Well Known Proponents

I was meandering through some YouTube playlists the other day and happened across a biographical documentary about the late, wonderful actress, Dame Margaret Rutherford. I had fond memories of watching her films as a child on wet Sunday afternoons. Anyway, one of her most famous roles was that of a medium in the film of the Noel Coward play, "Blythe Spirit". The documentary mentioned that she had resisted taking the role because she feared that it was mocking mediums and that she had an abiding belief in the afterlife and the respectability of mediums in general. She was evidently reassured and made the role of Madame Arcati her own.

This got me thinking of other well known names who have "come out" in public as proponents, some of whom might be surprising. For example, I was more than a little surprised to read an interview with the famous BBC promoter of science and all things astronomical (certainly not astrological), Patrick Moore. This is from the interview:

He’s a scientist, he says, he is not ‘ruling out anything’, but he will only go on evidence. But then he goes on to say that there is also something after death, which is odd, given what he’s just said – as there is certainly no scientific evidence (that I know of) for the afterlife.

‘I don’t believe life ends here. When I die, my body will die,’ he looks down at his body without regret, ‘but what’s me, won’t – it will go on somewhere else.’ When I ask him why he thinks that, he says, ‘It seems logical to me. I can’t prove it. Ask me again in 10 years. My body will not be alive, but I will be.’

So I would be interested if anyone else has come across any surprising admissions (or not-so-surprising) from well known personalities?

Dan Akroyd has long been a Spiritualist, in fact his faith partially inspired the Ghostbuster fillms.

One of my favorite ones.

Dan Akroyd has long been a Spiritualist, in fact his faith partially inspired the Ghostbuster fillms.

One of my favorite ones.

Interesting. I wonder whether he had similar misgivings to those of Margaret Rutherford - that the comedy might be seen as somehow mocking?

Interesting. I wonder whether he had similar misgivings to those of Margaret Rutherford - that the comedy might be seen as somehow mocking?

I don't think so, as Ghostbusters mocks the non-believers who deny even when the supernatural is in their face as I recall.

Oh another one is Robert Kirkman, creator of the Walking Dead comic which inspired the show [of the same name]. He also made a comic/show about possession where he notes that unlike zombies possession is real.

Actually Netlix had a show with an actor/singer I think was big with teenage girls in the West - Zac Efron? He goes to Lourdes in the show and talks about the medical evidence for healing.

I'd say that one Netflix episode possibly reached more people than the entire history of the skeptic movement.

John Cleese springs to mind given his work with the UVA. 

There's also currently an ongoing show featuring Ozzy Osbourne, Sharon Osborne and their son basically watching alleged recordings of paranormal phenomena to encourage them to 'believe'. From what I can remember, Sharon believes in souls but Ozzy is difficult to pin down. The show in question is called 'The Osbornes Want To Believe' I think. It's entertaining and I recommend it. 

Lana Del Rey is apparently a practicing witch who tried to hex Trump or something. Not sure if she counts but there you go 

When it comes to ghosts in particular a surprisingly large number of celebrities have allegedly had experiences that made them believers.

Near death.com has a whole list of celebs who've had NDE's. Peter Sellers had an interesting one and also through that experience, he apparently came to believe that he'd lived before and that's where he may have acquired his ability in mimicry from.

Michael Bentine (Potty Time) had some kind of NDE; it's in his autobiography. After that he claimed, rather unfortunately, that he "knew" when someone was going to die. I think I remember him recounting knowing that one of his pilot friends was going to cop it and he did. 

Incidentally, a deceased old relation of mine who was in bomber command during the war said the same thing. Some (not all of course) pilots knew they were not coming back from a particular mission. 

He told me of one in particular who was absolutely distraught, crying inconsolably and he did indeed die. This relation of mine was an atheist BTW who did not believe in any life after death, he thought it was absolute contemptible nonsense, and we used to have many cordial disagreements, so I knew that this story was true.

Peter Sellers

was an absolute comedic genius.  He's a legend in my family for the Pink Panther series.  I just adore the man's performance in those movies.  Gold I say!

was an absolute comedic genius.  He's a legend in my family for the Pink Panther series.  I just adore the man's performance in those movies.  Gold I say!

Yes, I agree. After his near death experience (and it certainly was) he used to sit in a chair 'staring' for long periods of time. It really changed him. 

 https://allaboutheaven.org/observations/...012467/221

Near death.com has a whole list of celebs who've had NDE's. Peter Sellers had an interesting one and also through that experience, he apparently came to believe that he'd lived before and that's where he may have acquired his ability in mimicry from.

Michael Bentine (Potty Time) had some kind of NDE; it's in his autobiography. After that he claimed, rather unfortunately, that he "knew" when someone was going to die. I think I remember him recounting knowing that one of his pilot friends was going to cop it and he did. 

Incidentally, a deceased old relation of mine who was in bomber command during the war said the same thing. Some (not all of course) pilots knew they were not coming back from a particular mission. 

He told me of one in particular who was absolutely distraught, crying inconsolably and he did indeed die. This relation of mine was an atheist BTW who did not believe in any life after death, he thought it was absolute contemptible nonsense, and we used to have many cordial disagreements, so I knew that this story was true.

I’m pretty sure that I read Bentine’s autobiography at the time. At least I clearly remember being impressed with his knowledge on the subject and his interesting accounts of such phenomena. Of course, Bentine and Sellers were both members of the Goons.

I’m pretty sure that I read Bentine’s autobiography at the time. At least I clearly remember being impressed with his knowledge on the subject and his interesting accounts of such phenomena. Of course, Bentine and Sellers were both members of the Goons.

On BBC radio 7 or 4extra or whatever they decided to call it this week, all the programmes are rebroadcasts of old shows. Every so often, Michael Bentine reappears, telling with great wit, his life story. Some of it touches on the paranormal, though it is not the focus. Worth a listen next time it pops up.