Celebs you thought were dead.

[Jim H]

So, in a little over a week, I'm going to go see Chuck Berry perform live.  I've been trying to get tickets to see him for a while - they sell out within like 45 minutes of going up for sale online.  But yeah, he still performs regularly in St. Louis, and occasionally elsewhere.  He just turned 84 a few days ago.  Once in a while, I'll mention this to people, even native St. Louisans, and they'll stare at me and say "I thought he was dead!".  

Years ago, I remember thinking Fay Wray wasn dead, only to discover she was just really old.  Then she did die.  Oh well.

The classic example of the celeb everyone thinks is dead, of course, is Abe Vigoda.  At 89, I think he's still alive.  I hope he makes it another two or three decades, personally.

http://www.abevigoda.com/

So, what other celebs have you guys thought were dead, only to discover this was not so true?

[claws]

I usually look up info if I'm uncertain, especially after watching movies from the 70s and 80s. I never really assume that they are dead though. Most of the time I just think that they only retired from acting or singing.
Sometimes I do stumble across some celeb who has actually died years ago, and then I'm always kind of shocked.

For example, I didn't know that Cary Grant was dead until a few years later. It seems impossible not to have known but the news sort of went under my radar back then.

[Menard]

I've got to admit, I thought Chuck Berry was dead too. I guess thinking back to his heyday, it seems so long ago.

One actor, who is now dead (since 1997), whom I thought was dead well before then was William Hickey. I remember having watched a movie review for, I believe, Prizzi's Honor, and I could swear they referred to him as the late William Hickey; but he kept popping up in movies. Not a bad career for a dead man.

Lucio Fulci was one who was confused for having died; he even made light of it in interviews. Of course, considering his fame, somehow it seems appropriate that he was still giving interviews after having passed away.

[Hammock Rider]

  I thought Maureen O'Hara was dead. I mean come on, she was bumping uglies with John Wayne. Turns out she's 90!

[Rev. Powell]

Funny you should mention this.  When I saw you post you were going to see Chuck Berry, my first thought was "isn't he dead?" 

About a decade ago, I was surprised to find out BB King was still alive and performing regularly.  He still is alive ten years later and he has had the occasional performance after a 2006 "Farewell tour." 

[Paquita]

I didn't realize Andy Griffith was still alive until I saw him on a commercial recently.  He's only 83!

Unfortunately, when I found out Paul Naschy was still alive, he died a few weeks later .

[Umaril The Unfeathered]

Another star who dosen't get mentioned much is Francis Lederer, whose one big horror role was the 1958 movie The Return Of Dracula.  I thought he was long gone, only to find out that he lived to 101.  Naturally he did pass away (back in 2000) but until that time I was under the impression he was already gone. Sadly, now he is. 

[HappyGilmore]

Ann B. Davis-Alice the Maid from The Brady Bunch.  Turns out she's like, 84.  Not that that's bad.  Just assumed.

George "The Animal" Steele- Professional wrestler, who also portrayed Tor Johnson in Ed Wood.  Turns out he's like, 74.  He was old when I watched him as a kid.

Russell Johnson- The Professor from Gilligan's Island amongst the "B" movies he's done.

John Astin- Gomez Addams from The Addams Family.  Thought he passed as I hadn't seen him in anything.  Guess he's enjoying being retired.

William Daniels- The legend...KITT from Knight Rider, Dr. Craig in St. Elsewhere, Mr. Feeny on Boy Meets World.  Turns out he's 83.

Andy Griffith- I too, was surprised to see him in a commercial recently.

[retrorussell]

Can't believe Ernest Borgnine is still around! 
Same as June Foray (voice of Rocky of "Rocky And Bullwinkle", and a billion other cartoon characters).

[sideorderofninjas]

Hadn't heard anything new from
Ernest Borgnine or Robert Loggia lately.  Glad to see them popping up...

[Trekkie313]

Robert Loggia

Must not make joke!

[Joe the Destroyer]

-Phyllis Diller
-Andy Griffith
-Shirley Temple

[the ghoul]

For a couple of years back in the 90's, I thought Ben Kingsley was dead.  I could have sworn I had heard on the news at some point that he died, then to my surprise, I noticed he was in some movie that was just coming out.

For a long time I also thought Bowzer from Sha Na Na had died, then I later discovered that he had not.  I think there was a false rumor going around about it or something because it seems I heard that one more than once.

[HappyGilmore]

-Phyllis Diller
-Andy Griffith
-Shirley Temple

Shirley Temple's ALIVE?

Wow.  Thought she was long dead.

That's good news, though.

[Joe the Destroyer]

-Phyllis Diller
-Andy Griffith
-Shirley Temple

Shirley Temple's ALIVE?

Wow.  Thought she was long dead.

That's good news, though.

Yep, she's just over 80.  Still not as old as Griffith or Diller, but up there.