Famous Figures Who Died of Alcoholism

Alcohol use disorder has claimed the lives of many well-known figures across the arts, sport and public life. The following are among those whose deaths were directly caused by, or closely tied to, long-term alcohol abuse , whether through cirrhosis of the liver, acute alcohol poisoning, or related internal conditions. Their stories are a reminder of the serious toll of addiction, which can affect anyone regardless of talent or success.

Amy Winehouse (1983–2011)  —  British singer-songwriter

Celebrated for her soulful voice and albums such as Back to Black, Winehouse struggled publicly with addiction. She died at her London home in July 2011 at the age of 27; a coroner's inquest ruled the cause as accidental alcohol poisoning, with a very high blood-alcohol level recorded.

George Best (1946–2005)  —  Northern Irish footballer

One of the most gifted footballers of his generation, Best's later life was marked by a long battle with alcoholism. He underwent a liver transplant in 2002 but continued to struggle, and died in November 2005 of multiple organ failure linked to his condition.

Jack Kerouac (1922–1969)  —  American writer

The Beat Generation author of On the Road battled heavy drinking for much of his life. He died in October 1969 at the age of 47 from an internal hemorrhage caused by cirrhosis of the liver, the result of years of alcohol abuse.

Billie Holiday (1915–1959)  —  American jazz singer

A seminal figure in jazz and popular singing, Holiday faced years of substance struggles. She died in July 1959 at the age of 44 from complications of cirrhosis of the liver and related heart and liver disease.

F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940)  —  American novelist

The author of The Great Gatsby was a lifelong heavy drinker whose health declined through the 1930s. He died in 1940 at the age of 44 of a heart attack, an alcohol-induced cardiac condition widely attributed to his chronic drinking.

Richard Burton (1925–1984)  —  Welsh actor

A commanding stage and screen actor nominated for seven Academy Awards, Burton suffered from cirrhosis of the liver and kidneys after decades of heavy drinking. He died in August 1984 at the age of 58 of a cerebral hemorrhage.

Veronica Lake (1922–1973)  —  American actress

A glamorous star of 1940s film noir, Lake's career faded amid personal difficulties and drinking. She died in July 1973 at the age of 50 from alcohol-induced cirrhosis and hepatitis.

Bon Scott (1946–1980)  —  AC/DC vocalist

The original lead singer of the rock band AC/DC, Scott died in London in February 1980 at the age of 33. After a night of heavy drinking, he was found unresponsive, and the coroner returned a verdict of death by misadventure attributed to acute alcohol poisoning.

Oliver Reed (1938–1999)  —  English actor

Known for his powerful screen presence and a famously hard-drinking lifestyle, Reed collapsed and died of a heart attack in Malta in 1999 at the age of 61, during a break in filming Gladiator, following a heavy drinking session.

Peter Cook (1937–1995)  —  English comedian

A pioneering satirist and comic performer, Cook struggled with alcoholism for much of his later life. He died in January 1995 at the age of 57 from a gastrointestinal hemorrhage widely linked to years of heavy drinking.

Compiled from published biographies, coroners' findings and press reports. Causes of death reflect the most widely documented accounts.