The life and death of Anna Nicole Smith

Esme MazzeoMay 18, 2023, 06:55 IST

Anna Nicole Smith at the 2004 World Music Awards.Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

Model and reality TV star Anna Nicole Smith has one of Hollywood's most tragic stories.
She died at age 39 of an accidental drug overdose just months after her 20-year-old son did.

Anna Nicole Smith, whose birth name was Vickie Lynn Hogan, was born on November 28, 1967 and grew up in Mexia, Texas.

Anna Nicole Smith as a young girl.Netflix

At 15 years old, Smith dropped out of high school and began working at a fried chicken restaurant.

Smith took fans on a tour of her old haunts in archive footage.Netflix

On January 22, 1986, Smith and her first husband welcomed a son named Daniel.

Smith was inspired to leave Texas because she wanted a better life for Daniel.Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

According to her longtime friend, Smith became addicted to pills after getting a breast augmentation when she started stripping.

Smith paid for her own breast augmentation surgery.Netflix

Smith left her first husband when Daniel was six months old and began working at a strip club in Houston, Texas. It was there she met oil tycoon and billionaire J. Howard Marshall, who was 63 years her senior.

J. Howard Marshall and Smith.Netflix

Smith left her first husband when Daniel was six months old and began working at a strip club in Houston, Texas. It was there she met oil tycoon and billionaire J. Howard Marshall, who was 63 years her senior.

Marshall supported Smith and her son so that she could quit topless dancing and pursue her dreams of becoming a model and actor.

Smith.Netflix

Smith made her debut on the cover of Playboy's debutante-themed issue in March 1992.

Smith and Playboy founder Hugh Hefner.Netflix

And that November, she signed a three-year modeling deal with Guess Jeans that launched her into the spotlight.

Smith at an in-store appearance for Guess in 1993.Vinnie Zuffante/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Smith finally married Marshall in June 1994, months after being hospitalized for mixing prescription drugs and alcohol, according to CBS News.

Smith told her friend she wanted to make a name for herself before marrying Marshall.Netflix

Marshall became ill in January 1995 and died August 4 of that year, leaving Smith widowed.

Smith famously wore her wedding dress to J. Howard Marshall's memorial service in August of 1995.Greg Smith/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

The complicated legal battle between Marshall's son and Smith over Marshall's estate lasted for over 20 years — and beyond both their deaths. It even reached the Supreme Court twice.

Smith at the Supreme Court.NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images

The complicated legal battle between Marshall's son and Smith over Marshall's estate lasted for over 20 years — and beyond both their deaths. It even reached the Supreme Court twice.

Smith continued to struggle with addiction and finances amidst her legal battles. She had a few acting roles in the late 1990s.

Anna Nicole Smith as pictured in "You Don't Know Me."Netflix

Having faded from the spotlight, Smith decided to film a reality TV show as part of her attempted resurgence.

"The Anna Nicole Show" was at the forefront of reality TV in the early 2000s.E!/YouTube

She signed a deal to become a spokesperson for TrimSpa diet pills in late 2003.

Smith became the spokesperson for TrimSpa in 2003.Arnaldo Magnani/Getty Images

Concern for Smith grew after an erratic appearance at the 2004 American Music Awards.

Smith at the 2004 American Music Awards.Micelotta/Getty Images

Smith announced she was pregnant with her second child via her website in 2006.

Smith's pregnancy announcement.Netflix

Smith's son Daniel died while in the Bahamas to meet his newborn sister.

Smith with her son Daniel.Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

Smith died months after her son, at the age of 39.

Smith died at the age of 39.Netflix

A paternity test established that Dannielynn's father was photographer Larry Birkhead, not Howard K. Stern, who was Smith's lawyer and partner at the time of her death.

Dannielynn with her dad, Larry Birkhead, in 2011.Barry King/WireImage

Any chance that Smith's daughter would inherit money from Smith's long-lingering claim to a piece of J. Howard Marshall's estate effectively ended in 2014.

Dannielynn and Birkhead in May 2023.Stephen J. Cohen/Getty Images

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The life and death of Anna Nicole Smith

Anna Nicole Smith, whose birth name was Vickie Lynn Hogan, was born on November 28, 1967 and grew up in Mexia, Texas.

At 15 years old, Smith dropped out of high school and began working at a fried chicken restaurant.

On January 22, 1986, Smith and her first husband welcomed a son named Daniel.

According to her longtime friend, Smith became addicted to pills after getting a breast augmentation when she started stripping.

Smith left her first husband when Daniel was six months old and began working at a strip club in Houston, Texas. It was there she met oil tycoon and billionaire J. Howard Marshall, who was 63 years her senior.

Marshall supported Smith and her son so that she could quit topless dancing and pursue her dreams of becoming a model and actor.

Smith made her debut on the cover of Playboy's debutante-themed issue in March 1992.

And that November, she signed a three-year modeling deal with Guess Jeans that launched her into the spotlight.

Smith finally married Marshall in June 1994, months after being hospitalized for mixing prescription drugs and alcohol, according to CBS News.

Marshall became ill in January 1995 and died August 4 of that year, leaving Smith widowed.

The complicated legal battle between Marshall's son and Smith over Marshall's estate lasted for over 20 years — and beyond both their deaths. It even reached the Supreme Court twice.

Smith continued to struggle with addiction and finances amidst her legal battles. She had a few acting roles in the late 1990s.

Having faded from the spotlight, Smith decided to film a reality TV show as part of her attempted resurgence.

She signed a deal to become a spokesperson for TrimSpa diet pills in late 2003.

Concern for Smith grew after an erratic appearance at the 2004 American Music Awards.

Smith announced she was pregnant with her second child via her website in 2006.

Smith's son Daniel died while in the Bahamas to meet his newborn sister.

Smith died months after her son, at the age of 39.

A paternity test established that Dannielynn's father was photographer Larry Birkhead, not Howard K. Stern, who was Smith's lawyer and partner at the time of her death.

Any chance that Smith's daughter would inherit money from Smith's long-lingering claim to a piece of J. Howard Marshall's estate effectively ended in 2014.