Celebrities: Stage Names... Also Known As

Celebrities Birth Names:

A

Kareen Abdul-Jabbar: Ferdinand "Lew" Alcindor Jr. 

Jack Albertson: Harold Albertson 

Alan Alda: Alphonse d'Abruzzo
Jason Alexander: Jay Scott Greenspan
Tim Allen: Timothy Dick
Woody Allen: Allan Konigsberg
DJ AM: Adam Goldstein
Tori Amos: Myra Amos
Jennifer Aniston: Jennifer Anastassakis
Elizabeth Arden: Florence Graham
Fred Armisen: Fereydun Armisen
Bea Arthur: Bernice Frankel
Fred Astaire: Frederick Austerlitz
Mary Astor: Lucile Langhanke
Eleanor Audley: Eleanor Zellman
Awkwafina: Nora Lum
Iggy Azalea: Amethyst Kelly (like her real name more)

B

Lauren Bacall: Betty Perske

Bad Bunny: Benito Ocasio 
Erykah Badu: Erica Wright
Anne Bancroft: Anna Italiano
Brigitte Bardot: Camille Javal

Clara Barton: Clarissa Barton 
Steven Bauer: Esteban Echevarria Samson 

Bonnie Bedelia: Bonnie Culkin 
Tony Bennett: Anthony Benedetto
Jack Benny: Benjamin Kubelsky
Irving Berlin: Israel Baline

Ted Bessell: Howard Bessell Jr. 
Biggy Smalls: Christopher Wallace
Bjork: Bjork Guomundsdottir
Jack Black: William Black
Selma Blair: Selma Beitner

Benny Blanco: Benjamin Levin 
Judy Blume: Judy Sussman
Betty Blythe: Elizabeth Slaughter
Michael Bolton: Michael Bolotin
Bono: Paul Hewson
David Bowie: David Hayward-Jones
Beau Bridges: Lloyd Bridges III

Alison Brie: Alison Schermerhorn 
Albert Brooks: Albert Einstein
Garth Brooks: Troyal Brooks
Mel Brooks: Melvin Kaminsky

James Brolin: Craig Bruderlin 
Charles Bronson: Charles Buchinsky
Lenny Bruce: Leonard Schneider
Billie Burke: Mary Burke
George Burns: Nathan Birnbaum
Ellen Burstyn: Edna Gilhooley

Busta Rhymes: Trevor Smith

C

Cardi B: Belcalis Almanzar 

Louis C.K.: Louis Szekely

Sid Caesar: Isaac Caesar 
Michael Caine: Maurice Micklewhite
Truman Capote:Truman Persons
Mary Carlisle: Gwendolyn Witter
Carrot Top: Scott Thompson

Johnny Cash: J.R. Cash 
Kim Cattrall: Clare Woodgate
Jackie Chan: Kong-Sang Chan
Jeff Chandler: Ira Grossel

Coco Chanel: Gabrielle Chanel 

Charlie XCX: Charlotte Aitchison 
Chevy Chase: Cornelius Chase
Jessica Chastain: Jessica Howard
Cher: Cherilyn  Sarkisian
Julia Childs: Julia McWilliams
Andrew Dice Clay: Andrew Silverstein

Grover Cleveland: Stephen Cleveland 
Patsy Cline: Virginia Hensley
Lee J. Cobb: Leo Jacoby
Diablo Cody: Brooke Busey
Claudette Colbert: Emilie Chauchoin
Common: Lonnie Lynn

Jeff Corey: Arthur Zwerling 
Bud Cort: Walter Cox
Elvis Costello: Declan McManus
Joan Crawford: Lucille LeSueur

Richard Cromwell: LeRoy Radabaugh 
Scatman Crothers: Benjamin Crothers
Curly: Jerry Howard
Tony Curtis: Bernard Schwartz

D

Willem Dafoe: William Defoe
Rodney Dangerfield: Jacob Cohen
Ted Danson: Edward Danson III
Bobby Darin: Walden Cassotto
Bette Davis: Ruth Davis
Geena Davis: Virginia Elizabeth Davis
Ossie Davis: Raiford Davis

Richard Dawson: Colin Emm 
Taylor Dayne: Leslie Wunderman
Rebecca De Mornay: Rebecca Pearch

Portia De Rossi: Amanda Lee Rogers
Sandra Dee: Alexandra Zuck
Mos Def: Dante Terrell Smith

Benicio del Toro: Benicio Sanchez 
Danny DeVito: Daniel Michaeli

Lana Del Rey: Elizabeth Grant
Bo Derek: Mary Collins
Angie Dickinson: Angeline Brown
Vin Diesel: Mark Vincent
Divine: Harris Hilstead
DMX: Earl Simmons
Kirk Douglas: Issur Danielovitch
Robert Downey Jr. : Robert Ford-Elias Jr.
Drake: Aubrey Graham
Dr. Dre: Andre Young
Minnie Driver: Amelia Driver
Faye Dunaway: Dorothy Dunaway
Bob Dylan: Robert Zimmerman

E

Billie Eilish: Billie O'Connell
Cass Elliot: Ellen Cohen
Eminem: Marshall Mathers

Evans Evans: Evans Greenstreet 

F

Max Factor: Maksymilian Faktorowicz

Douglas Fairbanks: Douglas Ullman
Morgan Fairchild: Patsy McClenny

Edie Falco: Edith Falco 
Mia Farrow: Maria de Lourdes Villiers-Farrow 

Fatboy Slim: Quentin Leo Cook 
Totie Fields: Sophie Feldman

50 Cent: Curtis Jackson
"Larry" Fine: Louis Feinberg

Flavor Flav: William Drayton Jr.
Flea: Michael Balzary
Gerald Ford: Leslie King, Jr.
Will Forte: Orville Forte
Jodi Foster: Alicia Foster
Jamie Foxx: Eric Bishop 

Connie Francis: Concetta Franonero 

Buckminster Fuller: Richard Fuller 

G

Zsa Zsa Gabor: Sari Gabor
Greta Garbo: Greta Gustaffson
Judy Garland: Frances Gumm

Greer Garson: Eileen Garson 

Mitzi Gaynor: Francesca de Czanyi von Gerber 
Lou Gehrig: Ludwig Gehrig
Henry Gibson: James Bateman
Jackie Gleason: Herbert Gleason
Whoopi Goldberg: Caryn Johnson
Samuel Goldwyn: Szmuel Gelbfisz

Tipper Gore: Mary Gore 

Elliott Gould: Elliott Goldestein 
Topher Grace: Christopher Grace
Kelsey Grammer: Allen Grammer
Cary Grant: Archibald Leach
Lee Grant: Lyova Rosenthal
Macy Gray: Natalie Renee McIntyre

Tom Green: Michael Green 

Joel Grey: Joel Katz 

Charles Grodin: Charles Grodinsky 
Edmund Gwenn: Edmund Kellaway

H

Buddy Hackett: Leonard Hacker

Halsey: Ashley Frangipane 
M C Hammer: Stanley Burrell
Jean Harlow: Harlean Carpenter

Mark Harmon: Thomas Harmon 

Calvin Harris: Adam Wiles 
Debbie Harry: Angela Tremble (her orignal name was better)
Steve Harvey: Broderick Harvey
Rita Hayworth: Margarita Cansino
Audrey Hepburn: Edda Hepburn-Ruston
Pee Wee Herman: Paul Reubenfeld
Barbara Hershey: Barbara Herzstein
Jean Hersholt: Jean Buron
Charlton Heston: John Carter
Jonah Hill: Jonah Feldstein

Robby Hoffman: Rivkah Hoffman 

Judy Holliday: Judith Tuvim 
Buddy Holly: Charles Holley
Bob Hope: Leslie Hope
Harry Houdini: Erich Weiss
"Curly" Howard: Jerome Horwitz
"Moe" Howard: Moses Horwitz

Linda Hunt: Lydia Hunt 
Tab Hunter: Arthur Kelm

I

Ice Cube: Oshea Jackson

Ice-T: Tracy Marrow 
Billy Idol: William Broad

Oscar Isaac: Oscar Estrada 

J

Kevin James: Kevin Knipfing
Thomas Jane: Thomas Elliott
Jay-Z: Shawn Corey Carter
Joan Jett: Joan Larkin
Elton John: Reginald Kenneth Dwight

Al Jolson: Asa Yoelson 

Jennifer Jones: Phylis Lee Isley 
Norah Jones: Geetali Shankar

K

Mindy Kaling: Vera Chokalingam
Boris Karloff: William Henry Pratt
Casey Kasem: Kemal Amin Kasem

Stubby Kaye: Bernard Katzin 

Stacy Keach: Walter Keach 
Buster Keaton: Joseph Keaton
Michael Keaton: Michael Douglas
Kesha: Kesha Sebert
Chaka Khan: Carole Stevens

Tawny Kitaen: Julie Kitaen 
Carole King: Carole Klein
Larry King: Larry Zeigler
Ben Kingsley: Krishna Banji
Calvin Klein Richard Klein
Jack Klugman: Jacob Klugman
Evel Knievel: Robert Knievel
Johnny Knoxville: Philip Clapp

Jo Koy: Joseph Herbert 

Mila Kunis: Milena Kunis 
Ashton Kutcher: Christopher Kutcher

L

Lady Gaga: Stefani Germanotta
LL Cool J: James Todd Smith
Veronica Lake: Constance Ockleman
Kendrick Lamar: Kendrick Duckworth
Michael Landon: Eugene Orowitz
Mario Lanza: Alfredo Cocozza
Larry the Cable Guy: Daniel Whitney
Queen Latifah: Dana Owens
Stan Laurel: Arthur Jefferson
Ralph Lauren: Ralph Lipschitz
Piper Laurie: Rosetta Jacobs
Brenda Lee: Brenda Tarpley

Peggy Lee: Norma Egstrom 
Spike Lee: Shelton Lee

Tommy Lee: Thomas Bass 
Jennifer Jason Leigh: Jennifer Morrow
Vivian Leigh: Vivian Hartley
Jay Leno: James Leno
Shari Lewis: Phyllis Hurwitz
Andrew Lincoln: Andrew Clutterbuck
Carole Lombard: Jane Peters
Lorde: Ella Yelich-O'Connor
Sophia Loren: Sophia Scicoloni
Courtney Love: Courtney Harrison

Myrna Loy: Myrna Williams 
Ludacris: Christopher Bridges
Bela Lugosi: Bela Blasko
Natasha Lyonne: Natasha Braunstein

M

Moms Mabley: Loretta Aiken
Andie MacDowell: Rosalie MacDowell

Mikey Madison: Mikaela Rosberg 

Karl Malden: Mladen Sekulovich 

Post Malone: Austin Post 
Babaloo Mandel: Marc Mandel
Jayne Mansfield: Vera Palmer
Marilyn Manson: Brian Warner
Rooney Mara: Patricia Mara
Cheech Marin: Richard Marin
Bruno Mars: Peter Hernandez
Penny Marshall: Carole Maschiarelli
Dean Martin: Dino Crocetti

Chico Marx: Leonard Marx 
Groucho Marx: Julius Marx

Gummo Marx: Milton Marx 

Harpo Marx: Arthur Marx 

Zeppo Marx: Herbert Marx 

Jackie Mason: Yacov Maza 

Chi McBride: Kenneth McBride 

Frances McDormand: Cynthia Smith 

Darren McGavin: William Richardson 

Meat Loaf: Marvin Lee Aday

Freddy Mercury: Farrokh Bulsara
Burgess Meredith: Oliver Meredith
Jonathan Rhys Meyers: Jonathan O'Keefe 

Method Man: Clifford Smith
Tim McGraw: Samuel Smith
Alexander McQueen: Lee McQueen
Ethel Merman: Ethel Zimmermann
George Michael: Georgios Panayiotou

Bret Michaels: Bret Sychak 
Lorne Michaels: Lorne Lipowitz

Dash Mihok: Dashiell Mihok 
Nicki Minaj: Onika Maraj
Joni Mitchell: Roberta Anderson
Eddie Money: Edward Mahoney
Ron Moody: Ronald Moodnick
Marilyn Monroe: Norma Mortenson
Demi Moore: Demetria Guynes
Rick Moranis: Fredrick Moranis
Rita Moreno: Rosa Alverio
Toni Morrison: Chloe Wofford
Zero Mostel: Samuel Mostel

N

Nas: Nasir Jones 
Liam Neeson: William Neeson
Sam Neill: Nigel Neill
Nelly: Cornell Haynes Jr.

Mike Nichols: Mikhail Peschkowsky

Stevie Nicks: Stephanie Nicks 
Chuck Norris: Carlos Ray

O

Jerry O'Connell: Jeremiah O'Connell
Carroll O'Connor: John O'Connor
Billy Ocean: Leslie Charles
Gary Oldman: Leonard Oldman

Rita Ora: Rita Sahatciu 
Ozzy Osbourne: John Osbourne
Frank Oz: Frank Oznowicz

P

Jack Palance: Volodymyr Palahniuk
Chazz Palminteri: Calogero Palminteri

Jason Patric: John Miller III
Les Paul: Lester Polsfuss
Gregory Peck: Eldred Peck
Katy Perry: Katheryn Hudson
Luke Perry: Coy Perry
Tyler Perry: Emmitt Perry
Bernadette Peters: Bernadette Lazzara
Busy Philipps: Elizabeth Philipps
River Phoenix: River Button
Edith Piaf: Edith Gassion 

Slim Pickens: Louis Lindley Jr. 
Mary Pickford: Gladys Smith
Pink: Alecia Moore
Pitbull: Armando Perez
Brad Pitt: William Pitt
Roman Polanski: Ramon Leibling
Natalie Portman: Natalie Hershlag
Prince: Prince Nelson
Missi Pyle: Andrea Pyle

Q

Maggie Q: Margaret Quigley

Margaret Qualley: Sarah Qualley 

Questlove: Ahmir Thompson 

R

Charlotte Rae: Charlotte Lubotsky 

Tony Randall: Leonard Rosenberg
Donna Reed: Donnabelle Mullenger
Judge Reinhold: Edward Reinhold

Jean Reno: Juan Moreno Herrera-Jimenez 
Anne Rice: Howard O'Brien

Diana Rigg: Enid Rigg 
Rihanna: Robyn Fenty

Lillian Roth: Lillian Rutstein 
Joan Rivers: Joan Molinsky

Chappell Roan: Kayleigh Amstutz
Mickey Rooney: Joseph Yule Jr.
Kid Rock: Robert Ritchie
Ginger Rogers: Virginia McMath
Roy Rogers: Leonard Slye

Gilbert Roland: Luis Damaso de Alonso
Axl Rose: William Rose
Johnny Rotten: John Lydon
Mickey Rourke: Philip Rourke Jr.

Jane Russell: Ernestine Russell

Theresa Russell: Theresa Paup
Amy Ryan: Amy Dziewiontkowski
Meg Ryan: Margaret Hyra

Nolan Ryan: Lynn Ryan 
Winona Ryder: Winona Horowitz

S

Andy Samberg: David Samberg 

Mia Sara: Mia Sarapochiello 

Susan Sarandon: Susan Tomaling

Telly Savalas: Aristotle Tsavalas 

Liev Schreiber: Isaac Schreiber 
Seal: Henry Samuel

Jerry Seinfeld: Jerome Seinfeld 

Peter Sellers: Richard Sellers 
Dr. Seuss: Theodore Geisel
Jane Seymour: Joyce Frankenberg
Omar Shaif: Michel Chalhoub
Tupac Shakur: Lesane Crooks
M. Night Shyamalan: Manoj Nelliyattu Shyamalan
Ally Sheedy: Alexandra Sheedy
Charlie Sheen: Carlos Estevez

Beverly Sills: Belle Silverman 
Gene Simmons: Chaim Witz
Richard Simmons: Milton Simmons

Neil Simon: Marvin Simon 
Nina Simone: Eunice Waymon
Sinbad: David Atkins
Grace Slick: Grace Wing
Anna Nicole Smith: Vickie Lynn Hogan
Yeardley Smith: Martha Smith

Snoop Dog: Cordazer Broadus
Suzanne Somers: Suzanne Mahoney
Sissy Spacek: Mary Spacek
Barbara Stanwyck: Ruby Stevens
Ringo Starr: Richard Starkey
Cat Stevens: Steven Georgiou
Jon Stewart: Jonathan Liebowitz
Sting: Gordon Sumner
Lee Strasberg: Israel Strasberg
Donna Summer: Ladonna Gaines
Tilda Swinton: Katherine Swinton

T

Mr. T: Lawrence Tureaud

George Takei: Hosato Takei 

Rip Taylor: Carles Taylor 

Robert Taylor: Spangler Brugh 
Jonathan Taylor Thomas: Jonathan Weiss

Brother Theodore: Theodore Gottlieb

Tiffany: Tiffany Darwish 
Jennifer Tilly: Jennifer Chan
Lily Tomlin: Mary Jean Tomlin
Rip Torn: Elmore Torn Jr.
Alex Trebek: Giorgi Trebek
Leon Trotsky: Lev Bronstein

Sojourner Truth: Isabella Bomefree 
Tina Turner: Anna Mae Bullock
Mark Twain: Samuel Clemens
Shania Twain: Eileen Edwards
Steven Tyler: Steven Tallarico

U

Skeet Ulrich: Bryan Trout

V

Rudolph Valentino: Rudolpho D'Antonguolla
Mamie Van Doren: Joan Olander
Jo Van Fleet: Catherine Van Fleet

Vanilla Ice: Robert Van Winckle
Sid Vicious: John Ritchie

W

Taika Waititi: Taika Cohen
Christopher Walken: Ronald Walken
John Wayne: Marion Morrison
Sigourney Weaver: Susan Weaver
The Weeknd: Abel Tesfaye
Raquel Welch: Jo Tejada
Tuesday Weld: Susan Weld
Jack White: John Gillis
Vanna White: Vanna Rosich
Olivia Wilde: Olivia Cockburn
Gene Wilder: Jerome Silberman
Treat Williams: Richard Williams
Bruce Willis: Walter Willison

Mookie Wilson: William Wilson 
Paul Winchell: Paul Wilchinsky

Reese Witherspoon: Laura Witherspoon 
Stevie Wonder: Steveland Judkins

Natalie Wood: Natalie Zacharenko 
Tiger Woods: Eldrick Woods

Jane Wyman: Sarah Mayfield 
Tammy Wynette: Virginia Pugh
Ed Wynn: Isaiah Leopold

Y

Gig Young: Byron Barr 

Sean Young: Mary Young 

Z

Babe Didrikson Zaharias: Mildred Zaharias 

Zendaya: Zendaya Coleman
Rob Zombie: Robert Cummings

Companies That Have Gone Out of Business Since I Was Born: 1983

Some of these stores were established in the 1800s and it upsets me that they are no longer around.  It helps to know I was an 80s child and grew up in New York and I only mention retailers that I remember.

Alphabetical order:

A & S: 
Department store. Established in 1881. Closed in 1995.

A.C. MOORE:
craft and hobby store. Established in 1985.  Defunct in 2020.  terrible

ALEXANDER'S: 
Department store. Established in 1928. Closed in 1992.

AJ WRIGHT:
Home goods store. Established in 1998. Shut down in 2011.

ATARI, Inc.
Video game company. Established in 1972. Shut down in 1984.

B. DALTON:
bookstore. established in 1966. Merged with Barnes and Noble in 1987. Shut down in 2013.

BABIES "R" US:
baby items store. Established in 1996. Closed in 2018.

BALLY TOTAL FITNESS:

fitness gym. Established in 1983.  Closed in 2016. 

BARNEYS NEW YORK:

high-end clothing store. established in 1923. closed in 2020. 

BED, BATH & BEYOND:

household goods. Established 1971.  Closed 2023

BEN FRANKLIN:
General store. Established in 1927. Closed in 1996.

BLOCKBUSTER:
Video rental company. Established in 1985. All stores shutdown in 2012.

BOMBAY COMPANY:
Furniture store. Established in 1978. Closed in 2007.

BUY BUY BABY:

Baby merchandise. Established 1996. Closed 2023. (Bed, Bath and Beyond was parent company)

CALDOR: 
Discount Department store. Established in 1951. Closed in 1999.

CHRISTMAS TREE SHOPS:

home decor.  Established 1970. Closed 2023. (Bed, Bath and Beyond was parent company)

CIRCUIT CITY: 
Electronic Store. Established in 1949. Closed in 2009.

CONCORDE:
Aircraft. First flight in 1969. Retired in 2003.

DELIA'S 

girls clothing store. established 1993. closed 2015

DeLOREAN MOTOR COMPANY:
 Car company. Established in 1975. Shut down in 1983.

EASTERN AIRLINE:
Airline. Established in 1926. Shut down in 1991.

ECKERD:
Pharmacy. Established in 1898. Closed in 2007.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY:

weekly movie and music Magazine. first edition February 1990. Last paper edition April 2022.

FASHION BUG:
clothing store: Established in 1960: Closed in 2013.

FILENE'S:
Department store. Established in 1881. Closed in 2006.

FORTUNEOFF: 
Houseware store. Established in 1922. Closed in 2009.

GENOVESE:
Pharmacy. Established in 1924. Closed in 1998.

GIMBELS:
Department store. Established in 1887. Closed in 1987.

GRAND UNION:
Supermarket. Established 1872. Closed in 2000.

HARMON DRUGS:

drugstore. Established 1971. Closed 2023. (Bed, Bath and Beyond was parent company)

HERMAN'S: 
Sporting Goods Store. Established in 1916. Closed in 1993.

HESS:
gasoline station: Established in 1919: Sold in 2015 (company still supplies Christmas trucks)

HOLLYWOOD VIDEO:
Video rental company. Established in 1988. Shut down in 2010.

JACK LALANNE FITNESS:

fitness gym.  Opened in 1936. Sold to Bally Total Fitness in 1995. 

KB TOYS:
Toy store. Established in 1922. Closed in 2009.

KIDS "R" US:
Children's apparel store. Established in 1983. Shut Down in 2003.

KINNEY SHOES: 
Shoe store. Established in 1894. Closed in 1998.

KODAK:
camera and film company. Established in 1888: Shut down in 2013.

LEVITZ:
Furniture Store. Established in 1910. Closed in 2008.

LIFE:
Magazine. Established in 1883. Shut down in 2000.

LILLIAN VERNON:
American Catalog. Established in 1952. Shutdown in 2008.

THE LIMITED:
clothing store. established 1963. Defunct 2017

LINENS 'N THINGS: 
Houseware store. Established in 1975. Closed in 2008.

LUCILLE ROBERTS:

woman's gym. Established in 1969. Closed 2020. 

MAD MAGAZINE:
comic magazine. first issue 1952. Defunct in 2019.

MADEMOISELLE:
Women's magazine. Established in 1935. Shut down in 2001.

MAYS:
Discount department store. Established in 1927. Closed in 1988.

MCI:

telephone communication company: Established in 1983. Defunct in 2006

MEDIA PLAY:
music store: Established in 1992: Closed in 2006

MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY:
boardgames company. established 1860. Bought by Hasbro in 1984. Brand name defunct in 2009.

MODELL'S SPORTING GOODS:
sporting goods store.  Established in 1889.  Defunct in 2020.

MONTGORMERY WARD:
department store: Established in 1872. Defunct in 2001.

MUSICLAND:
Music company. Established in 1955. Shut down in 2006.

NECCO:
candy company. Established 1901. Defunct in 2018. (Spangler Candy company still makes the Sweethearts for Valentine's Day) 

NEWSWEEK:
Weekly magazine. Established in 1933. Stopped all paper editions December 2012.

ORION PICTURES:
Movie producer. Established in 1978. Shut down in 1998.

PAN AM:
Airline. Established in 1927. Shutdown in 1991

PARKER BROTHERS:
boardgames company. established 1883. Bought by Hasbro in 1991. Brand name defunct in 2009.

PARTY CITY: 

Party and costume supply store. Established 1986. Closed in 2025. 

PATHMARK:
supermarket: Established in 1968: Closed in November 2015

PAYLESS SHOESOURCE:
shoe store. Established 1956. Defunct in 2019.

PERGAMENT:
Home Improvement store. Established in 1935. Closed in 2001.

PETS.COM (sock puppet)
Online Pet Supply Company. Established in 1998. Shut down in 2000.

PIER 1 IMPORTS:
home decor store. established in 1962. Defunct in 2020

POLAROID CORPORATION:
Camera company. Established in 1937. Shut down in 2008.

REVCO:
Pharmacy. Established in 1956. Closed in 1997.

RINGLING BROTHERS AND BARNUM AND BAILEY CIRCUS:

traveling circus company. Established 1871. Closed in 2017

SAM GOODY: 
Music Store. Established in 1956. Closed in 2008.

SERVICE MERCHANDISE:
Gift department store. Established in 1934. Closed in 2002.

SHARPER IMAGE:
High-end electronic store. Established in 1997. Closed in 2008.

SPORTS AUTHORITY:
sporting goods store: Established in 1987: Closed in 2016

STERN'S:
Department store. Established in 1867. Closed in 2001.

SWEZEY'S:
department store: Established in 1894: Closed in 2003.

TIMES SQUARE STORES (T. S. S):
Department store. Established in 1929. Closed in 1989.

TOWER AIR:
Airline. Established in 1983. Shut down in 2000.

TOWER RECORDS:
Music Store. Established in 1960. Closed in 2006.

TOYS "R" US:
toy store. Established in 1948. Closed in 2018.

TWA:
Airline. Established in 1925. Shutdown in 2001.

WACHOVIA BANK:

bank. established 1879. Closed 2008

WALDENBOOKS, BRENTANO'S and BORDERS:
Bookstores. Waldenbooks was established in 1933. Brentano's was established in 1853, it merged with Waldenbooks in 1983. They were acquired by Borders (established in 1971) and Kmart in 1994 but retained their original company names. In 2004 Borders converts all Waldenbooks and Brentano's into Borders Express.  Due to over expansion and a drastic drop in book sales Borders suffered greatly.  Its last year to turn a profit was 2006.  Borders files for bankruptcy in February 2011. Complete  Shut down in September 2011.  I worked at a Waldenbooks from 1999 till it was shut down in 2009. Sad day.

THE WALL, RECORD TOWN, and COCONUTS:
Music stores all converted to F.Y.E in 2001

THE WARNER BROS. STORE

WB retail merchandise. established 1991. Last stores closed 2008.

WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK (WAMU):

bank: established 1889. Closed 2008

The WIZ:
Electronic Store. Established in 1976. Closed in 2003. 

WOOLWORTH:
General Store. Established in 1878. Closed in 1997.

WORLDS OF WONDER:
Toy Company. Established in 1985. Shut down in 1990.

Famous People That Were Murdered

R.I.P:

Joy Adamson: age 69: January 8, 1980: animal activist and author of "Born Free: Elsa": killed by former employee Paul Nakware Ekai 

David Angell: age 55: September 11, 2001: sitcom writer for "Cheers" and "Frasier": killed with his wife on American Airlines flight #11.  First plane to hit the World Trade Center. 

Marie Antoinette: age 37: 1793: guillotined by the French Revolutionary Tribunal

Peter Arne: age 62: 1983: Actor: bludgeoned to death by a vagrant named Giuseppe Perusi

Lloyd Avery II: age 36: 2005: actor: murdered by his prison cellmate Kevin Roby.

David Bacon: age 29: 1943: Actor: stabbed to death (unsolved)

Judith Barsi: age 10: 1988: Actress: shot by her father Jozsef Barsi

Lee Beaupre: age 42: 1984: publicist for 20th Century Fox: stabbed and strangled by roommate Joseph Mitchell.

Berry Berenson: age 53: September 11, 2001: model/actress.  wife of actor Anthony Perkins.  killed on American Airlines flight #11.  First plane to hit the World Trade Center

Zina Bethune: age 66: 2012: actress: killed in a hit-and-run road accident (unsolved)

Francis Boggs: age 41: 1911: director: shot by Frank Minnimatsu, a disgruntled worker that was recently fired from a movie set.  

Lyman Bostock: age 27: 1978: Baseball player: shot by Leonard Smith

Susan Cabot: age 59: 1986: actress: beaten to death by her only child, son Timothy Scott Roman.

Martha "Mamah" Cheney (nee. Borthwick): age 45: 1914: feminist and Suffragette: killed with a hatchet and then set on fire in her lover Frank Lloyd Wright's house by his servant Julian Carlton. Her  two young children were also murdered.

Frank Christi: age 52: 1982: actor: shot to death over a woman by hired men Harvey Rosenberg, Ronald Coe and Alan Betts.  

Bob Clark: age 67: 2007: Director: killed by a drunk driver Hector Velazquez-Nava

Lana Clarkson: age 40: 2003: Actress: shot by music producer Phil Spector

Barbara Colby: age 36: 1975: Actress: shot in a parking garage along with James Kiernan (unsolved)

Big L/ Lamont Coleman: age 24: 1999: Rapper: shot (unsolved)

Sam Cooke: age 33: 1964: Singer: shot by a motel clerk Bertha Franklin

Adolph Coors III: age 44: 1960: Coors Company owner: stabbed by Joseph Corbett Jr.

Tara Correa-McMullen: age 16: 2005: actress: shot by gang member Damiem Watts

Bob Crane: age 49: 1978: Actor: bludgeoned to death (unsolved)

Judge Joseph Crater: age 41: New York Supreme Court Judge: disappeared August 6, 1930, declared legally dead on June 6, 1939. Case officially closed in 1979.  (foul-play believed to be involved, unsolved)

Claire Delmar: age 57: 1959: actress: stabbed to death in her house: unsolved 

Gary DeVore: age 55: 1997: screenwriter: found dead in his car at the bottom of a lake.  His hands were missing. (Unsolved)

Gwynda Donhowe: age 54: 1988: actress: stabbed to death by her husband, Broadway producer, Norman Kean.  He then jumped to his death from his NYC apartment. 

Dominique Dunne: age 22: 1982: Actress: shot by her ex-boyfriend, John Thomas Sweeney

Pearl Eaton: age 60: 1958: actress in the Ziegfeld Follies: murdered in her California apartment: unsolved

Medgar Evers: age 37: 1963: Civil Right Activist: shot by assassin Byron De La Beckwith 

James Fisk: age 36: 1872: Financier "robber baron": shot by disgruntled business associate Edward Stiles Stokes. 

Blaze Foley: age 39: 1989: country music musician: shot by his friend's son Carey January after an argument.

Dian Fossey: age 53: 1985: gorilla conservationist: murdered by an African bushman

Bobby Fuller: age 23: 1966: musician: found beaten in his car and covered in gasoline (unsolved)

James Garfield: age 49: 1881: 20th U.S. president: shot by assassin Charles J. Guiteau

Gandhi: age 78: 1948: Peace activist: shot by Nathuram Godse

Indira Gandhi: age 66: Fourth Prime Minister of India: shot by her bodyguards

Marvin Gaye: age 44: 1984: Singer: shot by his father, Marvin Sr.

Tom Gilson: age: 28: 1962: actor: shot by his wife, Saundra Edwards after he threatened her life. 

Donald Goines: age 35:1974: writer: shot to death with his wife (unsolved)

Andrew Haswell Green: age 83: 1903: NYC planner: shot by Cornellus Williams in a case of mistaken identity. 

Maurizio Gucci: age 46: 1995: Gucci Heir and once CEO: shot to death by hitman Benedetto Ceraulo, hired by his ex-wife, Patrizia.

Alexander Hamilton: age 47: 1804: Politician: shot by Vice-President Aaron Burr in a duel 

James Handy: age 81: 2026: Actor: stabbed to death by his girlfriend's son, Michael Gledhill. 

Phil Hartman: age 49: 1998: Actor: shot by his wife, Brynn, she then shot herself.

"Wild Bill" James Hickok: age 39: 1876: gunslinger/showman: shot by Jack McCall. 

Jimmy Hoffa: age 62: 1975: Union Leader of "The Teamsters": disappeared July 30, 1975, declared legally dead July 30, 1982 (foul-play believed to be involved, unsolved)

David Huffman: age 39: 1985: Actor: stabbed to death by Genaro Samano Nillanueva

Nipsey Hussle: age 33: 2019: Rapper: shot by Eric Holder Jr. 

Jonathan Joss: age: 59: 2025: actor: shot by Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez 

Robert Johnson: age 27: 1938: Blues musician: (unsolved) possible strychnine poisoning: body found on the side of the road in Greenwood, Mississippi.

Dick Kallman: age: 46: 1980: actor: shot (along with his partner Steven Szladek) during a robbery in his NY apartment by Charles Lonnie Grosso.

Darwood "Waldo" Kaye: age 72: 2002: actor: killed in a hit-and-run road accident: unsolved

John F. Kennedy: age 46: 1968: 35th President: shot in his car in Dallas, TX by Lee Harvey Oswald (Oswald killed shortly after)

Robert F. Kennedy: age 42: 1968: New York Senator: shot in a hotel in Los Angelos, California by Sirhan Sirhan

Victor Kilian: age 88: 1979: Actor: beaten to death during a home invasion. (died 5 days after Charles Wagenheim was killed under the same circumstances, and was acting in the same episode of "All in the Family" and lived a few blocks away from each other. Possibly the same killers, both cases have never been solved.)

Martin Luther King Jr. : age 39: 1968: Civil Rights activist: shot by James Earl Ray

Rob Knox: age 18: 2008: Actor: stabbed outside a British club by Karl Norman Bishop

Karyn Kupcinet: age 22: 1963: actress: strangled to death in her home (unsolved) 

Robert Lees: age 91: 2004: screenplay writer: decapitated by an intruder Keven Lee Graff

John Lennon: age 40: 1980: Musician: shot by Mark David Chapman

Abraham Lincoln: age 56: 1865: 16th President: shot by John Wilkes Booth

Danny Lockin: age 34: 1977: Actor: stabbed to death by Charles Hopkins

Huey Long: age 42: 1935: Louisiana State Governor: Shot by Dr. Carl Weiss

Jenny Maxwell: age 39: 1981: actress: shot during a robbery in the lobby of her condo (unsolved)

William McKinley: age: 58: 1901: 25th U.S. President: shot by Leon Czolgosz

Harvey Milk: age 48: 1978: Politician/ gay rights activist: shot by Dan White

Sal Mineo: age 37: 1976: Actor: stabbed (unsolved)

Carolyn Mitchell: age 29: 1966: Actress: shot by Milos Milosevic

Rhea Mitchell: age 66: 1957: actress: strangled by Sonnie Hartford, Jr.

George Moscone: age 49: 1978: Mayor of San Francisco: shot by Dan White

Jack Nance: age 53: 1996: Actor: beat up in a parking lot in Pasadena by two homeless men.  He died 24 hours later from a brain bleed. (unsolved)

Haing S. Ngor: age 55: 1996: Actor: shot during a mugging (unsolved)

Ramon Novarro: age 69: 1968: Actor: strangled and beaten in his house by two robbers, Paul and Tom Ferguson.

Madalyn Murray O'Hair: age 76: 1995: Atheist Activist: murdered and dismembered by former employee David Roland Waters.

Robert Opel: age 39: 1979: Artist and Gay Activist: best known for streaking across the stage during the 1974 Oscars: was shot and killed by Robert E. Kelly and Maurice Keenan while they tried robbing his art gallery in San Fransisco.

Lou Perryman: age 67: 2009: actor: killed with an axe by a home invader named Seth Christopher Tatum. 

Mary Pinchot Meyer: age 43: 1964: artist: shot by an unidentified male while walking along the Chesapeake and Ohio canal in Washington D.C.  (unsolved) 

Ray Raymond: age 40: 1927: actor: killed while in a drunken brawl with fellow actor Paul Kelly.

Rob Reiner: age 78: 2025: director: was stabbed to death along with his wife, Michele, on December 14, 2025 by their 32 year old Son, Nick. 

Czar Nicholas Romanov II of Russia: 50: 1918: shot to death with his family by Russian Bolsheviks.
Family murdered with him was his wife, Alexandra: age 47, daughter Olga: age 22, daughter Tatiana: age 21, daughter Maria: age 19, daughter Anastasia: age 17, and Heir to the Throne Alexei: age 13. 

George Rose: age 68: 1988: actor: beaten to death by his adopted son and his son's biological father and uncle.  

Vladimir "Spider" Sabich: age 31: 1976: Olympic skier: shot by his girlfriend Claudine Longet

Selena: age 23: 1995: Latin Singer: shot by her fan club manager, Yolanda Saldívar

Rebecca Schaeffer: age 21: 1989: Actress: shot by obsessed fan Robert John Bardo

Walter Scott: age 40: 1983: Singer: shot by James Williams

Betty Shabazz: age 63: 1997: activist (wife of Malcolm X): burned by her grandson Malcolm Shabazz. Her grandson was ruled schizophrenic and charged with manslaughter and served 18 months in juvenile detention.  He was murdered in Mexico in 2013. 

Tupac Shakur: age 25: 1996: Rapper: shot (unsolved)

Adrienne Shelly: age 40: 2006: actress: strangled by a home intruder, Diego Pillco

Robert B. Sinclair: age: 64: 1970: director: stabbed in his home by burglar, Billy McCoy Hunter.

Helena Wood Smith: age 49: 1914: artist: Strangled by her Japanese artist boyfriend, George Kodani.  He confessed and was sentenced to life. 

Dernell Stenson: age 25: 2003: Baseball player: shot by four men during a carjacking

Dorothy Stratten: age 20: 1980: Playmate: shot by her estranged husband Paul Snider, who then shot himself

Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer: age 31: 1959: Actor: shot during a fight with Moses Stiltz

Sharon Tate (and unborn child): age 26: 1969: Actress: stabbed to death by Charles Mason cult members

William Desmond Taylor: age: 49: 1922: Director: shot to death in his home (unsolved)

Gianni Versace: age 50: 1997: Clothing Designer: shot by obsessed fan Andrew Cunanan

Johnny Factor: age 37: 2024: Actor: shot in California while stopping car thieves.  (unsolved) 

Charles Wagenheim: age 83: 1979: Actor: beaten to death during a home invasion. (died 5 days before Victor Kilian was killed under the same circumstances, and was acting in the same episode of "All in the Family" and lived a few blocks away from each other. Possibly the same killers, both cases have never been solved.)

Notorious B.I.G./ Christopher Wallace: age 24: 1997: Rapper: shot (unsolved)

Standford White: age 52: 1902: Architect: shot by Harry Kendall Thaw

Malcolm X: age 39: 1965: Civil Rights Activist: shot by Talmadge Hayer

Mia Zapata: age 27: 1993: Singer for the band "The Gits": strangled by Jesus Mezquia

Best and Worst Movies of 2008

BEST:

"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas"

"Burn After Reading"

"The Changeling"

"Choke"

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

"The Dark Knight"

"Frozen River"

"Frost/Nixon"

"Gran Torino"

"Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay"

"In Bruges"

"Ironman"

"Milk"

"Miss. Pettigew Lives For a Day"

"Pineapple Express"

"Revolutionary Road"

"The Rocker"

"Slumdog Millionaire"

"Wall-E"

"The Wrestler"


WORST:

"Be Kind, Rewind"

"Cloverfield"

"Get Smart"

"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"

"Righteous Kill"

Famous People Who Died Due to Suicide, Drugs or Alcohol

Some of the drug overdoses listed have been ruled "accidental"

Depression is a serious disease.  If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, there is help:

Having suicidal thoughts? Call 988 in USA 24/7 

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255

Suicide Prevention Resource Center. SPCR.org 

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: AFSP.org 

(WRITER SUICIDES LISTED ON A SEPARATE BLOG)

R.I.P

A:

Dorothy Abbott: age 47: 1968: actress: suicide 

Art Acord: age 40: 1931: actor: poison

Nick Adams: age 36: 1968: Actor: pill overdose

Stanley Adams: age 62: 1977: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Dave Alexander: age 27: 1975: musician: pancreatitis from alcoholism 

Ross Alexander: age 29: 1937: Actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Gia Allemand: age 29: 2013: model: suicide 

DJ AM (Adam Goldstein): age 36: 2009: disc jockey: multiple drug overdose including cocaine and prescription drugs.

Robert Ames: age 42: 1931: actor: seizure from alcohol withdrawal 

James Anderson: age 48: 1969: actor: barbiturate overdose 

Keith Andes: age 85: 2005: actor: hanging 

Carol Andrews: age 34: 1956: actress: barbiturate overdose

Pier Angeli: age 39: 1971: Actress: barbiturate overdose

Mark Anthony: age 53: 30 BC: Roman general: stabbing

Jeremy Applegate: age 34: 2000: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Diane Arbus: age 48: 1971: photographer: barbiturate overdose

Jane Arden: age 55: 1982: actress: suicide 

David Arkin: age 49: 1991: Actor: suicide

Pedro Armendariz: age 51: 1963: Actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Todd Armstrong: age 55: 1992: actor: gunshot 

Hooper Atchley: age 56: 1943: actor: gunshot 

Avicii: age 28: 2018: DJ and songwriter: stabbed himself

Marion Aye: age 48: 1951: actress: swallowed mercury chloride tablets

B:

Jeff Baena: age 47: 2025: director: hanging 

Lynn Baggett: age 36: 1960: actress: barbiturate overdose

Boris Barnet: age 62: 1965: director: hanging 

Charles T. Barney: age 56: 1907: banker: self-inflicted gunshot

Don "Red" Barry: age 68: 1980: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Diana Barrymore: age 38: 1960: Actress: alcohol and barbiturate overdose

John Barrymore Sr. age 60: 1942: actor: liver failure from alcoholism

Jean-Michael Basquiat: age 27: 1988: artist: heroin overdose

Barbara Bates: age 43: 1969: Actress: carbon monoxide poisoning

Marjorie Battles: age 46: 1987: actress: jumped in front of subway train 

Scotty Beckett: age 38: 1968: actor: alcohol and barbiturate overdose.

Ludwig van Beethoven: age 56: 1827: Pianist: liver failure from alcoholism

David Begelman: age 73: 1995: film producer and agent: self-inflicted gunshot

Herman Bing: age 57: 1947: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Leon "Bix" Beiderbecke: age 28: 1931: jazz musician: alcoholism 

Luke Bell: age 32: 2022: country musician: fentanyl overdose 

John Belushi: age 33: 1982: Actor: cocaine/heroin overdose

Robert Benchley: age 56: 1945: actor: cirrhosis of liver from alcoholism

Malik Bendjelloul: age 36: 2014: Director: suicide

Brenda Benet: age 36: 1982: actress: gunshot 

Barbara Bennett: age 51: 1958: actress: suicide

Jill Bennett: age 58: 1990: actress: barbiturate overdose

Chester Bennington: age 41: 2017: Musician: hanging

Chris Benoit: age 40: 2007: Wrestler: murder-suicide

Mary Kay Bergman: age 38: 1999: Voice-actress: self-inflicted gunshot

Paul Bern: age 42: 1932: Director/Producer for MGM: self-inflicted gunshot

George Best: age 59: 2005: British soccer player: alcoholism

Len Bias: age 22: 1986: NBA player: cocaine overdose 

Herman Bing: age 57: 1947: voice actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Steve Bing: age 55: 2020: film producer: jumped off his apartment building 

Laurie Bird: age 25: 1979: actress: valium overdose

Harry Black: age 66: 1930: NYC Realtor: gunshot wound 

Jeremy Blake: age 35: 2007: painter: drowning

Clara Blandick: age 81: 1962: Actress (Auntie Em) : sleeping pill overdose

Isabella Blow: age 48: 2007: designer: poisoning

John Bonham: age 32: 1980: Musician from "Led Zepplin": alcohol overdose. after heavily drinking he choked on his own vomit.

Stephen "tWitch" Boss: age 40: 1982: DJ from "Ellen": self-inflicted gunshot

Anthony Bourdain: age 61: 2018: Chef: hanging

John Bowers: age 50: 1936: actor: drowning

Christopher Bowman: age 40: 2008: Ice skater: prescription drug overdose

Tommy Boyce: age 55: 1994: actor: self-inflicted gunshot 

Charles Boyer: age 78: 1978: actor: barbiturates overdose. (2 days after his wife died of brain cancer)

Jonathan Brandis: age 27: 2003: Actor: hanging

Cheyenne Brando: age 25: 1995: model: hanging 

Tyler Brooke: age 56: 1943: actor: carbon monoxide poisoning

Jean Brooks: age 47: 1963: actress: liver failure from alcoholism

Barry Brown: age 27: 1978: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Lenny Bruce: age 40: 1966: Comedian: morphine overdose

Tim Buckley: age 28: 1975: Musician: heroin overdose.

Anne Burrell: age 55: 2025: chef: drug overdose 


C:

Donald Cammell: age 62: 1996: actor: gunshot 

Alan Campbell: age 59: 1963: screenwriter: barbiturate and alcohol overdose 

Capucine: age 62: 1990: actress: jumped to her death 

Allan Carr: age 62: 1999: producer: liver cancer and failure due to alcoholism 

David Carradine: age 72: 2009: Actor: hanging

Robert Carradine: age 71: 2026: actor: hanging 

Aaron Carter: age 34: 2022: singer: drug overdose 

John Cassavetes: age 59: 1989: actor/director: liver failure from alcoholism

Peggie Castle: age 45: 1973: actress: cirrhosis of liver from alcoholism

Charley Chase: age 46: 1940: actor: alcoholism

Deveigh Chase: age 35: 2026: actress: blood infection from intravenous blood use 

Spencer Charters: age 67: 1943: actor: sleeping pills and carbon dioxide poisoning 

Chrsitine Chubbuck: age 29: 1974: news anchor: shot herself on live TV

Diana Churchill: age 54: 1963: Prime Minister's daughter: barbiturate overdose

Frank Churchill: age 40: 1942: Disney composer: self-inflicted gunshot

Chyna: age 45: 2016: wrestler: drug overdose

Gene Clark: age 46: 1991: singer: ruptured ulcer from drug overdose

Cleopatra: age 39: 30 BC: Egyptian queen: purposeful asp poisoning 

Colin Clive: age 37: 1937: actor: alcoholism and pneumonia 

Pat Close: age 39: 1988: actor: liver failure from alcoholism

Angus Cloud: age 25: 2023: actor: multiple drug overdose 

Kurt Cobain: age 27: 1994: Musician: self-inflicted gunshot

Dennis Cole: age 69: 2009: actor: liver failure from alcoholism

Roberta Collins: age 63: 2008: actress: drug and alcohol overdose

Ray Combs: age 40: 1996: Former host of "Family Feud": hanging

Tom Conway: age 62: 1967: actor: cirrhosis of liver from alcoholism

Peter Cook: age 57: 1995: comedian: internal bleeding from alcoholism 

Wendell Corey: age 54: 1968: actor: cirrhosis of liver from alcoholism

Don Cornelius: age 75: 2012: screenwriter: gunshot 

Chris Cornell: age 52: 2017: Musician: hanging

Don Costello: age 44: 1945: actor: accidental sleeping pill overdose

John Costelloe: age 47: 2008: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Chuck Courtney: age 69: 2000: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Carolyn Craig: age 36: 1970: actress: singer: self-inflicted gunshot

Dennis Crosby (Bing's son) : age 56: 1991: singer: self-inflicted gunshot

Lindsay Crosby (Bing's son): age 51: 1989: singer: self-inflicted gunshot

Harry Crosby: age 31: 1929: poet: self-inflicted gunshot

Julee Cruise: age 65: 2022: singer: suicide 

Lester Cuneo: age 37: 1935: actor:  self-inflicted gunshot

Ian Curtis: age 23: 1980: musician: hanging 

Jackie Curtis: age 38: 1985: actress: heroin overdose

Patricia Cutts: age 48: 1974: actress: barbiturate overdose

D:

Suzanne Dalbert: age 43: 1970: actress: pill overdose 

Dorothy Dandridge: age 42: 1965: Actress: anti-depressant overdose

Karl Dane: age 47: 1934: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Mickey Daniels: age 55: 1970: actor: cirrhosis of liver from alcoholism

Bella Darvi: age 42: 1971: actress: carbon dioxide poisoning 

Brad Davis: age 41: 1991: actor: assisted suicide while dying from AIDS.  Pill overdose.

Georgia Davis: age 54: 1976: actress: shot herself on the same day her nine year old son died 18 years before. 

Jason Davis: age 35: 2020: actor: fentanyl overdose

Raphael de Rothschild: age 23: 2000: Rothschild heir: heroin overdose 

Sandra Dee: age 62: 2005: actress: kidney failure from alcoholism and anorexia

Albert Dekker: age 62: 1968: actor: hanging 

Rebekah Del Rio: age 57: 2025: singer: pill overdose 

Charlie Dexter: age 57: 1934: baseball player: self-inflicted gunshot

DMX: age 50: 2021: rapper: cocain overdose 

Johnny Dollar: age 53: 1986: musician: suicide

Jenny Dolly: age 48: 1941: stage actress: hanging

Joan Dowling: age 26: 1954: actress: hanging 

Nick Drake: age 26: 1974: Singer: anti-depressant overdose

Bobby Driscoll: age 31: 1968: Actor (voice of Disney's Peter Pan): heart attack brought on by his heroin use

Ethel du Pont: age 49: 1965: Dupont heiress: suicide

Pete Duel: age 31: 1971: Actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Joseph Duell: age 29: 1986: Dancer: jumped from building 

Dave Duerson: age 50: 2011: NFL player: self-inflicted gunshot wound to chest

Kenne Duncan: age 69: 1972: actor: barbiturate overdose 

Theresa Duncan: age 40: 2007: video game designer: drug overdose

R. Budd Dwyer: age 47: 1987: American politician: shot himself on live television

E:

George Eastman: age 77: 1932: Inventor: self-inflicted gunshot

Mary Eaton: age 47: 1948: actress:  liver failure from alcoholism

Nelson Ellis: age 39: 2017: Actor: heat failure from alcohol withdrawal

John Entwistle: age 57: 2002: Musician: cocaine induced heart attack

Peg Entwistle: age 24: 1932: Actress: jumped from the "Hollywood" sign

Brian Epstein: age 32: 1967: The Beatles' manager: barbiturate overdose 

Tom Evans: age 36: 1983: Musician: Hanging 

F:

Chris Farley: age 33: 1997: Comedian/actor: cocaine and morphine overdose

Richard Farnsworth: age 80: 2000: Actor:  self-inflicted gunshot

Rene Favaloro: age 77: 2000: cardiologist: self-inflicted gunshot to the heart (Ironic)

Bekim Fehmiu: age 74: 2010: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Caroline Flack: age 40: 2020: British tv host: hanging

Ed Flanders: age 60: 1995: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Keith Flint: age 49: 2019: Musician: suicide

"Tennessee" Ernie Ford: age 72: 1991: Musician: liver failure from alcoholism

James Forrestal: age 57: 1949: U.S. Secretary of Defense: jumped from hospital window 

Jason David Frank: age 49: 2022: Actor: suicide 

Alan Freed: age 43: 1965: American DJ: cirrhosis of liver from alcoholism

Aleta Freel: age 28: 1935: actress: self-inflicted gunshot

Paul Frees: age 66: 1986: voice actor: prescription pill overdose

Nora May French: age 26: 1907: poet: cyanide 

Sigmund Freud: age 83: 1939: Psychiatrist: morphine overdose

Anton Furst: age 47: 1991: production designer: jumped off building

G:

Danny Gans: age 52: 2009: comedian: toxic reaction to painkillers

Geraldine Gardner: age 36: 1987: actress: hypothermia 

Judy Garland: age 47: 1969: Actress/singer: barbiturate overdose

Richard Garland: age 41: 1969: actor: alcoholism 

William Garwood: age 66: 1950: actor: cirrhosis of liver from alcoholism

Romain Gary: age 66: 1980: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Gidget Gein: age 39: 2008: bassist: herion overdose

Lowell George: age 34: 1979: musician: cocaine overdose 

Olga Georges-Picot: age 57: 1997: actress: jumped off building in Paris, France 

Andrew Getty: age 47: 2015: Getty oil heir: drug overdose and GI bleed

George Getty II: age 43: 1973: Getty oil heir: drug overdose and self inflicted stabbing

Talitha Pol-Getty: age 30: 1971: Getty oil heir : heroin overdose

Jeremy Giambi: age 47: 2022: Baseball player: self-inflicted gunshot

John Gilbert: age 38: 1936: director: alcohol induced heart attack

Paul Gilbert: age 57: 1976: actor: suicide

Michael Gilden: age 44: 2006: actor: hanging

Claude Gillingwater: age 69: 1939: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Greg Giraldo: age 44: 2010: Comedian: prescription drug overdose

Alexander Godunov: age 45: 1995: Actor: hepatitis C and alcoholism

Ron Gonsalves: age 57: 1997: painter: suicide after a long battle with depression 

Michael Goodliffe: age 61: 1976: Actor: leaped from a hospital fire escape

Lucy Gordon: age 28: 2009: Actress: hanging

Arshile Gorky: age 44: 1948: artist: hanging ff

Michael Gothard: age 53: 1992: actor: hanging 

Philip Graham: age 48: 1963: co-owner of Washington Post: self-inflicted gunshot wound

Spalding Gray: age 62: 2004: Playwright: drowned after jumping off Staten Island Ferry

Benji Gregory: age 46: 2024: actor: hep C and cirrhosis of liver 

Paul Gregory: age 95: 2015: Producer: committed suicide

H:

Jonathan Hale: age 74: 1966: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Jon Hall: age 64: 1979: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Lois Hamilton: age 56: 1999: Actress: overdose of sleeping pills

Tony Hancock: age 44: 1968: Actor: barbiturate overdose

Robert Harron: age 27: 1920: Actor: self-inflicted gunshot to the chest

Elizabeth Hartman: age 47: 1987: Actress: jumped to her death

Domino Harvey: age 35: 2005: bounty hunter: fentanyl overdose

Steve Harwell: age 56: 2023: singer: liver failure from alcoholism 

Imogen Hassall: age 38: 1980: actress: pill overdose 

Phyllis Haver: age 61: 1960: actress: barbiturate overdose

Taylor Hawkins: age 50: 2022: musician: herion overdose 

James Hayden: age 29: 1983: actor: herion overdose

William Hayward: age 66: 2008: Producer: self-inflicted gunshot

Mitch Hedberg: age 37: 2005: Comedian: cocaine and heroin overdose

Margaux Hemingway: age 42: 1996: Actress/model: drug overdose

Benjamin Hendrickson: age 55: 2006: actor: gun shot wound 

Jimi Hendrix: age 27: 1970: Musician: barbiturate overdose

Fred Herko: age 28: 1964: choreographer: jumped out a window

Blake Heron: age 35: 2017: actor: drug overdose

Willard Hershberger: age 30: 1940: Baseball player: sliced his throat

Conrad Hilton Jr. : age 42: 1969: Hotel heir: alcoholism related heart attack

Bob Hite: age 38: 1981: singer: heroin and cocaine overdose

Philip Seymour Hoffman: age 46: 2014: Actor: herion overdose

Judd Holdren: age 58: 1974: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Billie Holiday: age 44: 1959: singer: cirrhosis of the liver from alcoholism

Anthony Holland: age 60: 1988: actor: while dying from AIDS he committed suicide 

Libby Holman: age 67: 1971: singer: carbon monoxide poisoning

Ralph Holmes: age 30: 1945: actor: barbiturate overdose

Shannon Hoon: age 28: 1995: Musician for "Blind Melon" : cocaine overdose.

Silvio Horta: age 45: 2020: screenwriter: self-inflicted gunshot

Whitney Houston: age 48: 2012: Singer: cocaine overdose. drowning

Trevor Howard: age 74: 1989: actor: liver failure from alcoholism

Kenneth Hume: age 41: 1967: director: barbiturate overdose

Paul Hurst: age 64: 1953: actor: suicide

Michael Hutchence: age 37: 1997: singer: hanging 

I:

John Indrisano: age 62: 1968: actor: hanging

Isao Inokuma: age 63: 2001: Olympian gold mentalist: "Seppuku" (Japanese killing with a sword)

Irene: age 61: 1962: costume designer: jumped out hotel window

J:

Michael Jackson: age 50: 2009: Singer: propofol overdose

Kyle Jacobs: age 49: 2023: songwriter: self-inflicted gunshot

Claire James: age 65: 1986: Actress: liver failure from alcoholism

Joyce Jameson: age 54: 1987: Actress: pill overdose

Rick Jason: age 77: 2000: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Richard Jeni: age 49: 2007: Comedian: self-inflicted gunshot

Isabel Jewell: age 64: 1972: actress: barbiturate overdose

Johann Johansson: age 48: 2018: composer: cocaine overdose 

Anissa Jones: age 18: 1976: Actress: drug overdose

Janis Joplin: age 27: 1970: Musician: heroin overdose

Bobby Jordan: age 42: 1965: actor: liver failure from alcoholism

Yootha Joyce: age 53: 1980: actress: liver failure from alcoholism

Naomi Judd: age 76: 2022: musician: self-inflicted gunshot

K:

Nicky Katt: age 54: 2025: actor: hanging 

Norman Kean: age 53: 1988: Broadway producer: jumped from his NYC apartment after stabbing his wife to death. 

Steven Keats: age 49: 1994: actor: suicide 

Brian Keith: age 75: 1997: Actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Anthony Paul Kelly: age 35: 1932: playwright: cardon dioxide poising 

Chris Kelly: age: 34: 2013: rapper: drug overdose

Lisa Robin Kelly: age 43: 2013: Actress: drug overdose

Douglas Kelley: age 45: 1958: Doctor/writer: cyanide poising 

Margot Kidder: age 69: 2018: actress: drug and alcohol overdose 

Dorothy Kilgallen: age 52: 1965: journalist: barbiturates and alcohol overdose 

Thomas Kinkade: age 54: 2012: Artist: heart attack from alcoholism

Stan Kirsch: age 51: 2020: actor: hanging 

Tawny Kitaen: age 59: 2021: model: pill overdose and heart failure 

Skelton Knaggs: age 43: 1955: actor: liver failure from alcoholism

Wyatt Knight: age 56: 2011: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Andrew Koenig: age 41: 2010 actor: hung himself in a park

Ruslana Korshunova: age 20: 2008: Model: jumped from 9th floor balcony

Cheslie Kryst: age 30: 2022: Miss. USA: jumped off a building in NYC 

L:

Alan Ladd: age 50: 1964: actor: accidental overdose of alcohol and sedatives

Carole Landis: age: 29: 1948: Actress: prescription pill overdose

Jani Lane: age 47: 2011: Musician: alcohol and prescription drug overdose

Nora Lane: age 43: 1948: actress: gunshot 

Peter Lawford: age 61: 1984: actor: alcohol induced heart attack 

Florence Lawrence: age 52: 1938: Actress: ingested ant poison

Priscilla Lawson: age 44: 1958: actress: cirrhosis of liver from alcohol

Heath Ledger: age 28: 2008: Actor: prescription drug overdose (oxycodone, hydrocodone)

Coco Lee: age 48: 2023: Voice of Disney's "Mulan": suicide 

Valery Legasov: age 51: 1988: Russian chemist investigator of the Chernobyl disaster: hanging 

Claude Lemieux: age 60: 2026: NHL player: suicide 

Meriwether Lewis: age 35: 1809: Explorer: self-inflicted gunshot

Rudy Lewis: age 27: 1964: singer: drug overdose 

Harold Lloyd Jr. Age 40: 1971: alcoholic stroke 

Jeanette Loff: age 35: 1942: actress: ingested ammonia

Donyale Luna: age 33: 1979: model: herion overdose 

Gianni Lunadei: age 60: 1998: actor: gunshot 

Paul Lynde: age 55: 1982: Actor: alcohol induced heart attack

M:

Michael Madsen: age 67: 2025: actor: heart failure brought on by alcoholism

Herman J. Mankiewicz: age 55: 1953: screenwriter: kidney failure from alcoholism 

Michael Mantenuto: age 35: 2017: Actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Vanessa Marquez: age 49: 2018: actress: shot (assisted suicide by police) 

Lori Martin: age 62: 2010: actress: self-inflicted gunshot

Virginia Maskell: age 31: 1968: actress: barbiturate overdose 

Alfred Henry Maurer: age 64: 1932: American artist 

Brittany Maynard: age 29: 2014: advocate for euthanasia: legal suicide by drug overdose (terminal brain tumor)

Ray McCarey: age 44: 1948: director: prescription drug overdose

Joseph McCarthy: age 48: 1957: U.S. Senator know for "McCarthyism": Hep C/ liver failure from alcoholism

Charles "Kid" McCoy: age 67: 1940: Boxer: pill overdose 

Mindy McCready: age 37: 2013: Country Singer: self-inflicted gunshot

Marc McDermott: age 57: 1929: actor: cirrhosis due to alcoholism

Marie McDonald: age 42: 1965: actress: pill overdose

Kenneth McMillan: age 56: 1989: actor: liver disease from alcohol 

Maggie McNamara: age 49: 1978: actress: barbiturate overdose

Michelle McNamara: age 46: 2016: writer: accidental overdose of xanax, adderall and fentanyl

Alexander McQueen: age 40: 2010: Fashion Designer: hanging

Blanche Mehaffey: age 59: 1968: actress: drug overdose

John Meillon: age 55: 1989: Actor: alcoholism

Bob Merrill: age 76: 1998: lyricist/composer: self-inflicted gunshot

Mayo Methot: age 47: 1951: Actress: alcoholism

Harry Meyen: age 54: 1979: Actor: hanging 

Billy Miller: age 43: 2023: actor: suicide 

Eve Miller: age 50: 1973: actress: suicide

Mac Miller: age 26: 2018: Rapper: drug overdose of fentanyl, cocaine, and alcohol

Miroslava: age 30: 1955: actress: sleeping pill overdose 

Dave Mirra: age 41: 2016: Athlete: self-inflicted gunshot wound

Marilyn Monroe: age 36: 1962: Actress: prescription drug overdose

Cory Monteith: age 31: 2013: Actor: lethal overdose of heroin and alcohol

Keith Moon: age 32: 1978: Musician: prescription drug overdose

Owen Moore: 52: 1939: actor: heart failure from alcoholism

Helen Morgan: age 41: 1941: singer: alcoholism

Jan Moriarty: age 24: 1964: actress: prescription drug overdose

Chester Morris: age 69: 1970: actor: barbiturate overdose

Jim Morrison: age 27: 1971: Musician for "The Doors": alcohol and drug overdose

Bert Moorhouse: age 59: 1954: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Al Mulock: age 41: 1968: actor: jumped from his hotel room while on location for "Once Upon a Time in the West".

Ona Munson: age 51: 1955: actress: barbiturate overdose

Grayson Murray: age 30: 2024: professional golfer: suicide 

N:

Nero: age 30: 68 AD: Romanian Empire: self-stabbing

Shelly Novack: age 34: 1978: actor: cocaine induced heart attack 

Scott Newman: age 28: 1978: Actor: drug mixture overdose

Robert Newton: age: 50: 1956: actor: heart attack brought on by alcoholism 

Bradley Nowell: age 28: 1996: Musician for "Sublime": heroin overdose

O:

Hugh O'Connor: age 32: 1995: Actor: gunshot wound to the head

Phil Ochs: age 35: 1976: singer: hanging 

Ol' Dirty Bastard: age 35: 2004: Rapper: cocaine and prescription drug overdose

P:

Hayden Panettiere: age 36: 2026: actress: PENDING

Charlie Parker: age 34: 1955: Jazz Musician: alcohol induced heart attack

Stephanie Parker: age 22: 2009: actress: hanging 

James Parrott: age 41: 1939: actor: alcoholism

Gram Parsons: age 26: 1973: musician: morphine, barbiturates and alcohol overdose 

Jules Pascin: age 45: 1930: artist: hanging 

Robert Pastorelli: age 49: 2004: Actor: heroin overdose

Cesare Pavese: age 41: Italian screenwriter: sleeping pill overdose 

Liam Payne: age 31: singer from "One Direction": jumped from a third story hotel room

Barbara Payton: age 39: 1967: actress: liver failure from alcoholism

Sam Peckinpah: age 59: 1984: director: heart failure from alcoholism 

Harvey Pekar: age 70: 2010: cartoonist: accidental pill overdose.

Elizabeth Pena: age 55: 2014: Actress: alcohol induced heart attack

Jeret Peterson: age 29: 2011: Olympian skier: self-inflicted gunshot wound

Christopher Pettiet: age 24: 2000: Actor: drug overdose

Antonio Pettigrew: age 42: 2010: Olympian: sleeping pill overdose

Tom Petty: age 66: 2017: musician: overdose of fentanyl and oxycodone 

Kristen Pfaff: age 27: 1994: musician: herion overdose

Helena Pickard: age 58: 1959: actress: sleeping pill overdose

Jack Pickford: age 36: 1933: polyneuropathy brought on by alcoholism

Lottie Pickford: age 43: 1936: actress: alcohol induced heart attack

Justin Pierce: age 25: 2000: actor: hanging

River Phoenix: age 23: 1993: Actor: heroin and cocaine overdose

Dana Plato: age 34: 1999: Actress: drug overdose

Edward Platt: age 58: 1974: actor: suicide

Daniel Pollock: age 23: 1992: actor: hit by train 

Jeff Porcaro: age 38: 1992: musician: cocaine overdose

Melvin Purvis Jr.: age 56: 1960: FBI agent who shot John Dillinger: self-inflicted gunshot

Kristen Pfaff: age 27: 1994: musician: opiate overdose 

Elvis Presley: age 42: 1977: Singer: heart attack brought on by drug overdose

Marie Prevost: age 40: 1937: actress: acute alcohol overdose

Prince: age 57: 2016: Muscian: fentanyl overdose

Freddie Prinze: age 22: 1977: Comedian and actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Q:

Richard Quine: age 68: 1989: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Glenn Quinn: age 32: 2002: Actor: heroin overdose

R:

Dee Dee Ramone: age 50: 2002: Musician for "The Ramones": heroin overdose

James Ransone: age 46: 2025: actor: suicide 

David Rappaport: age 38: 1990: actor: gunshot

Barbara Read: age 45: 1963: actress: carbon monoxide poisoning

Oliver Reed: age 61: 1999: Actor: heart attack brought on by alcohol overdose

George Reeves: age 45: 1959: Actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Richard Reeves: age 54: 1967: actor: liver failure from alcoholism

Wallace Reid: age 31: 1923: actor: morphine addiction and flu 

Brad Renfro: age 25: 2008: Actor: heroin and morphine overdose

Lynn Reynolds: age 35: 1927: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Zachary Smith Reynolds: age 20: 1932: heir to tobacco company: self-inflicted gunshot (possible murder) 

Adam Rich: age 54: 2023: actor: opioids?

Adele Ritchie: age 55: 1930: vaudeville actress: shot herself after shooting a friend

Peter Robbins: age 65: 2022: original voice of "Charlie Brown": suicide 

Rachel Roberts: age 53: 1980: Actress: barbiturate, alcohol and lye overdose

Edward G. Robinson Jr. : age 40: 1974: actor: alcohol induced heart attack

Charles Rocket: age 56: 2005: Actor: slit his throat

Mark Rothko: age 66: 1970: Artist: slit wrists and anti-depressant overdose

Amschel Rothschild: age 41: Banker: hanging 

Gail Russell: age 36: 1961: actress: alcohol overdose

S:

Johanna Sallstrom: age 32: 2007: actress: pill overdose 

Albert Salmi: age 62: 1990: actor: murder-suicide

Ramon Sampedro: age 55: 1998: writer: assisted suicide (quadriplegic)

George Sanders: age 65: 1972: Actor: barbiturate overdose

Marjane Satrapi: age 56: 2026: writer: failure to thrive due to depression from widowhood 

Gia Scala: age 38: 1972: Actress: alcohol and barbiturate overdose

Romy Schneider: age 43: 1982: Actress: alcohol induced heart attack 

Bon Scott: age 33: 1980: Musician: alcohol/heroin overdose

Debralee Scott: age 52: 2005: Actress: cirrhosis due to alcoholism

L'Wren Scott: age 49: 2014: Fashion designer: hanging

Tony Scott: age 68: 2012: Director: jumped off a bridge

Angela Scoular: age 65: 2011: actress: drank drain cleaner and set herself on fire 

Junior Seau: age 43: 2012: NFL player: self-inflicted gunshot wound to chest

Jean Seberg: age 40: 1979: Actress: barbiturate overdose

Edie Sedgwick: age 28: 1972: Model: drug overdose

Robert Seymour: age 38: 1836: illustrator for Dickens: self-inflicted gunshot

Ernest Shackleton: age 47: 1922: explorer: heart attack from alcohol overdose

Del Shannon: age 55: 1990: Musician: self-inflicted gunshot

Peggy Shannon: age 34: 1941: actress: heart attack/liver failure brought on by alcohol overdose

Shifty Shellshock: age 49: 2024: musician: drug overdose 

Leonard Shoen: age 83: 1999: U-Haul creator: car crash 

Elizabeth Siddal: age 32: 1862: artist: overdose of the drug Laudanum 

Don Simpson: age 52: 1996: Producer: drug overdose

Walter Slezak: age 80: 1983: actor: gunshot 

Everett Sloane: age 55: 1965: actor: barbiturate overdose

Hillel Slovak: age 26: 1988: Musician for "The Red Hot Chili Peppers": heroin overdose

June Smaney: age 71: 1993: Actress: suicide 

Anna Nicole Smith: age 39: 2007: Playboy model: prescription drug overdose

Bubba Smith: age 66: 2011: actor: overdose of phentermine

Cheryl Smith: age 47: 2002: actress: liver failure from hepatitis C and heroine overdose

Elliott Smith: age 34: 2003: Musician: stabbed himself

Kate Spade: age 55: 2018: Designer: hanging

Layne Staley: age 34: 2002: Musician for "Alice in Chains": cocaine overdose

Mike Starr: age 44: 2011: Musician for "Alice in Chains": prescription drug overdose

David Steinberg: age 45: 2010: actor: hanging 

Jon Paul Steuer: age 33: 2018: actor: gunshot 

Carl Steven: age 36: 2011: Actor: heroin overdose

Brodt Stevens: age 48: 2019: Comedian: hanging

Inger Stevens: age 35: 1970: actress: barbiturate overdose

Jay Stewart: age 71: 1989: game show announcer: self-inflicted gunshot

Robin Stille: age 34: 1996: actress: suicide 

Rose Stradner: age 45: 1958: actress: pill overdose

Mel Street: age 43: 1978: singer: self-inflicted gunshot wound

Margaret Sullavan: age 50: 1960: Actress: barbiturate overdose

Sawyer Sweeten: age 19: 2015: Actor: self-inflicted gunshot wound

Harold Switzer: age 42: 1967: Actor: committed suicide after murdering a man.

T:

Joan Tabor: age 36: 1968: actress: accidental drug overdose

Lou Tellegen: age 52: 1934: Actor: self stabbing

Carlos Thompson: age 67: 1990: actor: self-inflicted gunshot wound

Thelma Todd: age 29: 1935: Actress: carbon monoxide poisoning

Sammee Tong: age 63: 1964: actor: barbiturate overdose

Verne Troyer: age 49: 2018: actor: alcohol overdose

Butch Trucks: age 69: 2017: musician: self-inflicted gunshot wound

Alan Turing: age 41: 1954: mathematician and WWII code breaker: cyanide poisoning

Helen Twelvetrees: age 49: 1958: actress: sedative overdose

U:

Mary Ure: age 42: 1975: Actress: barbiturate overdose

V:

Dan Vadis: age 49: 1987: Actor: heroin-morphine overdose

W.S. Van Dyke: age 53: 1943: director: suicide

Vincent Van Gogh: age 37: 1890: Artist: self-inflicted gunshot

Philip Van Zant: age 53: 1958: actor: sleeping pill overdose

George Washington Vanderbilt III: age 47: 1961: jumped to his death 

Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt: age 45: 1925: cirrhosis of the liver from alcoholism

Lupe Velez: age 36: 1944: Actress: sleeping pill overdose

Sid Vicious: age 21: 1979: Musician for "The Sex Pistols": heroin overdose

Herve Villechaize: age 50: 1993: Actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Gary Vinson: age 47: 1984: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Christopher Von Erich: age 21: 1991: wrestler: self-inflicted gunshot

Kerry Von Erich: age 33: 1993: wrestler: self-inflicted gunshot

Michael Von Erich: age 23: 1987: wrestler: pill overdose 

W:

Robert Walker: age 32: 1951: actor: accidental mixture of alcohol and barbiturate

Katherine Walsh: age 23: 1970: actress: drug overdose 

Larry Walters: age 44: 1993: inspiration for film "Danny Deckchair": self-inflicted gunshot

Luana Walters: age 50: 1963: actress: alcoholism 

Dinah Washington: age 39: 1963: singer: accidental prescription drug overdose

Doodles Weaver: age 71: 1983: Actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Richard Webb: age 77: 1993: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Scott Weiland: age 48: 1967: musician: cocaine and alcohol overdose

George Westmore: age 52: 1931: hair/make-up artist: ingested mercury

James Whale: age 67: 1957: Director: drown himself in swimming pool

Pearl White: age 49: 1938: actress: liver failure from alcoholism

Hank Williams: age 29: 1953: Musician: heart attack from alcohol and drug overdose

Michael K. Williams: age 54: Actor: herion overdose 

Robin Williams: age 63: 2014: Actor: hanging

Alan Wilson: age 27: 1970: musician: barbiturate overdose 

Don Wilson: age 29: 1975: Baseball player: carbon monoxide poisoning

Amy Winehouse: age 27: 2011: Singer: alcohol overdose

Kim Winona: age 47: 1978: actor: gunshot 

Grant Withers: age 55: 1959: Actor: barbiturate overdose.

Harris Wittels: age 30: 2015: writer/producer: heroin overdose

Andrew Wood: age 24: 1990: musician: herion overdose 

Ann Woodward: age 59: 1975: socialite: cyanide poisoning 

Allen Woody: age 44: 2000: musician: heroin overdose

Frank Wolff: age 43: 1971: actor: slit his throat

Edna Woolworth-Hutton: Age 33: 1917: Woolworth heir: poison

Y:

Ralph Yearsley: age 32: 1928: actor: suicide

Duke York: age 43: 1952: actor: self-inflicted gunshot

Gig Young: age 64: 1978: Actor: shot his wife then himself

Lee Thompson Young: age 29: 1984: Actor: self-inflicted gunshot wound

Facts about The Academy Awards

HERE'S THE FACTS:


The first Academy Awards was held on May 16, 1929.

By the time the second Oscars came around the media wanted to be involved so the ceremony was broadcasted on live radio.

In 1931 Jackie Cooper, age 9, become the youngest nominee ever for Best Actor in "Skippy".  He fell asleep on Marie Dressler during the ceremony.

In 1931 Norma Shearer was nominated for best actress and it turns out she was the presenter for the Best Actress category that year.  She won, making her announcement rather odd.  The academy has since changed the rules that a person can not be nominated in the category that they are presenting.

The look of the statuette has never changed.

Katharine Hepburn wins her first of four Oscars in 1933.

1933: at just 66 minutes Mae West's "She Done Him Wrong" is the shortest best picture nominee ever.

Frank Capra won Best Director in 1934, 1936, and 1938.

in 1934 "It Happened One Night," was the first movie to earn all top five awards, Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress and Screenplay. It didn't happen again until "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," in 1975 and again in 1991 for "Silence of the Lambs."

Walter Brennan, Jack Nicholson and Daniel Day Lewis tie with three for the most Oscars won for an actor.  Brennan in 1936, 1938, and 1940. Nicholson in 1975, 1983, and 1997. Lewis in 1989, 2007, 2013.

The "Supporting" category wasn't introduced until 1937. The winners received plaques rather than statues.

1937: Luise Rainer becomes the first actress to win a Best Acting award two years in succession.  In years to come these people have also attained that goal.  Spencer Tracy (1937, 1938) Katharine Hepburn (1967, 1968) Jason Robards (1976, 1977) and Tom Hanks (1993, 1994)

In 1939 both "Gone With the Wind" and "The Wizard of Oz" were the first nominated movies filmed in color.

1939: Hattie McDaniel not only broke records for being the first black nominee; she also was the first African American to attend the Oscar ceremony. She would win later that night for Best Supporting Actress in "Gone With the Wind."

1939:  Sidney Howard won Best Screenplay for "Gone With the Wind".  He died months earlier in a farming accident.  This was the first posthumous Oscar was awarded.

Legend has it either Bette Davis or Walt Disney named the award "Oscar." Either way the name has stuck ever since 1939.

Douglas Fairbanks won posthumously a Honorary Oscar in 1939.  His son, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. accepted the award on his behalf.

Bob Hope holds the record for hosting the Academy Awards 18 times.  His first show was in 1939.

John Ford won Best Director two consecutive years in a row, both 1940 and 1941.  He holds the record with a total of four directing wins.

February 27, 1941: the academy decides that the winner should no longer be informed before the ceremony.  They chose to keep the results in sealed envelopes.

During WWII the Academy decided due out of respect and over crowding that the ceremony should be held in a theater rather than a banquet hall.

In 1941 Orson Welles was nominated for Best Film, Director, Actor, and Screenplay for "Citizen Kane." He was the only person to hold that record until Warren Beatty twice for 1978's "Heaven Can Wait," and 1981's "Reds". Also Roberto Benigni for "Life is Beautiful".

In 1942 "Documentaries" were added as a category.

In 1943 plaster statuettes were given out due to the war effort. After World War II the winners awards were replaced.

In 1944 "Supporting" winners finally got real statuettes.

After winning her Best Actress Award in 1944, Ethel Barrymore and Lionel Barrymore became the first Oscar winning brother and sister in history.  

The number of Best Picture nominations was limited to five in 1945.

The only Oscar to win an "Oscar" was composer Oscar Hammerstein II.

Jane Fontaine wins the Best Actress award in 1941.  Olivia de Havilland wins in 1946. Making them the first sisters in history with Oscars.  There was much sibling rivalry between the two actresses.  They stopped speaking to each other in 1975 after their mother's death.

In 1948 James Bassett, won an honorary Oscar, making him the first African American male to win an award.  Four months later the beloved Bassett died from heart failure at the young age of 44.

1948: Edmund Gwenn is the only actor to ever win an oscar for playing Santa Claus.

1948: The awards are separated between color films and black and white films.

1949: Walter and John Huston become the first son and father to both have Oscars. Other father-son winners include Harold and Carl Kress, Darryl and Richard Zanuck, Kirk and Michael Douglas, Charles and Davis Guggenheim and Russel and Christopher Rouse.

Joseph L. Manklewicz won Best Director in both 1949 and 1950.  Only other director to have two consecutive years was John Ford.

With 14, the 1950's "All About Eve," was the most nominated film of all time until it was tied with 1997's "Titanic" and 2016's "La La Land".

1951: Humphrey Bogart wins his one and only Best Actor award for "The African Queen."  He died five years later.

In 1953 the Academy Awards was broadcasted on television for the first time.

1953: Audrey Hepburn wins the Best Actress award in her film debut in "Roman Holiday."

Vivien Leigh's Oscar was stolen from her house during a robbery.

James Dean would die a few months before his first oscar nomination. The following people were also nominated for acting posthumously. Jeanne Eagels (heroin overdose), Peter Finch (heart attack, won), Ralph Richardson (stroke), Spencer Tracy (heart attack), Massimo Troisi (heart attack), Heath Ledger (accidental overdose, won).

All "Best Picture" nominees of 1956 were in color.

1956: Victor Young wins posthumously an Oscar for Best Score.

At the 1958's Oscars "Gigi," broke the record for the most awards won for a movie, totaling nine. However, that record was quickly beat the following year by "Ben-Hur," which won 11. This record wasn't tied until 1997's "Titanic," and then again in 2003 by "The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King."

In 1958 William A. Horning posthumously won an Oscar for Best Art Direction for "Gigi".  Then he won again the following year for Best Art Direction for "Ben-Hur".  He is the only person to ever win posthumously two years in a row.

1958: Miyoshi Umeki wins Best Supporting Actress for the film "Sayonara". To this day she still is the only Asian woman to have won an acting Oscar.

In 1958 Sidney Poitier was the first black man to be nominated. In 1964 he would be the first black actor to win an Oscar for "Lillies of the Field."

1960: The Academy awarded both Stan Laurel and  Gary Cooper with an Honorary Awards.  Cooper was too ill to except it and died a month later. Jimmy Stewart accepted the award on his behalf. Laurel was also too ill to attend and died four years later.  Danny Kaye accepted the award on his behalf.
  
1960: Eric Orbom wins posthumously the Best Oscar for Best Art Direction for "Spartacus."

1962: at age 10, Mary Badham becomes the youngest nominee ever for Best Supporting Actress in "To Kill a Mockingbird."

Patty Duke hid her pet Chihuahua in her bag for good luck at the 1962 Oscars. She would win Best Supporting Actress at the age of 16 for "The Miracle Worker".

1962: Rita Moreno becomes the first actress of Latin heritage to win an Oscar for acting.  She won Best Supporting Actress for playing Anita in "West Side Story". 

1964: Julie Andrews wins Best Actress award for her theatrical debut in "Mary Poppins."

1966: Sisters Vanessa Redgrave and Lynn Redgrave are both nominated for Best Actress.  This had not happened since 1941 when Joan Fontaine and Olivia de Havilland were both nominated together.

Before Walt Disney died in 1966 he broke the record books by having been nominated for 59 Oscars, taking home 22 of those.

The 1968 ceremony was postponed for two days for Martin Luther King Jr.'s funeral.

In 1968 was the one and only tie for Best Actress. Both Barbra Streisand and Katharine Hepburn went home with statues.  (The rules have changed since then)

Katharine Hepburn holds the record for most Oscars won for best actress-four.  She won Best Actress in 1967 and 1968.

The 1967 ceremony was almost cancelled due to an ongoing strike with the union AFTRA.

1968: The Oscars were broadcasted worldwide, reaching 37 nations.

At the 1970 Academy Awards George C. Scott is a no show and refused his Best Actor award for "Patton".

In 1970 Edith Head received the last Best Costume nominee of her career. In the end she ranked in a shocking 35 nominees. She went home with 8.

Charlie Chaplin receives the longest standing ovation ever, lasting over five minutes for his honorary Oscar in 1972.  He died 5 years later.

In 1973 Tatum O'Neil becomes the youngest actress to win an Oscar at age ten for her supporting role in "Paper Moon."

1973: Marlon Brando refuses his Best Actor Oscar for "The Godfather" due to the way Native Americans are portrayed in films.

Groucho Marx was given an Honorary Oscar in 1974.  He died three years later.

1974: A man sneaks backstage and runs across the award show stage naked while holding a peace sign.

1974: Julia Phillips become the first female producer to win Best Picture for "The Sting".

At 80 George Burns was the oldest man to win Best Supporting Actor at the 1975 Oscars.

In 1975 Louise Fletcher is the first person to every speak in sign language during her acceptance speak for Best Actress in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." (Both her parents are deaf.)

Due to his death, Peter Finch's widow accepts his Best Actor Oscar for "Network" in 1976.

In 1976 Mary Pickford wins an Honorary Oscar.  She died three years later.

In 1978 Meryl Streep's fiance and co-star actor John Cazale dies from bone cancer before seeing "The Deer Hunter" win best picture. He is known in hollywood as a legend because he only acted in five films and all five were nominated for best picture.

At age 8, Justin Henry becomes the youngest nominee ever for Best Supporting Actor in "Kramer Vs. Kramer" at the 1979 Oscars.

1979: John Wayne makes a speech saying, "Oscar and I both came to Hollywood in 1928.  We're both still here and plan to to be around for a whole lot longer."  Two months later Wayne died from cancer.

Robert Redford wins Best Picture and Best Director in 1980 for "Ordinary People".  It was his directorial debut.

At age 20 Timothy Hutton becomes the youngest male to win an Oscar for his supporting role in "Ordinary People" in 1980.  It was his first movie.

The 1981 ceremony was postponed a day due to the assassination attempt on President Reagan.

William Wyler died in 1981 after three Oscar wins for Best Director.  He holds the record with 12 Best directing nominations.  Billy Wilder was next in line with 8.

At age 76, Henry Fonda becomes the oldest Best Actor winner for "On Golden Pond," at the 1981 Oscars.  He was too ill to attend the show and died 5 months after winning.  His daughter, Jane Fonda, received the award on his behalf.

At the 1982 Oscars Jessica Lange is honored with the rare occasion of being nominated for both Best Actress in "Frances" and Best Supporting Actress in "Tootsie" in the same year. She won for "Tootsie."

The 1983 ceremony was supposed to have a song segment dedicated to Irving Berlin preformed by Ethel Merman.  Unfortunately, Merman had a stroke days before the show and Bernadette Peters took her place.  Merman died two years later.

Shockingly George C. Scott attends the 1983 ceremony despite the fact he refused his 1971 Oscar trophy.

92 year old, Hal Roach is awarded an Honorary Oscar in 1984.  He died in 1992 at the age of 100! Here are some other Oscar winners that lived to be 100 or older.... Irving Berlin 101, George Burns 100, Bob Hope 100, Robert F. Boyle 100 and nominee Gloria Stuart 100.

1984: Haing S. Ngor wins Best Supporting Actor for the film "The Killing Fields".  To this day he is the only Asian man to have won an acting Oscar.

1984: Peggy Ashcroft became the oldest Best Supporting Actress for her role in "A Passage to India."

1985- "The Color Purple," was the most nominated movie (with 11) to walk away with not one award.

1985: Geraldine Page won best actress for "The Trip to Bountiful".  A year later she died from a heart attack.

1985: "Kiss of the Spider Woman" was the first independent film nominated for Best Picture.

Oliver Stone won Best Director in 1986 and 1989.

1986: Marlee Matlin becomes the youngest woman to win Best Actress for her role in "Children of a Lesser God." She was 21.  It was her first role.

1986: "Children of a Lesser God" was the first movie directed by a woman (Randa Haines) to be nominated for Best Picture.

1986: Actor John Randolph's wife, actress Sarah Cunningham died from an asthma attack while attending the ceremony.

1988: Ceremony is in the middle of a writer's strike.

1988: Olympia Dukakis cheers on her cousin Michael Dukakis in her acceptance speech.  He was running for President at the time.

In 1988 the Academy decided to change the phrase from "And the winner is..." to a less competitive saying "And the Oscar goes to..."

In 1988 Sigourney Weaver was nominated for both Best Actress for "Gorillas in the Mist," and Best Supporting Actress for "Working Girl." She would go home empty handed.

Best Picture of 1988 was "Rain Man" which was based on the real life of savant (Laurence) Kim Peek who suffered from FG syndrome. The movie's script writer Barry Morrow met Peek in 1984, fasinated by his mind he knew he had to write a film for him. He would go on to win an Oscar for Best Screenplay, which he gave to Peek. Peek died at the age of 58 in 2009.

The 1989 ceremony was Lucille Ball's last public appearance.  She died a month later.

At 80, Jessica Tandy becomes the oldest winner of the Best Actress award for her role in "Driving Miss. Daisy," in 1989.  When notified of this fact back stage she said, "Am I? Well, good for me." She died four years later from cancer.

1989- Denzel Washington becomes the fourth African American to win an acting Oscar in history.  That took 60 years to accomplish.  The short span since then has added nine more people to that list. (not including Washington and Poitier's duplicate wins.) As Morgan Freeman said, "It is now time that we stop categorizing in terms of race and simply regard actors as actors."

1989: to date "Driving Miss. Daisy" is the last PG rated film to win Best Picture.

1990: Joe Pesci's acceptance speech for his Best Supporting Actor award for "Good Fellas" was one of the shortest ever. All in six words..."It was my privilege...Thank you."

1990- Kevin Costner tries his hand at Directing with "Dances With Wolves" and wins both Best Director and Best Picture.

In 1991 John Singleton becomes the first black and youngest male ever nominated Best Director for "Boyz N The Hood."

1991: Disney's "Beauty and The Beast" becomes the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture. They would create the "Best Animated Film" category by the year 2001.

1991: Howard Ashman wins "Best Song" for "Beauty and the Beast". He died a year earlier from AIDS.  His partner accepted the award on his behalf.

1991: "Silence of the Lambs" was the first movie to already be released on video before it won Best Picture.

1992: Screenwriter Carol Sobieski was posthumously nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay for "Fried Green Tomatoes".

Al Pacino is nominated for both Best Actor for "Scent of a Woman," and Best Supporting Actor for "Glengarry Glen Ross," in 1992. He won Best Actor.

Steven Spielberg won Best Director in 1993 and 1998. Twice in one decade is quite rare.

In 1993 Holly Hunter was nominated for both Best Actress for "The Piano" and Best Supporting Actress for "The Firm." She would win for "The Piano" which was a non-speaking role.

Meryl Streep holds the record for most nominees for a female. Jack Nicholson holds the record for male.

Vivien Leigh's Oscar for "Gone With the Wind," was auctioned off for $500,000. She was paid $15,000 for the role.

At age 11, Anna Paquin becomes the second youngest Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actress for her role in "The Piano," in 1993.

1993- Emma Thompson is nominated for Best Actress in "The Remains of the Day," and Best Supporting Actress for "In the Name of the Father." She would win neither.

The movie "In and Out" is based on Tom Hank's emotional acceptance speech for Best Actor in "Philadelphia."

51 actors with AIDS appeared in 1993's nominated film "Philadelphia," by 1995 43 had died.

1993: Director Federico Fellini is awarded an Honorary Oscar.  He died seven months later.

1994: the "In Memoriam" segment of the show is added.

When Clark Gable's Oscar for Best Actor in "Gone with the Wind," was up for auctioning, an upset Steven Spielberg bought it for $550,000 and donated it to the Academy.

1995: Massimo Troisi is posthumously nominated for Best Actor in "Il Postino". He died from a heart attack 12 days after the movie wrapped.

The 1996 ceremony's most emotional moment came from a special appearance by Christopher Reeve who was wheelchair-bound from a horse-riding accident a year earlier.

Director Billy Wilder told Billy Bob Thornton that he was too ugly to be an actor and he'd be better off trying to be a screenwriter. In 1996 he won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for "Sling Blade."

In 1997 "Titanic," becomes highest-grossing film of all time, bringing in over $1 billion worldwide. The film's budget was $200,000,000 making it the most costly "Best Picture" ever. The making of the film cost more than it did to built the original ship.

"Titanic" is one of the only films to win Best Picture and yet not receive a screenplay nomination. Prior to that was "The Sound of Music".

Gloria Stuart becomes the oldest nominee for Best Supporting Actress for her role in "Titanic." She was 87.

In 1997 both Best Actress and Best Actor went to Helen Hunt and Jack Nicholson for "As Good As It Gets."  This is the last time a movie won both those awards.  It is a rare occurrence and has only happened 6 other times.  ("It Happened One Night" (1934), "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1975), "Network" (1976), "Coming Home" (1978), "On Golden Pond" (1981), "Silence of the Lambs" (1991).

1998: The award ceremony is moved for the first time to Sunday night instead of the usual monday night.

In 1998 Roberto Benigni joins Orson Welles, Warren Beatty and Woody Allen as one of the Academy's few trifecta nominees for Best Actor, Best Director and Best Picture for "Life is Beautiful." (He would win best foreign film and actor.)  Also the only person to direct himself to a Best Actor award beside Laurence Olivier.

Angelina Jolie wins an Oscar for "Girl, Interrupted," in 1999, adding her and her father, Jon Voight to the father-daughter winners including Henry and Jane Fonda, Liza Minnelli and Vincente Minnelli, Francis Ford-Coppola and Sofia Coppola, and Anjelica and John Huston.

Michael Jackson paid $1.5 million for producer David O. Selznick's Best Picture Oscar for "Gone With the Wind."

In 1999 Richard Farnsworth became the oldest Best Actor nominee at the age of 79 for "Straight Story."  He shot himself a year later.

1999- The cheerleading dance in Best Picture winner "American Beauty," was choreographed by Paula Abdul. She also choreographed The 62nd Academy Awards.

1999- Sam Mendes wins Best Picture and Best Director for "American Beauty".  His first full length feature film.

1999: In Memoriam leaves out famous movie critic Gene Siskel.

During the 1990's "Silence of the Lambs" and "American Beauty" were the only non-historical films to win Best Picture.

Steven Soderbergh gets a double Best Director nomination for both "Traffic," and "Erin Brockovich in 2000. He would win for "Traffic."

Surprise! On the way to the award show 55 Oscars were stolen from the truck in 2000.

2001: Joaquin Phoenix is nominated for Best Supporting Actor, the same category his deceased brother River, was nominated in in 1988.  This makes them the only acting nominated brothers.

2001: Halle Berry is the first African American female to win Best Actress for "Monster's Ball."

2001: the academy adds a Best Animated Film category. "Shrek" takes home the first award.

2002: First ceremony held in the award show's new home, the Kodak theater.

Despite winning multiple times 2002's ceremony was the first show Woody Allen attended.  In the wake of the 9/11 attacks he came to give a speech to promote filming movies in N.Y.C.  It was both humorous and heart-warming.

In 2002 Adrien Brody became the youngest male to win Best Actor at age 29, for "The Pianist."

2002: Cinematographer Conrad Hall posthumously wins for "Road to Perdition".

John C. Reilly is the only actor to have starred in three out of five best pictures nominees for 2002. The Hours, Gangs of New York and Chicago. He was nominated for Chicago.

Roman Polanski won Best Director for "The Pianist."  Due to a warrant for his arrest in the U.S. he was not allowed to enter the country.  Five months after winning Harrison Ford flew to France to hand him his award.

Julianne Moore is nominated twice in one night in 2002. One for Best Actress in "Far From Heaven," and another for Best Supporting Actress in "The Hours." Unfortunately she won neither.

At 13, Keisha Castle-Hughes becomes the youngest female nominee for Best Actress for "The Whale Rider," in 2003.

The only sequels to win Best Picture was "The Godfather II" (1974) and "The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" (2003) (Both had all three films in the trilogy nominated for Best Picture)

Jamie Fox had the honor of being nominated twice at the 2004 Oscars. Best Supporting Actor for "Collateral," and Best Actor for "Ray." He won for "Ray."

At 74, Clint Eastwood became the oldest director to ever win an Oscar for "Million Dollar Baby" in 2004.

Since 1950 the statuettes won are under a contract stating that neither winners nor their heirs may sell the statuettes without first offering to sell them back to the Academy for $1. If an Academy Award winner refuses to agree to this rule, then the Academy keeps the award.

2005: For the first time all Five nominated best pictures were not among the Top 40 box office blockbusters.

2006: Director Robert Altman was awarded a Honorary Oscar.  He died seven months later.

At 10 Abigail Breslin is one of the youngest nominated females for her role in "Little Miss Sunshine," in 2006. (best supporting actress)

2006: For the first time in 44 years each of the winning actors were a first-time nominee.

Jennifer Hudson may have lost "American Idol" but won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in "Dreamgirls," in 2006.  It was her first film.

The only song from a documentary film to win an Oscar was “I Need to Wake Up” by Melissa Etheridge from “An Inconvenient Truth,” in 2006.

The 2007 Oscars almost wasn't, due to an ongoing writer's strike.

Cate Blancett is nominated for both Best Supporting Actress in "I'm Not There," and Best Actress for "Elizabeth: The Golden Years." in 2007. Lost both.

2007: "No Country for Old Men" is the second film in history to share the Best Director Oscar between two directors since "West Side Story" in 1961.  This making Ethan and Joel Coen the only brothers in Hollywood to have Oscars besides the Sherman and Newman brothers, who are both songwriters.

Due to his death, Heath Ledger's family accepts his Oscar at the 2008 Academy Awards.  He won Best Supporting Actor for his role as Joker in "The Dark Knight".

In 2008 Art Director Robert F. Boyle, 98 becomes the oldest person to win an Honorary Oscar.  He lived to see 100.

2008: Ang Lee wins Best Director for the film "Brokeback Mountain" making him the only Asian person to ever win for Directing.

2008: the In Memoriam leaves out several persons including Brad Renfro, Joel Siegel, and Robert Goulet, which was an insult.  The Academy's President said "it was due to time limits."  Funny how they still had time for his boring speech.  And I'm sorry but why are executive producers, publicists, agents, etc. mentioned in the Memoriam do they really add to the "art" of the movies?

2009: In Memoriam leaves out George Carlin, Patrick McGoohan, Eartha Kitt and Estelle Getty.  And not to mention voice actor Don LaFontaine who did the voice-over work for the 79th Academy Awards.  Does this In Memoriam department not have editors?

2009: Best Picture goes to The Hurt Locker despite it being the lowest grossing best picture winner of all time.

2010: the Academy decides to increase Best Picture nominees from five to ten.

2010: In Memoriam leaves out Farrah Fawcett and Henry Gibson.  First Fawcett died the same day as Michael Jackson so she was overshadowed.  Now they leave her out of the Memoriam montage. Sad.

In 2010 Kathryn Bigelow becomes the first woman to ever win for best director.  Only three other woman have ever been nominated.  They are Lina Wertmuller, Sofia Coppola and Jane Campion.

2011: Eddie Murphy was set to host the ceremony but stepped down and was replaced by veteran host, Billy Crystal.

2011: The academy can only come up with nine best pictures to nominate.

In 2011 Christopher Plummer, at age 82 becomes the oldest star to ever win an acting Oscar for his supporting role in "Beginners".

2011: Woody Allen holds the record for most nominations for Best Original Screenplay.  15 nominations and three wins so far...

2011: In Memoriam leaves out Corey Haim. Huge 80s star.

2012: the ceremony's home name is changed from the Kodak theater to The Dolby Theater.

2012: At 85, Emmanuelle Riva becomes the oldest Best Actress nominee in history for her work in foreign film "Amour".

2012: Newcomer Quvenzhane Wallis is nominated for Best Actress in "Beasts of the Southern Wild".  At age 9 this makes her the youngest Best Actress nominee ever.  It is her first acting role.

In 2012 "Silver Linings Playbook" became the first movie since "Reds" in 1981 to have been nominated in all four acting categories.  Bradley Cooper for Best Actress, Jennifer Lawrence for Best Actress, Robert De Niro for Best Supporting Actor and Jacki Weaver for Best Supporting Actress.  No film HAS EVER WON ALL FOUR AWARDS. Only two films in history have received three, those being "A Streetcar Named Desire" in 1951 and "Network" in 1976.

2012: Now with three, Daniel Day-Lewis holds the most awards for Best Actor.

2012: In Memoriam leaves out Harry Morgan and Michael Gough.

Thinking it would appeal to the younger demographic the show was only referred to as "The Oscars" and not the "85th Academy Awards".

2013: At 23, Jennifer Lawrence is the youngest person to be nominated three times.

2013: In Memoriam leaves out Andy Griffith and Phyllis Diller.

2015: In Memoriam leaves out Joan Rivers. Shame! and Elaine Stritch.

2016: In Memoriam leaves out Abe Vigoda

2017: Damien Chazelle becomes youngest director to win ever!

2017: First Time EVER the wrong film was announced as Best Picture.  Warren Beatty was handed the wrong envelope in which contained the movie "La, La, Land".  After the film was announced and the error was noticed he was handed the correct envelope.  "Moonlight" won Best Picture.

2017: In Memoriam leaves out Alexis Arquette.  Sister Patricia is outraged.  Names also left out were Garry Shandling, Robert Vaugh and Doris Roberts. Due to Bill Paxton dying the day before the Oscars Jennifer Aniston verbally remembered him before presenting the In Memoriam segment.

2018: At age 89, James Ivory became the oldest winner of the academy award for his screenplay for "Call Me By Your Name".

2018: Rachel Morrison becomes the first woman ever nominated for cinematography for "Mudbound".

2018: Dee Rees becomes the first black woman ever nominated for Best adapted screenplay for "Mudbound".

2018: In Memoriam leaves out Adam West, Powers Booth and John Mahoney. Terrible.

2019: "Most Popular Film" was being considered as a new category in 2019.  This idea was thought to draw in a younger audience.  The members of the academy shot the idea down stating " it's not a popularity contest, it's about the art". I fully agree.  If you want to vote for most popular film watch the MTV movie awards.

2019: "Black Panther" becomes the first superhero movie ever nominated for Best Picture.

2019: Kevin Hart was asked to host but stepped down.  This is the first show since 1989 to NOT have a host.

2019: In Memoriam leaves out Verne Troyer, Dick Miller, Sondra Locke, R. Lee Ermey and Carol Channing.

2020: Scarlett Johansson is nominated twice.  Best Actress for "Marriage Story" and Best Supporting Actress for "Jojo Rabbit".  As it usually goes, she won neither.

2020: "Parasite" is the first International film nominated from South Korea.  It is the first win from that country.

2020: "Parasite" is the first film EVER to win BOTH best foreign film and Best Picture.

2020: Zach Gottsagen becomes the first actor with Down Syndrome to present at the awards.

2020: First year to have a Female conductor named Eimear Noone conducts a segment of the show.

2020: Sid Haig, Luke Perry, Michael J. Pollard, and Bill Macy are just a few people left out of the "In Memoriam" segment.

2021: The Oscars are postponed from February to April due to the Covid-19 virus. 

2021: Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson are the first black women to win best make-up and hair. 

2021: The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian award goes to the Motion Picture Television fund.  First time the Hersholt award went to a charity.