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

Caterina Valente

"The Breeze and I" was a hit in 1955, she's 91

Doris Andreae, Karlheinz Stockhausen's first wife (mother of Markus), 99.

In a similar vein, Nuria Schoenberg, daughter of Arnold and wife of Luigi Nono, 90.

composer betsy jolas 96 (daughter of the also somewhat famous eugene & maria)

In a different vein, Jeanette Charles - "The" Queen "impersonator" is 95 (Retired in 2014)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeannette_Charles

Charles appeared as an actress in repertory theatre in her twenties, but had difficulty obtaining Equity membership. Her resemblance to Queen Elizabeth II made it difficult to obtain roles, and she eventually left acting to become a secretary.

In 1972, a painting she commissioned of herself in her forties (as a present for her husband) was displayed by the artist at the Royal Academy in London, where it was taken to be a portrait of the Queen. On the assumption the painting was of the Queen, it was disqualified as portraits had to be painted from life. When it was revealed that it was not the Queen, Charles (as the actual subject of the painting) received a great deal of press attention, and started receiving offers to portray the Queen in print advertisements.[2] Charles accepted the offers she felt were appropriate (turning down, for instance, offers to portray the queen in lingerie or, in one case, as a centrefold), and insisted that it be made clear in any advertisement that the Queen was being played by an impersonator.

After studying the Queen's voice, as well as her appearance, Charles also made in-character personal appearances at trade shows and corporate events, and soon broadened into film. Charles has played the role of Queen Elizabeth II in many films including Secrets of a Superstud (1976), Queen Kong (1976), The Rutles' movie All You Need Is Cash (1978), National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985), The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) and Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002).

closely studying the queen's voice for a more authentic impersonation in SECRETS OF A SUPERSTUD (1976)

Always instantly recognisable as Jeannette Charles.

Clive Everton, snooker commentator, 85.

Edmund W. Gordon, social psychologist, 101.

Dickie Bird, cricket umpire, 90

Lea Massari, the actress who played the missing woman in L'avventura, 89

Haven't seen her in a while

Harry Belafonte, 96.

― Alba, Thursday, April 13, 2023 6:46 PM (one week ago)

Well I fucked that

So it's your fault

Zamfir

Richard Chamberlain, 89

Joe Don Baker, 87.

Super Gran, 97

Roosevelt "Rosey" Grier, 90

Pilar Pallete, actor and widow of John Wayne, 94.

Clarence Carter, 87

Clarence Carter! Clarence Carter! Clarence Carter! Clarence Carter! ooooooooh SHIT, Clarence Carter (is actually still alive)!

trying to think which 50s musicians (that actually had hits in the 50s) are still alive. So far I've come up with:

Was almost sure you were were wrong and that he'd died a few years ago! Must have been thinking of Dick Dale I think.

Yah, that would have been Dick Dale. Duane Eddy is 85 and still going (this clip is from 2021)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCwellRgo0w

Stanley Baxter, 97 years old today.

Also Archie Shepp, a mere 86 years old today (lol autocorrect gave me Archie Sheep at first).

Since we've said Stanley Baxter then we might as well say Glen Michael as well, as they are the mainstays of the thread.

John Wayne's last wife was mentioned. Steve McQueen's first wife Neile Adams is still alive at 90. Those couples were married in 1954 and 1956 respectively.

Anthony Zerbe is 87

Biddy Baxter, who's 90 today

Since we've said Stanley Baxter then we might as well say Glen Michael as well, as they are the mainstays of the thread.

They're the Scottish Roger Cormans.

David McCallum, 89

Ingrid Goude, infamous for The Killer Shrews, 86

Joss Ackland, 95.

All six listed cast members of One Foot In The Grave, a show about old people which started 33 years ago.

I mean it isn't that surprising that Angus Deayton is still around, but Doreen Mantle who played Mrs Warboys is now 96.

No feet in the grave

Terry Carter, 94, who played Pvt. Sugarman in the Phil Silvers Show and was possibly the first black actor in a regular role on US network TV. Also in Foxy Brown!

science! documentarian james burke, 86

Oh no!

... oops, I thought this was the obituary thread! Keep going, James!

never tire of watching this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WoDQBhJCVQ

Kevin Brownlow - 85 today! I didn't realise how young he was when he made It Happened Here.

Hadn't thought about it but I think his main career is restoration so the lack of films he's made seemed normal

I think I did know he was v young when It Happened Here um, happened

IHE and Went the Day Well? seems like a natural double bill

Definitely. Made me realise i'm due a rewatch of Winstanley as well.

Mitzi Gaynor is still going at 91.

Was just watching the MGM musical Les Girls (1957) and one of Mitzi’s two fellow “girls,” Taina Elg, is also still around at 93!

James Burton

Ursula Andress, 87.

John Nott, "here today, gone tomorrow politician", still here today at 91.

Asha Bhosle, 89.

Long, pointless story, but please trust that it is relevant to the thread: My son has a series of questions he asks about people: first, whether the person is dead. Then it becomes a flowchart.

If the person is alive, he asks how old they are, and whether they live nearby. Sometimes he asks whether they are in Washington D.C. If they don't live nearby, he asks how far away it is.

If the person is dead, he asks when they died. And then whether I am sad about it.

So this morning he was playing with the car radio and found "Take on Me."

Sam: Dad. Who mote dis HAAA? (Who wrote this song?)

Me: A-Ha. The singer is Morten Harket.

Sam: He dead?

Me: No.

Sam: How old is he?

Me: Uh, I guess he's about 65? (I really have no idea.)

Sam: In Wah DC?

Me: No, I guess he's probably in Norway. (I really have no idea.)

Sam: Is far?

Me: No, it's thousands of miles.

Next song: "I Will Survive."

Sam: Who is dat?

Me: Gloria Gaynor.

Sam: He dead?

Me: No, she's still alive.

What I am not saying: BECAUSE DUH, SHE IS LITERALLY TELLING YOU IN THE SONG THAT SHE WILL SURVIVE

THREAD RELEVANCE ALERT: Gloria Gaynor is 79 and turns 80 in September. I looked it up.

EPILOGUE

For some perverse reason the next song to come on the radio is "Eye of the Tiger" by... wait for it... Survivor. I am sensing a theme. Same questions but we will skip them for now. Because the next song we heard was by Michael Jackson.

Sam: He dead?

Me: Yes.

Sam: When he dead?

Me: Uh, about 15 years ago? (Guessing)

Sam: Is Dad sad of him?

Me: Uh, it's complicated.