What Really Happened to Amelia Earhart?

The men and women who shaped our world sometimes had their careers end in mysterious ways or with a whimper not fitting of their accomplishments. Amelia Earhart disappeared, and George Washington simply returned to private life. Here are 20 historical figures whose careers ended unexpectedly.

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1. Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin’s groundbreaking work in natural science redefined the world, but largely came to a stop after he published On the Origin of Species in 1859. He conducted some private research, but his poor health and public controversy forced him into seclusion.

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2. Amelia Earhart

Earhart was a pioneering aviator, but her career had one of the most infamous abrupt endings. At the height of her fame, she disappeared during her 1937 attempt to circumvent the globe. Her sudden vanishing sent a shockwave through the world.

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3. Howard Hughes

Hughes was a Hollywood producer and aviation tycoon during the 1930s and ‘40s. He disappeared from the limelight due to his growing eccentricities, which ended his innovative career. He lived the rest of his life in seclusion. 

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4. Florence Nightingale

Nightingale was known as the “Lady with the Lamp” for her work during the Crimean War, but her esteemed and legendary career was cut short due to chronic illness contracted abroad. 

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5. George Washington

Washington's iconic career as a statesman ended unexpectedly when he voluntarily stepped down after his second term as U.S. president in 1797. Many thought, or even hoped, that he would continue indefinitely, but he surprised the nation by retiring to Mount Vernon.

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6. Babe Ruth

Baseball’s most legendary power hitter had one of the most celebrated sports careers of the 20th century. After a brief stint with the Boston Braves in 1935, his career ended due to his declining performance and poor health. His exit from the game was far too quiet for a player of his caliber. 

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7. Greta Garbo

Garbo was one of Hollywood’s most popular actresses in the 1930s, but retired suddenly at 36 years old. Her fans demanded a comeback, but she never returned to the silver screen. She lived the rest of her life in New York City, surrounded by the mystery as to why she walked away from fame.

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8. Isadora Duncan

Duncan was a revolutionary modern dancer who built an impressive career in the arts. Her performing career ended in 1922 when she announced her retirement out of nowhere after critical backlash in Paris. Her legacy was cemented, but still carries an air of unrealized potential.

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9. Calvin Coolidge

President Coolidge shocked the nation in 1927 when he announced that he had elected not to run for president in the following year. His decision to step away from politics killed his political career at its peak. 

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10. Maria Callas

Callas, a world-renowned opera singer, had an incredible yet short career. At the height of her fame in the 1960s, she withdrew from the stage due to vocal and personal problems. She attempted one comeback, but her fame ended in her early 40s.

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11. William Howard Taft

After serving in the Oval Office, Taft unexpectedly left politics and turned to being a law professor. Shockingly, he was brought back as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1921. His career in the most powerful position in the world was over, but he shifted to a natural continuation of his political power.

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12. J.D. Salinger

The author of Catcher in the Rye rose to literary prominence in 1951, but his career seemed to end shortly after, by choice. Salinger was disenchanted by fame and withdrew from public life to live in seclusion in New Hampshire.

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13. Shirley Temple

Arguably, the most famous child star in Hollywood history, Shirley Temple, ended her acting career in her teens as audiences lost interest in her as she grew older. She reinvented herself as a U.S. diplomat, but her iconic acting career was still cut short.

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14. Bobby Fischer

World chess champion Bobby Fischer ended his career in 1972 after his world-rattling victory over Boris Spassky. He left competitive chess while he was at the top, and refused to defend his title. His retreat from the world of chess shocked his legions of fans, and people still wonder how far his brilliance could have reached.

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15. Emily Dickinson

One of America’s greatest poets, Dickinson’s career ended before it truly began. After only a handful of her poems were published, she chose to live a reclusive life. The majority of her work was discovered posthumously, ensuring that her life and career were both short and timeless.

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16. Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson had a monumental career, which included breaking baseball’s color barrier. His time in the majors ended abruptly in 1957 when he retired rather than accept a trade. After his baseball career, he focused on business and civil rights. 

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17. Louisa May Alcott

Alcott was the beloved author of Little Women, and her career was cut short by chronic illness. Her declining health forced her to slow down her writing dramatically in her mid-30s. She continued to write when possible, but circumstances made her unable to match her early career productivity.

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18. Richard Burton

One of stage and film’s most celebrated actors, Burton's illustrious and tabloid-riddled career ended when he left Hollywood for stretches in the 1970s to focus on his personal pursuits. He made a few returns, but the interruptions left fans puzzled as to why one of Hollywood’s most enduring icons chose to end his box office dominance early.

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19. Glenn Miller

The famous big band leader behind “Moonlight Serenade” had a booming career until 1941, when he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force to support WWII troops with his music. Leaving show business to serve his country was a noble end to a renowned career. 

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20. Douglas MacArthur

General MacArthur was one of the most well-known American military leaders of the 20th century. He was celebrated for his role in the Pacific during WWII. President Truman ended MacArthur’s career unexpectedly in 1951 when he was relieved of his command during the Korean War due to disagreements over national war policies.

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