His most successful work was his semi-autobiographical road novel, On the Road, which extensively explored what the Beats called “the derangement of the senses”. Veronica Lake, with her iconic peek-a-boo blonde hair, was particularly well-known for playing film noir femme fatales in the 1940s. In real life, her drinking, most likely a form of self-medication for her issues with mental illness, led to her end in 1973 at age 50. Author Jack Kerouac, whose second novel ‘On the Road’ (1957) made him an icon of the Beat Generation, struggled with alcohol abuse throughout his life. When he did pass in 1984 at the age of 58, it was due to an intracerebral hemorrhage.
She would reportedly consume a half bottle of brandy every day for ten years leading up to the day in 1980 when she succumbed to liver failure the age 53. Country musician Hank Williams, who brought us such classics as ‘Hey, Good Lookin,’ died at a tragically young age from complications after alcohol abuse. Check out this gallery to see which stars died as a result of alcohol abuse. A staple of film noir and Westerns, Alan Ladd enjoyed a great deal of success in the 1940s and 1950s in such film classics as The Blue Dahlia and Shane. Suffering from chronic insomnia, Ladd would induce sleep with sleeping pills and rye.
Celebrities who have died from addiction
While we may be more accustomed to celebrities dying to heroin and other drugs, many have died due to an addiction to alcohol. Alcoholism is more than simply a lack of self control; today, it is considered an all out addictive disorder. Peter Cook was an English comedian who had a successful career in British television and film. ‘Dallas’ star Larry Hagman, who played the villainous J.R. He developed liver cancer and cirrhosis of the liver in the 1990s due to decades of drinking, and underwent a life-saving liver transplant.
Widow of Jimmy Hayes, Hockey Star Who Died in 2021, Reacts to Deaths of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau
He had spent time in rehab to treat his alcoholism but following his death, it was ruled that he had taken his own life through alcohol poisoning. The singer Billie Holiday was a key influence in both jazz and popular music in the 1940s and 1950s, but this shining star lived a hard life. After a diagnosis of cirrhosis, she gave up drinking—but it’s not always so simple. She fell off the wagon and was imprisoned for drug possession, dying in a New York hospital in 1959 at the age of 44.
In 1964, at the age 50, Ladd suffered a cerebral edema caused by an acute overdose of alcohol, barbiturates, and tranquilizers containing depressants. David Cassidy was a teen idol on The Partridge Family in the early. In 2017, he was hospitalized with liver and kidney failure at the age of 67. According to his daughter, Cassidy’s last words were “So much wasted time.”
His actual death was sudden, but his health had been gallbladder and alcohol declining for many years due to alcoholism. Johnny and Matthew were killed on Aug. 29 by a driver suspected to be under the influence of alcohol in New Jersey. The brothers were biking on County Route 551 North just after 8 p.m. “He was kind, an incredible actor, and dear friend, who was beloved by our GH family and fans of Nikolas Cassadine,” Valentini added. “On behalf of everyone at ‘General Hospital,’ our heartfelt sympathies go out to his loved ones during this difficult time.”
This was not Dunn’s first DUI offense, and he was known to struggle with addiction. The coroner’s inquest revealed that Bonham had been on a real bender the day before his death, and reports suggest he had kicked off the day with 16 shots of vodka at breakfast. Errol Flynn was an Australian-born actor who rose to fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was best known for playing maverick house sober living romantic swashbuckler roles. He was charged with two counts of death by auto and arrested, and the investigation remains ongoing, police said.
Celebrities Who Died of Alcoholism
Christopher was found “unresponsive in his bedroom” by a friend, who called 911, according to the medical examiner report. Holden himself died from bleeding out after he fell over inebriated and knocked his head. Amy Winehouse- British singer Amy Winehouse was known worldwide for her incredibly soulful voice, but unfortunately also for her struggles with addiction. She died of alcohol poisoning in her London flat in 2011. The cause of his death was hemorrhages as a result of alcoholism.
Christopher married ESPN reporter Brienne Pedigo in 2008, and Pedigo filed for divorce in 2019. He was previously married to “Desperate Housewives” actor Eva Longoria in 2002. Billie Holiday is widely considered one of the most influential female vocalists of fun recovery games for groups the jazz and blues genres.
Tyler Christopher, late ‘General Hospital’ star, died of alcohol-induced asphyxia
- In 2021, he was found dead in his home at the age of 38 with no clear cause of death.
- Probably now known best as Drew Barrymore’s grandfather, John Barrymore was a pioneer in early Hollywood.
- When it comes to public battles with addiction, alcohol abuse is often sidelined.
- He was experiencing delirium tremens, a severe form of alcohol withdrawal, which led to an accident that landed him in the hospital with a fractured skull.
- Errol Flynn was an Australian-born actor who rose to fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood.
- He was 55 when he suffered a fatal heart attack in 2002.
The list you’re viewing has a variety of people in it, like George Best and Guy Burgess. In November 2019, Christopher “underwent life-saving craniotomy surgery” after hitting his head against a bathtub while experiencing alcohol withdrawals, he told Bloomberg Law. At age 9, Christopher had his first drink, he told Benard on the State Of Mind with Maurice Benard podcast in 2022. “When you become an addict at 9 years old, fast forward 40 years, at some point, you cannot survive it,” Christopher said.
He continued his career in the US, expanding his work from dancing to acting. Johnny’s team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, issued a statement on Friday, saying, “The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy.” Jimmy’s brother, Kevin Hayes, grew to become close friends with Johnny. Jimmy and Johnny played at Boston College, where both late hockey stars made names for themselves before being drafted into the NHL. “Unimaginable news this morning. Heartbroken. There are no words,” Kristen wrote in her post, adding a broken heart emoji. The photo Kristen shared to her Stories was originally posted by the Missin’ Curfew podcast account, which Jimmy was a host of before his death.
Cassidy went on to have a successful career as a musician but his life was troubled behind the scenes. In 2008, he admitted publicly that he had a drinking problem. In 2017, he died of liver and kidney failure as a result of years of alcohol abuse. Famous as the original lead singer for Australia’s AC/DC, the Scottish-born Bon Scott lived the rock and roll lifestyle. Being admitted to the hospital for an overdose in 1975 didn’t stop him from excessive drinking and drug use.
Thomas Kinkade was a popular painter of colorful, quaint, and idyllic subjects, achieving success in mass marketing prints of his work. Never a critical darling, Kinkade sold millions of prints of his work. In 2012 Kinkade ODed from a combination of drinking and diazepam at the age of 54. Probably now known best as Drew Barrymore’s grandfather, John Barrymore was a pioneer in early Hollywood.