The very observant among you may have noticed a new version of the block of boilerplate we always have at the bottom of a “This Date in MSTory” entry. We know that a number of you are bad movie buffs, and we’re hoping you can augment MSTory. Right now, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB), flawed as it is, is our basis for our MSTory info. But the gaps in the info are massive.

So, beginning today, if you see a single asterisk (*) after an entry in a MSTory post, that indicates that, according to the IMBD this person is alive. If you know otherwise, and can supply evidence that we can check that he or she has died, and when, please let us know.

If you see two asterisks (**) next to a birthday, the IMDB indicates that the person has died, but the IMDB does not have a full death date (probably just a month and year or just the year he or she died). If you can give us the exact date (with some sort of proof we can check), please let us know.

If you see two asterisks (**) next to a death date, the IMDB does not have this person’s full birthday. If you can provide it (with some sort of proof we can check), please let us know.

Thanks!