# Movies where a main actor dies during filming done well? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 11, 2009, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736 "2009-04-11T10:51:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736/1 "2009-04-11T10:51:27Z")
_Plan 9 From Outer Space_ is the canonical example of a film where an actor dies during filming and is handled terribly. Are there any good examples of the opposite, where one of the main actors dies before completing filming, but they’re too far along to make the time and money it would take to reshoot worthwhile so they fudge the remaining scenes that would’ve required the actor, and it turns out well? ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736/2 "2009-04-11T13:49:22Z")
Well, there’s \*Gladiator \*: Oliver Reed died during filming, and Scott worked around his death by filming the remaining scenes featuring Proximo either from the back, or in the dark… it works very well. Of course, Proximo isn’t really a main character, so that may not the kind of example you were looking for. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736/3 "2009-04-11T13:56:13Z")
Oliver Reed had a fatal heart attack during the filming of _Gladiator_. Some of the scenes he was in needed to be re-edited; they used a double who was photographed in the shadows as a stand-in, then dubbed in a 3D CGI mask of Reed’s face. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736/4 "2009-04-11T14:04:25Z")
Well, \*\*the Crow \*\*is a classic example. They had a ton of it shot before Brandon Lee died, but had to use CGI and other actors to get a few shots. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736/5 "2009-04-11T14:05:34Z")
Brandon Lee’s death while filming _The Crow_. They were filming his character’s murder, when a misfire caused the prop gun to fire a dummy round into Lee’s abdomen. From [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crow_(1994_film)): > [@](#): > > Following the accident, Lee was taken to the New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, North Carolina where he died about 12 hours later. Following Lee’s death, the producers were faced with the decision of whether or not to continue with the film. … After two days, Ed Pressman announced that the film would be completed. The technicalities of completing the film following Lee’s death added $8 million to the budget, taking it to approximately $15 million. The cast and crew then took a break with script rewrites for the flashback scenes that had yet to be completed. The cast returned to Wilmington nearly two months after the accident. There was quite a bit a CGI work done to add Lee into scene’s that had not yet been filmed. ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736/6 "2009-04-11T14:21:51Z")
Not exactly done _well_, more like…done _terribly_…but since we mentioned Brandon Lee I wanted to mention Bruce Lee and _Game of Death_. The fight scene between Bruce Lee and Kareem Abdul Jabar is classic. The stuff that they shot after Lee’s death to pad it out–garbage. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736/7 "2009-04-11T14:26:38Z")
We’re soon going to be getting to see what’s possible in a big-budget production when the lead actor dies. Heath Ledger died while making _The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus_. The movie was rewritten so that when Heath Ledger’s character visits other worlds, his appearance changes. Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell will play the other versions of the character. The film has finished shooting and will come out later this year. Interestingly, not only did those three actors agree to play the other versions of the character, but they agreed to give the salaries they would have gotten for their roles to Matilda, Ledger’s daughter. Ledger didn’t get around to changing his will after Maltilda’s birth, so all his money went to his father. ---
**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736/8 "2009-04-11T14:47:50Z")
James Dean in _Giant_. The had to reshoot the banquet scence with someone filling in for Dean. I’m not sure it counts since the movie was mostly finished, but I’ll list it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736/9 "2009-04-11T14:52:20Z")
_The Dark Knight_ was still in production when Heath Ledger died, although I think filming was complete and the only concern were dubs/sound editing. Could be off on that, though. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736/10 "2009-04-11T15:46:37Z")
Well, I would’ve said [The Thief and the Cobbler/Princess and the Cobbler/Arabian Knight](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabian_Knight), but you specified done _well_. And when the actor in question actually finished his part completely, but the production of the film drags out so long that said actor died in his old age _twenty years after completing his scenes, and two years before the film is even released_, it’s not really the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736/11 "2009-04-11T16:00:53Z")
Well, back in the 80s, there was Natalie Wood’s tragic drowning before the completion of _[Brainstorm](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainstorm_(1983_film)#Natalie_Wood.27s_death)_, costarring Christopher Walken. Apparently, they were on Thanksgiving break and had yet to film a climactic scene when she died. They used body doubles and soundalikes in combination with already shot footage to finish the movie. It’s a well done movie despite the loss of the beautiful and talented actress. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736/12 "2009-04-11T16:21:34Z")
There is _Saratoga_, during which Jean Harlow died. According to IMDB, “In May of 1937, with the film about 90% completed, Jean Harlow collapsed on the set and died about a week later, reportedly of uremic poisoning. Her remaining scenes were shot with double Mary Dees being filmed only from behind. Paula Winslowe supplied the voice.” I believe the film was quite successful, though how much of it was because of people wanting a final look at the beloved Harlow, I cannot say. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736/13 "2009-04-11T16:25:25Z")
> [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](#): > > Well, back in the 80s, there was Natalie Wood’s tragic drowning before the completion of _[Brainstorm](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainstorm_(1983_film)#Natalie_Wood.27s_death)_, costarring Christopher Walken. Apparently, they were on Thanksgiving break and had yet to film a climactic scene when she died. They used body doubles and soundalikes in combination with already shot footage to finish the movie. > > It’s a well done movie despite the loss of the beautiful and talented actress. And they also gave much of the action she was to do to another character. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736/14 "2009-04-11T17:22:30Z")
John Candy died of a heart attack on location while filming [Wagons East.](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111653/) Like most of the tother films mentioned so far, most of the shooting was already complete when Candy died; they were able to “shoot around,” reuse other footage, and use stand-ins, to complete his few remaining shots. It also has my cousin [Dave Dunard](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0241784/) in it, one of his larger roles. Poor Dave. He just never quite “made it.” ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736/15 "2009-04-11T17:54:15Z")
Vic Morrow was killed while filming the “Twilight Zone” movie. I’m not sure if they handled it well or not, since it was a fairly crappy movie. However, I don’t remember the part with Morrow being noticeably more crappy than the other parts. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736/16 "2009-04-11T19:08:47Z")
> [@Mr\_Shine](#): > > _Plan 9 From Outer Space_ is the canonical example of a film where an actor dies during filming and is handled terribly. As I recall, Lugosi didn’t die during filming of _Plan 9_; he’d died well before. Ed Wood used some test footage of Lugosi from another project and jammed it into _Plan 9_, using the infamous foot-taller stand-in to try to stitch the movies together. > [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > Vic Morrow was killed while filming the “Twilight Zone” movie. I’m not sure if they handled it well or not, since it was a fairly crappy movie. However, I don’t remember the part with Morrow being noticeably more crappy than the other parts. I remember watching that segment (in which the bigoted Morrow finds himself suddenly on the run from Nazis and Klansmen and, unfortunately, dodging fire in Vietnam) and it ends unsatisfactorily with Morrow on a train for Auschwitz or something, as opposed to the more conventional Twilight Zone ending in which the main character realizes he’s been taught a lesson and it was all a dream… or was it? Instead, he just gets bundled off to his doom, still protesting. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736/17 "2009-04-11T21:55:13Z")
The ones I was going to mention have already been named, so I’ll just add that Bela Lugosi _didn’t_ die during the filming of **Plan Nine from Outer Space**. He died before it really began. Ed Wood had the footage and decided to do something with it – Plan Nine was the result. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736/18 "2009-04-12T00:12:33Z")
A televison series not a movie, but John Spencer died while the final season of _The West Wing_ was being filmed. Ironically, his character, Leo McGarry, had been reduced in the series a season before but then brought back and given an expanded role in the final season. The writers wrote McCarry’s death into the series (which supposedly also caused them to change the outcome of the election in the series) and had him off-camera for a few shows before his death. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2009, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736/19 "2009-04-12T00:33:59Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > A televison series not a movie Well, if we’re gonna do that, may as well mention Nancy Marchand’s death during the run of _The Sopranos_. Her final scene had her character’s son yelling at her with her seen from behind (played by a double), intercut with old reaction shots of Marchand speaking various non-sequiturs like “Aw, c’mon,” and such. Of course, once we starting citing TV shows, the thread sextuples in length. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2009, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736/20 "2009-04-12T04:17:02Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Well, \*\*the Crow \*\*is a classic example. I’ve seen the movie a hundred times and have never been able to tell which Brandon Lees were really Brandon Lee and which weren’t, as it were. It probably helped that the whole damn thing is shot in semi-darkness. > [@ShibbOleth](#): > > _The Dark Knight_ was still in production when Heath Ledger died, although I think filming was complete and the only concern were dubs/sound editing. Could be off on that, though. Weirdly, the sound mixing for that movie was absolutely terrible. The dialogue was frequently inaudible, and then you’d get to a 140-decibel fight scene. Ruined it for me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-where-a-main-actor-dies-during-filming-done-well/492736.md?page=2)