Remarkable Lives. Tragic Deaths.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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”.

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 relative, Julius Caesar, when a group of assassins led by Cassius Chaerea stabbed him to death.

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.

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.

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.

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. Sponsor: https://www.soylent.com/lives

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.

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.