ALWAYS LEAVE 'EM LAUGHING?

The fates of some famous comedians and comic actors over the years as inspired by the recent Biography documentary:

Tim Allen – star of Home Improvement, several movies. Recovering alcoholic.
Richard Jeni – came down with severe depression at age 48. Committed suicide.
Jonathan Katz – created Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist. Suffers from multiple sclerosis, had to retire from on-screen performing.
Freddie Prinze – star of Chico & the Man. Became addicted to drugs, manic depressive. Committed suicide at 23.
Richard Pryor – battled long time drug addiction. Nearly burned himself to death while freebasing cocaine. Died of complications from multiple sclerosis.
Bernie Mac – died of pneumonia at age 50.
Bill Hicks – died at 33 from pancreatic cancer. David Letterman cut his best known mainstream comic appearance from Late Night only months before he died—the segment did not air until 15 years later.
Andy Kauffman – one of the first “performance artists.” Co-starred in Taxi. Died in his 30’s from complications of lung, brain cancer.
Lenny Bruce – the most famous and controversial stand-up comedian of the 1960s (he influenced Richard Pryor and George Carlin). Arrested over a dozen times on obscenity charges, he died of a drug overdose at age 40.
Robin Williams – addicted to cocaine in the 1970s. Had a child out of wedlock with his nanny (whom he later married.) Sued by a cocktail waitress with whom he had a one night stand—she claimed he had herpes and didn’t tell her (they settled out of court). Recently admitted struggling with alcoholism and had surgery to combat a heart problem.
John Belushi – died after a speedball overdose at the age of 33.
Chris Farley – died of a speedball overdose at the age of 33.
Sam Kinison – died in a car accident at the age of 38 six days after getting married. Traces of cocaine, codeine and prescription drugs were found in his system although it was the driver of the other vehicle that was convicted of driving under the influence.
Phil Hartman – killed by his wife as part of a murder-suicide at his home in Encino. Never a user of drugs or alcohol, he nevertheless was dead at 49.
Teri Garr – suffers from multiple sclerosis and had a brain aneurysm in 2006. Currently recovering.
Brett Butler – battled alcoholism and was so difficult and unprofessional on the set of her sitcom Grace Under Fire that co-star Julie White quit before the final season.
Bill Cosby – oldest son was murdered by the side of the 405 in 1996.
Woody Allen – divorced wife Mia Farrow after it was revealed that he was having an affair with eventual wife (and former adopted stepdaughter) Soon-Yi Previn.
Craig Ferguson – host of Emmy-nominated Late Late Show. A recovering alcoholic and drug user.
John Candy – died of a heart attack at age 43.

Of course, there are plenty of famous comedians who have done just fine largely avoiding tragedy, addiction and controversy – so far:

Ellen Degeneres (although she did struggle with coming out of the closet)
Jerry Seinfeld
Jon Stewart
Sasha Baron Cohen
Chris Rock
Steven Wright
Jay Leno
Conan O’Brien
David Letterman
Adam Sandler