) – American football defensive-back, cocaine-induced heart attack.
Michael Weber – lead guitarist of The Seminal Rats, heroin overdose.
Rachel Whitear – student, heroin overdose led to large-scale anti-drugs press campaign in Britain.
Brett Whiteley – artist, heroin and temazepam overdose.
Kurt Winter – guitarist with The Guess Who, kidney failure after sustained drug abuse
Keith Whitley (33) – country musician, alcohol poisoning.
Danny Whitten – musician, Crazy Horse, drug overdose or drugs with alcohol (disputed).
Dale Whittington – racecar driver, drug overdose.
Alan Wilson – musician, Canned Heat, drug overdose (possible suicide).
Dennis Wilson (39) – musician, The Beach Boys, alcohol-related drowning
Hank Williams (29) – musician, drugs and probably alcohol.
Kenneth Williams (62) – actor, author and comedian of Carry On fame, overdose of barbiturates (accidental or suicide).
Linda Wong – pornographic actress, overdose on alprazolam, chloral hydrate and alcohol.
Andrew Wood – musician, lead singer Mother Love Bone, Malfunkshun, heroin overdose.
Anna Wood (15) – Australian schoolgirl, cerebral edema, caused by water intoxication and resultant hyponatremia after taking ecstasy.
[edit] X
[edit] Y
Paula Yates (40) – British TV presenter & author, partner of deceased INXS star, Michael Hutchence, heroin overdose.
43 David // Jul 22, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Um… Layne Staley, Jim Morrison, Jimmi Hendrix…. Who are more important people then half on this list!!!!?????
44 jeremy // Jul 22, 2009 at 4:34 pm
What about michael jackson the most most well known of all
45 Bela // Jul 22, 2009 at 4:44 pm
What about River Phoenix, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix? Much more famous than some of the others.
46 matt // Jul 22, 2009 at 9:24 pm
what about janis joplan
47 Dink // Aug 5, 2009 at 9:42 pm
All of these persons had bad habits and didn’t know that the life that was treating them like stars really was not the family whom cared. They actually needed friends to like them for who they were before they became famous.
48 Jo // Sep 23, 2009 at 11:35 am
Elton John wrote”Candle in the Wind” for Monroe than revised it for Dianna!!
49 student // Dec 3, 2009 at 11:21 am
the picture of the pills beside anna nicole smith are definitely not the pills she died from. It’s the same picture as Marilyn Munroe.
And for people who keep posting other celebrity deaths on here remember its for PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.
50 theLUNE.org » Blog Archive » Deepak Chopra on “legalized drug pushing” phenomenon in Hollywood // Jan 26, 2010 at 1:32 pm
[...] Presley’s personal physician, Dr. George C. Nichopoulos, concluded: “Elvis’s problem was that he didn’t see the wrong in it. He felt that by getting [pills] from a doctor, he wasn’t the common everyday junkie…” (Source) [...]
51 Paul in Columbus Ohio // Jan 29, 2010 at 1:44 am
You know what really is sad? The fact that the film crews followed Anna Nichole Smith for several weeks before her death and every time she gave an interview she was blitzed out of her skull! Nobody cared one bit about being vocal in front of the camera and make THAT the news- that she needed medical care besides the bogus scripts coming from the idiots who gave the pills to her.
Being a recovering addict who does know how to listen better now, if I was around that woman I would have been in the headlines too for tackling her and screaming for an ambulance. For her! Entertainment Tonight eat shit!
52 Dink // Mar 20, 2010 at 12:36 am
The addictions are not the only thing that killed these human beings. “All I Need is LOVE” comes to my mind. May they all be remembered by those that couldn’t love them or would not love them.Murder,Abuse, Rape, Chronical illness, Suicide ( M.A.R.C.S.) 2010 WALK-A-THON April 3rd 2010 Sirloin Stockade Marion, Indiana come walk in memory of your friend, lover, mother,father, brother,sister. “M.A.R.C.S. knows no boundries; M.A.R.C.S. doesn’t discriminate”
53 Nikki // Mar 22, 2010 at 5:04 pm
Im outraged by the amount of celebs that have died from drugs.
People say money is the cause for drug addiction, Is it????
Why is it the people around the celebs not doing anything about it???
If a member of your family or a friend was doing drugs i know i would do something about it…………..
54 Estella // Nov 24, 2010 at 6:09 am
WOW I LOVED MARILYN MONROE & ANNA NICOLE SMITH I DIODNT NO THEY OVERDOSED ON THE SAME MEDICATION I GOTTA QUESTION HOW DID JANIS JOPLIN DIE?
Leave a Comment