So many of us daydream of being popular and enjoying the lavish lifestyle soaked in luxury and glam. When it comes to work, however, we don’t give a second thought to the possibility of risk. Even though it’s extremely unusual, there are situations when an actor’s life is tragically cut short and their horrific deaths are immortalized in the movie itself. Here are five actors who tragically died in front of the camera:
1. Vic Morrow in a helicopter accident:
Vic Morrow was one of the actors in the 1958 film King Creole alongside Elvis Presley. The Restless Gun, The Lawless Years, The Untouchables, and The Rifleman were among the many TV programs in which he appeared. However, Morrow died unexpectedly while filming Twilight Zone: The Movie. Morrow’s character was shooting a sequence with two child actors when the explosives burst, killing all 3 actors during a scenario that featured a helicopter and fireworks. It was subsequently discovered that the youngsters were working illegally and getting paid under the table by Director John Landis.
2. Redd Foxx by a heart attack:
Redd Foxx was a popular comedian who was most recognized for his physical comedy on the show Sanford and Son. Fred G. Sanford, played by Foxx, was famous for his recurring joke of grasping his chest and pretending to have a heart attack while screaming out to his late wife Elizabeth. Foxx, however, had a cardiac arrest on the production of The Royal Family in reality. After Foxx dropped to the ground, co-star Della Reese went over and heard him repeatedly urge her, ‘Get my wife’. “It was an end so ironic that for a brief moment castmates figured Foxx was kidding when he grabbed a chair and fell on the floor,” Entertainment Weekly’s Joshua Rich stated of Foxx’s death.
Related: 20 Actors That Almost Died While Filming
3. Martha Mansfield in a freak accident:
Martha Mansfield was a stunning 24-year-old actress in the prime of her career when she perished in a bizarre event on the set of a film. Mansfield was resting from filming and resting in a vehicle while shooting a scene when a passer-by accidentally flicked a lighted match in the car and onto Mansfield. The actress was still dressed in her combustible Civil War-era gown when she burst into flames. Wilfred Lytell, her co-star, stepped in and attempted to save her face and neck by throwing his jacket over her. However, she died at the hospital the following day from serious burns.
Related: 8 Actors Who Died On Set
4. Jon-Erik Hexum by shooting himself:
The NBC series Voyagers employed Jon-Erik Hexum in the starring role. He went on to feature in smaller TV ventures after that failed, before getting a role on Cover Up. Hexum was upset one day when he discovered that production would be delayed on the sets. To amuse his co-stars, he grabbed up a .44 Magnum revolver that was loaded with blanks and held it to his forehead. Before pulling the trigger, he exclaimed, “Can you believe this crap?”. The blast fractured his skull, causing a bone shard to lodge in his brain. He was taken into surgery, but six days later he was declared brain dead.
Related: Tragic Deaths By Prop Guns On The Movie Sets
5. Bruce Lee by cerebral edema:
Bruce Lee was an actor, director, and martial artist who was regarded as among the most renowned martial artists in the world. Lee fell during the filming of Enter the Dragon after experiencing headaches and seizures. He was brought to a hospital, where he was evaluated with cerebral edema by Hong Kong physicians. Yes, he didn’t die on the scene of the movie, but his fall was the catalyst for his demise two months later. Lee reported a headache and decided to lie down for a sleep at a private dinner with colleagues. When he couldn’t be awakened, a doctor was summoned, and he was taken to the hospital. However, on his trip to the hospital, he died.
Related: The Real Reason Kung Fu Legend Bruce Lee Made Only One Hollywood Movie
