When it comes to our favorite famous faces, we tend to have an expectation of transparency about their lives. Of course, they have every right to their privacy, and there are plenty of examples of fans taking their affection for a certain celeb a bit too far. But, for the most part, we just enjoy knowing that underneath all their glitz and glamor, they're regular folks like the rest of us.
Unfortunately, seeing someone suffer from tragedy is one of the most humbling ways those famous folks have been humanized over the decades.
Whether they're one of the most well-known aviators in history or someone just trying to get their start in showbiz, too many have found themselves overshadowed by dark circumstances, as you can see in the examples below.
Take a look and let us know in the comments if we missed any other shocking unsolved stories surrounding famous names.
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1. Bruce Lee And The Death Strike
There are several theories about what caused the untimely death of the iconic martial artist and actor, some claiming that he was on the receiving end of a "death strike" or that he was the victim of a curse. However, those with him the night he passed explain that Lee had taken an Equagesic, a mixture of muscle relaxants and aspirin.
That was all the autopsy showed in his system at the time of his death, leading them to believe he had a hypersensitive reaction to the medicine, but his fans remain skeptical. He was only 32.
2. The Disappearance Of Amelia Earhart
The adventurous pilot's disappearance has been studied by experts and enthusiasts since she vanished in 1937, just shy of her 40th birthday, with theories ranging from Earhart and her co-pilot Fred Noonan being captured by pre-WWII Japanese forces, to falling victim to the mysterious superstitions of the Bermuda Triangle.
Recently, however, the International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) announced evidence that Earhart possibly survived her crash landing on an island near her destination called Gardner Island, and that she lived as a castaway until the lack of drinkable water took its toll on her.
3. The Murder Of The Black Dahlia
Aspiring actress Elizabeth Short was only 22 years old when she was brutally murdered, found dismembered and mutilated on the side of a Los Angeles road in 1947. Her mugshot above was taken in 1943 when she was charged with underage intoxication.
The press instantly descended onto the case, with newspapers like the Los Angeles Examiner giving her the floral moniker, and even calling her mother, claiming Elizabeth had won a beauty contest and only informing her of her daughter's death after they had confirmed details about the young woman.
Over the years, more than 50 men and women have claimed to either be or know the culprit, but with a complete lack of evidence, it has remained unsolved.
4. Elvis And The Grimes Sisters
On December 28, 1956, Barbara Grimes, 15, and her sister Patricia, 13, went to their local Chicago theater to see Elvis Presley's first film, Love Me Tender. Two of their friends also attended the theater that night and saw the girls appearing as normal and in good spirits.
After staying for the second of a double feature that evening, her mother began to fear the worst when they didn't arrive home by midnight. Authorities began searching for the pair the next day, some wondering if they had decided to travel to Nashville, TN, to see their idol. Presley's team even issued a statement during their absence saying, "If you are good Presley fans, you'll go home and ease your mother's worries."
Several citizens made unconfirmed claims to seeing the girls boarding busses out of town or checking into hotels before their bodies were found on the side of a road on January 22, 1957, after the thaw of snow finally uncovered them. Their killer was never found or captured.
5. Lana Turner's Deadly Romance
In the spring of 1957, the actress entered a relationship with Johnny Stompanato. However, she claimed to have no prior knowledge of his gangster affiliations with Mickey Cohen and his crime family.
She attempted to break off from Stompanato, but he persisted, resulting in a rocky affair that lasted about a year. After the pair attended the 1958 Academy Awards, they returned to her house where they got into a particularly heated argument that supposedly ended in Turner's 14-year-old daughter, Cheryl Crane, stabbing Stompanato with a kitchen knife.
Though theories as to what actually happened and several questions as to who was actually holding the knife are still up in the air, a judge ultimately ruled that Crane was protecting her mother and deemed it justifiable homicide.
6. Bob Crane And The Camera Tripod
In 1978, the Hogan's Heroes actor was performing dinner theater in Scottsdale, AZ, when his co-star found him beaten to death in his hotel room. With little evidence to go off of, and with the local police force lacking in a homicide division, the case remains classified as unsolved to this day.
Despite the frustratingly inconclusive evidence, Crane's friend, John Henry Carpenter, is the strongest suspect for both fans, family, and the authorities. Though they became close, thanks to Carpenter's skill with a camera and Crane wanting to record his liaisons with women, officials theorize that Crane had planned to end their friendship, and Carpenter sought vengeance with his camera tripod.
Crane's son, Robert, also has suspicions that his step-mother, Crane's Hogan co-star, Sigrid Valdis, might have had something to do with it, since she was the only one listed as a benefactor in his father's will.
7. The Kidnapping Of Charles Lindbergh, Jr.
Charles Lindbergh had made a name for himself with his long distance flights, but the real media outpour came when his 20-month-old son, Charles Jr., was taken from his New Jersey home and a ransom note was left demanding $50,000, later raised to $70,000. It also claimed the toddler was in "good care" and would be returned when they had the money.
Two months later, the child's body was found badly beaten with a blow to the skull likely being the cause of death. Following another two-year investigation, Richard Hauptmann was sentenced to death for the crime of the kidnapping, though he continued to proclaim his innocence, and several major historians question his guilt.
8. Fatty Arbuckle And Virginia Rappe
An aspiring model and actress in the silent film era, Rappe died while attending a Labor Day party at mega-star Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle's hotel room in Hollywood. Her cause of death was ruled as a ruptured bladder after supposedly suffering trauma at Arbuckle's hands.
The actor faced three separate manslaughter trials and witnesses came forward to defend him, claiming Rappe had long suffered from cystitis that she aggravated with her drinking that evening. Arbuckle was cleared of all charges and the courts even issued a formal apology. Not only did Arbuckle's career never recover, but the true cause of Rappe's death was never determined.
9. A Fatal Delivery For Sal Mineo
Like his co-stars in Rebel Without a Cause, Mineo's death was surrounded by tragedy and mystery when he was murdered by an unknown assailant in 1976. With his career finally on the upswing after years of decline, he was gaining favorable reviews for his role as a burglar in the comedy P.S. Your Cat Is Dead, performing in San Francisco and following its transfer back to his home in Los Angeles.
Mineo was stabbed in the alley behind his house on Sunset Strip, only once but with a fatal blow to the heart. A local pizza delivery man who was already found guilty of a string of robberies in the area was also given an extra sentence for killing Mineo. The evidence was circumstantial and doubts still arise as to the real killer and motive.
Did we miss a tragic mystery involving another famous face from the past? Let us know below and be sure to SHARE with your friends!
