lost their children
by enmasse | created - 05 May 2017 | updated - 04 Apr 2023 | Publicthose who suffered the painful loss of a child.
1. Benik Afobe
Self | Match of the Day
His two year old daughter, Amora, died from a severe infection in late 2019.
2. Rosa Albach-Retty
Actress | Geld auf der Straße
Rosa Albach-Retty was born on December 26, 1874 in Hanau, Hesse, Germany. She was an actress, known for Geld auf der Straße (1930), Dreimal Hochzeit (1941) and Der Kongreß tanzt (1955). She was married to Karl Albach. She died on August 26, 1980 in Baden, Lower Austria, Austria.
She lived to be 105. Her son and only child Wolf (who was a Nazi) died in 1967 at age 60.
3. Tsarina Alexandra
Self | Arrival of Funeral Cortege at St. George's Chapel
Alix of Hess-Darmstadt was born on June 8, 1872 in Darmstadt, Germany. Her parents were the Grand Duke and Duchess of Darmstadt; her mother was also the daughter of Queen Victoria. When Alix was still very young, her sister Mary and then her mother died of diphtheria. Also, her brother Frederick (...
All five of her young children were killed by a failed firing squad who had to finish killing most of the family - as well as their dogs - with bayonets, when her husband, Tsar Nicholas II, was overthrown by Vladimir Lenin. She was also killed. Their remains were mutilated, then burned, then buried.
4. Elizabeth Allen
Self | Hollywood Goes to Town
Elizabeth Allen was born on December 26, 1904 in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. She was an actress, known for Hollywood Goes to Town (1938) and Guess My Story (1953). She was married to Robert Montgomery. She died on June 28, 1992 in Patterson, New York, USA.
Her first child, 14 month old Martha, died of spinal meningitis. The child's father was Robert Montgomery.
5. Lily Allen
Actress | Elizabeth
Lily Rose Beatrice Allen is an English singer-songwriter and actress. She is the daughter of actor Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. Her music career began in 2005 when she made some of her vocal recordings public on Myspace and the publicity resulted in airplay on BBC Radio 1 and a ...
Suffered a miscarriage in 2008.
In 2016, during a difficult pregnancy, contracted a viral infection which caused her to suffer premature labor, resulting in a stillbirth. She was diagnosed with PTSD in the aftermath.
6. Isabel Allende
Writer | The House of the Spirits
Isabel Allende is one of today's most important voices of Southern America literature. She was born in Lima, Peru, in 1942, but at the age of 3 she moved to Chile with her mother and two brothers. She spent her childhood there, at her maternal grandparents'home, but she also traveled a lot and ...
Her daughter Paula died of porphyria (a rare genetic blood disorder) in 1992, at the age of 29, after falling into a coma caused by the disease.
7. Dana Andrews
Actor | Laura
American leading man of the 1940s and 1950s, Dana Andrews was born Carver Dana Andrews on New Years Day 1909 on a farmstead outside Collins, Covington County, Mississippi. One of thirteen children, including fellow actor Steve Forrest, he was a son of Annis (Speed) and Charles Forrest Andrews, a ...
His son, David, died of cerebral hemorrhage in 1964.
8. Bess Armstrong
Actress | Jaws 3-D
Bess Armstrong was born on December 11, 1953 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. She is an actress, known for Jaws 3-D (1983), My So-Called Life (1994) and The Four Seasons (1981). She has been married to John Fiedler since April 12, 1986. They have three children. She was previously married to Chris ...
Her first baby, Lucy, was born with an undeveloped brain and died at 6 months.
"She was wonderful and we loved her. The enduring gift that our daughter, Lucy, has given to us as a family is that there's really nothing we take for granted. Just nothing." -Baltimore Sun, 1990
9. James Arness
Actor | Gunsmoke
American leading man famed as the star of one of the longest-running shows in U.S. television history, Gunsmoke (1955). Born of Norwegian heritage (the family name, Aurness, had formerly been Aursness) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Rolf and Ruth Duesler Aurness. His father was a traveling salesman ...
His daughter Jenny killed herself at age 24, via overdose.
10. Jane Badler
Actress | Virtual Revolution
Jane Badler, the American and Australian actress best known for her role as the evil reptilian Visitor leader "Diana" in the NBC mini-series V (1983), its sequel V: The Final Battle (1984), the subsequent TV series V (1984), and the last season of the latest series V (2009), was born on the last ...
Her son Harry Haines, died in early 2020, at age 27, of fentanyl intoxication.
11. Johann Sebastian Bach
Soundtrack | Minority Report
Johann Sebastian Bach was born on March 21, 1685, in Eisenach, Thuringia, Germany, into a large and distinguished family of professional musicians. His father, named Johann Ambrosius Bach, was a violinist and trumpeter, employed by the city of Eisenach. His uncles were church organists, court ...
Three of his children, including a pair of twins, died in infancy.
12. Hilaria Baldwin
Actress | Blind
Alec and Hilaria welcomed their 6th baby, Lucia Baldwin in a post via Instagram on March 1, 2021.
Hilaria revealed the sex and name of their baby on March 1, 2021. The loving mother, Hilaria revealed they welcomed a little girl, whom they named Lucia.
Hilaria and Alec Baldwin welcomed their newborn ...
Miscarried her fifth pregnancy.
She stated, on Instagram: "We are very sad to share that today we learned that our baby passed away at 4 months. We also want you to know that even though we are not ok right now, we will be"
13. Chuck Barris
Writer | The Gong Show Movie
Chuck Barris was born on June 3, 1929 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a producer and writer, known for The Gong Show Movie (1980), Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002) and X: First Class (2011). He was married to Mary Clagett Kane, Robin Altman and Lynne Frances Levy. He died on March ...
His only child Della Barris was an alcoholic and addicted to drugs. Although he tried to save her, she died of a suspected overdose in 1998, at age 35.
14. Alan Bates
Actor | Gosford Park
Alan Bates decided to be an actor at age 11. After grammar school in Derbyshire, he earned a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. Following two years in the Royal Air Force, he joined the new English Stage Company at the Royal Court Theatre. His West End debut in 1956, at 22...
His son Tristan died during an asthma attack at age 19 in Tokyo.
15. Anne Baxter
Actress | All About Eve
Anne Baxter was born in Michigan City, Indiana, on May 7, 1923. She was the daughter of a salesman, Kenneth Stuart Baxter, and his wife, Catherine Dorothy (Wright), who herself was the daughter of Frank Lloyd Wright, the world-renowned architect. Anne was a young girl of 11 when her parents moved ...
Suffered a miscarriage at 3 months pregnant.
16. Thane Bettany
Actor | The Talisman
Thane Bettany was born on May 28, 1929 in Miri, Sarawak, East Malaysia. He was an actor, known for The Talisman (1980), Hamlet (1961) and North Sea Hijack (1980). He was married to Anne Kettle. He died in 2015 in Cupar, Fife, Scotland, UK.
His 8 year old son died after a fall
17. Joe Biden
Actor | Parks and Recreation
Joe Biden became the 46th President of the United States on January 20th 2021.
He is an actor, known for Parks and Recreation (2009), Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (1991) and Great Performances (1971). He has been married to Jill Biden since June 17, 1977. They have one child. He was ...
His 13 month old daughter Naomi died in a car accident in 1972. Joe's wife also perished and his sons were critically injured.
His son Beau Biden, died of brain cancer in 2015, at the age of 46.
18. Bill Bixby
Actor | The Incredible Hulk
The son of a sales clerk and a department store owner, Bill Bixby was the sixth-generation Californian born as Wilfred Bailey Bixby, on January 22, 1934, in San Francisco, California. An only child growing up in the 1940s and 1950s, he attended schools in the same area, took ballroom dance lessons,...
His seven year old son, Christopher, died in a skiing accident.
19. Lyda Borelli
Actress | Malombra
Lyda Borelli was born on March 22, 1884 in Rivarolo Ligure, Genoa, Liguria, Italy. She was an actress, known for Malombra (1917), Satan's Rhapsody (1917) and Love Everlasting (1914). She was married to Vittorio Cini di Monselice. She died on June 1, 1959 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.
Her son, Giorgio Cini, died in a plane crash at the age of 30.
20. William Boyd
Actor | The Volga Boatman
The son of a day laborer, William Boyd moved with his family to Tulsa, Oklahoma, when he was seven. His parents died while he was in his early teens, forcing him to quit school and take such jobs as a grocery clerk, surveyor and oil field worker. He went to Hollywood in 1919, already gray-haired. ...
His only child, a son by second wife Ruth Miller, died in infancy.
21. Jacqueline Bracamontes
Actress | Rubí
Jacqueline Bracamontes was born on December 23, 1979 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. She is an actress, known for Rubí (2004), Entrenando a mi papá (2015) and Alegrijes y rebujos (2003). She has been married to Martin Fuentes since October 1, 2011. They have six children.
Her newly born twin baby, Martin, died at birth due to respiratory issues.
22. Marlon Brando
Actor | Apocalypse Now
Marlon Brando is widely considered the greatest movie actor of all time, rivaled only by the more theatrically oriented Laurence Olivier in terms of esteem. Unlike Olivier, who preferred the stage to the screen, Brando concentrated his talents on movies after bidding the Broadway stage adieu in ...
His daughter, Cheyenne, committed suicide in 1995. She was 25.
23. Pierce Brosnan
Actor | The World Is Not Enough
Pierce Brendan Brosnan was born in Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland, to May (Smith), a nurse, and Thomas Brosnan, a carpenter. He lived in Navan, County Meath, until he moved to England, UK, at an early age (thus explaining his ability to play men from both backgrounds convincingly). His father left...
His adopted daughter, Charlotte, died of ovarian cancer in 2013. His wife (Charlotte's biological mother) and grandmother died of the same form of cancer. Referring to their deaths, Pierce has said, "To watch someone you love have his or her life eaten away bit by bit by this insidious disease, that kind of sorrow becomes an indelible part of your psyche."
He and his adult adopted son, Christopher, had numerous falling outs while Christopher was on drugs and have become estranged.
24. Bobby Brown
Soundtrack | Ghostbusters II
Bobby Brown was born on February 5, 1969 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Ghostbusters II (1989), A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996) and Wild Hogs (2007). He has been married to Alicia Etheredge-Brown since June 18, 2012. They have three children. He was ...
His daughter, Bobbi (with Whitney Houston), died six months after she was found unconsciousness, while on drugs, in her bathtub.
His 28 year old son Bobby died in November 2020.
25. Ron Burkle
Producer | The Giver
Ron Burkle was born on November 12, 1952 in Pomona, California, USA. He is a producer and executive, known for The Giver (2014), 3 Days to Kill (2014) and Out of the Furnace (2013). He was previously married to Janet Steeper.
His son, Andrew, died in early 2020, at the age of 26.
26. Pat Buttram
Actor | Robin Hood
The son of a circuit-riding Methodist preacher in rural Alabama, Pat Buttram became one of America's best-known comic entertainers. He left Alabama a month before his 18th birthday to attend the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. An announcer from radio station WLS was on hand to interview members of the ...
After their divorce, his first wife prevented him from seeing their daughter.
27. James Cagney
Actor | Angels with Dirty Faces
One of Hollywood's preeminent male stars of all time, James Cagney was also an accomplished dancer and easily played light comedy. James Francis Cagney was born on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City, to Carolyn (Nelson) and James Francis Cagney, Sr., who was a bartender and amateur ...
His adopted son, James Cagney, Jr. died of a heart attack at age 44, just four years before he died of a heart attack and died as well.
28. Nick Cannon
Actor | Drumline
Nicholas Scott Cannon is an American television host, rapper, actor, and comedian. Cannon began in television as a teenager on "All That" before going on to host "The Nick Cannon Show", 'Wild 'n Out", 'America's Got Talent", 'Lip Sync Battle Shorties", and "The Masked Singer." He acted in the films...
His seventh child, a 5-month old baby boy named Zen with model Alyssa Scott, died of brain cancer in December 2021.
29. Johnny Carson
Soundtrack | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Johnny Carson, the legendary "King of Late Night TV" who dominated the medium's nether hours for three decades, was born in Corning, Iowa, but moved with his family to nearby Norfolk, Nebraska when he was eight years old. He was the son of Ruth E. (Hook) and Homer Lloyd "Kit" Carson, a manager of ...
Lost his son, Richard, in a car accident.
30. Nick Cave
Soundtrack | The Proposition
Nick Cave is a man of many talents. Musician. Songwriter. Screenwriter. Novelist. Actor. The Australian was born in Warracknabeal, Victoria in 1957, and would go onto form the alternative rock band Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, who have since successfully released a string of hit albums.
In film, Nick ...
His 15 year old son, Arthur, who was a twin, died in 2015 after falling from a cliff near his family's home in England.
In 2021, his eldest son Jethro died in Australia.
31. Rose Caylor
Writer | Fingers at the Window
Rose Caylor was newspaper reporter, author, screenwriter and playwright. She was born in Vilna, Russia (now Vilnius, Lithuania) in 1898, the daughter of Morris and Elizabeth Libman. Her father came to America in 1906 where he found work in Chicago as a department store salesman. Rose, her mother ...
Lost her 27 year old daughter, Jenny, to a drug overdose.
32. Christopher Cazenove
Actor | A Knight's Tale
Christopher Cazenove was born on December 17, 1943 in Winchester, Hampshire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for A Knight's Tale (2001), Three Men and a Little Lady (1990) and Dynasty (1981). He was married to Angharad Rees. He died on April 7, 2010 in Lambeth, London, England, UK.
His eldest son, Linford, preceded him in death by a decade due to a road accident. After the loss, Cazenove turned to alcohol and never fully recovered for the loss.
33. Miguel Cervantes
Actor | Royal Pains
Miguel Cervantes is best-known for his role as Alexander Hamilton in Hamilton at the Chicago PrivateBank Theater. He has acted on Broadway in If/Then, American Idiot, and 25th Annual...Spelling Bee. Additional theater credits include Giant, Tails, Henry and Mudge, and more. On the big screen, his ...
Lost his daughter, Adelaide, age 3, who was suffering from West Syndrome (severe form of epilepsy) and died peacefully in hospice, in her mother's arms.
34. Charles Chaplin
Writer | The Great Dictator
Considered to be one of the most pivotal stars of the early days of Hollywood, Charlie Chaplin lived an interesting life both in his films and behind the camera. He is most recognized as an icon of the silent film era, often associated with his popular character, the Little Tramp; the man with the ...
He and Lita Grey lost their adult son, Charlie Chaplin, Jr. to alcoholism.
35. Dennis Cole
Actor | Pretty Smart
A virile, beefcake blond of the late 1960s and 1970s small screen, Dennis Cole certainly had it all going for him, but tragic circumstances prevented an all-out successful career. A rugged TV version of Robert Redford, his tan, chiseled, surfer-fit looks were ideally suited for crime action and ...
His only child, a son named Joey, was murdered in December of 1991 during an armed robbery. He was best friends and flatmates with Henry Rollins, who was forced to enter their house with one assailant as the other kept Joey outside and shot him. Joey was 30 years old and the crime has not been solved.
36. Maria Cole
Maria Cole was born on August 1, 1922 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. She is known for American Experience (1987), The Nat King Cole Show (1956) and Nat King Cole: Afraid of the Dark (2014). She was married to Gary DeVore, Nat 'King' Cole and Spurgeon Neal Ellington. She died on July 10, 2012 in ...
Carol, her daughter with Nat King Cole, died of lung cancer. Their son, Nat, died from AIDS.
37. Betty Comden
Soundtrack | On the Town
Songwriter ("New York, New York", "Lonely Town", "The Party's Over", "Just in Time"), author and actress. educated at New York University with a Bachelor of Science degree. While a student, she acted with the Washington Square Players. She was a member of the Revuers, a night club act which also ...
Lost her son, Alan.
38. Sam Cooke
Soundtrack | Innerspace
Sam Cooke was born January 22, 1931 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. He was one of eight children of Charles Cook Sr., a Baptist minister. When Sam sang as a little boy in church, everyone made note that his voice had "something special". He sang in church and in local gospel choirs until a group called...
Vincent, his 18 month old son, drowned in his family's swimming pool.
39. Daniel Cormier
Actor | Road House
Daniel Cormier, a relatively short Heavyweight, has met success against bigger opponents in freestyle wrestling and later in Mixed Martial Arts. Cormier was raised in Lafayette, Louisiana where he was raised by his mother and stepfather. Cormier became a pro wrestling fan by age 10, which he ...
His three month-old daughter Kaedyn died in a car accident in 2003.
40. Camille O. Cosby
Producer | Fat Albert
Camille O. Cosby is the eldest offspring of Guy and Catherine Hanks's four children. Embued with an immense intellect and sense of social responsibility, she has long been an advocate for education and for the continued financial support of the United States' historically African-American colleges ...
Her son Ennis, with Bill Cosby, was murdered. The case is still unsolved.
41. Jacques-Yves Cousteau
Producer | Le monde du silence
Jacques-Yves Cousteau was born on June 11, 1910, in Saint-André-de-Cubzac (Gironde) in France. He entered the naval academy in 1930, was graduated and became a gunnery officer. Then, while he was training to be a pilot, a serious car accident ended his aviation career. In order to rehabilitate his ...
His son, Philippe, died in an amphibious aircraft accident 1979, at the age of 38.
42. Simone Cousteau
Assistant_director | Le monde sans soleil
Descended from French naval officers, Simone Melchior married Jacques-Yves Cousteau in Paris on 12 July 1937. She was an integral part of the many expeditions of film-making and oceanography that made Cousteau famous. She spent years living about Calypso, the converted WWII minesweeper that ...
Her son, Philippe, died in an amphibious aircraft accident 1979, at the age of 38.
43. Joan Crawford
Actress | What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
Joan Crawford was born Lucille Fay LeSueur on March 23, 1906, in San Antonio, Texas, to Anna Belle (Johnson) and Thomas E. LeSueur, a laundry laborer. By the time she was born, her parents had separated, and by the time she was a teenager, she'd had three stepfathers. It wasn't an easy life; ...
Suffered multiple miscarriages. Her doctor told her she could never have a baby.
44. Kit Culkin
Actor | Hamlet
Christopher "Kit" Culkin was born on December 6, 1944, in New York City. He is a fourth-generation New York City boy. His father, Philip Harley Culkin, was a PR man when he met Kit's mother, Marian Ethel (Wagner), who was a writer. They had four children: Kit, Bonnie Bedelia, Terry and Candy. ...
His daughter Jennifer died of a drug overdose at age 29, in 2000.
His daughter Dakota died December 10, 2008 after being hit by a car at the age of 30.
45. Daisy D'Ora
Actress | Die Büchse der Pandora
Daisy D'Ora was born on February 2, 1913 in Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany. She was an actress, known for Pandora's Box (1929), Nur am Rhein ... (1930) and Hungarian Nights (1929). She was married to Otto Schlitter. She died on June 19, 2010 in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.
Both of her children died before her.
46. Chris Daughtry
Soundtrack | Wanderlust
Chris Daughtry was born on December 26, 1979 in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, USA. He is an actor, known for Wanderlust (2012), Criminal Minds (2005) and NCIS: Los Angeles (2009). He has been married to Deanna Daughtry since November 11, 2000. They have four children.
His 25 year old daughter, Hannah Price, commited suicide in November of 2021, while struggling with drug additction and depression, and just months after her biological father's own suicide. In 2022 her grieving family decided to publicly talk about her death and stated:
“As Hannah got older, she struggled to find her footing and began using drugs and often found herself in abusive relationships. Just months after losing her biological father to suicide, Hannah was the victim of a crime and was shot in the face. We did everything we could to support her and get her the help she needed to recover from these tragedies and get her life back on track. We had just recently made plans with Hannah for her to seek further treatment and move closer to the family.”
47. Olivia de Havilland
Actress | Gone with the Wind
Olivia Mary de Havilland was born on July 1, 1916 in Tokyo, Japan to British parents, Lilian Augusta (Ruse), a former actress, and Walter Augustus de Havilland, an English professor and patent attorney. Her sister Joan, later to become famous as Joan Fontaine, was born the following year. Her ...
Her son, Benjamin, died of Hodgkin's disease in 1991.
48. Yvonne De Carlo
Actress | The Ten Commandments
Yvonne De Carlo was born Margaret Yvonne Middleton on September 1, 1922 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She was three when her father abandoned the family. Her mother turned to waitressing in a restaurant to make ends meet--a rough beginning for an actress who would, one day, be one of ...
Miscarried while pregnant with Jock Mahoney's baby. As a result, they ended their engagement.
In 1997, her son, Michael, died from suspected foul play.
49. Albert Dekker
Actor | The Wild Bunch
A stage actor from 1927, Albert Dekker was an established Broadway star when he made his film debut ten years later. Tall and with rugged good looks, he often played aggressive character roles, a prime example being his double-crossing gang leader in the classic The Killers (1946). From 1944-46 he ...
His teenage son was found dead from a gunshot wound in 1957.
50. Rob Delaney
Actor | Catastrophe
Rob Delaney was born on January 19, 1977 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Catastrophe (2015), Deadpool 2 (2018) and Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023).
His toddler son, Henry, died from a brain tumor in January 2018.
"I’m a mess. My child died 14 months ago and I’m basically a bag of wet rubbish. I need a lot of help. It has been very hard. It comes in waves. I’ve learned to not control how the waves come. Right now I’m sad a lot.
If a bereaved parent or bereaved sibling reads this, I want them to know that it’s okay that they feel terrible, sad, confused and so brutally humbled. I’ve been sad and angry and I am telling you that just in case somebody else who has suffered a terrible loss reads this — so they don’t feel like some assh*le from TV has it all together."
51. Sandy Dennis
Actress | Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
It would not be easy for anyone to out-do one of American theater's finest thespians, but somehow actress Sandy Dennis managed to even out-quirk the legendary Geraldine Page when it came to affecting nervous tics and offbeat mannerisms on stage and in film. She and Page had few peers when it came ...
Suffered a miscarriage.
52. Charles Dickens
Writer | Great Expectations
Charles Dickens' father was a clerk at the Naval Pay Office, and because of this the family had to move from place to place: Plymouth, London, Chatham. It was a large family and despite hard work, his father couldn't earn enough money. In 1823 he was arrested for debt and Charles had to start ...
His 8 month old daughter, Dora, died suddenly of an unknown ailment that sent her into seizures while he was giving a speech and his wife Catherine was away in hospital.
In a letter to his wife, Charles lied to her, saying she was "very ill" so that she would not be upset. When Catherine died, she was buried next to Dora.
53. Angie Dickinson
Actress | Rio Bravo
Angie Dickinson was born in Kulm, North Dakota, in 1931, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. H. Brown. Mr. Brown was the publisher of The Kulm Messenger. The family left North Dakota in 1942 when Angie was 11 years old, moving to Burbank, California. In December of 1946, when she was a senior at ...
Her daughter, Nikki, committed suicide in 2007, at age 40.
54. Maurice Dorléac
Actor | La présidente
Maurice Dorléac was born on March 26, 1901 in Paris, France. He was an actor, known for La présidente (1938), The Big Feast (1973) and The Lovers of Toledo (1953). He was married to Renée Simonot. He died on December 4, 1979 in Paris, France.
His eldest daughter, Françoise Dorléac, died in a road accident when she was 25.
55. Billie Dove
Actress | The Black Pirate
In her silent heyday, this ravishing and highly photogenic star, known for her voluptuous femininity on the silent screen, rivaled that of Mary Pickford, Marion Davies and Clara Bow in popularity. She retired after only a few years into the talking picture era, however, and is not as ...
Her son, Robert, died two years before her.
56. Dr. Dre
Soundtrack | Training Day
Considered by many to be hip-hop's greatest producer, Dr. Dre (b. André Young, February 18, 1965) pioneered gangsta hip-hop and his own variation of the sound, dubbed G-Funk. His very early albums were violent but cautionary tales of the criminal mind, but Dre's records with NWA celebrated the ...
His 20 year old son died of a heroin and morphine overdose.
57. Marie Dressler
Actress | Dinner at Eight
Once you saw her, you would not forget her. Despite her age and weight, she became one of the top box office draws of the sound era. She was 14 when she joined a theater group and she went on to work on stage and in light opera. By 1892, she was on Broadway and she later became a star comedienne on...
Her daughter (and only child) died in infancy.
58. Ja'net DuBois
Soundtrack | Good Times
Ja'Net DuBois was a multi-talented and diverse performer. She grew up in Brooklyn, New York and began her career on Broadway. She has appeared in various plays, including "Golden Boy" with Sammy Davis Jr. and Louis Gossett Jr., and "A Raisin in the Sun". She moved onto TV roles, receiving a Peabody...
Lost her 36 year old son, Raj, to cancer in 1987.
59. Barbara Eden
Actress | I Dream of Jeannie
Barbara Eden, born Barbara Jean Morehead in Tucson, Arizona, became one of America's most endearing and enduring actresses. A graduate of Abraham Lincoln High School in San Francisco, California, Eden would go on to study at San Francisco's City College as well as the San Francisco Conservatory of ...
Her son, Michael, died of an accidental drug overdose in his 30s.
60. Ron Ely
Actor | Tarzan
The 15th screen Tarzan (if you don't count Gordon Griffith) was to have played a Tarzan impersonator in a projected Mike Henry television show, which never materialized. He had been tested fourteen months earlier when Henry got the part. Prior to Tarzan, Ron had numerous parts in movies and ...
His 30 year old son, Cameron, was shot and killed by police after he stabbed his mother to death during an argument at his parents' home. Cameron attempted to falsely implicate his father of the murder and even told police he was armed before being shot 24 times.
61. Melissa Etheridge
Soundtrack | An Inconvenient Truth
Melissa Etheridge was born on May 29, 1961 in Leavenworth, Kansas, USA. She is an actress and composer, known for An Inconvenient Truth (2006), Money Train (1995) and The Devil's Own (1997). She has been married to Linda Wallem since May 31, 2014.
Her 21 year old son, Beckett, passed away from an opioid overdose in May of 2020.
"Today I joined the hundreds of thousands of families who have lost loved ones to opioid addiction. My son Beckett, who was just 21, struggled to overcome his addiction and finally succumbed to it today. He will be missed by those who loved him, his family and friends. My heart is broken. I am grateful for those who have reached out with condolences and I feel their love and sincere grief.
We struggle with what else we could have done to save him, and in the end we know he is out of the pain now.
I will sing again, soon. It has always healed me."
62. Denise Fergus
Self | Granada Reports
Denise Fergus is known for Granada Reports (1992), Real Crime (2001) and Lost Boy: The Killing of James Bulger (2021). She has been married to Stuart Fergus since September 12, 1998. They have two children. She was previously married to Ralph Bulger.
Suffered the stillbirth of her daughter.
Her son, James Bulger, was kidnapped as a toddler and tortured to death by two boys. Her family never received justice, as the boys were given less than 10 years each and were then released only to commit more crimes, and their identities currently fiercely protected from public knowledge.
63. Luisa Ferida
Actress | Amore imperiale
Luisa Ferida started as a stage actress and first appeared in films with La Freccia d'oro (1935) in a supporting role but because of her photogenic looks and talent as an actress, she soon graduated to leading parts at the end of the thirties. In 1939, whilst working on An Adventure of Salvator Rosa...
Her only child, Kim, died four days after he was born.
64. Ric Flair
Actor | WWE Monday Night RAW
Richard Morgan Fliehr isn't what you'd expect from a professional wrestler. A medical student at Minnesota University (his father was a doctor, his mother an actress), Flair dropped out college to train for the mat wars under legendary former AWA World champ Verne Gagne. He made his professional ...
His son, Reid, died of a heroin overdose at age 25.
65. Joan Fontaine
Actress | Suspicion
Born Joan de Beauvoir de Havilland on October 22, 1917, in Tokyo, Japan, in what was known as the International Settlement, to British parents, Lilian Augusta (Ruse), a former actress, and Walter Augustus de Havilland, an English professor and patent attorney. Her paternal grandfather's family was ...
Suffered two miscarriages in 1964, at the age of 46.
Her teenage adopted daughter ran away and was not given back to her when she was found since the adoption was found not to be legal.
66. Adrienne Frantz
Actress | The Bold and the Beautiful
An accomplished actor, singer and songwriter, Adrienne Frantz made a name for herself on television playing the character of Amber Moore on two CBS daytime dramas throughout the 1990s and 2000s. An outgoing only child, by age three Adrienne Danielle Frantz was holding private dance recitals in her ...
Had two miscarriages.
67. Yvonne Gilan
Actress | Chariots of Fire
Yvonne Gilan was born on October 12, 1931 in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. She was an actress and writer, known for Chariots of Fire (1981), Empire of the Sun (1987) and Fawlty Towers (1975). She was married to Michael Gill. She died on June 14, 2018 in London, UK.
Her son, noted critic A.A. Gill died of cancer at age 62.
68. Carol Grace
Actress | Gangster Story
Carol Grace was born on September 11, 1924 in Lower East Side, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. She was an actress, known for Gangster Story (1959), Mikey and Nicky (1976) and Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955). She was married to Walter Matthau and William Saroyan. She died on July 20, 2003 ...
Her daughter Lucy died of liver failure and Hepatitis C just three months before her.
69. Elspet Gray
Actress | Four Weddings and a Funeral
Elspet Gray was born on April 12, 1929 in Inverness, Inverness Shire, Scotland, UK. She was an actress, known for Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), Six with Rix (1972) and Doctor Who (1963). She was married to Brian Rix. She died on February 18, 2013 in London, England, UK.
Lost her daughter, Shelley Elspet Rix, who had Down's Syndrome, (b. 1951, died July 2005)
70. Virgie Hart
Actress | To the Limit
Virgie Hart was born on July 12, 1951 in Ellis County, Texas, USA. She was an actress, known for To the Limit (1995), Final 24 (2006) and 5 News (1998). She was married to James H. Arthur, James T. Sanders, Joe D. Thompson, Donald Ray Hart, Donald Eugene Hogan and David Luther Tacker Sr.. She died ...
She is Anna Nicole Smith's mother. She lost her grandson, daughter, and guardianship of her granddaughter within months.
71. Walt Harris
Self | Countdown to UFC
Harris earned his associate degree in Physical Education from Jacksonville State and Pikeville College.
His 19 year old daughter (with wife Angela Harris), Aniah Haley Blanchard, was abducted and murdered on October 23, 2019. After searching for her for a month, her remains were found and identified; a tearful Harris recalls that day as being "The worst day of my life." Three men are currently being charged in connection with her death.
Her bereaved mother, Angela, has said "She made life better for all of us." Several months later, in an interview, she said "There's days that I just feel like I can't take another breath without her." but that she and her family are doing "everything we can do to honor her [and] that has given us the strength."
Her biological father, Elijah Blanchard, said "I have never felt pain such as this." and that her killer "has damaged the way I look at people."
On a November 28 Instagram post, Walt remembered his late stepdaughter: "My sweet baby girl... I just wanna thank you for helping me change my life for the better... For teaching me how to be a man and a better father! For being my biggest fan win, lose , or draw! For always knowing what to say to put a smile on my face and lift me up when I was down and wanted to give up. You light up my world I’m so many ways. This pain is unbearable... I know you want me to be strong but it so hard baby it so hard. I’m gonna find away I promise you I will. Right now nothing makes sense and I’m so lost. I just want you back. I hope I made you proud... I’m gonna keep going daddy just needs time. I love you so much. Look after us like you always did. We need you now more than ever. My lil mighty mighty tiger is a angel now. I love you baby girl forever and ever!"
The UFC and many fighters posted condolences in sympathy of her grieving family.
72. Helen Hart
Self | WWF Superstars of Wrestling
Helen Hart was born on February 16, 1924 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. She was married to Stu Hart. She died on November 4, 2001 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
73. Stu Hart
Actor | Stampede Wrestling
Stu Hart was born on May 3, 1915 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. He was an actor, known for Stampede Wrestling (1957), Columbia World of Sports: Swing, Rasslin' 'N' Sock (1956) and WWF 1993: The Year in Review (1993). He was married to Helen Hart. He died on October 16, 2003 in Calgary, Alberta...
His son Owen Hart (with Helen Hart) died in 1999, at the age of 34, after falling nearly 80 ft. while working for a WWE live show.
74. Helen Hayes
Actress | Airport
Known as "The First lady of the American Theater", Helen Hayes had a legendary career on stage and in films and television that spanned over eighty years. Hayes was born in Washington, D.C., to Catherine Estelle "Essie" Hayes, an actress who worked in touring companies, and Francis van Arnum Brown,...
Her only biological child, Mary, died at age 19 of Polio.
75. Jack Hemingway
Self | The American Sportsman
Jack Hemingway was born on October 10, 1923 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was married to Angela Hovey and Byra Whittlesey. He died on December 1, 2000 in New York City, New York, USA.
His daughter Margaux commited suicide. Her family was in denial and it took years to accept that she'd taken her own life.
76. Grant Holly
Writer | Angels Crest
Grant Holly is known for Angels Crest (2002), Robbers (2000) and First Light (2017). He is married to Michael Ann Holly. They have two children.
His 14 year old son, Alexander, died in a house fire.
77. Lena Horne
Soundtrack | Cabin in the Sky
Lena Calhoun Horne was born June 30, 1917, in Brooklyn, New York. In her biography she stated that, on the day she was born, her father was in the midst of a card game trying to get money to pay the hospital costs. Her parents divorced while she was still a toddler. Her mother left later in order ...
Lost her son, Edwin, to kidney disease.
78. Cissy Houston
Soundtrack | A Time to Kill
Cissy Houston was born on September 30, 1933 in Newark, New Jersey, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for A Time to Kill (1996), The Preacher's Wife (1996) and God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness (2018). She was previously married to John Russell Houston Jr. and Frederick Garland.
Mother of Whitney Houston
79. Marsha Hunt
Actress | Pride and Prejudice
Stardom somehow eluded this vastly gifted actress. Had it not perhaps been for her low-level profile compounded by her McCarthy-era blacklisting in the early 1950s, there is no telling what higher tier Marsha Hunt might have attained. Perhaps her work was not flashy enough, or too subdued, or ...
Her only child, a daughter, was born premature and died a day after she was born. She and her husband were later foster parents.
80. Katherine Jackson
Actress | All 4da Green
Katherine Jackson was born on May 4, 1930 in Clayton, Alabama, USA. She is an actress, known for All 4da Green (2022), Tito Jackson: Love One Another (2021) and Janet Jackson. (2022). She was previously married to Joe Jackson.
Michael Jackson's mother. Previous to his death, she lost a baby boy a few hours after his birth.
81. Celina Jaitly
Actress | No Entry
Celina Jaitly was born at Shimla, India to a Punjabi Indian father and an Afghan Hindu mother. Her father Colonel V.K. Jaitly, is a retired Indian Army colonel, and her mother, Meeta, an Afghan is a child psychologist, as well as a beauty queen. Celina has one brother, who is serving the Indian ...
Her newborn son, Shamsher, a twin, died weeks after his birth due to a heart defect.
82. Jessie J
Soundtrack | Ice Age: Collision Course
Jessie J (Jessica Ellen Cornish) was born in Redbridge, London on March 27, 1988. She went to Colins Performing Arts School as a child and when she was 11 she was cast in Andrew Lloyd Weber's musica "Whistle Down the Wind". When she was 17 she joined a girl group and soon after was signed as a solo...
Miscarried in late 2021.
83. Russell Johnson
Actor | Gilligan's Island
Long before he was known as "The Professor" in the cult comedy classic Gilligan's Island (1964), Russell Johnson was a well-known character actor, starring in several Westerns and Sci-Fi classics as This Island Earth (1955) and It Came from Outer Space (1953). Johnson grew up in Pennsylvania and ...
His son David died of AIDS in 1994, at age 39. Johnson later devoted his time to fund-raising for AIDS research.
84. Jennifer Jones
Actress | The Towering Inferno
One of the world's most underrated Academy Award-winning actresses, Jennifer Jones was born Phylis Lee Isley on 2 March 1919 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Flora Mae (Suber) and Phillip Ross Isley, who ran a travelling stage show. As a young aspiring actress, she met and fell for young, handsome, aspiring ...
Her daughter, Mary, committed suicide. Previously, she suffered a stillbirth.
85. James Robertson Justice
Actor | Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
James Robertson Justice was always a noticeable presence in a film with his large stature, bushy beard and booming voice. A Ph.D., a journalist, a naturalist, an expert falconer, a racing car driver, JRJ was certainly a man of many talents.
He entered the film industry quite late in life (37) after ...
His four year old son and only child drowned.
86. Brian Keith
Actor | The Parent Trap
Son of character actor Robert Keith and stage actress Helena Shipman. He grew up on the road with his parents while they toured in plays. First appeared at age 3 in film Pied Piper Malone (1924) with his father. Began acting in radio programs and on stage before World War II. Joined the Marines and ...
He lost two children: A son, who died in childhood and, much later, his daughter committed suicide. Two and a half months after his daughter's death, he took his own life as well.
87. Ethel Kennedy
Actress | Cheers
Ethel Kennedy was born on April 11, 1928 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is an actress, known for Cheers (1982), Ethel (2012) and The American Sportsman (1965). She was previously married to Robert F. Kennedy.
Lost her son, David, from an accidental overdose at age of 28. Another son, Michael, died while skiing.
88. Rose Kennedy
Self | Jack: The Last Kennedy Film
Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy was born Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald on July 22, 1890 to Josie Hannon and the future mayor of Boston, John Francis Fitzgerald. She grew up with several brothers and sisters and thanks to her father, the family was very well off. Rose went to a series of Catholic Schools in ...
89. Kara Keough
Actress | Outbreak
Kara Keough was born on October 30, 1988 in Orange County, California, USA. She is an actress, known for Outbreak (1995), Implicated (1998) and Chicken Soup for the Soul (1999). She has been married to Kyle Bosworth since February 8, 2014. They have three children.
Her newborn son McCoy Casey, with her husband, former NFL player Kyle Bosworth, was born on April 6th, 2020 and died the same day.
Keough wrote on her IG: "McCoy surprised us all with his size and strength (and overall perfection). During the course of his birth, he experienced shoulder dystocia and a compressed umbilical cord. He joined our Heavenly Father and will live forever in the hearts of his loving parents, his adoring sister, and those that received his life-saving gifts."
Keough revealed that her family had donated McCoy's organs:
"I wrote this for the organ/tissue procurement team to read out in his honor: Tonight, we join together to honor this little savior’s gifts of life. Through him, may others find new hope and profound healing... and may he live again through them. May his legacy shine in the form of lifetimes aplenty - lives filled with laughter, compassion, energy, love, and most of all gratitude. May it be said that McCoy Casey Bosworth left this world in a better place, for a better place.... that he made an impact... that he was an answered prayer... that he was a hero."
In the same IG post, she shared biblical scripture John 16:20: “Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”
90. Deborah Kerr
Actress | The King and I
Deborah Jane Trimmer was born on 30 September 1921 in Glasgow, Scotland, the daughter of Captain Arthur Kerr Trimmer. She was educated at Northumberland House, Clifton, Bristol. She first performed at the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park, London. She subsequently performed with the Oxford ...
Suffered a miscarriage at two months.
91. Anne Kettle
Actress | The Yellow Teddy Bears
Anne Kettle is the daughter of actress Olga Gwynne and music promoter Lesley Kettle. She started early in the theatre business, though worked mostly on the stage in musical theatre, like her mother, she was a part of 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum' when it went to South Africa in ...
Her son was 8 years old when he died from injuries after a fall.
92. Regina King
Actress | Ray
Regina King was born in Los Angeles, California, to Gloria, a special education teacher, and Thomas King, an electrician. She began her career in the television show 227 (1985), followed by a role in Boyz n the Hood (1991). She began to be recognized by a mainstream audience after her role as Cuba ...
Her son and only child, Ian Alexander, killed himself in January 2022, at the age of 26.
93. Rudolf Klein-Rogge
Actor | Metropolis
During the heyday of German silent cinema, Rudolf Klein-Rogge was the prototype for the master criminal, the irredeemable arch villain or mad scientist. Born in Cologne, he served as a cadet in a Prussian military academy before finishing his matriculation. He then began to attend acting classes ...
His only child died in 1943. His wife, Mary Johnson, slowly went mad with grief.
94. Walter Koenig
Actor | Star Trek
Walter Koenig began his acting career in 1962 as an uncredited Sentry in the TV series Combat! (1962), and in the following few years had bit roles in several television shows, until he landed the role that would catapult his career in ways he could never have imagined, as Ensign Pavel Chekov in ...
His son, Andrew, hanged himself at age 41.
95. Gladys Knight
Actress | Hollywood Homicide
Gladys Knight was born on May 28, 1944 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. She is an actress and composer, known for Hollywood Homicide (2003), The Butler (2013) and Licence to Kill (1989). She has been married to William McDowell since April 12, 2001. She was previously married to Les Brown, Barry Hankerson...
Her son, Jimmy Newman III, died of heart failure, in 1999, at the age of 36.
96. Greta Kukkonen
Self | Gregory Peck kävi Suomessa
Greta Kukkonen was born on January 25, 1911 in Helsinki, Finland. She was married to Gregory Peck. She died on January 19, 2008 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Her son Jonathan (with Gregory Peck) shot himself.
97. Diane Ladd
Actress | Wild at Heart
The amazingly gifted and versatile, Ms. Diane Ladd, received immense praise for her dramatic efforts throughout the course of her electric and unique seventy-year career. Her timeless offbeat charm and beauty reminiscent of a lamented Hollywood Golden Era actress gleam in the most understated roles...
Her infant daughter, Diane, died from brain trauma at 17 months after falling into her empty swimming pool.
98. Annie Lennox
Soundtrack | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Annie Lennox was born on December 25, 1954 in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK. She is a music artist and actress, known for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), Scrooged (1988) and Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992). She has been married to Mitch Besser since September 15, 2012. ...
Her first child, a son named Daniel, was stillborn.
99. Anki Lidén
Actress | I taket lyser stjärnorna
Anki Lidén was born on April 5, 1947 in Mölltorp, Västra Götalands län, Sweden. She is an actress, known for Glowing Stars (2009), Irene Huss (2007) and Wallander (2005). She has been married to Klas Bergling since 1988. They have one child.
Mother of Avicii (Tim Bergling). He commited suicide at age 28, in April 2018, while struggling with apparent mental anguish, deteriorating physical health, stress, exhaustion, and fear. Sources have said his management was pressuring him to perform despite his desire to take a break. He also did not want to upset his fans.
His family released a statement after his death: "Our beloved Tim was a seeker, a fragile artistic soul searching for answers to existential questions. An over-achieving perfectionist who travelled and worked hard at a pace that led to extreme stress. When he stopped touring, he wanted to find a balance in life to be able to be happy and to do what he loved most – music. He really struggled with thoughts about Meaning, Life, Happiness. He could now not go on any longer. He wanted to find peace. Tim was not made for the business machine he found himself in; he was a sensitive guy who loved his fans but shunned the spotlight. Tim, you will forever be loved and sadly missed. The person you were and your music will keep your memory alive. We love you, The Family"
In 2019, Bergling's family launched the Tim Bergling Foundation, a mental illness and suicide prevention foundation. The foundation works internationally, educating people and businesses on mental health. The Tim Bergling Foundation also works to tackle climate change, manage business development, and conserve endangered species
100. Sophia Loren
Actress | La ciociara
Sophia Loren was born as Sofia Scicolone at the Clinica Regina Margherita in Rome on September 20, 1934. Her father Riccardo was married to another woman and refused to marry her mother Romilda Villani, despite the fact that she was the mother of his two children (Sophia and her younger sister ...
Suffered two miscarriages.
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