Gregg Toland

popular name: Stan Laurel

date_of_death: February 23, 1965

age: 74

cause_of_death: Heart attack

claim_to_fame: Show Business

best_know_for: Stan Laurel was a British-born comic actor, writer, and director best known as one half of the legendary comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. Born Arthur Stanley Jefferson, he came from a theatrical family and began performing at an early age. Laurel emigrated to the United States in the 1910s and initially worked in vaudeville and silent films. His partnership with Oliver Hardy began in the mid-1920s and quickly became one of the most beloved acts in film history, blending slapstick with subtle character-driven humor. Laurel was the creative force behind much of their work, contributing to writing and directing duties even when uncredited. The duo's chemistry and timing left a lasting impact on comedy, influencing generations of performers. After Hardy's death in 1957, Laurel retired from show business but remained a cherished figure in entertainment until his own death on February 23, 1965, in Santa Monica, California. Like hundreds of other Hollywood actors and comedians, the grave of Stan Laurel can be found at Forest Lawn Memorial Park - Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles, California.

popular name: Anna Nicole Smith

date_of_death: February 8, 2007

age: 39

cause_of_death: Combined drug intoxication

claim_to_fame: Show Business

best_know_for: Anna Nicole Smith was a stunning, full-figured American model, a terrible actress and television personality. Smith started her career as a Playboy magazine centerfold in May 1992 and won the title of 1993 Playmate of the Year. She later modeled for fashion companies including Guess, H&M and Heatherette. In 1993, when she modeled for the Swedish clothing company H&M, this led to her picture being displayed on large billboards in Sweden and Norway. Smith was also featured on the cover of Marie Claire and in GQ magazine. Smith dropped out of high school in 1984, married in 1985 and divorced in 1993. In 1994, her highly publicized second marriage to 89-year-old billionaire J. Howard Marshall resulted in speculation that she married him for his money, which she denied. Following Marshall's death in 1995, Smith began a lengthy legal battle over a share of his estate. Her cases reached the Supreme Court of the United States: Marshall v. Marshall on a question of federal jurisdiction and Stern v. Marshall on a question of bankruptcy court authority. Eventually losing her bid to gain control of a portion of billionaire Marshall's $1.6 billion estate, she was saddled with attorney fees that made her bankrupt. In the end, Vickie Lynn Hogan swapped her small-town woes for a ticket to stardom as a Playboy Playmate, Guess Jeans pinup girl and glamorous movie star: a walking, talking billboard for fashion, sex and, later, severe misfortune. Upon her passing, Anna was laid to rest at Lakeview Memorial Gardens in Nassau Bahamas.

popular name: Lew Ayres

date_of_death: December 30, 1996

age: 88

cause_of_death: Died in his sleep after a two-day coma

claim_to_fame: Show Business

best_know_for: Lew Ayres was an American actor best known for as role as German soldier Paul Bäumer in the film All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) and for playing Dr. Kildare in nine movies. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in Johnny Belinda (1948). Lew's successful film and movie career film and television career spanned 65 years.