From large animal co-stars to faulty prop guns and health problems, there are plenty of things that can go fatally wrong on a movie set. Whether it’s the silent movie era or a ‘90s action feature, the risks of a silver screen production don’t seem to have changed all that much. Read on to find out which actors tragically passed on-set while working on their latest feature…
© Getty ImagesVic Morrow tragically died while filming ‘Twilight Zone: The Movie’
Vic Morrow
Vic Morrow starred as Bill Connor in the first segment, entitled ‘Time Out’, of Twilight Zone: The Movie. The film set out to build on the success of the series of the same name, but the project was largely overshadowed by Vic’s death during filming in 1982.
While on set, a low-flying helicopter was caught in pyrotechnical effects being used for the film and crashed onto the set, killing Vic and two child actors. The accident led to several legal battles and prompted further child labour and safety rules on sets.
© Getty ImagesJon-Erik Hexum sadly passed on set while playing with a prop gun
Jon-Erik Hexum
Being bored on set isn’t a rare experience for actors when filming stretches on amidst delays and director drama. It was this occasion during the filming of the TV series Cover Up in 1984 that sadly led to the death of actor Jon-Erik Hexum.
While waiting for a filming delay to be worked out, Jon-Erik was toying with a .44 Magnum prop gun against his head and pulled the trigger. Tragically, the pressure released from the prop gun proved fatal.
© Getty ImagesDuring a break on set, Martha sadly passed away due to her highly flammable costume
Martha Mansfield
It’s not always props gone wrong or a stunt that went sideways. Sometimes a costume carries just as much dangerous potential.
While filming the 1923 silent film The Warrens of Virginia, Martha Mansfield took a break in a car. During her rest, someone tossed a match, which accidentally set fire to her incredibly flammable period costume, causing severe burns and leading to her death a day later.
© Corbis via Getty ImagesAnimals are an unpredictable addition to any movie set
Roy Kinnear
In 1988, British actor Roy Kinnear was on-set in Spain, filming The Return of the Musketeers, the sequel to 1974’s The Four Musketeers.
Tragically, while he was filming a scene, Roy fell from a horse and broke his pelvis. Complications from the injury brought on a heart attack, and the actor sadly died the next day.
© WireImage via Getty ImagesSafety precautions still weren’t up to scratch in the ‘90s
Brandon Lee
During filming for action feature The Crow in 1993, Brandon Lee was shot with what should have been a mostly harmless shotgun, but a particularly strange malfunction tragically cost him his life.
A bullet tip from a previous dummy cartridge had lodged in the barrel and was propelled out by a blank cartridge. The forceful shot proved fatal and prompted the film industry to provide strict weapon-handling guidance.
© Getty ImagesTyrone Power suffered a heart attack after a particularly gruelling scene
Tyrone Power
Tyrone Power sadly passed away on 15 November 1958 while on set in Spain. Filming an intense duelling sequence for Solomon and Sheba with co-star George Sanders took its toll on the actor in an unexpected way.
After shooting the intense scene with co-star and friend George Sanders, Tyrone suffered a heart attack and died before he reached the hospital. The actor was 44 years old.
© LMPC via Getty ImagesChick Morrison tragically lost his life on the set of 'The King of Wild Horses'
C.P. "Chick" Morrison
While on set for The King of Wild Horses in 1924, star actor C.P. “Chick” Morrison sadly lost his life when his horse Young Steamboat fell onto the actor.
The impact proved fatal and C.P. tragically passed at the age of 46 on 20 June 1924. The movie also starred another famous stallion, Rex the Wonder Horse who starred in several films throughout the ‘20s and ‘30s.
