12 Tragic Fatalities Occurring During Movie Productions

While filmmakers rely on stunt performers and advanced CGI to simulate perilous scenes, the hazards can sometimes become alarmingly genuine.

The film industry, like any other field, comes with its own set of dangers. Directors have often pushed boundaries to capture intense moments. For instance, in 1928, Buster Keaton famously stood in the window frame as a massive 2-ton (1.8 metric ton) wooden house structure collapsed around him for the film "Steamboat Bill, Jr." [source: DeMain].

Thankfully, advancements in technology are progressively minimizing or eradicating the necessity for perilous, close-call stunts. For example, the iconic Vietnam War scene in "Forrest Gump," where Forrest escapes enemy helicopter fire, was entirely digitally produced, significantly reducing both expenses and risks to human safety.

Sadly, numerous factors, such as inadequate planning, budget constraints, and inflated egos, can lead to disasters on film sets, as highlighted in our compilation. Some of the earliest incidents date back to Hollywood's infancy, while others are more recent and likely familiar. Without further delay, let's dim the lights and unveil 12 tragic fatalities that occurred during movie productions.

12: Ormer Locklear

Though his name might evoke thoughts of a bookish librarian, Ormer Locklear was a genuine adrenaline junkie and a trailblazer in stunt aviation. After training with the United States Army Air Service (the precursor to today's Air Force) during World War I, he became a barnstormer, captivating audiences with his high-flying, death-defying acts, earning as much as $3,000 per performance [source: Onkst]. Legend has it that Locklear invented wing walking when he had to tighten his plane's radiator cap mid-flight [source: University of Texas]. He is also credited with creating the mid-air transfer—jumping from one plane to another—and possibly even the daring act of leaping onto a moving plane from a speeding car [source: Onkst].

Locklear's fame soon propelled him into the emerging world of motion pictures. He starred in "The Great Air Robbery" in 1919 and began filming "The Skywayman" in 1920. On the night of August 2, during the final stunt for the movie, Locklear attempted a perilous tailspin known as a "suicide dive" [source: Golden]. The searchlights, essential for nighttime filming, were supposed to be turned off to allow Locklear to see and safely recover from the dive. However, they remained on, either blinding him or disorienting him, leading to a fatal crash. He was 28 at the time of his death. The studio hastily released the film, even including footage of the tragic accident.

11: Martha Mansfield

On Thanksgiving Day in 1923, while filming in San Antonio, Texas, Martha Mansfield (born Martha Erlich, also known as Martha Early) had much to celebrate. At just 24, she was a burgeoning star in Hollywood. Starting with comedic shorts six years prior, she had risen to perform in the prestigious Ziegfeld Follies and shared the screen with the iconic John Barrymore in the 1920 film "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" [source: Martin].

After wrapping up the day's shoot for her latest project, a Civil War romance titled "The Warrens of Virginia," Mansfield sat in a car with her co-stars, still dressed in her elaborate Southern belle costume. Tragedy struck when a lit match ignited her outfit. A fellow actor used his coat to smother the flames, and the chauffeur ripped the burning dress off her, suffering burns himself. Despite their efforts, Mansfield's injuries were too severe, and she passed away the following morning on November 30, 1923. Her face and neck were spared, thanks to their quick actions [source: Domel]. The origin of the match remains unclear, with conflicting reports suggesting it could have been tossed into the car or even lit by Mansfield herself.

The studio executives, unmoved by the tragedy, noted that Mansfield had nearly completed her role, sparing them the need to recast. Her scenes were reduced, another actress took the lead, and the film proceeded as planned.

10: Jack Budlong

Jack Budlong's story serves as a stark reminder for anyone who underestimates the difficulty of professional work, thinking, "That seems easy—I could do that." Here, the professional was an actor, and the task was galloping at high speed for a film. Budlong, an accomplished horseman and friend of Errol Flynn, was offered a role as an extra in Flynn's movie, a dramatized account of George Custer titled "They Died With Their Boots On" [source: Gagliasso]. Budlong was set to appear in the pivotal Battle of Little Bighorn scene, filmed on June 25, 1941, coinciding with the 65th anniversary of the actual event. For Budlong, this date turned out to be an ill-fated one.

Perhaps driven by an amateur's overconfidence, Budlong chose to wield a real saber instead of the wooden prop used by seasoned stuntmen during the battle sequence. When his horse reared, possibly startled by an explosion, Budlong wisely threw the saber aside to avoid injury. Tragically, the blade landed upright, and when he was thrown, he fell onto it, piercing himself. He was rushed to the hospital but succumbed days later to peritonitis, an inflammation of the abdominal lining [source: Gagliasso].

9: Tyrone Power

Tyrone Power was destined for acting, coming from a family of performers. His grandfather was a renowned Irish comedian, and his father was a celebrated actor in both theater and film. Following in his father's footsteps, Power moved to Hollywood, where he witnessed his father's sudden death from a heart attack after a day of filming.

Power's career was marked by versatility and success. He portrayed a wide range of characters, from the notorious outlaw in "Jesse James" to the tormented protagonist in the 1957 adaptation of Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises," and the scheming defendant in Agatha Christie's "Witness for the Prosecution." While Power aimed to establish himself as a dramatic actor through these serious roles, the studio often cast him as dashing swordsmen in films like 1940's "The Mark of Zorro" and 1947's "Captain From Castile" [source: King].

In a tragic twist, Power died almost literally with a sword in his hand. On November 11, 1958, during the eighth take of a duel scene in "Solomon and Sheba," he began shaking, complaining of pain and chills. He collapsed shortly after and died of a heart attack, mirroring his father's death 27 years earlier [source: UPI].

8: Mitr Chaibancha

Mitr Chaibancha initially gained recognition as a Thai boxing champion. With his tall, dark, and handsome appearance, he secured his first acting role in his early 20s. His career skyrocketed, and between 1957 and 1970, Chaibancha starred in 266 films, often juggling multiple projects simultaneously [source: ThaiWorldView.com].

While he appeared in romantic and musical films, it was his action-adventure roles that made him a beloved figure in Thailand and a national icon. Even the queen of Thailand expressed her admiration for his work.

Chaibancha maintained his boxing physique and insisted on performing his own stunts. On October 8, 1970, during the filming of his final movie, he grabbed a rope ladder hanging from a helicopter, planning to ascend into the sky. For reasons still unclear—some attribute it to his exhausting schedule of working on three films at once—he lost his grip as the helicopter rose. Chaibancha, aged 36, fell approximately 300 feet (91 meters) to his death. The original release of "Insee Thong" ("Golden Eagle" in English) in 1974 included footage of the accident, though later versions removed it. Tens of thousands of fans gathered in Bangkok to pay their respects at his cremation ceremony [source: ThaiWorldView.com].

Today, a memorial near the location of Chaibancha's death stands as a tribute to his legacy. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the preservation of his films. Only around 95 of his movies survive, many in deteriorating condition. These were filmed on 16 mm stock, with no negatives preserved, leaving only aging originals from which copies must now be made [source: ThaiWorldView.com].

7: Vic Morrow

Though Vic Morrow had a prolific acting career, his most significant impact may have been his tragic death. Morrow was a seasoned actor in both television and film, known for roles in the World War II series "Combat!," the influential film "Blackboard Jungle," and the TV miniseries "Roots." By 1982, he had been absent from major roles for some time, and his appearance in "Twilight Zone: The Movie" could have marked a career resurgence.

In the film, Morrow's character, a racist, undergoes a transformative journey akin to Scrooge through time travel. The pivotal scene involves him saving two Vietnamese children from helicopter fire during the Vietnam War. However, the helicopter colliding with an explosive charge was unplanned. The crash blinded the pilot, causing the helicopter to fall, killing 6-year-old Renee Chen instantly, and decapitating Morrow and 7-year-old Myca Dinh Le [source: Weintraub].

The horrific accident, coupled with the fame of director John Landis, finally spotlighted the urgent need for improved safety measures on Hollywood sets [source: Weintraub]. This led to the establishment of formal safety protocols by studios and unions, along with the hiring of risk management experts. Landis and Warner Bros. faced involuntary manslaughter charges, and though acquitted, they settled civil lawsuits with significant compensation to Morrow's children and the families of the illegally hired child actors [source: Longwell].

The film premiered in 1983 and achieved commercial success. Landis continued his career, directing notable films such as "Coming to America."

6: Roy Kinnear

Actor Roy Kinnear never anticipated performing the demanding stunt of riding a galloping horse across Toledo's Alcantara Bridge for the 1989 film "The Return of the Musketeers." Kinnear enjoyed a celebrated career, with notable roles in the Beatles' cult classic "Help!" and the beloved "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory." However, by late 1988, during filming, Kinnear was 54, weighed over 200 pounds (91 kilograms), and lacked equestrian experience [source: Cooper]. Despite this, he agreed to the challenge.

This decision proved tragic. Kinnear was thrown from his horse, fracturing his pelvis. While the injury itself wasn't fatal, complications from internal bleeding led to his death in the hospital the following day.

Similar to Vic Morrow's death six years prior, Kinnear's accident highlighted the risks in filmmaking. His family sued the production company, and testimonies revealed the pressure on actors and crew to overlook safety concerns. Although the producers denied liability, they settled for 650,000 pounds (approximately $1 million) [source: Cooper].

5: Brandon Lee

Brandon Lee was only 8 when his father, martial arts legend and actor Bruce Lee, passed away at 32. Following in his father's footsteps, Lee pursued acting but met a similarly untimely death. The circumstances surrounding his death during the filming of 1993's "The Crow" are eerily reminiscent of a well-crafted tragedy: a series of small oversights leading to an innocent life lost.

The incident began when the prop team, lacking proper training in firearms, improvised homemade "dummy" bullets for close-up shots. These dummy bullets were disarmed by removing the gunpowder and reinserting the empty casings into the gun. Unbeknownst to the crew, a bullet tip became dislodged and stuck in the barrel. This same gun was later used to fire blanks in the scene where Lee's character is killed [source: Wilkins]. Blanks, unlike dummies, contain gunpowder and primer but no bullet, producing the visual and auditory effects of a gunshot [source: Ferguson].

On the day of the accident, the firearms expert had left the set, believing the dangerous scenes were completed [source: Harris]. Had he stayed, he might have inspected the gun and discovered the lodged bullet. He would have recognized that firing blanks could propel the bullet with deadly force—exactly what occurred. The bullet, fired from 15 feet (4.6 meters) away, struck Lee's abdomen, damaging vital organs and lodging in his spine [source: Wilkins]. Despite extensive surgery and 60 pints (28 liters) of blood transfused, Lee succumbed to severe internal bleeding. At 28, his death became one of the most tragic accidents on a film set already marred by mishaps [source: Harris].

4: Harry O'Connor

Skydiving demands both courage and precision. Harry O'Connor had plenty of both, transforming his passion for parachuting into a successful career. His work as a stuntman and aerial coordinator included major films like "The Perfect Storm," "Charlie's Angels," and "Tomorrow Never Dies" [source: IMBd.com].

In 2002, O'Connor was in Prague, Czech Republic, working on the Vin Diesel film "xXx." One of the stunts required him to parasail along the Vltava River, towed by a speedboat toward the Palacky Bridge. The plan was to glide under the bridge with minimal clearance, land on a submarine, and have the parachute dramatically collide with the bridge railing. O'Connor executed the stunt flawlessly multiple times but believed one final attempt could improve the shot. Tragically, his timing was slightly off, causing him to crash into a stone pillar of the bridge [source: Oldenburg]. He was 45 at the time of his death.

3: Sarah Jones

If Brandon Lee's death was a result of tragic errors, Sarah Jones' death was a case of criminal negligence. Jones, a 27-year-old camera assistant, was working on "Midnight Rider," a film about musician Gregg Allman. On February 20, 2014, the crew was preparing a dream sequence on a railroad bridge over a river in rural Georgia. The primary prop, a bed frame and mattress, was placed directly on the tracks.

The crew had been told that only two trains used the bridge that day, and both had already passed. When a third, unexpected train appeared, the crew rushed to safety. Jones and a few others reached the narrow walkway beside the tracks, holding onto the girders for support [source: Johnson].

In their frantic attempt to escape, the bed remained on the tracks. The train, traveling at approximately 60 miles (97 kilometers) per hour, struck the bed, hurling metal debris in all directions. When the train finally passed, six crew members were severely injured, and Jones was found dead on the tracks, having been hit by either the twisted metal frame or the train itself [source: Johnson].

Subsequent investigations revealed that the crew lacked permission to film on the bridge, the director had a history of ignoring safety protocols, and the producers had downplayed the risks involved [source: Yamato].

The legal case against the producers proceeded to trial a year later. Most defendants received reduced sentences, including fines and probation, in exchange for guilty pleas. Director Randall Miller was sentenced to two years but served only one, marking the first instance of a filmmaker being imprisoned for an on-set fatality [source: Yamato].

2: Jon-Erik Hexum

In 1984, Jon-Erik Hexum was a rising star with a promising future. At 26, he had already headlined NBC's 1982 time-travel series "Voyagers" and was leading CBS's new show "Cover Up," where he portrayed a Green Beret turned model [source: EW].

Sadly, Hexum's life ended abruptly due to a prank that turned deadly.

On October 12, 1984, Hexum and his co-stars were growing restless due to filming delays. When further delays were announced, Hexum vented his frustration through a practical joke. He picked up a prop .44 Magnum revolver loaded with blanks, removed all but one cartridge, spun the cylinder, and playfully held it to his head, mimicking Russian roulette [source: Burton].

"Can you believe this nonsense?" Hexum quipped before pulling the trigger.

Blank cartridges lack bullets but are filled with gunpowder to simulate the recoil and flash of a real gunshot. With the gun pressed against his temple, the blast fractured Hexum's skull, driving a bone fragment the size of a quarter into his brain.

Hexum was immediately taken to the hospital but never regained consciousness and was declared dead six days later. In a bittersweet turn, his healthy heart was donated and successfully transplanted to save another man's life [source: EW].

1: Halyna Hutchins

On October 21, 2021, Alec Baldwin, an actor and producer, was rehearsing a scene for the low-budget Western "Rust" at a secluded New Mexico ranch when chaos erupted on the already troubled set. Believing he held a "cold gun"—a real but unloaded firearm—Baldwin pulled the trigger.

According to director Joel Souza, a sharp noise, described as "like a whip followed by a loud pop," echoed through the set. Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, collapsed, clutching her stomach, while Souza discovered blood on his shoulder and also fell [source: Karimi].

Hutchins was airlifted to a hospital in Albuquerque but was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound. The prop gun Baldwin fired had somehow been loaded with a live round, an unthinkable error on a film set. The same bullet that killed Hutchins also struck Souza, lodging in his shoulder.

As of now, there are no definitive answers about how or why a live bullet ended up in the prop gun given to Baldwin. Reports indicate the production was already fraught with tension, with six crew members resigning the day before the incident, citing poor treatment and unsafe conditions [source: Romero].

The only certainty is the heartbreaking loss of a talented cinematographer, wife, and mother, marking yet another tragedy on a film set.