Famous Folks Who Could Join Michael Jackson: 10 Icons Who Might Leave Us Soon

The world shook when news spread of Michael Jackson's premature death in June 2009. Who could be next?

The list of aging icons is anything but short. After all, the post-World War II era brought us color TV, rock 'n' roll and the modern era of sports. The boom is almost over for many Boomers, and that means anyone born before the Boomers' time certainly should be making arrangements.

Here's a list of 10 famous folks who might be considered dead men, or women, walking. Given their conditions, I've included some details of where folks might cross paths with some of these legends before we have to say goodbye.

• Willie Nelson, the Texas-born country music icon, has been smoking marijuana for a number of years. In fact, he was arrested for possession of pot and hallucinogenic mushrooms in 2006. His raspy voice, though, still pounds out note after note, and the 76-year-old Nelson is still touring and jamming on his guitar. Sure, America's most beloved singer-songwriter might live into his 90s, but it's not likely. Even more unlikely is that he'll continue to tour. According to Nelson's Web site, he's booked for 23 shows from now until late October. Six of his October shows are concert dates that were moved from earlier dates when he fell ill. Nelson postponed performances beginning with a March 17 concert in Clearwater, Fla.
• Cardinals baseball legend Stan Musial was honored during the 2009 All-Star game in St. Louis. That doesn't bode well. For fellow baseball legend Ted Williams, the 1999 All-Star game in Boston was the last that most folks saw of him. In 2002, he died at age 83 in Inverness, Fla. Musial will turn 89 on Nov. 21. A fan's best chance to meet him might require a trip to Cooperstown, N.Y. for the next Hall of Fame inductions. Of course, the 2009 inductions begin, well, now. So maybe shoot for 2010?
• Jerry Lewis is one of the most beloved entertainers ever to walk the planet, but there's just no denying that his days are numbered. Lewis turned 83 in March 2009, and he's already dealt with two heart attacks, prostate cancer, diabetes and drug addiction. His health is a frequent topic of discussion. So be sure to check out his 44th Muscular Dystrophy telethon starting Sept. 6. It might be the only chance to say goodbye to a man whose comedy has brought laughter to millions of lives over the years.
• Andy Griffith had his 83rd birthday in June 2009, and he's showing his age. It's difficult to imagine that an American icon and father figure to generations might not live forever. But it's true. Griffith had quadruple bypass surgery in 2000 and injured his hip in a 2007 fall. Griffith had a role in a 2008 movie, but the Internet Movie Datatebase, among other sites, doesn't list any current projects involving the Andy Griffith Show star.
• George Herbert Walker Bush, the country's 41st president, turned 85 on June 12. He celebrated by skydiving, but he's not fooling anyone. In some public appearances, he looks every bit his age. Notice the cane he's using in this 2009 photo. Of course, he's still making public appearances. Except now the only thing trickling down is due to incontinence.
• Anyone who's watched Gran Torino, the Golden Globe-nominated 2009 movie directed by Clint Eastwood, knows just how frail the old codger is looking these days. Making his day might involve helping him to the toilet. Eastwood turned 79 on May 31.
• Woody Allen hasn't lost his penchant for twisted humor, and neither have I. I could put Betty White on the list. After all, she's 88. But it's more fun to presume the demise of the neurotic Allen, who is just 73.. If he reads this, I suspect the nervous tension alone will send the actor/comedian to his grave. If so, you can rest assured he'll be ready. After all, Allen once said, "I don't believe in an afterlife, although I'm bringing along a change of underwear." Of course, he's still writing movies. So he should be available for lunch dates in Hollywood.
• B.B. King became a blues icon in the 1960s and rediscovered fame after he released When Love Comes to Town, a collaborative effort with U2, in 1988. Since then, he's remained popular. B.B. had a role in the 1998 remake of the Blues Brothers movie and has performed with Eric Clapton and others in recent years. It's been four years, though, since he launched his Final Farewell Tour in Europe, and King cited his age and health when he opted to quit touring. But he's still performing. In December 2008, he performed at the Grammys, and he has just 28 dates scheduled for the remainder of 2009.
• Nancy Reagan turned 88 on July 6. The one-time First Lady and longtime husband of President Ronald Reagan, she's already dodged a few close calls. In 1987, doctors removed one of her breasts, which had been found to hold a cancerous tumor. In 2008, she was taken to a hospital twice after falling. The tough old bird, though, visited current First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House in June.
• James Earl Jones, the man with the voice, has been a Hollywood actor since the 1960s. The man famed as the voice of Darth Vader and for his 1971 role in The Great White Hope is 78, and his acting career is slowing down after more than 150 different appearances. Since he appeared in the Adam Sandler comedy Click in 2006, Jones has only had parts in two movies, one of them a TV special.

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