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Larry Hagman (1931 - 2012) -

Larry Hagman, known for his roles in 'Dallas' and 'I Dream of Jeannie,' developed liver cancer and cirrhosis of the liver in the 1990s due to decades of drinking, and underwent a life-saving liver transplant.

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Larry Hagman (1931 - 2012) -

He got sober at that point but the anti-rejection medications given to organ transfer patients increase the risk of developing cancer.

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Larry Hagman (1931 - 2012) -

He announced that he had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2011, and in 2012, he ultimately died of acute myeloid leukemia. 

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Jani Lane (1964 - 2011) -

Jani Lane was an American vocalist and the face of the glam metal band Warrant. One of the most known faces of heavy metal during the peak of their success in the late '80s and early '90s, he and his band will be forever engraved in the history of classic rock, thanks to their biggest hit still being commonly listened to until this day, 'Cherry Pie.'

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Jani Lane (1964 - 2011) -

The star was found dead in a cheap motel room in Los Angeles, with a declared cause of death of alcohol poisoning. More specifically, "acute ethanol intoxication" put an unfortunate end to this once energetic and charismatic music personality.

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Richard Burton (1925 - 1984) -

Richard Burton, esteemed actor and on-off husband to Elizabeth Taylor, suffered from alcoholism the majority of his adult life.

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Richard Burton (1925 - 1984) -

In 1974, he had a brush with death due to excessive drinking.

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Richard Burton (1925–1984) -

When he did pass in 1984 at the age of 58, it was due to an intracerebral hemorrhage. His actual death was sudden, but his health had been declining for many years due to alcoholism.

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Errol Flynn (1909 - 1959) -

Errol Flynn was an Australian-born actor who rose to fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was best known for playing romantic swashbuckler roles.

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Errol Flynn (1909 - 1959) -

The actor was known for his hedonistic behavior, which included hard drinking and at one point narcotics abuse.

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Errol Flynn (1909 - 1959) -

He died at 50, and the autopsy showed he had heart disease and cirrhosis.

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Jeffrey Hanneman (1964 - 2013) -

Jeffrey Hanneman was an American guitarist, most famously known as one of the founding members and songwriters for the metal band Slayer.

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Jeffrey Hanneman (1964 - 2013) -

At 49 years old, the musician was found dead due to alcohol-related cirrhosis. Although previous health issues were documented, this condition in particular came as a surprise for the metal world with the loss of one of its stars.

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Hank Williams (1923 - 1953) -

Country musician Hank Williams, who brought us such classics as 'Hey, Good Lookin,' died at a tragically young age from complications after alcohol abuse.

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Hank Williams (1923 - 1953) -

The cause of his death was hemorrhages as a result of alcoholism.

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Hank Williams (1923 - 1953) -

He was just 29 years old when he died.

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Jack Kerouac (1922 - 1969) -

Author Jack Kerouac, whose second novel 'On the Road' (1957) made him an icon of the Beat Generation, struggled with alcohol abuse throughout his life.

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Jack Kerouac (1922 - 1969) -

He died in 1969 after being rushed to the hospital when he started vomiting blood while drinking whiskey. His cause of death was a hemorrhage caused by cirrhosis.

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John Bonham (1948 - 1980) -

John Bonham was an English musician best known for the being the drummer of Led Zeppelin.

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John Bonham (1948 - 1980) -

He died at the age of 32 due to asphyxiation from vomit.

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John Bonham (1948 - 1980) -

The coroner's inquest revealed that Bonham had been on a real bender the day before his death, and reports suggest he had kicked off the day with 16 shots of vodka at breakfast.

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Ryan Dunn (1977 - 2011) -

Former 'Jacka**' star Ryan Dunn died in a car accident when he was just 34 years old.

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Ryan Dunn (1977 - 2011) -

He was driving himself and one passenger when he veered off the road and hit a tree.

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Ryan Dunn (1977 - 2011) -

The toxicology report showed that when Dunn crashed his blood alcohol level was over twice the legal limit. This was not Dunn's first DUI offense, and he was known to struggle with addiction.

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Sinclair Lewis (1885 – 1951) -

Sinclair Lewis was the first American author to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature, thanks to a variety of hit novels such as 'Babbitt' and 'Elmer Gantry.'

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Sinclair Lewis (1885 – 1951) -

In his later years, at 65 years old, the author unfortunately passed away due to his elevated alcohol consumption.

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Verne Troyer (1969 - 2018) -

Actor and comedian Verne Troyer, well known for playing Mini-Me in the 'Austin Powers' film series, died at the age of 49 in 2018.

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Verne Troyer (1969 - 2018) -

He had spent time in rehab to treat his alcoholism. 

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Verne Troyer (1969 - 2018) -

Following his death, it was ruled that he had taken his own life through alcohol poisoning. 

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Elizabeth Peña (1959-2014) -

The award-winning Latina actress, with a career spanning four decades, was known for her roles in movies and TV.

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Elizabeth Peña (1959-2014) -

In 2014, suffering from chronic cirrhosis of the liver induced by alcoholism, the actress was pronounced dead, with the additional listed causes of death being acute gastrointestinal bleeding, cardiopulmonary arrest, and cardiogenic shock, together with her already chronic condition.

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Veronica Lake (1922 - 1973) -

Veronica Lake was an actress best known for her femme fatale film roles.

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Veronica Lake (1922 -1973) -

She was very successful initially, but her career quickly declined, in part due to her drinking.

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Veronica Lake (1922 -1973) -

The 'Sullivan's Travels' (1941) actress died in 1973 at the age of 50. The cause of her death was acute hepatitis and acute kidney injury.

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Oliver Reed (1938 - 1999) -

English actor Oliver Reed died of a heart attack during a break from filming 'Gladiator' (2000).

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Oliver Reed (1938 - 1999) -

As the story goes, Reed, who was renowned for being a heavy drinker but who had apparently been off booze for months prior, got involved in a drinking match that ultimately killed him.

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David Cassidy (1950 - 2017) -

David Cassidy was a 1970s teen idol best known for his role as Keith Partridge on the sitcom 'The Partridge Family.' 

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David Cassidy (1950 - 2017) -

Cassidy went on to have a successful career as a musician but his life was troubled behind the scenes. In 2008, he admitted publicly that he had a drinking problem.

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David Cassidy (1950 - 2017) -

In 2017, he died of liver and kidney failure as a result of years of alcohol abuse. He was 67 years old. 

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Bon Scott (1946 - 1980) - AC/DC frontman Bon Scott died at the premature age of 33. The band was on the cusp of international stardom when he was found dead in his car on a cold day in London, in 1980.

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Bon Scott (1946 - 1980) -

He had gone to sleep in his car after a night of heavy drinking and suffered from acute alcohol poisoning.
Unfortunately, there are many celebrities who ultimately succumbed to their drinking problem. Click through this gallery to see which stars sadly died as a result of alcohol abuse.

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Bon Scott (1946 - 1980) -

Scott's friends say that he was reckless with drugs and alcohol for years before his death. 

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Tyler Christopher (1972-2023) -

Actor Tyler Christopher was best known for his role in the soap opera 'General Hospital,' appearing in more than 1,000 episodes.

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Tyler Christopher (1972-2023) -

The actor was found dead in 2023, with the cause of death later being revealed to be positional asphyxia due to acute alcohol intoxication.

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Amy Winehouse (1983 - 2011) - British singer Amy Winehouse was known worldwide for her incredibly soulful voice, but unfortunately also for her struggles with addiction.

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Amy Winehouse (1983 - 2011) - She died of alcohol poisoning in her London flat in 2011. She was just 27 years old.

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Jason Molina (1973 – 2013) -

Jason Molina was an American singer from Ohio, recognized not only by his solo works but also by leading bands Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Company.

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Jason Molina (1973 – 2013) -

At just 39 years old, Molina was found dead due to organ failure originating from his excessive alcohol consumption, with his record label publishing a statement that best described him: “He was generous. He was one of a kind. And he had a voice unlike any other.”

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William Holden (1918 - 1981) -

Former actor William Holden, whose golden years were during the 1950s, was a heavy drinker whose antics affected his professional and personal life.

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William Holden (1918–1981) -

He once killed another driver while driving drunk.

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William Holden (1918–1981) -

Holden himself died from bleeding out after he fell over inebriated and knocked his head.

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Keith Whitley (1954 – 1989) -

The American singer and songwriter was known for his contribution to country music.

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Keith Whitley (1954–1989) -

The star was found dead due to alcohol poisoning at just 34 years old, but his legacy offered him an induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

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Steve Harwell (1967 - 2023) -

In 1994, Harwell co-founded Smash Mouth and has served as its lead singer ever since. They gained fame primarily for the band's hit singles 'All Star' and 'I'm a Believer.'

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Steve Harwell (1967 - 2023) -

The singer sadly passed away at the age of 56 on September 4, 2023. Harwell's manager, Robert Hayes, released a statement explaining that the singer “has been struggling with alcohol abuse throughout his life — and now, he’s reached the final stage of liver failure.” The following day, he announced that Harwell had passed away, "peacefully and comfortably,” with loved ones by his side.

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Barbara Payton (1927 - 1967) -

Barbara Payton was once an aspiring actress whose promise was blighted by her problems with alcoholism and drug addiction. Her life was the subject of much public interest.

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Barbara Payton (1927 - 1967) -

Payton's battles with substance abuse got her in trouble for check fraud and prostitution, and were her ultimate cause of death.

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Barbara Payton (1927 - 1967) -

She died from heart and liver failure at the age of 39.

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Tony Slattery (1959 - 2025) -

The renowned comedian and actor died on January 15 from a heart attack, according to his partner of nearly four decades. He gained widespread fame through his appearances on 'Just A Minute' and 'Have I Got News For You.' Despite his success, he left the spotlight in the '90s while struggling with a breakdown

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Tony Slattery (1959-2025) -

His last appearance on television was in a documentary five years ago that delved into the link between addiction and depression. He is survived by his partner of more than 30 years, actor Mark Hutchinson.

See also: Celebrities who lost their lives to heart attacks

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