“Say cheese! Smile! Three, two, one!” Most of us aren’t really thinking too much about it when posing for a photo. After all, many of us have thousands of pictures on our phones nowadays, so another can easily get buried in a chaotic camera roll. But you never know when a simple snapshot will turn into one of the most meaningful images you have.
Below, Bored Panda has compiled a list of some of the last known photos that were taken of celebrities and public figures just before they passed away. Regardless of whether the subjects were battling a terminal illness or simply enjoying life, these photos are powerful reminders that we never know when we’ll smile for a camera for the last time. Enjoy scrolling through, and be sure to upvote the images that you’re glad were shared with the public.
#1 Last Photo Of Freddie Mercury
Image credits: angelfire
#2 What Is Believed To Be The Last Known Photo Of Steve Taken On-Board “Croc One” With The Boat’s Skipper Chris Reed On The Morning Of His Fateful Dive
Image credits: otlibrary
#3 This Photo Of Robin Williams With His Monkey, Crystal, Was Posted By To His Instagram On His Birthday, 20 Days Before He Died
Image credits: therobinwilliams
You might not consider yourself a photographer by any means, but without realizing it, you may take dozens of photos in any given week. You catch your cat looking adorable, so you snap a few pics to send to your partner. You make a gorgeous bowl of soup for dinner, so you take a photo to share with your mother. Then you screenshot a few photos from Pinterest to save as inspiration for your next tattoo.
Before you know it, your camera roll is full of thousands of images. In fact, Photutorial reports that the average American takes 20 photos every single day and has around 2,000 pictures sitting in their phone’s gallery. Because of this, we’re more likely than ever before to have recent photos of ourselves at any given moment.
#4 James Dean At A Gas Station With His Silver Porsche 550 Spyder He Named Little Bastard, Just Hours Before His Fatal Crash
Image credits: Bettmann / Getty Images
#5 Elvis Presley, August 16, 1977, The Last Photo Taken
Image credits: elvis.com
#6 Taken August 26, 2011. Steve Jobs Died October 5, 2011, Due To Complications From Pancreatic Cancer
Unsurprisingly, you’re even more likely to be photographed if you’re a public figure. Nowadays, celebrities can barely even leave the house without paparazzi or fans that recognize them snapping a few pics. In fact, some celebrities even call paparazzi themselves to ensure that they’re photographed looking their best.
For those who post frequently on social media, there will always be recent pics available to show what they’ve been up to, where they’ve been traveling, what projects they’re working on and what hairstyle they’re currently rocking. And if they tragically lose their life long before they’re expected to, fans and loved ones will have hundreds of images to look back on for years to come.
#7 Amy Winehouse Seen For The Last Time In Public On A Walk In Camden On July 12, 2011 In London, England
Image credits: Mark R. Milan / Getty Images
#8 Last Known Photo Of Jimi Hendrix 1970
Image credits: Monika Danneman
#9 One Of The Last Pictures To Be Taken Of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Speaking To A Mass Rally April 3 In Memphis
when he said he would not halt his plans for a massive demonstration scheduled for April 8 in spite of a federal injunction. The Nobel Peace Prize Winner was felled by a sniper’s bullet, April 4
Image credits: Bettmann / Getty Images
There’s an idea held by many people that celebrities tend to lose their lives much younger than us “regular” people. Ever heard of the 27 Club? In reality, people tragically lose their lives every single day at any age for any number of reasons. And plenty of celebrities do end up living longer than the average person. But because these stars are in the spotlight, their passings becomes publicized on a massive scale and talked about for decades.
#10 The Last Photograph Of Bob Ross, The Painter Best Known For His Show The Joy Of Painting. He Died On July 4, 1995 Of Lymphoma
Image credits: reddit.com
#11 David Bowie’s Last Photo Shoot Before His Death
Image credits: davidbowie
#12 Last Known Photograph Of Albert Einstein Taken In 1955
Image credits: Mysterious-Set3374
One 2016 study did find that celebrities tend to pass away younger than the average person, but the difference is quite small. According to the study, which analyzed only 1,000 New York Times obituaries from 2009 to 2011, famous people lived to be 77.2 on average. Meanwhile, the life expectancy of the typical American is about 79 years. While it’s sad for anyone to lose their life, the idea that celebrities often pass far younger than the majority of us isn’t necessarily true.
#13 One Of The Last Photographs Of Lucille Ball
Photo taken at 61st Academy Awards 3/29/89 at Lucy’s last public appearance. She died less than a month later on 4/26/89.
Image credits: Alan Light
#14 One Of The Last Photos Of Avicii, Shows Him Posing With A Fan Just Days Before His Passing. He Tragically Died By S**cide On April 20, 2018
Image credits: kellyleebrock
#15 This Is Thought To Be The Last Known Picture Of Charlie Chaplin. He Can Be Seen Here In His Wheelchair, With His Wife Oona O’Neill Chaplin And Their French Poodle Nicky
Chaplin died two months after this picture was taken. Vevey, Switzerland, 1977.
Image credits: reddit.com
Now, some celebrities do sadly lose their lives at a shockingly young age. Why exactly this happens is not very different from the same reasons why anyone’s life may be cut short though. Nigel Barber, PhD, notes in an article for Psychology Today that mental health often plays a huge factor. Sadly, some young people who are struggling decide that there’s no way out other than to take their own life, especially when they’re a famous person who feels misunderstood by everyone around them.
#16 The Last Photograph Taken Of Former U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant Before He Died Of Throat Cancer On July 23, 1885
Image credits: Library of Congress / Getty Image
#17 Last Known Photo Of Mark Twain Taken In Early April 1910. He Died April 21st, 1910
Image credits: KimmieRahi
#18 Last Known Photo Taken Of Raggae Legend Bob Marley Before He Succumbed To Cancer On May 11, 1981
Image credits: 454ever
Another reason why some celebrities pass away tragically young is due to substance ab*se. This can be an issue for anyone, but sadly, when you’re rich and famous, you might have unlimited access to these things. And if you become a star at a young age, you might find yourself surrounded by adults at parties who introduce you to alcohol and substances from a dangerously young age. This is something Drew Barrymore has openly spoken about throughout her life.
#19 The Last Photograph Of President Roosevelt, Taken At Warm Springs, Ga By Nicholas Robbins For Elizabeth Shoumatoff. FDR Died The Following Day. April 11, 1945
Image credits: Nicholas Robbins
#20 Kennedy Was Assassinated In Dallas, TX, On November 22, 1963. This Photo Was Taken From His Caravan In Dallas Just Before His Assassination
Image credits: Victor Hugo King
#21 Babe Ruth’s Final Public Appearance, 13 June 1948
Image credits: Nathaniel Fein
Some celebrities may also feel that they’re invincible, and learning that you’re not can be an incredibly difficult pill to swallow. If everyone around you is constantly praising you and putting you on a pedestal, you might feel more comfortable engaging in risky behaviors. What could go wrong? Sadly, none of us are indestructible, and some of us don’t find that out until it’s too late.
#22 Will Rogers Standing On Wing Of Sea Plane, Facing Slightly Left; With Wiley Post At Fairbanks, Alaska
Rogers died in a plane crash in Alaska on August 15, 1935. Rogers and aviator Wiley Post were making test flights across Alaska before their deaths. This photo was taken from their adventures.
Image credits: Leonhard Seppala
#23 According To “Tesla – Master Of Lightning” This Is The Last Photograph Taken Of Tesla Before His Death
Image credits: rarehistoricalphotos
#24 Cameron Boyce’s Dad Shares Final Photo Of Actor
“My son. Just hours before he was snatched from our lives. I miss him terribly. I hope that no one ever has to feel the agony I’m feeling but no one is immune to tragedy. The outpouring of love and support our family continues to receive is so beautiful and appreciated. Thank you all for helping us through our worst possible situation.”
Image credits: thevictorboyce
We hope you’re enjoying your scroll through these powerful photos, pandas. Although it can be sad to look back at these images of stars who have since left the Earth, it can also be beautiful to remember how beloved they were and will continue to be for generations to come. Keep upvoting the photos that you find the most impactful, and if you’d like to check out another list from Bored Panda featuring famous people that will never be forgotten, look no further than right here.
#25 Audrey Hepburn And Her Beloved Son, Sean, Photographed At La Paisible (Her Home In Tolochenaz, Switzerland) Just A Few Days Prior To Her Death, On January 1993
Image credits: hepburnfiles
#26 Last Known Photo Of Andy Warhol, On His Way To The Hospital And The Routine Operation That Would Result In His Death, February 1987
Image credits: Reneski
#27 Pope Francis Attends The Urbi Et Orbi Message To The World At The Central Loggia Of St. Peter’s Basilica, On April 20, 2025 In Vatican. He Died On 21 April 2025 At The Age Of 88
Image credits: Alessandra Benedetti – Corbis / Getty Images
#28 One Of The Last Photographs Of Lenin. Taken In Gorki After May 15, 1923. Beside Him Are His Sister Anna Ilyinichna Yelizarova-Ulyanova And One Of His Doctors A. M. Kozhevnikov
Image credits: Maria Ulyanova
#29 Last Known Photos Of Jim Morrison In Paris On June 28, 1971
Image credits: Alain Ronay
#30 This Photo Of Christopher McCandless Was Found In His Undeveloped Camera, Having Ventured Into The Alaskan Wilderness In Solitude. He Died Of Starvation In August 1992
Image credits: christophermccandless.info
#31 Taken In March Of 1865. Lincoln Was Assassinated By John Wilkes Booth At Ford’s Theater On April 15, 1865, In Washington DC
Image credits: Warren, Henry F
#32 Diana, Princess Of Wales And Dodi Fayed, Bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones And Driver Henri Paul, In Their Mercedes-Benz S280
Shortly before the fatal crash which k**led Diana, Fayed and Paul, Paris, 31st August 1997.
Image credits: Langevin Jacques / Getty Images
#33 Crew Members Of STS 51-L Mission Walk Out Of The Operations And Checkout Building At Kennedy Space Center, On Their Way To Pad 39b Where They Will Board The Space Shuttle Challenger
Crew members are from front to back: Commander Francis R. (Dick) Scobee; Mission specialists Judith A. Resnik and Ronald E. McNair; Pilot Michael J. Smith; Payload specialist Christa McAuliffe; Mission Specialist Ellison Onizuka; and Payload specialist Gregory Jarvis.
Image credits: NASA
#34 Kathy Griffin Tweeted This Photo Of Her Friend And Larry Sanders Show Co-Star, Garry Shandling, Just Four Days Before His Passing. Shandling Died On March 24, 2016
Image credits: kathygriffin
#35 Last Photo Taken Of Buddy Holly, February 2, 1959. Colorized
Image credits: AllThingsBad
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