These celebs took their secrets to the grave. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most baffling mysteries ever to surround famous figures.
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00:00Though Natalie's life was blessed by fortune, it was cut short by fate.
00:04Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most baffling mysteries
00:08ever to surround famous figures.
00:10We want to know why, we want to know who, and until we do, I think there will always
00:15be an interest.
00:18Number 10.
00:19Howard Hughes' Reclusiveness
00:20Hughes was among the most interesting and puzzling figures in modern history.
00:24In addition to his reputation as a dashing billionaire, aviation pioneer, and Hollywood
00:34producer, Hughes was known for his neuroses and eccentricity.
00:37Still, no one expected him to withdraw from his chic circles completely in the 1950s.
00:51He spent his final decades in near-total isolation, moving between luxury hotels and
00:55private residences.
00:57His extreme secrecy, coupled with reports of bizarre habits and health issues, fueled
01:01countless rumors.
01:15That said, it's likely we'll never get a clear answer as to the exact nature of Howard
01:19Hughes' inner torment.
01:20Number 9.
01:21The Lost Work of Nikola Tesla
01:23Tesla's brilliance was so profound, that during his lifetime, the world wasn't always
01:27prepared for his ideas.
01:38And today, nearly a century after his death, it seems we're still not ready.
01:42The Croatian-born scientist made significant advancements in electrical engineering and
01:46wireless communication.
01:47That is, until his 1943 death, when the US government seized many of his documents and
01:51personal papers.
02:06Among these were rumored blueprints for a death ray, a device that could purportedly
02:09destroy aircrafts from hundreds of miles away.
02:12But because so much of Tesla's work remains missing or classified, inventions like the
02:16death ray can only be found in science fiction, at least for now.
02:25Number 8.
02:26The Disappearance of Agatha Christie
02:28Few detective novelists have been as influential as Agatha Christie.
02:31In fact, the British author is referred to as the Queen of Crime.
02:40In December 1926, however, she vanished for eleven days, sparking a nationwide search
02:44in England.
02:45She was eventually discovered at a hotel in Harrogate, registered under a false name,
02:49and claimed to have no memory of the events.
03:01Some believed it was merely a publicity stunt to promote her newest book, while others wondered
03:05if Christie had blacked out or disassociated during this time.
03:08In any event, she evaded the subject for the remainder of her life, even leaving mention
03:12of the sabbatical out of her autobiography.
03:22The nature of her disappearance was as eerie as if she had written it herself.
03:26Number 7.
03:27What Happened to Jimmy Hoffa?
03:28The case of this missing man has baffled investigators, not to mention true crime junkies, for decades.
03:33Hoffa was a noteworthy name in the realm of the labor union, serving as the president
03:37of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
03:54But his reputation was marred by legal troubles, and allegations of mob connections.
03:58Hoffa vanished in 1975, after having last been seen at a Michigan restaurant, and no
04:02one had heard from him since, nor has anyone been able to find a body.
04:14Numerous theories about what happened to him have surfaced, with many believing he was
04:18killed and disposed of by the mafia.
04:20But all in all, we're stumped, and it's very possible that Hoffa's case will continue
04:23to puzzle us for years to come.
04:32Number 6.
04:33What Happened to Bob Crane?
04:34If you're a fan of the classic World War II sitcom, Hogan's Heroes, you'll recognize
04:38Bob Crane as the titular senior officer, but did you know the actor who played Hogan suffered
04:50a terrible, not to mention very peculiar end?
04:53When a deceased Crane was discovered in his Arizona residence beaten to death in 1978,
04:57the crime scene revealed a little.
05:08All kinds of ideas about the murder have emerged, as have grisly details about his controversial
05:12lifestyle, which may have had a hand in what transpired.
05:15But ever since the primary suspect, Crane's friend, John Carpenter, was acquitted due
05:18to insufficient proof, the case has been considered cold.
05:35Number 5.
05:36The Life of J.D. Salinger
05:38Despite being the author of one of the most popular coming-of-age novels ever written,
05:41J.D. Salinger was definitely not in it for the fame.
05:59In fact, he was so reclusive that many of the details of his life remain unknown.
06:03After publishing The Catcher in the Rye in 1951, Salinger retreated to a secluded life
06:07in New Hampshire, where he largely avoided interviews and public appearances, while he
06:11continued to write privately.
06:12He published very little, which naturally left fans hungry for more.
06:23More recently, there's been talk of his unpublished works being released.
06:26However, even if we do finally get to read the rest of Salinger's work, the man himself
06:30will probably continue to stand out as a true enigma.
06:41Number 4.
06:42Who Killed the Black Dahlia?
06:43Elizabeth Short may not have ever achieved traditional celebrity status, but the story
06:47of her tragic demise certainly made headlines.
06:58Short, who was an aspiring actress living in Los Angeles, was discovered deceased in
07:01unspeakable form in January 1947.
07:04But her murderer was never identified, and questions such as why, how, and when were
07:09never properly answered.
07:18All kinds of theories and potential suspects have been considered, but Short's, aka the
07:22Black Dahlia's, story remains untold.
07:24According to James Elroy, author of a 1987 novel inspired by the case, it's never going
07:29to be solved because it was not meant to be solved.
07:35Number 3.
07:36How Did Marilyn Monroe Really Die?
07:38Monroe is a household name, instantly recognizable for her vocal talent, acting prowess, and
07:43of course, trademark sultriness.
07:49She achieved unfathomable popularity in her life, and the world was devastated by her
07:53untimely passing in 1962.
07:55While her death was officially attributed to an overdose, the specifics of the incident
07:59are yet uncertain.
08:04Some believe Monroe took her own life, whereas others insist it must have been an accident.
08:14Still, others have proposed that run-ins with the Kennedy family, or the mob, made her a
08:18target for assassination.
08:23But even all these years later, it seems we are no closer to knowing what exactly did
08:35her in for certain.
08:36Number 2.
08:37The Brittany Murphy and Simon Monjack Case Murphy, the beloved actress known for her
08:41roles in films like Clueless and Girl Interrupted, sadly passed away in 2009 at the age of 32.
08:53Her death was attributed to pneumonia, anemia, and combined drug intoxication.
08:58Five months later, her husband, Simon Monjack, also died under eerily similar circumstances.
09:03This led to rampant speculation and conspiracy theories, including possible toxic mold exposure
09:08and foul play.
09:14Many who know Monjack found him suspicious, and wondered if his strange history had a
09:18hand in these bizarre events.
09:20Despite numerous investigations and public curiosity, the exact details surrounding their
09:24untimely deaths remain shrouded in mystery, leaving fans and loved ones without definitive
09:28answers.
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09:53Number 1.
09:54The Drowning of Natalie Wood This celebrated actress was known for her
09:57roles in Miracle on 34th Street, West Side Story, Rebel Without a Cause, and more.
10:03In 1981, Wood had drowned while on a yacht trip near Catalina Island.
10:13Also present on the boat were its captain, Wood's husband Robert Wagner, and her co-star,
10:18Christopher Walken.
10:19Although the death was initially ruled accidental, conflicting accounts and lingering questions
10:23about the events that led to her drowning have fueled speculation for decades.
10:43There have been investigations and reports, the cause of death even later being amended
10:46to drowning and other undetermined factors.
10:49Still, the true details of that fateful night remain elusive.
10:52It's likely that the full story behind Wood's death will never be revealed.
11:00Which of these celebrity secrets has you most intrigued?
11:03Let us know in the comments!