5 Actresses That Fell Victim To Gruesome (or Unsolved) Deaths On The Brink Of Stardom

In the wake of one of the most tragic and unexpected deaths of one of my favorite actors, Chadwick Boseman, I thought it would be fair to pay tribute to some actresses who weren't as well know and passed on way too early. We all know about Sharon Tate and Marlyn Monroe. But here are some actresses that you may not know, or remember, that tragically passed on before they reached their stardom. (Disclaimer: in order to provide organization, this list will be in a linear fashion starting with the oldest time of death to the most recent)

Jean Harlow - The ORIGINAL blonde bombshell. I'm not just saying that because it's true, many attribute that saying directly to Harlow consider the stories of industry professionals using that term to describe her based on her blonde hair and striking personality. Throughout the 30's, she was as big as they got. She had it all - the looks, the talent, the persona. She was starring in numerous films and her career was just begging to blossom when she started to mysteriously suffer from a variety of health problems that slowly deemed her unable to work. Then tragically in 1937, she passed away at the age of 26. The cause of death was listed as kidney failure.

Elizabeth Short (aka "The Black Dahlia) - Like many at the time, (and still to this day), Elizabeth short decided at a young age to pack up her bags and head to Hollywood in hopes of being a star. She was young, pretty, and fit the bill of what the studios were looking for. She had no credits to her name, however her looks and her talent shown through various screen tests garnered interest from those working in the business. Things were looking up for short when one night she suddenly disappeared. Suddenly on the morning of January 15, 1947, Short was discovered dead on the side of a trail in Los Angeles. Her body was cut cleanly in half and all the blood was drained from her as well. The murder was never solved.

Jayne Mansfield - Probably the least known name on this list, but she was ready for the big time. She had striking good looks (similar to Marlyn Monroe), was a very talented actress, and had no problem being over-sexualized in films. Therefore, the studios were in love with her considering that's what they were looking for in a starlet. However, in 1967, Mansfeld and her 3 children were involved in a horrific car crash that killed her instantly. Shockingly and fortunately, all 3 of her children survived.

Natalie Wood - This is one of the strangest and most mysterious Hollywood stories that not a lot of people talk about. Natalie Wood was a star at the time of her passing, but her career was just getting started. By the time she was 25, she already had 3 Oscars and numerous other awards under her belt. However, it was rumored that her husband, fellow actor Robert Wagner, was very jealous of the attention Wood would get on a daily basis, especially from other men. Then one day in 1981, Wager, Wood, and actor Christopher Walken went on a boat ride out to Catalina Island. Soon after, a call was made from the boat saying Wood had fallen off and they couldn't find her. She was never found, and her death was ruled by drowning. The strange part is Wood was known for having a fear of water, specifically the ocean, so it makes no sense that she'd decide to jump in for a quick dip. There are many theories as to the true cause of her death.

Brittany Murphy - She was the definition of a star of the rise. She was gorgeous, talented, and starred in a number of hit films. But on December 2o, 2009, the world woke up to shocking news; Brittany Murphy was dead. The coroner revealed the cause of death to be a mixture of pneumonia and a deadly cocktail of prescription drugs, which doesn't seem too unlikely. However, those close to her sensed something wasn't wrong. When further examined, it was determined the day of her death she as taken several drugs given to her by her husband Simon Monjack that has nothing to do with fighting her illness. A friend that went to check on Brittany the day before her death described her as delirious, frail, and having lips that were blue due to lack of Oxygen. She insisted on bringing Murphy to the hospital but she resisted, claiming her husband was taking great care of her. The next day she was found dead, and what makes things even stranger is a few months later Simon Monjack was found dead in the same home, and the cause of death was the exact same.