Suicide in the Entertainment Industry : An Encyclopedia of 840 Twentieth Century Cases

This work covers 840 intentional suicide cases initially reported in Daily Variety (the entertainment industry's trade journal), but also drawing attention from mainstream news media. These cases are taken from the ranks of vaudeville, film, theatre, dance, music, literature (writers with direct connections to film), and other allied fields in the entertainment industry from 1905 through 2000. Accidentally self-inflicted deaths are omitted, except for a few controversial cases. It includes the suicides of well-known personalities such as actress Peg Entwistle, who is the only person to ever commit suicide by jumping from the top of the Hollywood Sign, Marilyn Monroe and Dorothy Dandridge, who are believed to have overdosed on drugs, and Richard Farnsworth and Brian Keith, who shot themselves to end the misery of terminal cancer. Also mentioned, but in less detail, are the suicides of unknown and lesser-known members of the entertainment industry. Arranged alphabetically, each entry covers the person's personal and professional background, method of suicide, and, in some instances, includes actual statements taken from the suicide note. "This is a reference work covering 840 suicides initially reported in Daily Variety but also drawing attention from mainstream media. The people are from vaudeville, film, theatre, dance, music, literature (film writers), and other fields, 1905 through 2000. Accidentally self-inflicted deaths are omitted, except for a few controversial cases.". "The suicides of well-known personalities such as actress Peg Entwistle, the only person ever to commit suicide by jumping from the top of the Hollywood sign, Marilyn Monroe and Dorothy Dandridge, believed to have overdosed on drugs, and Richard Farnsworth and Brian Keith, who shot themselves to end the misery of cancer, are among the entries. Also mentioned in less detail are the suicides of lesser-known entertainment figures.". "Each entry covers the person's personal and professional background, method of suicide, and place of burial, and in some instances includes statements taken from a suicide note."--BOOK JACKET. This work covers 840 intentional suicides reported in Daily Variety (and drawing attention from mainstream media) of people from vaudeville, film, theatre, dance, music, screenwriting and other fields, 1905-2000.

Peg Entwistle is the only person ever to commit suicide by jumping from the top of the Hollywood sign, Marilyn Monroe and Dorothy Dandridge are believed to have overdosed on drugs, and Richard Farnsworth and Brian Keith shot themselves to end the misery of terminal cancer. Each entry covers the person's background, method of suicide, place of burial, and, in some instances, statements from a suicide note.

""Morbidly fascinating""--Choice; ""recommended""--Catholic Library World; ""fascinating""--C&RL News; ""everyone interested in the lives of entertainers will enjoy this book...much popular appeal ""--Public Library Quarterly; ""filled with fascinating stories...mesmerizing reading, alluring""--Classic Images; ""invaluable""--Mondo Cult. This work covers 840 intentional suicide cases initially reported from mainstream news media. These cases are taken from the ranks of vaudeville, film, theatre, dance, music, literature, and other allied fields in the entertainment industry from 1905 through