Hollywood Movie Set Deaths

Hollywood movie set deaths have occurred throughout the most recent decades due to many factors. Some talent and crew members in the entertainment industry work under dangerous conditions that increase the chances of a fatal accident. Here are notable Hollywood movie set deaths that should encourage producers and studios to take preventative safety measures while filming new productions.

Conair
Touchstone Pictures

During the filming of Conair starring Nicolas Cage and John Cusak, a cargo plane fell on a crew member named Phillip Swartz. According to the Los Angeles Times, Swartz was a member of the special effects department on this movie. He was working on the plane when it fell, pinning him in place. Swartz was crushed to death by the plane, which places his accident among the most brutal Hollywood movie set deaths to date.

The Dark Knight
Warner Bros. Pictures

Special effects appears to have some of the most accident prone departments in the history of film production. A special effects technician named Conway Wickliffe was involved in a fatal car accident during the production stages of The Dark Knight, an installment in the popular Batman film franchise. This technician crashed into a tree at the special effects facility during a stunt driving test run. A camera operator and several other crew members involved in this test run were also in the accident, according to Reuters. Despite their involvement, Wickliffe appears to be the only crew member from The Dark Knight who died.

Jumper
20th Century Fox

A set dresser named David Ritchie died instantly when debris from another set loosed while working on Jumper, starring Samuel L. Jackson. The set dresser was working with a few other crew members when sand, ice and gravel fell on top of them from an exterior wall. One man was hospitalized for serious injuries according to MSNBC, but the accident proved fatal for Ritchie.

Working on a movie set can be dangerous for crew members who do a lot of the grunt work that is involved in creating magical scenes for Hollywood studios. It is my only hope that movie fans appreciate the entertainment they receive when visiting movie theaters or watching DVDs at home because these simple forms of recreation are sometimes made available at the expense of another human being's life. The frequent occurrence of Hollywood movie set deaths are one reason to support the hard work that goes into making a movie.