History is full of unusual and unexpected events, including some truly strange deaths. Let’s explore a few of the most bizarre and unfortunate famous deaths from the 20th century.
Brandon Lee was following in the footsteps of his famous father, Bruce Lee, by making a name for himself in martial arts and movies. In 1993, at just 28 years old, he was filming a movie called “The Crow.” During one scene, an actor fired a .44 Magnum revolver at him. The prop gun was supposed to be safe, using dummy cartridges that looked real but weren’t supposed to fire. However, a mistake was made. The crew had used real bullets and removed the gunpowder but left the primer, which can still cause a bullet to move. One bullet got stuck in the gun barrel during a previous scene. When the gun was fired at Brandon, the stuck bullet was propelled out, hitting him in the abdomen. Despite six hours of surgery, Brandon Lee tragically died.
Bandou Mitsugorou the Eighth was a famous Japanese Kabuki actor who believed he was immune to the poison in fugu, a type of puffer fish known for its deadly toxins. Fugu is only served to those who understand the risks. Bandou ate four fugu livers, which are extremely toxic, and died from poisoning. The chef who served him felt pressured by Bandou’s fame and couldn’t refuse him. After Bandou’s death, the chef lost his license to prepare fugu.
Isadora Duncan was an American dancer known for her love of long scarves. In 1927, while riding in an open-top car in Nice, France, her long silk scarf got caught in the car’s rear wheel. The scarf tightened around her neck, pulling her from the car and causing her to fall onto the stone pavement, resulting in her death.
Harry Houdini was a legendary escape artist famous for surviving dangerous stunts. However, in 1926, his luck ran out. After a show, a student who was also an amateur boxer asked Houdini if he could withstand a punch to the stomach. Despite being tired and having a broken ankle, Houdini agreed. The student punched him four times. A few days later, Houdini was in severe pain but insisted on performing in Detroit. After the show, he collapsed. The punches had caused his appendix to burst, and he died in the hospital.
Which of these strange deaths do you find the most surprising? Feel free to share your thoughts!
Work in small groups to create a short skit about one of the strange deaths discussed in the article. Use your creativity to bring the historical event to life, focusing on the key details and the sequence of events. Perform your skit for the class, and be prepared to answer questions about the historical context and the individuals involved.
Choose one of the individuals mentioned in the article and conduct further research about their life and career. Create a presentation that includes interesting facts, their achievements, and the circumstances surrounding their death. Share your findings with the class, and discuss how their death impacted their legacy.
Imagine an alternate ending to one of the stories in the article. Write a creative story that changes the outcome of the event. How might history have been different if the individual had survived? Share your story with a partner and discuss the potential impact of your alternate ending.
Based on the strange deaths discussed, design a safety poster that highlights the importance of safety precautions in various situations, such as movie sets, food preparation, and public performances. Use visuals and catchy slogans to convey your message. Display your poster in the classroom to remind everyone of the importance of safety.
Participate in a class debate about which of the strange deaths had the most significant impact on history or popular culture. Use evidence from the article and additional research to support your argument. Listen to your classmates’ perspectives and engage in a respectful discussion about the lasting effects of these unusual events.
**Sanitized Transcript:**
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**Strange Famous Deaths in History**
History has shown some strange deaths. Let’s look at some of the most unfortunate and bizarre famous deaths from the 20th century.
**Brandon Lee – Shot on a Movie Set**
Brandon Lee was making a career in martial arts and in the movie industry, like his father Bruce Lee had done. In 1993, at the age of 28, he was starring as the Crow in the movie of the same name. During a scene being filmed, an actor’s character fired a .44 Magnum revolver. For a previous scene, the prop had been fitted with inert dummy cartridges for realistic close-ups. Unfortunately, the film’s prop crew had purchased live rounds and removed the powder to create the dummy rounds but left the primer in the cartridges. Beforehand, one of the dummy rounds had been fired, and its bullet had become lodged halfway in the barrel. When the actor shot at Brandon Lee, the bullet that was lodged in the barrel left the gun and entered his abdomen. After six hours of surgery, Lee was pronounced dead.
**Bandou Mitsugorou – Poisoned by a Fish**
Acclaimed Japanese Kabuki actor Bandou Mitsugorou the Eighth claimed he was immune to the toxins found in the famous poisonous puffer fish dish known as fugu. It is prepared for customers only if they understand the risks. He ate not one, but four fugu livers, which are among the most toxic parts of the fish, and died from severe poisoning. Due to his fame, the fugu chef felt he could not refuse the actor. As a result of the death, he lost his fugu license.
**Isadora Duncan – Killed by a Scarf**
Isadora Duncan was an American dancer who loved wearing long scarves. One day in 1927, while traveling in an open-top car in Nice, France, a long silk scarf became stuck in the rear wheel of the car, tightening around her neck, which caused her to be thrown from the car onto the stone pavement.
**Harry Houdini – Punched in the Stomach**
Harry Houdini was a famous American escape artist who had cheated death many times in his acts. However, this time he would not be so lucky. In 1926, Houdini was backstage after a show when a student who was an amateur boxer asked him if it was true that he could take a punch from anyone without getting hurt. Reclining on a couch with a broken ankle, Houdini was exhausted but agreed to let the boxer punch him in the stomach. The boxer punched him four times in the stomach. A few days later, Houdini was in great pain but performed on stage in Detroit against his doctor’s advice. He finished the show but passed out afterward; his appendix had ruptured from the punches, and he died in the hospital.
What death did you find the most strange? Leave a comment below.
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History – The study of past events, particularly in human affairs. – In history class, we learned about the ancient civilizations of Egypt and their contributions to modern society.
Deaths – The end of life; the total number of people who have died in a particular situation. – The history book detailed the tragic deaths during the Great Plague in the 14th century.
Actor – A person who performs in plays, movies, or television shows. – The actor delivered a powerful performance in the historical drama about World War II.
Poisoned – Having been harmed or killed by a toxic substance. – In the play, the king was poisoned by his enemies, leading to a dramatic turn of events.
Scarf – A piece of fabric worn around the neck or head for warmth or decoration. – The dancer wore a colorful scarf that flowed gracefully as she performed on stage.
Dancer – A person who performs dances, especially as a profession. – The dancer captivated the audience with her elegant movements in the historical ballet.
Escape – To break free from confinement or control. – The prisoners planned their escape from the castle, which became a legendary tale in history.
Artist – A person who creates art, such as paintings or sculptures. – The artist painted a famous mural depicting scenes from the American Revolution.
Movie – A film or motion picture that tells a story through moving images. – We watched a movie about the life of a famous composer and his impact on classical music.
Famous – Known about by many people; having a widespread reputation. – The famous playwright wrote many historical dramas that are still performed today.
