There have been a number of sitcom actors and other entertainers who have died before their next birthday within a calendar year. An example is Lucille Ball, who was supposed haved lived for 78 years in 1989, but four months before her 78th birthday, she passed away in April. When one person does a math problem to see how long a certain person lived, he would subtract the year of birth from the year of death, and then he gets the person's age at his death. But when the person dies before the birthday in the death year, the math problem would get complicated, and the answer would be one year less. I would see that

89 - 11 ≠ 77
89 - 11 = 78

So are there any other entertainers who died before their birthday within a calendar year? John Ritter, Bernie Mac, and Freddie Prinze Sr. are other examples of people who died before their birthdays within a calendar year.

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't everyone who dies, die before their next birthday?

I meant within a calendar year.

The only ones I can think of is:

Bert Convy - host of Tattletales, Win, Lose or Draw, and Super Password (b. July 23, 1933 - d. July 15, 1991) he died a few days shy of what would've been his 58th birthday.

Michael Landon - star of TV's "Bonanza," "Little House on the Prairie," and "Highway to Heaven" (b. October of 1936 - d. July 1991) he died 3 months shy of his 55th birthday.

Rebecca Schaeffer - star of TV's "My Sister Sam" (b. November of 1967 - d. July 1989), died about several months before her 22nd birthday.

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't everyone who dies, die before their next birthday?

:rotflmao: :rotflmao: Good one!!!


Sorry, but that was hilarious! :rotflmao:

Seriously, though wasn't Michael Jackson supposed to be having a birthday sometime soon? I thought it was within the next few months. He's the only one I can think of right now, and even that guess may be wrong.

What's really sad (and rare, but also weird) is people who die ON their birthdays!

I believe John Ritter died before his birthday in 2003.
Flo Ballard: Born June 30, 1943, died February 22, 1976.

:rotflmao: :rotflmao: Good one!!!


Sorry, but that was hilarious! :rotflmao:

Seriously, though wasn't Michael Jackson supposed to be having a birthday sometime soon? I thought it was within the next few months. He's the only one I can think of right now, and even that guess may be wrong.

What's really sad (and rare, but also weird) is people who die ON their birthdays!
:offtopic: My maternal grandfather passed away on his 40th birthday. He'd be 90 years old today.

This thread is for people who died before their birthdays, not on their birthdays. And besides, no sitcom actors have died on their birthday.

Seriously, though wasn't Michael Jackson supposed to be having a birthday sometime soon? I thought it was within the next few months. He's the only one I can think of right now, and even that guess may be wrong.
Michael was born on August 29th 1958, and he died on June 25th 2009, so he died two months before his 51rst birthday. :(

Estelle Getty died on July 22, 2008 at age 84 which she would of been 85 on July 25, 2008.

Beatrice Arthur was supposed to be 87 at the time of her death.

And besides, no sitcom actors have died on their birthday.

Incorrect! John Banner who played Sgt Schultz on Hogan's Heroes was born on Jan 28, 1910 and died from an abdominal hemorrhage on Jan 28, 1973. George Petrie who was probably best known for his work on The Honeymooners was born Nov 16, 1912 and died from lymphoma on Nov 16, 1997.

Incorrect! John Banner who played Sgt Schultz on Hogan's Heroes was born on Jan 28, 1910 and died from an abdominal hemorrhage on Jan 28, 1973. George Petrie who was probably best known for his work on The Honeymooners was born Nov 16, 1912 and died from lymphoma on Nov 16, 1997.

If that's the case then talk about very scary deaths here. :eek:

Heather O'Rourke was born December 1975 and died in early 1988 at age 12 (way before her 13th birthday).

Another one: Steve Allen died at 78 in 2000 even though he was supposed to be 79 (he was born on 1921 instead of 1922).

I believe John Ritter died before his birthday in 2003.
Flo Ballard: Born June 30, 1943, died February 22, 1976.

Flo Ballard was supposed to die at 33 instead of 32 and John Ritter died at 55 (actually 54 because that's 6 days before his birthday).

Another person who died at 32 instead of 33 was Mama Cass Elliott. Jimmie Hendrix died at 27 instead of 28, and Hugh O'Connor was 33 and not 32 when he died.

Flo Ballard was supposed to die at 33 instead of 32

Supposed to die at 33? :confused:

Yeah, but she actually passed four months before her 33rd birthday. Get Jerry Lawler on me.

Read it and weep, we have another case of death before birthday: Henry Gibson died at 73 one week before his 74th birthday.

A number of United States Presidents and Vce Presidents have died before their birthday within a calendar year.

John Adams: 90 (91)
John Quincy Adans: 80 (81)
Matin Van Buren: 79 (80)
John Tyler: 71 (72)
James Polk: 53 (54)
Franklin Pierce: 64 (65)
Andrew Johnsom: 66 (67)
Rutherford Hayes: 70 (71)
James Garfield: 49 (50)
Benjamin Harrison: 67 (68)
Theodore Roosevelt: 60 (61)
William Taft: 72 (73)
Woodrow Wilson: 67 (68)
Warren Harding: 57 (58)
Calvn Coolidge: 60 (61)
Dwight Eisenhower: 78 (79)
Lyndon Johnson: 64 (65)

Hannibal Hamlin: 81 (82)
Adlai E. Stevenson: 78 (79)
Charles G. Dawes: 85 (86)
John Garner:98 (99)
Alben Barkley: 78 (79)
SApiro Agnew: 77 (78)
Hubert Humphrey: 66 (67)

None of these presidents were actors or entertainers and only one President (Ronald Reagan) was an actor and/or entertainer.

It's January again, the worst month to die in. The first obituary of the people I user to know well in show business in 2010 in David Gerber, who passed on January 2 @ 86.

If that's the case then talk about very scary deaths here. :eek:
Actually, thats kind of cool, in a retrospective way, although maybe at the time of death it was kind of eerie. Interesting ,Estelle Getty came awful close!

Pernell Roberts. Dies age 81 should have been 82. And I'm 81 myself. :lol:

Dixie Carter had just recently passed away before her 71st birthday. And so did the president of Poland and his wife in a plane crash.

David Groh ('Joe' from RHODA) died just a few months before his 69th Birthday in 2008. (May 21, 1939 - Februaray 12, 2008).

isabel Sanford - August 29, 1917-July 9, 2004. 86 instead of 87.

And i know death just happen at anytime, but why do some deaths happen before their birthdays within a calendar year?

Helen Wagner, on May 1, 2010, passed away at 91 even though she was born in 1918. 4 months before her 92nd birthday. 2010-1918=92

Dana Plato committed suicide at age 34/35/36 in May 1999. She was born in Movember 1963.

His son, Tyler Lambert, although not an entertainer, also committed suicide at 25 even though his lifespan (1984-2010) lasted 26 years. He should have been born in 1985.

Tyler Lambert, son of Diff'rent Strokes star Dana Plato, committed suicide last week, reports PopEater. He was 25.

The Tulsa, Okla., office of the Chief Medical Examiner told PopEater that Lambert died from a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head on May 6, almost exactly 11 years after his mother ended her life. Dana Plato died of a drug overdose from prescription pills on May 8, 1999, at the age of 36. Toxicology tests are pending.

And Ronnie James Dio (1942-2010) passed away at 67 -- no age 68.

His son, Tyler Lambert, although not an entertainer, also committed suicide at 25 even though his lifespan (1984-2010) lasted 26 years. He should have been born in 1985.
How do you mean, he should have born in 1985?

^^I already explained that, Tyler Lamert (July 2, 1984 - May 6, 2010).

Here are a few others:
Jimmy Dean (1928-2010) 81 instead of 82.
Manute Bol (1962-2010) 47 instead of 48
Art Linkletter (1911-2010) 97 instead of 98
Aaron Ruben (1914-2010) 95 instead of 96
Caroline McWilliams (1945 2010) 64 instead of 65
Robert Reed (1932-1992) 59 instead of 60

Harold Gould, December 1923 - September 2010. passed at age 86, no age 87.

Newest victim of this Mahalia Jackson curse is barbara Billingsley, 1915-2010, aged 94 (no age 95).

*-The Mahalia Jackson curse is named after Mahalia Jackson and is a term for anyone who dies before their next birthday within a calendar yea. Mahalia Jackson lived from October 1911 to January 1972 and was 60 years old at her death and because of this, her gravestone reads "1912" instead of "1911".

Newest Mahalia Jackson Curse sufferer: James MacArthur from Hawaii Five-O: December 8, 1937-October 28, 2010, at the age of 72 (This despite the fact that 2010-1937=73. No age 73, however).

Robert Hegyes is another individual who passed before birthday within a calendar year. Aged 60, 4 months short of age 61. (May 1952-January 2012)

I found something about this concept called "East Asian Age Reckoning" on Wikipedia.

East Asian age reckoning is a concept and practice that originated in China and is widely used by other cultures in East Asia and Vietnam. which share this traditional way of counting a person's age. Newborns start at one year old, and each passing of a Lunar New Year, rather than the birthday, adds one year to the person's age. In other words, the first year of life is counted as one instead of zero, so that a person is two years old in their second year, three years old in their third, and so on. Since age is incremented on the new year rather than on a birthday, people may be 1 or 2 years older in Asian reckoning than in the Western system.

New one: Whitney Houston dead after 48 and a half years; no age 49 (August 1963-February 2012)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0f/Flickr_Whitney_Houston_performing_on_GMA_2009_4.jpg/417px-Flickr_Whitney_Houston_performing_on_GMA_2009_4.jpg

I'm just sorry that the actor William Windom has died and will not be turning 89 this September.

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't everyone who dies, die before their next birthday?

First time reading this thread and what you put was the first thing i thought of. Then i scrolled and seen you put it lol

It means "before their next birthday within a calendar year".

I still have no idea who qualifies to be in this thread.

^^ You're gonna have an idea, all right.

Barbara Stanwyck: July 1907 - January 1990; No 83rd birthday in 1990
Rita Hayworth: October 1908 - May 1987; No 69th birthday in 1987

Michael Clarke Duncan, another actor who had died before his next birthday within a calendar year. (born December 1957 - died September 2012; No 55th birthday.)

Did you know that December is the very last month on a calendar year, and when a person born in the month of December dies, there a significant chance that it will be before his next birthday within a calendar year? Sad but true.

Jack Lord (December, 1920 - January, 1998; died 1 month after his 77th birthday but died 11 months before his 78th birthday)

Conrad Stafford Bain (4 February 1923 - 14 January 2013). Sorry he didn't get to turn 90.

Dick Clark: 11/30/29-4/18/12 (only 82, not 83)

Actor Lou Myers (of "A Different World") (September 26, 1935 - February 20, 2013). Died in his 77th year of age; No age 78.

Fred Rogers, aka Mr. Rogers (born Mar. 1928 - died Feb. 2003) died a motnh shy of his 75th birthday

Fred Rogers, aka Mr. Rogers (born Mar. 1928 - died Feb. 2003) died a motnh shy of his 75th birthday
85th birthday.

Roger Ebert: Venerable film critic dies after cancer battle; No 71st birthday. (June 1942-April 2013)

As I'm Swedish, I only know him from what people have said about him on the internet. He seems to have been rather famous over in the US though. At least he got to live ten more months than my father did (he was also born in 1942 and had cancer). :(

Annette Funicello: Actress and singer dies from multiple sclerosis; No age 71 (October 1942-April 2013)

Margaret Thatcher: Former UK Prime Minister Concludes; No Age 88 (October 1925-April 2013)

Correct me if I'm wrong but this is the first time two famous persons have passed away on the same day since Tom Landry and Charles Schultz passes away 13 years ago. :rip::rip:

Update: Richard Brooker, who played Jason in Friday the 13th Part III has passed away. :rip:

Correct me if I'm wrong but this is the first time two famous persons have passed away on the same day since Tom Landry and Charles Schultz passes away 13 years ago. :rip::rip:
Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett passed away on the same day too: June 25th 2009. And that's not even four years ago.

You're right, I stand corrected. :doh:

It's okay. It's hard to keep track on things like this. ;)

Steve Forrest: No 88th Year of Age for Retired Actor (September 1925-May 2013)

85th birthday.

No, he's correct, that's 75 years he lived for.

No, he's correct, that's 75 years he lived for.
I enjoyed Roger Ebert. He was a great movie critic. Now he and his cohort and best friend Gene Siskel are both up there in heaven. I'll miss them both. I give them both 2 thumbs up.

No, he's correct, that's 75 years he lived for.
Whoops, I missed that he died already back in 2003. I thought it said 2013.

James Gandolfini

The portrayer of Tony Soprano has died today in Italy. No 52nd year of age. (September 1961 - June 2012)

James Gandolfini

The portrayer of Tony Soprano has died today in Italy. No 52nd year of age. (September 1961 - June 2012)

I think you mean June 2013 (this month).

Ed Lauter (October 30, 1938 - October 16, 2013)

General question: Why does it always have to be "at the age of X"? Couldn't it be "after X amount of years" or "in his Xth year of age" or something?

Just in: Shirley Jane Temple Black, a former child actress and foreign diplomat, passes away on 10 February and won't turn 86 this April.

Oh... RIP. :(

Just in: Shirley Jane Temple Black, a former child actress and foreign diplomat, passes away on 10 February and won't turn 86 this April.I saw the commercials for her old movies on DVD. Another icon gone. R.I.P.

Comic Legend Sid Caesar Dies; Won't Turn 92 this September. September 8, 1922 - February 12, 2014.

He's now with Imogene Coco who died a few years earlier. I most recently saw him in the last Vacation movie when the Griswalds went to Vegas.

Actor Leonard Nimoy (Star Trek: The Original Series) has died and will not turn 84 next month. (March 1931 - February 2015)

The American singers and songwriters Prince and Michael Jackson have both died before their next birthday within a calendar year.

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009): Died at the age of 50 on the calendar year of his 51st birthday.
Prince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958 - April 21, 2016): Died at the age of 57 on the calendar year of his 58th birthday.

Doris Roberts will not see a 91st; she was born 11/4/25, and passed on 4/17/16.

The American singers and songwriters Prince and Michael Jackson have both died before their next birthday within a calendar year.

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009): Died at the age of 50 on the calendar year of his 51st birthday.
Prince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958 - April 21, 2016): Died at the age of 57 on the calendar year of his 58th birthday.
Prince and I were born in the same month but not on the same date. What a coincedence.

There are several "members" of the "27 Club" who died on the calendar year of their 28th birthday;

Alexandre Levy, a Brazilian composer, pianist, and conductor (November 10, 1864 - January 17, 1892)
Jesse Belvin, an R&B singer, pianist, and songwriter (December 25, 1932 - February 6, 1960)
Dickie Pride, a British rock & roll singer (October 21, 1941 - March 25, 1969)
Jimi Hendrix, a pioneering electric guitarist, singer, and songwriter (November 27, 1942 - September 18, 1970)
Arlester "Dyke" Christian, frontman, vocalist, and bassist of Dyke and the Blazers (June 13, 1943 - March 13, 1971)
Jim Morrison, singer, lyricist, and leader of The Doors (December 8, 1943 - July 3, 1971)
Linda Jones, an American soul singer (December 14, 1944 - March 14, 1972)
Leslie Harvey, guitarist for Stone the Crows (September 13, 1944 - May 3, 1972)
Ron "Pigpen" McKerman, founding member, keyboardist, and singer of the Grateful Dead (September 8, 1945 - March 8, 1973)
Dave Alexander, bassist for The Stooges (June 3, 1947 - February 10, 1975)
Pete Ham, a welsh keyboardist and guitarist who was the leader of Badfinger (April 27, 1947 - April 24, 1975)
Cecilia, a Spanish singer-songwriter (October 11, 1948 - August 2, 1976)
Zenon de Fleur, guitarist for The Count Bishops (September 9, 1951 - March 18, 1979)
Jacob Miller, a reggae artist who was the lead singer for Inner Circle (May 4, 1952 - March 23, 1980)
Alexander Bashlachev, a Soviet Russian poet, singer-songwriter, and guitarist (May 27, 1960 - February 17, 1988)
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Haitian-American poet and graffiti artist who formed a band named Gray (December 22, 1960 - August 12, 1988)
Pete de Freitas, drummer for Echo & the Bunnymen (August 2, 1961 - June 14, 1989)
Joey Cigainero, a keyboardist for Reba McEntire (September 28, 1963 - March 16, 1991)
Mia Zapata, the lead singer of The Gits (August 25, 1965 - July 7, 1993)
Fat Pat (Patrick Lamark Hawkins), an American rapper who was a member of the Screwed Up Click (December 4, 1970 - February 3, 1998)
Freaky Tah (Raymond Rogers), an American rapper who was a member of a group named Lost Boyz (May 14, 1971 - March 28, 1999)
Sean Patrick McCabe, lead singer of punk rock band Ink & Dagger (November 13, 1972 - August 28, 2000)
Maria Serrano Serrano, background singer for Eurodance band Passion Fruit (November 26, 1973 - November 24, 2001)
Davor "Moskri" Bobić, original member and lead rapper of Prti Bee Gee (November 24, 1977 - August 25, 2005)
Orish Grinstead, a founding member of the R&B group 702 (June 2, 1980 - April 20, 2008)
Achik Spin, a member of the Malaysin pop group Spin (July 1, 1982 - April 17, 2010)
Amy Winehouse, an English singer-songwriter (September 14, 1983 - July 23, 2011)
Nicole Bogner, a singer for the metal band Visions of Atlantis (March 22, 1984 - January 6, 2012)
Thomas Fekete, guitarist for indie rock band Surfer Blood (July 1, 1988 - May 30, 2016)

Regis Francis Xavier Philbin, a longtime television personality, and a talk-show and game-show host, has died a month before turning 89.

(August 25, 1931 - July 24, 2020)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Regis_Philbin_at_the_2009_Tribeca_Film_Festival.jpg/340px-Regis_Philbin_at_the_2009_Tribeca_Film_Festival.jpg

Rest in Peace Regis.

John Saxon died a month before turning 84.

(August 5, 1936 - July 25, 2020)

So sad. Rest in peace John.

Kelly Preston passed on 2 weeks ago, just 3 months short of her 58th Birthday

Phyllis George passed on back in May just a little over a month before her 71st Birthday

Is there a thread for actors or celebrities who died on their birthday?

Stanley Fafara (Whitey on Leave it to Beaver) died on his 53rd birthday on September 20, 2003. He had e-mailed me and posted on these message boards 10 times in 2003.

Frank Bank (Lumpy Rutherford on Leave it to Beaver) missed it by one day. He died of cancer on April 13, 2013, in Rancho Mirage, California, one day after his 71st birthday.

Larry Breeding died in a car accident on his 36th birthday on September 28, 1982. He starred on the short-lived sitcoms Who's Watching the Kids? (1978-1979) and The Last Resort (1979-1980). He had guest starred as Laverne's boyfriend three times on Laverne & Shirley. He was dating Penny Marshall at the time.

How did Larry Breeding die? - https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=14255

Zoneboy earlier mentioned these sitcom actor deaths on their birthdays:

"John Banner who played Sgt Schultz on Hogan's Heroes was born on Jan 28, 1910 and died from an abdominal hemorrhage on Jan 28, 1973. George Petrie who was probably best known for his work on The Honeymooners was born Nov 16, 1912 and died from lymphoma on Nov 16, 1997."

18 Famous People Who Died on Their Birthday, From Shakespeare to Ingrid Bergman
https://www.thewrap.com/famous-people-died-on-birthday-shakespeare-ingrid-bergman/

People who die on their birthdays are referred to as birthday perishers. Statistically it can be expected that one in every 366 people (0.27%) die on their birthday. In reality, many studies have shown a somewhat higher probability.

List of people who died on their birthdays
https://familypedia.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_people_who_died_on_their_birthdays

Today I learned that statistically speaking, you are most likely to die within one month of your birthday. This is known as the "Birthday effect."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birthday_effect

Bob Saget passed away back in January just 4 months prior to his 66th Birthday

Johnny Brown was gone 3 months before turning 85 earlier this month

Tanya Roberts left us shortly after New Years Weekend 2021 just 9 months before what would’ve been her 66th

Beverly Cleary died a month before her 105th birthday (April 12, 1916 - March 25, 2021).

Olivia Newton-John has died today. There will be no 74th birthday.:(

https://deadline.com/2022/08/olivia-newton-john-dead-grease-star-physical-singer-1235087538/

Roger Moseley Died at 83 this past Sunday; He’ll not be 84 on December 18.

Angela Lansbury was passed away 5 days before what would’ve been her 97th birthday this Past Sunday

I believe John Ritter died before his birthday in 2003.

This is the grave marker of John Southworth Ritter (September 17, 1948 - September 11, 2003). It just has the years of his birth and death, not the full dates, which gives an indication that he had a 55-year lifespan, not a 54-year lifespan, even with him failing to reach his 55th birthday.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Johnritterstone.jpg

Glynis Johns is the first major celebrity death of 2024: The mom on Mary Poppins, and Broadway's Tony winner who debuted "Send in the Clowns" on A Little Night Music will not turn 101 this year (5 October 1923 – 4 January 2024)

https://deadline.com/2024/01/glynis-johns-dead-1235695310/

UPDATE: Two more celebrity deaths on January 4 of 2024 have also been confirmed:

David Soul, the Starsky & Hutch star, will not get an 81st birthday. (August 28, 1943 - January 4, 2024)

https://deadline.com/2024/01/david-soul-dies-starsky-hutch-star-80-1235695784/

Christian Oliver, who was on the main cast of the second season of Saved By the Bell: The New Class, has also been confirmed dead after a plane crash off the coast of Bequia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, along with his two daughters. He will not have a 52nd birthday. (March 3, 1972 - January 4, 2024)

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12930491/Actor-Christian-Oliver-dead-plane-crash-Caribbean.html

Donald Sutherland has died today and will not turn 89 next month.

https://deadline.com/2024/06/donald-sutherland-dead-1235978933/

George Robert Newhart (September 5, 1929 - July 18, 2024)

94 years is a good run! Thank you for the entertainment! Rest in peace Mr. Newhart

You mean "95 years is a good run!", right? Without caring whether he reached his birthday or not, we know he was born in 1929, so he lived 95 years, not 94. You could've just said "95 American broadcast seasons" or something.

(No mean replies, please.)

Bob Uecker and David Lynch, both January babies and STILL died with a birthday coming up.ohno::(

Michelle Trachtenberg... Will Not Turn 40 Next Fall:crying:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Michelle_Trachtenberg_%2843904360470%29.jpg

https://deadline.com/2025/02/michelle-trachtenberg-dead-gossip-girl-buffy-1236302469/