Famous Bankruptcies

Famous Bankruptcies

Noted Individuals Who Have Filed for Bankruptcy Protection

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A

Willie Aames . . . actor (2008)

B

Lionel Bart . . . British composer-lyricist-playwright (1972).

Kim Basinger . . . Oscar-winning actress (1993).

Jay Black . . . rock star; lead member of “Jay and the Americans” (1986).

Lorraine Bracco . . . Oscar-nominated actress (1999).

Matthew Brady . . . portrait/U.S. Civil War photographer (1872).

Toni Braxton . . . rock star (1998).

Anita Bryant . . . singer; American author; 1958 Miss America 2nd runner-up (1997 and 2001).

C

George Clinton . . . rock star (1984) (note: this is not the composer George S. Clinton).

Samuel L. Clemens (“Mark Twain”) . . . best-selling American author-humorist (1894).

Natalie Cole . . . singer (19__) (sources: People magazine, February 24, 1997 / Dateline NBC, September 29, 1996 / et al.).

Derrick Coleman . . . American basketball player (2010).

Gary Coleman . . . actor (1999).

Concrete Blonde . . . rock group (19__) (source: LA Weekly, March 26-April 1, 1999).

John Connally . . . former Texas governor; wounded in 1963 Kennedy assassination in Dallas (1987).

Francis Ford Coppola . . . Oscar-winning film writer-director-producer (1990).

Cathy Lee Crosby . . . actress; American author (1992).

D

Vic Damone . . . singer (1971).

Dorothy Dandridge . . . Oscar-nominated actress-singer (1963).

Lee de Forest . . . Oscar-winning film/sound synchronization pioneer; producer (1937).

Dino De Laurentis . . . Oscar-winning film producer (1988).

Walt Disney . . . Oscar-winning film producer; animation & theme park pioneer (1923).

Lenny Dykstra . . . American baseball player (2009).

E

Eddy “the Eagle” Edwards (Eddy Edwards) . . . Great Britain’s first Olympic ski jumper (1991).

F

Keith Famie . . . Survivor II: The Australian Outback contestant; chef-restauranter; American author (19__; 1996/97) (source: interview, CBS special Survivor: Back from the Outback, May 10, 2001).

Mick Fleetwood . . . rock star; lead member of “Fleetwood Mac” (1984).

Heidi Fleiss . . . Clothing line founder; American author (1999).

William Fox . . . co-founder of 20th Century Fox Film Corporation (1936).

G

Marvin Gaye . . . singer (19__;mid-late 1970s).

Andy Gibb . . . rock star (1987).

Ulysses S. Grant . . . 18th U.S. President; Civil War general;best-selling American author; face is pictured on the U.S. fifty dollar bill (1884, after leaving office).

Elizabeth Ward Gracen . . . actress; model; Miss America 1982 (1999).

Bob Guccione . . . publisher and founder of Penthouse magazine (see General Media below) (2003).

H

Merle Haggard . . . country music star (1993).

Corey Haim . . . actor (1997).

Dorothy Hamill . . . Olympic gold-medal ice-skater (1996).

M.C. Hammer . . . rock star (1996).

Richard Harris . . . Oscar-nominated actor-producer-director; Irish-born author (“twice bankrupt”) source: BBC World News).

Robert Harris . . . $275 million Mega Millions lottery winner on February 23, 2008, Georgia USA (1994 and 2000).

Isaac Hayes . . . Oscar-winning songwriter-composer-musician-singer (1976).,/p>

Sherman Hemsley . . . actor (2002).

I

Ron Isley . . . rhythm-and-blues singer (19__; mid-late 1990s).

J

La Toya Jackson . . . rock star (1995).

Don Johnson . . . actor-producer (2204).

Janice-Marie Johnson . . . rock star/disco diva (19__;1980s) (source: interview segment, Extra TV show, June 9, 2000).

Randy Johnson . . . American NFL football player (1977) (source: Charlotte Sun newspaper, Florida, May 10 1999, republished September 26, 2009 after his death).

Kacey Jones . . . country music star; musical humorist (19__) (sources: KaceyJones.com / Dish magazine, October 2000).

K

Chaka Kahn . . . rock star (19__) (source: People magazine, February 24, 1997).

Kerry Katona . . . rock star; British TV personality (2008).

Larry King . . . talk-show host; best-selling American author (1978).

Bowie Kuhn . . . former U.S. baseball commissioner (19__).

Gary Kurtz . . . Oscar-nominated film producer (Star Wars, American Graffiti, etc.) (19__).

L

Veronica Lake . . . actress (1951).

Lorenzo Lamas . . . actor (2004).

Cyndi Lauper . . . rock star (1983).

Stan Lee . . . comic book industry pioneer; co-creator of “Spider Man,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “The X-Men,” etc. (2001).

Joanne Lopes and Jorge Lopes . . . Big Game multistate Lotto jackpot winners in 2002 in the U.S.; won a $110.3 million jackpot, which they took as a lump sum of $58.9 million before taxes; had debts of nearly $600,000 when they filed for chapter 13 bankruptcy protection; their petition was dismissed by a judge due to their failure to appear at their hearing (2001).

M

Meat Loaf . . . rock star (1983).

Ashley MacIsaac . . . musician-fiddler (2000).

Mindy McCready . . . country music star (1997).

Melba Moore . . . singer-actress (19__; 1990s).

Debelah Morgan . . . singer-songwriter-producer (2000).

Lorrie Morgan . . . country music star; American author (1992, chapter 11, later withdrew petition filing after paying debtors; filed personal chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2008).

Motor City Five/MC5 . . . rock group of the 1960s (1970).

N

Willie Nelson . . . singer-songwriter-actor; American author (19__; est. 1990) (source: Sunday Morning, CBS-TV news program, September 30, 2001, interview conducted by Dan Rather).

Wayne Newton . . . singer-actor-entertainer (1992).

Jimmie Nicol . . . drummer who became a member of the music group “The Beatles” for 10 days in 1964 during a worldwide tour while Ringo Starr was being treated for tonsillitis (1965).

Immanuel Nobel . . . father of manufacturer-philanthropist Alfred Nobel, who founded the Nobel Prizes (twice: 1833/year Alfred was born; 1856/when Alfred was 23).

Mary Nolan . . . actress (1931).

O

Jennings Osborne . . . Arkansas businessman; Christmas light sponsor, including at DisneyWorld (1995).

P

Johnny Paycheck . . . country music star (1976).

Tom Petty . . . rock star (1979).

Susan Powter . . . exercise/fitness expert; talk-show host; best-selling American author (1995).

Burt Prelutsky . . . American television writer; screenwriter (1997).

R

Noreen Renier . . . Psychic (claimed); American author (2007).

Burt Reynolds . . . Oscar-nominated actor-director; American author (1995).

Debbie Reynolds . . . Oscar-nominated actress-singer; American author (1997).

Juan Rodriguez . . . $149 million Mega Millions lottery winner, New York City (2004, filed bankruptcy just before winning).

Mickey Rooney . . . Oscar-nominated actor; American author (1962).

S

Harry Saltzman . . . film producer (James Bond movies) (1975).

Ray Sawyer . . . rock star; member of “Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show” (1973).

Shenandoah . . . country music band (1991).

Anna Nicole Smith . . . model-actress; 1993 Playboy magazine “Playmate of the Year” (1996).

Dick Smothers . . . American comedian, one half of the comedy team “The Smothers Brothers” (2010).

Lynne Spears . . . American author; mother of rock star Britney Spears (1998; filed with husband James prior to Britney’s stardom).

J. Fife Symington . . . Governor of Arizona (1995, while still in office).

T

TLC . . . rock group (1995).

Donald Trump . . . businessman (casinos: Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc.) (1992; 2004; 2009; see listing in corporation section).

Mike Tyson . . . boxer (2003).

V

Michael Vick . . . American football player (2008).

W

Tammy Wynette . . . country music star; American author (1988).

Famous Corporations That Have Filed for Bankruptcy Protection

A

Aladdin Gaming, LLC (a Las Vegas hotel-casino) (2001)

American Banknote Corporation (1999).

American Federation of Television and Radio Artists/AFTRA (1982).

AMF Bowling Worldwide, Inc. (2001).

B

Baldwin Piano & Organ Company (2001).

Bethlehem Steel Corporation (2001).

Burlington Industries, Inc. (2001).

C

Carolco Pictures, Inc. (1995).

Chiquita Brands International, Inc. (2001).

Chrysler LLC (2009)

Circuit City (2008).

Citadel Broadcasting Corporation (2009)

Continental Airlines, Inc. (1967 & 1984).

Converse, Inc. (2001).

Cypress Gardens Adventure Park (2006) (one of the earliest Florida theme parks).

D

Dairy Mart Convenience Stores, Inc. (2001).

Delta Air Lines, Inc. (2005).

Dow Corning Corporation (1995).

E

Eastern Airlines, Inc. (1991).

Enron Corporation (2001) (second largest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history; WorldCom below largest).

eToys, Inc. (2001).

Excite@Home (2001).

F

FAO Inc. (FAO Schwarz toy stores) (2003).

Frederick’s of Hollywood, Inc. (2000).

Fruit of the Loom, Inc. (1999).

G

General Growth Properties, Inc. (mall operator; biggest real estate bankruptcy in U.S. history) (2009).

General Media (publisher of Penthouse magazine, 85% owned by Bob Guccione) (2003).

General Motors Corporation (2009).

I

Interstate Bakeries Corporation (makers of “Twinkies,” “Wonder Bread,” et al.) (2004).

J

Japan Airlines (2010).

K

Kmart Corporation (2002).

L

Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (2008).

Lionel Corporation (1967 & 1984).

Loews Cineplex Entertainment, Inc. (2000).

M

Maidenform, Inc. (1997).

Marvel Entertainment Group (1996).

McCrory Corporation (1992 & 2001).

Montgomery Ward, Inc. (1997 & 2000).

N

Northwest Airlines Corporation (2005).

O

Orion Pictures Corporation (1992).

Owens Corning Corporation (2000).

P

Pan Am Corporation (1998).

Paramount Studios (1932).

Planet Hollywood International, Inc. (1999 & 2001).

Polaroid Corporation (2001).

Purina Mills, Inc. (1999).

R

Regal Cinemas, Inc. (2001).

Resorts International, Inc. (1994).

Riviera Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas) (1984 & 1991).

S

Singer Company (1999).

Sizzler International, Inc. (1996).

Six Flags, Inc. (2009; world’s largest regional amusement-park company).

Smith Corona Corporation (1995).

Southland Corporation (“7-11” stores) (1990).

Sunbeam Corporation (2001).

Sun-Times Media Group, Inc. (2009).

Swissair Group, Inc. (2001).

T

Texaco, Inc. (1987).

Toysmart.com (2000).

Trans World Airlines, Inc./TWA (1995 & 2000).

Tribune Group (owner of the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, et al) (2008).

Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc. (1992; 2004; 2009; formerly called formerly Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts Inc.).

U

US Airways (2002).

U.S. Office Products Company (“Mail Boxes, Etc.” stores) (2001).

V

Vlasic Foods International, Inc. (2001).

W

Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. (2005).

Western Union Corporation (1993).

WorldCom, Inc. (2002).

W.R. Grace & Company (2001).

Z

Zenith Electronics Corporation (1999).

– End List –

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