Chris Farley used to carry the Clown’s Prayer in his wallet at all times. When it was discovered at the time of his death, it served as a chilling reminder that many comedians put the rest of the world before their own personal happiness.
For this reason, when tragedy strikes the funny men and women of the world, it is infinitely sadder, as the funny ones seem to deserve a lighter exit. The following are the saddest comedian deaths of all time.
For this reason, when tragedy strikes the funny men and women of the world, it is infinitely sadder, as the funny ones seem to deserve a lighter exit. The following are the saddest comedian deaths of all time.
11. Greg Giraldo
LIFE: December 10, 1965–September 29, 2010
COD: Accidental Overdose
Greg Giraldo is the most recent addition to this infamous list. While people best knew him as the glue that held the Comedy Central roast series together, few people knew that he was actually a graduate of Harvard Law School. He practiced law for roughly a year before switching to the career for which we knew him best. He overdosed on prescription painkillers in September of 2010, slipped into a coma, and died a few days later.
10. Mitch Hedberg
LIFE: February 24, 1968–March 29, 2005
COD: Cocaine and Heroin Overdose
Known for his unique delivery, and often compared to a modern day Steven Wright, Mitch Hedberg was the king of observational one-liners. Hedberg suffered from terrible stage fright, which attributed to his long hair, sunglasses, and general avoidance of eye contact with everyone. A long time abuser, Hedberg was found dead of cocaine and heroin overdose in his New Jersey hotel room in March of 2005.
9. Andy Kaufman
LIFE: January 17, 1949–May 16, 1984
COD: Lung Cancer Complications
Andy Kaufman was the most surreal comedian ever. Most of what he did was more performance art than comedy, which meant half of his audiences loved him, half of them hated him, but none ever forgot him. Whether he was refusing to say his lines on stage, or taking an entire audience out for milk and cookies, Kaufman’s style was all his own. He died in a Los Angeles hospital in 1984 of kidney failure, a complication of his lung cancer.
8. John Candy
LIFE: October 31, 1950–March 4, 1994
COD: Heart Attack
One of the Second City’s brightest stars ever, John Candy was a larger-than-life funny man who was universally loved and respected by his peers. After gaining stardom on SCTV, Candy went on to make a slew of movies in the 1980’s that earned him superstar status. However, throughout the 80’s and 90’s, he struggles with his weight. In 1994, while filming Wagons East, he died in his sleep of a heart attack.
7. Gilda Radner
LIFE: June 28, 1946–May 20, 1989
COD: Ovarian Cancer
Gilda Radner was an original member of Saturday Night Live and a comedienne superstar of the 70’s. She won an Emmy in 1978 for her work on SNL before leaving the show in 1980. Few people remember that Radner was married to Gene Wilder at the time of her ovarian cancer diagnosis. The disease went into remission in 1988 before ultimately claiming her life in 1989.
6. Danny Gans
LIFE: October 25, 1956–May 1, 2009
COD: Accidental Drug Interaction
Although Gans may not be as high profile a name as some on this list, his death was tragic, and was certainly felt by many. Danny Gans was THE Las Vegas show to see from 2000-2009, when he died of a reaction to prescription drugs. News of his death shocked the city of Las Vegas and turned America’s playground into a somber place of mourning. Although Gans didn’t achieve film or television fame, his show was the most attended on the strip for a full decade.
5. Bernie Mac
LIFE: October 5, 1957–August 9, 2008
COD: Pneumonia Complications
Bernie Mac was a star of television, stage ,and screen who suffered from sarcoidosis, a disease which eventually led to the pneumonia that killed him. Perhaps best known for his roles in the Ocean’s franchise, as well as for the Bernie Mac Show on Fox, Bernard Jeffery McCollough was a stand-up legend, ranking 72nd on Comedy Central’s Top 100 Acts.
4. John Ritter
LIFE: September 17, 1948–September 11, 2003
COD: Congenital Heart Defect
One of the most unsuspecting, yet talented physical comedians ever, John Ritter looked extraordinarily average. Once he began flailing limbs and playing physical gags, it was clear he was a gifted comic. Best known for roles on Three’s Company and 8 Simple Rule for Dating My Teenage Daughter, Ritter enjoyed a 25-year career before tragically dropping dead on the set of 8 Simple Rules in 2003. Don Knotts once called him the greatest physical comedian on the planet, and we are hard pressed to disagree.
3. John Belushi
LIFE: January 24, 1949–March 5, 1982
COD: Overdose
Perhaps the funniest man of his generation, John Belushi was one of the first high-profile comedians to die of an overdose, shedding light on the reality of drug abuse within the community. He was the first member of SNL to die, and his death was a cold wake-up call to the remaining cast, and served as an example of how not to live. Although he had been dead for 22 years, on April 1, 2004, John was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2. Phil Hartman
LIFE: September 24, 1948–May 28, 1998
COD: Spousal Homicide
Few comedians were as distinct as Phil Hartman, and few will be missed more. The voice of both Troy McClure and Lionel Hutz on The Simpsons, the comedic anchor of the show News Radio, and one of the most versatile and talented members of Saturday Night Live ever, Phil Hartman was nothing short of a comedy legend. His murder at the hands of his wife in 1998 was a shock and tragedy, and one that nobody saw coming, making his death one of the saddest ever. While drugs were not an issue that Hartman struggled with, his wife Brynn was addicted to cocaine and was also a heavy drinker. When Hartman threatened to leave her if she couldn’t get sober, Brynn shot him in his sleep and then took her own life.
1. Chris Farley
LIFE: February 15, 1964 – December 18, 1997
COD: Overdose
One of the saddest comedian death of all time, Chris Farley was found dead in his Chicago apartment in 1997 of cardiac arrest caused by an overdose. Many people will remember him as the main character of Tommy Boy and Black Sheep, however people know that he was the first choice to voice the character of Shrek. Not only that, but he had already recorded the entire first movie at the time of his death. What made Chris Farley’s death so tragic was the fact that it was seemingly inevitable. Friends and family tried their hardest to stop it, but it was almost as though it was destined to be.
Conclusion:
The life of a comic can be best summed up by the poem that was carried by Chris Farley at all times. It read:
As I stumble through this life,
help me to create more laughter than tears,
dispense more cheer than gloom,
spread more cheer than despair.
help me to create more laughter than tears,
dispense more cheer than gloom,
spread more cheer than despair.
Never let me become so indifferent,
that I will fail to see the wonders in the eyes of a child,
or the twinkle in the eyes of the aged.
that I will fail to see the wonders in the eyes of a child,
or the twinkle in the eyes of the aged.
Never let me forget that my total effort is to cheer people,
make them happy, and forget momentarily,
all the unpleasantness in their lives.
make them happy, and forget momentarily,
all the unpleasantness in their lives.
And in my final moment,
may I hear You whisper:
“When you made My people smile,
you made Me smile.”
may I hear You whisper:
“When you made My people smile,
you made Me smile.”
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