Fans are accustomed to seeing mysteries play out as fiction on the large and small screen as entertainment. But when unexplained events happen in real life and go unsolved, the entertainment factor is replaced by baffled viewers and conspiracy theories. Many of the most enduring mysteries in entertainment revolve around the sudden deaths of celebrities where the cause isn’t clear-cut. Will the full truth about these tragic events ever come to light? Only time will tell.
1. George Reeves
Long before the Marvel Comics Universe and DC Comics Universe enthralled fans on the big screen, TV actor George Reeves entertained audiences on the small screen with his portrayal of the title hero in The Adventures of Superman from 1952 to 1957. Despite his popularity, Reeves wanted to star in movies and was frustrated at being typecast. On June 16, 1959, Reeves supposedly died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. But many fans felt his death was suspicious and at the hands of someone else.
2. Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe overcame a troubled childhood to become one of the most enduring icons in Hollywood history. She became a household name with roles in Gentleman Prefer Blondes (1953), The Seven Year Itch (1955), and Bus Stop (1956). Despite her on-screen success, Monroe had her share of personal struggles, including three divorces and multiple miscarriages. She was also supposedly involved with John F. and Robert F. Kennedy. In 1962, Marilyn Monroe died of an overdose, but rumors continue to swirl about the Kennedys and the mafia being involved in her death, among others.
3. Sam Cooke
Gospel and soul singer Sam Cooke had a voice like no one before or after. He influenced scores of singers, and his death at age 33 shocked the music world and beyond. Even today, questions surround the details leading up to his death. On December 11, 1964, Cooke was at a hotel with a woman he accused of stealing from him. When she ran out of the room, Cooke chased her. He then had a confrontation with the elderly hotel manager, who shot him. Police called the incident a case of self-defense, but many still believe he was set up and killed intentionally.
4. Bobby Fuller
Bobby Fuller and his band, The Bobby Fuller Four, had a hit single with the song “I Fought The Law” in 1966. That same year, Fuller died under bizarre circumstances that still have no plausible explanation. On July 18, 1966, his mother discovered his body in her car. In his hand was a hose connected to a gas can. The car was parked for less than half an hour, but his body exhibited signs that he had been dead for several hours. Where did he die, and how did he end up in his mother’s car? No one has provided answers to those questions.
5. Brian Jones
In 1969, the founder of the Rolling Stones was in a downward spiral. His struggles with addiction, coupled with his erratic behavior, forced his bandmates to dismiss him from the group. A few weeks later, the 27-year-old drowned in his swimming pool. While his passing was listed as “death by misadventure,” that didn’t stop the rumors that Jones was deliberately drowned by someone else and the death was staged as an accident.
6. Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee, a child actor who taught martial arts as a young adult, became known to American audiences for his role as Kato in the television series The Green Hornet (1966). He achieved superstar status with films like Fist of Fury and The Way of the Dragon, both released in the U.S. in 1972. Right before the 1973 premiere of Enter the Dragon, he died as the result of an allergic reaction to a painkiller. Conspiracy theories spread that Lee was either murdered or the victim of a curse.
7. Bob Crane
Playing the title character in the family-friendly sitcom Hogan’s Heroes (1965-1971) made Bob Crane famous. That made his murder and subsequent revelations all the more shocking. In 1978, seven years after first-run episodes of the show went off the air, Crane was beaten to death in his apartment. After his passing, salacious details about his private life became public, and one of his friends, a man named John Carpenter, was arrested and tried for his murder. Carpenter was acquitted, but no one else has been implicated since.
8. Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood started her career as a child actress, with one of her earliest starring roles in the film Miracle on 34th Street (1947). She later starred in Rebel Without a Cause (1955) opposite James Dean and played Maria in 1961’s West Side Story. She was twice married to fellow actor Robert Wagner. In 1981, after she completed filming the movie Brainstorm (1983) with Christopher Walken, she, Wagner, and Walken went on a trip to Catalina Island on a boat owned by the couple. On November 29, Wood went missing, and her body was discovered the next day in the water. The events that led to her drowning have never been fully explained.
9. Brandon Lee
The son of the late martial arts acting legend Bruce Lee had an acting career about to take off with his leading role in The Crow (1994). During filming in 1993, Brandon Lee‘s character was supposed to be shot, but a prop gun with blanks was used for safety purposes. However, one of the blanks was improperly loaded and, in effect, became a live round, which struck Lee, killing him. The circumstances of his death remain a mystery, especially since his father also died without warning
10. Tupac Shakur
Rapper, actor, and poet Tupac Shakur was immensely talented, but had a lifestyle that didn’t bode well for him having a long life. He survived being shot, spent time in prison, and had disagreements with other rappers. After attending a Mike Tyson fight in Las Vegas, Shakur and his entourage got into an altercation with another man. Afterward, he was shot while sitting in the passenger side of a car stopped at a red light. He succumbed to his injuries six days later, on September 13, 1996. A suspect was arrested for the murder in 2023 but claims his nephew pulled the trigger.
11. The Notorious B.I.G.
Also known as Biggie Smalls or by his birth name, Christopher Wallace, the East Coast rapper had a short but successful career. With hit songs like “One More Chance,” “Get Money,” and “Hypnotize” in his catalog, the sky was the limit for Biggie. He famously feuded with his former friend Tupac Shakur until his death. Six months after Shakur’s murder, Wallace himself was shot to death while he, too, was sitting in the passenger side of a car stopped at a red light. To date, no one has been charged with his murder.
12. Anna Nicole Smith
Born Vickie Lynn Hogan in Mexia, Texas, Anna Nicole Smith wanted more than life in a small town. She reached her goal of stardom, first as a model, then as a reality T.V. star and spokesperson. Her life took a tragic turn in 2006 when, immediately after she gave birth to a daughter, her son Daniel died of an accidental drug overdose. Smith passed away in the same manner five months later, but theories abound that her death was more than an accident.
13. David Carradine
A member of the storied Carradine acting family, David Carradine didn’t have to rely on his family name to succeed in Hollywood. Besides being an accomplished musician, he made a name for himself, starring in television shows like Kung Fu (1972-1972), as the character Caine. Later in his career, Carradine became known to a new generation of fans in the Kill Bill movies. In June 2009, he was found dead in his hotel room in Thailand. While his death was considered accidental, there’s still speculation that he was the victim of foul play.
14. Brittany Murphy
Brittany Murphy shot to fame with roles in movies like Clueless (1995) and 8 Mile (2002) and had a bright acting future ahead of her. That sadly came to an end in December 2009, when, after being sick for some time, she died suddenly in her home at age 32. Her untimely death was attributed to pneumonia. When her husband also died of pneumonia five months later in the same bedroom where she died, it seemed like more than a coincidence.
15. Bob Saget
Bob Saget was a much-loved and respected actor, television host, and stand-up comedian known for his friendly, outgoing personality. He starred in the sitcom Full House and simultaneously hosted the popular America’s Funniest Home Videos for several years. His TV presence made him a familiar face to many viewers. Fans were stunned to learn of his sudden passing in January 2022 after suffering a severe head injury. How and where he was injured is unknown.
