Marilyn Monroe died at 36. Her death certificate lists "Acute Barbiturate Poisoning. Ingestion of Overdose" as the cause. Just below that line, you can see that the person who issued her death certificate typed "Probable Suicide" since it has never been determined whether her death was a suicide, an accident, or possibly a homicide. This book is a collection of death certificates for 170 Hollywood notables from the Silent Era to today--fascinating! A death certificate is an intriguing document. It encapsulates a person's life story on one page--the birthplace, parents, education, length of...

Literally the last word for Hollywood trivia buffs, a celebrity death certificate is also strangely compelling. Its matter-of-fact reportage makes the famous ordinary, illuminating previously well-lit profiles with the unfiltered light of the everyday. A death certificate may also reveal information that stars assiduously concealed, such as actual birthdates. In California, home to many of Hollywood's brightest stars, death certificates are a matter of public record?and consequently an untapped mine of information. This follow-up to M.F. Steen's previous collection (2003) reproduces in full...

Literally the last word for Hollywood trivia buffs, a celebrity death certificate is also strangely compelling. Its matter-of-fact reportage makes the famous ordinary, illuminating previously well-lit profiles with the unfiltered light of the everyday. A death certificate may also reveal information that stars concealed, such as actual birthdates. In California, death certificates are a matter of public record--a real mine of information. This follow-up to M.F. Steen's previous two collections (2003 and 2005) reproduces in full 226 death certificates. Brief biographical notes are included,...