Christian Oliver, Great American Family Star, Dead At 51 After Plane Crash

Actor Christian Oliver, age 51, died on January 4, 2023, as reported by People. Oliver, whose legal last name is Klepser, was in the Caribbean, traveling from Paget Farm to St. Lucia on a small airplane, the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force shared in a report on Facebook. Shortly after takeoff, the single-engine aircraft was in trouble and crashed into the ocean. No one survived the plane crash.

On board were the pilot Robert Sachs, as well as Oliver and his two daughters, 10-year-old Madita Klepser and 12-year-old Annik Klepser, whom he shares with ex-wife Jessica Muroz. Rescue efforts were launched, with local fishermen and divers arriving on the scene first and recovering all four bodies, which were then turned over to the Coast Guard. 

Oliver, who grew up in Germany, was an actor in both his native country and the United States. He made his official U.S. debut in 1994 in the TV series "Saved by the Bell: The New Class," as the character Brian Keller. He also appeared in blockbuster films like "Speed Racer" with Christina Ricci, "Valkyrie" with Tom Cruise, and "The Good German" with George Clooney. Recently, he played Daniel in the Great American Family movie "English Estate" with Spencer Locke and Juliet Mills, which premiered in February 2023.

Oliver was looking forward to the new year

Christian Oliver shared his last Instagram post on January 1, 2024, with hopes for the new year. A photo of a soft sunset overlooking the beach, with silhouettes of a small group of people in the forefront, indicated he was already enjoying warm weather with his family. "Greetings from somewhere in paradise!," he wrote. "To community and love ...2024 here we come!" 

At the end of December, the actor had just wrapped the film "Forever Hold Your Peace," in which he not only starred but also served as a producer. Nick Lyon, the director, posted a tribute to Oliver, hours after learning of his death, sharing a photo of the two of them on their last day of filming. "We talked about producing a film together for years and finally did it! Thank you for being a great colleague, actor, and friend," Lyon wrote.

Posting about the movie on his own Instagram account, Oliver wrote, "Looking forward to 2024," and added the hashtag "#greathingstocome."