Films with entirely dead casts

[arghton 6,695]

On 09/04/2020 at 23:45, Jasper de Havilland said:

A few years later and Caren Marsh Doll is still with us.

 

Caren Marsh Doll turned 101 on April 6th. Certainly not a big name, but as Dorothy’s dance stand-in in The Wizard of Oz, not every single cast member for the film is dead. It may sound dumb to say this from a photo 6 years ago, but, I don’t think this will be her last birthday.

More known-to-be-alive actors, according to wikipedia:

 

Child Munchkins (normal-height child actors hired for background fill):

Betty Ann Cain ("Bruno") (1931-) Munchkin Hatchling

Priscilla Ann Montgomery Clark (1929-) Background fill

Joan Kenmore (1931-) Background fill

Elaine Mirk ("Merk") (1930-) Background fill, could've died off radar at some point?

Ardith Dondanville Todd (1930-) Background fill

Joan Kenmore, Priscilla Ann Montgomery Clark and likely Ardith Dondanville Todd between them in a Munchkin reunion in 2007.

[the_engineer 1,415]

On 03/09/2021 at 11:51, arghton said:

More known-to-be-alive actors, according to wikipedia:

 

Child Munchkins (normal-height child actors hired for background fill):

Betty Ann Cain ("Bruno") (1931-) Munchkin Hatchling

Priscilla Ann Montgomery Clark (1929-) Background fill

Joan Kenmore (1931-) Background fill

Elaine Mirk ("Merk") (1930-) Background fill, could've died off radar at some point?

Ardith Dondanville Todd (1930-) Background fill

Joan Kenmore, Priscilla Ann Montgomery Clark and likely Ardith Dondanville Todd between them in a Munchkin reunion in 2007.

 

Just a small gathering by the looks of it.

[Vinegar Tits 605]

Nancy Olsen looks to be the last remaing cast member of Sunset Boulevard, though there's a question mark over Gerry Ganzer (last credit 1952), Roy Thompson (says on IMDB he appeared in Neighbours in the 90s but I suspect it's a different actor) and Emmett Smith (last credit 1962).

[Paul Bearer 6,100]

(Sadly) I'm watching the 1948 version of "The Monkeys Paw". (Talking pictures channel on sky channel 328)  A quick wiki check seems to suggest the whole cast of at film are dead.  

[arghton 6,695]

Watched the 1954 Finnish movie "Kovanaama" ("Thug", https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133052/) today. Never before have I seen a movie with so talented actors with the writing being very bad... Some scenes make no sense and nearly all of the characters are made to look dumb. The writer was Aarne Tarkas who had ADHD and alcoholism and died aged 52 in 1976 from a heart attack, possibly caused by alcohol use. Not one of the best movies written by Tarkas. More about the movie and Tarkas on imdb.

Some amazing actors, especially Lasse Pöysti (1927-2019, main role, a reporter) and Toivo Mäkelä (1909-1979, criminal boss) 

 

 

Anyways, all of the cast members seem to be dead. With Lasse Pöysti's death in 2019 the only living one of the people mentioned on imdb is Lauri Elo (1928-), art director.

[YoungWillz 21,024]

On 07/02/2018 at 01:08, DemBones said:

SNIP

 

On the topic of Disney movies, Fantasia is an interesting one. None of the six vocal performers from the original 1940 version are still alive (the last one was Julietta Novis, the 'Ave Maria' singer, who died in 1994). But the master tape of Deems Taylor's original voiceover narration has deterioriated so badly that they can't use it anymore, so the narration has been re-recorded by three other actors since then, most recently by Corey Burton in 2010 - and all three of those actors are still alive. So I don't know if you want to count that one or not.

 

Disney's Swiss Family Robinson (1960) only has one surviving cast member: Tommy Kirk, who turns 77 this year.

 

SNIP

So now Tommy Kirk is dead, is that it for SFR? I mean I haven't checked...yet.

 

Edit: Confirmed I'd have thought.

[TheKeysOfMarinus 390]

Thought it might be interesting to look at the Ealing comedies - the 19 films made between 1947 and 1958 usually listed. A fair few major names made it into the 2010s - Lionel Jeffries, Harry Fowler, Herbert Lom, Jackie Collins, Liz Fraser - but didn't make it out. Michael Medwin died last year.  These are the only actors from the films that are still living as far as I know. No doubt some more child actors like those in Hue and Cry are still living but I cannot find any information about them.

 

Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)

Jeremy Spenser (uncredited, 1937 - )

 

The Magnet (1950)

James Fox (1939 - ) 

 

The Love Lottery (1954)

Anne Vernon (1924 - )

 

Davy (1958)

Peter Frampton (makeup artist rather than rock star) 

[YoungWillz 21,024]

Tommy Kirk was the last survivor (according to IMDB) of:

 

The Peacemaker (1956)

 

He was also in Escapade In Florence (1962) with Nino Castelnuovo who also died recently. Two survivors from that film, allegedly - Helen Stirling and Richard Watson.

 

Beverly Washburn appears to be the last survivor of Old Yeller.

 

I've only checked up to the mid-sixties.

[Miranda lass 98]

I'll have to check out Gaslight (1944) see if anyone's hanging on (besides Angie o'course)

[Ulitzer95 12,576]

Not "entirely" dead, but this came to my attention following the news of Jack Hedley's death.

Such a fascinating cast list this. To think I've never actually watched it. Must get round to it!

9 living, with 4 more "possibly" living.

The Longest Day (1962)

The Americans
Henry Grace (1907–1983)
Alexander Knox (1907–1995)
Nicholas Stuart (1910–1985)
John Meillon (1934–1989)
Mel Ferrer (1917–2008)
Edmond O'Brien (1915–1985)
Henry Fonda (1905–1982)
Robert Mitchum (1917–1997)
Robert Ryan (1909–1973)
John Crawford (1920–2010)
Eddie Albert (1906–2005)
John Wayne (1907–1979)
Bill Nagy (1921–1973)
Fred Dur (?)
Rod Steiger (1925–2002)
Steve Forrest (1925–2013)
Ray Danton (1931–1992)
Don Adams (1923–2005)
Stuart Whitman (1928–2020)
Tom Tryon (1926–1991)
Gary Collins (1938–2012)
Jeffrey Hunter (1926–1969)
Tony Mordente (b. 1935)
Bob Steele (1907–1988)
Richard Beymer (b. 1938)
Red Buttons (1919–2006)
Sal Mineo (1939–1976)
Roddy McDowall (1928–1998)
George Segal (1934–2021)
Robert Wagner (b. 1930)
Paul Anka (b. 1941)
Mark Damon (b. 1933)
Fabian (b. 1943)
Tommy Sands (b. 1937)
Mickey Knox (1921–2013)
Ron Randell (1918–2005)

The British
Trevor Reid (1908–1965)
John Robinson (1908–1979)
Simon Lack (1913–1980)
Louis Mounier (?)
Walter Horsbrugh (1904–1973)
Leo Genn (1905–1978)
Peter Lawford (1923–1984)
Patrick Barr (1908–1985)
Kenneth More (1914–1982)
Richard Todd (1919–2009)
Howard Marion-Crawford (1914–1969)
Richard Wattis (1912–1975)
Leslie Phillips (1924–2022)
Lyndon Brook (1926–2004)
Jack Hedley (1929–2021)
Richard Burton (1925–1984)
Donald Houston (1923–1991)
John Gregson (1919–1975)
Siân Phillips (b. 1933)
Richard Dawson (1932–2012)
Harry Fowler (1926–2012)
Bernard Fox (1927–2016)
Norman Rossington (1928–1999)
Sean Connery (1930–2020)
Frank Finlay (1926–2016)
Michael Medwin (1923–2020)
Leslie de Laspee (?)
Victor Maddern (1928–1993)
Bryan Coleman (1911–2005)

The French
Jean Servais (1910–1976)
Christian Marquand (1927–2000)
Georges Riviére (b. 1924) Discussed this one with @Lafaucheuse, we can't work out if he's dead or not.
Bernard Fresson (1931–2002)
Irina Demick (1936–2004)
Yves Barsacq (1931–2015)
Maurice Poli (1933–2020)
Jean Champion (1917–2001)
Bourvil (1917–1970)
Georges Wilson (1921–2010)
Jean-Louis Barrault (1910–1994)
Madeleine Renaud (1900–1994)
Arletty (1898–1992)
Fernand Ledoux (1897–1993)
Pauline Carton (1884–1974)
Alice Tissot (1890–1971)
Clément Harari (1919–2008)

The Germans
Paul Hartmann (1889–1977)
Werner Linz (1903–1985)
Wolfgang Lukschy (1905–1983)
Ernst Schröder (1915–1994)
Curd Jürgens (1915–1982)
Richard Münch (1916–1987)
Wolfgang Büttner (1912–1990)
Wolfgang Preiss (1910–2002)
Karl John (1905–1977)
Paul Edwin Roth (1918–1985)
Heinz Reincke (1925–2011)
Heinz Spitzner (1916–1992)
Peter van Eyck (1911–1969)
Walter Gotell (1924–1997)
Hans Christian Blech (1915–1993)
Eugene Deckers (1917–1977)
Kurt Meisel (1912–1994)
Til Kiwe (1915–1995)
Hans Söhnker (1903–1981)
Robert Freitag (1916–2010)
Rainer Penkert (1921–2012)
Dietmar Schönherr (1926–2014)
Hartmut Reck (1932–2001)
Loriot (1923–2011)
Gert Gröbe (1913–1988)
Ruth Hausmeister (1912–2012)
Michael Hinz (1939–2008)

[msc 18,436]

Its a good (but long) film but on the two times I have tried to watch I've found myself actor spotting instead!

[Lewd_Squirrel 331]

Apparently Georges Riviére died in 2011, according to my search.

[TheCemetaryMan 53]

Citizen Kane

[Lewd_Squirrel 331]

I believe everyone from Gunga Din is dead, unless there's small roles, and extras still alive.

[Grim News 16]

Everyone from love me tender may be gone I'm not sure though 

[Grim Up North 3,725]

6 minutes ago, Grim News said:

Everyone from love me tender may be gone I'm not sure though 

Insightful 

 

EDIT: And wrong - Debra Paget is still alive.

[arghton 6,695]

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069692/

Alpha Beta (1974) two cast members, now both dead:

Rachel Roberts (1927-1980)

Albert Finney (1936-2019)

[YoungWillz 21,024]

On 04/03/2019 at 15:46, Spade_Cooley said:

Cheating because it's only a two-hander, but Albert Finney's passing means 1973's Alpha Beta now qualifies for this thread. The female lead was Rachel Roberts, who killed herself by drinking lye in 1990.

 

1 hour ago, arghton said:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069692/

Alpha Beta (1974) two cast members, now both dead:

Rachel Roberts (1927-1980)

Albert Finney (1936-2019)

We know.

[Slackhurst Broadcasting 374]

Burnt Offerings (1976) which was on Talking Pictures the other week is a contender for this thread - of the main cast, the only one still alive is Lee Montgomery (b. 1961). There are also a handful of bit parts, mostly taken by obscure players who were adults at the time. Todd Turquand (b. 1964) played Oliver Reed's character as a child, his last IMDB credit was in 1978 and he seems to have gone into the watch business.

[Handrejka 1,903]

Encontra a Mallorca (1962) only has three cast members listed on imdb - Diana Dors, Alfredo Kraus and George Rigaud - all of whom are dead.

 

I thought with Stuart Bevan's demise we could tick off Steptoe and Son Ride Again, but Grazina Frame is still alive and there are a couple of unknowns.

[Grimgrass 514]

Joanna Barnes' death last month means the entire credited cast of the 1960 film Spartacus (starring DL favourite Kirk Douglas) is dead. However, according to IMDB the film had a lot of uncredited cast members, several of whom have no confirmed death dates.

 

On 15/12/2020 at 13:13, arghton said:

Most watched Finnish movie ever, Tuntematon Sotilas (1955) has two alive cast members. Anja Geissbühler will be 83 next february and isn't in a good condition and Taneli Rinne will be 87. Neither one had a big role though.

Taneli Rinne died off the radar last September. No online sources, but his death notice was published in Helsingin Sanomat in December.

[The Immortal 634]

The death of Nancy Berg in 2022 means the entire credited cast of the 1964 Cold war movie Fail Safe is dead.

 

 

Grand Prix (1966) is also on it's last legs, down to Eva Marie Saint, Genevieve Page and Francoise Hardy for the main speaking cast.

[The Daredevil 1,189]

Does anyone know of the oldest film with both its leading actor and leading actress still living? 

 

Maybe Beneath the 12-Mile Reef (1953) starring Robert Wagner and Terry Moore?

[The Old Crem 3,581]

With the Death of Angela Lansbury I don’t think there is any adult actors left from the all star film - Till the Clouds Roll By and only child stars remain - IDMB says Joan Wells who is 86 now is still alive. 

[the_engineer 1,415]

On 20/07/2022 at 04:38, The Daredevil said:

Does anyone know of the oldest film with both its leading actor and leading actress still living? 

 

Maybe Beneath the 12-Mile Reef (1953) starring Robert Wagner and Terry Moore?

 

Let's reverse that and add another question into the mix. What's the most recently released film were both the leading actor and actress are dead?