Death by Cameo: Difference between revisions

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== Comic Books ==
== Comic Books ==
* In Filler Bunny, GIR from [[Invader Zim]], also created by [[Jhonen Vasquez]], is found dead in a pile of corpses in the third issue.
* In Filler Bunny, GIR from [[Invader Zim]], also created by [[Jhonen Vasquez]], is found dead in a pile of corpses in the third issue.
** Jhonen himself dies in the ''[[Johnny the Homicidal Maniac]]'' spinoff ''I Feel Sick''. In his brief [[Creator Cameo]], his boss rapes him and then throws him out a skyscraper window. Jhonen was upset over the [[Executive Meddling]] with ''[[Invader Zim]]'' when he wrote that.
** Jhonen himself dies in the ''[[Johnny the Homicidal Maniac]]'' spinoff ''I Feel Sick''. In his brief [[Creator Cameo]], his boss rapes him and then throws him out a skyscraper window. Jhonen was upset over the [[Executive Meddling]] with ''[[Invader Zim]]'' when he wrote that.




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== Film - Live-Action ==
== Film - Live-Action ==
* The live-action ''[[Transformers Film Series|Transformers]]'' movie has Megatron casually flicking (a CGI approximation of) Michael Bay, saying "Disgusting."
* The live-action ''[[Transformers Film Series|Transformers]]'' movie has Megatron casually flicking (a CGI approximation of) Michael Bay, saying "Disgusting."
** There was actually going to be a much longer scene with Megatron personally plucking Michael out of a car for no reason other than to be a bastard and to have Michael in the movie. The cast and crew spent almost an entire day tormenting Michael by doing this scene over and over again. Hilariously, after Michael spent a day hanging on to a car, the scene ended up being cut from the movie due to time constraints.
** There was actually going to be a much longer scene with Megatron personally plucking Michael out of a car for no reason other than to be a bastard and to have Michael in the movie. The cast and crew spent almost an entire day tormenting Michael by doing this scene over and over again. Hilariously, after Michael spent a day hanging on to a car, the scene ended up being cut from the movie due to time constraints.
* Director Martin Campbell appears as the tanker truck driver murdered at Miami airport in ''[[Casino Royale]]''. He also appeared in ''[[Goldeneye]]'' as a motorcyclist who gets run over by Xenia Onatopp, and in that same movie Pierce Brosnan's stunt double Wayne Michaels (who performed the bungee jump at the beginning) appears as a helicopter pilot who gets blown away with a machine gun by Xenia Onatopp.
* Director Martin Campbell appears as the tanker truck driver murdered at Miami airport in ''[[Casino Royale]]''. He also appeared in ''[[Goldeneye]]'' as a motorcyclist who gets run over by Xenia Onatopp, and in that same movie Pierce Brosnan's stunt double Wayne Michaels (who performed the bungee jump at the beginning) appears as a helicopter pilot who gets blown away with a machine gun by Xenia Onatopp.
* In ''[[Creepshow]]'', Stephen King (who wrote the screenplay) plays a character named Jordy who turns into a giant fungus. He commits suicide by shooting himself with a shotgun.
* In ''[[Creepshow]]'', Stephen King (who wrote the screenplay) plays a character named Jordy who turns into a giant fungus. He commits suicide by shooting himself with a shotgun.
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* Frank Miller appeared in the ''[[Sin City]]'' film as the preacher who gets shot to death by Marv. He also appears as the man who is killed by Bullseye using a pen (to steal his motorcycle) in ''[[Daredevil (film)|Daredevil]]'' and the detective who gets decapitated near the beginning of ''[[The Spirit (film)|The Spirit]]''.
* Frank Miller appeared in the ''[[Sin City]]'' film as the preacher who gets shot to death by Marv. He also appears as the man who is killed by Bullseye using a pen (to steal his motorcycle) in ''[[Daredevil (film)|Daredevil]]'' and the detective who gets decapitated near the beginning of ''[[The Spirit (film)|The Spirit]]''.
** And in ''[[RoboCop]] 2'', for which he cowrote the screenplay, where he plays a lab tech [[The Danza|named Frank]] who gets blown up.
** And in ''[[RoboCop]] 2'', for which he cowrote the screenplay, where he plays a lab tech [[The Danza|named Frank]] who gets blown up.
* Russell Mulcahy, director of ''[[Highlander]]'', has a split-second cameo as a man who the Kurgan runs over with a car.
* Russell Mulcahy, director of ''[[Highlander]]'', has a split-second cameo as a man who the Kurgan runs over with a car.
* [[Christopher Paolini]] wanted to play a [[Red Shirt]] who is beheaded in battle at the end of ''[[The Inheritance Cycle|Eragon]]'', but his busy schedule prevented him from doing it. He's said that, in the event that any more films are made of his books, he'd like to make cameos in all of them where he dies horribly.
* [[Christopher Paolini]] wanted to play a [[Red Shirt]] who is beheaded in battle at the end of ''[[The Inheritance Cycle|Eragon]]'', but his busy schedule prevented him from doing it. He's said that, in the event that any more films are made of his books, he'd like to make cameos in all of them where he dies horribly.
* Special effects artist Tom Savini frequently dies in his works, including but not limited to ''[[Dawn of the Dead (film)|Dawn of the Dead]]'', ''[[Maniac (film)|Maniac]]'', and ''[[From Dusk till Dawn]]''.
* Special effects artist Tom Savini frequently dies in his works, including but not limited to ''[[Dawn of the Dead (film)|Dawn of the Dead]]'', ''[[Maniac (film)|Maniac]]'', and ''[[From Dusk till Dawn]]''.
** He survives slightly longer than usual in ''[[Grindhouse]]: Planet Terror'' after having one of his fingers bitten off.
** He survives slightly longer than usual in ''[[Grindhouse]]: Planet Terror'' after having one of his fingers bitten off.
* Some ''[[Star Wars]]'' crew members have such cameos. Sound designer Ben Burtt is punched by Chewbacca in ''[[Return of the Jedi]]'' (and tries to emulate the [[Stock Scream|Wilhelm Scream]] while being [[Blown Across the Room]]), VFX supervisor Rob Knoll is a pilot whose ship is blown in ''[[The Phantom Menace]]'' and [[George Lucas]]' son Jett is the Jedi who attacks the troopers talking to Bail Organa in ''[[Revenge of the Sith]]''.
* Some ''[[Star Wars]]'' crew members have such cameos. Sound designer Ben Burtt is punched by Chewbacca in ''[[Return of the Jedi]]'' (and tries to emulate the [[Stock Scream|Wilhelm Scream]] while being [[Blown Across the Room]]), VFX supervisor Rob Knoll is a pilot whose ship is blown in ''[[The Phantom Menace]]'' and [[George Lucas]]' son Jett is the Jedi who attacks the troopers talking to Bail Organa in ''[[Revenge of the Sith]]''.
** Not especially visible in the movie, but one of the Jedi whom Anakin/Darth Vader kills on the security hologram in ''Revenge of the Sith'' is a cameo of stunt coordinator Nick Gillard. It might almost be a double cameo, in fact: this being ''[[Star Wars]]'', he was playing an actual character with a name and history, [[Sdrawkcab Name|Cin Drallig]], the Order's "battlemaster" (the guy who trains all the up-and-coming Jedi in the basics of combat). Drallig even gets a proper boss battle in the ''Revenge Of The Sith'' tie-in game.
** Not especially visible in the movie, but one of the Jedi whom Anakin/Darth Vader kills on the security hologram in ''Revenge of the Sith'' is a cameo of stunt coordinator Nick Gillard. It might almost be a double cameo, in fact: this being ''[[Star Wars]]'', he was playing an actual character with a name and history, [[Sdrawkcab Name|Cin Drallig]], the Order's "battlemaster" (the guy who trains all the up-and-coming Jedi in the basics of combat). Drallig even gets a proper boss battle in the ''Revenge Of The Sith'' tie-in game.
* In ''[[Scary Movie]] 3'', Simon Cowell appears in a cameo at a rap club harshly criticizing the gangstas rapping, only to get shot to death by the furious gangstas.
* In ''[[Scary Movie]] 3'', Simon Cowell appears in a cameo at a rap club harshly criticizing the gangstas rapping, only to get shot to death by the furious gangstas.
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** As Mr. Brown in ''[[Reservoir Dogs]]'', he's around just long enough to get fatally shot during the team's robbery. While not a [[Mook]] or [[Innocent Bystander]], his appearance is still minimal enough to count as a cameo.
** As Mr. Brown in ''[[Reservoir Dogs]]'', he's around just long enough to get fatally shot during the team's robbery. While not a [[Mook]] or [[Innocent Bystander]], his appearance is still minimal enough to count as a cameo.
** In ''[[Kill Bill]]'', he plays one of the Crazy 88 and ends up being the first one to get sliced up by the Bride.
** In ''[[Kill Bill]]'', he plays one of the Crazy 88 and ends up being the first one to get sliced up by the Bride.
** He is also killed off (executed) quickly in ''Desperado''.
** He is also killed off (executed) quickly in ''Desperado''.
** Sort of, kind of happens in ''[[Inglourious Basterds]]'' too; at the least his death is implied. He was the first one scalped on screen.
** Sort of, kind of happens in ''[[Inglourious Basterds]]'' too; at the least his death is implied. He was the first one scalped on screen.
*** Also, Enzo G. Castellari, director of the namesake film "The Inglorious Bastards", cameoed as a German general who died in the theater explosion.
*** Also, Enzo G. Castellari, director of the namesake film "The Inglorious Bastards", cameoed as a German general who died in the theater explosion.
** While not a cameo so much as a major character, Tarantino ''still'' manages to die in ''[[From Dusk till Dawn]]''. He can't even get a break in movies that aren't his.
** While not a cameo so much as a major character, Tarantino ''still'' manages to die in ''[[From Dusk till Dawn]]''. He can't even get a break in movies that aren't his.
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* In ''[[Piranha]]'' (1978) special effects artist and creature sculptor Phil Tippett appears as a diver who is devoured by the swam of piranha.
* In ''[[Piranha]]'' (1978) special effects artist and creature sculptor Phil Tippett appears as a diver who is devoured by the swam of piranha.
** The remake ''[[Piranha 3D]]'' features a handful of cameos. Several porn actresses make appearances, but most notably Eli Roth has a role as a wet T-shirt contest host. Naturally, they all meet gruesome piranha-related demises.
** The remake ''[[Piranha 3D]]'' features a handful of cameos. Several porn actresses make appearances, but most notably Eli Roth has a role as a wet T-shirt contest host. Naturally, they all meet gruesome piranha-related demises.
* In ''[[Grindhouse]]'', stuntwoman Zoe Bell, who appeares in ''Deathproof'' in a major role, has a quick appearance in ''Planet Terror'' as a zombie who gets blown away by Wray with a shotgun.
* In ''[[Grindhouse]]'', stuntwoman Zoe Bell, who appeares in ''Deathproof'' in a major role, has a quick appearance in ''Planet Terror'' as a zombie who gets blown away by Wray with a shotgun.
* ''[[Forever Evil]]'' has the unintentional variety, where writer Freeman Williams shows up, only to die thanks to a mutant Jawa. This is actually the [[Throw It In|demo reel]], which was added to the story during principal photography. It's easily distinguished from the rest of the movie (and the original cut puts it at the beginning) due to the fact that none of the movie's main characters appear.
* ''[[Forever Evil]]'' has the unintentional variety, where writer Freeman Williams shows up, only to die thanks to a mutant Jawa. This is actually the [[Throw It In|demo reel]], which was added to the story during principal photography. It's easily distinguished from the rest of the movie (and the original cut puts it at the beginning) due to the fact that none of the movie's main characters appear.
* Arguably the best part of the film ''[[Zombieland]]'' is Bill Murray's brief cameo as himself.
* Arguably the best part of the film ''[[Zombieland]]'' is Bill Murray's brief cameo as himself.
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* Turned on its head in ''[[Spaceballs]]''; during the duel between Lord Helmet and Lone Starr, Helmet accidentally kills one of the film's camera operators.
* Turned on its head in ''[[Spaceballs]]''; during the duel between Lord Helmet and Lone Starr, Helmet accidentally kills one of the film's camera operators.
* Jane Wiedlin of the Go Gos appears as The Singing Telegram Girl in ''[[Clue (film)|Clue]]'', she gets about 10 seconds of screen time before she's shot dead by the killer.
* Jane Wiedlin of the Go Gos appears as The Singing Telegram Girl in ''[[Clue (film)|Clue]]'', she gets about 10 seconds of screen time before she's shot dead by the killer.
* [[Jackie Chan]] in ''[[Enter the Dragon]]'' was a stunt coordinator for the film before he became famous; he appears in two scenes in his second appearance where he has a short fight with Lee before his neck is snapped.
* [[Jackie Chan]] in ''[[Enter the Dragon]]'' was a stunt coordinator for the film before he became famous; he appears in two scenes in his second appearance where he has a short fight with Lee before his neck is snapped.
* Professional skate boarder Rob Dyrdek has a cameo as a rapist in ''[[Righteous Kill]]'' before he's shot dead by Rooster.
* Professional skate boarder Rob Dyrdek has a cameo as a rapist in ''[[Righteous Kill]]'' before he's shot dead by Rooster.
* In the 1978 version of ''[[Invasion of the Body Snatchers]],'' Kevin McCarthy (who starred in the original) appears as a crazy man who shouts, "They're coming!" as the main characters drive by, and is then promptly run over by another car.
* In the 1978 version of ''[[Invasion of the Body Snatchers]],'' Kevin McCarthy (who starred in the original) appears as a crazy man who shouts, "They're coming!" as the main characters drive by, and is then promptly run over by another car.
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* At the end of the classic ''[[Twilight Zone]]'' episode "A World of His Own". The episode is about an author who can create anything with his magic dictaphone. If the resulting dictation tape is destroyed, so is the created object. Rod Serling appears at the end and says something to the effect of "We hope you enjoyed this little fairy tale full of nonsense." When he does this, the main character says "Now, Rod, I wouldn't use the word nonsense." He then takes an envelope out of a safe -- the envelope is labeled "Rod Serling" He tosses the envelope into the fire and Rod Serling says "That's the way it goes" before Rod Serling disappears in a puff of smoke.
* At the end of the classic ''[[Twilight Zone]]'' episode "A World of His Own". The episode is about an author who can create anything with his magic dictaphone. If the resulting dictation tape is destroyed, so is the created object. Rod Serling appears at the end and says something to the effect of "We hope you enjoyed this little fairy tale full of nonsense." When he does this, the main character says "Now, Rod, I wouldn't use the word nonsense." He then takes an envelope out of a safe -- the envelope is labeled "Rod Serling" He tosses the envelope into the fire and Rod Serling says "That's the way it goes" before Rod Serling disappears in a puff of smoke.
* Not a member of the crew, but close: Greg Grunberg has appeared in most works helmed by his childhood friend J.J. Abrams. When [[Executive Veto]] nixed the death of Jack in the pilot episode of ''[[Lost]]'', Grunberg was cast for one scene just to get killed by the monster.
* Not a member of the crew, but close: Greg Grunberg has appeared in most works helmed by his childhood friend J.J. Abrams. When [[Executive Veto]] nixed the death of Jack in the pilot episode of ''[[Lost]]'', Grunberg was cast for one scene just to get killed by the monster.
* Also not a crew member, but every episode's special guest star on ''[[Police Squad!]]'' would only be in one scene, the opening titles. The announcer would voiceover, "And special guest star..." during the title sequence, and the special guest star would then be killed (often in a hilarious, over the top manner).
* Also not a crew member, but every episode's special guest star on ''[[Police Squad!]]'' would only be in one scene, the opening titles. The announcer would voiceover, "And special guest star..." during the title sequence, and the special guest star would then be killed (often in a hilarious, over the top manner).
** For completeness' sake, the list is Episode 1: Lorne Green (stabbed and thrown from moving automobile), Episode 2: Georg Stanford Brown (police officer crushed by safe), Episode 3: Robert Goulet (shot by firing squad), Episode 4: William Shatner (restaurant patron, survives machine gun, attack to die via poisoned glass of wine), Episode 5: Florence Henderson (cooking show host, gunned down by machine gun on the set), Episode 6: William Conrad (stabbed and thrown from moving automobile, bookending the fate of Episode 1's special guest star Lorne Greene).
** For completeness' sake, the list is Episode 1: Lorne Green (stabbed and thrown from moving automobile), Episode 2: Georg Stanford Brown (police officer crushed by safe), Episode 3: Robert Goulet (shot by firing squad), Episode 4: William Shatner (restaurant patron, survives machine gun, attack to die via poisoned glass of wine), Episode 5: Florence Henderson (cooking show host, gunned down by machine gun on the set), Episode 6: William Conrad (stabbed and thrown from moving automobile, bookending the fate of Episode 1's special guest star Lorne Greene).
* ''[[Burn Notice]]'' did this in the fourth season premiere, with Michael Ironside. He was on the show for all of two minutes before an unmanned drone fills him with bullets. This troper feels the potential for a Sam Fisher/Michael Westen crossover sadly been missed.
* ''[[Burn Notice]]'' did this in the fourth season premiere, with Michael Ironside. He was on the show for all of two minutes before an unmanned drone fills him with bullets. This troper feels the potential for a Sam Fisher/Michael Westen crossover sadly been missed.
* Making a special appearance as the interviewer in the web-only production of [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKYFNsnO-tc R. Tam Sessions], Joss Whedon is killed by a crazed River.
* Making a special appearance as the interviewer in the web-only production of [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKYFNsnO-tc R. Tam Sessions], Joss Whedon is killed by a crazed River.
* In the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' episode "Voyage of the Damned", composer Murray Gold and orchestrator Ben Foster appear in a band playing on a starliner called the ''[[Meaningful Name|Titanic]]''. While their fates were offscreen, it seems unlikely that they survived, especially when the Heavenly Host droids slice up most every survivor of the meteor shower with their metal halos.
* In the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' episode "Voyage of the Damned", composer Murray Gold and orchestrator Ben Foster appear in a band playing on a starliner called the ''[[Meaningful Name|Titanic]]''. While their fates were offscreen, it seems unlikely that they survived, especially when the Heavenly Host droids slice up most every survivor of the meteor shower with their metal halos.
* [[Danny Trejo]] is decapitated and has a bomb planted inside of his skull by cartel members, after appearing on one or two scenes of an episode of [[Breaking Bad]].
* [[Danny Trejo]] is decapitated and has a bomb planted inside of his skull by cartel members, after appearing on one or two scenes of an episode of [[Breaking Bad]].




== [[Video Games]] ==
== [[Video Games]] ==
* As always, subverted by ''[[The Simpsons]]''. Specifically, ''[[The Simpsons Game]]''. The family fails in their mission to kill and/or subdue Matt Groening.
* As always, subverted by ''[[The Simpsons]]''. Specifically, ''[[The Simpsons Game]]''. The family fails in their mission to kill and/or subdue Matt Groening.
* ''[[Mortal Kombat]]'''s Ed Boon and John Tobias tend to appear as severed heads in the spike-pit levels. And then several Midway employees have their names written on the tombstones in the Graveyard stage.
* ''[[Mortal Kombat]]'''s Ed Boon and John Tobias tend to appear as severed heads in the spike-pit levels. And then several Midway employees have their names written on the tombstones in the Graveyard stage.
* In ''[[Doom]] II'', the [[Big Bad]] of the game, the Icon of Sin, was actually a giant wall with a shoot-through brain texture. Behind the brain texture was a small passage leading to a chamber containing the skewered head of [[John Romero]], one of the game's programmers and level designers. John Romero's head was the actual boss entity in the game, and the Icon of Sin was killed by firing rockets into the brain, which would travel down the passage and explode above Romero's head. John Romero actually found out about this while testing the final level and recorded a soundbite for the boss that was a backwards-masked recording of him saying, "To win the game, you must kill me, John Romero."
* In ''[[Doom]] II'', the [[Big Bad]] of the game, the Icon of Sin, was actually a giant wall with a shoot-through brain texture. Behind the brain texture was a small passage leading to a chamber containing the skewered head of [[John Romero]], one of the game's programmers and level designers. John Romero's head was the actual boss entity in the game, and the Icon of Sin was killed by firing rockets into the brain, which would travel down the passage and explode above Romero's head. John Romero actually found out about this while testing the final level and recorded a soundbite for the boss that was a backwards-masked recording of him saying, "To win the game, you must kill me, John Romero."
** In the ''[[Doom]] II'' [[Game Mod|add-on level pack]] ''Requiem'', the 24th level, "Procrustes Chambers," features a [[Space Marine]] crucified on an inverted cross, with a sign reading "ADEL" nailed to the top. The designer of the level, and the artist of that texture, was Anthony Czerwonka, also known as "Adelusion."
** In the ''[[Doom]] II'' [[Game Mod|add-on level pack]] ''Requiem'', the 24th level, "Procrustes Chambers," features a [[Space Marine]] crucified on an inverted cross, with a sign reading "ADEL" nailed to the top. The designer of the level, and the artist of that texture, was Anthony Czerwonka, also known as "Adelusion."
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** [[Contest Winner Cameo|Dan Emmerson, the winner of the "Get Dismembered in Dead Space 2" contest]] is the poor guy who tries to enter the elevator only to be impaled by a Slasher during Chapter 2 of the sequel.
** [[Contest Winner Cameo|Dan Emmerson, the winner of the "Get Dismembered in Dead Space 2" contest]] is the poor guy who tries to enter the elevator only to be impaled by a Slasher during Chapter 2 of the sequel.
* In ''Bloodwings: Pumpkinhead's Revenge'', the developers appear as the lost souls in the second level.
* In ''Bloodwings: Pumpkinhead's Revenge'', the developers appear as the lost souls in the second level.
* Variant: a mission of ''[[Command and Conquer]]: Red Alert 3'' features the EA headquarters in Los Angeles - which the player can demolish at will.
* Variant: a mission of ''[[Command & Conquer]]: Red Alert 3'' features the EA headquarters in Los Angeles - which the player can demolish at will.




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== [[Western Animation]] ==
== [[Western Animation]] ==
* Maxwell Atoms shows up in ''[[The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy]]'' getting his best idea ever right before the hourglass that controls his existence is dropped and Billy assures Irwin that it was no one important.
* Maxwell Atoms shows up in ''[[The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy]]'' getting his best idea ever right before the hourglass that controls his existence is dropped and Billy assures Irwin that it was no one important.
* In the [[Christmas Episode]] of ''[[Invader Zim]]'', writer and storyboard artist Ian Graham makes a cameo as a man who is crushed by the debris from Zim and Dib's robot battle.
* In the [[Christmas Episode]] of ''[[Invader Zim]]'', writer and storyboard artist Ian Graham makes a cameo as a man who is crushed by the debris from Zim and Dib's robot battle.