What are the most well - known tragic old Hollywood stories?

One well - known 'old Hollywood black story' is the struggle of Hattie McDaniel. She was the first African - American to win an Oscar for her role in 'Gone with the Wind', but she faced discrimination on set and in Hollywood at large. She had to use a separate 'colored' entrance at the premiere of the movie.

River Phoenix's story is also widely known. He was a rising star with a lot of talent. However, he had a difficult life. He got involved in drugs at a young age, and his drug use eventually led to his untimely death outside a nightclub. His death was a shock to the Hollywood community and his fans, and it was a sad end to a promising career.

The movie 'Psycho' also has some scary tales associated with it. Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece was shocking for its time. The shower scene in particular was so intense. There were stories about how the actress who played Marion Crane was really nervous during the filming of that scene, and the black - and - white cinematography added to the overall sense of unease.

The story of Heath Ledger is a sad one. His intense preparation for the role of the Joker in 'The Dark Knight' took a toll on his mental health. He became so immersed in the dark character that it may have contributed to his overdose. Another is the exploitation of actresses like Hedy Lamarr. Her beauty was used to promote movies, but her intelligence (she was an inventor) was overlooked in Hollywood for a long time.

The 'Poltergeist' curse is quite well - known. There were a series of tragedies associated with the cast members. Some believe it was due to the use of real human skeletons as props in the movie, which was considered a desecration. This led to a string of misfortunes for those involved in the film.

The story of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is extremely tragic. The atomic bombs dropped there killed hundreds of thousands instantly and led to long - term effects like radiation sickness and birth defects for generations. It was a dark moment in human history.

The story of the passenger pigeon is quite well - known. There were once billions of passenger pigeons in North America. They flew in huge flocks that could darken the sky for days. But humans hunted them for their meat and feathers. They were also hunted for sport. Their habitats were also being destroyed. In just a few decades, the population went from billions to extinct. It shows how quickly humans can decimate a species.

Well, the story of Elizabeth Taylor's love life was pretty wild. She was married eight times to seven different men. Her relationship with Richard Burton was especially tumultuous. They had this passionate, on - again - off - again relationship. Their love affair was so intense that it captured the public's attention worldwide. It was like a never - ending soap opera, with their lavish lifestyles, huge fights, and then making up again.

The story of the American Civil War is well - known. The Battle of Antietam was extremely tragic, with a high number of casualties in a single day. Families were split between the Union and Confederate sides, and slaves were caught in the middle, their fates uncertain until the end of the war.

James Dean. He was a heartthrob but his love life was not so fortunate. He was involved with some women but his life was cut short in a car accident. His potential for a long - lasting love was never fully realized.