# Who have been the greatest losses to the arts (not deceased)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 22, 2020, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262 "2020-09-22T21:38:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2020, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262/1 "2020-09-22T21:38:22Z")
As the title really – great artists who we have lost, but who are not dead. They just, for whatever reason, stopped. The example I’m going to kick off with is from the performing arts, but I don’t mean to restrict the thread to this – any artistic medium is fine. A couple of examples spring to mind, but I’ll go with just this one: Shane McGowan. A great performer, but a better poet – I really mean that. And then there was… alcohol. But at the peak of his powers he could speak straight to your heart. There are so many examples. But here’s [A Rainy Night In Soho](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boOJ4XaQR8w): > Now, the song is nearly over > We may never find out what it means > Still, there’s a light I hold before me > You’re the measure of my dreams, the measure of my dreams Shane was one of the great ones, but has been more-or-less inactive for many years now, which is a very great shame. Bearing in mind that a little introduction to/reminder of their work may be useful - what other great artists are still alive but sadly missed? j ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262/2 "2020-09-23T00:22:01Z")
If comedy movies count as the arts, then Rick Moranis makes the list. IIRC was the only major living cast member of the original Ghostbusters who could not be persuaded to come out of retirement. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262/3 "2020-09-23T00:24:52Z")
Daniel Day-Lewis is retired but he’s only 63 so he could make more movies. Kate Bush has not put out an album since 2011. She did concerts in 2014 and the rumor was she did them because she needed money for repairs to her house. She is 62 and has not said she is retired. . BTW Rick Moranis is back acting now. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262/4 "2020-09-23T00:32:35Z")
Also Gene Hackman is retired from acting and he’s 90. On the other hand Michael Caine is 87 and said as long as he gets offers to act he will work. He said actors should not retire . ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262/5 "2020-09-23T00:45:18Z")
The Beatles? I’m not exactly a big fan – I like some of their “greatest hits” tracks – but the amount of cultural bandwidth they had during the time they were together, the influence of their music, and their continued relevance is hard to overemphasize. And then they just stopped being the Beatles. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262/6 "2020-09-23T02:30:53Z")
Kate Bush hasn’t put out an album in 9 years and we’re discussing whether or not she’s retired. The Beatles released a dozen albums and changed the world in 8 years. Amazing how fast things moved then. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262/7 "2020-09-23T02:57:45Z")
I’d count an artist that was relevant and turning out great work, but then “sold out” or “lost their edge”… …can’t think of any I’d accuse of that right now. But the nominees I’m running through include Jefferson Airplane (pre-Starship), Ice Cube, David Crosby, maybe Sir Paul, Howard Stern and Kandidate Kanye… Some would say Elvis Costello was lost to Angry Punkers when he got sober and happy. I disagree. But that reminds me that I’ve always said Jim Morrison was in the process of becoming an overweight lounge act. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262/8 "2020-09-23T03:54:09Z")
Is Sport ‘Art’? If so, Michael Schumacher. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262/9 "2020-09-23T03:57:33Z")
Tom Lehrer (parody folk singer). Gary Larson (cartoonist). Bill Watterson (cartoonist). ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262/10 "2020-09-23T04:01:30Z")
well, half of them are dead, so… ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262/11 "2020-09-23T04:04:18Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Tom Lehrer (parody folk singer). > Gary Larson (cartoonist). > Bill Watterson (cartoonist). I agree with all of these, although Larson started creating new _The Far Side_ cartoons a few months ago, which he posts directly on [his web site](https://www.thefarside.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262/12 "2020-09-23T04:08:33Z")
Simon and Garfunkel. (Apparently they are both still performing now and then, separately. Geez! They are both 78 years old now!) Here’s what Art Garfunkel looks like now, per Wikipedia pic: [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/ArtGarfunkelPall230717-17_%28cropped%29.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/ArtGarfunkelPall230717-17_%28cropped%29.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262/13 "2020-09-23T04:14:13Z")
> [@Lancia](#): > > The Beatles? For purposes of this thread, do the surviving member(s) of a group count if the others in the group are dead? How about Mary Travers (of Peter, Paul, and Mary)? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262/14 "2020-09-23T04:17:59Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Simon and Garfunkel. > > (Apparently they are both still performing now and then, separately. Geez! They are both 78 years old now!) I saw Paul Simon play live two years ago, on what he then termed his “farewell tour” (though he’s made at least one live appearance since then), and he’s released two albums in the past four years. But, the last time the two played together was in 2010, and the fact that they’ve spent much of the past 50 years being pissed off at each other suggests that the odds of any additional reunion shows is increasingly low. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262/15 "2020-09-23T04:20:43Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > the fact that they’ve spent much of the past 50 years being pissed off at each other Can you (or someone) give me a TL;DR on why they are pissed off at each other for the last 50 years? And is it something that’s come up again in the news just lately? (I saw a headline on the subject just in the last day or two, but it was marked as clickbait so I didn’t go there to read it.) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262/16 "2020-09-23T04:33:21Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Can you (or someone) give me a TL;DR on why they are pissed off at each other for the last 50 years? The sense I’ve gotten, from various stories and writers, is that they have always had a fractious relationship, dating back to when they were “Tom & Jerry” back in the late '50s. It sounds like they are both insecure, and jealous of each other: Simon is apparently very insecure about his height in general, and was jealous of Art’s height, singing voice; and (at one point) acting career, while Garfunkel was jealous over Paul being the primary songwriter of the duo, and for his more successful solo career. They will alternately praise each other, and insult each other, and I get the sense that they both are very good at holding grudges. Also, FWIW, when I saw Simon perform two years ago, [he only played four S&G songs](https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/paul-simon/2018/united-center-chicago-il-5bed4b18.html): he started the concert with “America,” but then didn’t play another one until the encore (where he played “Homeward Bound,” “The Boxer,” and “The Sound of Silence”). ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262/17 "2020-09-23T04:36:53Z")
There was a guy in California who was into showing his horses, named Paul Simon. I bumped into him once at a horse show in Monterey. I always wondered if it was the same guy. (If so, I would not have recognized him, and didn’t.) (ETA: I certainly didn’t want to be so rude as to ask him.) ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262/18 "2020-09-23T04:38:28Z")
If sports is art, then Bo Jackson. Possibly the most gifted athlete who ever lived, and his career lasted 5 years. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262/19 "2020-09-23T04:52:08Z")
Audrey Hepburn largely retired from acting in 1967, at age 38, having won one Oscar, and another four nominations. She only appeared in five films after that, and instead focused on her family, and her work with UNICEF. She is, of course, now dead (having passed away in 1993), but she walked away from acting at the height of her career, so I think she meets the spirit of the OP, if not the letter. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262/20 "2020-09-23T09:33:01Z")
Joni Mitchell. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-have-been-the-greatest-losses-to-the-arts-not-deceased/921262.md?page=2)