Originally Posted by Halanna

Interesting question. It would appear if you are a celebrity or famous person, your most sensational acts become what you are remembered for first. Like another poster mentioned, David Carradine . . . that name won't come up in regular conversation without the way he died being thought first, but then the conversation will move on to what else that person did, I would hope.

Princess Diana will always be remembered for her good works, but you can't remember her without reflecting on the tragic way she died.

There are many famous people who did not have necessarily sensational deaths or events in their life ie: Paul Newman, Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, etc. who's legacy is what they did without the addition of a National Enquirer type story.

I don't think sensational acts becomes their entire legacy, but it certainly becomes part of it.