14 Actors You May Not Know Are Dead When we watch celebrities at the movies or
on TV, we develop special bonds with them. So when they're gone too soon, it can be devastating – especially
when we don't realize we've lost them. You may not know some of these actors by name,
but you certainly know their faces. Some of your favorite movies or shows feature actors
that have been taken from the world well before their time. Lee Thompson Young The Famous Jett Jackson, Lee Thompson Young's
star vehicle, was a very popular show on The Disney Channel for some time. Friday Night
Lights, Akeelah and the Bee, and The Hills Have Eyes II are some of the few films on
Young's impressive resume. But while working as a series regular on Rizzoli and Isles,
he was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Sadly, on August 19, 2013, his life came to a tragic
end after he committed suicide with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Brittany Murphy After rising to fame in 1995's cult classic
Clueless with the famous line "You're a virgin who can't drive," Brittany Murphy offered
strong performances in Girl Interrupted, Drop Dead Gorgeous, 8 Mile, and Sin City, and had
a regular role on the hit animated show King of the Hill. Murphy was the breadwinner of
the family, as she cared for her mother, a breast-cancer survivor, and her husband, Simon
Monjack, who suffered from frequent seizures and heart troubles. In a surprising turn of
events that shocked the world, Murphy was declared dead on December 20, 2009, due to
pneumonia, anemia, and multiple drug intoxication. It's unclear whether toxic mold also played
a part in her untimely death at age 32, as her husband was found dead in the same house
five months later. Heather O'Rourke Best known for playing Carol Anne from the
movie Poltergeist, Heather O'Rourke was the sweet young girl that terrified audiences
after being sucked into the television set. She was also one of a very small number of
original cast members that remained with the movie series until Poltergeist 3. If you've
seen the final movie, you will notice Heather's cheeks are very puffy — a reaction to the
medication she was taking for Crohn's disease, with which she was misdiagnosed. Tragedy struck
when Heather suffered from cardiac arrest in February 1988 while undergoing a surgery
for a bowel obstruction at the tender age of 12. Dominique Dunne Sadly, this is another actress from the 1982
film Poltergeist. Many say the film was cursed, as this young actress from the film also met
an early demise. Dominique was born into a life of privilege in Santa Monica to a ranching
heiress and TV writer and producer Dominick Dunne. Dominique made appearances in the TV
shows Chips, Fame, and The Quest. But the same year Poltergeist was released, her deranged
ex-boyfriend, John Thomas Sweeney, murdered her in her own driveway in West Hollywood
on November 4, 1982. Brad Renfro Skyrocketing to fame at age 11, Brad Renfro
made a huge impression on audiences after starring in Joel Schumacher's adaptation of
The Client by John Grisham. High profile roles followed, and he made appearances in Sleepers
opposite Brad Pitt, Ghost World alongside Scarlett Johansson, and The Informers starring
Kim Basinger. Renfro fulfilled the sad destiny of many child actors, plunging into a life
of illegal drug use and trouble with the law. After trying to buy drugs from an undercover
LA police officer in 2006, Renfro plead no contest to attempted possession of heroin
and spent ten days in jail. On January 15, 2008, at 25 years old, Brad Renfro was found
dead of an accidental heroin and morphine overdose. Jonathan Brandis With a resume as long as your arm, Jonathan
Brandis showed up in Who's the Boss?, Blossom, L.A. Law, Full House, The Wonder Years, and
Murder, She Wrote, among tons of others. As a child and teenage star for many years, it
seemed like he had no shortage of work. He was 16 when he made Ladybugs, and 17 when
he was cast as a teen genius in Steven Spielberg's SeaQuest 2032. When SeaQuest was canceled
in 1996, however, the once-plentiful casting offers dried up. Depression soon plagued the
young star. He died after sustaining injuries from an attempted suicide via hanging at the
age of 27 in Danbury, Connecticut. Dana Plato Playing Kimberly Drummond in the television
series Diff'rent Strokes, Dana Plato was catapulted to instant stardom alongside Gary Coleman
and Todd Bridges. To cope with the mounting pressures of fame, she often indulged in cocaine
and marijuana off-set. Once she became pregnant, however, the network released her from her
contract and she began a downward spiral of drugs and alcohol that included work in adult
films and a spread in Playboy magazine. Dana 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 35 on May 8, 1999, in her RV in Oklahoma after taking
a fatal dose of lortab and valium. Lisa Robin Kelly Kelly made audiences laugh as part of the
ensemble cast of That '70s Show, but her real life wasn't funny at all. After a lengthy
battle with drug and alcohol addiction that ultimately caused her to lose her job on the
show, Kelly checked into rehab in August 2013, only to pass away in her sleep due to complications
from an accidental overdose. She was only 43. Thuy Trang Best known for her work as the original Yellow
Ranger on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Thuy Trang was developing what seemed like a potentially
promising career after leaving the show in 1994, landing roles in Spy Hard and The Crow:
City of Angels. Sadly, she never had a chance to fulfill that potential — she was killed
in a car accident in 2001, at the age of 27. Michael Clarke Duncan Duncan's towering physique made him a natural
for "big guy" roles, but he really had dramatic chops — and unlike a lot of actors booked
for that type of part, he got a chance to show them. His too-brief filmography includes
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. Duncan should
have had a much longer career, but he was felled by a heart attack in 2012 at the age
of 54. Harold Ramis Known best for playing the role of Egon in
Ghostbusters, Harold Ramis brought his screenwriting and directing talents to a slew of some of
Hollywood's best-loved films, including Caddyshack, Animal House, and Groundhog Day, just to name
a few. Ramis was 70 when he passed away from an autoimmune disease in 2014. Though he enjoyed
a long and productive career, fans the world over know he was still taken far too soon. Andy Hallett A Buffyverse fan favorite for his work as
the demon Lorne in the spinoff series Angel, Andy Hallett seemed to be on the verge of
a fruitful career in Hollywood. Unfortunately, he passed away at the age of 33 in 2009, the
victim of congestive heart failure. Taylor Negron One of Hollywood's all-time ultimate "That
Guy" actors, Negron compiled an impressive list of memorable 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 standout in pictures like
Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Better Off Dead, as well as TV shows like Seinfeld and
Friends. He was only 57 when he died in early 2015, a victim of liver cancer. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper
After making a name for himself as a professional wrestler, Piper branched out onto the big
screen, where he starred in the 1988 cult classic They Live. He's the one who coined
the catchphrase, "I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass. And I'm all out of
bubble gum." That set the tone for a busy Hollywood career full of B-movie roles and
small, but unforgettable appearances on shows like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. He
died in his sleep in 2015 after suffering a pulmonary embolism that triggered a heart
attack at the age of 61. Thanks for watching! Subscribe to our YouTube
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your favorite memories of celebs who left us too soon.
You don't know Michael Clarke Duncan? You animals!