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They had fame and fortune, but their addiction and depression lead them down a dark road. Click through to discover the tragic tales of these celebrities.
Photo: Getty Images
August 17, 2011
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JOEY KOVAR. The star of MTV's 'The Real World: Hollywood', was found dead at a friend's home near Chicago, Illinois on August 17, 2012. According to TMZ the 29-year-old had a lethal cocktail of viagra, alcohol & cocaine, that may have lead to his death.
Photo: Getty Images
August 20, 2012
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TONY SCOTT. British producer and cinematograper, Tony Scott, the man behind such hits as "Top Gun" and "Days of Thunder' committed suicide on August 19, 2012. The 68-year-old jumped off a bridge in Los Angeles Harbor, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Photo: Getty Images
August 20, 2012
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WHITNEY HOUSTON. According to the Los Angeles County coroner's office the singer's official cause of death was "drowning and effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use." Officials said the death was an "accident." Whitney was found dead in her room at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on February 11th, 2012.
Photo: Getty Images
February 14, 2012
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KURT COBAIN. On April 5th, 1994, the 27-year-old singer shot himself in the head, only leaving a note behind for his partner, Courtney Love.
August 17, 2011
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LUCY GORDON. Actress Lucy Gordon commmitted suicide at her Paris apartment, just days before turning 29. Lucy hung herself while her boyfriend was sleeping. Her boyfriend, cinematographer Jerome Alveras, said she'd been deeply affected by a friend's suicide in Britain. Apparently she and Alveras had also fought the night before her death.
Photo: 2007 Getty Images
August 17, 2011
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RUSLANA KORSHUNOVA. This European Vogue cover model was at the height of her career when she fell to death from her Manhattan apartment building in the summer of 2008, various outlets reported.
August 17, 2011
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DAVID CARRADINE. In June 2009, Carradine-best known for his role in the TV show, "Kung Fu," was found dead hanging in the closet of his Bangkok hotel room on June 4, 2009. According to a medical examiner who performed a private autopsy on Carradine, the actor died from accidental asphyxiation.
Photo: 2009 Getty Images
August 17, 2011
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CASEY JOHNSON. Casey Johnson, heiress of the Johnson & Johnson fortune, died of diabetic ketoacidosis or natural causes related to diabetes, said the Los Angeles County coroner. According to The Mayo Clinic, this condition is a serious complication of untreated diabetes. The 30-year-old socialiate was found dead at a friend's home on January 4, 2010.
Photo: 2009 Getty Images
August 17, 2011
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CHEYENNE BRANDO. Marlon Brando's daughter, Cheyenne, hung herself at her mother's house in Tahiti on April 16, 1995 (Easter Sunday). Cheyenne reportedly suffered from strong bouts of depression after her half brother, Christian, shot and killed her fiance, Dag Drollet, five years earlier.
August 17, 2011
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JIMI HENDRIX. The rocker was only 27 when his body was found at a West London hotel. While a coroner recorded an open verdict on Jimi's death, his official cause of death was barbiturate intoxication and inhalation of vomit, which basically meant he choked on his own vomit.
August 17, 2011
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JIM MORRISON. There's a lot of mystery surrounding the death of the Doors singer, Jim Morrison. After leaving the group in 1971, he moved to Paris with his girlfriend, Pamela Courson, to write poetry. On July 3, 1971, Pam found Morrison dead in the bathtub of their apartment. French authorities didn't find evidence of foul play and hence never performed an autopsy. This has led to endless speculation about his official cause of death since he was known for his heavy drinking and drug use. Morrison was 27 at the time of his death.
August 17, 2011
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ELVIS PRESLEY. The King of Rock and Roll died of heart failure on the morning of August 16, 1977. He was 42. His cause of death was related to his addiction to prescription drugs. He was buried on the Graceland estate near the gravesites of his mother and grandmother.
August 17, 2011
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HEATH LEDGER. On January 22, 2008, the Australian actor was found unconscious in bed at his Manhattan, New York apartment. According to the New York City medical examiner's office, Ledger died from an accidental overdose of prescription medications which included painkillers, anti-anxiety drugs and sleeping pills. Back in 2007, Ledger did admit to The New York Times that he was taking Ambien, a medicine used for the treatment of insomnia. During his interview, the actor said he'd been sleeping an average of two hours a night. Apparently he was having trouble portraying The Joker in "The Dark Knight" because of the character's "psychopathic, mass-murdering, schizophrenic" personality.
Photo: 2006 Getty Images
August 17, 2011
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TOM NICON. This top male model was found dead after reportedly falling four floors from an apartment window in Milan, Italy. At the time, police said they were treating the death as suicide. Friends close to the 22-year-old model reportedly said he was depressed after breaking up with his girlfriend.
Photo: 2010 AFP
August 17, 2011
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LEE EUN-JU. On February 22, 2005, this rising Korean actress reportedly hung herself with a necktie in a dressing room. According to reports, the 25-year-old left a suicide note written in blood that said, "Mom, I am sorry and I love you."
August 17, 2011
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MARYLIN MONROE. On August 5, 1962, 36-year-old Marilyn Monroe was found dead at her Los Angeles home. Although her official cause of death was ruled a drug overdose, rumors have circulated that she was romantically involved with John F. and/or Robert Kennedy at the time and that they ordered she be murdered because the relationships would not favor the U.S. government.
Photo: AP1954
August 17, 2011
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SID VICIOUS. Sid Vicious rose to the heights of fame as bassist of the Sex Pistols, but he went on a downward spiral thanks to his drug use. It was well known that Sid and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen were avid drug users, using heroin, barbiturates and a synthetic form of morphine. Things took a tragic turn when Nancy was found dead on the bathroom floor of their room at the Chelsea Hotel on October 12, 1979. According to reports, she was stabbed with a knife she'd given Vicious as a gift. High on drugs, Vicious alternated between saying he couldn't remember what happened to confessing he killed her and was eventually charged with second-degree murder. He went in and out of jail several times afterwards and was eventually released from a prison on New York's Rikers Island. Once out of jail, he went to a party at actress Michelle Robinson's home, where he began using heroin again. Vicious was found dead of a drug overdose the following morning (February 2, 1979).
August 17, 2011
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ANNA NICOLE SMITH. The former Playboy bunny was found dead in her hotel room at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida on February 8, 2007. According to authorities, Smith died from an accidental drug overdose; she'd reportedly been taking 9 different kinds of meds days before her death.
Photo: AP2004
August 17, 2011
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JANIS JOPLIN. Joplin-who'd struggled with substance abuse-died of an accidental heroin overdose on October, 4, 1970. She was found dead at a hotel in Hollywood, California.
Photo: AP1970
August 17, 2011
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CHOI JIN-SIL. This 39-year-old popular South Korean actress hung herself in the bathroom of her Seoul home in October 2008, authorities said. Although she didn't leave a suicide note behind, she reportedly sent text messages to an assistant saying she was sorry and to "take care of my children no matter what happens". Friends told authorities that the actress had been depressed since her 2004 divorce.
August 17, 2011
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PEDRO ARMENDÁRIZ. Although he was one of the most beloved actors of Mexican cinema, apparently Armendariz wasn't happy off the big screen. On June, 18, 1963, the 51-year-old actor shot himself in the heart, unable to deal with his cancer.
Photo: Gaston Paris/Roger Viollet
August 17, 2011
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DALIDA. In May 1987, Egyptian-born singer/actress, Dalida (54), was found dead after apparently overdosing on barbiturates, said family members. She rose to fame in France in 1954 thanks to her song "Bambino" and acted and sang in 10 languages. According to reports, she was the first woman to receive a diamond record for sales.
August 17, 2011
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ERIKA ORTIZ. On February 6, 2007, Princess Letizia's younger sister died from a cardiac arrest. She was only 31. According to reports, she may have overdosed on prescriptions pills.
Photo: Efe
August 17, 2011
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RUSSELL ARMSTRONG. Sources told TMZ.com, that the husband of "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star, Taylor Armstrong, was found dead in his bedroom on August 15, 2011. The L.A. County Coroner eventually confirmed Armstrong's official cause of death was suicide by hanging.
Photo: 2011 Getty Images
August 17, 2011
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They had fame and fortune, but their addiction and depression lead them down a dark road. Click through to discover the tragic tales of these celebrities.
Photo: Getty Images
