Tin Man's Collapsed Lung
After landing the role of the Tin Man in the 1939 film 'The Wizard of Oz,' actor Buddy Ebsen quickly discovered that he was allergic to the makeup used for his costume, and after inhaling the substance for ten days of shooting, he ended up in the hospital with a collapsed lung. He suffered from breathing issues for the rest of his life, and Jack Haley took over the role believing that his predecessor had simply been fired.
Paralyzed Stunt Double
During production of the film 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,' David Holmes (stunt double for Daniel Radcliffe, who played the title character) was left paralyzed after suffering a fall which seriously injured his spine.
Stabbed by Van Damme
While filming a fight scene for the 1989 film 'Cyborg,' Jean-Claude Van Damme accidentally stabbed his costar Jackson "Rock" Pinckney in the eye. The injury caused him to permanently lose vision in that eye, and thus Pinckney went on to sue Van Damme and was awarded $487,500 in damages.
The Risk of Playing Jesus
Actor Jim Caviezel acquired multiple injuries when he played Jesus in the film 'The Passion of the Christ.' His back was gashed during a whipping scene, he suffered from hypothermia, and he separated his shoulder while carrying a giant cross. Most notably, though, the actor was struck by lightning on the set.
Vin Diesel's Stunt Double
Harry L. O'Connor, who stood in as Vin Diesel's stunt double for the 2002 film 'xXx,' was killed while filming a scene. He was originally supposed to land on a submarine during his stunt, but instead crashed into a bridge and died on impact.
George Clooney Contemplated Suicide
According to George Clooney, he contemplated suicide after being involved in a major accident while working on the film 'Syriana.' He broke his spine during a stunt gone awry, and the extreme pain almost proved far too much for the actor
Crushed By Debris
While working on the 2008 film 'Jumper,' a set dresser named David Ritchie was killed when he was crushed under frozen debris during the dismantling of a set.
Channing Tatum Gets Scalded
Channing Tatum is no stranger to terrible film accidents. While filming a scene in a freezing river for the movie 'The Eagle,' a crew member accidentally poured boiling hot water on Tatum, which burned the skin off of the tip of his penis.
Accidentally Shot
On the set of 'The Crow' in 1993, Bruce Lee's son Brandon Lee was accidentally shot to death. The scene called for Lee to be shot with a gun that was loaded with blanks, but a real bullet was accidentally left in the gun when a dummy round was removed.
Gone in 60 Seconds 2
The film 'Gone in 60 Seconds' almost had a sequel, but the second movie was scrapped after the untimely death of its actor/director, H.B. Halicki. A water tower he had set to topple accidentally fell too soon and hit a light pole, which struck Halicki directly on the head. He was killed instantly.
Record for Most On-Set Deaths
The largest number of film set deaths in the history of film happened while filming the made-for-TV movie 'The Sword of Tipu Sultan' in 1989. When the film studio caught on fire, 62 crew members and extras were trapped inside and ultimately killed.The film's director/lead actor Sanjay Khan had to undergo 72 surgeries during his 13-month stay in the hospital after suffering serious burns during the incident.
On the set of the 1972 South African film 'The Last Lion,' a sound technician named James Chapman was killed when he got mauled by a lion.
Hazard of the Trade
Long-time stuntman Victor Magnotta died while filming the 1987 Michael Keaton film 'The Squeeze.' Magnotta drowned when he was trapped inside a car that he drove off of a pier and into the Hudson River.
Losing an Eye
While filming the 1986 film 'Maximum Overdrive,' a radio-controlled lawnmower ran over a block of wood and shot wood splinters at Director of Photography Armando Nannuzzi, who lost an eye as a result of the incident. He went on to sue Stephen King for $18 million in damages.
The Twilight Zone Disaster
Lastly, one of the most infamous on-set accidents happened during filming of 'The Twilight Zone: The Movie' in 1982. Actor Vic Morrow, along with 7-year-old Mynca Dinh Le and 6-year-old Renee Shin-Yi Chen, were killed when a helicopter got caught in pyrotechnics and crashed. Morrow and Le were both decapitated by the helicopter's tail rotor, and Chen was crushed to death.