20 Celebrities Who Died Before They Reached 35

In Jean Harlow’s nine year career in the film industry, she became known as a classical Hollywood screen legend and the original “blonde bombshell.” She developed kidney failure while shooting 1937’s “Saratoga” with Clark Gable. The movie was completed using wide angle shots and a body double. Gable is reported to have said that he “felt like he was in the arms of a ghost” during the last stages of shooting.

Carole Lombard has been heralded as one of the founding figures of the screwball comedy genre. She made her big-screen debut at the age of 12 when she was scouted playing baseball in the street. By the time of her death, she reportedly made one of the highest salaries in Hollywood. Tragically, her plane crashed in the Las Vegas mountains as she was returning from a war bond rally. Lombard’s mother, Clark Gable’s press agent, and 15 army soldiers were also killed in the crash.

Carole Landis became known after Hal Roach cast her as a cavewoman in his 1940’s film, “One Million B.C.” Even though she won studio contracts with Warner Brothers and 20th Century-Fox, her talent was often overlooked and she rarely starred in big productions. She committed suicide in 1948 by overdosing in her California home.

James Dean was an avid motorsport enthusiast with a need for speed. This ultimately led to him crashing his Porsche on the way to a race in Salinas, California. “Rebel Without a Cause” was released soon after his death, posthumously turning him into a paragon of rebellious youth culture.

Jayne Mansfield was born Vera Jayne Palmer in Pennsylvania. After starting her Hollywood career in 1955, her figure caught the attention of movie executives and she was often compared to Marilyn Monroe. Her life was cut short when her 1966 Buick Electra crashed into the back of a tractor-trailer. All three adult passengers died instantly, but the children — one of whom grew up to become actress Mariska Hargitay of “Law & Order: SVU” fame — survived.

Arguably representing one the most shocking deaths in Hollywood history was Sharon Tate’s murder at the hands of the Manson Family. One among five victims, she was eight-and-a-half months pregnant at the time. Director Quentin Tarantino explores the event through an altered lens in the recent hit “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood.”

Martial arts cinema would not be where it is today without Bruce Lee’s influence. His premature death confused fans around the world. Most experts agree that he died from swelling of the brain, but theories abound as to the underlying root cause. Some say it was an adverse reaction to pain medication, while others suspect he was murdered by the Chinese mafia.

Freddie Prinze gained recognition after performing stand-up comedy on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson” in 1973. He rose to fame quickly afterwards, and starred in “Chico and the Man,” a television series, at the age of 19. He reportedly battled with depression for most of his life. He died after spending 12 hours on life support due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his temple. He had a son, Freddie Prinze Jr., who became a successful actor.

Dominique Dunne is most known for her role as the eldest daughter in the supernatural thriller “Poltergeist.” Soon after her success, she began dating John Thomas Sweeney, a chef at the L.A. celebrity hangout Ma Maison. Their relationship soured quickly as a result of Sweeney’s abusive tendencies. He strangled her after she broke up with him and spent five days on life support before she died.

John Belushi rose to fame during a time of heavy cocaine use in the movie industry. One of the original cast members of Saturday Night Live, he is known for cultivating the over the top gonzo style of comedy that many comedians use today. He was found dead due to an overdose in his hotel room at the Chateau Marmont, a Hollywood staple.

Heather O’Rourke died a “distinctly unusual” death (to quote gastroenterology expert Dr. Daniel Hollander) at the young age of 12. Heather’s performance as Carole Channing in “Poltergeist” solidified her name in Hollywood. It was during the filming of this third installment when she began having health issues. Doctors diagnosed her with various illnesses, including giardiasis and Crohn’s disease. Her sudden and unusual death contributed to the the theory of a “Poltergeist” curse.

Teen model turned-actor Rebecca Schaeffer was pursuing a film career and had a starring role in the television program My Sister Sam, when she was shot in her home by stalker Robert John Bardo. The crazed fan was able to obtain her home address from a private detective, who procured it from California’s DMV database. Congress passed the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act as a direct result, prohibiting the DMV from sharing home addresses.

River Phoenix was a rising star with a promising future, who famously overdosed during a night of partying at Hollywood’s Viper Room. Siblings Joaquin and Rain were both in attendance, as was girlfriend (and fellow actor) Samantha Mathis. His incomplete final film, “Dark Blood,” was released in 2012.

Brandon Lee was breaking out from under the shadow of his famous father, martial arts legend Bruce Lee (see above), when he died during filming “The Crow.” He was shot and killed by a dummy bullet that had been dislodged during a previous stunt. This freak accident has fueled various rumors of a family curse.

Comedy legend Chris Farley had undergone numerous treatments for both obesity and addiction before succumbing to a drug overdose in 1997. According to reports, an arterial disease called atherosclerosis was also a contributing factor. His death bore a striking resemblance to that of his comic hero, John Belushi.

TV actor Michelle Thomas reportedly practiced a healthy lifestyle, one who never smoked, drank, and was a vegetarian, but nonetheless fell victim to a rare form of stomach cancer. Former co-star and ex-boyfriend Malcolm-Jamal Warner (of “The Cosby Show”) was at her bedside during her final days.

Brad Renfro rose to fame at the age of 11 after his role in 1994’s “The Client.” He went on to star in numerous films, but couldn’t shake his issues with drug addiction. His death was ruled as an accident  from “acute heroin/morphine intoxication.”

Heath Ledger’s star turn began with his breakout role in the film “10 Things I Hate About You.” His allure and transformative movie role abilities that many felt made him stand out amongst his peers. The world was shocked by the news of Heath Ledger’s deadly overdose, which occurred approximately six months before the release of his career-making role in “The Dark Knight.” A subsequent DEA investigation cleared two physicians and celebrity Mary-Kate Olsen — who owned the apartment where his body was found — of any wrongdoing. He won a posthumous Academy Award for his performance in the film as The Joker.

Brittany Murphy’s untimely death remains shrouded in mystery to this day. She began starring in commercials and television shows at the age of 13 but didn’t see major success until her breakout role in the 1995 film “Clueless.” She collapsed in her Hollywood home after battling what her family thought was the flu. The coroner ruled her death as pneumonia and anemia. In an eerie coincidence, her husband Simon Monjack died under similar circumstances just five months later.

TV star Corey Monteith’s death rattled fans as well as the Hollywood social scene. Best known for his role as Finn in the overnight hit “Glee,” he was on the road to a bright acting career. He was vocal about his issues with drug addiction and unfortunately died of an overdose after completing a stay in rehab months earlier. Former co-star and then-girlfriend Lea Michele has several tattoos honoring his legacy.