Exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer that doesn’t discriminate based on wealth, job title, or social status.
Mesothelioma is considered a rare disease, with only around 3,000 Americans diagnosed each year. Despite this, it has taken the lives of many well-known public figures, including musicians, politicians, actors, and athletes.
Many celebrities have passed away from mesothelioma, including the beloved actor Steve McQueen, the musician Warren Zevon, the football player Merlin Olson, and more.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, get a free consultation now to see how we may be able to help.
Below are the stories of some of the most famous asbestos cases and celebrities who died from mesothelioma.
1. Steve McQueen, Actor & U.S. Military Veteran (1930-1980)
Starring in films like “The Great Escape,” “The Magnificent Seven,” and “The Towering Inferno,” Steve McQueen was one of the most celebrated performers of his generation and the highest-paid actor in the world in 1974.
However, McQueen’s life took a sharp turn in 1978 when he developed a persistent cough and was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma.
Before his acting career, McQueen served in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he often removed asbestos lagging from pipes aboard a troop ship.
Since asbestos was widely used throughout the military until the 1980s, U.S. military veterans make up around 33% of all mesothelioma diagnoses.
McQueen also believed he was exposed to asbestos from insulation on movie sound stages. Sadly, the American hero and cinema star died on November 7, 1980. He was only 50 years old.
In 2019, Chairman John Simmons bought McQueen’s 1938 Triumph 500cc 5T Speed Twin motorcycle, which is permanently on display at the Simmons Hanly Conroy firm as a tribute to the actor’s search for a cure.
“Steve McQueen fought this disease to the very end. Honoring him and his fight reminds us how far the asbestos prevention community has come since 1980, when those with a mesothelioma diagnosis did not have the answers or support they deserved.”
– John Simmons, Chairman & Firm Founder
2. Paul Gleason, Actor (1939-2006)
Best known for his portrayal of Vice Principal Richard Vernon in “The Breakfast Club,” Paul Gleason was an actor who often played the role of the antagonist. He also appeared in “Die Hard,” “All My Children,” and “Trading Places.”
Before he began acting, Gleason played football at Florida State University and had a short baseball career with the Cleveland Indians.
As a teenager, Gleason worked alongside his father at different construction sites, where he may have been exposed to various materials that contained asbestos.
Decades later, the talented actor was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma. He passed away just three weeks after his diagnosis, at the age of 67.
3. Warren Zevon, Musician (1947-2003)
Warren Zevon was a singer, songwriter, and musician whose top hits included “Werewolves of London,” “Carmelita,” and “Johnny Strikes Up the Band.” His work was often praised by other celebrated musicians, like Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, and Neil Young.
While it’s unclear how Zevon was exposed to asbestos, doctors diagnosed him with pleural mesothelioma in 2002 after he developed a chronic cough.
The singer refused treatments so he could continue working on his last album “The Wind.” He passed away at the age of 56, just two weeks after his album was released.
After his father’s death, Jordan Zevon attended the annual Miles for Meso event to honor his father’s legacy and advocate for a total ban of asbestos. He also serves as the National Spokesperson for the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO).
“The deadly mineral has a name, asbestos, but it also has a face in the patients, family, and friends that it claims as victims,” Jordan said when discussing his father’s diagnosis.
4. Michael Sarrazin, Actor (1940-2011)
Canadian film and television actor Michael Sarrazin built a career involving comedies, thrillers, and dramas. He moved to Hollywood in the 1960s and is best known for starring alongside Jane Fonda in the critically acclaimed film “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?”
Eventually, Sarrazin stepped back from the big screen and moved from California to Montreal in order to be closer to his two daughters. Later in life, the actor was diagnosed with mesothelioma.
While the exact source of his asbestos exposure hasn’t been publicly confirmed, widespread use of this mineral in film studios throughout the mid-20th century may have put him at risk. Sarrazin passed away in 2011 at the age of 70.
5. Christie Hennessy, Singer-Songwriter (1945-2007)
Christie Hennessy, one of Ireland’s most famous songwriters, gained recognition for his memorable songs like “Don’t Forget Your Shovel,” “Roll Back the Clouds,” and “All the Lies that You Told Me.” Despite having severe dyslexia, Hennessy often wrote his own songs, inspiring many with his creativity and resilience.
During his early 20s, Hennessy was exposed to asbestos through his work on building sites. When he was in his 60s, he developed a dry cough that was initially believed to be tuberculosis.
“Sometimes he saw fresh blood when blowing his nose or spitting into a tissue. He was nagged by everyone to go to the GP, but when he did, he was told there was nothing wrong,” said Hennessy’s daughter Hermione.
A few weeks after turning 62, Hennessy passed away from pleural mesothelioma. Hermione has worked to raise awareness and help others recognize the symptoms of this disease and get diagnosed earlier.
“As loved ones, we must take the time to encourage them to go [to the doctor] and not give up until they do,” expressed Hermione. “And if the diagnosis reveals that nothing is wrong, but your gut says there is, keep going.”
Hermione also emphasized the importance of pursuing mesothelioma claims, stating, “There is legal and financial help out there. Christie didn’t want to pursue this route at all, but if he hadn’t, my family wouldn’t have had the financial support they needed to continue with their lives after his loss.”
6. Merlin Olsen, NFL Player & Actor (1940-2010)
Merlin Olsen was a professional football player who spent 15 years in the National Football League (NFL) with the Los Angeles Rams. As a defensive tackle, he was noted for his size, speed, and stamina.
Olsen was well-recognized throughout his football career for:
- Being the #1 overall draft pick in 1962
- Getting selected to the Pro Bowl 14 times
- Securing a spot in the Football Hall of Fame
Afterward, Olsen went on to have a successful acting career that included playing a farmer on “Little House on the Prairie” and starring in his own NBC drama “Father Murphy.”
In 2009, Olsen was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma. He believed he was exposed to asbestos while working at construction sites decades earlier.
Before he passed away in 2010, Olsen filed a mesothelioma lawsuit against 10 asbestos companies responsible for his exposure. His family was later awarded compensation.
7. Sean Sasser, Actor & Activist (1968-2013)
In the early 1990s, Sean Sasser appeared on MTV’s hit television show “The Real World: San Francisco” alongside his partner Pedro Zamora. The pair made history as the first same-sex couple to have a commitment ceremony on TV.
Both Sasser and Zamora had HIV, and they were outspoken educators and LGBTQ activists. After Zamora’s passing, Sasser went on to become a trained pastry chef. After living with HIV for over 25 years, he was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2013.
“If you are HIV positive, and you get mesothelioma, it’s going to travel like wildfire,” explained Dr. Raja Flores, chief of thoracic surgery and mesothelioma specialist at Mount Sinai Hospital.
Sadly, he passed away just two months later at the age of 44. The source of Sasser’s exposure was harder to determine, as he didn’t work with the toxic mineral.
8. Leonard Bernstein, Composer (1918-1990)
Leonard Bernstein was a renowned composer, conductor, and pianist. He composed the well-known musical West Side Story and served a long tenure as music director of the New York Philharmonic. He became a household name through his televised concerts and educational programs.
In the later years of his life, Bernstein faced significant health challenges, including chronic emphysema and pleural mesothelioma. While the exact source of his asbestos exposure remains unknown, his children speculate he may have been exposed during his childhood.
In 1990, Bernstein suffered a heart attack linked to mesothelioma. He passed away in New York City at the age of 72, just a few days after announcing his retirement from conducting.
9. Ron Cyrus, Politician (1935-2006)
From 1975 to 1996, Ron Cyrus served 11 terms in the Kentucky House of Representatives. He was also the father of country music legend Billy Ray Cyrus and grandfather of pop sensation Miley Cyrus.
In addition to his political career, Ron was a steel worker and member of the U.S. Air Force. His son believed this work may have exposed him to asbestos. Sadly, Ron passed away from mesothelioma in 2006.
In his honor, Ron’s family has released multiple songs, including “I Miss You” by Miley Cyrus and “Hey Daddy” by Billy Ray Cyrus.
10. Joe Sample, Musician (1939-2014)
Jazz pianist and composer Joe Sample helped shape the sound of modern jazz fusion. The Houston native was a founding member of the influential group The Jazz Crusaders, which later changed their name to The Crusaders.
Sample enjoyed a successful solo career and collaborated with artists ranging from Marvin Gaye and Joni Mitchell to Steely Dan and B.B. King. His work was even sampled in hip‑hop classics such as Tupac Shakur’s “Dear Mama.”
Tragically, Joe Sample died of mesothelioma in 2014 at the age of 75. His legacy endures through his influential recordings and the many musicians he inspired throughout his long and varied career.
11. Ed Lauter, Actor (1938-2013)
Ed Lauter was a famous actor who performed in a number of timeless classics throughout his career, including “The Longest Yard,” “The Office,” “The Artist,” and more.
In May 2013, Lauter was diagnosed with mesothelioma. He lost his battle with cancer just a few months later in October 2013, two weeks before his 75th birthday.
Lauter’s family believes he was exposed to asbestos on different movie sets, and the two years he spent in the U.S. Army may have also contributed to his exposure.
After he passed away, they filed a mesothelioma wrongful death lawsuit against several asbestos companies, movie studios, and manufacturers.
12. Lincoln Hall, Mountaineer (1955-2012)
Australian mountaineer Lincoln Hall gained international recognition after summiting Mount Everest in 2006, only to collapse from altitude sickness during his descent and spend a night in the “death zone” before being miraculously rescued.
A few years later, Hall found himself fighting for his life yet again when he was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma.
“Lincoln had never worked with asbestos and at first could not recall any contact at all,” said his wife Barbara. “However, he remembered ‘helping’ his father to build two cubby houses of asbestos and playing with the offcuts as a 10 year old. He also clearly remembered the special asbestos cutting tool which he used to cut wiggly worms in the offcuts.”
Despite undergoing months of chemotherapy, Hall passed away from mesothelioma in 2012. He was just 56 years old.
Mesothelioma Can Affect Anyone
While we’ve shared the stories of celebrities impacted by mesothelioma, this devastating cancer can affect anyone, regardless of their occupation.
Our asbestos exposure attorneys have helped thousands of families from all walks of life successfully secure compensation across all 50 states. And for us, the mission is personal.
“My grandmother died of mesothelioma, so I understand what it does to a family, how it affects a family.”
– John Simmons, Chairman & Firm Founder
Our firm has secured more than $10.6 billion in mesothelioma compensation, and there are no upfront costs to work with our team.
Contact us now to learn more about your options after a mesothelioma diagnosis. Speaking with us is free.
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