Who are the oldest celebrities in the world?
The oldest celebrities often seem to have a superhuman glow about them, but it turns out they’re mere mortals just like everyone else.
And yet, some are less mortal than others. A golden group of stars have lasted well into their 90s and beyond, clearly buoyed by their clippings, their surgery and the love of their fans.
My friend Michael Ellis has dutifully compiled this list of the oldest remaining celebs he and I could think of, and I’ve added a touching blurb for each of them. You’ll die!
Luise Rainer (104) — Two-time Oscar winner! She deserves a third award just for living this long.
“Professor” Irwin Corey (100) — A wacky comic who sometimes hangs out on my corner, selling New York Posts!
Norman Lloyd (99) — An actor, producer and director who worked with Hitchcock.
Olivia de Havilland (98) — Another two-time Oscar winner! Winning a pair of those obviously keeps you going forever.
George Gaynes (97) — He was on “Punky Brewster,” for God’s sake.
Kirk Douglas (97) — That voice! Those dimples! The cleft chin!
Zsa Zsa Gabor (97) — Still kicking, darling. Don’t get too close, or she’ll slap.
Danielle Darrieux (97) — A goddess of stage and screen.
Movita (96) — Stunning in “Mutiny on the Bounty” actress, married to Brando.
Marsha Hunt (96) — One of Hollywood’s most reliable working actresses.
Don Pardo (96) — His life is apparently not in “Jeopardy!”
June Foray (96) — Being the voice of Rocket J. Squirrel made her legendary.
Marjorie Lord (96) — “Make Room For Daddy” … and for Marjorie.
“Baby Peggy” (95) — She ain’t no baby anymore. (No Depends jokes, please.)
Al Molinaro (95)—Long may “Happy Days” reign for Al.
Ellen Albertini Dow (95) — The old lady from “The Wedding Singer,” she’s even older now.
Alan Young (94) — He talked to a horse — who talked back!
Judge Joseph Wapner (94) — I lived for his decisions!
Nehemiah Persoff (94) — He’s appeared in many movies and TV shows … and was the voice of Papa in “An American Tail,” so there’s that.
Marge Champion (94) — One of the unsung bright lights of old movie musicals.
Jayne Meadows (94) — Steve Allen’s wife and a really fun lady.
Michele Morgan (94) — A fancy, classy actress. They don’t make ’em like this anymore.
Noel Neill (93) — She lived the life of Lois Lane.
Hugh Downs (93) — Here’s hoping the ex-“Today” host has many tomorrows.
Maureen O’Hara (93) — One of the best, from “The Quiet Man” to “Miracle on 34th Street” and beyond. Nobody wore plaid like her.
Nancy Reagan (93) — “Just say No!” to going bye-bye.
Nanette Fabray (93) — A Broadway, TV and movie staple
Carol Channing (93) — “Dolly will never go away again!”
Abe Vigoda (93) — But was he ever really alive, LOL?
Elizabeth Wilson (93) — One of my favorite character actresses, often remembered for “The Graduate.”
Louis Jourdan (93) — He oozed continental charm like a human caviar bucket.
Betty White (92) — She’s on more TV shows than people a third her age.
Carl Reiner (92) — A comic genius.
Marty Allen (92) — With his Brillo hair and pop eyes, he was on Ed Sullivan even more than Topo Gigio.
Barbara Hale (92) — Best known as legal secretary Della Street on “Perry Mason.”
Monty Hall (92) He obviously played “Let’s Make a Deal” with the devil.
Patrick Macnee (92) — The British actor needs no “Avengers.” He’s had a good life.
Steven Hill (92) — From “Mission: Impossible” to “Law & Order,” this guy has worked a lot.
Doris Day (92, according to Wikipedia, though Doris says she’s 90) — America’s eternal sweetheart. We love you, Dodo!
Bill Macy (92) — “Walter!”
Janis Paige (91) — Loved her pixieish face on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”
Christopher Lee (92) — He obviously bit all the right veins.
Joan Copeland (92) — This actress is Arthur Miller’s sister and a fine talent in her own right. Loved her in “Pal Joey.”
William Schallert (92) — Patty Duke’s TV father!
Fyvush Finkel (91) — Such an old cutie. And he’s musical, too.
Jack Carter (91) — A sharp-tongued comic from the golden age.
George S. Irving (91) — A Broadway gem, oozing spunk. I like spunk.
Larry Storch (91) — He helped put “F Troop” on the A-list.
Valentina Cortese (91) — Oscar nominated for “Day for Night.” Ingrid Bergman won that year (for “Murder on the Orient Express”), but she thought Valentina would get it.
Roy Dotrice (91) — A fab British actor, he was on “Game of Thrones” — and is in Guinness Book of World Records for reading 224 characters for the audio version of the series’ first book.
Liz Smith (91) — Gossip columnists live forever (thank God).
Anne Jeffreys (91) — A classy broad, from TV’s “Topper.”
Lizabeth Scott (91) — One of film noir’s steamiest sirens.
Coleen Gray (91) — Movie star from “Red River” and “The Killing.”
Hugh O’Brian (91, though some sources list him at 89) — What a hottie, especially when running around in a bathing suit in the Lana Turner film “Love Has Many Faces.”
Eva Marie Saint (90) — Oscar winner for “On The Waterfront,” also great in “North By Northwest.”
Rose Marie (90) — A child star who grew up to be on “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and “Hollywood Squares.”
Glynis Johns (90) — Don’t send in the clowns.
Richard Attenborough (90) — Yes, Sir!
Dina Merrill (90) — A classy lady who always played uptown types with nice hats.
Bob Barker (90) — The age is right!
Ron Moody (90) — He’s still reviewing the situation.
Janet Waldo (90) — The voice of Judy Jetson, Josie and Penelope Pitstop.
Theodore Bikel (90) — Singer/actor/personality.
Charles Aznavour (90) — If Marcel Marceau could sing, you’d get Charles.
Rhonda Fleming (90) — A Hollywood leading lady with flaming red hair.
Louis Zorich (90) — A solid actor and Olympia Dukakis’s hubby.
Carole Cook (90) — One of Lucille Ball’s best sidekicks.
Bess Myerson (90) — Miss America became a New York City commissioner under Mayors John Lindsay and Ed Koch and all-around personality.
Congrats to all these wonderful show-biz people for surviving and carrying on — even if in some cases, their backs go out more than they do …
