Rudy Boesch dropped out of high school in 1945 to join the US Navy. World War II finished before his training was complete, but he went on to serve in China, Vietnam and Cuba for 45-years, becoming a SEAL and the longest-serving member of the Navy still on active duty. He reached a greater degree of fame in 2000 when, as a castmember on the first season of Survivor, he was the viewers’ favourite and a key part of that show becoming part of American popular culture. His awkward friendship/alliance with openly gay nudist Richard Hatch (of whom he said “we’ve become real good friends, but not in a homosexual way”) was one of the show’s most memorable. He went on to enjoy his 15 minutes of renewed fame with a run of guest spots on TV shows and his own spin-off, Combat Missions. He’d been in a care home in recent years and was mistakenly announced dead in early August, before the real elimination this November.
Rudy Boesch
January 20, 1928 – November 1, 2019
Died aged 91 (unique hit)