10 Child Stars Who Died Too Soon
The recent untimely death of Gary Coleman has made CelebBuzz come up with a list of 10 child stars who also died way before their time. I hope Lindsay Lohan is paying attention.
10. Gary Coleman
Gary’s recent death came after he struck his head during a fall. After his successful turn in ‘Diff’rent Strokes,’ Gary’s career was overshadowed by his legal and financial troubles. He was 42.
9. Brad Renfro
While he had a promising career after he appeared in ‘The Client’ when he was barely 13-years-old, his drug addiction overshadowed his talents. In 2008, Brad was found dead in his LA apartment after an apparent heroin overdose.
8. Carl Switzer
Better known as Alfalfa in the “Our Gang” franchise, Carl’s financial troubles got out of hand once he left Hollywood. In 1959, Carl was fatally shot in the groin after he attempted to rough up someone who owed him money. He was 31.
7. Corey Haim
Beloved teen idol Corey battled a massive drug addiction after his career fizzled in the ’90s. Corey passed away in March of this year due to pneumonia complications. He was 38.
6. Dana Plato
Dana’s death often serves as a touchstone for the tragic death’s of other child star who fell from grace. Like Gary, the “Diff’rent Strokes’ star saw her career fizzle after the hit show and she even resorted to doing pornography. In 1999 she committed suicide. She was 34.
5. Brigette Andersen
Like many other child stars on this list, he adorable star of “Savannah Smiles” faced problems with drug and alcohol. After her career completely fizzled, Brigette became more and more addicted to heroin and other drugs. In 1997 she accidentally overdosed. She was 21.
4. Anissa Jones
Pig-tailed Buffy from “Family Affair” saw her career skyrocket thanks to the show but had trouble finding work after the show was canceled. In 1976 she died in a friend’s home, apparently from an accidental overdose. She was 18.
3. Bobby Driscoll
Cutie-pie Bobby was the original Disney star, and he even won a special Oscar for juvenile acting in 1949. After his Disney career, Bobby became immersed in the New York art scene and was a fixture at Andy Warhol’s Factory. In 1968 he was found dead due to a heart failure in an abandoned tenement in the East Village. He was 31.
2. Judy Garland
Screen legend Judy started acting very early in her life but she shot to superstar status when she starred in “The Wizard of Oz” when she was just 16-years-old. Like most child stars, Judy struggled from a massive drug and alcohol addiction and she attempted suicide on many occasions. In 1969 she died from an apparent accidental overdose in her apartment. She was 47.
1. Michael Jackson
The King of Pop got his start as the adorable front-man for The Jackson 5. Eventually Michael achieved international success with his solo career, establishing him as musical legend. Unfortunately, his career was undermined by accusations of pedophilia and financial and legal troubles. In 2009 he died from an apparent prescription drug overdose. He was 50.
This list is missing Judith Barsi, Jonathan Brandis and River Phoenix but I can see why they chose the 10 stars that they did.
source: 10 Child Stars Who Died Too Soon [Celeb Buzz]
