Most gruesome celebrity deaths – decapitated by helicopter to ‘pieces of brain’ on walls

Hollywood often seems like a fantasy realm just out of reach, full of glitz, glamour and gorgeous stars.

But sometimes that fantasy comes crashing down when a star is killed in the most grisly way.

Beset by numerous untimely deaths and gruesome murders, the golden age of film saw a whole host of tragedy overwhelm the acting industry.

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From Martha Mansfield’s horrific death on set in San Antonio to Sharon Tate’s brutal murder at the hands of the Manson Cult, Daily Star takes a look back at some of the most violent A-lister deaths ever.

Martha Mansfield set on fire

Back in 1923, silent film actress Martha Mansfield was just hitting her stride, having starred in everything from Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde to His Wonderful Chance.

Thanks to her success, she was handed the lead role in the Civil War era period drama The Warrens of Virginia, which followed a Southern woman who fell in love with a Union soldier.

But in a tragic twist of fate, the movie was never completed.

Martha had just filmed her scenes and was sitting in a car when a match from a smoker nearby set her Civil War period costume alight.

While her co-star Wilfred Lytell attempted to snuff out the fire using his coat, Martha’s driver suffered burns to his hands trying to strip her of the burning clothes.

She was rushed to hospital, but sadly died from her injuries aged just 24.

Sharon Tate’s cult murder

Aged just 26 when she was brutally murdered, Golden Globe nominee Sharon Tate was known for her role in Valley of the Dolls, as well as her high-profile marriage to director Roman Polanski.

In 1969 Los Angeles, Sharon was slaughtered by members of Charles Manson’s cult. Their leader had apparently ordered them to “totally destroy everyone in it, as gruesome as you can.”

Also slain in the horrific attack were hairstylist Jay Sebring, screenwriter Wojciech Frykowski and Frykowski’s girlfriend Abigail Folger – heir to the Folger coffee fortune.

‘Family’ member Susan Atkins tied Tate and Sebring together by their necks, with rope attached to the ceiling beams. Sebring was shot after protesting the rough treatment of Sharon.

Tate was eight and a half months pregnant at the time of her murder, and repeatedly pleaded for her life and her child’s life. She even offered herself as a hostage if only they would let her have the baby.

But eventually she was stabbed 16 times, and called out for her mother as she died.

Vic Morrow decapitated by helicopter

When filming The Twilight Zone: The Movie in 1982, an unspeakable horror occurred which stole the lives of three cast members – including two child actors.

Filming in Santa Clarita, California, actor Vic Morrow’s character was carrying the children out of a deserted village and through a river while being pursued by soldiers in a helicopter hovering nearby.

But the vehicle was hovering close to a mortar effect, which detonated with the rotor above it – and sending the chopper spinning out of control.

Vic Morrow and child star Myca Dinh Le were both decapitated by the spinning blades, while co-star Reneee Shin-Yi Chen was crushed to death beneath the falling helicopter’s right landing skid.

Le was seven years old at the time, and Chen was just six.

According to the subsequent trial, helicopter pilot – Vietnam war veteran Dorcey Wingo – was told by director John Landis to “get lower!” despite warnings from the crew.

Six passengers in the helicopter were also injured in the crash, though they all survived.

Bob Crane’s ‘brain on walls’

Hogan’s Heroes star Bob Crane was found battered and bloody aged 49, after one of the most violent celebrity deaths ever.

Cops who appeared on the scene found his shirtless body in bed, with two large cuts over his left ear and an electrical cord knotted around his neck.

Blood and brains were splattered all over the walls and ceiling, and his pillow dripping with blood.

It is believed he was bludgeoned to death with a camera tripod. Eventually, his former friend John Henry Carpenter was charged with the murder, but acquitted after a lengthy trial.

Despite numerous investigations and TV adaptations of the incident, his chilling murder remains unsolved to this day.

Jayne Mansfield scalped

1967 saw the horrific death of Marilyn Monroe’s biggest rival Jayne Mansfield in a car accident so graphic many people believed her to have been beheaded by the impact.

Jayne was driving with her three children when her car slammed into the back of a semi-truck in Louisiana.

The impact was so strong that three adults, including Jayne, travelling in the front seats were killed instantly, along with the actress’ dog. Thankfully the children riding in the back survived.

But as Jayne’s wig was tossed from the car when the top of the vehicle was sheared off, many believed her to have lost her head entirely.

The real truth wasn’t quite that grisly, though Jayne was scalped. A police report stated: “The upper portion of this white female’s head was severed.”

She suffered a crushed skull and partial separation of her cranium.

Susan Cabot killed by own son

In 1986, a horrific incident involving actress Susan Cabot shook the world.

Susan was brutally beaten to death by her own son, Timothy Scott Roman – who was later convicted of involuntary manslaughter.

59-year-old Susan was found dead in bed in a nightgown soaked with blood, after being repeatedly clubbed in the head.

However, a court ruled that Roman’s actions were caused by hormones and the drugs he was forced to take to compensate for his lack of pituitary gland, after being born with dwarfism.

He was injected three times per week with a hormone taken from the glands of dead bodies – a highly experimental treatment which his attorneys claimed caused the violent outburst.

In addition, Roman had been living in filth, with Cabot’s house covered in old newspapers and rotten food. Susan allegedly attempted to attack her son with a weight bar and scalpel.

Danny Lockin stabbed 100 times

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Hello Dolly actor Danny Lockin was a victim of a most gruesome hate crime.

The star was targeted at a gay bar in California by medical clerk Charles Leslie Hopkins. Hours later, Hopkins called the cops to say a man had broken into his apartment and tried to rob him.

But cops found Lockin’s body on the floor instead, having been stabbed more than 100 times. His body had been mutilated after death, and later Hopkins was found with a stash of pornography picturing torture during orgies.

He was eventually convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to just four years in prison, but served just two.

Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk