COVID Can't Stop Dementia Education – List of Americans In

Home , Eddie Albert, Estelle Getty, Imogene Coca, Mae Questel, Peter Falk, Tim Conway

COVID Can’t Stop Dementia Education – List of Americans in Exhibit by Debbie Selsavage, PAC Certified Independent Trainer and Consultant

Famous Americans depicted in the exhibit;

Eddie Albert (1906 – 2005) Movie and television actor who played Oliver Wendell Douglas in the 1960s sitcom Green Acres.

Shelley Berman (1925 – 2017) Grammy and Emmy Award-winning actor and comedian who pioneered spoken comedy recordings and taught humor writing at USC for 20 years.

Nick Buoniconti (1940 – 2019) Linebacker inducted into the Football Hall of Fame in 2001. Three-time Miami Dolphins most valuable player. Donated his brain for traumatic brain injury research. Opposed impact football for youth under age 17.

Abe Burrows (1910 – 1985) Born Abram Solman Borowitz, Abe Burrows was a Tony Award-winning humorist, author, and director for radio, television, and Broadway who appeared on panel shows like What’s My Line.

Charles Bronson (1921 – 2003) Action film actor who starred in Death Wish and The Great Escape. In his later years, he suffered from many health problems, including Alzheimers.

Glenn Campbell (1936 – 2017) Celebrated country singer who completed a goodbye tour with the film documentary I’ll be Me following his diagnosis with Alzheimers in 2011.

Imogene Coca (1908 – 2001) Began her show business career as a child dancer and acrobat in Vaudeville and gained fame playing opposite Sid Caesar on Your Show of Shows. Diagnosed with Alzheimers prior to her death at age 92.

Perry Como (1912 – 2001) A popular singer and television personality during the 1950s and 1960s. Was diagnosed with Alzheimers in 1999.

Tim Conway (1933 – 2019) Writer, actor, and comedian best known for his performances in McHale’s Navy and The Carol Burnett Show. Succumbed to dementia caused by hydrocephalus, diagnosed in 2018.

© 2020 Positive Approach, LLC Online Dementia Journal – October 2020 Aaron Copland (1900 – 1990) One of America’s greatest classical composers, Copland ceased writing music in the 1970s due to memory loss.

James Doohan (1920 – 2005) Television actor best known for the role of Scotty in Star Trek. Doohan announced publicly that he had Alzheimers and Parkinsons before his death in 2005.

Peter Falk (1927 – 2011) Stage and television actor best known for his role as Columbo. Toward the end of his life he could no longer remember playing the hit role.

Alrene Francis (1907 – 2001) Radio and television talk show host and game show panelist born Arline Francis Kazajian. Appeared on What’s My Line for 25 years. She died of Alzheimers and cancer at age 93.

Estelle Getty (1923 – 1998) Popular actress best known for her role as Sophia in the Golden Girls. She passed away from complications of Lewy body dementia.

Rita Hayworth (1918 – 1987) American film star who rose to prominence in the 1940s. Hayworth became the face of Alzheimers disease during the 1980s.

Charlton Heston (1923 – 2008) Actor cast in many heroic roles, including Moses in The Ten Commandments. In 2003 he announced he had been diagnosed with Alzheimers.

Etta James (1938 – 2012) Versatile singer who won six Grammys, 17 Blues Music Awards, and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. Was diagnosed with Alzheimers in 2008.

Casey Kasem (1932 – 2014) Co-founder of the American Top 40 Countdown and a voice actor in many children’s films. He was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia in 2007.

Evelyn Keyes (1916 – 2008) Famous for her role as Suellen O’Hara in Gone with the Wind. She retired from acting to write and was diagnosed with Alzheimers in her 80s.

Jim Kiick (1946 – 2020) NFL Running Back who contributed to Miami Dolphins’ 1972 perfect season. Diagnosed with Alzheimers, but with evidence of serious brain trauma.

Howard W. Koch (1916 – 2001) Motion picture and television director and producer who became President of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, and produced the Academy Awards presentations eight times.

© 2020 Positive Approach, LLC Online Dementia Journal – October 2020 Dorian Leigh (1917 – 2008) Mechanical Engineer and aircraft tool designer who became one of the first fashion models to earn the title super model, working both in America and Europe. She died of Alzheimers at age 91.

Bill Mauldin (1921 – 2003) Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist best known for his WWII soldiers Willie and Joe. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. In 2010 the U.S. Postal Service issued a postage stamp in his honor.

Burgess Meredith (1907 – 1997) Noted actor whose most famous role may have been the Penguin in the Batman TV series. He spent seven years on a Hollywood blacklist during America’s Red Scare, thanks to Senator Eugene McCarthy.

Vincente Minnelli (1903 – 1986) Won Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director for Gigi and other famous musicals. With Judy Garland, was father of Liza Minnelli. Died of pneumonia and other complications of Alzheimers at age 83.

Edmund O’Brien (1915 – 1985) Character actor in more than 100 films; twice the winner of Academy Awards and Golden Globes. He died with Alzheimers at age 69.

Sandra Day O’Connor (1930 -- ) First woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, from 1981 until 2006. Awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Obama in 2009. In retirement, she cared for her husband who had Alzheimers, and in 2018, she too announced that she had been diagnosed with the disease.

Floyd Patterson (1935 – 2006) Held the title of World Heavyweight Champion twice during his 20-year professional boxing career. He died with Alzheimers at age 71.

Rosa Parks (1913 – 2005) Known as the Mother of the Freedom Movement because she refused to sit in the back of the bus in 1955. Parks wrote an autobiography and received many awards for her work.

Otto Preminger (1905 – 1986) Director of more than 35 films, noted for pushing the boundaries of censorship. He died of lung cancer while suffering from Alzheimers at age 80.

Elizabeth Prophet (1939 – 2009) Spiritual leader and founder of Church Universal and Triumphant. She was diagnosed with Alzheimers in 1998.

Mae Questel (1908 – 1998) Voice actress who provided the voices for animated characters Betty Boop and Olive Oyl. She once played the Betty Boop role in a Rudy Vallee film. She died of complications from Alzheimers at age 89.

© 2020 Positive Approach, LLC Online Dementia Journal – October 2020 Ronald Reagan (1911 – 2004) Actor, California Governor, and President of the United States. Declared November National Alzheimers Month while in office. Six years after the end of his presidency he announced that he had Alzheimers.

Sugar Ray Robinson (1921 – 1989) One of the best boxers of all time, compiling a record of 173 wins, 19 losses, and 2 draws, It’s believed that boxing contributed to his early death from Alzheimers at age 67.

Norman Rockwell (1894 – 1978) One of America’s most famous painters and illustrators, noted especially for his covers for the Saturday Evening Post.

Gale Sayers (1943 – 2020) Chicago Bears star who became the youngest person ever inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Sayers was one of the players who brought the issue of sport- related head injuries to the fore. He died of dementia that his wife believes was caused by football.

Tom Terrific Seaver (1944 – 2020) Elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame with highest vote ever. Three-time National League best pitcher. Died of Lewy Body Dementia and COVID.

Grizzly Smith (1932 – 2010) Aurelian Grizzly Smith was the patriarch of an American professional wrestling family that included his sons Jake the Snake Roberts, Sam Houston, and Rockin’ Robin.

James Stewart (1908 – 1997) Actor best known for his roles in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and It’s a Wonderful Life. Though slowed by Alzheimers, he remained active until his death.

Pat Summitt (1952 – 2016) Coached the Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team to eight NCAA championships and retired with a record of 1,098-208. Became advocate and educator for people with Alzheimers.

Cyrus Vance Sr. (1917 – 2002) Vance was the Secretary of State under President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1980. He resigned in disagreement with Carter over the Iran hostage crisis. He died with Alzheimers at age 89.

E.B. White (1899 – 1985) The author of Stuart Little and Charlotte’s Web. He was diagnosed with Alzheimers in the 80s.

Gene Wilder (1933 – 2016) Actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and author perhaps best known for his role as Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Diagnosed with Alzheimers in 2013.

© 2020 Positive Approach, LLC Online Dementia Journal – October 2020 Robin Williams (1951 – 2014) Comedian and actor who rose to fame as Mork in the sitcom Mork & Mindy. He won an Academy award, two Emmys, six Golden Globes, two Screen Actor Guild Awards, and four Grammys. It is believed that Lewy body dementia contributed to his suicide.