the last famous person you were surprised to discover was actually still alive

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Who knew?

― Gear! (Gear!), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 10:53 (twenty-one years ago)

(Richard Widmark)

― Gear! (Gear!), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 10:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Saddam Hussein, obv

― Ste (Fuzzy), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 11:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Stanley Baxter

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 12:21 (twenty-one years ago)

(Inverting the question completely) Thora Hird.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 12:22 (twenty-one years ago)

she was famous.

― RJG (RJG), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 13:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Anita O'Day: though I had never heard of her until the time I also learned that she was still alive.

― the pinefox, Wednesday, 24 December 2003 13:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Clive Dunn is the obvious one.

― Chriddof (Chriddof), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 14:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Dennis Hopper, every time.

― TOMBOT, Wednesday, 24 December 2003 14:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Mickey Rooney

― Bryan (Bryan), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 14:59 (twenty-one years ago)

She was famous, yeah, but I thought she was alive and she's not.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 15:12 (twenty-one years ago)

So I guess it's only half-inverted.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 15:12 (twenty-one years ago)

J.D. Salinger, every time I hear it, I'm surprised.

― Huckleberry Mann (Horace Mann), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 15:14 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm always vaguelly confused that he even exists.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 15:15 (twenty-one years ago)

George Jones.

― Carey (Carey), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 15:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Elvis Presley

― jewelly (jewelly), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 19:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Joe Namath - I could have sworn he had a heart attack years ago!

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 19:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Red Auerbach, who I had to make sure was still alive by going to Dead or Alive?

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 19:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Wait, didn't Studs Terkel die? That site lists him as alive. Or am I thinking of Irv Kupcinet?

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 19:38 (twenty-one years ago)

That guy from the Von Bondies

― Lynskey (Lynskey), Wednesday, 24 December 2003 19:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I feel particularly bad for this, having been such a huge fan of his music, but only earlier in 2003 did I learn that Mr. Sly Stone in fact did not die sometime in the early 80s.

― nickalicious at granny's crib, Thursday, 25 December 2003 17:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Ursula Moray Williams

― robin carmody (robin carmody), Thursday, 25 December 2003 20:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Reg Varney

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Friday, 26 December 2003 19:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Dave Allen

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 26 December 2003 19:50 (twenty-one years ago)

I couldn't believe Christopher Lee was alive when I found out he was doing Saruman (and then the Star Wars dingus). He's like, 80!!!

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 26 December 2003 20:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Oops: Kupcinet just kicked the bucket about a month ago. Studs is alive and well.

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 26 December 2003 20:01 (twenty-one years ago)

GENE WILDER. I swear he died.

― TEH ONE AN ONLEY DEANN GULBAREY (deangulberry), Friday, 26 December 2003 20:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Reg Varney's still alive?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 27 December 2003 02:01 (twenty-one years ago)

richard pryor.

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 27 December 2003 02:22 (twenty-one years ago)

i read something saying Nina Simone only died this year. Can that be right?

― isadora (isadora), Sunday, 28 December 2003 08:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Windsor Davies

― Ricardo (RickyT), Sunday, 28 December 2003 21:45 (twenty-one years ago)

gene wilder recently had a bout with cancer, which thank god he survived.

― s1utsky (slutsky), Sunday, 28 December 2003 21:52 (twenty-one years ago)

five months pass...

Bosko Balaban Stats For Season

Name Bosko Balaban
Team Aston Villa
Total Appearances 0
Starts 0
Substituted 0
Total Minutes Played 0
Avg Minutes Played Per Start 0
Goals 0
Avg Goal Mins When Starting 0.0
Avg Mins Played/Goal Scored 0
Goals Scored As Sub 0
Number of Bookings 0
Total Booking Minutes 0
Avg Bookings Per Start 0
Number of Red Cards 0
Total Red Card Minutes 0
Avg Red Cards Per Start 0
Avg Booking Minutes When Starting 0.0

― bosko, Monday, 14 June 2004 16:14 (twenty-one years ago)

I was surprised that Bosko even lived.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 14 June 2004 16:15 (twenty-one years ago)

three years pass...

Telma Hopkins!

but that was last week.

today it was ARNOLD STANG!!!!

don't know why i though telma hopkins died.

― tremendoid, Friday, 8 February 2008 06:25 (seventeen years ago)

Zsa Zsa Gabor just turned 91 a few days ago.

― Roz, Friday, 8 February 2008 07:03 (seventeen years ago)

abe vigoda

― remy bean, Friday, 8 February 2008 07:11 (seventeen years ago)

I think Ernest Borgnine is still at it too.

― nickn, Friday, 8 February 2008 07:52 (seventeen years ago)

doris day

― Frogman Henry, Friday, 8 February 2008 08:00 (seventeen years ago)

she's getting a grammy tomorrow

― tremendoid, Friday, 8 February 2008 08:03 (seventeen years ago)

two years pass...

Shirley Temple

― lol @ dog w/ sunglasses (Pillbox), Thursday, 23 September 2010 19:06 (fourteen years ago)

!!!

― Les centimètres énigmatiques (snoball), Thursday, 23 September 2010 19:07 (fourteen years ago)

Leonard skinner, but he's now dead.

― Your cousin, Marvin Cobain (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 23 September 2010 19:08 (fourteen years ago)

I was surprised that Bosko even lived.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, June 15, 2004 4:15 AM (6 years ago) Bookmark

dying here

had no idea Sam Beckett lived until 1989 until the other day

― CharlieS, Thursday, 23 September 2010 19:12 (fourteen years ago)

j.d. salinger, but then he died not long after i found out

― just1n3, Thursday, 23 September 2010 19:24 (fourteen years ago)

four months pass...

Louie Anderson

― Godzilla vs. Rodan Rodannadanna (The Yellow Kid), Friday, 18 February 2011 06:17 (fourteen years ago)

He was on Tim & Eric a year or two ago.

― Wacky Way Lounge (Evan), Friday, 18 February 2011 06:41 (fourteen years ago)

Kenneth Mars, but once again after he was dead.

― Your cousin, Marvin Cobain (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 18 February 2011 07:56 (fourteen years ago)

Jane Russell

― Alba, Friday, 18 February 2011 09:00 (fourteen years ago)

Clive Dunn

― Alba, Friday, 18 February 2011 09:01 (fourteen years ago)

Skipping 3271 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

I forgot David Steel was in the news a few years ago when he resigned from the Lords over turning a blind eye to Cyril Smith abuse.

― Alba, Thursday, 24 July 2025 05:51 (one month ago)

I heard a trailer for Malcolm Rifkind on radio 4 this morning. Was convinced he died last year but apparently not.

Was positive David Steel died a couple of years ago too. Distinctly remember a conversation with Mrs aldo about his abortion bill.

― Overtoun House windows (aldo), Thursday, 24 July 2025 18:08 (one month ago)

Biddy Baxter, 92

― ailsa, Friday, 1 August 2025 17:20 (one month ago)

Chris Bonington, 91 today.

― Corny Capitalism (Tom D.), Wednesday, 6 August 2025 09:27 (one month ago)

Susan Cooper, 90

― Sam Weller, Wednesday, 6 August 2025 20:49 (one month ago)

Saw Chris Bonnington speak in the 90s, went with my stepdad who is into mountain climbing, he didn't seem that old at the time but it was thirty years ago I guess.

― Proust Ian Rush (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Wednesday, 6 August 2025 20:55 (one month ago)

Me these days... 78 and going strong ... so far so good. pic.twitter.com/LIHQWjDWm8
— Arlo Guthrie (@folkslinger) August 3, 2025

― the way out of (Eazy), Wednesday, 6 August 2025 20:59 (one month ago)

that's nice to see, didn't he have a rough health patch a few years ago?

― whimsical skeedaddler (Moodles), Wednesday, 6 August 2025 21:09 (one month ago)

that guitar kisses fascists

― hello we are the tik tok data recruitment center (Hunt3r), Wednesday, 6 August 2025 21:26 (one month ago)

Heidi Fleiss

― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 6 August 2025 23:19 (one month ago)

she's not even sixty!

― Andy the Grasshopper, Wednesday, 6 August 2025 23:26 (one month ago)

And yet.

― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 6 August 2025 23:58 (one month ago)

Peter Currell Brown. Has not published anything since 1965.

― Proust Ian Rush (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Thursday, 7 August 2025 09:57 (one month ago)

Biddy Baxter, 92
― ailsa, Friday, 1 August 2025 18:20 (one week ago)

Thread curse strikes again!

― Proust Ian Rush (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Sunday, 10 August 2025 19:10 (four weeks ago)

Evil stalks this message board.

― Corny Capitalism (Tom D.), Sunday, 10 August 2025 19:39 (four weeks ago)

But... she's still alive?

― Ashley Pomeroy, Sunday, 10 August 2025 19:51 (four weeks ago)

https://bsky.app/profile/tenacrefilms.bsky.social/post/3lw32koyp722d

― Proust Ian Rush (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Sunday, 10 August 2025 19:59 (four weeks ago)

Thread curse strikes again!

They don't get to take their place in the human race.

― Overtoun House windows (aldo), Sunday, 10 August 2025 20:04 (four weeks ago)

Peter Purves, 86. Is there an older Blue Peter alumnus still breathing?

― a product of the times, those times being the end times (Matt #2), Sunday, 10 August 2025 20:32 (four weeks ago)

Leila Williams is still with us at 88.

― Overtoun House windows (aldo), Sunday, 10 August 2025 20:34 (four weeks ago)

Actually so is Val Singleton, also at 88 and the very short-serving Anita West (between Leila and Val) is 90.

― Overtoun House windows (aldo), Sunday, 10 August 2025 20:36 (four weeks ago)

Jack Hill, director of Spider Baby, Foxy Brown and a bunch more great exploitationers, 92

― slip a gallon to me alan (Matt #2), Tuesday, 12 August 2025 17:09 (three weeks ago)

The 50th anniversary Sportscene last Saturday was a trove for this thread: Archie MacPherson, Jock Brown, Dougie Donnelly, Gordon Smith and Hazel Irvine (who I was sure died during lockdown).

― Overtoun House windows (aldo), Tuesday, 12 August 2025 18:29 (three weeks ago)

Hazel Irvine (who I was sure died during lockdown).

LOL, you obviously never watch the snooker.

― Peter No-one (Tom D.), Tuesday, 12 August 2025 18:49 (three weeks ago)

You are correct with that one.

― Overtoun House windows (aldo), Tuesday, 12 August 2025 19:57 (three weeks ago)

Hazel Irvine is only 60!

― Madchen, Tuesday, 12 August 2025 20:45 (three weeks ago)

The very first famous person in this thread is unnamed and represented by a broken image so we will never know if they are still alive or not - unless Gear! comes back to ILX and provided they remember who it was. As it stands the first famous person mentioned in the thread who someone was surprised to discover was still alive who is still alive is... Stanley Baxter! Yay! Gaun yersel Stanley! Though in fact he was only 77 at the time!

― Peter No-one (Tom D.), Tuesday, 12 August 2025 22:31 (three weeks ago)

It was Richard Widmark, according to Gear's second post.

― Kim Kimberly, Tuesday, 12 August 2025 22:37 (three weeks ago)

Right, missed that! Next is Joe Namath, who wasn't even 60 at the time!

― Peter No-one (Tom D.), Tuesday, 12 August 2025 22:44 (three weeks ago)

Dick Van Dyke was 85 when he got this his shout-out in this thread

― henry s, Tuesday, 12 August 2025 23:17 (three weeks ago)

South Park, 28

― Sam Weller, Wednesday, 13 August 2025 18:20 (three weeks ago)

Sam the Sham, 88.

― Peter No-one (Tom D.), Saturday, 16 August 2025 22:58 (three weeks ago)

I think Rudy "Question Mark" Martinez is still alive, too!

― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 16 August 2025 23:41 (three weeks ago)

Jerry Schatzberg, 98

― Lithium Just Madison (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 17 August 2025 00:30 (three weeks ago)

Sam the Sham, 88.

The real one's gone, though

― Halfway there but for you, Sunday, 17 August 2025 01:19 (three weeks ago)

I think Rudy "Question Mark" Martinez is still alive, too!

― Halfway there but for you, Sunday, 17 August 2025 01:22 (three weeks ago)

Donald Sterling, 91. Former owner of the L.A. Clippers and by all accounts an absolutely vile human being. Forced to sell the team after it was disclosed he had Alzheimers, but that was… uhhh… eleven years ago and he still refuses to die.

― Mr. Snrub, Monday, 18 August 2025 02:22 (two weeks ago)

The real reason he had to sell was that he was such a vile racist that the NBA Players Association was pretty unanimously against him and the league was facing a player insurrection if they didn't force him out.

― more difficult than I look (Aimless), Monday, 18 August 2025 02:55 (two weeks ago)

i dremt i was to meet STANLEY BAXTER (thread passim) but it didnt happen so when i woke i checked around to see if all was ok (seems to be, he is 99)

anyway so i was in this pub with large dark event rooms and the queen of fae had instructed me to meet a series of men by means of a kind of high zoom across these rooms, each one at right angles to the last (who were they all? i forget, this too is fae)

but stanley i did not get to meet, bcz the dream ended too soon :(

many of my dreams have been quite forboding recently but this one wasnt especially, fingers x-ed i am not a harbinger (or if i am i woke before harm came of it)

― mark s, Thursday, 21 August 2025 09:06 (two weeks ago)

I could have sworn Jack Nicholson died in the past few years. Alas, nope! 88 years old.

― czech hunter biden's laptop (the table is the table), Thursday, 21 August 2025 17:31 (two weeks ago)

Mentioned before, no doubt: Gary Player, 89.

― clemenza, Friday, 22 August 2025 23:48 (two weeks ago)

Famous King Crimson coverer and thread perennial Doc Severinsen still going at 98

― Elvis Telecom, Sunday, 24 August 2025 01:41 (two weeks ago)

Jandek still around, a mere 79

― Andy the Grasshopper, Tuesday, 26 August 2025 23:27 (one week ago)

Jeremy Isaacs, 92.

― AI Jardine (Tom D.), Wednesday, 27 August 2025 06:54 (one week ago)

Pete Murray, nearly 100.

― fetter, Wednesday, 27 August 2025 07:29 (one week ago)

Carrol Baker, 94

― Dan Worsley, Wednesday, 27 August 2025 21:29 (one week ago)

Barbara Barrie, 94

― you have to be avant-garde and stupid at the same (flamboyant goon tie included), Wednesday, 27 August 2025 23:38 (one week ago)

John Boorman, 92.

― AI Jardine (Tom D.), Tuesday, 2 September 2025 13:54 (five days ago)

Carnival of Souls star Candace Hilligoss, 90

― corgan – a suitable case for treatment (Matt #2), Tuesday, 2 September 2025 14:03 (five days ago)

JH Prynne, 89.

― bored by endless ecstasy (anagram), Wednesday, 3 September 2025 05:35 (four days ago)

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