Gloria Grahame shot to stardom after appearing in the Christmas classic It’s a Wonderful Life. Yet if her name isn’t as well known today, maybe that’s because this ingénue never got a happy holiday ending—far from it.

Plenty of today’s Hollywood action stars seem a little below average when it comes to height—hello, Tom Cruise. Jeff Chandler was something different entirely. With his broad frame, he towered over most of his costars. The wavy silver hair, dark complexion, and deep, resonant voice certainly didn’t hurt either. When a terrible tragedy took his life far too early, Hollywood lost one of its true leading men. But years later, a shocking accusation would force people to see Chandler in a completely different light.

Andy Griffith entertained stage, film, and TV audiences for decades. His hit shows like The Andy Griffith Show and Matlock proved both his comedic and dramatic chops. Unfortunately, he never got the credit he deserved—until it was already too late.

Debbie Reynolds’ string of nightmares began after Eddie Fisher abandoned her for Elizabeth Taylor. The scandal was a massive humiliation, but this was only the beginning.

It was easy for comedic actor Chris Farley to plan out his career. You see, very early in his life he’d decided who his role model was. The problem was that the celebrity he chose was a fellow comedian whose disastrous life choices had led to a tragic and early demise. Sadly, Farley seemed destined to repeat every mistake his idol made.

If anyone’s ever lived a rich and eventful life, it’s Maurice Chevalier. The man lived through two World Wars, worked in Paris, London, and the US, and performed on stage, in silent films, and in musicals. There was a time when people called him the “most popular Frenchman in the world,” but despite his fame and experiences, Chevalier was never truly happy. So what did he achieve, and why wasn’t it enough? Let’s shine a light on the past and see for ourselves.