# Celebrities who you thought were already dead when they died (or are still alive) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 18, 2003, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-you-thought-were-already-dead-when-they-died-or-are-still-alive/182792 "2003-06-18T21:45:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-you-thought-were-already-dead-when-they-died-or-are-still-alive/182792/1 "2003-06-18T21:45:10Z")
In [this thread about Hume Cronyn](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=191419), I mentioned in passing that I had thought he was already dead, the same way I thought about “ **Jack Palance** ’s death.” Of course, now I learn that Jack Palance is still very much alive. AGAIN! Yup, that’s the second time I’d assumed he was dead already. (The first time kinda freaked me out, because he appeared live on Jay Leno _the very next day_ after a friend & I had bemoaned the fact that he was dead.) Ok, so now it’s time for a poll: What celebrities have you ever thought were dead, only to learn that they were either still alive, or had only just died? ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-you-thought-were-already-dead-when-they-died-or-are-still-alive/182792/2 "2003-06-18T21:50:45Z")
Abe Vigoda is **not** dead. [http://www.abevigoda.com/](http://www.abevigoda.com/) D ---
**Author:** ![McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McDeath_the_Mad)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-you-thought-were-already-dead-when-they-died-or-are-still-alive/182792/3 "2003-06-18T22:26:19Z")
Ernest Borgnine! I though he was dead for years, then he showed-up on that NBC sitcom “The Single Guy”. I looked over at my room mate and he said “I thought he was dead”? I said “so did I”! MtM ---
**Author:** ![Maci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Maci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maci)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-you-thought-were-already-dead-when-they-died-or-are-still-alive/182792/4 "2003-06-18T22:38:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by McDeath\_the\_Mad \* > **Ernest Borgnine!** Isn’t he doing the voice of Mermaid Man for Spongebob Squarepants? ---
**Author:** ![Mercutio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Mercutio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mercutio)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-you-thought-were-already-dead-when-they-died-or-are-still-alive/182792/5 "2003-06-18T23:13:53Z")
Super Dave Osborne ---
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-you-thought-were-already-dead-when-they-died-or-are-still-alive/182792/6 "2003-06-18T23:19:12Z")
I thought Hume Cronyn had died – I think I confused him and Tandy. Buddy Ebsen being still alive shocked me awhile back Olivia de Havilland when she showed up at the oscars I said, well you know what I said … almost the same thing I said when Victor Mature died just 3 or 4 years ago “I thought he WAS dead” ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-you-thought-were-already-dead-when-they-died-or-are-still-alive/182792/7 "2003-06-18T23:25:35Z")
Though you might like a link to the [“Not Dead Yet” list](http://www.dpsinfo.com/dps/rumors.html#top) at “Dead People Server” site. I’d totally forgotten about that place 'til I saw this thread. ---
**Author:** ![X\_Slayer\_ALE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbe5ce/32.png) [@X\_Slayer\_ALE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X_Slayer_ALE)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-you-thought-were-already-dead-when-they-died-or-are-still-alive/182792/8 "2003-06-19T00:13:16Z")
**Elvis Presley** … Man I thought that sucker was dead, but people keep seeing him in donut shops everywhere! ---
**Author:** ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-you-thought-were-already-dead-when-they-died-or-are-still-alive/182792/9 "2003-06-19T00:22:50Z")
A few weeks ago, I was flipping channels and saw the Bob Hope retrospective. I thought that this was an obituary show that had been in the can for a few years, waiting for the right time. Turns out that he’d turned 100 instead. ---
**Author:** ![elephant\_shoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@elephant\_shoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elephant_shoes)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-you-thought-were-already-dead-when-they-died-or-are-still-alive/182792/10 "2003-06-19T00:44:15Z")
Jimmy Stewart. Every time. Hey, by the way. Is Jimmy Stewart dead? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-you-thought-were-already-dead-when-they-died-or-are-still-alive/182792/11 "2003-06-19T00:59:15Z")
Jimmy Stewart is deader than disco. My embarrassment is that I took a BNL lyric for gospel. Color me surprised when John Davidson showed up on the _That’s Incredible_ reunion. ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-you-thought-were-already-dead-when-they-died-or-are-still-alive/182792/12 "2003-06-19T01:01:12Z")
Abe Vigoda was my first thought too. BTW, Super Dave is the brother of Albert Brooks. Nobody asked, but I’m tellin’ ya anyhow. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-you-thought-were-already-dead-when-they-died-or-are-still-alive/182792/13 "2003-06-19T01:13:04Z")
Art Linkletter is often listed as “people we thought were dead”. He’s nearly 91 and travels 100,000 miles a year speaking to the public. The Queen Mother was another. Then again, most people I talked to had no idea who she was. When she died, I had many people ask me if Charles was King now. In fact there was a thread in GQ asking if Charles became King the moment she died. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-you-thought-were-already-dead-when-they-died-or-are-still-alive/182792/14 "2003-06-19T01:17:48Z")
Peter O’Toole. And I know he isn’t dead, but I didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-you-thought-were-already-dead-when-they-died-or-are-still-alive/182792/15 "2003-06-19T02:05:45Z")
I thought Doris Day passed on in the early 80’s, and I was glad to find out yesterday that she’s still alive. ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-you-thought-were-already-dead-when-they-died-or-are-still-alive/182792/16 "2003-06-19T02:55:36Z")
[Fay Wray](http://schwinger.harvard.edu/~terning/bios/Wray.html) \* the beauty that killed the beast\* is still alive. ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-you-thought-were-already-dead-when-they-died-or-are-still-alive/182792/17 "2003-06-19T03:04:14Z")
This site includes a list of notable people over 85. Some that surprise me… **Soong Mei Ling** the widow of Chinese nationalist leader and Taiwanese president Chiang Kai Shek is 106 Is she really still alive, or have we just lost track? **George Kennan** - a primary advocate of Cold War 'containment is 99 - I was sure he wa long dead. **Max Schmeling**. He was the German boxer that lost the heavyweight championship to Joe Lewis. He’s 97. **Oscar Niemeyer**. Brazilian architect, who pretty much designed Brasilia. 95 **Edward Teller** , nuclear physicist who helped design the first hydrogen weapons 95. **Eddie Albert** of ‘Green Acres’. Now these other people, I assumed to be dead. I was SURE he was dead. [Imdb.com](http://Imdb.com) also has him as alive. Others…(all over 85) Claude Levi-Strauss. Henri Cartier-Bresson Estée Lauder Alfredo Stroessner (wasn’t he assassinated?) Frankie Laine Herman Wouk Saul Bellow Lester Maddox (Georgia’s baseball bat swinging anti-segregationalist) P.W. Botha Also I had no idea some of the other people on this list were so damn old. (Weezie Jefferson is 85??). [http://www.deadoraliveinfo.com/dead.nsf/pages/main](http://www.deadoraliveinfo.com/dead.nsf/pages/main) Go to “people alive over 85” along the side menu… This list seems to be updated (Gregory Peck and Hume Cronyn were recently moved). ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-you-thought-were-already-dead-when-they-died-or-are-still-alive/182792/18 "2003-06-19T03:23:52Z")
When Joseph Cotten died, I was sure I could remember having heard of his death years before. ---
**Author:** ![TeaRoses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@TeaRoses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaRoses)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-you-thought-were-already-dead-when-they-died-or-are-still-alive/182792/19 "2003-06-19T03:28:08Z")
I was convinced for years that Billy Graham was dead. I’m not sure why anymore.