Gerald’s not exaggerating about the lack of safety in TV and movies. A disturbingly large number of actors and actresses have died while shooting a movie or TV show or during stage performances. Here are some of the more notable cases:

Molière: The French playwright and actor died during a performance of his play, Le Malade Imaginaire (The Hypochondriac) in 1673.

Tyrone Power: Suffered a fatal heart attack while filming Solomon and Sheba in Spain in 1958.

Nelson Eddy: Had a stroke during a play in Miami in 1967. Died in a hospital the next day.

Irene Ryan: “Granny” from the Beverly Hillbillies died at age 71, six weeks after collapsing during a performance of the musical Pippin in 1973.

Vic Morrow: Killed along with two child actors in a helicopter accident that took place during filming of the Twilight Zone movie in 1982.

Dick Shawn: Comedian who fell and hit his head during a 1987 stand-up performance at UC San Diego. Lay unconscious for nearly five minutes before audience realized it wasn’t part of the act. Died in the hospital 45 minutes later of an apparent heart attack.

Redd Foxx: Suffered the “big one” on the set during filming of the sitcom The Royal Family in 1991.

Brandon Lee: Died tragically in 1993 at age 28 during filming of The Crow by the metal tip of what was supposed to be a dummy bullet fired from a blank gun fired as part of a stunt.  

John Ritter: Died at age 54 of an undiagnosed heart problem during filming of the sitcom 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter in 2003.

Heath Ledger: The 28-year-old actor took a fatal overdose of various sleeping pills and anti-depressants while on break from shooting The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus in 2008.

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