How to tell living celebs from croakers

By Tanya Bricking
Advertiser Staff Writer

Now there's a place to turn when you're in that argument with a friend about whether a famous person is alive or dead.

A Web site called www.whosaliveandwhosdead.com has it covered. There are categories for actors, musicians, political figures, athletes and others.

It's as highbrow as researching the lifespans of Supreme Court justices or as lowbrow as checking out the cast of "Bonanza" (four out of the five top stars are dead).

Subcategories include astronauts, cartoonists, fashion designers and people 80 and older who are still alive.

The webmaster, David Carson, a Houston-based computer consultant, says he spends a few hours a week doing research, making updates and answering e-mail.