# Deaths that sort of define a person **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 13, 2023, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999 "2023-07-13T19:14:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/1 "2023-07-13T19:14:18Z")
Sometimes famous people die, and sometimes those deaths become larger than their lives (almost). These are deaths that immediately pop into one’s mind when you hear this person’s name, see their picture or see/hear some of their old works. **Michael Hutchence** : I heard inxs on the radio today, and right away thought of him dying in a hotel room by way of auto-erotic asphyxiation. Poor bastard. **JFK** : Has pretty much become as famous for his assassination as anything he did in his political career. **Phil Hartman** : Hard not to think of him without thinking of him being murdered by his coked up wife. Who else? ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/2 "2023-07-13T19:16:52Z")
Sylvia Plath committed suicide at age 30 by sticking her head in an oven. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/3 "2023-07-13T19:17:59Z")
Sharon Tate. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/4 "2023-07-13T19:18:16Z")
Elvis died on the toliet. Was big news at the time. King falls from throne. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/5 "2023-07-13T19:20:35Z")
RFK was known for his death even more so than his brother because he had not achieved much in his life comparatively, but his death left the image of a future presidency that wasn’t guaranteed to happen. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/6 "2023-07-13T19:25:07Z")
Anton Yelchin. I never saw anything he was in, but I know he got crushed by his own car. But the OP’s are more on point. poor Phil. And as for Michael, well, I always think of this: **Bruckman** : You know there are worse ways to go, but I can’t think of a more undignified one than autoerotic asphyxiation. **Mulder** : Why are you telling me that? **Bruckman** : Look, forget I mentioned it. It’s none of my business. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/7 "2023-07-13T19:28:23Z")
James Dean, Buddy Holly, Kirk Cobain. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/8 "2023-07-13T19:28:28Z")
How about Nathan Hale? > [@](#): > > I only regret, that I have but one life to lose for my country. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/9 "2023-07-13T19:30:35Z")
David Carradine, Heather O’Rourke. (_Very_ different lives and deaths.) ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/10 "2023-07-13T19:30:49Z")
William Henry Harrison I assume he did other things (he was elected POTUS after all) but he’s now known for dying after 31 days in office. ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/11 "2023-07-13T19:31:11Z")
Christa McAuliffe ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/12 "2023-07-13T19:37:33Z")
Keith Relf of the Yardbirds is surprisingly obscure for the front man of such an acclaimed and influential rock group. If he’s remembered for anything, it’s usually the fact that he died in the most Rock n Roll manner imaginable. He was electrocuted while playing an electric guitar. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/13 "2023-07-13T19:41:37Z")
Any number of Medal of Honor recipients, most of whom received them after dying in the act. Vic Morrow - beheaded on the set of ‘The Twilight Zone’ by a helicopter blade. David Carradine - found hanging in a closet, presumably from autoerotic asphyxiation. Bob Crane - found beaten to death in a hotel room. He had a hobby of taking photos and video of himself having sex with various women, and it’s surmised perhaps an angry husband or pimp or some underworld type killed him because of it. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/14 "2023-07-13T19:45:41Z")
From that era, I’d add Alexander Hamilton. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/15 "2023-07-13T19:46:01Z")
Jesus ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/16 "2023-07-13T19:46:06Z")
Mama Cass - Ham sandwich. (okay, debunked). Azariah Chamberlain - Dingo (“…ate my baby”). John Bonham - pulmonary aspiration (choked on his own vomit). ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/17 "2023-07-13T19:53:23Z")
Marie Antoinette and Anne Boleyn. Their beheadings seem to be popular fodder for Halloween costumes. I don’t know how well known Olive Cromwell or his beheading are, but I know of it from Monty Python’s song about it. ---
**Author:** ![NinthAcolyte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ninthacolyte/32/13676_2.png) [@NinthAcolyte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinthAcolyte)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/18 "2023-07-13T19:53:57Z")
Hunter S. Thompson and Alice Bradley Sheldon (AKA James Tiptree Jr.) ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/19 "2023-07-13T19:54:25Z")
There are probably a lot of tragic ones like Amber Hagerman, most regrettably known for the alerts after her murder: [Amber alert - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber_alert) > [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Michael Hutchence I’m not able to fully research a cite at the moment but the latest is that the story around his death is a myth. However, it doesn’t change his entry onto This List. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999/20 "2023-07-13T19:55:22Z")
Hunter Stockton Thompson. Calmly, while on the phone with his wife, he picked up a gun and blew his brains out. He left a note to his wife titled “Football season is over” that read “_No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted. Boring. I am always bitchy. No Fun — for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Act your age. Relax — This won’t hurt._” At his private funeral his ashes were then shot out of a cannon. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deaths-that-sort-of-define-a-person/986999.md?page=2)