Very famous people who as good as vanished

02-12-2021 10:23pm #1

Was watching the film Thirteen Days with Kevin Costner recently - a JFK film, with Costner playing an advisor. Reminded me that he starred a few years before that as investigating attorney Jim Garrison in the biggest Kennedy related film of all, Oliver Stone's JFK. The man was a giant of the screen in the late 80s/early 90s, an absolute superstar. He was in megasellers - the above, Field of Dreams, Dances With Wolves, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, and The Bodyguard. This was only from '89 to '92.

Then what happened? I know he's in western series these days, but there were years of wilderness. I had actually forgotten how huge he was. Did Waterworld and The Postman kill his career? Who else is similar?

boombang · 02-12-2021 10:33pm

He came to my attention recently in the excellent 2019 Highwaymen, but I know what you mean...

02-12-2021 10:37pm

Hes starring in Yellowstone at the minute. I've seen it advertised but never watched it.

Spore · 02-12-2021 10:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058220932/very-famous-people-who-as-good-as-vanished

I think Waterworld sank his career (if you pardon the pun)

riclad · 02-12-2021 11:28pm

Kostner is the lead in the no 1 show on cable TV yellowstone it's a modern day Western kinda like a cowboy version of Succession it gets millions of viewers most movie stars over 40 reach a point where they do TV shows or retire eg they are no longer box office stars Bruce Willis hasn't had a hit movie since die hard 4 he had a few flop films and never recovered

I think Tom Cruise keeps going cos he stars in Sci action films or mission impossible film sequels

CPTM · 02-12-2021 11:31pm

Jim Carey comes to mind. I know he has different things going on now, but considering his height in the 90s..

Montage of Feck · 02-12-2021 11:34pm

Lord Lucan

someyoke · 02-12-2021 11:34pm

Britney spears went to ground..

standardg60 · 03-12-2021 12:20am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058220932/very-famous-people-who-as-good-as-vanished

Funny, i stumbled across that movie too and really enjoyed it. Not sure if it was meant but it really opened up the old question of whether the assassination of both brothers was an inside job, given the clear depiction of the animosity between them and the establishment.

As for Costner, Waterworld was a self gratifying folly that nearly bankrupted him from what i remember. It still annoys me that it was such a struggle to provide fresh water to any plant yet the baddies (smokers) could afford to discard any amount of cigarettes without any explanation as to where the tobacco was coming from!

callaway92 · 03-12-2021 12:37am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118260551#Comment_118260551

In fairness, his particular genre of comedy has died a death and time did move on from it. Same as to why the Stoner Comedies kinda stopped a few years ago. Tough to compete with the Blockbuster Superhero movies

Riddle101 · 03-12-2021 12:37am

Rick Moranis. The guy was very active in the '80s and early '90s and had a number of classic film roles under his belt, but he went on an acting hiatus so we didn't see him for a long time. He resurfaced there a few years back with that story about him being assaulted in New York.

03-12-2021 12:52am

God yeah, Jim Carrey - another megastar one time. Everywhere. He did a series called Kidding on Showtime a couple of years back, which was cancelled after two seasons. I absolutely loved it though. Dark, sad, absurd and hilarious. Frank Langella and Catherine Keener in it too. Carrey pretty much playing himself - unravelling inside but putting on a cheery front. Obvious I know, but very well done I think. Sad it finished - so many loose ends, but it just didn't bring in the viewing figures.

Strumms · 03-12-2021 12:52am

Gene Hackman...

his last film role was 2004. He’s a month short of his 92nd birthday..

Immortal Starlight · 03-12-2021 1:06am

This reminds me of what Trigger said about Gandhi. “He made one good film and then you never saw him again”😁

silliussoddius · 03-12-2021 3:19am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118260551#Comment_118260551

He did go out with Jenny McCarthy for a while, they seemed well suited.

Strumms · 03-12-2021 3:38am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118260719#Comment_118260719

Last film I’m reading was 1996... 25 years ago fuçk... he’s done a bit of voice work I’m reading...

Peregrinus · 03-12-2021 4:04am

"As good as vanished" is doing a lot of heavy lifting in the thread title. Most of the people being discussed have continued to work and continued to earn; they're just no longer Hollywood 'A' listers, or they are no longer at whatever high point their career peaked at. But that's normal; in the entertainment business it's people who sustain career peaks for decade after decade who are the exception. Picking two years at random, if you look at the top 25 Hollywood earners in 1990, and then at the top 25 20 years later, in 2010, the number of names in both lists is . . . zero.

There are a few people who do all but disappear; Rick Moranis would be a good example. In his case it was a choice; he was left a widower with two small children and he decided he would rather spend time with them than live the life that Hollywood stardom requires, so he gave up all but voice roles for something like 20 years. Of course, he didn't need the money.

And even where it's a step down rather than a step away, that's often a choice too; people do the work that interests them, rather than the work that attracts the most fame or the biggest bucks. Bill Murray was in the 1990 top 25 earners list, but for years now he has only worked with quirky, eclectic directors doing scripts that he likes. Some of these attract much notice (anything by Wes Anderson, basically) and some rather less, but that's not really a consideration that determines whether he will take a gig or not.

the whole year inn · 03-12-2021 4:28am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118260744#Comment_118260744

Yeah I enjoyed that show but only watched season 1. Ill watch season 2 but I can see why it wasn't for everybody. I dont think you could sit down and watch one episode and was hard to find it legs.

Sean Willam Scott he was everywhere and now he has vanished , last time I seen him was on an episode of Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia .

Strumms · 03-12-2021 4:47am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118260904#Comment_118260904

Sean William Scott was just really a one trick pony... played the goofy but lovable frat boy type dude.....

that type of actor has a shelf life and I’d say his is up.

BrenMar · 03-12-2021 4:58am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118260745#Comment_118260745

He retired for health reasons.

HBC08 · 03-12-2021 5:05am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118260719#Comment_118260719

From memory he retired after his wife or kid got sick to be their carer.

the whole year inn · 03-12-2021 7:14am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118260915#Comment_118260915

He was in loads of stuff, Role Models, Cop Out, Goon, Bullet Proof Monk, Dukes of Hazzard ,Evolution and then all of a sudden he vanished .

I checked his IMDB there and he seems to be working and doing a few bits every year.

patnor1011 · 03-12-2021 8:02am

And some "were disappeared" like one who shall not be named. His career collapsed like House of Cards ;)

murpho999 · 03-12-2021 9:19am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118260745#Comment_118260745

That's called retirement, bit different to "vanished" and the thread's theme,

Thelonious Monk · 03-12-2021 9:35am

Chevy Chase

Fandymo · 03-12-2021 9:42am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118260880#Comment_118260880

Didn't he abuse an Irish girlfriend he had, pumped her full of his prescription drugs, gave her STDs and blamed her, made her life pretty much hell and then she killed herself.

whisky_galore · 03-12-2021 9:47am

Brian Cowan.

Doesn't pop up as a talking head like Bruton and Bertie.

dxhound2005 · 03-12-2021 9:49am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118261372#Comment_118261372

It's called getting old. There are plenty of well known people in their nineties who never said they were retiring. Clint Eastwood is still going strong.

dxhound2005 · 03-12-2021 9:50am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118261516#Comment_118261516

Neither does Brian Cowen.

Shao Kahn · 03-12-2021 10:00am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118260541#Comment_118260541

Damn right. I get what you mean.

They're just gone. Period. End of. Full stop.

BrianD3 · 03-12-2021 10:01am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118261516#Comment_118261516

He had a brain haemorrhage and was very ill, dunno how he is now but was in a wheelchair at his mother's funeral.

TheValeyard · 03-12-2021 10:25am

Maybe some of them made their wealth, enough money to be rich and happy. So they go back into the shadows and try to regain some privacy?

cms88 · 03-12-2021 10:40am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118260921#Comment_118260921

His wife died afaik and he stopped to take care of the kids. I think he's been in a few things in recent enough times.

cms88 · 03-12-2021 10:44am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118261015#Comment_118261015

He still pretty much played the same characters.

I see sheep · 03-12-2021 2:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058220932/very-famous-people-who-as-good-as-vanished

He got old

murpho999 · 03-12-2021 2:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118261523#Comment_118261523

And Clint hasn't vanished like Gene Hackman has despite being old, therefore proving my point that it's retirement.

breezy1985 · 03-12-2021 2:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118261490#Comment_118261490

Her mother tried to sue him in a civil suit for the STD thing and the drugs issue was she ODed on his drugs but he was cleared in 2 cases with the other being her ex husband sueing over the drugs. So no is the answer to your question.

Personally I can't think of any actor who full on vanished from the scene outside of the odd child actor who decided it wasn't for them.

03-12-2021 2:29pm

The "old" explanation doesn't consider the numerous actors who keep getting work well into old age. K. Costner drastically fell under the radar after being stratospheric, and was still fairly young.

dxhound2005 · 03-12-2021 2:51pm

Another poster said that Costner is currently in the number one cable tv programme with millions of viewers. I never heard of it myself, but if he is that is not the same as being vanished, or under the radar.

Maybe he will disappear from work or public notice when (if) he gets to his eighties. But never make any formal retirement announcement.

breezy1985 · 03-12-2021 3:10pm

A lot of these "vanished" people are just actors who were megastars in the 80/90s which is 30 years ago so it's natural they would not be as big now. Especially the heartthrobs and comedy actors who are often one trick ponies.

03-12-2021 3:33pm

Shergar

Kevin Spacey

Bill Cosby

Sharon Tate

Madeline McCann

Amelia Earhart

Sgt Hartman · 03-12-2021 3:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118261730#Comment_118261730

Mike Myers has gone down this route. He has had huge success with Wayne's World, Austin Powers and Shrek but he hasn't been seen in anything in years since.

breezy1985 · 03-12-2021 4:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118263755#Comment_118263755

Tate didn't disappear she died and McCann disappeared and then became famous.

Bill Cosby is still in the papers a lot 😁

BurgerFace · 03-12-2021 5:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118260745#Comment_118260745

Yeah but Gene actually retired from acting to chill out on his ranch and write novels. Someone as brilliant as The Hack doesn't wash out

Larbre34 · 03-12-2021 5:02pm

Everyone knows where Kevin Spacey is. Just not many lifting the phone to him.

When it comes to people in entertainment, its very seldom down to themselves when they disappear. A cursory search will pretty much tell you everything thats happened to them since.