Death
Famous Drug-related Deaths & Celebrity Drug Overdoses
This thorough list details the many celebrity drug related deaths and famous drug overdoses. There is nothing more cliche than the depiction of rampant drug and alcohol abuse by the Hollywood elite. Unfortunately, this is one cliche that hits the mark more than we'd like to believe. Celebrity drug deaths are all too frequent. Deaths from drug use are a rampant problem here in the states, both overdose and health issues created by drug use increase this statistic. These famous drug fueled deaths should illustrate a need to control drug usage or stop it all together. Famous overdoses have the power to bring awareness to this horrible problem.
If you know of celebrity overdoses and famous drug related deaths that are not on the list, you can add them or call them out in the comments, to make this list of drug related deaths completely comprehensive.
- Dec. at 31 (1982-2013)
- Birthplace: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
31-year-old star of Glee, accidentally overdosed on heroinCory Allan Michael Monteith (May 11, 1982 – July 13, 2013) was a Canadian actor, singer, and musician, known for his role as Finn Hudson on the Fox television series Glee. As an actor based in ...more - Dec. at 43 (1964-2007)
- Birthplace: USA, Hawaii, Kailua
Professional wrestler, accidental overdose of painkillers.Brian Keith Adams (April 14, 1964 – August 13, 2007) was an American professional wrestler. Adams is well known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), under the name Crush, and for ...more - Dec. at 36 (1931-1968)
- Birthplace: Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Actor, death officially certified as "accidental-suicidal and undetermined", high levels of sedatives found in his blood.Nick Adams may refer to: Nick Adams (actor, born 1931) (1931–1968), appeared in Hollywood films and on US television during the 1950s and 1960s Nick Adams (racing driver) (born 1948), British racing ...more - Dec. at 43 (1958-2001)
- Birthplace: Manchester, United Kingdom
Musician, Big Country, self-asphyxiation under the influence of alcohol.William Stuart Adamson (11 April 1958 – 16 December 2001) was a Scottish guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. He was the co-founder, lead vocalist, and guitarist of rock group Big Country, which ...more - Dec. at 23 (1964-1987)
- Birthplace: Dallas, Texas
Professional wrestler, suicide, overdosed on tranquilizers.Michael Brett Adkisson (March 2, 1964 – April 12, 1987) was an American professional wrestler under the ring name Mike Von Erich. His four brothers, David, Kerry, Kevin and Chris, also wrestled. He ...more - Dec. at 35 (1892-1927)
- Birthplace: East Asia, Tokyo, Asia, Japan
Writer, committed suicide by overdosing on veronal.Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (芥川 龍之介, Akutagawa Ryūnosuke, 1 March 1892 – 24 July 1927), art name Chōkōdō Shujin (澄江堂主人), was a Japanese writer active in the Taishō period in Japan. He is regarded as the ...more - Dec. at 21 (1975-1997)
- Birthplace: Inglewood, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
Former child actress, alcohol and heroin overdose.Bridgette Andersen (July 11, 1975 – 1997) was a California-based child actress and child model in American media. She starred in 1982's Savannah Smiles, for which she received her first of four ...more - Dec. at 39 (1932-1971)
- Birthplace: Cagliari, Italy
Actress, died of anaphylactic shock after being given a tranquilizer by her doctor.Pier Angeli (19 June 1932 – 10 September 1971), also credited under her birth name, Anna Maria Pierangeli, was an Italian-born television and film actress. Her American cinematographic debut was in ...more - Dec. at 35 (1965-2001)
- Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA
Actor, heroin overdose.Matthew Michael Ansara was an American actor and bodybuilder. His parents were actors Michael Ansara and Barbara Eden. Ansara's first acting work was at age 15 in the pilot episode of Harper Valley ...more - Dec. at 34 (1966-2000)
- Birthplace: USA, Florida, Fort Lauderdale
Champion horse-racing jockey, multiple drug overdose and injuries likely related to a fall caused by the drugs.Christopher Wiley Antley (January 6, 1966 – December 2, 2000) was a champion American jockey. He was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and grew up in Elloree, South Carolina. He left school at ...more 
Dec. at 36 (1960-1997)Musician, drug overdose.Aaron West Arkeen (June 18, 1960 – May 30, 1997), was an American musician best known for co-writing several Guns N' Roses songs. He died in Los Angeles as a result of a drug overdose.- Dec. at 48 (1951-1999)
- Birthplace: Australia
Painter, heroin overdose.Howard Arkley (5 May 1951 – 22 July 1999) was an Australian artist, born in Melbourne, known for his airbrushed paintings of houses, architecture and suburbia. His mother's side of the family was ...more - Dec. at 40 (1962-2002)
- Birthplace: USA, Shreveport, Louisiana
Photographer & make-up artist, kidney and liver failure due to Tylenol toxicity, as a result of a prescription painkiller addiction.Kevyn James Aucoin (February 14, 1962 – May 7, 2002) was an American make-up artist, photographer and author. - Dec. at 33 (1948-1982)
- Birthplace: Escondido, California
Music critic, musician, an overdose of Darvon and Valium and NyQuil.Leslie Conway "Lester" Bangs (December 14, 1948 – April 30, 1982) was an American music journalist, critic, author, and musician. He wrote for Creem and Rolling Stone magazines, and was known for his ...more - Dec. at 27 (1960-1988)
- Birthplace: New York City, USA, New York
Painter, heroin overdose.Jean-Michel Basquiat (French: [ʒɑ̃ miʃɛl baskija]; December 22, 1960 – August 12, 1988) was an American artist of Haitian and Puerto Rican descent. Basquiat first achieved fame as part of SAMO, an ...more - Dec. at 38 (1929-1968)
- Birthplace: Oakland, California, USA
American former child actor, suspected overdose.Scott Hastings Beckett (October 4, 1929 – May 10, 1968) was an American actor. He began his career as a child actor in the Our Gang shorts and later costarred on Rocky Jones, Space Ranger. - Dec. at 23 (1979-2003)
- Birthplace: Medford, Oregon
Major League Baseball pitcher, died of a heatstroke, the coroner indicated that "the toxicity of ephedra played a signifcant role" among many factors in contributing to his death.Steven Scott Bechler (November 18, 1979 – February 17, 2003) was an American professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles. After starring for the ...more - Dec. at 33 (1949-1982)
- Birthplace: Humboldt Park, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
Of the Blues Brothers, actor, and comedian, heroin and cocaine overdoseJohn Adam Belushi (January 24, 1949 – March 5, 1982) was an American comedian, actor, and singer. He was one of the seven original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live ...more - Dec. at 28 (1971-1999)
- Birthplace: Texas
Musician, Tripping Daisy.Wes Berggren (April 3, 1971 – October 27, 1999) was an American musician and former guitarist for the rock band Tripping Daisy. Berggren was found dead of a drug overdose in his apartment on October ...more - Dec. at 18 (1977-1995)
- Birthplace: Essex, United Kingdom
Schoolgirl, ecstasy related.Leah Sarah Betts (1 November 1977 – 16 November 1995) was a schoolgirl from Latchingdon in Essex, England. She is notable for the extensive media coverage that followed her death shortly after her ...more - Dec. at 22 (1963-1986)
- Birthplace: Landover, Maryland, United States of America
Basketball player; died of cocaine overdose before ever playing in the NBA.Leonard Kevin Bias (November 18, 1963 – June 19, 1986) was a first-team All-American college basketball forward at the University of Maryland. Two days after being selected by the Boston Celtics as ...more - Dec. at 45 (1961-2007)Professional wrestler, toxic levels of cocaine and anti anxiety drug.Scott Charles Bigelow (September 1, 1961 – January 19, 2007) was an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Bam Bam Bigelow. Recognizable by his close to 400 pounds (180 kg) ...more
- Dec. at 44 (1962-2007)
- Birthplace: Uccle, Belgium
Aristocrat, cocaine overdose.Count Gottfried Alexander Leopold von Bismarck-Schönhausen (Gottfried Alexander Leopold Graf von Bismarck-Schönhausen in German; 19 September 1962 – 30 June 2007) was a German businessman, socialite ...more - Dec. at 37 (1943-1981)
- Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
Blues guitarist, heroin overdose.Michael Bernard Bloomfield (July 28, 1943 – February 15, 1981) was an American guitarist and composer, born in Chicago, Illinois, who became one of the first popular music superstars of the 1960s to ...more - Dec. at 25 (1951-1976)
- Birthplace: USA, Sioux City, Iowa
Musician, Deep Purple, drugs overdose.Thomas Richard Bolin (August 1, 1951 – December 4, 1976) was an American guitarist and songwriter who played with Zephyr (from 1969 to 1971), James Gang (from 1973 to 1974), and Deep Purple (from ...more
