Bruce Lee and Brandon Lee: Bruce was a Hong Kong martial arts master, became a star after his performance as Kato alongside Van Williams in the TV series, The Green Hornet. He went on to star in many martial arts films and famously pummeled Chuck Norris in the legendary final scene of Way of the Dragon. However, on July 20, 1973, six days before the release of his latest movie, Enter the Dragon, Lee met with producer Raymond Chow to talk about a new project, Game of Death. The two then drove over to Lee's colleague's home, Taiwanese actress Betty Ting Pei. When Lee complained of a headache, Pei allegedly gave him an Equagesic—a combination of aspirin and a muscle relaxant. Lee reportedly decided to take a nap, but never woke up. The only substance found in the actor's autopsy was Equagesic and it was later ruled that he died due to a hypersensitivity to the muscle relaxant in the drug. However, many conspiracy theorists claim that Lee was either murdered by the triads, he died from a Dim Mak ("death strike") he received some time earlier, or his family was cursed. The final theory resurfaced when, on Mar. 31, 1993, his son Brandon Lee was accidentally shot to death while filming his character's death scene in the film, The Crow.
Tupac Shakur and the Notorious BIG: Both rappers were victims of drive-by shootings within six months of one another. Did someone take revenge on Biggie for ordering a hit on Tupac, or is something else to blame?
Elizabeth Short: The aspiring actress, nicknamed the "Black Dahlia," was found mutilated in Los Angeles. Her murder was never solved, but it was made into a 2006 movie.
Natalie Wood: The former child actress, who had quite a few high-profile relationships, allegedly slipped and fell into the water, possibly while drunk. Or was it murder?
Virginia Rappe: The young actress was allegedly killed by a 350-pound silent movie star, Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, during a sex assault. But Arbuckle was never convicted.
Jack Nance: The actor died after somehow hitting his head—he told friends he was punched by two young Hispanic men outside a doughnut store, but some assume he got drunk and hit his own head. He died of a subdural hematoma.
William Desmond Taylor: The silent film director was found shot behind his home. Some suspect cocaine dealers; others suspect it had something to do with jealousy over his relationship with comedian Mabel Normand; or it could have been a case of unrequited love.
George Reeves: With his hulking physique and square jaw, George Reeves was an ideal fit for the lead role in the 1950s television series, Adventures of Superman. However, after the series, Reeves had trouble finding work and was in dire financial straits due to his extravagant Hollywood lifestyle. According to the Los Angeles Police Department report, between approximately 1:30 and 2 a.m. on June 16, 1959, Reeves reportedly shot himself in the head in the upstairs bedroom of his Los Angeles home. The Police reports at the time said that Reeves was depressed because he wasn't earning roles, but his mother refused to believe Reeves was the type to kill himself. Other theories place the blame on Reeves' relationship with married ex-showgirl Toni Mannix, wife of MGM general manager Eddie Mannix, as did the 2006 film Hollywoodland, which starred Ben Affleck as the late Superman star.
Bob Crane: the star of Hogan's Heroes, had a hard time getting roles after his show was canceled. He did, however, go on to make an extensive collection of home movies of his sexual escapades with the technical help of his friend John Carpenter. Though there were plenty of people with reason to be angry at Crane—he didn't always tell his partners they were being filmed—Carpenter's video experience made him the prime suspect in Crane's murder. On June 28, 1978, Crane was found bludgeoned to death with what was believed to be a tripod and a VCR cable had been tied around his neck. Nevertheless, police couldn't collect enough evidence and Carpenter wasn't charged until 14 years after the murder. He was acquitted and four years later, he died of a heart attack
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