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Famous People Who Died in Sin City

Famous People Who Died in Sin City

Sin City is one of the most incredible destinations in the world. Unfortunately, like every city, some people who visit end up losing their lives . Thousands of people die each year in Las Vegas; however, some people's deaths are more famous and shocking. Even though the leading cause of death in Vegas is heart disease, drug overdose is relatively widespread and is the second most prevalent cause of death in Sin City. Some of the most well-known people around have had their final laughter and joys in Las Vegas. Below is a list of the famous people who died in Sin City.

Celebrities Who Died in Las Vegas

  • Tupac Shakur (1971-1996)

Tupac Amaru Shakur was born on June 16, 1971 in Lesane Parish Crooks (Harlem neighborhood of New York) and is famously known by his stage name 2Pac and Makaveli. He was a famous American rapper and actor and is categorized as one of the greatest artists of all time. Most of his creations received great accolades for addressing contemporary social issues which plagued the inner social circles. At the tender age of 25, Tupac's life was cut short by an in-drive shooting in Las Vegas. Six days after the shooting, the rapper died from the gunshot wounds. He left behind a legacy featuring 11 platinum albums, and his murder remains one of the biggest crime mysteries of Las Vegas.

  • Joe Louis (1914-1981)

Joe Louis, whose real names are Joseph Louis Barrow is a celebrated American professional boxer who competed in the sport from 1934 to 1951. He’s regarded as one of the greatest and most influential professional boxers of all time, and he was famously nicknamed the Brown Bomber. Louis took part in 69 fights, had 52 wins and three losses, he was the reigning world heavyweight champion from 1937 to 1949. After viewing the Larry Holmes–Trevor Berbick heavyweight championship fight, Louis suffered a cardiac arrest. He died at the Desert Springs Hospital in Las Vegas on April 12, 1981, at 66.

  • John Entwistle (1944-2002)

John Alec Entwistle was a musician from England and a member of the rock band The Who. He was nicknamed  "the Ox" and "Thunderfingers" and had a successful musical career lasting over 40 decades. He was also the only band member of the band who had formal musical training. The bassist died at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas on June 27, 1997, at 57. According to a coroner's report, the celebrated musician died of a cocaine overdose in his room, which stopped his heart from beating. Entwistle had a history of suffering from cardiovascular disease. Even though the cocaine amount in his blood was small, the quantity was sufficient enough to interfere with his heartbeat rhythm. He died a few days before his band started their three-month nationwide tour.

  • Pat Morita (1932-2005)

Noriyuki "Pat" Morita is famously remembered for his role as Mr. Miyagi in the Karate Kid film series. Other notable roles played by Morita included Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi on Happy Days, Mike Woo in The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo, and the Emperor of China in Mulan and Mulan II. The Asian American actor was born in Isleton, California, US, on June 28, 1932. Morita received much recognition in the Karate Kid role and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. On November 24, 2005, Morita passed away from kidney failure in his Las Vegas home. He was 73.

  • James Barrier (1953-2008)

James "Buffalo Jim" Barrier was an Ohioan native who was a famous promoter for the National Wrestling Conference. Buffalo Jim was also an auto mechanic who ran Auto & Marine Electric. He became a local celebrity in Sin City after opening his school, the Buffalo Wrestling Federation. He was also filming his local TV show Jim Wars. According to close sources, Buffalo Jim was in constant feud with Rick Rizzolo, who owned a strip club next to Jim’s auto mechanic shop. Buffalo Jim was found dead on April 6, 2008, at a Motel 6 on Boulder Highway. The Clark County Coroner reported that his death was caused by dilated cardiomyopathy. However, the family and friends of Barrier believe there was foul play in his death. Buffalo Jim's featured death in the Unsolved Mysteries TV series.

  • Dan Wheldon (1978-2011)

Dan Wheldon, real names Daniel Clive Wheldon, was a professional motor racer from Britain. He won the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series championship and had 15 other championships. Wheldon was active from 2002 to 2011 and died doing what he loved the most: car racing. On October 16, 2011, Las Vegas experienced the most catastrophic car crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway during the IZOD IndyCar World Championship. The 15-car wreck happened on lap 11, and Wheldon’s car went in the air, crashing into the catch fence. He was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead. Medical experts documented the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head. Wheldon received various awards, including the Indianapolis 500 Winner and IndyCar Series Most Popular Driver, which were awarded after his death.

  • Norma Talmadge (1894-1957)

Norma Talmadge was a household name in the 1920s and was ranked among the most popular actresses in the industry. She was an American actress and producer of the silent filmmaking era. Her roles revolved around melodrama; her most successful film was Smilin’ Through (1922). She was married to Joseph M. Schenck, a millionaire film producer. When the silent film era ended, Talmadge's fame had waned, and she opted to retire. She preferred living away from stardom and moved to Las Vegas. In 1957, Talmadge suffered a series of strokes and died on the Christmas Eve of 1957 from pneumonia. Due to her immense contribution, Talmadge has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1500 Vine Street.

  • Greg Morris (1933-1996)

Francis Gregory Alan Morris was an Ohioan celebrity who also lost his life in Las Vegas. The American actor is remembered for his role as Lt. David Nelson on Vega$ and Barney Collier on Mission: Impossible. When Mission Impossible was temporarily canceled, Morris made several TV appearances and starred in various movies. He married his wife Leona Keyes, remained married till his death, and was blessed with three children. At 62, Morris died in Las Vegas from a brain tumor and lung cancer on August 27, 1996.

  • Bob Orton (1929-2006)

Robert Keith Orton Sr. was considered the legendary leader of the Orton wrestling family. His two sons, Barry Orton and Bob Orton Jnr, and grandson Randy Orton all followed the footsteps of Bob Orton and became professional wrestlers. He is famously referred to as the "The Big O." During his professional career, he was a holder of the NWA World Tag Team Championship twice. He also won the NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version) six times, and other famous names given to Bob Orton were El Lobo, Rocky Fitzpatrick, and the Zodiak.  Just a few days before his 77th birthday, Bob Orton Sr suffered a heart attack at home. He died on July 16, 2006, in Las Vegas after undergoing surgery.

  • Cliff Livingston (1930-2010)

Cliff Livingston is a professional football player who played for the Giants in the 1950s and 1960s. He died in his Las Vegas home at 79 after suffering complications caused by Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia. Livingston joined the Giants from UCLA as an undrafted free agent and became a full-time player in the 1959 season. He played a crucial role in securing the win for the Giants during the 1956 season. He was later traded to the Minnesota Vikings and ended his career playing for the Los Angeles Rams between 1963 and 1965. During his finest season in 1961, the professional footballer received second-team all-league honors.

  • Diego Corrales (1977-2007)

Diego "Chico" Corrales Jr. was a professional boxer from Columbia, South Carolina, and was a multiple-time champion in various key titles in professional boxing. Some of the notable championships won by Corrales include IBF super featherweight title (1999 to 2000), WBO super featherweight title (2004), and WBO lightweight title (2004 to 2006). His first fight with José Luis Castillo earned him the Fight of the Year honors by the Boxing Writers Association of America and The Ring. Two days before his fight with José Luis Castillo, Corrales was involved in a three-vehicle accident close to his Las Vegas home. He was rushed to the hospital and was pronounced dead on arrival. According to the coroner's report, Corrales' blood contained 0.25 alcohol content, three times higher than the legal limit.

  • Dolores Fuller (1923-2011)

Dolores Fuller is an American actress who was also a famous songwriter. She dated Ed Wood, a low-budget film director, and when they broke up after dating for several years, she moved to New York and pursued a career as a songwriter. Elvis Presley recorded many songs written by Fuller, which Fuller wrote for Elvis' films. Fuller married Philip Chamberlin at age 65 and remained married to him until her death. Apart from being a successful songwriter, Fuller had her own recording company. She launched Johnny Rivers’ impressive recording career and was his talent manager. Fuller died in Las Vegas on May 9, 2011, at 88.

  • Joe Williams (1918-1999)

Joe Williams, whose real name was Joseph Goreed, was a celebrated American jazz singer. He performed with big national bands like the Lionel Hampton Orchestra and Count Basie Orchestra. Williams also sang with the Basie orchestra in two films and was also a part-time actor. He started his singing career as a soloist in 1937. His impressive performance and vocals won him several awards, including Best Jazz Vocal Performance Grammy Award Traditional Blues Album in the Blues Music Awards. Williams and his wife set up Joe Williams Everyday Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that awarded scholarships to economically underprivileged musicians. Williams died on March 29, 1999, in Las Vegas at 80 after collapsing.

  • Charlie Callas  (1927-2011)

In the 1970s, Charlie Callas was a celebrated comedian and actor. He was greatly appreciated in the comedy and film industry for his work with Dean Martins, Mel Brooks, and Jerry Lewis. Callas also made many appearances on many television talk shows. He is famously remembered for his dark comedy, rubbery face, and trademark nervous chattering. His first television appearance was in 1963, playing a role in the Hollywood Palace. His comedy skills saw him become a popular presenter for various performances by Frank Sinatra. At the age of 88, Callas died of natural causes at his Las Vegas home on January 27, 2011.
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