Too Famous To Be Forgotten...Or So They Thought
These stars spent years on top of Hollywood. Fans adored them. Studios built movies around them. Some were among the biggest celebrities in America. Today, most people born after 2000 would scroll right past them without a second thought. How many do you remember?
Vittoriano Rastelli, Getty Images
Tab Hunter
There was a stretch where Hollywood looked at Tab Hunter and basically said, 'Yep, that'll do.' The guy was handsome, popular, and absolutely everywhere. Teen magazines couldn't get enough of him. Today, mention Tab Hunter to a 22-year-old and there's a decent chance they'll think he played first base for somebody.
Silver Screen Collection, Getty Images
Troy Donahue
Troy Donahue became famous so fast it probably felt like somebody hit the fast-forward button on his life. A Summer Place turned him into a sensation almost overnight. For a few years, he was one of Hollywood's hottest young stars. Today, most people under 25 have no idea who he is.
Fabian
There was a point when Fabian didn't even need a last name. Just Fabian. Everybody knew exactly who you meant. He sold records, starred in movies, and had teenagers losing their minds. Now his name sounds less like a celebrity and more like the guy who handles your retirement account.
20th Century Fox, Wikimedia Commons
Connie Stevens
For a while, Connie Stevens seemed to be everywhere. Television, movies, magazine covers, record albums. She was one of those celebrities who felt impossible to avoid. Then time did what time usually does. Today, a lot of younger people have never heard her name.
Photographer not credited, Wikimedia Commons
George Maharis
Back in the early 60s, George Maharis was a genuine television heartthrob. Fan clubs loved him. Studios loved him. Viewers loved him. It looked like he was set for life. Fast-forward a few decades and he's become one of those stars people only remember after somebody else mentions him first.
Harry Langdon, Wikimedia Commons
Yvette Mimieux
Hollywood spent years trying to turn Yvette Mimieux into its next major superstar. To be fair, it almost worked. She landed big roles, starred in hit films, and seemed destined for a long run at the top. Today, she's one of those names that gets a lot of 'Wait...who?' responses.
James Darren
James Darren had a pretty good setup. He could act, he could sing, and audiences liked both. Movies like Gidget made him a star and television kept him there. For a while, he seemed impossible to miss. Now many younger people have never heard his name at all.
Silver Screen Collection, Getty Images
Tuesday Weld
Even her name sounded like a movie star name somebody invented in a Hollywood office. Tuesday Weld was talented, acclaimed, and everywhere for a while. Yet somehow she's drifted into that strange category of stars who were huge once and are barely talked about today.
Silver Screen Collection, Getty Images
Jill St. John
You'd think being the first American Bond girl would guarantee permanent fame. Apparently not. Jill St. John became a major star after Diamonds Are Forever and spent years in the spotlight. James Bond is still famous. Jill St. John, not nearly as much.
Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons
David Janssen
Back in the 60s, David Janssen was television. The Fugitive wasn't just a hit—it was one of those shows everybody talked about. Today, there's a decent chance younger viewers know Harrison Ford's version and have never heard of the guy who made it famous first.
ABC Television, Wikimedia Commons
Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
There was a time when Efrem Zimbalist Jr. was one of television's most reliable stars. 77 Sunset Strip made him a household name and kept him there for years. Today, mention the name to somebody under 30 and they'll probably assume you're talking about a British detective novelist.
ABC Television-ABC Photo, Wikimedia Commons
Robert Wagner
Robert Wagner was one of those guys who always seemed to be on TV. Then he was in movies. Then he was back on TV again. For decades, everybody knew who Robert Wagner was. Today, a lot of younger people know his shows better than they know him.
Photographer: Smith [1], Wikimedia Commons
Elke Sommer
For a few years, Elke Sommer was everywhere. She starred alongside major Hollywood names and seemed destined to stay famous forever. Looking back, that's what makes her story interesting. At one point she was unavoidable. Today, she's one of those celebrities Boomers are surprised nobody remembers.
Universal History Archive, Getty Images
Chad Everett
Remember Chad Everett? That's kind of the point. For years, he was one of television's biggest stars thanks to Medical Center. He had the look, the voice, and the career. Now he's become the entertainment equivalent of a trivia question nobody gets right.
Sandra Dee
There was a time when Sandra Dee was practically Hollywood's definition of a young star. Studios built movies around her and audiences couldn't get enough. The weird part? Many younger people know her name only because somebody mentions her in Grease.
Silver Screen Collection, Getty Images
Rory Calhoun
Rory Calhoun spent decades playing rugged cowboys, lawmen, and tough guys. Back then, he was one of those actors who seemed to show up everywhere. Today, younger viewers are more likely to recognize the joke his name became on The Simpsons than the actor himself.
Stuart Whitman
Stuart Whitman spent years starring in westerns, war movies, and action films. Hollywood clearly thought he had all the ingredients of a long-term star. For a while, they were right. Today, his face is often more recognizable than his name, which is usually a sign time has won.
unknown (20th Century Fox), Wikimedia Commons
Richard Chamberlain
It's hard to explain just how big Richard Chamberlain was. Imagine starring in one of the biggest shows on TV and then somehow doing it again. And then again. Today, there's a decent chance your kids have absolutely no idea who you're talking about.
John Gavin
Imagine replacing James Stewart in Psycho and starring opposite Julie Andrews. That's the kind of career John Gavin had. For a while, Hollywood clearly thought he was headed for permanent A-list status. It didn't quite work out that way.
ABC Television, Wikimedia Commons
Ann Blyth
Ann Blyth earned an Oscar nomination before many actors even figure out what they're doing. She starred in major films and worked with some of Hollywood's biggest names. At the time, it probably felt like the fame would never end. Spoiler alert: it did.
MGM. Photographer not credited (page 28), Wikimedia Commons
Susan Hayward
Five Oscar nominations. One Oscar win. At one point, Susan Hayward was about as close to a sure thing as Hollywood had. Today, mention her name to most younger movie fans and you'll probably get a look that says, 'Should I know who that is?'
Silver Screen Collection, Getty Images
Anne Francis
At one point, Anne Francis was one of Hollywood's most recognizable actresses. Forbidden Planet helped make her a star, and television kept her busy for years. The movie is still famous. The actress? Not nearly as much.
MGM Studios, Wikimedia Commons
Dorothy McGuire
Dorothy McGuire was one of the most respected actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age. Critics loved her. Studios loved her. Audiences loved her. Yet mention her name today and you'll quickly discover that even major stardom comes with an expiration date.
Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons
Guy Madison
If you liked westerns back in the day, you knew exactly who Guy Madison was. For years, he was one of television's biggest cowboy stars. Today, his name sounds more like a country singer than somebody who once had millions of fans.
Don Ornitz (1920-1972) [1], Wikimedia Commons
Robert Stack
Robert Stack somehow managed to become famous twice. First with The Untouchables. Then with Unsolved Mysteries. Most actors would be thrilled with one iconic role. Somehow he got two. Today, younger people are almost as likely to know him from memes.
Bob Beerman [1], Wikimedia Commons
Hollywood Always Moves On
The funny thing about fame is that it feels permanent right up until it isn't. Every star on this list probably seemed too big to ever be forgotten. Then new stars arrived, audiences changed, and the spotlight moved somewhere else. Hollywood has always been great at creating legends. Keeping them famous is a whole different job.
You Might Also Like:
Famous TV Sidekicks Who Became Bigger Stars Than Anyone Expected
