deaths

Sleeping Pills Found Near Ledger's Body

Maggie · 01/22/08 05:35PM

"This is being looked at as a possible overdose, but that is not confirmed yet," NYPD spokesperson Paul Browne said today, addressing the suspected suicide of actor Heath Ledger at a downtown apartment. According to reports, the medication found around his naked body "appear to be over the counter" sleeping pills. WNBC's sources say two bottles of sleeping pills were found near the body, one containing prescription medication and that fire officials had said the 911 caller reported a man not breathing, with a "cold" body. TMZ reports that an autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow. UPDATE: One of Ledger's close friends tells US magazine his death was shocking, but not surprising. "We saw it coming. Heath has gone though a rough road of trying to get sober."

Suicide Suspected In Heath Ledger's Death

Maggie · 01/22/08 05:29PM

Police are now saying they suspect suicide in Heath Ledger's death today at a Manhattan apartment owned, says the Times, by actress Mary-Kate Olsen. Prescription pills were found around the actor's "naked and unconscious" body.

Body Of Heath Ledger Will Remain Inside NYC Apartment For Several Hours

Maggie · 01/22/08 05:18PM

The body of boho darling Heath Ledger won't be wheeled out of the 421 Broome Street residence where he was found dead today for several hours. The Academy Award-nominated actor was in full cardiac arrest by the time paramedics arrived, TMZ is reporting. CPR was performed, but Ledger was pronounced dead on the the scene of a suspected drug overdose.

Pills Found By Police Near Heath Ledger's Body

Maggie · 01/22/08 05:07PM

Police have told the New York Times pills were found near the dead body of 28-year-old "Brokeback Mountain" actor Heath Ledger, discovered today in Soho. Foul play is not suspected. [NYT]

Actor Heath Ledger Found Dead In New York

Maggie · 01/22/08 04:48PM

"A New York Police Department spokesman says the actor Heath Ledger has been found dead at a downtown Manhattan residence," according to the AP. The Times says a masseuse and a housekeeper found his body at 421 Broome Street.

mark · 01/16/08 05:30PM

The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office has finally revealed what killed abusive music legend Ike Turner; please hold all "coke is it!" and "cocaine is a hell of a drug" jokes until the end of the statement: "'We are listing that he abused cocaine, and that's what resulted in the cocaine toxicity,' said Paul Parker, chief investigator at the medical examiner's office.The medical examiner's office also lists hypertensive cardiovascular disease and pulmonary emphysema as 'significant and contributing factors' to Turner's death.'" Those who had taken the "TOO MUCH BLOW" square in their Ike Turner Toxicology Report Pool are now officially eligible to collect their winnings from those who went with the "divine retribution" long-shot. [NBC San Diego.com]

Where Things Lead

Richard Lawson · 01/15/08 08:17PM

On the extreme side of celebrity meltdowns, celebrated young actor Brad Renfro was found dead in his Los Angeles home today. He was 25. Renfro, star of The Client and Bully, had run into several legal problems in the past, most stemming from drug use. No coroner's report has come in yet and cause of death is still undetermined. Much as troubled, drug-using stars like Britney Spears and Natasha Lyonne are mocked for their troubles, they haven't (yet) gotten to this sad place. Here's hoping Lyonne's recovery is genuine and that Spears will find her own soon. [Hollywood Reporter]

Mark Graham · 01/15/08 06:50PM

Sad news to pass along. TMZ is reporting that Brad Renfro, star of Apt Pupil and The Client, passed away earlier today at his Los Angeles home at the age of 25. The cause of death is still unknown. More info to follow as it happens.

We Implore Elvira To Do The Right Thing

Mark Graham · 01/11/08 09:07PM

· Nicole Richie and That Guy From Good Charlotte had a bouncing baby girl and, as celebrities are wont to do, gave her two middle names. The diet for both mother and daughter begins tomorrow!
· I drink your milshake (dot com)!
· American Psycho gets a cuddly makeover (via BWE).
· Ever find yourself wondering what Paris, Britney and Lindsay would do if they used their powers for good instead of evil? Vh1's exceptional "Celebrity Eye Candy" has the answers. Now if only they had a website!
· Now that it's almost the weekend and you'll finally have some time to kill, take some time to peruse Slate's Movie Club.
· Jessica Alba like WHOA!
· And Maila Nurmi, best known as Vampira, died today at the age of 86. All we know is that Elvira better show her face at her funeral.

Hollywood's Honorary Mayor Gets Star On Heaven's Walk Of Fame

mark · 01/10/08 12:00PM

As you might expect following the passing of any beloved head of state, there is no shortage of obituaries celebrating Grant's legacy, but we've found no post-mortem tribute more touching than this video elegy an obviously grief-stricken mourner offered up to the internets today. Once the Star Wars-inspired crawl fades and the music-accompanied montage of some of those memorable Walk of Fame moments kicks in, you will be moved.

Golden Globes Ceremony Officially Canceled (For Real This Time)

mark · 01/07/08 07:35PM

OK, now we can consider the Golden Globes ceremony officially killed, as organizers have abandoned the bizarre , clusterfucky news-special-and-party-report scheme floated earlier today in favor of a one-hour press conference (televised by NBC) that will replace the boozy dinner-and-statuettes orgy we've all come to know and tolerate as we impatiently await the Oscars. (For the moment at least, let's not further darken our moods by speculating about What This Means for the Academy Awards. Fine—count to ten before commencing the doomsaying.) HFPA president Jorge Camara offers this heartwrenching obituary for his beloved event: "We are all very disappointed that our traditional awards ceremony will not take place this year and that millions of viewers worldwide will be deprived of seeing many of their favorite stars celebrating 2007's outstanding achievements in motion pictures and television. We take some comfort, however, in knowing that this year's Golden Globe Award recipients will be announced on the date originally scheduled." [Variety]

mark · 12/12/07 04:55PM

"IKE Turner, musician and ex-husband of singer Tina Turner, has died at his home in suburban San Diego, his manager says. Turner was one of rock's architects, but his wider infamy was as the man who brutally abused former wife Tina Turner." For those not fully acquainted with Turner's abusive legacy, we recommend an immediate trip to the video store to rent What's Love Got to Do With It, which will leave you with a creeping, lifelong fear of Laurence Fishburne. [News.com.au]

mark · 12/11/07 05:15PM

"He lived. He lived well, he lived hard. He lived strong, he lived full-throttle. He's forever in flight now. And you know what? He doesn't have to come back down! He doesn't have to land." With those moving words, a surprisingly eloquent Matthew McConaughey sent Evel Knievel, the greatest daredevil of them all, off to jump the biggest motorcycle ramp in Heaven. [LiveVideo.com]

mark · 12/11/07 02:35PM

ABC News.com has reviewed the toxicology report from Quiet Riot vocalist Kevin DuBrow's mysterious death in Las Vegas in late November, passing along their expert analysis of the Clark County coroner's verdict: TOO MUCH BLOW. This result updates the news site's earlier, speculative story about suspicions that drug-induced asphyxiation was responsible for the singer's demise: DUBROW: CHOKED ON OWN PUKE? [ABCNews.com]

mark · 12/10/07 12:30PM

Incredibly sad news from the weekend, via the Reporter: "Rhiannon Meier, vp Red Wagon Prods., and Sam Cassel, vp Scott Rudin Prods., were killed early Saturday morning in Hollywood when their car was hit by an alleged drunk driver. The pair died instantly. Jose Luis Vargas, the driver said to have caused the crash at Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street, was arrested for driving under the influence and booked on suspicion of murder." [THR]

Evel Knievel Jumps Motorcycle All The Way To Heaven

mark · 11/30/07 04:30PM


According to his website (and now, these wire service reports), Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel, the motorcycle-jumping daredevil of the1960 and 70s whose flamboyant, patriotically decorated jumpsuits were nearly as thrilling as his breathtaking leaps across the Caesar's Palace fountains or the Snake River Canyon, has passed at the age of 69. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with his legendary body of work, our customary posthumous search for tribute material instantly yielded this musical montage celebrating the icon's stunts, allowing us to remember him in the gravity-defying fashion in which he lived.

mark · 11/26/07 01:50PM

Sad news: a beloved piece of our head-banging, devil-horns-throwing, hair-metal-consuming youth is gone, as Quiet Riot singer Kevin DuBrow was found dead of unknown causes at his Las Vegas home yesterday. Join us in memorializing his life by putting "Cum On Feel the Noize" on repeat in your iTunes for the rest of the day, taking the occasional break to watch the video for "Mama We're All Crazee Now" on YouTube. [MTV.com]

'House & Garden' Dead On The Vine After 106 Years

Maggie · 11/05/07 12:45PM

Conde Nast's House & Garden will publish its last issue in December, so sayeth Fishbowlny. Word is the fold came as a big surprise to staffers at the interior design mag, and there's no word yet on whether employees are getting the ax or being transferred elsewhere within the Condé Nast empire. But it looks like the "Grand Opening" of "The House & Garden Store" is more auction than enterprise. Conde bigwig Chuck Townsend reportedly gave a speech to the staff which was summarized by an attendee as such: "Sometimes the financial burden becomes too great for a small company to bear." We see!

mark · 10/16/07 01:30PM

Actress Carol Bruce, who played Gordon Jump's station-owning mother Mama Carlson on WKRP in Cincinnati, has died at 87. Venus Flytrap and Dr. Johnny Fever have yet to comment publicly on the loss. [CNN.com]