Actors You May Not Know Are Dead

When we sit down to watch celebrities at the movies or on TV, we tend to develop special—and sometimes surprisingly deep—bonds with them over time. So when they're gone too soon, it can be devastating for fans, especially when we don't even realize we've lost them and don't find out until after the fact.

You may not know some of these actors by name, but you almost certainly know many of their faces, and you may well have been personally affected by some of their work. A number of of your favorite movies or shows feature actors that have been taken from the world well before their time, and with that in mind, we're taking the opportunity to pay tribute to those too-brief legacies with a look at some of the many celebrities who have passed away before their time—and may not have gotten a proper sendoff from the public. 

Brad Renfro skyrocketed to fame at age 11 through his acclaimed work in Joel Schumacher's adaptation of "The Client" by John Grisham. High profile roles quickly followed, and Renfro made appearances in "Sleepers" opposite Brad Pitt, "Ghost World" alongside Scarlett Johansson, and "The Informers" starring Kim Basinger.

Yet as his star continued to rise onscreen, Renfro faced a darker path behind the scenes, one that would ultimately see him fulfilling the sad destiny of many child actors, plunging into a life of illegal drug use and trouble with the law. After pleading no contest to attempted possession of heroin—a charge he incurred when he tried to buy drugs from an undercover L.A. police officer—Renfro spent 10 days in jail. On January 15, 2008, at 25 years old, Renfro's turbulent story reached a tragic end when he was found dead of an accidental heroin and morphine overdose in his apartment in Los Angeles.  

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Lee Thompson Young's star vehicle, "The Famous Jett Jackson," was a very popular show on The Disney Channel for some time—and found the young up-and-comer working alongside Rachel McAdams, who at the time was also a rising star. Like a lot of budding Hollywood hopefuls who latch on with the Disney machine, Young was able to use "Jackson" as a springboard into other projects: "Friday Night Lights," "Akeelah and the Bee," and "The Hills Have Eyes II" are some of the few films later added to Young's brief but impressive resume.

Sadly, his promising career would soon be cut short: Young was diagnosed with bipolar disorder while working as a series regular on "Rizzoli and Isles," and like many people who have the condition, he struggled with the symptoms. On August 19, 2013, his life came to a tragic end after he committed suicide with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Dana Plato played Kimberly Drummond in the long-running hit television series "Diff'rent Strokes." Cast alongside fellow child stars Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges, she was catapulted to instant stardom. To cope with the mounting pressures of fame, Plato often indulged in cocaine and marijuana off the set—yet it wasn't until she became pregnant that the network released her from her contract, helping trigger a downward spiral of drugs and alcohol that included work in adult films and a spread in Playboy magazine.

Plato's fellow "Diff'rent Strokes" castmates had their own struggles after the show ended, but her trajectory took an even darker turn. She later moved to Las Vegas, where, desperate for cash, she robbed a store for less than $200 and was bonded out of jail by Vegas entertainer Wayne Newton. She died at the age of 34 on May 8, 1999, in her RV in Oklahoma after taking a fatal dose of lortab and valium.

Best known for her work starring as Mel Gibson's daughter in the blockbuster "The Patriot," Skye McCole Bartusiak was a child actor with a promising future. She made her film debut in "The Cider House Rules" in 1999 and starred with Michael Douglas and Brittany Murphy in "Don't Say a Word" in 2001. She also appeared in the film "Kill your Darlings" with "True Blood" star Alexander Skarsgard in 2006.

Unfortunately, Bartusiak's life behind the scenes wasn't as glamorous as fans might have assumed—and included some dangerous habits that would end up contributing to her untimely demise. The combined drug cocktail of hydrocodone, the refrigerant difluoroethane, and the muscle relaxer carisoprodol led to an accidental overdose in 2014. According to Bartusiak's mother, the young star had also been suffering from epileptic seizures prior to her passing, which led the family to initially believe she'd choked to death before the coroner's ruling made the tragic truth clear. 

Lisa Robin Kelly made audiences laugh for several seasons as part of the ensemble cast of Fox's long-running hit sitcom "That '70s Show," but behind the scenes, her real life wasn't funny at all.

Kelly's lengthy battle with drug and alcohol addiction wasn't completely hidden from fans. Her struggle with sobriety played out in public during her time on "That '70s Show" and ultimately cost her her job on the series, derailing what seemed to be a promising career and setting up the dark final chapter of her too-short life.

After making various attempts to triumph over her problems with substance abuse over a period of years, Kelly checked into rehab in August 2013; unfortunately, her decision to get clean turned out to be too late to save her from the disease. After checking in, Kelly passed away in her sleep due to complications from an accidental overdose. She was only 43.

Michael Clarke Duncan's imposing bulk and towering physique made him a natural for "big guy" roles, but under that impressive glower, he really had dramatic chops—and unlike a lot of actors booked for that strong-but-silent type of part, he got a chance to display that dramatic breadth on multiple occasions, and he made the most of each one.

Clarke's too-brief filmography includes an admirably eclectic array of roles, including memorable supporting turns in "Armageddon" and "Daredevil" as well as a beautifully sensitive starring performance in the big-screen adaptation of Stephen King's "The Green Mile."

Although he initially appeared destined for a career of character actor roles, Duncan's Oscar-nominated "Green Mile" performance proved he had the potential for leading parts. Indeed, Duncan seemed poised for decades of box office success and critical acclaim, and he should have had a much longer career, but he was felled by a heart attack in 2012 at the age of 54.

One of Hollywood's all-time ultimate "That Guy" actors, Taylor Negron compiled a truly impressive list of classic screen credits without ever becoming a household name in his own right. Although he tended to be on screen for no more than a few moments at a time, Negron's deadpan delivery made him a fan favorite among film aficionados of the '80s—and a standout in pictures like "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and "Better Off Dead."

Later in his career, Negron made memorable appearances on hit TV shows like "Seinfeld" and "Friends," but as much fun as he could be onscreen, he was even more interesting behind the scenes. In addition to acting, Negron was an acclaimed writer whose work included published collections of short stories, as well as a trained painter whose work was shown in multiple galleries. He was only 57 when he died in early 2015, a victim of liver cancer.

Critically maligned and pretty much ignored at the box office, "Rocky V" is indisputably the least loved film of Sylvester Stallone's long-running boxing franchise. Take a careful look under its cheesier elements, however, and you can see the outline of a truly affecting story about a former heavyweight champ going broke, losing his ability to box, and nearly losing his relationship with his son.

To help tell the story, Stallone brought in his own 14-year-old son, Sage, to play the part of Robert "Rocky Jr." Balboa in the film, and the young Stallone's time on the set clearly made a positive impression: after college, Sage continued working in the industry in small, low-key projects, carving out a career in his own right apart from his blockbuster-leading father. Unfortunately, Sage died on July 13, 2012, at the young age of 36 due to a heart attack brought on by coronary artery disease.

While you might not recognize Richard Bonehill's face, you'll certainly recognize some of the characters he's played over the years, especially if you're a "Star Wars" fan.

Bonehill's history as a competitive fencer and swordsmanship coach gave him a strong leg up in Hollywood, helping him land work on the likes of "Highlander," "Flash Gordon," and "Doctor Who." In addition to that impressive list of genre credits, he also played a variety of characters in "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi."

For the most part, Bonehill filled various background roles, including multiple stormtroopers and Rebel Alliance soldiers, but he landed one part that truly stood out from the rest. If you've seen the original "Star Wars" trilogy (and who hasn't?), you'll probably best remember him as Nien Nunb, Lando Calrissian's alien co-pilot on the Millennium Falcon during the attack on the second Death Star in "Return of the Jedi." Bonehill passed away on February 4, 2015, at the age of 67.

One of The Original Kings of Comedy next to Cedric the Entertainer, D. L. Hughley, and Steve Harvey, Bernie Mac built his hugely successful career through a stand-up routine heavily influenced by Richard Pryor. That in and of itself isn't unusual—countless comedians were inspired by Pryor—but Mac used that cornerstone to build a presence and style that was uniquely his own.

That hard work paid off in Hollywood with a series of high-profile roles. Many might recognize Mac as Ice Cube's neighbor, Pastor Clever, in the movie "Friday." He'd go on to star in "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle," "Ocean's Eleven," "Transformers," and more, and also headlined a sitcom, loosely based on his own experiences, called "The Bernie Mac Show." During the last years of his life, Mac suffered from sarcoidosis, which heavily affected his lungs, and he succumbed to pneumonia complications on August 9, 2008, at the age of 50.

"Whatchoo talkin' 'bout Willis?" Kids of the '70s and '80s—not to mention anyone who enjoys the classic sitcoms of the era—will immediately recognize the immortal catchphrase Gary Coleman coined as an adorable kid on the long-running hit sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes."

Coleman's diminutive stature helped him continue to play younger characters throughout much of his career, and at the peak of his fame, he landed a series of film and television roles. Unfortunately, his young looks and peak height of 4'8" were side effects of an autoimmune kidney disease, combined with the medications he took throughout his life to fight it. Work in Hollywood became harder to come by after Strokes left the airwaves, and behind the scenes, he underwent frequent dialysis treatments, and was forced to undergo two kidney transplants. After a fall at his home, Coleman died on May 28, 2010, of an epidural hematoma at the age of 42.

A veteran stage, film, and television actor, Richard Griffiths is known by the masses for his portrayal of Harry Potter's uncle, Vernon Dursley. While Dursley was for the most part always cruel to the young wizard, he was still a part of Harry's family—and he ultimately helped prove that the Boy Who Lived had a golden heart because he still cared for the uncle who treated him poorly.

Outside of the "Harry Potter" series, Griffiths won a slew of awards over the course of a busy career, earning particular acclaim for his portrayal of English teacher Douglas Hector in a play called "The History Boys." He also starred in a variety of projects, including "Superman II," "Gandhi," "Sleepy Hollow," "King Ralph," "Hugo," "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," and "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." Griffiths passed away at 65 on March 28, 2013, due to complications shortly after having heart surgery.

As the first two actors to play Mario and Luigi in live-action roles, "Captain" Lou Albano and Danny Wells entertained millions of children from 1989-1991 on "The Super Mario Bros. Super Show." The show featured Albano and Wells playing the two beloved plumbers during live-action sequences at their Brooklyn residence, often with a celebrity guest, before switching over to a cartoon episode of "Super Mario Bros." or "The Legend of Zelda." Albano and Wells also voiced Mario and Luigi in the "Mario Bros." cartoon episodes. Captain Lou was known for a prominent professional wrestling career that started in 1953 and ended in 1995—he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame a year later. Albano died on October 14, 2009 from a heart attack at the age of 76, leaving behind a wrestling legacy that includes one of his grand-nephews, former MMA/UFC fighter and professional wrestler Phil Baroni.

Danny Wells, who played Luigi, was known for his TV guest appearances on the likes of "The Jeffersons," "Happy Days," "Punky Brewster," "Chips," "The A-Team," "Sanford and Son," and "Starsky & Hutch." He also did voice acting for "Heathcliff," "Batman: The Animated Series," and more. He died of undisclosed causes on November 28, 2013.

Exactly where you remember esteemed actor Edward Herrmann from depends on whether you favor musicals, vampire movies, medical TV shows, or fast-talking mother-daughter family dramas.

Herrmann is best recognized today for his role as pompous but warm-hearted patriarch Richard Gilmore in the series "Gilmore Girls." Richard's dry sense of humor and quiet authority contrasted with the quick wit and constant banter that flew between his wife Emily (Kelly Bishop), daughter Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and granddaughter Rory (Alexis Bledel).

Offscreen, Herrmann and Bishop, both classically trained and meticulous about their craft, were especially close. Herrmann's wife Star, whom he married in 1994, would joke that Bishop was his other wife. In Herrmann's final moments, his family invited Bishop to say goodbye with them.

Before his longest-running role in "Gilmore Girls," Herrmann worked regularly on TV and in movies. He was nominated for an Emmy for playing a priest in the medical drama "St. Elsewhere," and won one for the legal series "The Practice." He played Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1982 adaptation of "Annie"—having previously played the President for a miniseries and TV movie in the late '70s. And in 1987, he played a stepfather from Hell (literally) in the vampire movie "The Lost Boys."

Herrmann died of brain cancer, aged 71, on December 31, 2014. In the Netflix revival of "Gilmore Girls," it was revealed that Richard had also died, sparking big changes for Emily in particular.

Kathryn Joosten was in her 50s when she started working consistently in notoriously youth-centric Hollywood in the mid 1990s. She'd started acting in 1980, after realizing she was missing out on following her dreams.

Despite her late start, Joosten built a career playing one-off but always memorable characters in hit TV series. Her credits include "3rd Rock From the Sun," "ER," "Roseanne," "Seinfeld," "Frasier," "The Nanny," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," and "The X Files," to name just a few. Later she would add the likes of "Charmed," "Will & Grace," "Gilmore Girls," and "Grey's Anatomy" to that list. In short, name a hit show of the '90s and '00s, and Joosten probably appeared in it. 

Her most memorable guest appearance was as a woman who refused treatment for kidney failure in Season 1 of "Scrubs." The episode, "My Old Lady," consistently ranks as a fan favorite.

In addition to those guest roles, Joosten landed regular parts in two major series. She played President Bartlet's (Martin Sheen) steely secretary in two seasons of "The West Wing," combining her talents for fast-paced drama and comedy, and nosy but occasionally helpful neighbor Karen McCluskey in "Desperate Housewives."

Joosten was first treated for lung cancer in 2001, the year "My Old Lady" aired. She was undergoing treatment while making the final season of "Desperate Housewives," which was written into her character's arc. McCluskey died in the series finale. Joosten died two weeks after that episode aired, on June 2, 2012, aged 72.

Warning: This story involves domestic violence, including against children.

If you're one of the few people who made it all the way through the "Jaws" franchise to the fourth movie—1987's "Jaws: The Revenge"—you may recognize Judith Barsi as the young granddaughter of Police Chief Martin Brody (originally played by Roy Scheider).

Before that movie came out, Barsi had already had small parts in well-known TV series including "Knots Landing," "The Twilight Zone," "Cheers," "Punky Brewster," and "Cagney & Lacey." Today, she is best remembered for two Don Bluth feature animations: She voiced Ducky, an excitable young dinosaur of undetermined species, in 1988's "The Land Before Time," and animal whisperer Anne-Marie in "All Dogs Go to Heaven."

On July 25, 1988, four months before "The Land Before Time" premiered that November, Judith, age 10, and her mother Maria were shot dead by Judith's abusive father Jozsef, who then killed himself. According to the Los Angeles Times, a neighbor said that Maria had lived in fear for herself and her daughter. She was trying to leave Jozsef, but feared he would find and kill them. 

Both "The Land Before Time" and "All Dogs Go to Heaven" came out after Judith and Maria's deaths. Actor Heather Hogan voiced Ducky in subsequent "Land Before Time" sequels.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

If you're a millennial who grew up wishing you could have an identical twin to swap lives with, you probably remember Natasha Richardson best for her role as the extremely cool fashion designer mom in the Lindsay Lohan-led remake of "The Parent Trap."

That was Richardson's most prominent screen role, but she had a prestigious stage career. It started with a touring version of "The Seagull" which ended in London's West End, with Richardson appearing opposite her mother, renowned British actor Vanessa Redgrave.

TV fans may know Vanessa best for her role as Dr. Erica Noughton in "Nip/Tuck," opposite her other daughter and Natasha's sister, Joely Richardson. (Also known to fans from "The Parent Trap" era as Anita in the 1996 live-action adaptation of "101 Dalmatians.")

As you've probably noted, Natasha was part of an acting dynasty. Her grandfather Sir Michael Redgrave, Vanessa's father, was famous for tragedies. Natasha's aunt, Lynn Redgrave, Vanessa's sister, was an Oscar-nominated theater superstar. Lynn and Vanessa's brother, Corin Redgrave, was a stage actor and playwright, and may be best remembered onscreen for playing Hamish in "Four Weddings and a Funeral."

Natasha met actor Liam Neeson when they starred opposite each other in a Broadway production of "Anna Christie." She was nominated for a Tony for the role, and the two later married and had two sons together.

Natasha died suddenly of head injuries sustained during a skiing trip on March 18, 2009. She was 45.

Before getting his big break, Michael K. Williams was consistently cast as one-dimensional criminals. He was a young Black man in a white industry that didn't know how to tell diverse stories about people who looked like him. Also, he had a distinctive facial scar from the time someone attacked him with a razor–something else Hollywood didn't know what to do with.

Williams' big break came courtesy of "The Wire" character Omar Little, an armed robber who targets drug dealers, and the most feared man in a territory ruled by violence. But Little wasn't a carbon copy of those previous characters. For one thing, he was openly gay, in a homophobic society that mocked gay men as weak. For another, he was known to give some of his ill-gotten gains to people in his much-in-need community.

After playing Omar, Williams landed roles in several prestigious series, including crime drama "The Night Of," "When We Rise," about the gay civil rights movement, and a recurring part as a racketeer in Prohibition drama "Boardwalk Empire." He even got to show off his comedy skills in "Community." In 2019, he appeared in Ava DuVernay's "When They See Us," as the father of one of the wrongly accused Central Park Five. In 2021, he was nominated for an Emmy—his fifth—for the HBO series "Lovecraft County."

Williams died at the age of 54 on September 6, 2021, of what was later confirmed as a drug overdose.

A classically trained Shakespearian actor, Helen McCrory made a name for herself on stage and in a number of fan-favorite films and television series. After studying at the Drama Centre, McCrory debuted in the London theater in shows like "The Importance of Being Earnest." She eventually went on to win rave reviews for a number of her characters, showing skill at portraying conniving villains like Lady Macbeth and hopeful heroines like Rosalind in "As You Like It."

For those who don't frequent the London theater, McCrory was probably best known for playing Narcissa Malfoy in the "Harry Potter" film franchise. Other film credits include "Skyfall," "Hugo," "The Queen," and more. On television, McCrory played Madame Kali in "Penny Dreadful," provided the voice for Stelmaria on "His Dark Materials," and owned every scene she appeared in as Polly Gray on "Peaky Blinders." She passed away at the age of 52 from breast cancer while filming the sixth season of "Peaky Blinders," and certain storylines actually had to be rewritten due to her untimely death.

When it came to the characters on "Saved by the Bell," the odd man out was often Sam Powers, better known as Screech. The "Saved by the Bell" bunch boasted a nice collection of stereotyped characters, and Screech was the dork. Though Screech was often used as an ancillary character, often aiding the schemes of Zack and Slater, actor Dustin Diamond was able to showcase his comedic talent and helped carve out a solid identity for a character that could have easily been a throwaway member of the central cast.

Like his character, however, Diamond was kind of the odd man out of the main cast. After the show ended, Diamond struggled to land substantial roles, and often found himself at the center of bizarre controversies. A sex tape was leaked in 2006—one that Diamond later admitted he himself released, with a body double replacing him in most of the scenes—and Diamond would also release a behind-the-scenes tell-all book called "Behind the Bell," in which he aired out all the dirty laundry on his "Saved by the Bell" costars. He would later admit that a ghostwriter made up almost everything in the book.

Diamond passed away from lung cancer in 2021. He was 44 years old.

Robbie Coltrane was a total chameleon of an actor. His characters were capable of displaying warmth, silliness, and love, while also showcasing fearsome strength and darkness. To be able to do this once or twice was impressive—to be able to do it again and again was some serious talent. It's no wonder Coltrane was honored as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2006. 

Coltrane jumped between comic and dramatic roles with ease. His best-known characters came from the world of film. He portrayed Valentin Zukovsky, a former KGB officer and frenemy of James Bond, in "Goldeneye" and "The World Is Not Enough," and his fame jumped even higher when he was cast as gamekeeper Rubeus Hagrid in the "Harry Potter" film franchise. Playing one of the warmest characters in a beloved franchise helped cement Coltrane's acting legacy.

On the television side of things, Coltrane regularly appeared in TV movies and miniseries where he got to flex his acting muscles. He's probably best known for the crime drama "Cracker," where he starred as Dr. Edward "Fitz" Fitzgerald.

Coltrane died on October 14, 2022, due to ongoing health complications. He was 72 years old.

In the world of classic television, not many shows stand above their peers like "Happy Days." It ran for over a decade of television, featuring 11 seasons and over 250 episodes, and also helped launch the careers of notable actors like Ron Howard, Henry Winkler, and Scott Baio. One other actor who appeared on every season of "Happy Days," and starred in one of its spin-offs, was Erin Moran.

Moran played Joanie Cunningham, the younger sister of Richie and Chuck, who eventually starts dating Chachi. As the young couple started gaining popularity on the show, a spin-off series called "Joanie Loves Chachi" was created. This new series was about the young couple trying to start a musical act, and episodes featured performances from Baio and Moran. "Joanie Loves Chachi" was not as well-received as "Happy Days," and was canceled during its second season. The characters popped back up on "Happy Days" and actually got married in the final episode.

Moran continued to find work after "Happy Days," but never really returned to the spotlight. She struggled with cancer later in life, and died in 2017 at the age of 56.

Even if you've never seen something she's appeared in, you've probably seen pictures of Raquel Welch. Like Ursula Andress, Welch was a major sex symbol in the 1960s and beyond. She made her first splash with the film "One Million Years B.C." She shot to fame due to appearing on the film's poster clad only in an animal-skin bikini. She only had a handful of lines in the film, but that image was more than enough to make her a household name.

Outside of that, Welch is probably best known for roles in films like the 1973 version of "The Three Musketeers," "Hannie Caulder," "Kansas City Bomber," "Myra Breckinridge," "Bedazzled," and "Right to Die." She was a regular guest on celebrity specials and game shows, and also had recurring roles on a handful of short-lived series, like 2008's "Welcome to the Captain" and 2017's "Date My Dad."

Raquel Welch died on February 15, 2023, at the age of 82.