Celebrities Lost To HIV/AIDS.
Celebrities who lost their lives to HIV or AIDS.
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- Music Department
- Actor
- Composer
Cazuza was born on 4 April 1958 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was an actor and composer, known for Closer (2004), The Emerald Forest (1985) and Ashes of Paradise (1997). He died on 9 July 1990 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Singer.- Director
- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Adair was born on 25 November 1943 in Los Angeles County, California, USA. He was a director and cinematographer, known for The AIDS Show (1986), Absolutely Positive (1991) and In the 1st Degree. He died on 27 June 1996 in San Francisco, California, USA.Filmmaker.- Additional Crew
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Ailey was born in the rural town of Rogers, Texas, USA. His childhood memories and experiences often informed his choreography; the most notable of his works was "Blues Suite", "Cry" (choreographed for Judith Jamison), and "Revelations", a ballet based on Ailey's observations and experiences in Black Baptist churches that was set to traditional Negro Spirituals. "Revelations" has the distinction of being one of the most performed ballets in the world. Beginning his dance career in 1953 with Lester Horton's dance company, Ailey assumed the artistic direction of Horton's company after Horton's death in 1953. In 1958, Ailey's seven member dance company, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, made its debut at the 92nd Street YMHA in New York City. Keeping a unique perspective about dance, he did not use his dance company merely as a vehicle to showcase his own choreography; he developed the Ailey American Dance Theater into a repertory company that provided art and entertainment while institutionalizing modern dances, helping preserve and develop old and new works by a variety of choreographers. Before his death in 1989, he had choreographed seventy-nine ballets, received New York's Handel Medallion, the Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Award for lifetime contributions to modern dance, and in 1988, the Kennedy Center honored him for lifetime achievement in the performing arts. Additionally, Ailey's company was sent on several world tours by the U. S. State Department performing in the Soviet Union, France, Denmark, Finland, Morocco, and throughout South America to enthusiastic audiences and critics. After his death in 1989, his protege and former principal dancer Judith Jamison became artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater furthering the Ailey dance tradition and artistic mission that is applauded and acknowledged throughout the world.Dancer, choreographer.- Cinematographer
- Director
- Camera and Electrical Department
One of the highest appraised contemporary cinematographers. He was born in Spain but moved to Cuba by age 18 to join his exiled anti-Franco father. In Havana, he founded a cineclub and wrote film reviews. Then, he went on to study in Rome at the Centro Sperimentale. He directed six shorts in Cuba and two in New York. After the 1959 Cuban revolution, he returned and made several documentaries for the Castro-regime. But after two of his shorts (Gente en la playa (1960) and La Tumba Francesca) had been banned, he moved to Paris. There he became the favourite cameraman of Éric Rohmer and François Truffaut. In 1978, he started his impressive Hollywood-career. In his later years, he co-directed two documentaries about the human rights situation in Cuba: Improper Conduct (1984) (about the persecution of gay people) and Nadie escuchaba (1987). He shot several prestigious commercials for Giorgio Armani and Calvin Klein. Nestor Almendros died of cancer.Cinematographer.- Director
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Emile Ardolino was born on 9 May 1943 in Maspeth, New York, USA. He was a director and producer, known for Dirty Dancing (1987), Great Performances: Dance in America (1976) and He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin' (1983). He died on 20 November 1993 in Bel Air, California, USA.Director.- Actor
- Writer
Arthur Ashe grew up in segregated Richmond, Virgina where he decided to make a career out of tennis where he won his first U.S. Open in 1968, the first ever won by a black player. Ashe firmly established his stardom in 1975 after beating Jimmy Connors to take the Wimbledon title. As a tennis professional, he won three Grand Slam singles titles and led the U.S. to four Davis Cup victories. Over his career he won 33 singles tournaments on five continents. A sudden heart attack in 1979 ended his playing career where he underwent quadruple bypass surgery and then double bypass surgery in 1983 where he contracted AIDS from tainted blood during the surgery. Ashe kept his illness a secret until a newspaper leaked the story in early 1992 where he finally admited that he had AIDS and became an outspoken advocate for more research funding and created the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS. He died just two days after completing his memoirs "Days of Grace."Tennis champion, activist.- Music Department
- Composer
- Writer
A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Howard Ashman moved to New York City in 1974 and began writing plays while working as an editor in a publishing house. His work attracted attention and he became WPA Theatre's artist director in 1977. In 1982, Ashman collaborated with composer Alan Menken on the musical "Little Shop of Horrors", one of off-Broadway's highest-grossing musicals. The team of Ashman and Menken shifted their focus to movies, creating some of the songs for The Little Mermaid (1989). One of them, "Under the Sea", won an Oscar in 1989 for best song. Ashman then wrote the lyrics for the songs in the Disney animated musical hit Beauty and the Beast (1991), and he and Menken won another Oscar for the title song. However, two days after he won an Oscar for "Under the Sea" Ashman confided in Menken that he had AIDS. Despite the terminal illness that was making him weaker every day, Ashman never stopped composing songs. He even turned out more songs for a third Disney animated musical, Aladdin (1992), before his death from AIDS on March 14, 1991, at the age of 40.Composer, writer, producer.- Writer
- Additional Crew
Isaac Asimov was born Isaak Judah Ozimov, on January 2, 1920, in Petrovichi shtetl, near Smolensk, Russia. He was the oldest of three children. His father, named Judah Ozimov, and his mother, named Anna Rachel Ozimov (nee Berman), were Orthodox Jews. Ozimov family were millers (the name Ozimov comes from the eponymous sort of wheat in Russian). In 1923 Isaac with his parents immigrated to the USA and settled in Brooklyn, New York. There his parents temporarily changed his birthday to September 7, 1919, in order to send him to school a year earlier. Their family name was changed from Ozimov to Asimov.
Asimov was an avid reader before the age of 5. He spoke Yiddish and English at home with his parents and spoke only a few word in Russian. He began his formal education in 1925 in the New York Public School system. From 1930-1932 he was placed in the rapid advance course. In 1935 he graduated from high school, in 1939 received a B.S. and in 1941 he earned his M. Sc. in Chemistry from Columbia University. From 1942-1945 Asimov was a chemist at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard's Naval Air experimental station. After the war ended, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and was transfered to the island of Oahu and was destined to participate in the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946. He narrowly avoided that by receiving an honorable discharge in May 1946. In 1948 he completed his post-graduate studies and earned his Ph. D. in Chemistry. In 1949 he began his teaching career at the Medical School of Boston University, becoming assistant professor in 1951, and associate professor in 1955. In 1958 Asimov became a full-time writer and gave up his teaching duties because his income from his literary works was much greater than his professor's salary. He was fired, but he retained his title and later returned as a lecturer and was promoted to the rank of full professor in 1979. Asimov was considered one of the best lecturers at Boston University.
Young Isaac Asimov was raised as a non-religious person. His parents observed the Orthodox Judaism, but did not force their belief upon young Asimov. He did not have affiliation with a temple, did not have a bar mizvah and called himself an atheist, then used the term "humanist" in his later life. He did not oppose genuine religious convictions in others but opposed superstitious or unfounded beliefs. Asimov defined his intellectual position as a Humanist and rationalist. He opposed the Vietnam war in the 1960s and was a supporter of the Democratic party. He embraced environmental issues, and supported feminism, joking that he wished women to be free "because I hate it when they charge". He was also humorous about many of his memberships in various clubs and foundations. Asimov did not approve exclusionary societies, he left Mensa after he found that many of the members were arrogant. He liked individuality and stayed in groups where he enjoyed giving speeches. As a free thinker, Asimov saw sci-fi literature serving as a pool where ideas and hypotheses are expressed with unrestricted intellectual freedom.
Young Asimov was fascinated with science fiction magazines which were sold at his parent's general store. Around the age of 11 he wrote eight chapters of a fiction about adventures of young boys in a small town. His first publication was "Marooned Off Vesta" in the Amazing Stories magazine in 1939. Asimov shot to fame in 1941 with 'Nightfall', a story of a planet where night comes once every 2049 years. 'Nightfall' has been described as one of the best science fiction stories ever written. Asimov wrote over five hundred literary works. He is credited for introducing the words "positronic", "psychohistory", and "robotics" into the English language. He penned such classics as "I, Robot" and the "Foundation" series, which are considered to be the most impressive of his writings. He also founded "Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine", which became a best-selling publication.
Asimov was afraid of needles and the sight of blood. Although he had the highest score on the intelligence test he had the lowest score on the physical-conditioning test. He never learned how to swim or ride a bicycle. The author who described spaceflights suffered from fear of flying. In his entire life he had to fly only twice during his military service. Acrophobia was revealed when he took his date and first love on a roller coaster in 1940, and was terrified. This phobia complicated the logistics and limited the range over which he traveled; it also found reflection in some of his literary works. He avoided traveling long distances. Instead he enjoyed cruise ships like the RMS Queen Elizabeth 2, where he occasionally entertained passengers with his science-themed talks. He impressed public with his highly entertaining speeches as well as with his sharp sense of timing; he never looked at the clock, but he spoke for precisely the time allocated. Asimov's sense of time prevented him from ever being late to a meeting. Once he discovered that his parents changed his date of birth, he insisted that the official records of his birthday be corrected to January 2, 1920, the date he personally celebrated throughout his life.
Asimov met Gertrude Blugherman on a blind date on Valentine's Day in February of 1942, they got married in July of the same year. The Asimovs had two children, son David (born in 1951), and daughter Robyn Joan (born in 1955). Asimov had known Janet Opal Jeppson since 1959. She was a psychoanalyst and also a writer of science fiction for children. Correspondence with her convinced Asimov that she was the right kind of person for him. He and Gertrude were separated in 1970, and he moved in with Janet Jappeson almost at once. His first marriage ended in divorce in 1973. That same year he and Janet Jeppson were married at Janet's home by an official of Ethical Culture Society. Asimov had no children by his second marriage.
In 1983 Asimov contracted HIV infection from a tainted blood transfusion received during a triple bypass surgery. He eventually developed AIDS and wanted to go public about his AIDS but his doctors convinced Asimov to remain silent. The specific cause of death was heart and renal failure as complications of AIDS. He died on April 6, 1992, in Boston, Massachussets, and was cremated. His ashes were scattered.
Ten years after Asimov's death, his widow, Janet Jeppson Asimov, revealed that his death was a consequence of an unfortunately contracted AIDS.Author, scientist.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Amanda Blake was born in Buffalo, NY, of English and Scottish descent. She and her parents moved to Claremont, California, while Amanda was still in high school, and she graduated from Claremont High. She enrolled at Pomona College but, due to her avid participation in community and theater productions, she was devoting much more time to acting than her schoolwork. Amanda started on a full acting schedule, doing summer stock in New England. She followed that up with theater and radio acting in Buffalo and then movies in Hollywood. While acting in small theater and stock companies she also painted backdrops and scenery. She was still in her teens when she debuted in MGM"s Stars in My Crown (1950), and her first television role was in Double Exposure (1952). Her most famous role, however, came in 1955, when she starred in the classic western series Gunsmoke (1955) as "Miss Kitty" Russell, the feisty madame and proprietor of Dodge City's Long Branch Saloon opposite James Arness' Marshal Matt Dillon.Actress, activist.- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Jorge Bolet was born on 15 November 1914 in Havana, Cuba. He is known for À la place du coeur (1998), Song Without End (1960) and Music for You (1951). He died on 16 October 1990 in Mountain View, California, USA.Concert pianist.- Leigh Bowery was born on 26 March 1961 in Sunshine, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. He was an actor, known for The Ghosts of Oxford Street (1991), The Fall: Mr. Pharmacist (1986) and Lana Pellay: Pistol in My Pocket (1986). He was married to Nicola Bowery. He died on 31 December 1994 in London, England, UK.Performance artist, fashion designer.
- Director
- Editor
- Writer
One of the pioneers of independent gay cinema in the 1970s and '80s, Arthur J. Bressan, Jr. is best known for his 1985 drama, Buddies (the first feature film about AIDS). Working across multiple genres including documentary, narrative, adult and short form filmmaking, Bressan's boldness and artistry as a writer-director earned him both acclaim and controversy over the course of his decade-long filmmaking career.
In addition to Buddies, Bressan's best known films include Abuse (hailed by Rex Reed as "a film of astonishing power and emotional impact"); the ambitious 1977 documentary Gay U.S.A. which showcased LGBT Pride celebrations across the country during the time of Anita Bryant's anti-gay crusade; and Passing Strangers, Bressan's lyrical hard-core coming out drama which earned him the Best Director Prize at the 1974 San Francisco Erotic Film Festival. Other films include: Forbidden Letters (1979), Family Affair (1982), Thank You, Mr. President (1983), Pleasure Beach (1984), Juice (1984) and Daddy Dearest (1984).
Bressan died of AIDS in 1987.Director.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Merritt Butrick was an American actor from Gainesville, Florida. He is primarily remembered for portraying Dr. David Marcus in the science fiction films "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" (1982) and "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" (1984). His character was depicted as a son of the Starfleet officer James Tiberius "Jim" Kirk (played by William Shatner) and the leading scientist Dr. Carol Marcus (played by Bibi Besch). Butrick also portrayed the one-shot character of Captain T'Jon in a 1988 episode of the science fiction series "Star Trek: The Next Generation". His character was depicted as a ship's commanding officer who had been tasked with transporting medication, but had become addicted to the drug felicium.
Butrick received his high school education at the Tamalpais High School, located in Mill Valley, California. The city is part of the San Francisco Bay Area. Butrick graduated from high school in 1977, and subsequently attended the California Institute of the Arts with the intent of becoming an actor. He dropped out, as his instructors thought that he did not have the necessary skills to become an actor. He subsequently found steady work as an actor throughout the 1980s.
In his television debut, Butrick portrayed a recurring rapist in two episodes of the police procedural "Hill Street Blues". His first major role in television was portraying the supporting character Johnny Slash in the sitcom "Square Pegs" (1982-1983). His character was depicted as a geeky high school student. Johnny demonstrated eccentric behavior, but insisted that he was not on drugs. He hung out with the social misfit Patty Greene (played by Sarah Jessica Parker), and was hinted to be attracted to her. The series was praised for its realism, but it was canceled prematurely. The production company received several complains concerning drug and alcohol abuse by teenage members of the cast, and decided to pull the plug to avoid further controversy.
Butrick's other films included the telekinesis-themed comedy "Zapped! (1982)", the corporate corruption-themed black comedy "Head Office" (1985), the dysfunctional family-themed drama "Shy People" (1987), the vampire-themed horror film "Fright Night Part 2" (1988), and the ghost-themed horror film "Death Spa" (1989). He received praise in 1988 for his portrayal of a ditzy male prostitute in the stage play "Kingfish".
In March 1989, Butrick died at the age of 29. His death was caused by toxoplasmosis, complicated by an AIDS infection. Two panels were dedicated to him as part of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, both referencing his role as David Marcus. A few of his former co-stars have recorded anecdotes about his life and career in DVD featurettes, though Butrick had few confidants.Actor.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Michael Callen was born on 11 April 1955 in Indiana, USA. He was an actor, known for Philadelphia (1993), Zero Patience (1993) and The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson (2017). He died on 27 December 1993 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Singer, activist.- Bobbi Campbell was born on 28 January 1952 in Columbus, Georgia, USA. He died on 15 August 1984 in San Francisco, California, USA.Activist.
- Being born and raised in Edinburgh, Charleson attended the Royal High School and then went on to attend Edinburgh University. He initially studied architecture but switched to an MA degree after cultivating an interest in acting. He won a place at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art after graduating from Edinburgh.Actor, singer.
- Tina Chow was born Bettina Louise Lutz to a Japanese mother and a German-American father in 1951. In her teens, she and her sister, Adelle Lutz, enjoyed success as models for Japanese cosmetics giant Shiseido's advertising campaign. This was a primer for Tina's future status as a major fashion icon of the 1980s.
She married restaurateur Michael Chow in 1972, and had two children with him: China Chow (born in 1974), who is now an up-and-coming actress, and Maximillian Chow (born in 1977).
Throughout their marriage, Tina helped Michael run his successful restaurant chain, "Mr. Chow's", and enjoyed the benefits of fame and celebrity. The couple lived an elite and exciting nightlife, and were considered to be quite prominent in the New York art world (artist friends included the late Keith Haring, Andy Warhol and Jean Michel Basquiat).Model, restaurateur, jewelry designer. - Roy M. Cohn was born on 20 February 1927 in New York City, New York, USA. He died on 2 August 1986 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Attorney.
- Actor
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Robbin Crosby was born on 4 August 1959 in La Jolla, California, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for The Wrestler (2008), That's My Boy (2012) and Super Troopers 2 (2018). He was married to Laurie Ann Carr. He died on 6 June 2002 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Guitarist, Ratt.- Born in Florida in 1949, Brad Davis moved to Georgia after graduating from high school to pursue an acting career. From there, he moved to New York City, twice, to find work. By the early 1970s Davis was acting in off-Broadway plays while studying acting at the Academy of Dramatic Arts. His stage work led to his movie debut and to television shows such as the hit Sybil (1976) and the mini-series Roots (1977). His biggest success was in 1978 with the lead role in Midnight Express (1978) where he played Billy Hayes, a young American imprisoned in Turkey for drug smuggling. It won him a Golden Globe award.
Another memorable movie role in 1982 was playing the title character of Querelle (1982), a ruggedly lethal sailor who seduces and sets both men and women's hearts aflutter.
Davis contracted AIDS in 1979 apparently from his one-time cocaine addiction, but in response to the anti-AIDS hysteria in Hollywood, Davis kept his illness a secret for a number of years and continued to act. His later years had him finally revealing that he had AIDS by the late 1980s and he became an AIDS activist in bashing the Hollywood industry and US government for ignoring and shunning victims suffering from the hideous disease. Brad Davis died in 1991 at age 41. His widow, Susan Bluestein, continues his activist work in the fight against AIDS.Actor. - Actor
- Soundtrack
Bobby DeBarge was born on 5 March 1956 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He was an actor, known for Shaft (2019), Punky Brewster (1984) and American Bandstand (1952). He was married to Teri DeBarge. He died on 16 August 1995 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.Singer.- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Paul Delph was born on 28 February 1957 in Norwood, Ohio, USA. Paul is known for No Small Affair (1984), North Shore (1987) and Gone Surfin' (1987). Paul died on 21 May 1996 in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.Singer, songwriter, producer, engineer.- Actor
- Director
Actor-turned-director Robert Drivas showed dark, brooding power and strong potential on the 60s stage, film and TV but, in the long run, did not achieve the kind of success he deserved. Born on November 21, 1935, the Coral Gables, Florida native initially studied his craft at the Universities of Chicago and Miami. He also trained at the Greek Playhouse in Athens and the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Miami. Making a potent New York debut as Ramses in the play "The Firstborn" (1958) starring Anthony Quayle as Moses and producer Katharine Cornell in the role of Bithiah, Drivas continued to be impressive on stage with "One More River" (1960), "The Wall" (1960), "The Irregular Verb to Love" (1963), "And Things That Go Bump in the Night" (1965) and "Where Has Tommy Flowers Gone?" (1971). In 1963 he won a Theatre World Award for his performance in "Mrs. Dally Has a Lover" alongside another TWA winner Estelle Parsons.
The attention he received on the theater boards eventually led to TV. Drivas showed great intensity and lasting power in episodic guest parts on such 60s crime shows as N.Y.P.D. (1967) and The Defenders (1961), and was a popular and frequent guest on The F.B.I. (1965). He also appeared as a guest star in episodes of Route 66 (1960) and 12 O'Clock High (1964). His first film appearance was long in coming but drew noticeable attention with the featured role of Loudmouth Steve in the classic prison drama, Cool Hand Luke (1967). This auspicious debut led to a couple of "generation gap" movies in which he was bumped up to co-star billing. Sharing the screen with Rod Steiger and Claire Bloom in the controversial LSD-influenced The Illustrated Man (1969), Drivas was intoxicating in his role but the film itself was deemed too "far out" and was considered a failure. Drivas was also quite impressive as the ultra-cool but idealistic son of David Janssen in Where It's At (1969). Again, the film was dismissed and Drivas did not advance. He went on to make only four more movies, all independent and/or foreign-made features and all overlooked.
Drivas turned successfully to stage directing in the 1970s, which included a number of Broadway projects. He gained progressive respect with his directing of such plays as "Bad Habits," for which he won an Obie award, the uproarious farce "The Ritz," "Legend," "Cheaters," "It Had to Be You," which starred the writing husband-and-wife team of Joseph Bologna and Renée Taylor, a revival of the musical "Little Me," and, his last, "Peg" in 1983 a short-lived reenactment of the life of songstress Peggy Lee with lyrics and book by the star herself. A few years later Drivas tragically died of AIDS-related cancer at the age of 50.Actor.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Denholm entered RADA at the age of 17, but dropped out after a year having hated every minute being there. He joined the RAF in 1940, trained as a gunner/radio operator, and was shot down over Germany in 1942. In the POW camp he and his fellow prisoners staged various productions in a theatre constructed out of old packing cases. After the war he joined a London repertory company and his career took off particularly when Laurence Olivier chose him for the starring role in Venus Observed, for which he won a Clarence Derwent award. When another Olivier production Ring Around the Moon transferred to New York Denholm replaced Paul Schofield in what became a Broadway hit. Returning to Britain he was signed to a film contract and appeared in such movies as The Cruel Sea, The Sound Barrier, Alfie, King Rat, and others in addition to appearing on television and making countrywide theatre tours. In 1983 he won a BAFTA Award for his role as the butler in Trading Places and followed it with a Best Supporting Actor Award for his role in A Private Function. Prior to that he won an Evening Standard Best Actor award for Bad Timing.Actor.- Costume and Wardrobe Department
- Costume Designer
Perry Edwin Ellis was born in 1940 in Portsmouth, Virginia, an only child. Until the age of nine, he and his parents lived with his grandmother in a huge old house which was filled with vintage clothing that belonged to Perry's aunts, which he found fascinating just looking at them. After graduating from high school, Perry majored in business at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. Later he attended New York University where he earned a master's degree in retailing. In 1963, Perry returned to Virginia and began working as a sportswear buyer for Miller & Rhoads, an upscale department store based in Richmond, where Perry often shopped for clothes when he was a teenager. Perry stocked the college department with preppie clothes designed by John Meyer of Norwich, Connecticut. Each year, he spent nearly $1,000,000 on Meyer's designs, making Miller & Rhodes one of the company's largest accounts. Impressed by the selections Perry made, Meyer grilled him about style trends. In 1967, Meyer hired Perry as a merchandiser and moved to New York.
In 1974, John Meyer died of cancer and Perry moved to the Vera Companies, where he worked as a sportswear merchandiser. Vera Co. specialized in designing polyester double-knit pantsuits. Perry tried to change the company's image by introducing natural fabrics. In 1975, the company's president allowed Perry to produce his own line under the Portfolio label. Perry designed 33 pieces for a fashion show in the Vera showroom where retailers and fashion critics were astonished by Perry's eclectic designs. This inspired Perry to start his own design company.
In 1978, his own company, Perry Ellis Sportswear began production. Perry opened his own showroom in an old band on the corner of Seventh Avenue and 41st Street. A peer of Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauran, and Anne Klein, Perry helped boost his reputation of American sportswear. By 1982 over 75 employees were working for Perry Ellis Sportswear. Unfortunately, Perry's health from then on began to decline after he came down with hepatitis. Soon other maladies crept in which he kept a secret from most of his friends and employees, who believed his frequent absences where letting the company slowly fall apart. In 1984, Perry and a old girlfriend, Barbara Gallagher, who lived in Los Angeles, has a daughter whom he named Tyler.
In May 1986, a gaunt Perry unveiled his latest line. People who attended the show, aware of Perry's health problems, thought it would be his last. When the show ended, Perry, too weak for the traditional walk down the fashion runway, appeared briefly in the doorway of the showroom where he received a standing ovation. A few hours later, Perry collapsed and was rushed to a hospital where he slipped into a coma. Two weeks later, on May 30, 1986, Perry Ellis died at age 46.Fashion designer.