Trains.com

Orson Bean /Passenger Trains

1452 views
13 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    September 2010
  • 2,515 posts
Posted by Electroliner 1935 on Monday, February 10, 2020 6:03 PM

My older brother (+5 yrs) used to say, "Don't get old". Unfortunatly he died about 14 years ago. At 84, I am not as good as I would like to be but I hope I have another ten years or more before this life goes. And yes, two generations is about as far back as I can remember. All great grandparents were deceased before I joined this world.

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,020 posts
Posted by tree68 on Monday, February 10, 2020 7:40 AM

Paul_D_North_Jr
Personal experience tends to confirm that - at least in my family, no one now living personally remembers anyone before grandparents, and don't know much about anyone before that.  

That phenomenon makes me appreciate even more the work my aunts did on the family geneology.  I've had times, however, when the memory my forebears did have didn't square with actual records.  I've been working on one of the geneology websites, adding the information I have from the aunts' work, as well as what appears to be work in the line done by their mother at a young age.

I was talking to someone this past weekend who I have known for a while - turns out there may be a familial link, although I think I have a lot of digging to do to find it.  The fact that some place names rang a bell with them speaks to the possibilities, though.

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Allentown, PA
  • 9,810 posts
Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Sunday, February 9, 2020 8:54 PM

Overmod
Remember the old saying about how no one really dies until the last person remembering him quits? . . . 

A recent movie - I believe it was the one about the teenager in Mexico or a South American county about the "Day of the Dead" (Nov. 1st?) - said that there are 3 deaths: 1) when one physically expires; 2) when the body is interred; and 3) when no one remembers you.  My daughter says that's about 2 generations.  Personal experience tends to confirm that - at least in my family, no one now living personally remembers anyone before grandparents, and don't know much about anyone before that.  

- PDN.   

"This Fascinating Railroad Business" (title of 1943 book by Robert Selph Henry of the AAR)
  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Sunday, February 9, 2020 10:34 AM

Jolson was a patron saint of the Friar's Club in Los Angeles, at least that was the impression I got from an interview with George Burns many years ago. He spoke of "Jolie" as if he passed away the week before. 

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Sunday, February 9, 2020 9:47 AM

NKP guy
Next thing you know, someone's going to announce that Al Jolson has died.

Remember the old saying about how no one really dies until the last person remembering him quits?

Jolson's been gone nearly half a decade now.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/a-final-night-in-blackface-baltimores-al-jolson-impersonator-calls-it-quits/2015/11/12/3fb90254-8805-11e5-be39-0034bb576eee_story.html

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 1,530 posts
Posted by NKP guy on Sunday, February 9, 2020 9:01 AM

 

 

BaltACD
Unfortunately we are all of a age where our heros from our younger days are that much older than we are.

Next thing you know, someone's going to announce that Al Jolson has died.

 

 

 

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 25,292 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Saturday, February 8, 2020 8:05 PM

Unfortunately we are all of a age where our heros from our younger days are that much older than we are.  At least these heros are not a member of the '27 Club'.

Anyone having had a active life longer than we have had have had a good life.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Saturday, February 8, 2020 6:51 PM

Miningman

Now Robert Conrad has died... 2020 is going to be pretty bad for this ! 

 

Not Bob Conrad too!  Oh brother.  I remember the whole Second Marine Air Wing at Cherry Point NC used to grind to a halt on Tuesday nights when "Baa Baa Blacksheep" was on!  Not exactly authentic  Whistling  but everybody just LOVED that show!  Great cast!  Great characters!  And some good flying too!

Kevin Conway?  Sure, I remember him in "Gettysburg" as Buster Kilrain, another great character in a fine film.  

Kirk Douglas, Orson Bean, Kevin Conway, Bob Conrad...

Hang in there Olivia!  

  • Member since
    December 2017
  • From: I've been everywhere, man
  • 4,269 posts
Posted by SD70Dude on Saturday, February 8, 2020 6:38 PM

James Earl Jones turned 89 last month, and Willam Shatner will celebrate the same birthday in March.

But I was most surprised to learn that Olivia de Havilland is still with us, a spry youngster of 103!

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

  • Member since
    September 2013
  • 6,199 posts
Posted by Miningman on Saturday, February 8, 2020 6:31 PM

Now Robert Conrad has died... 2020 is going to be pretty bad for this ! 

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Allentown, PA
  • 9,810 posts
Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Saturday, February 8, 2020 5:38 PM

Atomic Train, the movie:

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_Train 

 imdb.com/title/tt0144039/ 

Kevin Conway, the "Yuppie Driver":

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0176724/?ref_=tt_cl_t44 

(Don't think I ever saw it - doesn't seem like I missed much.) 

(Tom Clancy's book The Sum of All Fears also had a small-scale terrorist nuclear bomb destroying the ("Mile High"?) football stadium in Denver.  I believe it came out circa 1992 - Atomic Train was 1999.) 

- PDN. 

"This Fascinating Railroad Business" (title of 1943 book by Robert Selph Henry of the AAR)
  • Member since
    September 2013
  • 6,199 posts
Posted by Miningman on Saturday, February 8, 2020 5:31 PM

I saw Orson Bean just this Christmas on Mark Steyn's Christmas Special Show. The guy was sharp as a tack.. get hit by a car at 91.  Fickle finger of fate?  

Kevin Conway, gone at 77.... many credits to his name, I'm sure Flintlock remembers him from' Gettysburg' . I remember him best as Kahless the Klingon. 

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Saturday, February 8, 2020 4:25 PM

And what about Kevin Conway from "Atomic Train"? ...

  • Member since
    September 2013
  • 6,199 posts
Orson Bean /Passenger Trains
Posted by Miningman on Saturday, February 8, 2020 4:14 PM

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy