Mad Men True Story: Every Real Life Death The Show Referenced

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Here's every reference to a real-life death featured in AMC's Mad Men. Being a series all about life in the 60s, Mad Men naturally features a number of references to true historical events. These range from important political changes, like presidential elections or Cold War incidents, to major cultural shifts like the rise of feminism and the civil rights movement.

Mad Men, created by Matthew Weiner, follows employees at Sterling Cooper, an advertising agency located on Madison Avenue. In the 50s, the ad men of Madison Avenue were colloquially referred to as «mad men», giving the well-reviewed AMC show its name. The series focuses on Sterling Cooper's charismatic creative director, Don Draper (Jon Hamm), and the various emotional and existential journeys that he, his family, and his coworkers undergo throughout a transformative cultural era in American history.

Related: Jon Hamm's Favorite Episode Of Mad Men Explained

Because Mad Men is set in an advertising agency, media plays an integral part in the narrative. The story addresses both how these advertising agencies make use of media in order to sell their products, as well as the extent to which these characters' lives are shaped by the media landscape. It was not unusual for major events to be revealed by way of television or newspaper, including the real-world deaths of several important celebrities and politicians.

Mad Men Season 2, Episode 9, «Six Month Leave» explores how different characters react to Marilyn Monroe's death, revealing a lot about their individual personalities. While some of the secretaries are gathered around, mourning, tears in their eyes, Peggy on the other hand, remarks to Don that it's a good thing their Jackie/Marilyn pitch for Playtex's ad