Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Really?? He/She is still alive?!
zamedy
Broadway Star Joined: 6/27/07
#1Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Posted: 8/26/12 at 3:55pm
Are there stars from Broadway's 'Golden Era' that you were ever surprised to hear are still with us? I know it may seem like an odd question.. but it got me thinking after I heard of the passing last month of Celeste Holm, who originated the role of Ado Annie in OKLAHOMA! (who knew a lead from that landmark musical was still alive in 2012). She was 95!
I think many may also be surprised to hear Jack Klugman, the original Herbie in GYPSY, is still kicking.
#2Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Posted: 8/26/12 at 7:19pmI saw Mickey Rooney on stage two years ago. He played Baron Hardup in Cinderella at Milton Keynes Theatre in England - he was 89 at the time!
#2Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Posted: 8/26/12 at 7:32pmI am surprised to hear about Klugman. Good for him!
#3Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Posted: 8/26/12 at 7:36pmThough not a Broadway star....Abe Vigoda is still alive!
#4Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Posted: 8/26/12 at 7:39pmThing about Klugman, Tony Randal alway told Jack smoking would kill him at an early age. Guess Jack showed him! Keep kicking Jack, you ROCK!
#5Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Posted: 8/26/12 at 7:50pm
Jack Klugman is not only alive, but still active!
He starred as juror number nine in Twelve Angry Men at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, NJ only a couple of months ago.
Dollypop
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#6Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Posted: 8/26/12 at 8:02pmLoretta Swit is still touring the dinner theatre circuit.
#7Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Posted: 8/26/12 at 8:07pm
Jay, that is freaking awesome to hear! Have always liked him! Used to see him all the time eating at the Rivera Cafe in the West Village in the mid eighties when I lived there.
#8Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Posted: 8/26/12 at 8:12pm
Of course this thread has probably jinxed him, and he will croak it any day now. Hopefully not! 
Rodgerdodger
Chorus Member Joined: 8/17/12
bobs3
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/8/12
#10Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Posted: 8/26/12 at 8:56pm
Luise Rainer (The Lady from the Sea; A Cinderella Story) is 102.
Olivia De Havilland (Romeo & Juliet; Candida; A Gift of Time) is 96.
Her sister, Joan Fontaine (Forty Carats; Tea and Sympathy) is 94.
Stephen Douglass (Carousel; Damn Yankees; 110 in the Shade, etc) is 90.
George S. Irving and Gene Saks (numerous plays and musicals) are 89.
Wynbish
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/27/12
#11Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Posted: 8/27/12 at 1:51amGreat to hear that Jack was in another production of Twelve Angry Men. I loved his subtle performance in the film.
#12Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Posted: 8/27/12 at 7:46am
Patricia Morison, the original Kate from "Kiss Me, Kate" and the replacement Anna (with very little notice) when Gertrude Lawrence passed away during the original run of "The King and I" is 97.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
Wynbish
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/27/12
#13Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Posted: 8/27/12 at 8:03am
She's not a stage star (IBDB only has a two month credit for her) but Ellen Albertini Dow is 99 this November.
#14Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Posted: 8/27/12 at 8:22am
Sono Osato, the original Ivy Smith from "On the Town" is 92.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#15Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Posted: 8/27/12 at 8:26am
Not that she's ancient, but Pat Suzuki ("I Enjoy Being a Girl"), the original Linda Low from "Flower Drum Song" is 81.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
Wynbish
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/27/12
#17Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Posted: 8/27/12 at 8:33am
bobs3---Stephen Douglass passed away in 2011.
LINK
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#18Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Posted: 8/27/12 at 8:37amAlthough not a Broadway star, she still has heavy ties to musical theatre (the Baroness in the film version of "The Sound of Music"), but Eleanor Parker is 90.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#19Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Posted: 8/27/12 at 8:43am
Speaking of Oklahoma!, Joan Roberts, who played Laurey in the original Broadway production, passed away a couple of weeks after Mrs. Holm. She was also 95 years old.
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
Wynbish
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/27/12
#21Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Posted: 8/27/12 at 9:44amAs far as I can tell, the original Maria, Anita, Riff, and Bernardo from WSS are still with us (and Chita's still working it!)
Insider2
Featured Actor Joined: 9/21/05
#22Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Posted: 8/27/12 at 10:02amReally? Is this insulting ageist thread necessary? Oh wait. It's broadwayworld.com. I guess it is.
Wynbish
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/27/12
#23Really?? He/She is still alive?!
Posted: 8/27/12 at 10:05amIf you think honoring someone's apparent great health and longevity in their careers (like Jack and Chita) is insulting, wait til you see us actually be insulting.
Insider2
Featured Actor Joined: 9/21/05
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