Vincent Van Gogh. Living with severe mental illness, he created some of the most wonderful paintings of any artist. It’s debatable whether he accomplished this in spite of his illness or because of it. If I could time travel, I’d love to go back and tell him how much his paintings are going for today.
To add insult to injury, the yellow house in Arles where he had lived . . . was destroyed in WWII.
My “picks” would be:
Gail Rusell - She was an actress in 1940s/1950s Hollywood who fought numerous battles with alcohol. Although she was given work by her friends John Wayne and Randolph Scott, she was never able to beat her addiction to alcohol and she died at age 37.
Kelsey Grammer - Although he seems to be kind of a “jerk” in real life, his father and sister were both murdered,his twin half brothers died in a scuba diving accident and he is apparently estranged from some of his children. He has battled substance abuse for years and he experienced a misdiagnosed heart attack which nearly killed him.
Oh yeah…he’s been married four times all ending in divorce.
Al Jackson Jr. - Was the drummer for the 60’s musical group Booker T and the MGs. Married a woman who tried to have him murdered once and who spent all of his money. When he was just about to get back on his feet and start working again, his wife and her lover murdered him in his home. He was 39.
His wife was tried and never convicted (she spent time in a mental hospital) Her lover was killed in a gun battle with police and never stood trial.
Judith Barsi - An child actress who was frequently abused by her mentally disturbed and alcoholic father. Judith and her mother were finally murdered by her father, who then set their bodies on fire. He then went into their home’s garage and shot himself to death.
She was only 10.
References:
Judith Barsi -Judith Barsi - Wikipedia
Gail Russell -Gail Russell - Wikipedia
Kelsey Grammer -Kelsey Grammer - Wikipedia
Al Jackson Jr. -Al Jackson Jr. - Wikipedia.
(OK, not a celebrity, but) Mildred Kassab. She had a couple of miscarriages and stillbirths before her daughter Colette was born. Her first husband committed suicide–no one ever figured that one out. Then, later in life, her pregnant daughter Colette, and her two daughters were murdered. The sole survivor of that murder spree. . . Colette’s husband, Jeffrey MacDonald.
MacDonald was originally cleared of any involvement. It was the dogged efforts of Colette’s stepfather Freddy Kassab that finally many years later brought MacDonald to trial.
I don’t know why, but I have always felt sorry for Christina Onassis.
When Stephen Colbert was ten, his father and two of his brothers were killed in a plane crash.
As though this lady needed any more tragedy…
In 1984, O’Neill was starring in a TV series, Cover Up, with a young actor named Jon-Erik Hexum. During a delay in filming a scene, Hexum was playing around with a revolver which had been filled with blank cartridges. He placed the gun to his head, and fired a blank, not realizing that a blank could still deliver enough force to be dangerous at point-blank range. Hexum suffered severe brain trauma from the blank, and was declared brain-dead six days later.
Such a tragic story. Back in the 80s I worked for WFBM-am, which by that time had become a radio station. WFBM had been the call letters for what is now WRTV-tv, our local abc affiliate here in Indianapolis. She hosted a program called ‘Frances Farmer presents,’ in the late 50s/early 60s. It was very popular programming.
My boss at the radio station at one time had been head of sales for WFBM-tv. He remembered Miss Farmer fondly but he did comment that she seemed to be a very sad, very vague person. He was utterly convinced that she’d been subjected to a lobotomy.
To my astonishment, I just read that she is buried at Oaklawn Cemetery - right across the street from where I live.
Plus, Marvin Gaye was eventually killed by his father. It was ruled self-defense, but you have to wonder.
I think a lot of the other celebrities in here had much tougher times but I can’t help but instinctively think of Phil Hartman whenever discussions like this arise.