The Hollywood celebrity life is usually associated with a lot of glamour and an almost impeccable life. Well, nothing is black and white. Here are 25 final photos of the world’s most cherished icons. They provide a testimony to the fact that even the most celebrated ones are humans and that we should appreciate every moment of our lives, before time slips away.
Burt Reynolds at the Build Studio
Known for playing the leading role in movies like The Longest Yard, Smokey and the Bandit; he was the world’s number one box office star for five years. “I’d like my epitaph to be, ‘He had a hell of a good time and he was a good friend.’ ”, as quoted by Burt Reynolds in an interview in Mirror. His last photo was taken six months before he passed away, in March 2018 at the Built Studio.
Aretha Franklin’s Last Appearance Was Accompanied By One Of Her Hit Songs
Aretha Frankin, the ‘Queen of Souls’, is renowned for her hits such as “Respect,” “Chain of Fools,” and “Think.” Belonging to Memphis, Tennessee, the singer gave her final appearance in November 2017 at an Elton John fundraising gala, also featuring an inspired rendition of her song, “I Say A Little Prayer”. It wasn’t discovered until August 2018 that Aretha had not left a will for her $80 million estate and her four sons had to divide her assets equally.
Dale Earnhardt Just Before His Final Race
Popularly known as “Ironhead,” “The Intimidator,” and “The Man in Black”, Dale Earnhardt was acknowledged as one of the greatest NASCAR drivers ever, by Fox Sports. The 76 time Winston Cup winner’s last photo was taken with his wife Teresa, during Florida’s 500 mile long Daytona 500 in 2001 at Daytona Beach. The champion met a tragic fate as he was propelled in to the wall after being clipped by another car.
Robin Williams’ Wife Disputed Why He Died
One of the greatest comedians ever born, Robin Williams is known for Good Morning Vietnam, Hook, Aladdin, and Mrs. Doubt fire. In a shocking turn of events, it was discovered on 11th August, 2014 that the star had taken his own life at his home in Paradise City, California. In an interview with the Guardian, his wife claimed that depression was one of the 50 symptoms and a crippling brain disease had been the primary cause behind this tragedy.
Philip Seymour Hoffman at Sundance
Known for his first appearance in an episode of Law & Order, Philip Seymour Hoffman became inclined towards acting in his teens. He began performing on stage before attending New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and later became known for playing ‘reprehensible characters’. The 2014 Sundance Film Festival saw the star’s final appearance where he spoke about his personal problems, including heroin addiction, two weeks prior to him being found dead in his apartment due to an overdose.
Princess Diana’s Fateful Last Drive
Initially noted for her shy demeanor, Prince Charles’ wife later endeared to the public eye after being involved in numerous charities. The Princess of Wales, Princess Diana died in a car crash and her last photo was taken moments before it. Her funeral was grand given that the venue, Westminster Abbey, had an estimated 3 million mourners and was watched by about 2.5 billion people in 200 countries and in 44 languages.
Chester Bennington With His Wife and Kids
The former lead singer of Linkin Park, Chester Bennington formed his own band, Dead by Sunrise and later became the lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots. His final photo was posted a month and a half after his death by his wife on Instagram with the caption “Suicidal thoughts were there, but you’d. Never know.” 320 Changes Direction, a campaign surrounding the stigmas related to mental illness was later launched by Talinda, in her husband’s honor.
Whitney Houston Just Before Her Last Scheduled Appearance
The owner of all certified albums and one of the best selling music artists of all time, Whitney Houston was indeed everyone’s favorite. Having a Guinness World Record in her name for the most awards received by an artist, the singer’s last photo was taken while she was rehearsing for a pre-Grammy Awards party on February 11, 2012 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel. Houston died on the same day the party was scheduled.
Elvis Presley Goes Out as the King
The “King Of Rock And Roll”-Elvis Presley and the genre are inseparable. His final appearance was at his concert on June 26th at the Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1977. Less than two months later, he was found dead at his Memphis mansion, Graceland. Elvis was honored with the highest civilian award in The United States- the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2018 for his profound impact on the music culture. The King stays alive in our hearts.
Garry Shandling’s Last Photo Was With His Friends
Initially a writer for sitcoms, Garry Shandling later became a guest-host with his shows ‘It’s Garry Shandling’s Show’ and ‘The Larry Sanders Show’. Not long before he passed away, he starred in a show and joked, “What I want at my funeral is an actual boxing referee to do a count, and at ‘Five,’ just wave it off and say, ‘He’s not getting up.’” His friend, Kathy Griffin posted his final photo a few days after his death.
James Dean With His Porsche
Famous for his role as the troubled teenager in ‘Rebel Without A Cause’, James Dean died n a car accident at the young age of 24. His last photo featured him with a Porsche that was a part of the tragedy. Intriguingly, a week prior to his death, while Dean was showing off his car to Alec Guinness, the British actor remarked, “If you get in that car, you will be found dead in it by this time next week.”
John Candy On Set
Known for his work in Splash, Spaceballs, Uncle Buck, JFK and Only the Lonely; the Hollywood comedic actor originally belonged to Ontario, Canada. John Candy had been struggling with weight issues for some time, but he died an untimely death due to a heart attack while he was filming the Western parody, Wagons East in Durango, Mexico. Later, the film was dedicated to him along with Canadian Bacon directed by Michael Moore.
Brittany Murphy’s Mysterious Death
With her breakthrough role as Tai Frasier in ‘Clueless’, Brittany Murphy is known for 8 Mile, Happy Feet and as the voice of Luanne Platter in King of the Hill. Her last appearance was at the unveiling of Tt Collection’s Pop-Up shop in Los Angeles. She died an untimely death due to pneumonia seven days later, on 20th December, 2009. Her husband’s death due to the same after a few months came as a shock and raised many questions.
Anton Yelchin’s Freak Accident
Initially turning to small television and movie roles, Anto Yelchin witnessed a massive breakthrough after starring in Steven Spielberg miniseries, Taken. The actor was also an aspiring photographer and he died in a car accident in Los Angeles. His last photo was posted by him on his Instagram three days prior to his death. New York’s De Buck Gallery conducted an exhibition of his photographs after 2 years of his demise.
Amy Winehouse’s Last Public Appearance
After the release of her debut studio album, Frank in 2003, Amy’s career saw a major boost. She became the first British woman to win that many Grammys after her second album ‘Back to Black’ received five Grammy Awards. Her last photos were taken while she was performing in front of 20,000 people at Belgrade, Serbia. Her remaining tour was canceled after the catastrophic concert and the singer was found dead a few days later in her North London home.
Michael Jackson Makes One Last On-Stage Appearance
The “King of Pop”, Michael Jackson has been one of the greatest entertainers and our heartthrob. He was a sensational artist and according to Guinness World Records, his 1982 album, Thriller, is still the best-selling album of all time. Even the age of 50 didn’t hinder the pop star from showing his legendary dance moves. Jackson made his last appearance on June 23, 2009 at the Staples Centre (LA), two days before his death, while he was rehearsing for a concert.
Lucille Ball Got Talked Into Her Last Public Appearance
Known for playing the leading role in ‘I Love Lucy’, Lucille Ball was nominated for 13 Emmys (won 4) and became the first woman to run a major production company, Desilu Productions; the producer of Mission: Impossible and Star Trek. Lucille made her last appearance at the 1989 Academy Awards ceremony, where she joined her friend Bob Hope on the stage, after a lot of convincing. She passed away less than a month later.
Amelia Earhart Just Before Her Final Flight
Amelia Earhart was the first female to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a plane. Her 1932 solo flight was a success and inspired many novels, that later became instrumental in the formation of an international organization for female pilots, The Ninety-Nines. She died on 2nd July, 1937, when her Lockheed 10E Electra crashed near in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Several conspiracies followed her death, one being that she was a spy and had been captured by the Japanese.
Bradley Nowell’s Last Show
While attending the California State University, Bradley Nowell met bassist Eric Wilson and drummer Bud Gaugh and they formed the band ‘Sublime’. The lead singer was seen for the last time on stage when the band performed at the Phoenix Theater in Petaluma, California. The singed died due to a drug overdose a day after the show. The band released an album in his honor, two months after his death.
Challenger Crew Boarding the Flight
4th April, 1983 recorded the Challenger’s first launch, which was the second orbiter of NASA’s Space Shuttle program to be put in to use. 73 seconds into its tenth mission, the ship broke apart resulting in to the deaths of all the crew members, including a civilian teacher, Christa McAuliffe. A special commission was appointed by then-president Ronald Reagan to investigate the incident. NASA itself was held responsible due to the negligence of various security guidelines.
Vladimir Lenin Near The End Of His Life
Vladimir Lenin accounts as an important historical figure as the Russian revolutionary was partially responsible for bringing about the rise in communism. After his brother’s execution, Vladimir eventually became the founder and leader of a regime responsible for repression and mass killings. His last photo was taken a year before his death in 1923, where he can be seen with his sister, Anna Ilyinichna Yelizarova-Ulyanova, and one of his doctors, Aleksei Kozhevnikov. He had already suffered three strokes till now.
Muhammad Ali’s Last Touching Conversation With His Daughter
One of the greatest boxers that the world has ever seen, we all associate Muhammad Ali today with one of his famous quotes, “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. The hands can’t hit what the eyes can’t see.” An active philanthropist and humanitarian, the boxer’s last photo was taken by his daughter Hana on May 22, 2016, just 12 days before he died. A master in the ring, Ali was highly renowned for his swift moves.
Frank Zappa Had One Last Interview
Frank Zappa is someone whom we popularly know as the “Godfather of Comedy Rock”. His first album with the band The Mothers of Invention, Freak Out! was a combination of rock and roll with studio generated collages. Frank passed away in December 1993, after having suffered from prostate cancer for a while. His last appearance was in an interview where he talked about his friend, composer Nicolas Slonimsky and admired his work.
Heath Ledger’s Last Appearance Was On Set
Known for his extraordinary work in A Knight’s Tale, Brokeback Mountain, and The Dark Knight, the award winning artist earned quite a name in the Hollywood industry. According to The New York Times, Heath’s sleep had been adversely affected after his work on I’m Not There and The Dark Knight, as reported by him. Some of his last photos were taken while he was filming The Imagination of Doctor Parnassus, which was released after his death.
Abraham Lincoln’s Disputed Final Portrait
Known for leading the Union through the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was the Lawyer, statesman and President of the United States. He abolished slavery in the United States and strengthened the federal government. Lincoln’s final photo, as shown here, was taken five days before his death on April 10, 1865 by Alexander Gardner. It was disputed as other sources claim evidence that the former president’s final photo was actually taken on the White House’s southern lawn by Henry F. Warren.
Lee Harvey Oswald
The topic of John F. Kennedy’s death has always intrigued everyone. Five independent government investigations had evidence that the culprit was Lee Harvey Oswald, who was a former Marine. Oswald shot then-president Kennedy while he was driving in a motorcade with his wife at 12:30 p.m. on November 22, 1963. He denied any involvement and his final photo featured him being transferred by Dallas police officers, just as he was shot and killed by nightclub owner, Jack Ruby.
John Lennon
We all know the legendary musician as a part of the Beatles originally. The band disbanded a year after him forming a band with his second wife, Yoko Ono. A shift in Lennon’s music coincided with the formation of the Plastic Ono Band with Ono. The last picture of Lennon shows him signing a copy of an album for Mark Chapman, the man who would shot him only minutes later outside his Manhattan apartment.
Alan Rickman
The ideal movie villain, with his intense voice, is greatly recognized for his role as Hans Gruber in Die Hard and as Serverus Snape in the Harry Potter movie series. He revealed to his close friends in 2015 that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. His last photograph was taken less than two months before he passed away and features Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. Alan will stay in our hearts. Always? Always.
David Bowie
From 1969’s “Space Oddity” to 2016’s “Lazarus”, David Bowie is a name to be remembered when it comes to the field of music. He made his final appearance on his 69th birthday for the release of his final album, Blackstar, two days prior to his death. As quoted by Bowie’s producer, Tony Visconti, “At that late stage, he was planning the follow-up to Blackstar.” An icon indeed, who still serves as an inspiration to many.
Carrie Fisher
A Disney legend, we cherish her as the Princess Leia in Star Wars. Her last photo was uploaded by her as she got herself clicked outside the Charles Dickens Lounge, before boarding a flight from London to Los Angeles. She got a heart attack on the plane, that had an emergency landing after a doctor and several nurses rushed to the actress’ aid. She died later the same day. Rest in peace, our Star Wars’ princess.
Steve Irwin
The “Crocodile Hunter” got the name from his show, with the same name. He inherited his love for animals from his parents, who owned 1,000 acres Australia Zoo. Irwin died on September 4, 2006 and his last photo was taken moments before, featuring him conferring about the weather with his cameraman, Justin Lyons. They jumped in to the water for a project on stingrays and tragically, one of the stingrays stabbed him. He died after being rushed to the hospital.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Regarded as one of the greatest presidents in US history, Roosevelt was the man behind leading the United States out of the worst economic disaster in history. He went to rest up at his personal retreat in Warm Springs, Georgia amidst preparations for the founding conference of the United Nations. He passed away on the afternoon of April 12, 1945 as he slumped forward unconsciously in to his wheelchair, after stating that he had a terrific headache.
John F. Kennedy
The 35th president of the States and an extremely talented orator, John F. Kennedy is known for his significant role in the passing of the landmark Civil Rights Act in 1964. He was assassinated on November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas while he was riding in his motorcade. He was pronounced dead after being rushed to Parkland Hospital. Kennedy Space Center is one of the many memorials dedicated to him.
Keith Moon
Drummer for the British rock band, The Who; Keith was a man of restless behaviour. The fact that he became the first artist to smash musical equipment after shows, in what became a signature end to the band’s concerts, is a testimony to this. Moon’s last photo was taken with his girlfriend, Annette Walter-Lax, at the premiere of a Buddy Holly biopic, The Buddy Holly Story. He died of a drug overdose later the same night.
Leonard Cohen
A famous singer, poet, and songwriter, Cohen was an influential musician, with his music tackling important subjects of life from war to love. Cohen’s final press conference was given at the Canadian consulate in Los Angeles for the ‘You Want It Darker’ album. He stayed in good humor while he joked around with his audience on the themes in his and others’ work. Less than a month later, he passed away on November 7, 2016 due to leukemia.
