Motown 40: The Music Is Forever (1998) featured a cast of 58 tracked actors. Of these, 24 (55%) are still alive today and 20 have passed away. The oldest surviving cast member is Berry Gordy, age 96. This film starred Diana Ross and Nick Ashford.
55% still with us· verified cast41% of full cast · incl. 14 unverified
Survivorship
Cast Reunion Index: 55% still living
Avg. Age at Death: 66.2 yrs
Deaths by Year
1970
1980
2000
2010
2020
2026
Cast58 members
| Person | Character | Status | DOB | Age | DOD | Age in 1998 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Diana Ross Self - Hostess | Self - Hostess | Living | 26/03/1944 | 82 | — | 54 |
 Nick Ashford Self | Self | Deceased | 04/05/1941 | 70 | 22/08/2011 | 57 |
 Florence Ballard Self (archive footage) | Self (archive footage) | Deceased | 30/06/1943 | 32 | 22/02/1976 | 55 |
Shelly Berger Self | Self | Unverified | — | — | — | — |
 Cindy Birdsong Self (archive footage) | Self (archive footage) | Living | 15/12/1939 | 86 | — | 59 |
 Michael Bolton Self | Self | Living | 26/02/1953 | 73 | — | 45 |
 Julian Bond Self | Self | Deceased | 14/01/1940 | 75 | 15/08/2015 | 58 |
Albridge Bryant Self (archive footage) (as Elbridge 'Al' Bryant) | Self (archive footage) (as Elbridge 'Al' Bryant) | Unverified | — | — | — | — |
 Mariah Carey Self | Self | Living | 27/03/1969 | 57 | — | 29 |
 Diahann Carroll Self | Self | Deceased | 17/07/1935 | 84 | 04/10/2019 | 63 |
 Dick Clark Self | Self | Deceased | 30/11/1929 | 82 | 18/04/2012 | 69 |
 George Clinton Self | Self | Living | 22/07/1941 | 85 | — | 57 |
 Sean Combs Self (as Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs) | Self (as Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs) | Living | 04/11/1969 | 56 | — | 29 |
 Don Cornelius Self | Self | Deceased | 27/09/1936 | 75 | 01/02/2012 | 62 |
 Clive Davis Self | Self | Deceased | 04/04/1932 | 94 | 22/06/2026 | 66 |
 Lamont Dozier Self | Self | Deceased | 16/06/1941 | 81 | 08/08/2022 | 57 |
 Babyface Self | Self | Living | 10/04/1958 | 68 | — | 40 |
 Dennis Edwards Self (archive footage) | Self (archive footage) | Deceased | 03/02/1943 | 74 | 01/02/2018 | 55 |
 Aretha Franklin Self | Self | Deceased | 25/03/1942 | 76 | 16/08/2018 | 56 |
 Melvin Franklin Self (archive footage) (as The Temptations) | Self (archive footage) (as The Temptations) | Unverified | — | — | — | — |
Harvey Fuqua Self | Self | Unverified | — | — | — | — |
 Marvin Gaye Self (archive footage) | Self (archive footage) | Deceased | 02/04/1939 | 44 | 01/04/1984 | 59 |
 Berry Gordy Self | Self | Living | 28/11/1929 | 96 | — | 69 |
 Brian Holland Self | Self | Unverified | — | — | — | — |
 Eddie Holland Self | Self | Living | 30/10/1939 | 86 | — | 59 |
Jesse Jackson Self | Self | Unverified | — | — | — | — |
 Rick James Self | Self | Deceased | 01/02/1948 | 56 | 06/08/2004 | 50 |
Eddie Kendricks Self (archive footage) | Self (archive footage) | Unverified | — | — | — | — |
 Terry Lewis Self | Self | Living | 24/11/1956 | 69 | — | 42 |
 Jimmy Jam Self | Self | Living | 06/06/1959 | 67 | — | 39 |
 Little Richard Self | Self | Deceased | 05/12/1932 | 87 | 09/05/2020 | 66 |
| Self | Living | 26/08/1960 | 66 | — | 38 | |
 Bette Midler Self (archive footage) | Self (archive footage) | Living | 01/12/1945 | 80 | — | 53 |
 Bonnie Raitt Self | Self | Living | 08/11/1949 | 76 | — | 49 |
 Martha Reeves Self (archive footage) | Self (archive footage) | Unverified | — | — | — | — |
 Lionel Richie Self | Self | Living | 20/06/1949 | 77 | — | 49 |
| Self | Unverified | — | — | — | — | |
 Smokey Robinson Self | Self | Living | 19/02/1940 | 86 | — | 58 |
 David Ruffin Self (archive footage) | Self (archive footage) | Deceased | 18/01/1941 | 50 | 01/06/1991 | 57 |
 RuPaul Self | Self | Living | 17/11/1960 | 65 | — | 38 |
George Schlatter Self | Self | Unverified | — | — | — | — |
 Russell Simmons Self | Self | Living | 04/10/1957 | 68 | — | 41 |
 Valerie Simpson Self | Self | Living | 26/08/1946 | 80 | — | 52 |
| Self | Unverified | — | — | — | — | |
| Self | Unverified | — | — | — | — | |
 Rod Stewart Self | Self | Living | 10/01/1945 | 81 | — | 53 |
 Richard Street Self (archive footage) | Self (archive footage) | Deceased | 05/10/1942 | 70 | 27/02/2013 | 56 |
 Levi Stubbs Self | Self | Deceased | 06/06/1936 | 72 | 17/10/2008 | 62 |
 James Taylor Self | Self | Living | 12/03/1948 | 78 | — | 50 |
 Tammi Terrell Self (archive footage) | Self (archive footage) | Deceased | 29/04/1945 | 24 | 16/03/1970 | 53 |
Ron Tyson Self (archive footage) | Self (archive footage) | Living | 08/02/1948 | 78 | — | 50 |
 Luther Vandross Self | Self | Deceased | 20/04/1951 | 54 | 01/07/2005 | 47 |
 Cornel West Self | Self | Living | 02/06/1953 | 73 | — | 45 |
Norman Whitfield Self | Self | Unverified | — | — | — | — |
 Otis Williams Self | Self | Living | 30/10/1941 | 84 | — | 57 |
Paul Williams Self (archive footage) | Self (archive footage) | Unverified | — | — | — | — |
 Jackie Wilson Self (archive footage) | Self (archive footage) | Deceased | 09/06/1934 | 49 | 21/01/1984 | 64 |
 Mary Wilson Self | Self | Deceased | 06/03/1944 | 76 | 08/02/2021 | 54 |
