Buzz
The founding members of the '27 Club' include Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison, all of whom tragically died between 1969 and 1971. Kurt Cobain (1994) is often added to this group. Beyond these iconic figures, numerous other individuals, both famous and lesser-known, also died at the age of 27. To ensure diversity, I’ve excluded some musicians and actors who might otherwise dominate the list, aiming for a more varied and engaging selection. The summaries provided are brief and avoid delving into the various speculations and conspiracy theories surrounding some of these deaths. The list is loosely ordered by prominence, though the sequence should not be interpreted as definitive. The top five entries are arranged in reverse chronological order.
20. Andrew Cunanan suicide
Andrew Phillip Cunanan (31 August 1969 – 23 July 1997). An American serial killer known for his spree of murders.
He took his own life with a gunshot on a Miami houseboat. His three-month cross-country rampage led the FBI to list him as one of their 'most wanted' criminals. His final act of violence claimed the life of Gianni Versace. Eight days later, as law enforcement closed in, Cunanan ended his own life.
19. Andrés Escobar murder
Andrés Escobar Saldarriaga (13 March 1967 – 2 July 1994). A professional soccer player from Colombia.
Escobar was gunned down outside a bar in a Medellín suburb, potentially as retribution for an own goal he scored during a World Cup match. This mistake led to Colombia's exit from the tournament and significant gambling losses for criminal organizations. Humberto Muñoz Castro, a bodyguard, was found guilty of Escobar's murder and initially sentenced to 43 years in prison but was freed after serving about 11 years.
18. Jonathan Brandis suicide
Jonathan Gregory Brandis (13 April 1976 – 12 November 2003). An American actor, director, and screenwriter.
He tragically ended his life by hanging in his Los Angeles apartment. After gaining fame in *The NeverEnding Story II* and *seaQuest DSV*, Brandis struggled to revive his career. Although he left no suicide note, friends revealed he felt isolated and disheartened about his professional decline. One close acquaintance noted his heavy drinking and previous mentions of suicidal thoughts.
17. Steve Olin boating accident
Steven Robert Olin (4 October 1965 – 22 March 1993). A professional baseball player from the United States.
He lost his life in a boating accident on Little Lake Nellie in Clermont, Florida, while attending spring training. The boat collided with a pier, resulting in his death, the death of another player, and severe injuries to a third individual.
16. Henry Moseley killed in action
Henry Gwyn Jeffreys Moseley (23 November 1887 – 10 August 1915). A renowned English physicist.
He died in combat at Gallipoli, Turkey. Moseley collaborated with Ernest Rutherford at Manchester University, where his groundbreaking work validated the concepts of atomic number and the periodic table. When World War I began, he joined the Royal Engineers. During the Gallipoli campaign, he was fatally shot by a sniper in 1915. His death is believed to have influenced British and other governments to prohibit scientists from serving in active combat roles.
15. William Lane “Master Juba” cause unknown
William Henry Lane “Master Juba” (c 1825 – c 1852/1853). An American dancer and entertainer.
Master Juba was among the earliest black performers in the U.S. to perform for white audiences and the sole performer of his time to travel with a white minstrel troupe. Charles Dickens may have witnessed and documented his performance during his 1842 U.S. tour. After a highly successful but somewhat exploitative British tour in 1848, he returned to the U.S., where critics were less favorable. He gradually faded from public view and passed away in 1852 or 1853, likely due to exhaustion and poor nutrition. Due to limited records, his exact age remains uncertain, and it’s possible that the stories of multiple individuals have been merged.
14. Joseph Merrick “The Elephant Man” dislocation of the spine
Joseph Carey Merrick (5 August 1862 – 11 April 1890). An English sideshow performer and public figure.
His death was likely caused by an accidental neck dislocation while sleeping. The origin of his severe deformities remains a mystery, with theories including elephantiasis, neurofibromatosis type I, and Proteus syndrome. Merrick noted in his autobiography that his condition began at age three with small growths on his left side. His deformities made traditional employment impossible, leading him to work as a sideshow performer in 1884, where he was treated well and earned a substantial income. Later, under the care of Dr. Frederick Treves, he was housed at the London Hospital and became a celebrated figure in Victorian high society, even earning the affection of Queen Victoria. Unable to sleep lying down due to his head’s weight, he may have attempted to sleep normally, resulting in his death. He was famously portrayed by David Bowie on stage and John Hurt in film.
13. Ghazi of Iraq suspicious car accident
Ghazi bin Faisal (21 March 1912 – 4 April 1939). He reigned as King of Iraq from 1933 to 1939.
Born in Mecca (now part of Saudi Arabia), Ghazi was the son of King Faisal of Iraq. He ascended to the throne following his father’s death in 1933. Known for his opposition to British influence, he was rumored to sympathize with Nazi Germany and advocated for the annexation of Kuwait. His rule was marked by conflicts between civilian leaders and the military, which sought greater control over the government. In 1939, he died under mysterious circumstances in a sports car accident. Many speculate that his death was orchestrated by Nuri as-Said, the pro-British Iraqi prime minister.
12. Bobby Sands starvation
Robert Gerard Sands (9 March 1954 – 5 May 1981). An Irish Republican Army volunteer, hunger striker, and member of the UK Parliament.
He died from starvation during a hunger strike at HM Prison Maze, also known as Long Kesh. Convicted for firearms possession, Sands led a protest by Irish republican prisoners demanding recognition as political prisoners rather than criminals. His hunger strike began on 1 March 1981. Following the death of a Northern Irish MP, Sands was nominated as an 'Anti H-Block/Armagh Political Prisoner' candidate in the subsequent by-election. Other nationalist parties stepped aside to avoid splitting the vote, and Sands narrowly won the seat, though he never took office. He died in the prison hospital after 66 days without food. Nine other prisoners involved in the strike also perished.
11. Lea De Mae brain cancer
Andrea Absolonová (also known as Lea De Mae and other stage names) (26 December 1976 – 9 December 2004). A Czech athlete, model, and adult film actress.
She succumbed to glioblastoma, a highly aggressive brain cancer. Absolonová was a member of the Czech diving team and suffered a spinal injury during training for the 1996 Olympics. Despite a partial recovery and qualifying for the 2000 Olympics, ongoing health issues led to her retirement. Later, she was encouraged by a photographer to pose nude, eventually entering the adult film industry and starring in over 80 films. Diagnosed with glioblastoma in July 2004, she received global support from fans and colleagues, who contributed to a medical fund established in Prague. She passed away 17 days before her 28th birthday.
10. Pope John XII murder(?)
John XII (Octavius) (c 937 – 14 May 964). He served as the Patrician of Rome (954-964) and Pope (955-964).
The exact cause of his death remains unclear. Octavius, a descendant of Charlemagne, became Patrician of Rome at 17 after his father’s death and was elected Pope the following year under questionable circumstances. Taking the name Pope John XII, he is often regarded as one of the most corrupt popes in history. (link https://Mytour.com/religion/top-10-most-wicked-popes/) His reign was marked by immorality, with the Lateran Palace likened to a brothel, and Rome’s moral decay became a source of widespread scandal. He faced military conflicts and political schemes, was deposed by a council convened by the German king, and a new pope was elected. John’s supporters rebelled, but the king intervened. Before the king arrived in Rome, John died. Rumors suggest he was killed by a jealous husband who discovered John’s affair with his wife. (He might have found it fitting to be listed near a porn actress!)
9. Jean-Michel Basquiat drug overdose
Jean-Michel Basquiat (22 December 1960 – 12 August 1988). A renowned American artist.
He died from a drug overdose involving a combination of cocaine and heroin, known as 'speedballing,' in his Manhattan loft/studio. Basquiat befriended pop artist Andy Warhol in 1982, and the two collaborated on numerous projects, influencing each other’s work. By 1984, friends grew concerned about his heavy drug use and erratic behavior, including paranoia. Warhol passed away in 1987, and Basquiat followed in 1988. (In the 1996 film *Basquiat*, Warhol was portrayed by David Bowie, who also played Joseph Merrick in *The Elephant Man*.)
8. Pat Tillman gunshot
Patrick Daniel Tillman (6 November 1976 – 22 April 2004). An American football player and military serviceman.
He died from 'friendly fire' in Afghanistan. In May 2002, Tillman declined a $3.6 million, three-year contract from his football team to join the US Army. He served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, despite his opposition to the Iraq War. On 22 April 2004, during a patrol, he and an Afghan militiaman were killed in a friendly fire incident. The circumstances surrounding his death are under investigation by the US Congress. Initially, the Army reported an ambush, but later investigations revealed the deaths resulted from miscommunication and intense crossfire between allied groups after an explosive device detonated nearby. Allegations, including claims of deliberate targeting, remain unresolved.
7. Rupert Brooke sepsis
Rupert Chawner Brooke (3 August 1887 – 23 April 1915). An English poet celebrated for his idealistic war sonnets composed during World War I.
He died from sepsis caused by an infected mosquito bite aboard a British navy ship near Lemnos in the Aegean Sea, while en route to Gallipoli, Turkey. Due to immediate departure orders, he was buried that same night on Skyros. His most renowned poetic lines, fittingly, are: 'If I should die, think only this of me: / That there’s some corner of a foreign field / That is for ever England.' (Readers from Australia and New Zealand will recognize the significance of the date and his destination.)
6. Robert Johnson poisoning(?)
Robert Leroy Johnson (8 May 1911 – 16 August 1938). An American blues singer and guitarist.
He consumed whiskey poisoned with strychnine at a rural crossroads near Greenwood, Mississippi. The exact circumstances remain unclear, with various accounts and theories. Researcher Mack McCormick claimed to have spoken to Johnson’s alleged poisoner in the 1970s, obtaining a tacit confession. When offered an open whiskey bottle, Johnson’s friend and fellow blues musician Sonny Boy Williamson warned him against drinking from it, but Johnson reportedly insisted, 'Don’t ever knock a bottle out of my hand.' Later, he accepted another open bottle, which was laced with strychnine. Johnson fell ill that evening, requiring assistance to return to his room. Over the next three days, his condition deteriorated, and witnesses described his death as agonizing and convulsive, consistent with strychnine poisoning. Strychnine, a common pesticide at the time, is intensely bitter and highly toxic, but a small amount mixed with strong-tasting whiskey could have been undetected while still causing fatal symptoms.
5. Kurt Cobain suicide by gunshot
Kurt Donald Cobain (20 February 1967 – c 5 April 1994). An American musician, singer, guitarist, and songwriter.
He took his own life with a gunshot at his Seattle residence. Following the success of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit,' Cobain was hailed as the 'voice of a generation,' a title he found overwhelming. In his final years, he battled drug addiction and the relentless scrutiny of the media. After a meeting with friends and record label executives, organized by his wife Courtney Love, Cobain agreed to enter a detox program but left the facility shortly after. On 8 April, an electrician discovered Cobain’s body at his Lake Washington home while installing a security system. The electrician initially thought Cobain was asleep, noticing only a small amount of blood near his ear, until he spotted the shotgun aimed at his chin. A suicide note was found, expressing his loss of passion for music and creativity. Toxicology reports revealed a high level of heroin and traces of Valium in his system. The coroner estimated his death occurred on 5 April, several days before his body was found.
4. Jim Morrison cause unknown
James Douglas Morrison (8 December 1943 – 3 July 1971). An American musician, poet, songwriter, writer, and filmmaker.
He was found dead in the bathtub of his Paris apartment. French law did not require an autopsy, as the medical examiner found no signs of foul play. Officially, his death was attributed to 'heart failure,' though heroin use, possibly mistaken for cocaine, is believed to have played a role. His girlfriend, Pamela Courson, provided conflicting accounts of his death. Courson herself died of a heroin overdose three years later, also at the age of 27.
3. Brian Jones drowning
Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones (28 February 1942 – 3 July 1969). An English musician and guitarist.
He drowned in the swimming pool at his home in Hartfield, Sussex, England. Following a second arrest for marijuana possession, declining contributions to the Rolling Stones (which he co-founded), struggles with substance abuse, and erratic behavior, Jones was told by the band that a new guitarist would join and that he would not participate in an upcoming US tour. Final photographs depict him as bloated and weary, though some witnesses claimed he appeared happier and enthusiastic about future projects. The exact circumstances of his death remain unclear. The coroner ruled it 'death by misadventure,' noting severe liver and heart enlargement due to drug and alcohol abuse. Theories of suicide and murder persist. Jimi Hendrix (no 2) dedicated a song to him on US television, and Jim Morrison (no 4) wrote a poem titled *Ode To LA While Thinking Of Brian Jones, Deceased*.
This article is licensed under the GFDL because it contains quotations from Wikipedia.
2. Jimi Hendrix asphyxiation
Jimi Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix, later James Marshall Hendrix) (27 November 1942 – 18 September 1970). An American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer.
He died under mysterious circumstances in a London hotel room. The attending physician reported that Hendrix asphyxiated, essentially drowning in his own vomit, primarily red wine. His girlfriend, Monika Dannemann, stated he had taken her prescription sleeping pills, but her accounts of the event were inconsistent, leading to speculation about her involvement. In 1996, facing legal action, Dannemann took her own life.
1. Janis Joplin drug overdose
Janis Lyn Joplin (19 January 1943 – 4 October 1970). An American singer, songwriter, and music arranger.
She passed away in a Los Angeles motel room due to a heroin overdose, potentially exacerbated by alcohol. At the time, she was engaged and working on her band’s album *Pearl*. The track 'Mercedes Benz' was her final recording. (The album’s producer, Paul A. Rothchild, had previously collaborated with The Doors (no 4) and later worked on the soundtracks for *The Rose*, inspired by Joplin’s life, and *The Doors*.)
