Lupe Velez in Laughing Boy She was 36, a movie star, and romantically linked with such Hollywood legends as Charlie Chaplin, Gary Cooper, and Johnny Weissmuller... so why did she kill herself? July 18 would have been the 100th birthday of actress Lupe Velez -- known in the less-politically-correct days of the 1940s as "The Mexican Spitfire" -- had she not, in 1944, for reasons known ultimately to herself, committed suicide. While the exact circumstances of her death are cloudy -- thanks to Tinseltown sleazemeister Kenneth Anger, the story of her allegedly drowning in her toilet is legendary -- her suicide was only one in a long line of celebrities who have died by their own hands, whether through lack of success or too much pain. Of course, not every attempt succeeds: The list of celebrities who tried to end it all -- including journalist Mike Wallace, baseball superstar Ken Griffey, Jr., Olympic diver Greg Louganis, opera diva Maria Callas, actress Elizabeth Taylor, and singers Sammy Davis, Jr., Johnny Cash, and Donna Summer, even actor Clark Gable -- is almost as long as the list of those who have succeeded. Writer Dorothy Parker attempted to kill herself so many times that her best friend, humorist Robert Benchley told her, "Dottie, if you keep this up, you're going to ruin your health." Not every "suicide" has been self-inflicted. The deaths of Marilyn Monroe and George Reeves have provided conspiracy buffs with years of controversy over whether they were murdered on not. And not every celebrity who ended their own life suffered from mental anguish. Suave and sophisticated character actor George Sanders was merely "bored." In spite of the snark, the pain of those left behind is as real as that of those who leave, and we can only hope that, wherever she is, Lupe Velez has found peace and happiness. Suggested Sites... Wikipedia: List of Suicides - roster of the famous and infamous who ended their own lives. NNDB: Suicide Attempts - more celebrities who tried to end it all. Rotten.com: Suicide Notes - closing statements from notables. Famous Last Words - the last word on those who died naturally and unnaturally. You Tube: Hollywood Party - Stan Laurel + Oliver Hardy + Lupe Velez = a classic comedy bit.

Directory categories: Lupe Velez, Suicide, George Reeves, Suicide Prevention Organizations, Marilyn Monroe

Archived under: Dead Celebrities, Death, Entertainment, Hollywood, Lupe Velez, Mysteries, Suicide, Unsolved Crimes, Urban Legends

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