Ten Celebrities who died penniless

The recent demise of Michael Jackson has shown how easy it is for some celebrities to fritter away their fortunes. From writers to porn stars, actors to artists, the list of people who blew all their cash - or simply never made much - goes on. We list ten of the most infamous celebrities who died penniless.

1. George Best. Northern Irish footballer who played for Manchester United.

Why? Plagued by alcoholism, Best died in 2005 at the age of 59 from a kidney infection. Asked what happened to the money he had earned, Best replied: "I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered."

2. Oscar Wilde. Witty Irish playwright, poet and author, and one of the most celebrated and controversial figures of Victorian times.

Why? Wilde was imprisoned in 1895 for "gross indecency," a term that implied acts of homosexuality. Upon his release he spent his last three years in self-imposed exile abroad, cut off from society and artistic circles.

3. Judy Garland. American actress and singer, best remembered for her role in the Wizard of Oz age 16.

Why? A combination of tax debts - she owed several hundred thousand dollars to the Internal Revenue Service - and the demise of The Judy Garland Show, left the singer struggling financially. She died of an accidental drug overdose in 1969 at the age of 47.

4. Sammy Davis Jnr. Broadway and Las Vegas star and member of Frank Sinatra's "Rat Pack".

Why? When Davis died of throat cancer in 1990, he was heavily in debt to the Internal Revenue Service, and his estate was the subject of complicated legal battles.

5. Michael Jackson. The King of Pop, who died suddenly in June.

Why? Jackson blew the profits from sales of 750 million records on extravagances such as $600,000 necklace for Elizabeth Taylor, to maintaining his $4 million-a-year Neverland Ranch. When he died he had accumulated debts worth an astonishing $400 million. See Michael Jackson's ten most extravagant purchases.

6. John Hervey 7th Marquess of Bristol. Flamboyant English aristocrat and half-brother of socialite Lady Victoria Hervey.

Why? Despite amassing a fortune of £35 million, Hervey's drug abuse, two prison terms and the self-proclaimed use of 2,000 male prostitutes all contributed to his demise. The Spectator described him as "reduced to penury" by the time of his death in 1999 age 44.

7. Edgar Allan Poe. American poet and critic, celebrated for numerous gothic stories including The Murders in the Rue Morgue.

Why? Poe was among the first well-known American writers to try to earn a living through writing alone, resulting in a financially difficult life. He died in 1849 at his tiny cottage in The Bronx, New York, although his cause of death remains a mystery.

8. Linda Lovelace. Pornography actress and star of 1972 hardcore film Deep Throat.

Why? Lovelace claimed she was never paid a penny for Deep Throat. She later turned her back on the porn industry, saying she had been forced into making films by her violent and sadistic first husband. "When you see the movie Deep Throat, you are watching me being raped. It is a crime that movie is still showing; there was a gun to my head the entire time," she said. She died penniless aged 53 in 2002 after crashing her car.

9.Vincent van Gogh. Dutch post-impressionist painter.

Why? van Goch's paintings are now among the most instantly recognizable and expensive in the world, but sadly the artist received little recognition in his own lifetime. Plagued by depression, he shot himself in the chest in 1890, age 37, and died two days later.

10. Mike Reid. Played Frank Butcher in Eastenders.

Why? Reid died in Spain in 2007, aged 67, from a suspected heart attack. Although his agent claimed to be "completely unaware he had any debts," his entire fortune of £880,000 was taken by creditors.

Thanks to - Lauren Thompson "Times on Line"