Buzz
While the careers of actresses in film, TV, and theater appear glamorous and alluring, their personal lives are often far more complicated. In some cases, emotional struggles, familial losses, or health issues lead to heartbreaking outcomes—sometimes even at their own hands. We will always remember them.
10. Lucy Gordon
To the outside world, Lucy Gordon appeared to have it all. Born in Oxford, England, she moved to France for much of her childhood. Lucy began her acting career in 2001, eventually starring alongside renowned names like John Cusack, Audrey Tautou, and Tobey Maguire. Throughout the 2000s, she took on smaller roles in films like Serendipity and Spider-Man 3, but it was her portrayal of actress and singer Jane Birkin in the 2010 biographical film Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life that truly brought her widespread acclaim, a role she reportedly cherished working on.
She was noted by her coworkers as generous, gentle, and greatly talented, and by her family as the kind of person “who gave her all for others and thought of others before herself.” So it came as a shock to friends and family alike when, two days before her 29th birthday, Gordon’s boyfriend found her body hanging in her Paris apartment. Those closest to her admitted that she had been intensely disturbed by the recent suicide of a friend.
9. Carole Landis
Born in Wisconsin to a poor family as the youngest of five children, the star-struck and lovely Frances Lillian Mary Ridste spent her childhood dreaming of big things. After saving $100, she took a bus to San Francisco, dyed her hair blonde, and eventually had her name legally changed to Carole Landis.
Starting off as a hula dancer, Landis gradually worked her way up in show business, starring in numerous bit parts until she finally landed a breakthrough performance in the film One Million B.C., which put her in the public eye and led to a long relationship with 20th Century Fox.
During the 1940s, Landis starred in a variety of successful films, including dramas, musicals, and comedies, alongside notable figures such as Victor Mature, Rita Hayworth, and other well-known stars. While she garnered attention for her multiple marriages and passionate love affairs, she earned respect for being one of the most stylish actresses of her time, even receiving recognition for her contributions to the war effort.
In 1947, however, she began a tragic, secret romance with Rex Harrison, which is believed to have contributed to her eventual suicide. Unable to cope with the realization that he could not divorce his wife to be with her, she left him and her mother a heartbreaking suicide note before taking a lethal dose of barbiturates.
8. Capucine
Born in Toulon, France, Germaine Lefebvre spent her early years working at a bank, but her life changed dramatically when, at 17, a photographer spotted her while she was riding in a carriage. This led to her becoming a prominent model for major brands like Christian Dior and Givenchy, and she later adopted the name Capucine.
In the 1950s, Capucine moved to New York, where she began a relationship with producer Charles Feldman. He took her to Hollywood to pursue acting and English studies. After making her film debut in 1960, she became a Hollywood sensation with films like The Lion and North to Alaska, but it was her portrayal of the femme fatale and alluring wife of Detective Clouseau in the 1963 comedy The Pink Panther that solidified her legacy.
Capucine’s striking beauty and undeniable talent made her a worldwide star. She starred alongside Hollywood legends such as John Wayne, William Holden, and Peter Sellers, and counted Audrey Hepburn as a close friend. Despite her fame, those who were close to her revealed that she battled deep personal struggles, including physical ailments and depression. After several suicide attempts, she tragically jumped from her penthouse apartment in Switzerland, falling eight stories to her death in March 1990.
7. Libby Holman
Born in Ohio in 1904, Holman became the youngest woman at the time to graduate from the University of Cincinnati. She then moved to New York with dreams of making it on Broadway. Her big break came in 1925 with the Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart musical The Garrick Gaieties, and she continued to star in major productions throughout the 1920s and 1930s.
Wherever Holman went, scandal seemed to follow. She was known for swearing, drinking, frequenting clubs, and having high-profile relationships with both men and women. Her first husband, tobacco magnate Zachary Smith Reynolds, allegedly took his own life in 1932, though some speculated she had a hand in his death. Her second husband, actor Ralph de Rimer Holmes, also ended his life by suicide.
Despite her tumultuous personal life, Holman remained influential in the entertainment world, even after her final stage performance in the 1938 musical You Never Know. She became famous for her sultry, distinctive renditions of songs like “Give Me Something to Remember You By,” “Body and Soul,” and “Moanin’ Low.” Known for her beauty, bold stage presence, activism, and fiery personal life, she left a lasting impression on music lovers and celebrities alike, including figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. to Montgomery Clift.
In 1972, however, deeply affected by the loss of her son and several close friends, she was found in her car, topless and asphyxiated, the engine running. Her death was ruled as a case of carbon monoxide poisoning.
6. Jill Bennett
Born on a rubber plantation in what is now Malaysia, Jill Bennett might have seemed unlikely to achieve success in either the theater or film. But she defied the odds. After moving to England, she studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London during the 1940s. At 18, she joined the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre and soon became deeply infatuated with 60-year-old actor Sir Godfrey Tearle, a period she later described as the happiest of her life.
Famous on stage during the 1960s and 1970s for her work in everything from classical plays to comedy and drama, Bennett is perhaps best remembered for portraying Hedda in her husband, playwright John Osborne’s 1972 adaptation of Hedda Gabler. She also made a lasting impression in television and film roles, appearing in movies such as Moulin Rouge, Lust for Life, and The Sheltering Sky.
Though she often felt insecure and considered herself unattractive, Bennett was admired for her sharp intellect, wit, and the emotional depth she brought to her roles. However, grappling with a sense of constant failure and a troubled relationship with a Swiss businessman, she tragically ended her life with an overdose of sleeping pills in 1990.
5. Elizabeth Hartman
A fragile redhead residing in an apartment on East 68th Street, Elizabeth Hartman first caught the public's attention in 1966 with her performance in the film A Patch of Blue, earning her an Academy Award nomination. Yet, she later confessed that the early success overwhelmed her, leaving her in “a position where I didn’t belong,” stating, “I was not ready for that. I suddenly found myself failing.”
Although much of her time was spent reading and reflecting, Hartman still managed to shine in leading roles in films such as The Group, You’re a Big Boy Now, and The Fixer, working alongside stars like Sidney Poitier, Shelley Winters, and Clint Eastwood. She also enjoyed a successful Broadway career.
Despite her professional achievements, Hartman struggled with depression by the age of 45. In June 1987, she called her doctor expressing feelings of sadness. Later that day, she tragically jumped from her fifth-floor apartment in Pittsburgh, ending her life.
4. Joyce Jameson
Joyce Jameson was one of the early actresses who mastered the “dumb blonde” stereotype in films such as the Academy Award-winning The Apartment and Good Neighbor Sam.
She began her career as a chorus girl in the 1950s, performing in Showboat, and later became a frequent presence in musicals and comedies. Typically cast as a naive, flirtatious, or shallow beauty, she had the chance to share the screen with stars like Elvis Presley and Bob Hope. She also made appearances with TV comedy greats like Steve Allen, Red Skelton, and Danny Kaye. One of her most well-known roles was as Skippy on The Andy Griffith Show. However, she occasionally stepped outside the 'dumb blonde' persona, such as in her gritty role in Roger Corman’s 1963 film Tales of Terror, where she starred alongside Peter Lorre and Vincent Price.
In real life, despite her on-screen persona, Jameson was well-educated, thoughtful, and intelligent, though she battled with depression. Tragically, she took her own life by overdosing on pills in 1987, before turning 60. Her cremated remains were later scattered at sea.
3. Dalida
Dalida remains one of the most beloved and iconic singers of all time. Born Yolande Christina Giglioti in Cairo, her rise to fame began rapidly after she won the Miss Egypt title at the age of 21. Her first breakthrough came when she starred in a film directed by the renowned Egyptian filmmaker Niazi Mostafa. Seeking greater opportunities, she moved to Paris, where she adopted the stage name Dalida, inspired by the biblical figure and the character from the American film Samson and Delilah.
In France, Dalida’s singing talent was quickly discovered, propelling her to stardom in 1956. Her debut single, “Bambino,” sold over a million copies across Europe within just one year. While she also appeared in several acclaimed films from Italy, Egypt, and France, her most significant impact came from her music, which she focused on from the 1960s onward.
Dalida's international fame didn't shield her from personal struggles. She endured painful divorces and the tragic suicides of two men she loved. In May 1987, while preparing for a potential comeback, she tragically took her own life by overdosing on barbiturates in Paris. She left behind a note that read, in part: “Forgive me; life is unbearable.”
2. Lupe Velez
Lupe Velez, one of Mexico's most legendary actresses, earned nicknames like “The Hot Pepper” and “The Mexican Spitfire” due to her fiery personality and career. After relocating to California from her native Mexico, she transformed from a chorus girl into a leading lady, starring in the 1927 film The Gaucho in under a year. During the 1920s, she worked with Hollywood icons such as Hal Roach, Douglas Fairbanks, D.W. Griffith, and Lon Chaney, and captured the attention of some of Hollywood’s top men, including Charlie Chaplin, Victor Fleming, and Gary Cooper.
While many stars saw their careers fade with the rise of talkies, Velez’s career flourished. She starred in the 1932 comedy The Half-Naked Truth, which showcased her talents and boosted her career in comedy. She went on to feature in films like Hollywood Party, where she performed alongside Laurel and Hardy.
However, after a brief break from Hollywood, Velez found her career diminished. She returned to find herself typecast in B movies, and her popularity waned. Despite continuing to appear on Broadway and in some respected dramatic films, her personal life began to unravel. Pregnant, unmarried, and grappling with relationship struggles, Velez tragically took her own life in December 1944 by overdosing on barbiturates.
1. Barbara Bates
Born in Denver, Colorado, Barbara Bates caught the public's eye when Universal International selected her as one of ten women in a nationwide search for actresses and dancers to star in a film about Salome. While most of her peers never achieved fame, Bates went on to work with Hollywood legends like Bette Davis and Danny Kaye. One of her most iconic roles was portraying Phoebe in the classic film All About Eve.
Despite a seemingly happy marriage to Cecil Coan, a publicist for a film studio, and roles in well-known films and TV shows, her personal life began to unravel. With rumors of mental health struggles and suicide attempts surrounding her, Bates shocked fans with increasingly erratic behavior. This led to her being written out of the NBC show It’s A Great Life and having her contract with the English Rank studio terminated.
After witnessing her husband's death from cancer in 1967, Bates lost much of her will to continue, especially as her career in television and film faded, replaced by work as a nurse’s aide. A few years later, she remarried a childhood friend, but in 1969, her life ended tragically when she was found dead in her Volkswagen from carbon monoxide poisoning in the garage of their home. She was pregnant.
