E19: John F. Kennedy

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, commonly referred to as JFK, was the 35th president of The United States. Born May 29, 1917, JFK served in World War II and in both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. During his presidency, Kennedy faced a number of foreign crises’ including the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Bay of Pigs invasion, the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, and the building of the Berlin Wall. On November 22, 1963, Kennedy was assassinated while riding in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas.

E18: Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853, in Groot-Zundert, Netherlands. He was a Post-Impressionist painter who went on to be one of the most influential figures in the history of 20th century art. In just over a decade he created over 2000 artworks, including 860 oil paintings. Amazingly, he only sold one painting in his lifetime. He lived in poverty and was virtually unknown throughout his short life. Following many years of struggling with mental illness, Van Gogh took his own life at the age of 37.

E17: Cleopatra

Cleopatra, queen of ancient Egypt, was one of the most famous female rulers in history. She was a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, which ruled Egypt for close to 300 years. The stories surrounding Cleopatra's tragic life inspired a number of books, movies and plays, including Antony and Cleopatra by Shakespeare.

E16: Ernest Hemingway

Born in Illinois on July 21, 1899, Ernest Hemingway was an American novelist, short story writer, and journalist. He served as an ambulance driver in World War I and worked in journalism before publishing his story collection In Our Time. He went on to be one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. His most famous novels include The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and The Old Man and the Sea, which won the 1953 Pulitzer. In 1954, Hemingway won the Nobel Prize. He later committed suicide on July 2, 1961, in Ketchum, Idaho.

E15: Princess Diana

Born Diana Spencer on July 1, 1961, Princess Diana was Princess of Wales while married to Prince Charles. Diana was born into a family of British nobility with royal ancestry as the Honourable Diana Spencer. She was a polarizing figure that was subjected to worldwide media scrutiny during her marriage, yet in the public’s opinion she remained one of the most adored members of the British royal family until her unexpected death in 1997.

E14: Billy the Kid

On July 14, 1881, Henry McCarty, better known by the alias Billy the Kid, was shot dead by Sheriff Pat Garrett in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. Billy the Kid was born in 1859 in New York City. In his short life, The Kid worked as everything from a cattle rustler and gang member to a vigilante gunfighter, eventually becoming the most wanted man on the American frontier.

E13: Harvey Milk

Harvey Bernard Milk was an American politician who made history when he became one of the first openly gay officials in the United States in 1977, when he was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Born in New York, politics and gay activism was not part of his early interests; he did not participate in civic matters until later in life after his experience in the counterculture of the 1960’s. He was assassinated in 1978.

E12: Franz Ferdinand

Franz Ferdinand's assassination on June 28, 1914, at the hand of a Serbian terrorist group, the "Black Hand," is an event that is widely acknowledged to have sparked the outbreak of World War I. Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand was born on December 18, 1863, in Graz, Austria. While in power, he attempted to restore Austro-Russian relations while maintaining an alliance with Germany.

E11: Marilyn Monroe

Arguably the biggest popular culture icon to ever live, actress Marilyn Monroe was born as Norma Jeane Mortenson on June 1, 1926. She overcame a difficult childhood to become one of the world’s most well-known celebrities and sex symbols of her time. Monroe died of a drug overdose on August 5, 1962, at age 36. Her films grossed over $200 million in her lifetime. Marilyn Monroe’s legendary status and mysticism will remain with film history forever.

E10: Jimi Hendrix

Born Johnny Allen Hendrix, guitarist, singer and songwriter, Jimi Hendrix entertained audiences during the 1960's. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music and one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes him as “arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of Rock music”.

E09: Caligula

A Roman emperor, Gaius Caesar, known as Caligula, succeeded the cruel Emperor and tyrant Tiberius. Born in 12 A.D. he served as the emperor of Rome from 37 to 41 A.D. Records depict him as a cruel and unpredictable leader. He restored treason trials, put people to death for his own pleasure and declared he was a living God. In an ironic twist of fate, he was murdered in 41 A.D. the same way as his grandfather, Julius Caesar, when a group of assassins led by Cassius Chaerea stabbed him to death.

E08: Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military general and political leader who rose to prominence during the French Revolution. He became the first emperor of France and his drive for military expansion changed the world. He remains one of the most controversial political figures in human history.

E07: James Dean

Too fast to live, too young to die, he was a rebel without a cause. James Byron Dean was an American actor in the 1950’s and is a cultural icon. He is the symbol of teenage disillusionment and social estrangement. Dean was the first actor to receive a posthumous Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and remains the only actor to have had two posthumous acting nominations. His remarkable life and tragic death transformed him into a timeless legend.

E06: Mahatma Gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, more commonly known as ‘Mahatma’, was the preeminent leader of India’s independence movement in British-ruled India. Gandhi organized boycotts against British institutions, led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. His teachings are used today and have inspired the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela.

E05: Alexander Hamilton

His face is on the $10 bill, he was one of the most influential contributors to the United States Constitution, he created the United States financial system, he was the first Secretary of the Treasury and he is currently the subject of the biggest Broadway Musical. Alexander Hamilton’s legacy is stronger today than ever before.

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E04: Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart’s disappearance on July 2, 1937 is one of the great mysteries of the 20th century. A number of theories about her death have emerged in the last 79 years. We examine her remarkable life as the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic, to being a successful author and a feminist icon and finally what really happened on July 2, 1937.

E03: Kurt Cobain

Kurt Cobain was one of the greatest figures in music history and the voice of a generation. Experience his rise to fame and struggles that led to his tragic death. This episode is dedicated to the two loves of his life, Courtney Love and Frances Cobain and to all of the millions of fans world-wide.

E02: Harry Houdini

Commonly regarded as the most famous magician who has ever lived, Harry Houdini’s grand escape acts and illusions made him into a world icon. We take you on a journey through his life, the secrets behind his tricks, the woman he loved, his struggles and triumphs and how he really died... or did he?

E01: Grigori Rasputin

Grigori Rasputin, called the Mad Monk, was one of history’s most interesting figures. A Russian peasant turned mythical faith healer gained influence in Russia by curing the Tsar’s son of hemophilia. His death helped ignite the Russian Revolution. Did he have supernatural powers? Poison, beating and gunshots couldn’t kill him. We examine his life, his rise to power and his ultimate tragic death.

Welcome Trailer!

Remarkable Lives, Tragic Deaths examines the lives and deaths of prominent people who changed history and influenced pop culture. Here is a sneak preview of what to expect. The first episode premieres Wednesday August 3rd and new episodes are released every Wednesday.