Actresses Who Tragically Died Young In Their 20s

Losing a performer at the start of a career leaves behind unfinished projects, stalled momentum, and a filmography that shows only a fraction of what they worked on. The women below died between ages 20 and 29, leaving concrete credits and documented contributions that continue to be referenced by historians, studios, and fans looking back at their roles and releases.

Each entry notes age, cause or circumstances where publicly recorded, and specific titles or professional milestones. Film and TV names appear in single quotes to make it easy to connect these actresses to the work they completed, the productions they were part of, and the archives where their performances can be found.

Jean Harlow

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Jean Harlow died at 26 in 1937 from uremic poisoning following kidney failure during production of ‘Saratoga’. She had been a top-billed star for MGM with major roles in ‘Red Dust’, ‘Dinner at Eight’, and ‘Bombshell’. Studio records show her films drew significant box office in the early 1930s and she worked with directors such as Victor Fleming and George Cukor.

Her final scenes in ‘Saratoga’ remained incomplete at her death and MGM assembled the release using stand-ins and script adjustments to finish production. Harlow’s contracts, publicity stills, and production call sheets document a sustained output of features between 1931 and 1937 across comedy and melodrama categories.

Sharon Tate

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Sharon Tate was murdered at age 26 in August 1969 in Los Angeles while eight months pregnant. She had starred in ‘Valley of the Dolls’ and appeared in ‘The Fearless Vampire Killers’ and ‘Don’t Make Waves’, with earlier credits in television including ‘The Beverly Hillbillies’.

Her career included modeling, studio promotion tours, and a slate of film projects in development at the time of her death. Production notes and interviews from the period record planned roles and ongoing publicity commitments connected to the release cycle of ‘Valley of the Dolls’.

Aaliyah

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Aaliyah died at 22 in a plane crash in August 2001 following a music video shoot in the Bahamas. Alongside a recording career, she acted in ‘Romeo Must Die’ and completed principal photography on ‘Queen of the Damned’, which was released posthumously.

She had additional film commitments under discussion with major studios, and her soundtrack work tied to ‘Romeo Must Die’ documented cross-promotion between music and film divisions. Press materials from 2000 and 2001 outline schedules that combined touring, filming, and video production.

Dominique Dunne

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Dominique Dunne died at 22 in 1982 after an attack at her home in West Hollywood. She was known for her role in ‘Poltergeist’ and also appeared in series such as ‘Fame’, ‘CHiPs’, and ‘Hill Street Blues’.

At the time of her death she had upcoming television work scheduled, including a part in a new series. Casting records and call sheets from her network appearances confirm a steady sequence of guest roles shot in 1981 and 1982.

Thelma Todd

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Thelma Todd died at 29 in 1935 of carbon monoxide poisoning in Pacific Palisades. She had a well-documented run in comedy shorts and features, including appearances with the Marx Brothers in ‘Monkey Business’ and ‘Horse Feathers’, as well as her own shorts for Hal Roach Studios.

Production ledgers show a high output of two-reel comedies and supporting roles in features throughout the early 1930s. In addition to on-set work, she operated Thelma Todd’s Sidewalk Café, a business frequently cited in trade publications of the time.

Peg Entwistle

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Peg Entwistle died at 24 in 1932 in Los Angeles. She had a stage career on Broadway and a film credit in ‘Thirteen Women’, where she appeared alongside Irene Dunne and Myrna Loy.

Playbills and theater notices document her stage roles with the New York Theatre Guild, including performances in repertory productions. Her move to Hollywood is noted in studio correspondence connected to ‘Thirteen Women’, which recorded her billed screen appearance.

Judy Tyler

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Judy Tyler died at 24 in a car crash in July 1957 shortly after completing ‘Jailhouse Rock’ with Elvis Presley. Before her film work, she had a regular role on ‘Howdy Doody’ and appeared on Broadway in ‘Pipe Dream’.

MGM completed ‘Jailhouse Rock’ prior to her death and scheduled the release later that year with promotional materials noting her co-starring role. Casting documents and performance notices show a transition from television and stage to studio features within a two-year period.

Jessica Falkholt

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Jessica Falkholt died at 29 in January 2018 from injuries sustained in a car crash in New South Wales that occurred in late December 2017. She was known for ‘Home and Away’ and had lead billing in the feature ‘Harmony’, which premiered after her death.

Her credits include several Australian television series and short films, with agency listings indicating ongoing auditions and screen tests. Production notes for ‘Harmony’ and broadcast schedules for ‘Home and Away’ record her filming blocks and release timelines.

Carole Landis

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Carole Landis died at 29 in 1948 in Los Angeles. She starred in films such as ‘Topper Returns’, ‘Moon Over Miami’, and ‘I Wake Up Screaming’, and she performed on USO tours during World War II documented in military and studio archives.

Her work included musical comedies and noir features under contracts with Fox and later independent productions. Publicity stills and trade ads from the mid-1940s show an active release slate and promotional travel tied to premieres and war bond events.

Jiah Khan

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Jiah Khan died at 25 in 2013 in Mumbai. She debuted opposite Amitabh Bachchan in ‘Nishabd’ and later appeared in ‘Ghajini’ and ‘Housefull’, with credits that combined Hindi cinema features and music video appearances.

Industry records list ongoing endorsements and film negotiations prior to her death. Her professional profile included formal dance training and international schooling, documented in press interviews and agency biographies.

Skye McCole Bartusiak

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Skye McCole Bartusiak died at 21 in 2014 in Houston. She began as a child actress with roles in ‘The Patriot’ and ‘Don’t Say a Word’, and she continued to work in independent films and television guest spots.

Her credits include appearances on series such as ’24’ and ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’. Casting notes and festival programs list several short films and indie projects screened in the early 2010s.

Barbara La Marr

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Barbara La Marr died at 29 in 1926 in Los Angeles. Known as a silent-era star, she appeared in features like ‘The Three Musketeers’ and ‘The Prisoner of Zenda’, working for studios including Fox and Metro.

Trade journals of the 1920s record frequent lead roles and national publicity tours. Surviving production stills and program booklets document her billing and costume designs across adventure and historical dramas.

Olive Thomas

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Olive Thomas died at 25 in 1920 in Paris from accidental mercury bichloride poisoning that was documented by contemporary reports. She was a Ziegfeld Follies performer who transitioned to film with titles like ‘The Flapper’ and ‘Upstairs and Down’.

Her studio contracts show multiple releases in 1919 and 1920, and promotional postcards circulated widely during that period. Archives retain lobby cards and press books tied to these films, verifying production and distribution details.

Virginia Rappe

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Virginia Rappe died at 26 in 1921 in San Francisco after falling ill during a party at the St. Francis Hotel, a case that led to widely covered legal proceedings. She had worked as a model and actress with film credits including ‘Paradise Garden’.

Studio payrolls and call sheets from the late 1910s record her screen appearances and modeling assignments. Newspaper archives document the inquest and subsequent trials, providing dates and outcomes for the legal actions that followed her death.

Ruan Lingyu

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Ruan Lingyu died at 24 in 1935 in Shanghai. A leading figure of Chinese silent cinema, she starred in ‘The Goddess’, ‘Little Toys’, and ‘New Women’ for Lianhua Film Company.

Film studio records and surviving prints confirm her rapid output between 1930 and 1935. Contemporary press and later retrospectives detail premiere dates, box office performance within Chinese markets, and preservation status of key titles.

Share any other names we should include in the comments.