American Horror Story Actors You May Not Know Passed Away

With a new spin-off series and a milestone tenth season, FX's "American Horror Story" has grown a dedicated fanbase since its debut in 2011. The Ryan Murphy production has explored everything from monsters and supernatural entities to real-life horrors. Much of the show's success can be attributed to the relationship between viewers and the recurring cast.

Every season, fans gather on the show's subreddit to speculate about which previous cast members will be returning, who they hope joins the series, and which types of roles they'd like to see everyone in. Once an actor enters the "American Horror Story" franchise, they become a part of the show's legacy, regardless of the size of their contribution. Some stars have appeared in nearly every season, while others have credits in just one season or a single episode. However, as many cast and crew members have expressed over the years, the show has created its own family.

Sadly, a few "American Horror Story" alumni have passed away since their appearances on the show.

Harry Hains appeared in the Halloween episode of "Hotel" as an "amuse-bouche" for the infamous Jeffrey Dahmer. "Devil's Night" follows the Hotel Cortez residents as a group of serial killers gather for their annual Devil's Night dinner party, where they drink absinthe and indulge in chilling conversations. Hains is brought in as a dazed, unnamed victim of the infamous Jeffrey Dahmer.

On January 9, 2020, Badler shared to Instagram that Hains had passed away on January 7, 2020. "He was 27 and had the world at his feet," she wrote. "But sadly he struggled with mental illness and addiction. A brilliant spark shone bright too short a time."

The gender-fluid actor was also a model and an experimental musician going under the name ANTIBOY. His album "A Glitch in Paradise" was released posthumously in December 2020, a decision made carefully by his mother, Jane Badler. In an interview with Flaunt, Badler said it was important to share the music that explored Hains' experiences with love, gender, and addiction. "ANTIBOY is what the world needs right now because we more and more need to stop judging people on their gender, their race, and that's Harry."

"We're all freaks in our own way," Ben Woolf told FX. "If there were no freaks then everyone would be normal." The late actor starred as the chicken-chomping circus carnie Meep in "Freak Show," and earlier as the monstrous Infantata in "Murder House."

In addition to his "American Horror Story" roles, Woolf also starred in scary movies like "Insidious," "Haunting Charles Manson," and "Tales of Halloween." Two weeks before his death, he was honored at the Russian Horror Film Awards for his contributions to the genre (via The Santa Barbara Independent).

When he wasn't busy acting, Woolf was a preschool teacher. In an interview with FX, he spoke about how imaginative the job allowed him to be. "I love it because when you're with children you kind of live in a different world that doesn't have any rules," he said.

Woolf passed away on Feb. 23, 2015, at the age of 34 after suffering a stroke caused by a head injury he received when struck by a car. "American Horror Story" cast members and fans shared their condolences online in what his family called "an outpouring of love and support" (via Variety).

"Ben was one-of-a-kind, and will never be forgotten," a statement from Woolf's agency said. "The time we all shared together will be remembered forever."

Steven Richardson, also known as Stevie Lee and Puppet the Psycho Dwarf, was an actor and professional wrestler. He appeared in the Halloween episode of "Freak Show" as one of the cruel circus dwarves who plotted against Twisty the Clown. Lee also starred in "Jackass 3D," "Oz the Great and Powerful," and "Half Pint Brawlers," the latter being a Spike reality show based on the wrestling company he founded. 

Jacob "Turtle" Colyer, the late actor's friend and colleague, called him "the nicest guy I've ever known." Colyer told CNN, "He enjoyed life, that's what it was. He was all about living in the moment."

Lee passed away on Sept. 9, 2020, after suffering a heart attack. Colyer set up a GoFundMe to help cover the family's funeral costs, writing, "He was beloved by many, has many friends that were family, and a countless number of fans that adored him." Friends and fans donated to the campaign, ultimately helping to cover the costs.