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When it comes to public battles with addiction, alcohol abuse is often sidelined. The abuse of other drugs is perceived as being more serious, and problems with drinking are often put on the back burner. However, alcohol abuse, especially over an extended period, can be extremely damaging to our health and is definitely not something to be taken lightly.
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.
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.
He got sober at that point but the anti-rejection medications given to organ transfer patients increase the risk of developing cancer.
He announced that he had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2011, and in 2012, he ultimately died of acute myeloid leukemia.
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.'
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.
Richard Burton, esteemed actor and on-off husband to Elizabeth Taylor, suffered from alcoholism the majority of his adult life.
In 1974, he had a brush with death due to excessive drinking.
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.
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.
The actor was known for his hedonistic behavior, which included hard drinking and at one point narcotics abuse.
He died at 50, and the autopsy showed he had heart disease and cirrhosis.
Jeffrey Hanneman was an American guitarist, most famously known as one of the founding members and songwriters for the metal band Slayer.
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.
Country musician Hank Williams, who brought us such classics as 'Hey, Good Lookin,' died at a tragically young age from complications after alcohol abuse.
The cause of his death was hemorrhages as a result of alcoholism.
He was just 29 years old when he died.
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.
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.
John Bonham was an English musician best known for the being the drummer of Led Zeppelin.
He died at the age of 32 due to asphyxiation from vomit.
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.
Former 'Jacka**' star Ryan Dunn died in a car accident when he was just 34 years old.
He was driving himself and one passenger when he veered off the road and hit a tree.
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.
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.'
In his later years, at 65 years old, the author unfortunately passed away due to his elevated alcohol consumption.
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.
He had spent time in rehab to treat his alcoholism.
Following his death, it was ruled that he had taken his own life through alcohol poisoning.
The award-winning Latina actress, with a career spanning four decades, was known for her roles in movies and TV.
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.
Veronica Lake was an actress best known for her femme fatale film roles.
She was very successful initially, but her career quickly declined, in part due to her drinking.
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.
English actor Oliver Reed died of a heart attack during a break from filming 'Gladiator' (2000).
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.
David Cassidy was a 1970s teen idol best known for his role as Keith Partridge on the sitcom 'The Partridge Family.'
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.
In 2017, he died of liver and kidney failure as a result of years of alcohol abuse. He was 67 years old.
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.
Scott's friends say that he was reckless with drugs and alcohol for years before his death.
Actor Tyler Christopher was best known for his role in the soap opera 'General Hospital,' appearing in more than 1,000 episodes.
The actor was found dead in 2023, with the cause of death later being revealed to be positional asphyxia due to acute alcohol intoxication.
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.
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.”
Former actor William Holden, whose golden years were during the 1950s, was a heavy drinker whose antics affected his professional and personal life.
He once killed another driver while driving drunk.
Holden himself died from bleeding out after he fell over inebriated and knocked his head.
The American singer and songwriter was known for his contribution to country music.
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.
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.'
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.
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.
Payton's battles with substance abuse got her in trouble for check fraud and prostitution, and were her ultimate cause of death.
She died from heart and liver failure at the age of 39.
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
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.
Famous figures who died of alcoholism
Unfortunately these personalities did not succeed in defeating their demon
CELEBRITY Deaths
When it comes to public battles with addiction, alcohol abuse is often sidelined. The abuse of other drugs is perceived as being more serious, and problems with drinking are often put on the back burner. However, alcohol abuse, especially over an extended period, can be extremely damaging to our health and is definitely not something to be taken lightly.
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.