There is a lot of having people survive in alternate history, but what about all those people who could have died, but didn't? There are a lot of people who had addictions, diseases, accidents, dangerous life styles, were almost murdered, and who had a lot of run ins and near misses. A lot of the time for these people, it was just luck that they survived because the same exact things killed someone else. So I'd like to make a compendium of the people who could have died, but didn't, or died but had things happen earlier that could have killed them.
AH: People Who Could Have Died
- Thread starter Emperor Norton I
- Start date
We could do pages and pages of stuff on failed presidential assassinations. Jackson, Roosevelt, other Roosevelt, Reagan, Bush... the list goes on and on.
Mel Blanc (1961, Car Accident)
In 1961, Mel Blanc was involved in a near fatal car accident when a drunk driver hit his car. "Hit head-on, Blanc suffered a triple skull fracture that left him in a coma for three weeks, along with fractures of both legs and the pelvis". His voices for Warner Brother's were ghosted until he returned. He died in 1989 after being brought into the hospital for some health issues, staying overnight, and falling off the bed because they didn't put up the rails up on the sides.
Robin Williams (Late 70s to early 80s, Drugs and Alcohol; Mid 2000s, Alcoholism; Late 2000s, Heart problems)
Robin Williams was addicted to cocaine during said period, and perhaps a few other things, and was a frequent partier alongside his friend John Belushi. Belushi's death prompted Williams to quit drugs.
In 2006, Williams went into rehab because he had relapsed into drinking heavily again after 20 years of sobriety.
In 2009, Williams was checked into a hospital for heart problems. He underwent surgery to replace his aortic valve, and the surgery was successful.
Joe Piscopo (1981 to 1982, Thyroid Cancer)
Self explanatory.
Bob Dylan (1966, Motorcycle Accident)
On July 29, 1966, Bob Dylan got into a motorcycle accident near his upstate New York home. Reports at the time were that it was serious, but report since then seem to say it was overstated and was only a minor accident, but Dylan used it as an excuse to drop out of music for a while so people would leave him alone. It would be easy to see an alternate scenario, though, where it could have been worse, and fatally worse.
John Lennon (1967, Possibly Falling Off Roof during Acid Trip; Late 60s to 1970s, Heroine)
You could probably do quite a few possibilities on the Beatles, and probably even more on John Lennon than I'm pointing out here (he led a rock n' roll life, and did sex, drugs, rock and roll, and getting into fights and all of that). Anything Lennon did, the other Beatles often did too, but I'll focus on two specific instances. In 1967, George Martin, not knowing the Beatles were doing LSD nor that Lennon was on an acid trip at the moment, took Lennon up to the roof of Abbey road for some fresh air (the outside had Beatles fans, so the only place they could get outside for a bit was the roof). In the OTL, it was a starry night and Lennon sat on the edge of the roof looking up at the stars. In an alternate timeline, given his state, maybe he could have lost his grip and fallen.
Another one was the fact that he was doing Heroine for a number of years on and off (and whether he was addicted or was addicted at any period or periods is debateable). Yoko has said what saved her and John from addiction in the 70s was that they had a cheap drug dealer who mixed up the heroine with baby powder, so they were getting weak doses and could more easily kick it unlike many musicians and celebrities they knew who got pure doses and ended up addicted and dying. She also said the fact that they were afraid of needles and didn't use them helped. So for want of a drug dealer, they avoided overdosing or otherwise having their health and mental state deteriorate due to addiction.
In 1961, Mel Blanc was involved in a near fatal car accident when a drunk driver hit his car. "Hit head-on, Blanc suffered a triple skull fracture that left him in a coma for three weeks, along with fractures of both legs and the pelvis". His voices for Warner Brother's were ghosted until he returned. He died in 1989 after being brought into the hospital for some health issues, staying overnight, and falling off the bed because they didn't put up the rails up on the sides.
Robin Williams (Late 70s to early 80s, Drugs and Alcohol; Mid 2000s, Alcoholism; Late 2000s, Heart problems)
Robin Williams was addicted to cocaine during said period, and perhaps a few other things, and was a frequent partier alongside his friend John Belushi. Belushi's death prompted Williams to quit drugs.
In 2006, Williams went into rehab because he had relapsed into drinking heavily again after 20 years of sobriety.
In 2009, Williams was checked into a hospital for heart problems. He underwent surgery to replace his aortic valve, and the surgery was successful.
Joe Piscopo (1981 to 1982, Thyroid Cancer)
Self explanatory.
Bob Dylan (1966, Motorcycle Accident)
On July 29, 1966, Bob Dylan got into a motorcycle accident near his upstate New York home. Reports at the time were that it was serious, but report since then seem to say it was overstated and was only a minor accident, but Dylan used it as an excuse to drop out of music for a while so people would leave him alone. It would be easy to see an alternate scenario, though, where it could have been worse, and fatally worse.
John Lennon (1967, Possibly Falling Off Roof during Acid Trip; Late 60s to 1970s, Heroine)
You could probably do quite a few possibilities on the Beatles, and probably even more on John Lennon than I'm pointing out here (he led a rock n' roll life, and did sex, drugs, rock and roll, and getting into fights and all of that). Anything Lennon did, the other Beatles often did too, but I'll focus on two specific instances. In 1967, George Martin, not knowing the Beatles were doing LSD nor that Lennon was on an acid trip at the moment, took Lennon up to the roof of Abbey road for some fresh air (the outside had Beatles fans, so the only place they could get outside for a bit was the roof). In the OTL, it was a starry night and Lennon sat on the edge of the roof looking up at the stars. In an alternate timeline, given his state, maybe he could have lost his grip and fallen.
Another one was the fact that he was doing Heroine for a number of years on and off (and whether he was addicted or was addicted at any period or periods is debateable). Yoko has said what saved her and John from addiction in the 70s was that they had a cheap drug dealer who mixed up the heroine with baby powder, so they were getting weak doses and could more easily kick it unlike many musicians and celebrities they knew who got pure doses and ended up addicted and dying. She also said the fact that they were afraid of needles and didn't use them helped. So for want of a drug dealer, they avoided overdosing or otherwise having their health and mental state deteriorate due to addiction.
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George Harrison, John Lennon, Cynthia Lennon and Patti Boyd (April 1965, Possible Car Crash)
The Beatles (or rather John and George) were introduced to LSD by George Harrison's dentist, who slipped it into their coffee when they weren't looking. They subsequently went through the town and went on a car ride, and it's very easy, in the inebriated state, to think they could have gotten into a car accident.
The Beatles (or rather John and George) were introduced to LSD by George Harrison's dentist, who slipped it into their coffee when they weren't looking. They subsequently went through the town and went on a car ride, and it's very easy, in the inebriated state, to think they could have gotten into a car accident.
Weren't there quite a few celebrities who avoided death on 9/11 due to changes in travel plans and such?
I think so. Seth McFarlane missed his flight because he was drinking and slept in too late (he had an issue of missing flights). And that flight was one of the hijacked planes.
A quick Google search reveals that Gwyneth Paltrow and Mark Wahlberg had similar such 9/11 travel incidents.
Richard Nixon
In OTL, Richard Nixon met with Hunter S. Thompson during the primary campaign of 1968. The reason for the meeting was that Nixon was an avowed college football fanatic, and Thompson shared the candidate's passion (despite the fact that Thompson HATED Nixon, even at this early stage).
Nixon's handlers had told Thompson that that conversion could not deviate from Football. After a long and pleasent, even according to Thomspon, conversion, they arrived at the airport. Apparently, while the plane was refueling, Thompson decided to light up a cigarette, before being tackled by Nixon's body guards.
So: in an ATL, Thompson lights up the cigarette, a spark hits the fuel line, and Nixon's plane explodes in a fire plume that can be seen for miles. Not sure what this does to the Republican 68 primaries.
Extra points: Hunter S. Thompson is blown free and survives, despite suffering some nasty burns. He goes on to have a successful writing career, despite having accidently killed a former Vice-President.
In OTL, Richard Nixon met with Hunter S. Thompson during the primary campaign of 1968. The reason for the meeting was that Nixon was an avowed college football fanatic, and Thompson shared the candidate's passion (despite the fact that Thompson HATED Nixon, even at this early stage).
Nixon's handlers had told Thompson that that conversion could not deviate from Football. After a long and pleasent, even according to Thomspon, conversion, they arrived at the airport. Apparently, while the plane was refueling, Thompson decided to light up a cigarette, before being tackled by Nixon's body guards.
So: in an ATL, Thompson lights up the cigarette, a spark hits the fuel line, and Nixon's plane explodes in a fire plume that can be seen for miles. Not sure what this does to the Republican 68 primaries.
Extra points: Hunter S. Thompson is blown free and survives, despite suffering some nasty burns. He goes on to have a successful writing career, despite having accidently killed a former Vice-President.
Darn, you stole mine!
Chiang Ching-kuo's limo nearly drove off a cliff around the time his father died.
Cat Stevens nearly drowned in the ocean at Malibu, California, in 1975.
Anthony Kiedis could've easily died from his drug habit at various times during the 1980s and 1990s. But possibly more interesting: when he was 16 he tried jumping from the roof of his house into his backyard swimming pool (if I remember correctly) and ended up hitting the side of the pool, breaking his back. He could've ended up dead or paralysed.
Christopher Reeve could've easily died in the accident that paralysed him, too.
Anthony Kiedis could've easily died from his drug habit at various times during the 1980s and 1990s. But possibly more interesting: when he was 16 he tried jumping from the roof of his house into his backyard swimming pool (if I remember correctly) and ended up hitting the side of the pool, breaking his back. He could've ended up dead or paralysed.
Christopher Reeve could've easily died in the accident that paralysed him, too.
Mick Jagger
He was on everyone's "Most Likely Celebrity to Die This Year" list for decades.
Mitt Romney
French Car Accident - June 1968
Laura Welch Bush
Car Accident - November 6, 1963
George W. Bush/Ted Kennedy/Wilbur Mills
Any drunk driving incident.
Joe Biden
February 1988 - aneurysm
Birch Bayh/Ted Kennedy
June 19, 1964 - plane crash
He was on everyone's "Most Likely Celebrity to Die This Year" list for decades.
Mitt Romney
French Car Accident - June 1968
Laura Welch Bush
Car Accident - November 6, 1963
George W. Bush/Ted Kennedy/Wilbur Mills
Any drunk driving incident.
Joe Biden
February 1988 - aneurysm
Birch Bayh/Ted Kennedy
June 19, 1964 - plane crash
Gerald Ford twice. President Rockefeller anybody?
Also, iirc Nixon was mobbed in Colombia in 1958. Had someone shot him, that means another GOP candidate in '60.
Also, iirc Nixon was mobbed in Colombia in 1958. Had someone shot him, that means another GOP candidate in '60.
Steve McQueen
Invited to Sharon Tate's house on what would be the night of her murder. Also a target on the Manson Family's list.
John F. Kennedy
Nearly died of scarlet fever in 1920
Howard Hughes
Near fatal plane crash in 1946
Ronald Reagan
Employed as a lifeguard, he could've been drowned any time.
Audrey Hepburn
Aided the Dutch Resistance during occupation. She could've been captured and killed, or starved to death during the famine.
Charlize Theron
Injured her neck during filming of Aeon Flux. Broken neck possible.
Clark Gable
Either infection from pyorrhea in 1933 or shot down over Europe during WWII.
Akira Kurosawa
Attempted suicide in 1971.
Steve Buscemi
Stabbed multiple times in 2001.
Clint Eastwood
Was on a flight to Korea when it crashed off the coast of California.
This is kinda morbid, how about we have a People who could have lived thread? I'll start it if anybody likes the idea
Invited to Sharon Tate's house on what would be the night of her murder. Also a target on the Manson Family's list.
John F. Kennedy
Nearly died of scarlet fever in 1920
Howard Hughes
Near fatal plane crash in 1946
Ronald Reagan
Employed as a lifeguard, he could've been drowned any time.
Audrey Hepburn
Aided the Dutch Resistance during occupation. She could've been captured and killed, or starved to death during the famine.
Charlize Theron
Injured her neck during filming of Aeon Flux. Broken neck possible.
Clark Gable
Either infection from pyorrhea in 1933 or shot down over Europe during WWII.
Akira Kurosawa
Attempted suicide in 1971.
Steve Buscemi
Stabbed multiple times in 2001.
Clint Eastwood
Was on a flight to Korea when it crashed off the coast of California.
This is kinda morbid, how about we have a People who could have lived thread? I'll start it if anybody likes the idea
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a lot of Presidents could have been killed in action, but weren't; Washington, TR, Bush 1, JFK, Ford, Carter, plenty of others...
