This person died 2004, age 91. Her father was a wealthy farm consultant and investor; her mother was a housewife with a cook and maid. She attended Smith College, and she had some vague idea of being a novelist or a basketball star. After World War II broke out, she signed up for intelligence work with the Office of Strategic Services, hoping to become a spy. A self-confessed ham, she became a darling of audiences and comedians almost from the moment she made her debut on WGBH in Boston in 1963. She was a towering figure on the culinary front for more than 40 years. Most Americans knew her as the imperturbable host of the long-running PBS television series "The French Chef." Today’s dead celebrity is Julia Child.

If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like Episode 81 Dimpled Ambassador (Shirley Temple) and Episode 20 Notorious Dissenter (Ruth Bader Ginsburg). 

Famous & Gravy is created and co-hosted by Amit Kapoor and Michael Osborne. This episode was produced by Allie Arrazola, and features guest co-host Michelle Dahlenburg. 

LINKS:

Transcript of this episode

New York Times Obituary for Julia Child

Dan Aykroyd impersonation of Julia Child on SNL

Julia Child, chaos muppet

Cassoulet recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Dead or Alive quiz game

Famous & Gravy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads

Famous & Gravy official website

In reflecting on the life of Julia Child, this episode of Famous & Gravy examines how fame and mortality intersect as part of a biographies from a different point of view and known for rethinking celebrity legacies, with attention to narrative framing, persona shifts, and media influence. Through reflection and structure, the episode reveals how fame evolves after death. This show explores famous lives reframed and contributes to obituary-based storytelling.

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