First Celebrity Death You Remember

[The Daredevil 1,189]

Discovering The Old Crem’s first remembered celebrity death as Princess Margaret, made me think of mine.

 

I believe the first celebrity death I heard about was Don Adams (a time when death didn’t interest me). I distinctly remember watching just a snippet of the Get Smart episode “The Decoy” , when he was gassed by the book. It could have been a re-run, but I seem to recall it as part of his news death report.

 

Following deaths I certainly recall consisted of Steve Irwin, Luciana Pavarotti, Michael Jackson, Tony Curtis and John Barry (I know, very odd selection). From then on, I basically took on my interest in deaths and started hearing about them all.

[The Old Crem 3,582]

After Princess Margaret the only other celebrity death I can clearly  remember from 2002 is the Queen Mum (I have  a vague recollection of Spike Milligan dying) and the only 2003 celebrity death I remember is Bob Hope and for 2004 Ronald Reagan and Howard Keel. It’s only from 2005 onwards I remember more. 

[msc 18,436]

Peter Cushing, I believe.

 

Not much better for the older members I admit!

[Lewd_Squirrel 331]

First celebrity death that we recall hearing about? Or the first ever hit we got, after joining the site? If it's the first that we can remember hearing about, I'm gonna say John Lennon, when I was 2 ish. If it's the first hit that I ever got, after joining, that would be Al Lewis.

[dimreaper 692]

Carroll O'Connor

[The Daredevil 1,189]

52 minutes ago, Lewd_Squirrel said:

First celebrity death that we recall hearing about? Or the first ever hit we got, after joining the site? If it's the first that we can remember hearing about, I'm gonna say John Lennon, when I was 2 ish. If it's the first hit that I ever got, after joining, that would be Al Lewis.

The first celebrity death we recall hearing about. So John Lennon, that’s a big one.

[ajlposh 549]

George Harrison

[YoungWillz 21,025]

Can’t help thinking I’ve had this discussion before. However, I think my recollection was not right, as I think I said Elvis Presley. That would not be correct.

 

There were a fair few in 1977 I remember distinctly - Elvis, Bing Crosby and Charlie Chaplin, probably combined with the Silver Jubilee that year.

 

BUT there were earlier deaths. I’d have been aware of Sid James and William Hartnell, but not clearly enough to impact on me particularly. For some reason, not Roger Delgado.

 

Being brought up in a religious household, most deaths earlier would have not registered very much (because they would have gone to God as was his will). So I don’t remember Picasso or Noel Coward for example, though there would have been huge coverage, same with Edward VIII.

 

Having had a trawl, I think I can categorically confirm the earliest death I remember with absolute clarity was Ross McWhirter. 

[Sir Creep 7,070]

Not sure what deaths you’re after, just dead famous people who impacted us personally, or first person that led us to deadpooling.

I remember shock and maybe a wee sadness when Roberto Clemente died - Wee Master Creep was 9 years old.  Certainly deaths prior to that I was aware of. 
First Deadpooling HIT was Casey Kasem (2014) who died in June which tells you how poorly I put together a team the first time. But I copied/edited obituaries for Gale Research for years before that which is why I Deadpool.  Thus, I knew every name in the NYTimes obits since 2000 or so.  So I can’t pick one.

SC

[DemBones 36]

First one I remember hearing the news reports about when it happened was Rock Hudson, which is also when I first learned what AIDS was. I was 7 at the time.

[Joey Russ 7,220]

I think the first one I vividly remember was Osama Bin Laden. I probably heard of some others before like Michael Jackson but memory seems very vague

[Superstar 295]

I remember when actress Elizabeth Taylor died in 2011. That's the earliest one I could remember.

[Estuarian Float 97]

John Ritter for me is the earliest celeb death announcement memory I can recall.

[Lafaucheuse 4,044]

The first one would have to be Michael Jackson I think. I was 10. I remember that there was the Paris-Rio Air France Crash some weeks before and this was the two things that I recall from that summer. I have vivid memories of my mother telling me to switch on the TV cause Jackson was announced dead. It was a really hot summer Where I lived.

I think I also remember the death of Pavarotti, a day or two after my grandmother one but I’m not sure if it is a « a posterio » mental association or if I was really aware of it back then.

annie girardot back in 2011 was another early one I can remember

[TQR 14,385]

Probably Richard Harris off of Dumbledore. I was 6.

[Ulitzer95 12,576]

3 hours ago, YoungWillz said:

Having had a trawl, I think I can categorically confirm the earliest death I remember with absolute clarity was Ross McWhirter. 

There was me thinking you would have vivid memories of Queen Victoria dying?

[The Immortal 634]

The earliest death that I definitely remember was that of Aaliyah in 2001. I think I may have heard my dad talk about IndyCar driver Greg Moore's death back in 1999 though.

[theoldlady 2,297]

American President, John F. Kennedy, in 1963. I was in the 3rd grade. 

[Redrumours 860]

Elvis Presley really upset my Mother.

[thadee 118]

MJ in 2009 I was 8 on a trip to Sweden his face was at every street corner and we didn't know why 

[Great Uncle Bulgaria 1,282]

Pete Duel, was watching Alias Smith and Jones and my Mum told me, at that age couldn't understand why anyone would want to kill themselves.

[Octopus of Odstock 2,186]

Danny Kaye. I remember being quite upset as I'd recently watched Hans Christian Andersen.

Followed swiftly by Patrick Troughton.

 

But I remember Challenger exploding before that, so I suppose that has to be the first.

[msc 18,436]

7 hours ago, YoungWillz said:

Can’t help thinking I’ve had this discussion before. However, I think my recollection was not right, as I think I said Elvis Presley. That would not be correct.

 

Having had a trawl, I think I can categorically confirm the earliest death I remember with absolute clarity was Ross McWhirter. 

 

A few times, but DL posters get younger! 

 

And I've never thought about that one but yes, I imagine a BBC kids presenter getting shot by the IRA would stick in the mind somewhat! I remember Roy Castle's tributes nearly two decades later. 

 

Peter Cushing, I'd seen the Dalek movies by then, and remember a big fuss (several pages in the Record, BBC tribute documentaries) as befitting someone that great/loved. But then my memory is intermittent (Gene Kelly, Dean Martin, Jon fn Pertwee) until 1997 which felt like a huge year of death to youngster msc. 

[BuffaloPhil 926]

First one I remember was Freddie Mercury. I recall doing a paper round at the time - one day there was the shock announcement on the front pages that Mercury had AIDS, then the very next day he was dead.

 

I'm sure there were others before that that I noticed, but I don't recall specifically hearing about them.

 

The one that sticks in the mind the most was Kurt Cobain, I was a fairly big Nirvana fan and very distinctly remember waking up at 7am, putting Radio One on and hearing the news, and then without saying any more they went into Heart-Shaped Box - I still can't hear the intro of that song without feeling sad about Kurt.

[time 8,590]

I suspect - it was a long time ago - that the first death I registered was Jimi Hendrix. I was barely 10 and notions of celebrity or fame didn't really register at that time. My exposure to news coverage was limited to 10 minute bulletins at tea-time, and 1 minute bulletins on Radio 1 (there was very little in the way of daytime TV but the radio was always on, and always tuned to Radio 1); I doubt I even picked up a newspaper, let alone read it, at that age.