Actors are the type of celebrities that the public tends to put on a pedestal, and they sometimes become almost deathless in the eyes of their fans. A performance that stands out above the rest has a way of freezing a particular actor in time, but while they’re often immortalized in this manner, actors are still people, just like everyone else. They get sick like us, and sadly, they too die.

What’s left is a body of work that fans can appreciate and enjoy long after a beloved actor has passed. And one thing that some actors do that you don’t often see from other professions is work through the pain. It’s not uncommon for someone diagnosed with a serious illness to stop working, but actors are different. The late Maggie Smith continued acting in the “Harry Potter” franchise despite having Graves’ disease and also undergoing treatment for breast cancer. While Smith survived her cancer for years, she was committed to playing Professor McGonagall regardless. 

But Smith was far from unique, and other actors who received such diagnoses weren’t as fortunate. Occasionally, an actor learned of their impending demise, but instead of hanging it up and focusing on their treatment, they continued to work, ensuring — as in the examples below — that their final performance would be memorable.

Few actors from the Golden Age of Hollywood are as beloved as Humphrey Bogart. Hollywood’s original “tough guy” (via The Sun), he’s probably still best known for “Casablanca.” But throughout his career, Bogart landed many noteworthy roles in films like “Conflict,” “The Big Sleep,” and “The Maltese Falcon,” helping to establish the noir genre, and he went on to win the Academy Award for best actor in “The African Queen.” 

Bogart was a heavy smoker, resulting in a continuously worsening cough as he got older. His wife, Lauren Bacall, noted, “Sometimes his throat burned when he drank orange juice” (via Express). In 1956, Bogart received a diagnosis of esophageal cancer. He underwent surgery to remove a tumor, and while his health was poor, he continued to act. Bogart’s final role was playing Eddie Willis in “The Harder They Fall.”

His swan song is partly why the film holds a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, as Bogart is phenomenal as Willis. He doesn’t hand out punches or brandish a gun, but characteristically delivers his lines with aplomb. His final performance as a has-been sports writer who becomes a boxing publicist out of desperation is easily one of the actor’s best. Bogart died in his sleep on January 14, 1957, at the age of 57.

Pedro Armendáriz was a prominent character actor throughout the 1940s and ’50s, and one of the most popular Latin American actors of his era. Some of his more memorable performances came in “3 Godfathers,” “María Candelaria,” and “The Fugitive.” In 1956, Armendáriz appeared in John Wayne’s infamous Genghis Khan film, “The Conqueror,” which was filmed near a nuclear testing site. 

Ninety-one of the film’s 220 crew members developed cancer, including Armendáriz. He was diagnosed with neck cancer, and despite the pain he endured throughout his body, Armendáriz played Ali Kerim Bey in 1963’s “From Russia with Love.” He managed to shoot most of his scenes, but toward the end, director Terence Young had to double for him, as Armendáriz was too ill to continue. 

Bey is a standout in the James Bond film, working alongside Sean Connery’s 007 as the British agent’s ally in Istanbul, Turkey. You’d never know Armendáriz was dying of cancer watching the movie, as he put everything he had into bringing Ali to life. Armendáriz died by suicide on June 18, 1963, at the age of 51.

There aren’t many actors who nabbed two Academy Awards back to back, but Spencer Tracy managed the impressive feat for “Captains Courageous” and “Boys Town.” His work in various pictures brought in many accolades, and he ended his career with a total of nine Oscar nominations. He’s probably best known for “Inherit the Wind,” “Father of the Bride,” and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.”

Towards the end of his life, Tracy was in ever-worsening health, making it difficult for him to continue acting. His various vices contributed to his failing condition, and a pulmonary edema felled him in 1963. Two years later, prostate surgery left him seriously ill again. While he slowed down his schedule, Tracy found the strength to turn in an Oscar-nominated performance as Matt Drayton in 1967’s “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” 

Matt is a liberal father who is shaken when his daughter brings home a man of a different race. Though he’s apprehensive at first, Matt ends the film with a passionate showing of support in a seven-minute monologue that Tracy beautifully delivers as his real-life partner, Katharine Hepburn, watches with teary eyes. Tracy died from a heart attack at the age of 67 on June 10, 1967, shortly after filming wrapped.

Even if you don’t know his name, odds are you’ve seen John Cazale in something because, while his career was short, he appeared in some of the best movies of the 20th century. In his brief time on the silver screen, Cazale played Fredo Corleone in the first two “Godfather” films, and also starred in “The Conversation” and “Dog Day Afternoon,” so he chose his roles wisely.

Cazale was a heavy smoker and received a diagnosis of terminal lung cancer in May 1977, although he hid his condition from the public. As his health worsened, Cazale took one last role as Stan Stosh in “The Deer Hunter” alongside his fiancée, Meryl Streep. The film’s production company wanted to give Cazale the boot over the high insurance costs associated with his illness, but the cast and director fought to keep him.

Cazale turned in one of his greatest performances, playing a supporting role to the film’s main characters. He adds an emotional depth to the already charged narrative, which deals with the core characters’ PTSD after returning from Vietnam. He shot his scenes while he had the strength to do so, but Cazale died from his illness on March 12, 1978, at the age of 42, before the film’s release.

Julian Beck is probably best known as the creepy villain in the second “Poltergeist” movie, but he spent decades working in the theater. Beck founded The Living Theater with his wife Judith Malina in 1947, so it was a significant part of his personal and professional life. He was also an abstract expressionist painter, but he ventured onto movie sets as well, popping up in productions like “The Cotton Club” and “9 ½ Weeks.”

In 1983, Beck received a diagnosis of stomach cancer, but continued to work. His final role was playing the villainous Reverend Henry Kane in “Poltergeist II: The Other Side,” and his wicked smile struck fear into the hearts of many a moviegoer in 1986. Beck’s passing has been attributed to the so-called “Poltergeist Curse,” as numerous people associated with the franchise died prematurely or unnaturally young.

Kane is the ghost of a cult leader intent on abducting Carol Anne (Heather O’Rourke, who died at 12). It’s a particularly frightening performance even for a horror movie, and Beck’s appearance is truly fear-inducing. He was incredibly ill during filming and died on September 14, 1985, at the age of 60, passing away before having a chance to see his work on the silver screen.

Yūsaku Matsuda was a Japanese action star who influenced his nation’s popular culture in depictions of anime and video game characters based on his likeness. Some of these include Spike Spiegel in “Cowboy Bebop” and Kenshiro from “Fist of the North Star.” He got his start in Japan, but crossed the pond in 1989 to work with director Ridley Scott in “Black Rain” for what turned out to be his final performance.

In 1988, shortly before filming began of the role that would be his last, Matsuda was diagnosed with terminal bladder cancer. Matsuda decided to forgo chemotherapy, as he believed it would impact his ability to act in the film. That decision likely contributed to his early death because, while he was still shooting, his cancer spread throughout his body, significantly diminishing his health.

Matsuda fulfilled his dream of working in a Hollywood production, playing the antagonist, Sato Koji, in “Black Rain.” Movies are only as good as their villains, and while “Black Rain” wasn’t a critical hit, Matsuda played the Yakuza leader so well that his performance makes it worth a watch. He died on November 6, 1989, at the age of 40 after a month of hospitalization.

Of all the actors known for playing villains, Vincent Price is probably one of the most famous. He starred in over 100 films, many of which were horror, and some of his most notable parts included lead roles in “The Fall of the House of Usher,” “The Pit and the Pendulum,” and “The Fly.” He was also the idol of director Tim Burton, who collaborated with him in three projects.

Toward the end of his life, Price’s health diminished from Parkinson’s disease and emphysema, brought on by a lifelong smoking habit. These took a toll on his ability to work, and while it was challenging for him, he accepted one more part before his death. Price’s last movie role was given to him by Burton, and while it was a minor character in “Edward Scissorhands,” Price still brought his A-game.

Price’s filming schedule and role had to be altered due to his health, but he played The Inventor, the title character’s creator, offering a sensitive portrayal of a lonely man far removed from the world. His performance instills in the audience a sense of longing shared by Edward (Johnny Depp), and it was a fitting final appearance for the Hollywood legend. Price died from lung cancer on October 25, 1993, at the age of 82.

While some may judge an actor’s abilities on the number of Academy Award nominations they’ve received, Raul Julia is one of the greatest actors to receive none. This travesty of justice didn’t stop him from producing a huge portfolio of work, primarily in the theater, but also in films. Wjhile he starred in many, he’s probably best known for playing Gomez Addams in the two “Addams Family” movies from the early 1990s.

Julia’s health declined in the years leading up to his death, though he hid this from the public. He was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 1991, and by 1994, his condition worsened significantly. This came soon after he finished filming his part in 1994’s “Street Fighter,” playing the film’s villain, General M. Bison. Unfortunately, Julia’s final film was a flop, as critics and fans hated the adaptation.

While the film is objectively awful, that didn’t stop Julia from treating it like Shakespeare, and his standout performance shows his talent. He took the role as a gift to his children, as he wanted to leave them something they could enjoy after his death, which he likely believed was imminent. Julia had a stroke and fell into a coma on October 20, 1994. He died four days later at the age of 54.

Jason Robards was best known early in his career for his theater work, but he later expanded into film and television, earning numerous accolades. He won two consecutive Oscars for his work in “All the President’s Men” and “Julia,” while appearing in other numerous high-profile films, including “Tora! Tora! Tora!” and “Philadelphia.”

Robards’ health began to fail into the ’90s, and he took his final film role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1999 film “Magnolia” while dying from lung cancer. At the time, Robards had a sickly appearance and hadn’t acted in the theater for years. He was also a recovering alcoholic and had gone through several bouts of depression, but you’d never know it watching his performance.

In “Magnolia,” Robards plays Earl Partridge, a man who’s also dying of the same illness — lung cancer — as Robards himself. Perhaps because of this, Robards brings emotional depth to Partridge in a sincere expression of what he must have been feeling at the time. Robards died from the disease on December 26, 2000, at the age of 78.

There are many actors people recognize without knowing their name, and Pete Postlethwaite was certainly one such performer. As a character actor, Postlethwaite disappeared into his roles, whether in “The Usual Suspects,” “Romeo + Juliet,” or “Amistad.” His talent was such that director Steven Spielberg called him (via The Guardian) “the best actor in the world.”

Postlethwaite’s health began to wane in the 1990s, and in 2009, he received a terminal diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, nearly 20 years after his first cancer diagnosis. This didn’t keep him from acting, and while he was likely in great pain and discomfort, he worked for as long as possible. While Postlethwaite gave award-nominated performances in 2010’s “Inception” and “The Town,” his final film was “Killing Bono” the following year.

Unfortunately, Postlethwaite’s last movie was a critical dud, but you’d never know it watching his performance. He’s not in the movie much, but the veteran English actor plays a dandyish landlord who steals every scene he’s in. He was initially meant to play a gangster, but the director couldn’t secure insurance, so he played a smaller part which he clearly had fun portraying. Noticeably gaunt in the movie, Postlethwaite succumbed to his disease on January 2, 2011, at the age of 64, a few months before “Killing Bono” hit theaters.

Catherine Coulson didn’t amass a huge acting filmography during her career in Hollywood, because she spent much of her time working behind the scenes as a camera operator and in other technical roles. She also worked in the theater, spending 22 seasons with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. But onscreen, Coulson is probably best known for playing the so-called “Log Lady” in director David Lynch’s 1990-1991 TV series, “Twin Peaks.”

Lynch gave her the role after working with her on “Eraserhead” over a dozen years earlier, and it became her signature part. When “Twin Peaks” nabbed a third season revival 26 years after it was canceled, Coulson returned, though she was deathly ill at the time. Undergoing treatment for terminal lung cancer, Coulson agreed to reprise her role, though doing so required schedule changes to accommodate her failing health.

Lynch directed Coulson via Skype while she remained in her home in Oregon, and she appeared in five episodes of the revived series. The enigmatic Log Lady remained just as unusual as she was in the 1990s, and her illness didn’t keep Coulson from diving back into the character she became known for. Coulson died from the disease on September 28, 2015, at the age of 71.

Alan Rickman’s career included movies across multiple franchises. He started in television and the theater, and made the leap to films in 1988’s “Die Hard,” playing the villainous Hans Gruber. Rickman was exceptionally talented at portraying evil characters, and he dominated every scene in which he appeared, whether it was a “Harry Potter” movie or his dozens of one-off performances.

In 2006, Rickman received a prostatectomy following a cancer diagnosis in 2005. He almost left “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” but decided to continue what he started. Rickman remained in relatively good health until he had a stroke in 2015, followed by a diagnosis of terminal pancreatic cancer. He kept this information to himself and those closest to him.

Rickman’s final movie performance was behind the microphone, reprising his voice role as the blue caterpillar-turned-butterfly, Absolem, in 2016’s “Alice Through the Looking Glass.” Rickman brought the same level of clarity to the character as he did in the first movie, and his languorous voice adds to Absolem’s uniquely meta characterization. Rickman passed away on January 14, 2016, at the age of 69.

While his career was far too short, Chadwick Boseman made a significant impact on popular culture by playing T’Challa, aka Black Panther, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While that was perhaps the biggest of his several iconic roles, Boseman also played legendary funk performer James Brown in 2014’s “Get On Up” and baseball pioneer Jackie Robinson in “42,” which was his breakout performance. But his work as T’Challa — for which he packed on plenty of muscle – in the groundbreaking “Black Panther” earned Boseman the most attention.

Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016, with the disease progressing to Stage IV, but Boseman kept his condition a secret from almost everyone outside his immediate family, including Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige. Boseman’s appearance began to show signs of his condition towards the end of his life, but he managed to turn in a final, Academy Award-nominated performance before he died.

Boseman plays Levee Green in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” showcasing every bit of his immense talent as the trumpeter intent on recording his own songs. Boseman’s work is emotional and also heartbreaking in hindsight, as his grief is palpable. It’s a beautiful final performance by an incredibly gifted actor — and it’s also hard to watch, as Boseman is physically a shadow of his former self. Boseman died on August 28, 2020, at the age of 43.

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