# 5 Out Of 40 Of These Celebrities Are Still Alive: Can You Name Them? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 28, 2009, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529 "2009-07-28T07:07:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529/1 "2009-07-28T07:07:25Z")
A researcher I know mentioned that it was harder to figure out if someone is still alive, than figure out if someone had died. Got me to thinking - can you spot the **FIVE names below of living celebrities**? All the others have died. No fair Googling the answers! Ricardo Montalban (actor) Andrew Wyeth (painter) John Updike (author) Ron Silver (actor) Natasha Richardson (actress) Kirk Douglas (actor) Jack Wrangler (porn star/cabaret singer) Marilyn Chambers (Ivory Snow child model/later a porn star) J.D. Salinger (author) Bea Arthur (actress) Dom DeLuise (actor) Dionne Warwick (singer) David Carradine (actor) Ed McMahon (TV personality) Farrah Fawcett (actress) Little Richard (singer) Eartha Kitt (singer/actress) Paul Newman (actor) Bernie Mac (comedian/actor) George Carlin (comedian) Bo Diddley (musician) Harvey Korman (TV comedian) Charlton Heston (actor) Bobby Fischer (chess master) Ernest Gallo (wine producer) Julio Gallo (wine producer) Johnny Hart (BC comic strip artist) Kurt Vonnegut (author) Don Ho (legendary Hawaiian singer) Boris Yeltson (Russian president) Liz Claiborne (fashion designer) Joel Siegel (film critic) Beverly Sills (opera singer) Luciano Pavarotti (opera singer) Marcel Marceau (mime) Brigitte Bardot (actress) Robert Goulet (singer) Norman Mailer (author) Evel Knievel (daredevil) Ike Turner (singer, ex-hubby of Tina) Please put your answers in spoiler boxes, so as not to influence others by seeing the same names listed over and over again. And try not to ruin other attempts by blurbing out “so and so died last month!”. I will post the answers in a spoiler box tomorrow. Good luck - it ain’t easy to figure out who is still alive. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529/2 "2009-07-28T08:02:54Z")
Kirk Douglas J.D. Salinger Brigitte Bardot These three I know for sure. I’m not familiar with everyone on the list, so maybe a couple of the people I’ve never heard of are still alive. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529/3 "2009-07-28T08:30:51Z")
I guessed and then googled and got 2 out of 5, then I checked on my alternate and got 3 out of 5. You’re right, it’s a lot easier to know if someone is dead. A lot of these people have died recently. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529/4 "2009-07-28T08:38:03Z")
I’m only sure about two of these. > [@DMark](#): > > J.D. Salinger (author) > Dionne Warwick (singer) > Little Richard (singer) > Ernest Gallo (wine producer) > Brigitte Bardot (actress) ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529/5 "2009-07-28T08:41:39Z")
my guesses: Kirk Douglas (actor) Paul Newman (actor) Kurt Vonnegut (author) Liz Claiborne (fashion designer) Luciano Pavarotti (opera singer) But some of those names I don’t know who they are, so who knows they may be alive or dead… ---
**Author:** ![PeacePlease](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/71c47a/32.png) [@PeacePlease](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeacePlease)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529/6 "2009-07-28T09:07:47Z")
John Updike (author) Kirk Douglas (actor) J.D. Salinger (author) Dionne Warwick (singer) Little Richard (singer) Eartha Kitt (singer/actress) Bo Diddley (musician) Charlton Heston (actor) Liz Claiborne (fashion designer) Brigitte Bardot (actress) Red means alive. The others I’m not so sure about. This was MUCH harder than I thought without cheating…I didn’t!! ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529/7 "2009-07-28T09:13:16Z")
I’d have guessed Kirk Douglas Bardot Salinger Pavarotti and Goulet, but I didn’t hear about Joel Siegal dying, but maybe I did. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529/8 "2009-07-28T09:42:23Z")
Here goes: Kirk Douglas J.D. Salinger Dionne Warwick Little Richard Luciano Pavarotti ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529/9 "2009-07-28T10:50:34Z")
I ended up with these five: Ron Silver (actor) Kirk Douglas (actor) J.D. Salinger (author) Little Richard (singer) Joel Siegel (film critic) Already checked up on my results because I was positive some of these people were alive, others were guesses. This is a fun test but I disagree with **DMark** ’s friend: it’s not _that_ hard to find if people are alive. Wikipedia alone will do it, and if Wikipedia is insufficient as a source on its own it’s definitely a starting point. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529/10 "2009-07-28T10:57:53Z")
Here’s my guess: Kirk Douglas JD Salinger Dionne Warwick Little Richard Bo Diddley Boris Yeltsyn That’s six, but I’m fairly sure about the first four, so I’m guessing and hoping the OP is wrong about either Bo or Boris. On edit: I see I was wrong about my last two. Crap and double crap! Somebody still loves you, Boris Yeltsin… me! ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529/11 "2009-07-28T11:18:33Z")
Only 3 I’m almost sure are alive: Dionne Warwick, Little Richard, Bo Diddly Wrong on one. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529/12 "2009-07-28T11:50:26Z")
I got them all right, but I do have a certain responsibility in this area. Kirk Douglas J. D. Salinger Dionne Warwick Brigitte Bardot Little Richard The fifth one took some thought; the other four have been nominated in this year’s death pool. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529/13 "2009-07-28T12:17:07Z")
Damn, this is tough! I’m reasonably confident about the first two; the others are all guesses. J.D. Salinger (author) Dionne Warwick (singer) Liz Claiborne (fashion designer) Ernest Gallo (wine producer) Brigitte Bardot (actress) ETA: I’m feeling totally **smack** on Kirk Douglas ---
**Author:** ![Walkabout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walkabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walkabout)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529/14 "2009-07-28T12:35:18Z")
My guesses were: Kirk Douglas Dionne Warwick Bo Diddley Julio Gallo Liz Claiborne I wasn’t very sure of any of them, really, so it’s no surprise that I only got two right. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529/15 "2009-07-28T13:08:21Z")
I’m pretty sure I’d remember if I’d heard that Kirk Douglas, J.D. Salinger and Dionne Warwick Had died. I’m not as sure about Brigitte Bardot When Andrew Wyeth died earlier this year I clearly remember hearing it and thinking “Really? I didn’t know he was still alive!” Ike Turner is responsible for the only points I’ve ever accumulated in the celebrity death pool and therefor not among my guesses. I’m stumped… ---
**Author:** ![Liddle\_Lamsy\_Divey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Liddle\_Lamsy\_Divey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liddle_Lamsy_Divey)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529/16 "2009-07-28T13:44:45Z")
My guesses (not sure about the last one, though): J. D. Salinger Dionne Warwick Kirk Douglas Little Richard Brigitte Bardot ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529/17 "2009-07-28T14:07:30Z")
Not looking at the other answers, I was able to immediately narrow down the list by half from the ones I knew had died. After that, I tried narrowing it down by ones I thought I should have heard had died but didn’t. Then I guessed. Kirk Douglas (actor) J.D. Salinger (author) Little Richard (singer) Norman Mailer (author) And one of the Gallos has to be on there, but honestly…no clue which one. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529/18 "2009-07-28T14:31:17Z")
I think these four are still with us: J.D. Salinger, Dionne Warwick, Little Richard, and Liz Claiborne. I can’t seem to decide on a fifth. ---
**Author:** ![pricciar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529/19 "2009-07-28T14:39:24Z")
J.D. Salinger Dionne Warwick Eartha Kitt Robert Goulet Joel Siegel I just don’t remember hearing these guys dying. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529/20 "2009-07-28T14:59:33Z")
My best guesses. Dionne Warwick (singer) Bo Diddley (musician) Ike Turner (singer, ex-hubby of Tina) Julio Gallo (wine producer) Brigitte Bardot (actress) Off to check on them. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-out-of-40-of-these-celebrities-are-still-alive-can-you-name-them/504529.md?page=2)