Stars who died young (or relatively young): What would their careers have been like if they had lived?

Dean would have been a villain on Dynasty

Dean would have still been hot in the 1960's and 70's. His star had just barely risen so I would think he would have gone much, much further had he lived. He was wild and a non conformist, and he may have become politically active. The 60's and 70's anti war-free love-black rights-gay rights-women's rights-years. He may have even come out at some point in the mid 1980's or 90's. He would have hated living a lie and would have been more open about himself simply because it too much work to cover it up. On the other side, he was indulgent, so he could have easily died of a drug overdose in later years if he didn't get himself under control. Sadly he seemed always in turmoil so he might have burned out early regardless.

I thought this was going to be about people like Rebecca Schaeffer playing mom characters on off brand streaming platform miniseries.

Marilyn Monroe wouldn't have had much of a career if she'd lived. She supposedly had a lot of projects in the works before her death, but I doubt any of them would have come to fruition. She couldn't WORK. She couldn't remember lines, would not show up to work, was infamous for never being on time. She was getting long in the tooth for a sex symbol. I think dying young was her destiny. It was meant to be.

As for Judy Garland, her destiny was mapped out for her, too. Although her film career was over she would have kept trying to perform singing engagements as long as people would come out to see her, and of course they would have. But it was inevitable that she'd die of an overdose. She lasted longer than most people thought she would.

James Dean would have done more good work if he'd lived longer. I would have loved to have seen him in the film version of "Picnic." He would have been perfect as the juicy, sexual, rebellious Hal.

I think Rock would have eventually come out, like Tab Hunter and Richard Chamberlain. I think he'd be playing the funny grandfather on a sitcom or something

Hudson's career was well on its way to guest shots on Murder, She Wrote. He and George Maharis would be competing for teh same roles.

Judy would be a continual trainwreck withendless comeback tours. Probably living in pool house on Liza's estate. (or worse Lorna's garage).

James Dean would end up like Horst Buchholz (the German James Dean)--messy bisexual life, later career in obscure parts and/or films, and some forgettable episodic tv.

Brandon de Wilde might have had a good career in indie films.

Do you think Marilyn would have aged well, or would she had turned into Mamie van Doren 2.0

Before she died, Natalie Wood was scheduled to appear in a production of Anastasia at the Ahmanson Theatre in LA, her first stage appearance; I like to imagine it would've revitalized her career, maybe even taken her to Broadway.

Kurt Cobain would have burned out anyways and probably had some kind of mental breakdown. He and Courtney would continue their stormy relationship until he would divorce her 5-10 years later (after 1994).

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I think James Dean would have a long time off during the sixties! He disliked Hollywood and rules, he probably would have joined the Merry Pranksters or any other gang of hippies who offered him sex and drugs and a chance to "live free" and do whatever the hell he wanted! He probably would have lost some brain cells and worked through some issues, and when the party was over, he would have done a few gritty films in the seventies and impressed the hell out of everyone. And then died of The Plague in the 80s.

If Montgomery Clift and Judy Garland hadn't died when they did, they would have died a few years later. Neither seemed capable of getting through a day sober, much less an entire lifetime.

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Oopsy, wrong link...

River Phoenix would have been the Joker.

Carole Lombard would have divorced Gable after he came back from the war, and done hilarious character work when she was between husbands.

River Phoenix's career would have faded by age thirty, he'd have grown up to be one of those guys who looks like a high schooler until thirty, and a gnome after that. He'd still take supporting roles to earn money, but spend most of his time with a vanity band that loses it.

I agree with r4. Judy and Marilyn were pretty much DONE when they died. the best i think Marilyn could have hoped for had she not died was some sort of comedy TV series. She was fine at comedy, though not much of a dramatic actress, and her beauty was diminishing. Judy was such a mess that it's impossible of thinking her living much longer than she did.

I can see James Dean doing much more, though--his death was a horrible accident.

Bitch would have stole my career.

It would have been so interesting to see the kind of roles James Dean would have played had he survived. he had been so typecast in the three major films he was in, as an awesomely misunderstood beautiful misfit adolescent that it's hard to imagine him playing anything else (even when he plays Jett Rink as a middle-aged man in GIANT, he's still playing him as an anguished mixed-up teenager, except with wrinkles). I think there would have been a lot of parts for him, though, especially in all those adaptations of plays by Tennessee Williams and novels by Faulkner, if he could have sharpened his performances. It would have been interesting had he instead of Paul Newman had played Brick in "Cat on a hot Tin Roof" or Chance in "Sweet Bird of Youth," or Jason Compson in :"The Sound and the Fury" rather than Yul Brynner. I could also see him doing very well in Westerns. He had the beauty and the charisma, and even the raw talent, but he very much needed to hone his skills more--he was a much messier (and sometimes eveen more embarrassing) Method actor than Montgomery Clift or Marlon Brando, for example.

River Phoenix would be having Leonardo DiCaprio's career.

I think Heath Ledger would have transitioned well into character roles when he got older

Both Heath Ledger and Philip Seymour Hoffman would have gone on to do more good work. Both supremely talented, they both died stupid drug deaths. I miss them both. I would have loved to have seen them in more movies.

(R22) they both were very talented actors. What a damn waste.

Brittany Murphy — I feel like she had a real shot of a major TV comeback on a sitcom. She was so earnestly charismatic, she's able to sell even her shittiest movies. The Ramen Girl, anyone?

I think Murphy could have pulled a Shelley Winters and transformed into a wacky character actress

Brittany Murphy was a unique character actress (hello, CLUELESS!) who was poorly advised to transform herself into a conventional leading lady. In doing she underwent cosmetic surgery, lost drastic amounts of weight, and jeopardized her health. This all may have contributed to her emotional instability and substance abuse.

Poor Brittany. She deserved a better life, for all of her comic and dramatic talents.

IMO, James Dean probably would have had what became Dennis Hopper's career. I see him going onto act with more avant-garde directors.

If James Dean hadn't died, imagine how Paul Newman's or Steve McQueen's careers would have turned out.

Maybe not a star, but Jon-Erik Hexum was certainly a beauty. Despite the physical appeal, I don’t think he would have broken out of TV unless he lucked into some franchise. There are lots of handsome actors around.

Oscar Number Three!

The little slut never would've amounted to anything.

OP thinks Rock Hudson who died at age 60 was young (or relatively young)'

Thanks for the laugh.

Rebecca Schaeffer and Dominique Dunne would most likely have starred in a well-received cable series together.

^ ROFLMAO

The inevitable Judy disco album would've been a scream, as would Cass Elliot's. I could also see both of them on a very special Love Boat.

I know you meant it as a joke, but I bet Cass Elliot would have recorded a GOOD disco album. I can just feel it.

What about Hendrix, Joplin, and Jim Morrison?

I do believe Brittany Murphy would have had an Oscar by this point. Whenever she was on screen, your eyes immediately went to her. She was so unique and fun and always took really big risks on roles. I only just recently learned that she had a wonderful singing voice as well. Maybe she could have done Broadway. Seems like a role such as Sally Bowles would have been a great fit for her.

Ledger and Hoffman had already proven themselves as two of the finest actors of their generation and I'm sure they would have gone on to create so many more wonderful characters and performances. Those deaths hurt me the most, because they seemed so avoidable.

[quote]I think Rock would have eventually come out, like Tab Hunter and Richard Chamberlain. I think he'd be playing the funny grandfather on a sitcom or something

In 2020? He'd be 95 years old now.

James Dean would have been an incredibly fascinating actor to watch in middle age. Monroe would be somewhat forgotten, not completely unknown but not the household name she is now.

[quote]River Phoenix's career would have faded by age thirty, he'd have grown up to be one of those guys who looks like a high schooler until thirty, and a gnome after that.

The same exact thing happened to Leonardo Dicaprio and it didn't affect his career.

"What about Hendrix, Joplin, and Jim Morrison?"

Hendrix was genius musician. It's possible he could have gone on to do more great work. But he was a raging drug addict, would take handfuls of pills at a time. In fact, that's how he died; his gluttony for durgs made him take NINE powerful sleeping pills at once, causing his death. If he could have controlled his drug use he could have had an incredible career.

Janis Joplin was also a heavy drug user and alcoholic. If she'd lived her career would have continued, though. Her greatest success, her "Pearl" album, was released after her death. But no doubt her career would have had its ups and downs. It seems unlikely that she would have had a long life. She seemed like one of those where were destined eventually to die of excess. She was chronically depressed and her life was almost always chaotic and unstable.

JIm Morrison was a burnout before he died; bloated, slovenly, a drunk. He was done with The Doors; what did he think he was going to do? Be a poet? A film director? At that point in his life he wasn't capable of much of anything. He was one of those ones destined to die young. He knew he wasn't going to last much longer. After Hendrix and Joplin died he told friends "you're drinking with Number 3." He went to Paris with his girlfriend, got into her stash, and died of an overdose of heroin. If he'd lived he wouldn't have done much of anything, just continued along his destructive path. A depressive and a drunk and certainly into drugs, it was inevitable he'd end up the way he did.

Just looked up some dates. Clark Gable died in 1960, at age 60. Errol Flynn in 1959 at 50. Tyrone Power in 1958 at age 44. Gary Cooper in 1961, at 60. Humphrey Bogart in 1957, at 57. Montgomery Clift in 1965 at 45. Spencer Tracy in 1967 at 67.

Tracy didn't work much in the 1960s because he was ill but he still made some great films. But Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda, John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, Burt Lancaster and many others of that era were still around. So I like to speculate what 1960s or even 1970s movies would have been like for some of these guys if they'd lived and were in good health.

No one's mentioned Elvis?

John Garfield (39, in 1952), Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo, Carole Lombard, Jean Harlow, Leslie Howard, Robert Walker, Alan Ladd. Not to mention the many silent-era legends who died young.

I think Spencer Tracy could have continued to do character work into the 70s and 80s. Even if he had lived I'm not sure Flynn would have continued to work. I think he would have turned into a bloated mess who only occasionally worked (like Marlon Brando)

[quote] River Phoenix's career would have faded by age thirty, he'd have grown up to be one of those guys who looks like a high schooler until thirty, and a gnome after that.

His brother seems to be doing ok...why was River's career based on his looks? I wasn't attracted to him but I thought he was a great actor.

[quote] I think Spencer Tracy could have continued to do character work into the 70s and 80s. Even if he had lived I'm not sure Flynn would have continued to work. I think he would have turned into a bloated mess who only occasionally worked (like Marlon Brando)

I think the movie Kotch (later done w/Walter Matthau) was being planned for him. I don't see why Bogart couldn't have continued. These guys and Flynn and so on weren't healthy so they died but if we speculate about what their careers would have been like had they lived it requires some suspension of disbelief.

The thing is it was the New Hollywood era and how would they have fared? Like, Ray Milland was in Love Story, Gig Young won an Oscar for They Shoot Horses, Don't They? Burt Lancaster was amazing in Atlantic City and he was in Local Hero. Mitchum was in some great stuff too. The Duke won an Oscar as well.

James Dean would have been an incredibly fascinating actor to watch in middle age. Monroe would be somewhat forgotten, not completely unknown but not the household name she is now.

Disagree about Marilyn. If Audrey Hepburn is still well known, or Lauren Bacall or even even Grace Kelly I see no reason why Marilyn still wouldn't be well known...what if she did some great parts, what if she won an Oscar? Or even if she retired at her peak. She was a favorite of many many people.

[quote]Brittany Murphy — I feel like she had a real shot of a major TV comeback on a sitcom. She was so earnestly charismatic, she's able to sell even her shittiest movies. The Ramen Girl, anyone?

I agree, she could have beeen a good sitcom star. But, if she had lived it's possible her idiot husband and mother would have continued dragging her career down.

Elvis was set to get Kelly Marie's 'Feels Like I'm In Love' - imagine that bloated disco walrus on variety show television belting it out (now imagine Elvis! - kidding. Love you Kelly) - according to songwriter Ray Dorsey.

Make of that what you will.

Jayne Mansfield as Alexandra Spaulding of Guiding Light could have brought elements of unexpected respectability to actress, role, and medium........

Elvis became a wreck physically; obese and hopelessly addicted to drugs. There was nothing to be done about it. He was going to go on that way until he finally dropped dead from drugs. He would not help himself. He was a sad joke when he died. So tragic; he had such talent, had been such a dynamic performer and he declined into that. If he'd lived longer nothing would have changed.

R52 My parents have a friend who saw Elvis in concert in a year before his death. She said he didn't look well and his singing wasn't that great.

John Garfield would have had an interesting career. He was basically the original method actor in films and would have been great in the kind of character parts that went to people like Bogart or Lancaster.

Flynn had used up his gifts, limited as they were before his death. Gable was passed the point of being a leading man and is career was likely over anyway when he died. Power probably could have transitioned to classy character roles. Clift was a mess and would not have had a great final act to his career.

Hendrix & Joplin had talent. Morrison really didn't. Joplin was such a trainwreck and her style probably wouldn't have lasted the 70s. Hendrix probably could have had an interesting career, although his music like "free jazz" probably would not have lasted as a body of work--his aearly work might have been the exception.

"His brother seems to be doing ok...why was River's career based on his looks? "

Face it, an actor's looks affect his career, and actors who are boyishly cute when young have a lot of trouble adjusting their careers when they hit their no-long-cute years, because they don't grow up to be strong-jawed leading-man types. It's character work or nothing, or voice work like Mark Hammill.

Joachin Phoenix is lucky to have avoided the curse of cuteness. Both brothers are/were photogenic, but Joachin's face reads as more grown-up and masculine. And the camera continues to love him into his forties, the same would not have been true for River.

Why can't you be bother to at least spell JOAQUIN Phoenix's name correctly, r56? Your opinion is dismissed because of that, you know.

River was an angry dude and his looks and performances reflected it.

Joan Fontaine might have gone on to become a mid- to low-performing YouTuber.

Janis Joplin's voice was amazing when she was young, but those rock power-screamers tend to burn through their vocal chords by 35, if not sooner.

So if she'd lived, her career would have died when her voice burned out and Disco came in, and she would have vanished back to Texas. Her money would have gone to multiple divorces and Jack Daniels Inc., and a WEHT article in the 1980s would have found her pouring drinks at the local biker bar.

Alicia Bridges stole hypothetical OD-survivor Janis Joplin’s late seventies career as a disco dyke DJ chanteuse.

WEHT Alicia Bridges? She was one fabulous dyke.