I don’t know why I decided to take the time to do this, other than thinking about how all but two people on this list were considerably younger than myself when they died. (John Belushi and Chris Farley were 33; I will be 33 next month.)
Wonder who else is going to end up on this list by the end of the year? Amy Winehouse? Lindsey Lohan? Britney Spears? Pete Doherty? Some other celebrity who will take us all by surprise a la Heath Ledger?
What is sadder still, is that most of these people died by their own hand, via suicide/drugs.
Who have I left out of this list of musicians or actors who died before the age of 33?
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Here’s the list of people included on this page from left to right:
Aaliyah (musician) – plane crash
The Big Bopper (JP Richardson) (musician) – plane crash
Biggie Smalls (Christopher Wallace) (rap artist) – murdered
Brad Renfro (actor) – suicide by overdose
Brandon Lee (actor) – accidental shooting on the set of The Crow
Brian Jones (musician) – drowned either by own hand or murdered depending on what version of the story you believe.
Buddy Holly (musician) – plane crash
Chris Farley (actor) – suicide by overdose
Duane Allman (musician) – motorcycle accident
Eddie Cochran (musician) – car accident
Frankie Lymon (musician) – suicide by overdose
Freddie Prinze (actor) – suicide by gunshot
Glenn Quinn (actor) – suicide by overdose
Gram Parsons (musician) – suicide by overdose
Hank Williams Sr. (musician) – suicide by alcohol poisoning/overdose
Heath Ledger (actor) – currently undetermined, probable suicide by overdose
James Dean (actor) – car accident
Janis Joplin (musician) – suicide by overdose
Jeff Buckley (musician) – accidental drowning
Jimi Hendrix (musician) – suicide by overdose
Jim Morrison (musician) – suicide by overdose
John Belushi (musician) – murder? suicide by overdose
Jonathan Brandis (musician) – suicide by hanging
Jon-Erik Hexum (actor) – accidental suicide by gunshot on the set of the TV show “Cover Up”
Kurt Cobain (musician) – suicide by gunshot
Lisa (Left-Eye) Lopes (musician) – car accident
Otis Redding (musician) – plane crash
Randy Rhoads (musician) – plane crash
Rebecca Shaeffer (actress) – murdered
Ritchie Valens (musician) – plane crash
River Phoenix (actor) – suicide by overdose
Ronnie Van Sant (musician) – plane crash
Selena (musician) – murdered
Shannon Hoon (lead singer for Blind Melon) – suicide by overdose
Sid Vicious (musician) – suicide by overdose
Tupac Shakur (rap artist) – murdered
Carole Lombard (actress) – plane crash
Jim Croce (musician) – plane crash
Karen Carpenter (musician) – suicide by anorexia nervosa
Cass Elliott (musician) – heart attack *not* choking on a ham sandwich
Brad Nowell (lead singer for Sublime) – suicide by overdose
John Bonham (drummer for Led Zeppelin) – suicide by overdose









































Aren’t you supposed to be in bed? It says that you just posted this a few minutes ago…and before you start, my excuse is that I’m getting ready for work, and then the whole time zone thing. Gets me everytime.
Pingback: Amy Winehouse » Dead Too Soon
I think some of them were dead right on time.
Forgot about Glenn Whatshisface who played Doyle. He was awesome – still can’t believe what happened.
Avitable’s last blog post…AvitaWeek 2008: Chocorrito
Cass Elliot (32)
Karen Carpenter (32)
Carole Lombard (33)
DaDuck’s last blog post…I can say
Dude, Ricky Valenz (or however you spell it) didn’t die by his own hand.
Who ARE these people? I don’t know any of them.
Frankly, I hope Britney kicks the bucket soon. What a total waste of space.
The Absurdist’s last blog post…I’ve Come to Realize?
Jim Croce
othurme’s last blog post…Things Jester Didn’t Get To Hear In Person Because He Missed Poker Night
Though I recognize most of these people, I really need names for the rest. OR! we can make it a game and match the names with the faces! woo woo!
Was Jonathan Brandis gay?
Lee: Everyone thinks so, but between all of us someone must know someone who knows someone who claims to have fucked him.
Topncal’s last blog post…Jester is all a twitter
Awww, how sad
One of 2Pacs songs “Changes” still has an impact on me. I don’t think because of his death, did it make me want to hear it more. The same for Nirvana.
I seriously don’t think Britney Spears will bite the dust any time soon. As for Amy Whinehouse….hmm…maybe…
I must admit I don’t know who Amy winehouse is.
topncal’s last blog post…Jester is all a twitter
I am with you… I have heard of her only because she is always in rehab. What gives with these fuckers? I have no idea who they are.
And Karen Carpenter was only 32? Geez. I am 35. She looked like she was 50… I mean, of course, she was sick and all, but damn…
The Absurdist’s last blog post…Mini-blog: I am going to be rude and wipe the blog backlog
Toby – If you say so. I’m an insomniac.
Avitable – Who do you think died right on time? Glenn Quinn, you mean? Played Mark on Roseanne.
DaDuck – Good call. I added them.
The Absurdist – Some of the people on this list didn’t die by their own hand, what they have in common is dying during the height of their success (or JUST prior) and before 33 years old.
Othurme – Can’t believe I forgot him. He’s on there now.
Lee – I shouldn’t have put them in alphabetical order by first name if we were going to play a game.
I’ll provide the list.
TopNCal – I think we could make that argument for nearly every celebrity of questionable sexuality.
Branden – As if you know more than 5 or 6 people on this list. Damn youngin’s.
Britney is on a very short ride to Deadsville.
TopNCal – Amy Winehouse is a british singer who is all of 22 or 23 I think. She does the song that says, “They tried to make me go to rehab, but I won’t go no no …. ” Check out the songs on the disk drive of music I gave you. It’s there.
Absurdist – Just another reason to be fat and happy.
John Bonham
othurme’s last blog post…SOLD!
Oh that song. I knew the song just not the singer.
Topncal’s last blog post…Jester is all a twitter
othurme – I added him. I also updated the post to include all the names and manner of deaths.
Wow. Scary. Seems like being famous might be bad for your health.
ginamonster’s last blog post…I am my mother’s daughter after all
TopNCal – Now you know. I’m good for something occasionally.
ginamonster – I think that’s something most people would agree with.
being famous isn’t bad for your health, but being drugged up clearly is….that and getting on a private plane of any kind…
Lee – Wonder how your odds would be if you were drugged up while flying on a private plane…?
You just described my recent vacation with the parents….
oddly enough, i’m listening to Jefferson Airplane’s White Rabbit while I type this.
Lee – So I should type in rainbows?
don’t you always?
Lee – Shit in rainbows, dear. Not type.
I don’t know, I was on a private plane once, but nothing happened. Of course, it didn’t leave the ground with me on it…
ginamonster’s last blog post…Dear Poo,
ginamonster – I think you really have to leave the ground for it to count. You can’t consider yourself a member of the mile high club if you never actually went up.
This is a cool post- interesting. I’ve passed 33, lucky to have made it honestly.
yet another reason that i have no problem accepting and embracing my age (36 and a half). sad that so many folks don’t make it to 40. mom always said that life begins at 40. i’m looking forward to it!!
cool post. thanks, jester.
Liz – I think you’ve perfectly pickled yourself now. You should be good for another 80 years.
hello – You’re welcome. I can’t say I’m looking forward to turning 40, but I’ve got a few years to contemplate it.
surley anyone who is dead is dead too soon. lets all live forever. hoorah!
brightons last blog post..Pete Doherty @Dome:19/03.09
I read through that list and it made me feel so sad. It made me think about people I’ve lost who weren’t famous as well as those that were. So sad.
.-= Susan Kennedy´s last blog ..Van hire, London the self drive way =-.