Is there anything more satisfying in cinema than when the truly despicable villain finally gets what’s coming to him? Or is there anything more moving than when the best character in the film meets an untimely end?
Some actors have perfected the art of dying on screen so well that it’s what they’re known for. Here are the 10 actors with the most on-death screens.
Surprisingly, Sean Bean doesn’t even make the top 15!
10. Mark Hamill (30 Deaths)
While most know him as Luke Skywalker, Mark Hamill has also made a name for himself in the world of comic book adaptations, having voiced the Joker on numerous occasions, as well as playing some truly terrifying live-action villains. To date, Mark Hamill has died 30 times on the big screen.
9. Bela Lugosi (36 Deaths)
For those not aware of Bela Lugosi’s work, I will simply say this… he IS Dracula! As well as portraying the iconic vampiric villain, Bela Lugosi also starred in dozens of classic horror films in the 40s and 50s and had a pretty successful career in Hungary before WWI broke out. Bela Lugosi died a total of 36 times for our entertainment.
8. Eric Roberts (38 Deaths)
Eric Roberts is a face you will instantly recognize if you’ve seen any blockbuster of the last 10/15 years, even if the name doesn’t immediately strike you. Roberts is probably best known for his role as Buck in 1985’s Runaway Train, but more recently, Roberts portrayed organized crime boss Maroni Falcone in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy. Eric Roberts has died 38 times on screen so far.
7. Lance Henriksen (41 Deaths)
Lance Henriksen is an adept character actor, able to traverse multiple genres. Henriksen is probably best known for his tenure as Bishop in the Alien franchise, although he has also appeared in action blockbusters like Hard Target and The Quick and the Dead. With over 250 on-screen appearances, Lance Henriksen has died 41 times so far.
6. Danny Trejo (41 Deaths)
Why do directors love killing off Danny Trejo? Having appeared and died in classics like HEAT, From Dusk Till Dawn, Desperado, Halloween, Predators, and many more, Trejo’s face and blood have been plastered across hundreds of cinemas across the world on multiple occasions. So far, Danny Trejo has died 41 times on screen.
5. Boris Karloff (42 Deaths)
Another prolific horror actor from the 30s and 40s, Boris Karloff has appeared in every major horror picture from the time, including The Bride of Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Black Cat, and The Mask of Fu Manchu, as well as over 200 more. Boris Karloff died a total of 42 times on screen.
4. John Hurt (43 Deaths)
Second to Sean Bean, when you think of on-screen deaths, you think of the late great John Hurt. With perhaps the most iconic movie death of all time in Ridley Scott’s Alien, Hurt has lent his face and body to timeless cinematic classics like 1984 and The Elephant Man to name a few. Over his career, John Hurt died a total of 43 times on screen.
3. Vincent Price (48 Deaths)
There’s something to be said for the a-listers of the golden age of movies; they knew how to die on screen. With a career spanning over 50 years, Vincent Price appeared in films like House on Haunted Hill, The Ten Commandments, and Edward Scissorhands. Vincent Price died a total of 48 times on the big screen.
2. Dennis Hopper (48 Deaths)
Having appeared in some of the greatest films of the 70s, 80s, and 90s, Dennis Hopper traversed almost every conceivable genre, appearing in True Romance, Easy Rider, Speed, and Blue Velvet. Dennis Hopper died on screen 48 times in his career.
1. Christopher Lee (70 Deaths)
Was there going to be anyone else at the top spot? Having appeared in almost every major franchise ever, Christopher Lee is inescapable on the big screen, and he certainly knew how to give his characters a dramatic ending. Starring in everything from Star Wars to Lord of the Rings, as well as The Wicker Man, Dracula, The Man with the Golden Gun, The Three Musketeers, and The Gremlins, the list is endless. The late-great Christopher Lee died 70 times during his incredible acting career.
The 10 Best A24 Films According to Rotten Tomatoes
A24 has boomed these last few years, having produced and distributed some of the most acclaimed independent films all the way to Oscar’s success. With several new offerings this year, it’s a good time to look back at their best films to introduce you to this surreal production company. Here are the 10 best A24 films… according to Rotten Tomatoes.
10 Famous Movie Quotes You Actually Remember Wrong
A well-written line of dialogue can live on in the memories of fans long after the film has finished, and even long after the film fades from relevancy and popularity with these lines gaining a new life of their own, either within circles of friends or on the internet. However, much like a game of Telephone, the wording of these lines can sometimes change after several years, with the incorrect version becoming more popular.
Get Up and Dance: The 10 Best Concert Films Ever Made
Concert films are a strange genre. Almost every artist makes a film whilst on tour and releases it as a way to reach out to the fans who couldn’t get tickets, and the die-hard fans who thought seeing twelve live shows in a row just wasn’t enough. While a lot of them are basic recordings of the concert, occasionally a concert film will come along that pushes the genre forward and is more powerful than most Hollywood films being released today. Here are the ten best Concert Films ever made.
