I just heard the news about actor Paul Walker passing away and, while I was not a fan of his films nor even much aware of the movies he was in, looking into all the good things he was doing with his life made me think. There are many famous people that have died quite young, taking from the world the talents they possessed at a time when we wanted more from them. Fame almost attracts these sorts of tragic deaths, the types of people drawn to fame being prone to issues such as drug addiction or reckless behavior in general. Other times, it’s just pure chance that takes them away, as was the case with
Heath Ledger - Dead at 28
I first remember seeing Ledger in a movie called Ten Things I Hate About You. While the movie itself was a piece of pre-teen drivel for the most part, I remember thinking even then that Ledger seemed out of place among a cast that was primarily mediocre. “This kid’s going somewhere” I uttered to myself in my best 1930s movie-mogul voice. And as it turns out, I was right.
He eventually conquered
Andy Kaufman - Dead at 35
Kaufman was one of those comedians that people either loved or hated. His sense of humor was very unique and if you were to define him according to more modern labels you could even call him a “troll” of sorts. But one thing that nobody can deny is that Kaufman was a comedic genius. He came up with things that others couldn’t conceive of and got laughs with the most improbable acts. Most remember him from Saturday Night Live or Taxi, but he went out of bounds on many occasions, often preferring to put himself in the spotlight while at the same time making his audience question whether what he was doing was real or fake. To me, it was this form of pseudo-realism that defined Kaufman. If only he would have survived, we might have seen some truly great things from him.
John Belushi - Dead at 33
Victim of his own excesses, John Belushi eventually fell to a drug overdose. But during his time, he was one of the most original and entertaining actors to be found anywhere. From his days on Saturday Night Live to his later years making movies, it seemed like almost anything Belushi touched would turn to gold. Even when he was playing a complete asshole of a character (which seemed to be more often than not), people loved him. He had a certain type of charisma that could bring people into his world, despite not being the best looking guy on the big screen. Though his last few films were less than stellar, one could only wonder at what he would have done next and, if he had kicked some of his bad habits, whether he would have been the same Belushi we all grew to love.
Gilda Radner - Dead at 42
Though Radner made it a little further than the others on this list, the world is still the poorer for her untimely death. Radner’s eventual fall came due to cancer, an enemy that few can successfully overcome. During her time, however, she made plenty of people laugh, from her time (like many others on this list) as one of the Saturday Night Live cast to her later movies. When she eventually married fellow comedian Gene Wilder, it was like a match made in heaven. And to further add to the loss, Radner was also a proponent of several charities and an all-around good person in general. Though many may not remember her, the world would be a better place by far if she were still in it.
Brandon Lee - Dead at 28
If you look back at Brandon Lee’s career, you won’t see too much on it that’s better than a B-level. During his short time, Lee didn’t really choose the best of projects. What he did end up starring in, and the role that led to so many people being upset at his death, was The Crow. This film, during which Lee died due to faulty special effects, raised the young actor to a cult status and created a whole new base of fans. If he would have been able to continue, he very likely would have entered into the prestigious ranks of action stars such as Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis and others. If he were still alive today, you would see Lee making his way through the movies of the super hero craze. He was born to play a certain type of character and when he finally found his niche, he was taken away. In addition, the people that knew Lee had nothing but good things to say about him, so the world lost a genuinely good human being as well. As far as raw potential goes, Lee was probably the biggest loss of them all.
Photo Credits -
Heath Ledger courtesy of geektyrant.com
Andy Kaufman courtesy of cinemablend.com
John Belushi courtesy of rottentomatoes.com
Gilda Radner courtesy of salon.com
Brandon Lee courtesy of fanpop.com
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