We may only know them from their onscreen personas, but the fact of the matter is we still can’t help but feel a smattering of grief whenever a beloved celebrity passes away. It’s even more shocking when they’ve been dead for a while, and we’ve only just found out about it.

Whether it’s a long battle with a disease, or by violent means, or even just from natural causes, we always find ourselves wondering if they had left a last will and testament to ensure that their fortunes go to the right people. Regardless if they left behind a fat bank account, or a less than stellar credit score, their inheritance lawyers are surely capable of putting their financial affairs to bed.

Peter Tork – Died At 77 – Tongue Cancer

Being the famous Bass Player of the legendary group ‘The Monkeys‘, Peter has demonstrated success in many areas of his life. With a talent like his, being a part of the production of the mega-hits “Day Dream Believer” that we all know and love, and the arguably even more successful “I’m a Believer”, his way to stardom was not long.

Unfortunately for all of us, Peter passed away at 77 at his house, however, he did keep his audience aware and documented the process of handling his illness on his social media profiles. He was truly a remarkable man.

Chris Penn – Died At 40 – Heart Disease 

Chris Penn was a respected Hollywood actor most notably known for his role in the cult film Reservoir Dogs, and for being Sean Penn’s brother. He passed away in 2006 due to a heart attack.

He was only 40 years old. With the sudden nature of his death, we do hope he had time to consult with a will attorney.

James Avery – Died At 68 – Open Heart Surgery Complications 

It’s actually shocking to see someone pass away from the complications arising out of a surgery which was actually supposed to bring him back to good health. Actor James Avery was much loved for his portrayal of Uncle Phil in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. 

He suffered from a heart disease, which led him to undergo an open heart surgery in 2013. He died of complications shortly after that, to the grief of fans and colleagues, including the ‘fresh prince’ himself, Will Smith.

Glenn Quinn – Died At 32 – Heroin Overdose 

Irish actor Glenn Quinn was an emerging favorite in popular TV shows like Angel and Roseanne.

Unfortunately, his career was short-lived when he was found dead in an apparent heroin overdose at his friend’s house. If only he had the help of an addiction counselor, perhaps the handsome actor could have been saved.

Nicole DeHuff – Died At 30 – Medical Misdiagnosis

American actress Nicole DeHuff was best known for her roles in Meet the Parents, See Arnold Run and The Court. In 2005, the 30-year-old actress died of pneumonia after being misdiagnosed with bronchitis and given the wrong prescription drugs several times.

Before she died, she was able to shoot her last film Unbeatable Harold under her husband’s direction, and it was released four years after she had passed away.

Richard Griffiths – Died At 65 – Heart Surgery Complications 

Actor Richard Griffiths passed away at 65 when he suffered complications from heart surgery. Although most people have known him for playing Harry Potter’s nasty Uncle Vernon, he had a long and illustrious career both on-screen and on the stage.

He was even the recipient of numerous acting awards, including a Tony for his role in The History Boys.

Steve James – Died At 41 – Pancreatic Cancer 

Action star Steve James was a constant presence in action films, most notably The Delta Force and American Ninja. Aside from being an actor, he was also a stuntman and martial artist.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t beat his biggest enemy yet, and he succumbed to pancreatic cancer at age 41. We hope that he was able to somehow benefit from his health insurance and his wife from his life insurance.