Shockingly gruesome celebrity deaths not for the faint of heart

Being a star in the limelight comes with its own challenges, and while most are aware of and willing to live with the consequences of such a choice, what happens if their very lives are threatened because of the position they find themselves in due to their work?

From horrifying accidents to targeted fatal attempts, these celebrities found out the hard way:

Sal Mineo

When: February 12, 1976

Once considered one of Hollywood’s most appealing young breakout stars, appearing opposite James Dean in ‘50s hits like Rebel Without a Cause and Giant, Sal Mineo’s life was cut short due to a tragic stabbing incident.

A 37-year-old Sal was stabbed to death in the garage of his West Hollywood apartment by a mugger who soon fled the scene.

Most unfortunate, however, was the discovery that the attack was homophobic in nature as Sal Mineo was openly out as being bisexual.

Jon-Erik Hexum

When: October 18, 1984

A promising young talent, Jon-Erik Hexum invited his own death with an unfortunate bit of action at the age of just 26.

While he was filming the action serial Cover Up, Jon put the tip of a prop gun right to his temple and jokingly pulled the trigger, not being aware of just how deadly even blanks can prove to be at a close range.

He was rushed to the hospital, where he went into a coma after surgery, while his death was declared six days later due to being brain dead.

Brandon Lee

When: July 20, 1973

Speaking of fatal shooting accidents, Brandon Lee’s is perhaps the most well known and most shocking which ever occurred in the vicinity of Tinseltown.

Son of the famous actor and martial artist, Bruce Lee, Brandon already had a lot to prove in the industry when his life was tragically cut short on the set of what eventually became his career’s biggest success.

Brandon Lee passed away at the age of 32 due to sustained injuries during the filming of a scene for 1994’s The Crow, where he was shot with a mysteriously lodged real bullet, fired from a prop gun.

The real cause or culprit behind the tragedy was never really discovered and despite being written off as a careless job, speculations about the actor’s death have continued to grip his fans and others alike.

Judith Barsi

When: July 25, 1988

In a twisted tale of fatal chaos, child star Judith Barsi paid the price of fame at the hands of her own father when she was just 10 years old.

Remembered for her delightful voice acting turns in 1988’s The Land Before Time and 1989’s All Dogs Go to Heaven, Judith and her mother, Maria Barsi, were shot dead in a raging fit of jealousy by the family patriarch József Barsi.

Later killing himself on the spot as well, the apparent murder-suicide was orchestrated after years of abuse endured by the late mother and daughter, with Judith Barsi reporting her miserable upbringing and her father’s disapproval of her career to her friends on a number of previous occasions.

Sharon Tate

When: August 9, 1969

Part of the infamous Tate-LaBianca murders, rising Hollywood actress Sharon Tate’s star was snubbed short in the aftermath of the cruelly shocking attack on her home by notorious cult leader and serial killer, Charles Manson’s gang.

Known as members of the “Manson family”, the murderers broke into Sharon’s Los Angeles property and murdered her along with four other house guests, including her ex fiance and friend Jay Sebring, while she was about eight months pregnant with her first child.

Sharon Tate was bound and stabbed a reported 16 times and according to her killers’ testimonies, also begged to spare her life until she gave birth to her and director Roman Polanski’s baby, after which she promised she would let them kill her as she offered herself as hostage.

Sharon Tate passed away as a result of the injuries she had sustained during the unspeakable crime, while she is buried in a California cemetery along with her unborn son, who was posthumously named Paul Richard Polanski.

Primmie Niven

When: May 21, 1946

Born Primula Rollo, while Primmie Niven was an occasional actress herself, she was better known as one half of a famous Hollywood couple, as David Niven’s wife.

The legendary actor from Old Hollywood, David shared two sons with his wife and the couple’s marriage was reportedly a happy one, as the first Mrs. Niven remained blissfully unaware of her husband’s infidelity right up to her tragic death.

She met her fate when the couple, along with their friends, were playing a game akin to hide and seek, called sardines, at fellow actor Tyrone Power’s home and Primmie unknowingly went to hide in a closet which turned out to be a trap door.

Leading to a stone stairwell, Primmie Niven fell down the steps and suffered a broken skull, leading to her death even after being rushed to a hospital soon after.

According to those close to the couple and the actor himself, David Niven never quite moved on from her death and often “blamed himself for bringing her to Hollywood in the first place”, per Buzzfeed.