History Main / TheLivingDead

* In the premiere episode of ''Series/{{Climax}}'', an anthology of dramatic adaptations performed live, the corpse actually got up and walked away, unaware that the cameras were rolling. See [[http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/deadman.asp this]] ''{{WebSite/Snopes}}'' link.
* On ''TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes'', a prank involving a visit to a funeral home was foiled when the casketed corpse at the center of the joke couldn't hide his breathing.
** The fact that a prepared corpse in a funeral home looks nothing like a live person was evidently lost on the proprietors of that joke.

* In ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', the actors who play Sam and Dean also act as their corpses. This is especially noticeable in the season 2 finale, "All Hell Breaks Loose pt. II". If you pay attention to Sam's body, you can see his chest rising and falling slightly.
** According to their actors, Jared had to struggle to not cry while Dean was delivering his monologue.

* Strikingly {{averted}} in ''Film/TheAutopsyOfJaneDoe'': model Olwen Kelly plays Jane's corpse very convincingly, completely nude at that, and is never seen breathing. Of course, [[spoiler:it's hinted that Jane may not exactly be dead]].

* Uwe Boll's [[Film/AloneInTheDark2005 adaptation]] of ''Franchise/AloneInTheDark'' had a character get killed, and as the heroes were leaving her body the actress starts getting up a split second too early.

* Creator/UweBoll's [[Film/AloneInTheDark2005 adaptation]] of ''Franchise/AloneInTheDark'' had a character get killed, and as the heroes were leaving her body the actress starts getting up a split second too early.

* In one episode of ''ComicBook/DeRodeRidder'', Johan sees through the ruse of a mook FakingTheDead by noticing the guy is breathing.

* In the premiere episode of ''{{Climax}}'', an anthology of dramatic adaptations performed live, the corpse actually got up and walked away, unaware that the cameras were rolling. See [[http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/deadman.asp this]] ''{{WebSite/Snopes}}'' link.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'' has had many examples, especially in the Classic series where a combination of NoBudget preventing edits, [actors who didn't care and a really high body count often metastises into this. Happens a lot less often in the revival:

* Parodied in a ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'' sketch, which had a corpse under a white sheet fart loudly and visibly. This one may be a parody, but it's also TruthInTelevision: bodies can still exhale methane after death. And yes, that includes through farting.

* Parodied in the WebVideo/{{Smosh}} video ''If Scary Movies were Real.''
-->'''Ian (in a ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' torture chamber):''' Why is that dead body breathing?
-->'''Body (punches the floor):''' DAMMIT!

* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', Peter [[CutawayGag reminisces]] about the time he played a corpse on ''Series/LawAndOrder'', "until I got that itch in my crotch."
* An in-universe example in ''Series/ThirtyRock'', when Jenna Maroney is cast as a corpse in a police procedural, but being a self-obsessed LargeHam goes off book and ad libs being NotQuiteDead, to the point of trying to set up a spinoff for her nameless victim character.
* In universe in ''Series/{{Friends}}'', Joey has done this three times. The first time was when he was hired to play a dying man in a film starring Creator/JeanClaudeVanDamme. After several ruined takes, the script was simply altered to that the guy was dead instead. The second time occurred when Joey was on ''Series/LawAndOrder'' as a murder victim, but the scenes where he was shown alive were cut, so all we see is his body covered with a white sheet being carted out on a gurney. Finally, when he was rehired by ''Series/DaysOfOurLives'' where his character was still in a coma several years after falling down an elevator shaft. It's lampshaded by Susan Sarandon's character who exclaims "That was ''a person''?!".

* In Universe example in ''Film/ItsAVeryMerryMuppetChristmasMovie'', when Miss Piggy can't be part of the Muppet Theatre's Christmas show because she has a very important guest role in ''Series/{{Scrubs}}''. She turns out to be a dead patient under a sheet but keeps trying to force in a miraculous recovery, to the annoyance of the ''Scrubs'' cast.
* A literary example occurs in Creator/MaryRenault's ''The Mask of Apollo.'' The narrator Nikeratos tells of his first real acting role at the age of about seven: Astyanax, son of Hector, in Euripides's ''The Trojan Women.'' Near the end of the play he is brought onstage as a corpse, and only has to lie still ... except that at the performance, he is so affected by the speech of the actor playing Hecuba that he has to struggle mightily not to burst into audible weeping.
-->'''Kroisos/Hecuba (in an undertone):''' Be quiet, you little bastard, you're dead!

* TheLivingDead: In "Let's Get Some Air", the reveal that the team makes it out alive thanks to the oxygen coming back online in time is spoiled by paying close attention to Mark before the reveal. His actor is noticeably breathing.

-->--'''Creator/RogerEbert''', ''Ebert's Bigger Little Movie Glossary''

* ''Series/DoctorWho'' has had many examples, especially in the Classic series where a combination of NoBudget preventing edits, [[TheyJustDidntCare actors who didn't care]] and a really high body count often metastises into this. Happens a lot less often in the revival:

* In Universe example in ''Film/ItsAVeryMerryMuppetChristmasMovie'', when Miss Piggy can't be part of the Muppet Theatre's Christmas show because she has a very important guest role in ''Series/{{Scrubs}}''. She turns out to be a dead patient under a sheet.

Compare PlayingATree for a similarly thankless role. See EyeAwaken, RaisedHandOfSurvival, or FingerTwitchingRevival for when the ''character'''s supposed corpse moves to reveal they're [[NotQuiteDead not as dead as previously thought]].

-->-- [[Creator/RogerEbert Ebert]]'s Bigger Little Movie Glossary

This has nothing to do with TheUndead. We hope.

This has nothing to do with TheUndead. We hope. (See Film/LivingDeadSeries or TropesOfTheLivingDead if that's what you're looking for.)

This has nothing to do with TheUndead. We hope.

The problem with using a live actor is that they're a live actor. Live actors need to breathe. Either they hold their breath, the camera doesn't let you see their chest, or you get TheLivingDead — when you see a corpse visibly breathe on camera. Having the corpse [[CarpetRolledCorpse concealed from view]] immediately after death can often help prevent this.

* An in-universe example in ''Series/ThirtyRock'', when Jenna Maroney is cast as a corpse in a police procedural, but being a GiantHam goes off book and ad libs being NotQuiteDead, to the point of trying to set up a spinoff for her nameless victim character.