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

(as were molotov and malenkov come to think of it lol)

I can't remember which book described Molotov aka "stone arse" on his '42 trip to Britain sleeping with a huge chunk of sausage and a revolver under his pillow, because he was para he was going to get done in or poisoned or if I'm just making it up. but this tickled me:

"People used to joke, mocking the Soviet gerontocracy, that then Soviet leader Konstantin Chernenko, who was 73 years old, saw the 94-year-old Molotov as his successor"

Jerry Springer, 77.

most recently seen here at the end of this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhPOeKgO6LI

Saw a Happy Birthday Mom from Zoe Cassavetes on Twitter recently, and lo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gena_Rowlands Didn't know she was active that long, or that she was in 10 of John's movies (or possibly problematic re some of them later)

was thinking of her anyway, having seen her four Alfred Hitchcock performances, one on Presents, three on Hour.

when i'm 94 i will also sleep with a huge chunk of sausage under my pillow

Don't forget the revolver, and/or Revolver---tomorrow never knows.

Leslie Caron, 90

Sir Derek Jacobi, 82.

Gail Halvorsen, who flew US Air Force cargo planes in the 1948 Berlin Airlift, and was much loved in the city for dropping a total of 23 tons of candy to West Berlin children using improvised handkerchief parachutes. Still going strong at the age of 100.

It was gratifying to have many American friends join our celebration of German Armed Forces Day. It was a particular treat to hear from Col. Gail Halvorsen, Berlin's 'Candy Bomber'. During the Airlift, he lifted spirits - it only felt right to send him a care package of our own. pic.twitter.com/1ZC0SB79SI

— German Embassy (@GermanyinUSA) June 22, 2021

There's a recording studio in Berlin called Candy Bomber. Never knew what the name meant until today.

I could have swore Morgan Freeman died a few years ago but he didn't.

Keep thinking the same about John Carpenter.

Geez, John Carpenter is only 73! And thankfully finding a lot of happiness in his latest iteration in the band with his son and godson.

Alas, a lifetime of heavy smoking ...

Damon Albarn.

Yeah, I hope he's making music for decades more, it must be that some of the directors he is associated with have died that I thought he had too

Carpenter that is

Erno Rubik

UK film director Desmond Davis (Girl With Green Eyes, Smashing Time)

Joanne Woodaward

-woodward.

Rude of me

James Ivory, 93.

Canadian rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins, age 86

He's gotta make sure Robbie doesn't have the last word.

with Rumsfeld kicking it, I had to double check that, yes, Kissinger is still alive at 98

I was going to say Derrida but I looked it up and he's been dead for more than a decade -- missed that

is there a "people you didn't realise were dead" thread?

I watched Poverty Row noir ‘Strange Illusion’ from 1945 last night and was pleasantly surprised that the actor who played the protagonist is still with us. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Lydon

Today I learned that director Martin Brest (Beverly Hills Cop, Midnight Run, etc.) has been more or less a recluse since the failure of Gigli. This article was fascinating:

https://web.archive.org/web/20141222232939/http:/www.playboy.com/articles/what-happened-to-director-martin-brest

He's just ... gone.

Jackie Joseph, who played "Audrey" in the original 1960 The Little Shop of Horrors and was a regular on The Doris Day Show in the early '70s. (87 yo).

I knew he was still alive, but it's still worth noting Ahmad Jamal turned 91 yesterday.

June Lockhart (b. 1925), best known as a TV mom on Lassie and a mom-scientist on Lost In Space.

I saw her last night in a small but memorable part in Meet Me In St. Louis (as an east-coast romantic rival who turns out to be good-hearted) and it was driving me crazy who she looked like, until I realized it was Heather Graham on Arrested Development; Graham, of course, appeared in the godawful film version of Lost in Space as the daughter to Mimi Rogers's version of Lockhart's old character. (Lockhart is also in the film, in a cameo as a holographic space principal.)

― Newb Sybok (Doctor Casino), Friday, December 22, 2017 12:27 PM (three years ago) bookmarkflaglink

Still with us at 96 (inspired by a Svengoolie screening of The She-Wolf of London).

What, no mention of Petticoat Junction?

Alfred Brendel, 90.

Felicia Farr, 88.

Is her husband still alive? Think so.

Prepare yourself for a shock, Jack Lemmon is not still alive.

Can't keep track anymore, sorry, so not much of a shock.

Herb Alpert: trumpeter, Tijuana Brass impresario, cofounder of A&M Records, and last person to perform the Super Bowl rendition of the national anthem as an instrumental. Still around at 86 - just one of those people who I pictured as already being middle-aged in the mid-60s.

^^His partner in both A & M and Almo Sounds Jerry Moss is also still kickin' at 86.

Herb Alpert was the last performer I saw in live performance pre-pandemic, back in December 2019. His wife Lani Hall, from Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66, is still alive as well though a decade or so younger than him. They still have it, I enjoyed seeing the two of them together.

Trivia question: Only one Super Bowl out of the 55 we've had has NOT featured the singing of the National Anthem. What tune was performed in its place that year and who sang it (the singer is still alive)?

*singing or instrumental performance of it, that is

You guys really should watch that Herb Alpert documentary. It's fully a mood booster. He's such a wholesome, joyful dude.

Pat Arrowsmith, CND campaigner, 91.

Came in to say Ed Meese, searched thread, saw that every 2-3 years someone here is surprised to find out Ed Meese was still alive, well, today it's me.

to quote the 'RIP David Brooks' thread, tbf his soul is dead.

Julie Andrews

― flappy bird, Wednesday, October 16, 2019 8:11 PM (one year ago) bookmarkflaglink

Holy shit!

Not even 90, hold your tongue