Content Warning: The following article comprises some spoilers.A fictional loss of life is at all times preferable to a real-life one. The former can occur again and again, while the latter, sadly, occurs simply as soon as, after which that is it. It may be laborious to see a fictional character depart their fictional mortal coil, however at the least the actor can (and normally does) undergo reincarnation – in a method – and present up as a brand new character in a brand new piece of leisure. Death is inevitable and fixed in fiction, which implies that the query of which actor has died probably the most occasions on display screen is rarely set in stone. Every new thriller, motion, or horror film can get somebody nearer to claiming the title of probably the most killed actor. For so long as there’s on-screen violence, there will probably be fictional deaths, and these actors who’ve probably the most on-screen deaths stays a morbidly fascinating topic for followers of genres the place violence is frequent.

Certain actors in sure genres are going to be extra prone to die than others, and when wanting on the actors who’ve died probably the most on-screen, it is clear that those that usually seem in horror or motion films (notably as villains) are seen as probably the most fictionally expendable. It’s a testomony to how usually a few of these actors have died that the infamously “always playing doomed characters” Sean Bean is not even on the #1 spot, as many may’ve anticipated…

20 Gary Oldman

24 deaths

Gary Oldman is not at all times a villain, however he’s undoubtedly good at taking part in deliciously evil figures on display screen. And villains themselves don’t at all times die, however it’s extra frequent for them to finish up that method by a movie’s conclusion in comparison with most different characters, and so it’s not stunning that Oldman’s characters from films like Leon: The Professional and The Fifth Element perish.

In addition, Gary Oldman has additionally portrayed some real-life figures in biographical/historic movies whose deaths play a component in retelling true occasions, as seen when he performed Lee Harvey Oswald in JFK and Sid Vicious in Sid & Nancy. Oldman can do all of it as an actor, and that carries over to his capability to die convincingly on movie, time and again, whether or not taking part in fictional or real-life individuals.

19 Donald Sutherland

25 deaths

Over a profession that spanned quite a few a long time, it’s an inevitability that Donald Sutherland performed quite a lot of doomed characters throughout his time as an actor. Having an immense variety of credited roles to your identify makes that one thing of a easy truth of life. Or loss of life. Sutherland was maybe destined for this, given one among his earliest (and finest roles) noticed him be one of many titular dozen within the death-filled The Dirty Dozen.

Donald Sutherland additionally performed some vile characters whose deaths had been well-deserved, as exemplified by the likes of 1900 and The Hunger Games collection (he was the central antagonist of the latter). His son, Kiefer Sutherland, then again, is noteworthy for dishonest loss of life in his most well-known position to this point: taking part in Jack Bauer in 24, a federal agent who’s taken dozens – if not a whole bunch – of lives, however frequently cheated (everlasting) loss of life all through the present’s run.

18 John Saxon

25 deaths

John Saxon is likely to be most well-remembered for having a task within the outstanding martial arts film that was Enter the Dragon, although his character did survive that one. Elsewhere, Saxon’s characters have confirmed much less lucky. But, as with Donald Sutherland, a part of this may very well be as a result of John Saxon was a prolific actor. As Uncle Ben may say if he was a film buff, “With a great filmography comes a great number of deaths.”

Saxon can also be well-known for taking part in a component within the two finest Nightmare on Elm Street films, the primary and the third one, along with his character getting killed off within the latter. Few individuals are secure from Freddy Krueger, in any case, who himself has appeared to die a bunch of occasions however not often has hassle coming again to terrorize a brand new assortment of youngsters in every movie.

17 Rutger Hauer

25 deaths

Best remembered for taking part in the tragic antagonist in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, Rutger Hauer additionally had a knack for taking part in villains, dying so much on display screen in consequence. As proven with Blade Runner, although, he might deliver a specific amount of humanity to such characters (sarcastically, in that movie, he’s a replicant, being hunted down by an arguably much less emotional human).

Then, there’s one thing like The Hitcher, the place Rutger Hauer is relishing the chance to play somebody unequivocally evil; an antagonist viewers in all probability gained’t be capable to wait to see perish by the movie’s finish. He was within the Buffy the Vampire Slayer film, too, in a extra cartoonishly villainous position, after which succeeded later in his profession in taking part in an finally doomed antihero: the lead character within the gory Hobo with a Shotgun.

16 Sean Bean

25 deaths

Yes, few actors are as related to the on-screen loss of life scene as a lot as Sean Bean. The actor is notorious for dying a bunch of occasions, maybe most evidently on the planet of fantasy. Bean’s two most acclaimed roles are in The Lord of the Rings (largely the primary movie) and Game of Thrones (solely the primary season).

His characters don’t make it far, and their deaths up the stakes for the story to come back. Sean Bean additionally died in a James Bond film, arguably twice, given GoldenEye begins along with his character seemingly dying, after which he returns as an antagonist, and really dies close to the movie’s conclusion. That dying is tied to Bean’s legacy, for higher or worse, however he’s additionally a genuinely good actor in his personal proper; the dying meme is a little bit of morbid enjoyable, actually.

15 Max von Sydow

26 deaths

Max von Sydow had an extended profession, being a massively well-liked Swedish actor from the Nineteen Fifties onwards who appeared in additional English-language movies as his profession went on. He’s maybe finest identified for being a favourite actor of the nice Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman, starring in The Seventh Seal, amongst others.

An extended profession means an elevated likelihood of dying quite a lot of occasions, which is what’s observable all through the physique of labor that Max von Sydow left behind. Perhaps it is inevitable, particularly as a result of one among his most well-known roles – the aforementioned existential film The Seventh Seal – sees him taking part in chess with Death itself, after which ultimately passing away by the movie’s finish.

14 Christopher Plummer

26 deaths

Christopher Plummer is probably finest acknowledged for his position within the traditional musical The Sound of Music, which is a movie set round World War Two that options little or no loss of life. However, Plummer’s characters have not been practically so fortunate in different films.

Like Max von Sydow, Plummer was within the film enterprise so lengthy that it was possible he’d discover himself dying a number of fictional deaths on display screen. He was in a number of crime and struggle films throughout the earlier years of his profession, which might account for lots of loss of life. He additionally voiced the principle villain in Up, with that loss of life standing out as a result of it occurred in a Pixar film, and that studio appears at the least rather less bloodthirsty than Disney’s animation division.

13 Jack Palance

28 deaths

Jack Palance is well-regarded for his varied villainous roles, particularly all through the Western style. Palance had a high quality about him on-screen that made him very straightforward to root in opposition to, and he was undeniably proficient at taking part in sleazy, imply, and merciless antagonists. This made his characters a simple goal.

As proven by later entries on this rating, an inclination to play villains will usually end in loss of life, given the way it’s way more possible for a foul individual to satisfy their finish by a film’s conclusion than individual. With Palance, even a light-hearted position just like the one he performed within the comedic City Slickers could not save his character from the Grim Reaper.

12 Mickey Rourke

28 deaths

Popular within the Nineteen Eighties earlier than his profession misplaced some steam, Mickey Rourke bounced again within the 2000s, due to being concerned in films just like the neo-noir Sin City, The Wrestler (which actually shone the highlight again on his performing skills), and in a film as high-profile as Iron Man 2.

Rourke is specialised in taking part in tough characters who are sometimes in over their heads to some extent. It’s frequent to see the characters he performs put up struggle in opposition to the bodily challenges that come their method, however generally, that may solely get one up to now. As such, Rourke’s an actor who’s performed practically 30 characters who’ve died on-screen.

11 Michael Biehn

29 deaths

(*20*)

Michael Biehn might be most recognizable for the roles he performs in two vital James Cameron films. The most notable could be that of Kyle Reese within the traditional unique Terminator film, after which two years later, he additionally performed a supporting position in 1986’s Aliens.

In his profession, there have been an extra 27 deaths, after he did not survive these two Cameron films (technically, his Aliens character dies between movies within the collection). He’s been featured in an enormous variety of films, with a lot of them being low-budget motion/horror-type films, the place naturally, a bigger physique rely tends to be anticipated.

10 Mark Hamill

30 on-screen deaths

Mark Hamill is in fact finest identified for taking part in Luke Skywalker, the principle protagonist of the unique Star Wars trilogy, and with a smaller (however nonetheless very important) position within the more moderen sequel trilogy. It was in that trilogy’s center chapter – the divisive and highly effective The Last Jedi – that Luke himself even died on-screen, sacrificing himself in order that hope might dwell on within the galaxy.

Elsewhere, Hamill’s roles in quite a few low-budget horror films have ensured a number of of his characters met grisly fates. Plus his prolific voice work – together with voicing the Joker quite a few occasions in animated Batman works – has meant a number of of his animated characters have died on-screen deaths, too.

9 Bela Lugosi

36 on-screen deaths

Bela Lugosi is most well-known for portraying Dracula within the 1931 traditional, who shouldn’t be solely undead the entire time however does certainly die for good by the story’s finish. For such an iconic position, he reprised it surprisingly few occasions, regardless of 1931’s Dracula having a number of sequels that admittedly by no means fairly lived as much as the unique.

With that iconic position below his belt, Lugosi grew to become a horror icon, and appeared in dozens extra horror films all through the Thirties and Nineteen Forties. Being considerably typecast, he would usually be given related types of tragic monster or villain roles, to the purpose the place he even performed Frankenstein’s monster as soon as. Naturally, these types of tragic roles usually ended with the character’s demise, main Lugosi to rack up a formidable 36 on-screen deaths.

8 Eric Roberts

38 on-screen deaths

Eric Roberts is likely one of the most prolific actors working proper now, along with his IMDb web page itemizing 682 totally different roles he is performed (and counting). Maybe it is pure then, on the regulation of averages alone, that he could be some of the continuously killed actors of all time.

There’s additionally the truth that Roberts is a dependable actor to forged in a villainous position, and evil characters are inclined to run into loss of life extra usually than the great ones. For an instance, he performs mob boss Sal Maroni in 2008’s The Dark Knight, the place he will get his legs damaged by way of a substantial fall – courtesy of everybody’s favourite caped crusader – after which seems to die in a while in a automobile crash attributable to the freshly corrupted Harvey Dent, aka Two-Face.

7 Lance Henriksen

41 on-screen deaths

Lance Henriksen is well-known for that includes in two of James Cameron’s early films – Terminator and Aliens. In the previous, he dies, whereas within the latter, he virtually dies earlier than coming again for a smaller position in Alien 3… the place a brand new model of his cyborg character, Bishop, does correctly die.

Elsewhere, he is a kind of recognizable faces that pops up in memorable supporting roles in quite a few style movies, notably the vampire movie Near Dark and the underrated The Quick and the Dead… each of which function his characters dying. Ironically sufficient, he additionally appeared in Jim Jarmusch‘s 1995 movie Dead Man, the place he performs a person who dies.

6 Danny Trejo

41 on-screen deaths

Danny Trejo is at all times a enjoyable presence every time he exhibits up in one thing. And in response to Trejo’s IMDb web page, he has proven up in a ton of stuff, with over 400 credit and counting. With 41 on-screen deaths, there’s basically a ten% likelihood Trejo will die by the tip of any film he exhibits up in.

One of probably the most well-known of those is likely to be From Dusk Till Dawn, the place he performs a vampire bartender who will get staked by a reputation referred to as “Sex Machine” (it is a wild film). Otherwise, his tendency to function largely in smaller, villainous roles means his characters are continuously marked for loss of life.

5 Boris Karloff

42 on-screen deaths

Best identified for taking part in horror icons within the Thirties and Nineteen Forties like Frankenstein’s monster and the Mummy, Boris Karloff tended to die so much on display screen. It is likely to be inevitable, while you’re as expert at taking part in film monsters/tragic villains as Karloff was.

He was additionally in a number of gangster/crime movies from across the identical period, which naturally are additionally bloodthirsty, death-heavy genres. One of those included a small position within the unique Scarface from 1932, the place – since he performs a gangster rival of that movie’s Tony – he will get mowed down effectively earlier than the movie’s finish.

4 John Hurt

43 on-screen deaths

It’s laborious to work out why John Hurt’s characters had been so usually harm (and killed) on-screen. With about 200 roles all through his 55-year profession, his 43 on-screen deaths imply his characters died about 20% of the time, all up, which is a reasonably staggering proportion.

His frequent on-screen deaths might need had one thing to do with the actual fact he was wonderful at taking part in sympathetic, emotional, or in any other case tortured figures, notably in The Elephant Man, 1984, and Snowpiercer. And in fact, amongst his quite a few loss of life scenes stands the notorious chest-burster scene from the unique Alien (1979), itself simply some of the iconic and memorable film loss of life scenes of all time.

3 Vincent Price

48 on-screen deaths

Vincent Price is arguably the best horror movie actor to ever dwell, due to his distinctive voice, distinctive look, and true dedication he introduced to each position. He’s the type of actor the place even when the film he is in wasn’t good, he himself was at all times nice.

But with a ton of horror roles comes a ton of character deaths, with Price’s characters dying practically 50 occasions on-screen, collectively. One of his closing movie roles ever even gave him a tragic loss of life scene: the transient however very memorable position because the Inventor in 1990’s Edward Scissorhands. Other notable works the place his character dies embrace House of Wax, The Fly, and The Abominable Dr. Phibes, all of which additionally function him with a disfigurement of some kind.

2 Dennis Hopper

48 on-screen deaths

Dennis Hopper had an extended, rocky, however finally spectacular profession taking part in closely flawed antiheroes at finest, and fully monstrous villains at worst. The most well-known and vile of the latter is likely to be his flip in David Lynch‘s Blue Velvet as Frank Booth, who fortunately meets his demise on the movie’s finish after tormenting and abusing the movie’s extra sympathetic characters in probably the most horrific of how.

It was Hopper’s depth and boldness that made him work so effectively in villainous roles, with these characters usually dying in violent methods. Even his extra light-hearted movie roles did not assure his character would survive, given he meets his demise in one thing as goofy as 1993’s Super Mario Bros, too.

1 Christopher Lee

70 on-screen deaths

Christopher Lee simply wins in the case of probably the most on-screen deaths at an unprecedented 70. Lee handed away in 2015 on the age of 93, so technically this quantity may very well be crushed sooner or later. But with Trejo and Henriksen at 41 every – probably the most for any actor who remains to be alive – it does not look too possible.

Lee performed Dracula and different horror villains quite a few occasions, which contributed to his collective character loss of life tally. And in his previous few roles, the deaths by no means actually stopped coming, with characters like Saruman in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Count Dooku within the Star Wars prequel trilogy assembly their finish earlier than every saga’s conclusions, too.

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