Georgia Engel

popular name: Dorothy Kilgallen

date_of_death: November 8, 1965

age: 52

cause_of_death: Accidental overdose of barbituits and alcohol

claim_to_fame: Show Business

best_know_for: Called by famed attorney F. Lee Bailey “A very bright and very good reporter of criminal cases, the best there was,” “One of the greatest women writers in the world,” by Ernest Hemingway, and by the New York Post, “The most powerful female voice in America,” Dorothy Kilgallen was a What’s My Line? television star, radio personality, celebrated journalist, revered investigative reporter and author. After spending two semesters at the College of New Rochelle, she started her career shortly before her 18th birthday as a reporter for the Hearst Corporation's New York Evening Journal. In 1938, she began her newspaper column "The Voice of Broadway", which was eventually syndicated to more than 140 papers. In 1950, she became a regular panelist on the television game show What's My Line?, continuing in the role until her death. Kilgallen's columns featured mostly show-business news and gossip, but also ventured into other topics, such as politics and organized crime. She wrote front-page articles for multiple newspapers on the Sam Sheppard trial and, years later, events related to the John F. Kennedy assassination, such as testimony by Jack Ruby. As Kilgallen neared the end of her JFK assassination investigation, her body was discovered in her townhouse bedroom with the official cause of death a drug overdose combined with alcohol consumption: “Circumstances Undetermined.” The simple grave of Dorothy Kilgallen can be found at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, New York.

popular name: Simone Signoret

date_of_death: September 30, 1985

age: 64

cause_of_death: Pancreatic cancer

claim_to_fame: Show Business

best_know_for: Legendary French actress Simone Signoret had a five-decade career of more than sixty films; her unassailable talent in creating not only memorable but iconic female characters. From 1950 to 1955 Signoret created the roles with which she is most identified in the early stage of her career, a moody, sensual, scintillating presence that made her first a national and then an international symbol: La Ronde (Max Ophuls, 1950), Thérèse Raquin (Marcel Carné, 1953), Diabolique (Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1955), and Casque d’Ôr (Jacques Becker, 1952). The latter film not only established Signoret as an actress of range and complexity, but also galvanized her career as a first-rate star; it remained her favorite rôle, along with Room at the Top (Jack Clayton, 1958, for which she received an Oscar). Room at the Top marked the next phase of Signoret’s career and truly launched her on the international scene; she was honored as Best Actress by both British and American film academies and by the Cannes Film Festival. During her illustrious career she received various accolades, including an Academy Award, three BAFTA Awards, a César Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress, in addition to nominations for two Golden Globe Awards. Upon her death, she was laid to rest at Cimetière du Père Lachaise in Paris, France.

popular name: Buster Keaton

date_of_death: February 1, 1966

age: 70

cause_of_death: Lung Cancer

claim_to_fame: Show Business

best_know_for: Along with Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton was one of the three big stars of the Hollywood silent film era. Keaton was an American silent film actor, comedian, and director renowned for his physical comedy, deadpan expression, and innovative filmmaking. He began performing in vaudeville as a young child alongside his parents, developing a remarkable knack for slapstick and stunt work. Keaton rose to prominence in the 1920s with a series of short films and feature-length classics like The General (1926), Sherlock Jr. (1924), and Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928), which showcased his daring stunts, inventive visual gags, and impeccable comic timing. Often referred to as “The Great Stone Face” for his stoic on-screen persona, Keaton was also a pioneering director who pushed the boundaries of cinematic storytelling and physical comedy. Despite a career downturn in the 1930s, he experienced a resurgence later in life, earning recognition for his contributions to film history. The grave of this giant of Hollywood's silent film era can be found at Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles, California.