PAUL GLEASON – MESOTHELIOMA

Probably every teenager back in the ’80s and ’90s will recognize Paul Gleason as the strict Principal Richard Vernon in the classic The Breakfast Club. Gleason is good at adapting tough-guy characters. His personality is meant to play unlikeable characters, and this made him well-known to the public. He was loathed, hated, and unloved by audiences due to the believability of his acting in his films and movies.

Aside from this iconic role, he also appeared in Die Hard and Trading Places and even joined the cast of All My Children as Dr. David Thornton. He was an avid golfer and made investments in celebrity golfing tournaments through his participation. As the years went by, Gleason developed a rare type of lung cancer called pleural mesothelioma, which he got from being exposed to asbestos while working as a teen. He died in 2006 at 67 years old.