Movie Actors You May Not Know Have Been Dead For A Long Time

Amanda "Mandy" Peterson — Mandy to her friends — caught the acting bug early. Throughout her elementary school years, she starred in local theater productions in her hometown of Greeley, Colorado. It didn't take long for Peterson to score an agent, and like many child actors, she initially booked ad spots. She starred in over 50 national commercials before she began landing television and film roles. After guest appearances on hit '80s shows like "Silver Spoons" and "Father Murphy," Peterson starred on the big screen in "Explorers" (1984), alongside River Phoenix and Ethan Hawke.

It was Peterson's role as the popular cheerleader, Cindy Mancini, in 1986's "Can't Buy Me Love" that endeared her to audiences. Although she appeared destined for meteoric fame, Peterson's blazing Hollywood career seemed to fizzle by 1994. She retired from acting and returned to life in Colorado.

Peterson struggled to navigate through her post-celebrity life. She indulged in illicit drugs and soon developed a severe addiction. After four arrests in Weld County, Colorado, for charges including third-degree assault, Peterson attempted to regain her life. In her later days, friends told the Denver Post that she even spoke of getting back into social media and acting — she dreamed of opening an acting studio for young, aspiring actors. She died of an accidental morphine overdose at her apartment in Greeley on July 3, 2015, three days short of her 44th birthday.

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).

Actor Brad Lesley's name may have more recognition with hardcore baseball fans than with moviegoers. The six-foot-six-inch Lesley played major league baseball from 1982 to 1985. Known as "The Animal" for his brawn, height, and in-game theatrics, Lesley delighted fans with his aggressive style. In 1978, the relief pitcher began his professional baseball path in the minor leagues, on the farm team of the Cincinnati Reds, and threw in the minors for five years.

After getting called up to the majors, he remained with the Reds for another two years. Lesley also completed a short stint with the Milwaukee Brewers. When he left the Brewers, Lesley moved to Japan, where he pitched for the Hankyu Braves. He then retired from baseball and became a Japanese television personality. His larger-than-life stature and persona made him a fan favorite on the Japanese game show "Takeshi's Castle."

In the 1990s, Lesley began appearing in Hollywood films as well. He was best-known for the roles that reflected aspects of his personal life, like Niven in "Mr. Baseball" and John "Blackout" Gatling in "Little Big League." In the 2010s, Lesley experienced declining health. After his kidneys failed, he was placed on dialysis and moved into a nursing home. On April 28, 2013, Brad Lesley suffered a heart attack and died at 54.

British actor Rob Knox made his film debut as an uncredited extra in "King Arthur" (2004), but his portrayal of the obnoxious Marcus Belby in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” stands as his first and only major part in a motion picture. Belby is a Ravenclaw student and a candidate for the Slug Club, a meeting of Hogwarts' best and brightest pupils, hosted by Professor Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent). Along with Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), Belby misses the cut, and Professor Slughorn's interest in Belby's celebrity family roots wanes when he fails to see the same shine in the boy. Knox played the part of Belby with a sweet vulnerability.

Before he could begin filming his planned role in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1," Knox died after an early morning fight outside the Metro Bar in Sidcup, an area of Southeast London. Knox had just wrapped his scenes for "The Half-Blood Prince." He was stabbed after stepping in to thwart an attack on his younger brother, Jamie. In the weeks leading up to the stabbing, his murderer, Karl Bishop, had altercations with Knox and his friends. Bishop wound up with a life sentence in prison. Rob Knox died on May 24, 2008, at the age of 18. His adult life had just begun.

Christopher Lee Pettiet came into the world on February 12, 1976. In the early 1990s, Pettiet's classic good looks and natural talent helped him land multiple television appearances on shows like the Neil Patrick Harris vehicle, "Doogie Howser, M.D." His early film roles included appearances in "Point Break" and "Sandman."

But Pettiet is best known for his performance as the middle brother, Zach Crandell, in the 1989 cult classic "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead," starring Christina Applegate. The black comedy initially tanked at the box office and was panned by critics. However, in the ensuing years, the movie gained a large cult following. Pettiet earned teen heartthrob status and steady work due to his role, landing parts in late '90s independent films such as "Boys," a 1996 movie starring Winona Ryder and Lukas Haas. Pettiet also played a young Jesse James on the ABC show "The Young Riders."

On April 12, 2000, Pettiet passed away from an accidental drug overdose. He was 24 years old. In a 2015 interview with BuzzFeed, his co-stars Danielle Harris and Applegate remembered Pettiet fondly. Harris, who had a crush on her older co-star at the time of filming, even dated him briefly just before he died, while The Actor's Circle, a program Pettiet attended for training in his craft, established a scholarship in his name.

Best known for his roles as the woefully-named "Half-Sack" on the FX drama "Sons of Anarchy" and as "Chili" on Fox's "The O.C.," Johnny Lewis left the Hollywood community reeling in shock on September 26, 2012. Unprovoked, he murdered 81-year-old Cathy Davis, a longtime friend to artists and the landlady of the Writer's Villa. Over time, the Writers' Villa had been home to celebrities like Val Kilmer and Parker Posey. Lewis, who had previously rented a suite from Davis in 2009, had just moved back into the home.

That day, Lewis attacked two people next door to Davis, but they managed to barricade themselves inside their home, call 911, and watch as Lewis nimbly scaled the fence and entered the Writer's Villa. After murdering Davis, Lewis fell to his death from the villa's roof.

In the months leading up to the murders and Lewis' death, the actor exhibited strange, violent behavior. Before heading to the Villa that fateful day, Lewis spent time in Twin Towers Correctional Facility for committing several acts of unprovoked violence. But Lewis' heinous acts left more questions than answers: He experienced constant legal and mental health issues between 2009 and his death in 2012. Yet he was well-liked by his costars and once even dated Katy Perry. Johnny Lewis was 29.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

The original "Mary Poppins" (1964) still enthralls little kids and brings nostalgic smiles to the faces of adult viewers today. Onscreen, the film's wholesome goodness brought adventure into the lives of the Banks children and delight to audiences everywhere. Matthew Garber played the younger Banks child, Michael, and was only eight years old when he took the role.

Michael Garber was born in Stepney, London, England, on March 25, 1956. The eldest of two boys, Garber began acting with the encouragement of Shakespearean actor Roy Dotrice. Garber's film debut came in Disney's "The Three Lives of Thomasina" when casting directors fell in love with the boy's fun, exuberant personality. After "Mary Poppins," Garber starred in a final Disney film, 1967's "The Gnome-Mobile." In 1976, a 21-year-old Garber caught hepatitis while traveling through India. Although he returned to the United Kingdom for treatment, it was too late and the disease had affected his pancreas. On June 13, 1977, Matthew Garber died of complications from hepatitis just as he stood ready to embrace adulthood.

Alexis Arquette was born on July 28, 1969, into Hollywood royalty. Her father, Lewis Arquette, was an actor and director, and her mother, Brenda "Mardi" Nowak, was an actress and activist who taught acting classes and ran a theater. Her siblings, Rosanna, Patricia, and David Arquette, would each carve a successful path for themselves to acting stardom. At 12 years old, Alexis took the plunge into professional acting, starring in a music video for the song "She's a Beauty" by The Tubes.

Born Robert Arquette, Alexis knew she was transgender from a young age. Arquette had sex reassignment surgery in 2006 and supported other celebrities, like Chaz Bono, who wanted to do the same.

In the 1980s, she broke ground for transgender youth. At 19, she played a transgender sex worker in the film "Last Exit to Brooklyn" (1989). Arquette starred in over 40 films through her prolific career — although most were small, independent movies. In the 1990s, Arquette appeared in supporting roles in "Threesome," "The Wedding Singer," and "Pulp Fiction."

After contracting HIV in 1987, Arquette went through long periods of poor health. In 2013, she decided to live once more as a man. But Arquette's increasing health decline could not be reversed. On September 11, 2016, at 47, Alexis Arquette died after being placed in a medically-induced coma due to HIV complications. The official cause of death was cardiac arrest.

Theresa Saldana made her film debut in "Nunzio" (1978) and rose to fame with her role in the Academy Award-winning film "Raging Bull" (1980). Saldana played Lenora LeMotta, the sister-in-law of protagonist Jake LeMotta (Robert De Niro). Saldana quickly garnered recognition for her acting talent, later scoring a role in "Defiance," which also starred '80s star Jan-Michael Vincent, and playing Rachel Scali on the CBS series "The Commish."

In 1982, Arthur Richard Jackson, a disturbed Scottish drifter, grew fixated on Saldana. Jackson stalked the actress before stalking gained recognition as a criminal offense. He even hired a private investigator to access Saldana's home address. On March 15, 1982, Jackson approached Saldana in front of her home and stabbed her with a hunting knife. Luckily, the actress survived the violent attack, which left her with severe wounds. Saldana spent four months in the hospital. Jackson served over a decade in prison, but continued to threaten Saldana from his jail cell.

After her attack, Saldana founded the advocacy group, Victims for Victims. She lobbied Congress to help establish California's 1990 anti-stalking law and the national 1994 Driver's Privacy Protection Act. Saldana wrote a memoir about her experiences called "Beyond Survival" and played herself in the television film "Victims for Victims: The Theresa Saldana Story." Saldana continued to act on television until 2003 and on the big screen through 2004. On June 6, 2016, at the age of 61, Saldana died of pneumonia (via the Hollywood Reporter).

For over half a century, David Huddleston graced our cinemas and small screens. IMDb lists a staggering 145 film and television credits for the actor. His acting career showed impressive range, and his character roles endeared him to audiences, but Huddleston wasn't a household name. Huddleston's ability to play a vast spectrum of characters kept him from the hassle of celebrity status, yet allowed him to embody his roles fully.

You may know David Huddleston from films like "Blazing Saddles" (1974) and "Brian's Song" (the 1971 made-for-TV movie that still makes grown men weep). And who could forget Huddleston's portrayal of the titular character in "The Big Lebowski" (1998)? On television, Huddleston's roles ranged from "Gilmore Girls," where he portrayed the beloved, eccentric mayor Harry Porter, to "Bewitched," where he played several characters.

Huddleston grew up in post-Great Depression rural Virginia and fell in love with acting in his youth. Performing allowed Huddleston to escape his childhood woes. He regularly acted in local theater projects, and in adulthood, he decided to pursue acting full-time. Huddleston's first film appearance came via an uncredited role in "All the Way Home" (1963). His last movie was "Locker 13" (2009). On August 8, 2016, David Huddleston, the character actor we loved, but whose name we never knew, died at 85 due to heart and kidney disease.

Canadian actress Alberta Watson spent her early adulthood carving a career in Canadian television and movie productions, but soon plunged into Hollywood work and landed meaty parts in a variety of films and television shows.

In the critically-acclaimed transgender musical, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" (2001), Watson played the loving mother of Hansel "Hedwig" Schmidt. Her dark turn as the incestuous mother in David O. Russell's directorial debut, "Spanking the Monkey" (1994), stood as one of her favorite roles. She also appeared in Atom Egoyan's "The Sweet Hereafter" (1997) and the film "Hackers" (1995), the latter with Angelina Jolie and Jonny Lee Miller.

In "Helen" (2009), Watson acted in her last film role. She also ended her TV career in 2012 with the recurring role of Senator Madeline Pierce on "Nikita." Watson was first diagnosed with lymphoma in 1998, and passed away of complications from cancer on March 21, 2015. Alberta Watson was 60 years old when she died.