These celebrities may be gone, but they'll never be forgotten. For this list, we’ll be remembering those celebrities who are particularly missed, actors who perhaps had more to give to the craft they loved.
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00:00Oh, I'll tell you all about it when I see you again.
00:06Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down
00:09the 20 actors who died too soon.
00:12Hey yo, this yours?
00:17Who are you?
00:24For this list, we'll be remembering those celebrities
00:26who are particularly missed.
00:29Actors who perhaps had more to give to the craft they loved.
00:32What are your memories of these performers?
00:34Let us know in the comments.
00:3720.
00:38Chris Farley
00:39Some actors just possess this larger-than-life presence, a charisma that permeates everything
00:45they do.
00:46Chris Farley was one of these people.
00:48A beloved comic actor whose work on Saturday Night Live would assist in transitioning him
00:53into a successful film career.
00:55You're using your paper not for writing, but for rolling doobies.
01:00You're gonna be doing a lot of doobie rolling when you're living in a van down by the river.
01:09Farley just left Goodwill wherever he went, a funny man with the ability to connect on
01:14a personal level with his audience.
01:16Weight was always an issue in Farley's life, however.
01:20Combined with a substance abuse disorder that mirrored Chris's idol John Belushi.
01:24Everybody on?
01:25Good.
01:26Great.
01:27Grand.
01:28Wonderful.
01:29No yelling on the bus!
01:31It was an overdose of cocaine and morphine, combined with Farley's history of atherosclerosis
01:37that ultimately cost the man his life on December 18, 1997.
01:4219.
01:43John Candy
01:45John Candy was a mainstay of comedic cinema in the 1980s.
01:49A supremely likable and warm presence that burned brightly in classics like Spaceballs,
01:54Uncle Buck, and The Great Outdoors.
01:56That was quite a surprise.
01:58I mean, you got me.
02:01And the whole week you'll be here.
02:05Okay.
02:06Oh, wow.
02:09Candy wasn't just a foil for goofiness either, as the man also earned acting credits in horror
02:15films like The Clown Murders or thrillers like The Silent Partner.
02:19Stress and anxiety allegedly followed Candy throughout his personal and professional life,
02:25while his weight also fluctuated based on the actor's tendency to binge eat in response
02:30to these stressors.
02:31No, but herein you got a little bit of a dilemma there.
02:34We got a crisis ourselves.
02:35Allow me to introduce myself.
02:36Gus Polinski.
02:37How are you?
02:38Polka King of the Midwest.
02:43John Candy's death from a fatal heart attack on March 4th, 1994 left a huge hole in the
02:49hearts of his fans, friends, and family.
02:52He was a truly unique talent.
02:55Number 18.
02:56Corey Haim.
02:57The legacy of Corey Haim shouldn't solely be as a cautionary tale for child actors,
03:03but it's also important to recognize how early success was detrimental to the young man's
03:08life.
03:09Corey Haim was a great actor, who perhaps never got to achieve his full potential despite
03:14standout performances in The Lost Boys, Lucas, and Silver Bullet.
03:18This is for the good guys.
03:29Corey was in and out of rehab over a dozen times throughout his life, and had a contentious
03:34relationship with his frequent partner in cinematic crime, Corey Feldman.
03:38Get on.
03:39I'll drive you home.
03:40No way, man.
03:41Look, I have a driver's exam to take Saturday.
03:42I don't want to get killed.
03:43Less.
03:44Your license is just as important to me as it is to you.
03:45I'll take it easy.
03:46Haim also claimed he was a victim of abuse as a younger actor.
03:55Corey died on March 10th, 2010, the result of multiple factors, including pneumonia.
04:01Number 17.
04:02Naya Rivera.
04:03There have been a number of high-profile deaths behind the scenes of the Fox series
04:08Glee.
04:09Naya Rivera was a member of this tragic club, a young actress whose death came as a true
04:13shock to her fans.
04:23Rivera worked as an actor, musician, and activist over the course of her life, and enjoyed a
04:28career that started way back at the tender age of four.
04:32Naya was also a mother, a fact that made her loss all the more tragic.
04:37Her body was recovered from Lake Piru, California on July 13th, 2020, after drowning five days
04:43before while swimming with her son.
04:46Naya and her four-year-old son, Josie, were alone that fateful day.
04:51That apparently made the difference between life and death.
04:54Number 16.
04:55Cameron Boyce.
04:57Cameron Boyce didn't let epilepsy slow down his red-hot career as a Disney Channel star.
05:02The young actor appeared on shows like Jessie and in the Descendants franchise, after cutting
05:07his teeth as a child actor on films like the 2008 horror flick Mirrors.
05:22Boyce would continue to work for the Disney brand, taking lead roles on shows like Jake
05:27and the Neverland Pirates.
05:28Boyce died in his sleep on July 6th, 2019, as a result of a seizure that occurred over
05:33the course of the night.
05:35He was only 20 years old.
05:44Number 15.
05:45Jane Mansfield.
05:46The life of Hollywood bombshell Jane Mansfield was many things, but it was never boring.
05:59The sex symbol of the silver screen was associated with the Church of Satan, did the first nude
06:04scene of the modern post-silent film era, and was never far from the headlines or her
06:09legions of admirers.
06:12Mansfield was also an early Playboy playmate, appearing multiple times throughout the late
06:171950s and into the 60s.
06:29Mariska Hargitay's mom was an icon in life, but her death was tragic in equal measure.
06:35Jane Mansfield was killed on June 29, 1967, along with her driver and attorney, after
06:41the car they were in collided with a tractor trailer.
06:45Three of her children, including Mariska, were asleep in the back seat, and survived
06:50with minor injuries.
06:52Number 14.
06:53Jonathan Brandes.
06:54It's difficult to know what's going on in someone's life, what they're going
06:58through and how to help.
07:00This applies to celebrities just as much as the rest of us, but we as fans rarely have
07:04any insight behind the Hollywood curtain.
07:12Jonathan Brandes was a teen heartthrob, sure, but he was also a talented young actor.
07:17His work on television, Sequest DSV, was particularly popular, as was his performance as Bill Denbrough
07:24in the 1990 iteration of Stephen King's It.
07:27You killed my brother George, you bastard!
07:31Let's see you now.
07:34Let's see you now.
07:35It scared of us, you know?
07:39I can feel that.
07:40I swear to God I can.
07:42Unfortunately, Brandes' career was in something of a slump around the early 2000s, and he
07:47descended into heavy drinking.
07:49The actor would ultimately take his own life in November 2003.
07:53Number 13.
07:55Robin Williams.
07:56The saying, this one hurts, doesn't even begin to describe how fans of Robin Williams
08:01felt when the comic legend left this world on August 11th, 2014.
08:06The man's resume speaks for itself.
08:08From his humble origins on Mork & Mindy to breakout, career-defining roles on Good Will
08:13Hunting, Mrs. Doubtfire, The Birdcage, and Jumanji.
08:17You think monkeys, mosquitoes, and lions are bad.
08:21That's just the beginning.
08:24I've seen things you've only seen in your nightmares.
08:27Elsewhere, Williams' stand-up work and his voice acting on classics like Aladdin endeared
08:31him to more fans around the world.
08:34Excuse me?
08:35Are you looking at me?
08:37Did you rub my lamp?
08:38Did you wake me up?
08:40Did you bring me here?
08:41And all of a sudden you're walking out on me?
08:43I don't think so.
08:45Although the man is gone, his legacy lives forever, and his work continues to entertain
08:50and influence millions around the world.
08:53Number 12.
08:54Anton Yelchin.
08:56To discuss the loss of Anton Yelchin is to mourn what might have been.
09:00This is because the career of this promising actor seemed to be just hitting its stride
09:05before it was horribly cut short by a tragic accident.
09:09Yelchin had earned rave reviews for his ability to vacillate between blockbuster features
09:13like the Star Trek reboots and darker indie fares such as 2015's nail-biting thriller
09:19Green Room.
09:20We would rather wait for the police.
09:23He's fine, but he's gonna wait too.
09:27Anton could seemingly do it all, and fans can only wonder what the actor might have
09:31achieved on future projects.
09:34Yelchin was tragically crushed by his Jeep Grand Cherokee on June 19th, 2016 while checking
09:40his mail.
09:41Police tell ABC News Yelchin got out of his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee while pulling out
09:47of his steep driveway, the vehicle apparently rolling back, fatally pinning him against
09:52this gate.
09:53A wrongful death lawsuit was filed against Fiat Chrysler by Anton's parents after his
09:57death and was settled out of court.
10:00Number 11.
10:01Brittany Murphy.
10:03Brittany Murphy had a lot going for her before her untimely death on December 20th, 2009.
10:09She had broken out with some varied and engaging work after first making a name for herself
10:14with the 90s teen flick Clueless.
10:16You don't think that we mesh well.
10:18I was like, why am I even listening to you to begin with?
10:23You're a virgin who can't drive.
10:26Murphy proved she could handle dramas like Girl Interrupted and 8 Mile.
10:30She also shined in horror films and thrillers like Cherry Falls and Don't Say a Word.
10:35The actress even managed to escape the world of rom-coms unscathed with Just Married, proving
10:40her versatility and dedication to her craft.
10:51Her death was shrouded in controversy, however, with disputes as to the actual nature of her
10:56demise contrasting the official record of pneumonia.
11:01Number 10.
11:02Paul Walker.
11:03The Fast and Furious franchise may have continued on after the untimely death of its star, Paul
11:08Walker, but it never forgot the legacy Walker lent to those early entries.
11:13Brian Earl Spilmer sounds like a serial killer name.
11:16Is that what you are?
11:17No, man.
11:18Don't come around here again.
11:19Hey, man, you know this is bullshit.
11:24Walker's movie star good looks belied an acting talent that worked well within big-budget
11:29action movie parameters.
11:31The man's presence loomed large not only in the Fast and Furious movies, but also in more
11:35underrated roles, such as Walker's work in the 2006 film Running Scared.
11:40All right, Nick, listen to me.
11:42I want you to think really hard about where your friend might be right now, because the
11:45others are looking for him.
11:46And if they find him first, I'm-
11:48He won't find the gun.
11:49What did you say?
11:50Unfortunately, the world never got to see what Paul Walker might have done on future
11:54projects, as the actor was involved in a fatal car accident on November 30th, 2013.
12:00Number 9.
12:01Sharon Tate
12:02It's unfair to associate the legacy of Sharon Tate solely with that of the Manson family.
12:08This is not only due to the horrible crimes with which Manson and his gang were associated,
12:13but also Tate herself, who shone on the silver screen like the brightest burning star.
12:18I'm not disturbing you, am I?
12:21Not at all, not at all.
12:24I...
12:25I just don't know what to do with myself.
12:28I get so bored.
12:30You can't imagine how bored I get.
12:32The actress's beauty was undeniable, but it didn't define her, and Sharon Tate was
12:37equally adept at comedy, as well as performances that required her to do her own stunts.
12:42She even trained with the legendary Bruce Lee while working on the spy picture The Wrecking
12:46Crew.
12:48Mr. Helm?
12:49Yes?
12:50Oh!
12:51Oh!
12:52I'm free!
12:53Welcome to Denmark, Mr. Helm.
12:57You always greet people like this?
12:59Sharon Tate may not have been able to achieve her full acting potential, but she'll always
13:04be remembered as an icon.
13:06Number 8.
13:07Marilyn Monroe
13:08The level of talent present within Marilyn Monroe could actually be compared to that
13:13of Sharon Tate, since both actresses employed great comedic timing to offset their striking
13:18beauty.
13:19Monroe's legacy today as a Hollywood icon is secure, thanks to her legions of fans around
13:24the world.
13:25You kind of like that song, don't you, Mrs. Lewis?
13:28There isn't any other song.
13:30Still, it's the mysterious circumstances of her death, and the pain of knowing what
13:34might have been, that still haunt many of those same people.
13:37We'll never know whether or not Marilyn Monroe would have broken through even further from
13:42the movie parts that went on to define her career, such as Some Like It Hot and The Seven-Year
13:46Itch.
13:47Oh, do you feel the breeze from the subway?
13:48Isn't it delicious?
13:53Her barbiturate overdose on August 4, 1962, remains one of the most contested celebrity
13:59deaths of all time.
14:01Number 7.
14:02James Dean
14:03James Dean may be young and handsome forever, but this doesn't mean that his fans don't
14:08wish that the Hollywood legend could have achieved more throughout his too-brief career.
14:13You forgave him because you threw a ring of his worth $3,000 into the river.
14:17That's right.
14:18And you forgave him?
14:19That's right.
14:20Dean was the epitome of teenage cool, a spirit of rebellion, and the refusal to compromise.
14:26For many, his role as Jim Stark in 1955's Rebel Without a Cause was a definitive one,
14:32a film that offered a more nuanced portrayal of teenage life.
14:36Every time you can't face yourself, you blame it on me.
14:38That is not true.
14:39You say it's because of me, you say it's because of the neighborhood.
14:43No.
14:44You use every other phony excuse.
14:45Mom, I just once, I want to do something right.
14:49Dean didn't need to fall back on his rugged good looks to overcompensate for any lack
14:54of acting ability, as the Academy Award-nominated thespian was able to emote with the best of
14:59his contemporaries.
15:01Stark's car accident on September 30th, 1955, at only 24 years of age, robbed us of
15:07one of Hollywood's most promising talents.
15:10Number six, Judith Barcy.
15:13You may not remember Judith Barcy's Hollywood headshots, but the odds are fairly good that
15:17you'll recall her voice, especially if you grew up in the 80s.
15:21Stay with me.
15:22Anne-Marie.
15:23Huh?
15:24You asked my name, my name is Anne-Marie.
15:27Yeah, sure.
15:29This is because Barcy worked on two of the decade's more successful animated children's
15:32features, All Dogs Go to Heaven and The Land Before Time.
15:36Hello.
15:37I said hello.
15:38What is your name?
15:39Maybe you cannot talk yet.
15:52Barcy started acting when she was young, and never looked back, appearing on television
15:56and earning small roles in movies like Jaws The Revenge.
16:00Her home life was tragically fraught with mistreatment at the hands of her father, however,
16:04and it was this trauma that ultimately led to the demise of Barcy and both her parents
16:09in 1988.
16:11Number five, Bruce Lee.
16:13The career of Bruce Lee was poised to explode with commercial crossover success in 1973,
16:19thanks to the lightning rod that was his film Enter the Dragon.
16:24Sadly, Lee wouldn't live to witness just how much the world would embrace martial arts
16:34cinema in the wake of all his hard work, as the icon died of a cerebral edema on July
16:3920th of that year.
16:41His son Brandon would pass under equally tragic circumstances while following in his famous
16:46father's footsteps.
16:47Lee's son died filming The Crow in 1993 due to human error and negligence with a prop
16:53gun.
16:54Ah, are you some kind of a ghost?
17:00Boo.
17:01Both Lees departed this world far too soon, but their fans will never forget the gifts
17:05Bruce and Brandon left behind.
17:09Number four, River Phoenix.
17:11River Phoenix seemingly had it all, skill, charisma, good looks, and the will to make
17:16it as a star in Hollywood.
17:17It's like God gave you something, man.
17:20All those stories that you can make up.
17:22And he said, this is what we got for you, kid, try not to lose it.
17:26Kids lose everything unless there's someone there to look out for them.
17:28The young actor and musician shined in breakout roles for films like Stand By Me and My Own
17:33Private Idaho.
17:35And who knows where River would have flowed were it not for the tragic events of Halloween
17:39Night 1993.
17:41I could love someone even if I, you know, wasn't paid for it.
17:49I love you and you don't pay me.
17:54Phoenix was at the Viper Room, a popular and trendy LA nightclub that hosted some of Hollywood's
17:59hottest young talent.
18:01River was supposed to perform in a band alongside Friends' Flea and actor Johnny Depp when
18:05he complained of feeling unwell.
18:08Phoenix ultimately passed away from a speedball overdose, a deadly mixture of cocaine and
18:13heroin.
18:14Number 3.
18:15Heather O'Rourke It's always horrible to hear about the passing
18:19of a child actor, never mind one as beloved as Heather O'Rourke.
18:36The charming young actress rose to prominence on the heels of a career-defining performance
18:40as Carol Ann in the Poltergeist franchise.
18:43But O'Rourke also earned praise for her work on sitcoms like Happy Days and Webster.
18:47Webster, do you know what embarrassed means?
18:51Of course I do.
18:53I wasn't born in a rock.
18:55O'Rourke fell ill with intestinal issues in 1987 after contracting giardiasis from infected
19:01well water at her home.
19:03Giardiasis, combined with her diagnosed Crohn's disease, led to the actress fatally succumbing
19:08to congenital stenosis and septic shock on January 31, 1988.
19:13Heather O'Rourke was only 12 years old.
19:17Number 2.
19:18Chadwick Boseman It wasn't only fans of the MCU that mourned
19:22the passing of Chadwick Boseman in 2020.
19:25This is because the actor wasn't remembered only for his role as Wakanda's ruler Black
19:28Panther, but for the entirety of his too-short filmography.
19:40Boseman was a true talent, and it seemed that the sky was the limit for what was almost
19:45sure to be a thriving and varied career.
19:48Boseman could handle intense roles in both drama and action with ease, bringing the same
19:53charisma to the screen that he brought with Black Panther.
20:01Fans were excited to see what was on the horizon.
20:04Sadly, his four-year fight with colon cancer came to an end on August 28, 2020.
20:11Before we name our number one pick, here are some much-missed honorable mentions.
20:15John Ritter – a master of physical comedy.
20:27Natalie Wood – a sudden and mysterious death.
20:39Rebecca Schaefer – her loss led to legislation targeting celebrity stalking.
20:44I feel myself changing already.
20:48I know now my whole life has been a preparation for this journey.
20:54Cory Monteith – a promising career cut short.
20:57Strangers waiting up and down the boulevard.
21:05There's shadows searching in the night.
21:11Dana Plato – a sad ending to a troubled life.
21:14Hi there.
21:16Hi.
21:16Hi, metal mouth.
21:19Oh, Daddy, isn't this delicious?
21:21We've just met and already he's insulting me like a real brother.
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21:42Heath Ledger – there was even more to Heath Ledger than his iconic portrayal
21:46of the Joker in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight.
21:49There's no going back.
21:51You've changed things forever.
21:53And why do you want to kill me?
21:58I don't want to kill you.
22:00What would I do without you?
22:01The talented Aussie actor had already turned heads, with star-making performances in films
22:06like A Knight's Tale, Ned Kelly, and Brokeback Mountain, with the Joker seemingly serving as
22:11just another step in Ledger's impressive evolution as an actor.
22:15Ledger dealt with his own personal demons, however, including insomnia, and it wasn't
22:20long before substance abuse disorder became an issue in the young man's life.
22:24Heath Ledger died on January 22, 2008,
22:28as a result of an acute combined drug intoxication of prescription medication.
22:33You're just too good to be true Can't take my eyes off of you