6 Most Tragic Overdoses of Celebrity Addictsl Overdoes of Stars l Celebrity Addicts

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We never like to hear of anyone losing their life to drugs. When it comes to Hollywood there have been plenty of lives destroyed and cut short due to drug addiction and abuse. Instead of viewing the entertainment industry to be a place where stars are born and dreams take flight, it has become a realm of destruction and a gateway to addiction for many. Whether it was heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, benzodiazepines or alcohol--these famous personalities left the world and the shining lights to fall into an abyss. Maybe they battled mental illness, health issues, disappointment or professional loss. The glaring headlines and the news of the stars that we lost can be unsettling. We will never know what other roles Marilyn Monroe, John Belushi or Judy Garland would have played. We will never know the songs that Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Elvis Presley might have written if they had lived. Here are 6 overdoses of celebrity addicts that rocked the world.

Marilyn Monroe

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Marilyn Monroe was the greatest sex symbol ever to come out of Hollywood. She was magnetic in "Gentleman Prefer Blondes" and "Some Like it Hot." However, her movies started to take a dive as "Let’s Make Love” failed at the box office. She was known to not show up for work and had difficulty memorizing lines and was dropped from Fox. During this turbulent time, Monroe was found with a plethora of drugs on her night stand that included sleeping pills, tranquilizers, opiates and other sedatives used to help her with insomnia. Monroe suffered from mental illness, including bipolar disorder and was combating gall bladder disease. In the summer of 1962, she was found dead at her Los Angeles home at the age of 36.

Judy Garland

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Another Hollywood darling broke the hearts of many on June 22, 1969. Judy Garland died of an accidental overdose at the age of 47 in London, England from prescription drugs. "The Wizard of Oz" star made over 30 films and performed on Broadway until she passed away. Garland signed on with MGM Studios in 1935 when she was only 13. In order to make her a star, she was put on pills and other drugs to keep her up during work days by the MGM studio heads. According to Biography, she was given amphetamines to boost her stamina and control her weight. She became addicted these drugs while young and it haunted her for the remainder of her career. She paid the ultimate price with her life.

Elvis Presley

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Elvis Presley was searching for something more meaningful in life late in his career. “I’m the only person I know who can walk into a room full of people and be alone,” he said. His longing was never fulfilled and his passion for prescription drugs destroyed him. On Aug. 1977 at the age of only 42--the King died from a cocktail of prescription medications. David E. Stanley was Presley's stepbrother and told People magazine: “We had to watch Elvis around the clock since he was taking so many drugs that he spent more time completely obliterated than not." Presley gained weight and suffered from high blood pressure and he had liver damage. He died in his bathroom at his Memphis, TN home.

Janis Joplin

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Rocker Janis Joplin was famous for her powerful voice during the 1960s. Her blues-inspired style rocketed her into fame with the band Big Brother and the Holding Company in 1966. Soon after, they hit the charts with the Cheap Thrills album that made a name for them on the national stage. She went on to a solo career with the record release of Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama in 1969. However, Joplin was also occupied with doing drugs and drinking. She admitted to juicing up and drinking Southern Comfort until she was inebriated. After years of using drugs and cheating death, Joplin died of a heroin overdose on Oct. 4, 1970, at a Hollywood hotel. She was 27.

Jimi Hendrix

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Jimi Hendrix was 27 when he died in the Notting Hill section of London after taking 9 sleeping pills. He passed away just 2 weeks before Joplin did in Los Angeles. Some reports speculated that one of the most powerful, dynamic and influential guitarists of 1960s did not accidentally overdose. Some believed it was suicide or murder. However, the pop star was notorious for using recreational drugs and most likely overdosed on barbiturates. Hendrix choked on his own vomit and died of asphyxia while inebriated by barbiturates. Hendrix was of Cherokee Indian and African-American descent and was recognized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as being arguably the "greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music."