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Miyoshi Umeki was a Japanese-American actress and singer who smashed prejudices when she became the first Asian actress to win an Oscar. Then she smashed expectations when she threw it in the bin.

With his work in INXS and on his own, Michael Hutchence became a household name throughout Australia and beyond—until his wild lifestyle caught up to him.

Peg Entwistle had her whole life ahead of her. A celebrated Broadway actress in her time, Entwistle was poised to make the big time in Hollywood as a silver screen starlet—until it all came crashing down. To this day, Entwistle's infamously tragic and jaw-dropping end is synonymous with the cold cruelty of Hollywood dreams.

Hillel Slovak rose to greatness in the LA club scene and eventually found himself in the spotlight with the iconic rock band the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Sadly, his flirtation with fame would only last a short time. He had demons, and they were waiting in the wings to bring this ground-breaking guitarist to a tragic and early grave.

Lupe Vélez was Hollywood’s first Latina icon—but if her name isn’t well-known today, maybe that’s because of her dark end. Not only was Vélez one of the most magnetic stars on screen, but she was also one of the most scandalous. When the cameras weren’t rolling, her love life kept the gossip columnists busy. Sadly, her time on Earth was all too short, and what happened to the woman they called the “Mexican Spitfire” is still the source of controversy today.

Appearing on M*A*S*H back then was a total game-changer. A lucky few broke past the usual “nurse” or “police number 2” roles and took off. These quick scenes and fast exits worked.