The sudden death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, 46, due to a heroin overdose shows that although a person may be a true artist, often has a troubled life and soul. This often comes across through their music, dance, writing or visual arts. Â Â Rolling out thought it would fit to remember other major celebrity deaths.
|
Name |
Notable Fame |
Cause of Death |
Drug Category |
When |
Age |
|
Billy Holiday |
American  jazz singer and songwriter |
Cirrhosis  of the liver due to alcohol; alcoholism |
Alcohol |
1959 |
44 |
|
Dorthy  Dandridge |
Actress, Â Singer |
overdose  of the antidepressant,  melipramine. |
Prescription  drug overdose |
1965 |
42 |
|
Jimi  Hendrix |
American  musician and singer-songwriter |
Respiratory  arrest, asphyxia due to alcohol and barbiturate overdose; vomit inhalation |
Mixed  alcohol and prescription drugs |
1970 |
27 |
|
Bruce  Lee |
Martial  artist, actor, film director, pop culture icon |
Cerebral  edema due to meprobramate, aspirin |
Prescription  drug overdose |
1973 |
32 |
|
Freddie  Prinze |
Actor |
Self-inflicted  gunshot; possibly under influence of methaqualone, cocaine (suicide) |
Mixed  illegal and prescription drugs, speculated |
1977 |
22 |
|
Donyale Luna |
Model,  first black woman on  cover of Vogue |
LSD overdose |
Illegal Drugs |
1979 |
38 |
|
Len  Bias |
Boston  Celtics second overall NBA draft pick |
Cardiac  arrhythmia induced by a cocaine overdose |
Illegal  drug |
1986 |
23 |
|
Jean-Michel Basquiat |
Artist |
Heroin overdose |
Illegal drugs |
1988 |
28 |
|
David  Ruffin |
The  Temptations, |
Crack |
Illegal  drugs |
1991 |
50 |
|
Rob  Pilatus |
Singer Milli-Vinilli |
Methadone  and alcohol |
prescription  drugs and alchol |
1998 |
32 |
|
Russell  Tyrone Jones/Ol’ Dirty Bastard, |
rapper |
mixture of cocaine and the  painkiller Tramadol |
Illegal  drugs and prescription drugs |
2004 |
36 |
|
Ike  Turner |
Musician, Â bandleader, songwriter, producer |
Cardiovascular, Â lung disease complicated by cocaine overdose (accidental) |
Illegal  drug |
2007 |
76 |
|
Michael  Jackson |
American  Pop Singer and icon |
propofol  intoxication; midazolam,     lorazepam |
Prescription  drugs |
2009 |
50 |
|
Whitney  Houston |
American  singer, actress |
Drowning;  cocaine  Flexeril, marijuana, Xanax |
Illegal  drug |
2012 |
49 |
|
Kris Kelly |
Rapper Kris-Kross |
Cocaine and Heroin |
Illegal Drugs |
2013 |
32 |
