If you need proof that age is just a number, look no further than the celebs listed below. These stars are 20 of the oldest celebrities still living in 2021, and they range from actors to singers to composers to heads of state. Each of these celebrities has made it into their 90s or 100s, and has shared some words of wisdom or inspired through their work along the way. From a legendary singer explaining why life passions are so important to the Queen of England sharing that she doesn't worry about aging, there's something to learn from each of them. Read on to find out more about these famous nonagenarians and centenarians.
RELATED:How Old 100 Iconic Stars Would Be If They Were Alive Today.
1
Burt Bacharach, 93

Birthday: May 12, 1928
We start our list with Burt Bacharach, who is 93 years old. The composer is known particularly for his work with Dionne Warwick, including the songs "Walk on By" and "I Say a Little Prayer." He also composed "The Look of Love," "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head," and many more hits. Bacharach continues to work to this day, and talked about his new music in a 2020 interview with The Washington Post.
2
Estelle Harris, 93

Birthday: Apr. 4, 1928
Estelle Harris is probably best known for playing George's mother, Estelle Costanza, on Seinfeld. Another major role was voicing Mrs. Potato Head in three of the Toy Story movies, including 2019's Toy Story 4, which is her most recent credit. In a 2013 interview with the Associated Press, Harris talked about watching Seinfeld become popular with younger generations. "In the last year or two, all of a sudden these youngsters recognize me as Mrs. Costanza, Estelle Costanza," she said. "So we have a whole new age group, and I'm getting a lot of fan mail from these young people too."
3
William Daniels, 94

Birthday: Mar. 31, 1927
Your age will determine how you best know William Daniels. The actor played Dustin Hoffman's character's dad in The Graduate in the '60s, starred as John Adams in the musical 1776 in the '70s, was Mark on St. Elsewhere in the 1980s, and played Mr. Feeny on Boy Meets World in the '90s—a role he revived for Girl Meets World in the 2010s.
Daniels reflected on 70 years of marriage with his wife, Bonnie Bartlett, in a video for Forbes in 2021. "I think our relationship is based on mutual respect and I think she is smarter than me, better actor than me, and so I just hang on, you know, and try to get along," he said.
4
Harry Belafonte, 94

Birthday: Mar. 1, 1927
Singer Harry Belafonte is known for bringing Calypso music out of the Caribbean with songs like "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song." He's also an actor and civil rights activist. In 2016, Belafonte shared some of his life wisdom onToday. "I think people who have not experienced a life passion—something that they want to get up everyday and go do—have really missed the fullest value of life," the then-89-year-old singer said.

Birthday: Feb. 20, 1927
Sidney Poitier was the first Black performer to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. After a hugely successful career, he retired from acting and later became an ambassador from the Bahamas to Japan. In a 2000 interview with Oprah Winfrey, when he was 73, Poitier said of what he was looking forward to, "I'd like to write, act, teach, lecture—anything creative. I must also service my curiosity. I want to continue to wonder about things, because there is a young man inside me, and he is energetic and mentally active."
6
Lisa Lu, 94

Birthday: Jan. 19, 1927
Lisa Lu has had successful acting careers in both Chinese and American films and TV shows. She has appeared in movies including The Last Emperor, The Joy Luck Club, and, most recently, Crazy Rich Asians. She is still acting, with two new films in the works. In a 2019 interview with That Is China, the actor was asked if she worries about aging. "I don't worry about it," she said, "because films require characters of all different ages. Acting isn't just about starring as the main character … If you like acting it doesn't matter as long as you act well in whatever role you have, then that's fine."
7
Tony Bennett, 95

Birthday: Aug. 3, 1926
Legendary singer Tony Bennett only just retired from stage performances at age 95. He will continue to otherwise make music and has a new album with Lady Gaga coming out in October. Bennett also has Alzheimer's disease. His wife, Susan Benedetto, told AARP the Magazine in 2020, "There's a lot about him that I miss, because he's not the old Tony anymore. But when he sings, he's the old Tony."
8
Mel Brooks, 95

Birthday: June 28, 1926
Producer and director Mel Brooks is a comedy legend thanks to his films The Producers, Blazing Saddles, and Young Frankenstein. And he's still working. "I knew from a very early age, I knew that comedy was my thing," Brooks told CBS Sunday Morning in 2019. "It was me. Because people would look down at my crib, I was only a few months old, and they would laugh. And I said, 'That's it, that's it. That's what I want!'"
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9
David Attenborough, 95

Birthday: May 8, 1926
Natural historian and TV host and producer David Attenborough is another member of the 95 club, and he's most famous for the BBC documentary series Life and Planet Earth.
Attenborough has been very reflective about his long life and career, including in his film David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet. Asked about watching footage of his younger self in the doc by The Guardian, Attenborough said, "I thought, in my own mind, I haven't changed. I feel exactly the same."
10
Queen Elizabeth, 95

Birthday: Apr. 21, 1926
At 95, Queen Elizabeth II is both the oldest British monarch and the longest reigning. She has been queen for 69 years, beginning her reign in 1952.
In a recently resurfaced video of Queen Elizabeth sitting for a portrait for her 80th birthday, she said something about seeing herself age through artwork. When the painter asked if that upset her, she responded with a surprisingly casual "nah", which made the video go viral.
11
Dick Van Dyke, 95

Birthday: Dec. 13, 1925
Actor Dick Van Dyke of Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and The Dick Van Dyke Show is 95, too. And he's determined to make it to 100. While appearing on CBS This Morning in June 2021, he showed off his workout regimen, which includes crunches. "I'm 95, and a lot of my friends won't do these," he said. "So all you old guys out there, listen to me, I'm telling you: You can keep going for a long [time]."
RELATED:Dick Van Dyke Shares Exactly What He Does to Stay Healthy at 95.
12
Angela Lansbury, 95

Birthday: October 16, 1925
Angela Lansbury has had a lengthy career as an actor, from Oscar-nominated films during the Golden Age of Hollywood, to her starring role on Murder, She Wrote, and beyond. During an interview with Larry King in 2018, Lansbury said, "I think that I'm interested in every part of life. In other words, not just acting. But everything that is given to us as human beings to indulge ourselves in our lives, that's what interests me. My grandchildren, my life, cooking, driving, being independent, I think is very much part of my credo." Asked if she would ever retire, she responded, "No, I don't think so. I'll probably pass away with one hand on my script."
13
Jimmy Carter, 96

Birthday: Oct. 1, 1924
The 39th president of the United States, Jimmy Carter, is 96 years old, making him both the oldest living president and the longest-living president in history. Carter wrote a book about getting older, The Virtues of Aging, published in 1998 when he was 74. In 2013, he told The Washington Post (via Insider) of his active lifestyle, "I was an avid runner until I was 80 and my knees gave out. I have two new knees, and those have worked well. Now I swim regularly at home and when I travel. I'm active around the house, and with painting and woodworking."
14
Eva Marie Saint, 97

Birthday: July 4, 1924
Actor Eva Marie Saint is known for roles in beloved films including North by Northwest and On the Waterfront, for which she won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. In 2014, she had a small role in Winter's Tale as a character over 100 years old. "Made me feel young," she joked to Metro US. She continued of the part, "I just prefer to do roles where it's a strong lady and she's not ill and she's not in a wheelchair—and that may happen, and there's nothing wrong with that. But as long as I can portray somebody who still makes a difference in the world, that's what I like to do."
15
Bob Barker, 97

Birthday: December 12, 1923
Generations of game show fans know Bob Barker as the host of The Price Is Right, wielding the mic from 1972 to 2007. In a 2015 interview with the Associated Press, Barker said, "I'm a complete success in retirement. I think it's because I did it not too soon, not too late, but at just the right time. I've never regretted it." He added with a laugh, "People ask me often what do I miss most about The Price Is Right and I answer honestly: It's the money. That, I miss."
16
Norman Lear, 99

Birthday: July 27, 1922
TV writer and producer Norman Lear is responsible for many classic TV shows, including All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Good Times, and One Day at a Time. He still works as producer to this day, most recently on the Netflix reboot of One Day at a Time and the documentary Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It. In July, he shared with Entertainment Weekly how he was celebrating his 99th birthday. "I'm on a plane tomorrow morning for our home in Vermont with all my kids and grandkids, which will take place at a farm we've owned for 35 years or so," he said. Asked if he will ever retire, he replied, "I think I will be retired, but I will not retire."
17
Betty White, 99

Birthday: Jan. 17, 1922
Betty White's career in entertainment began when she was a young girl in the '30s. She is best known for her roles as Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and as Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls. "Best thing about being in your 90s is you're spoiled rotten," she saidonBetty White's Second Annual 90th Birthday Special in 2013 (via People). "Everybody spoils you like mad and they treat you with such respect because you're old. Little do they know, you haven't changed. You haven't changed in [the brain]. You're just 90 every place else."
18
Nehemiah Persoff, 102

Birthday: Aug. 2, 1919
Character actor Nehemiah Persoff has appeared in many notable films during his lengthy career, including On the Waterfront, Some Like It Hot, Twins, and as the voice of Papa Mousekewitz in the American Tail movies. He is also often remembered for playing Barbra Streisand's character's father in Yentl. When Persoff retired from acting in 1999, he began focusing more on his painting. He explained in a 2014 interview with Senior Voice that he took it up after suffering a transient ischemic attack known as a "mini stroke."
"I would recommend to all seniors that they try painting," he said. "They will be surprised by their ability, and the peace and calm that concentrating on the painting provides."
19
Caren Marsh-Doll, 102

Birthday: April 6, 1919
Caren Marsh-Doll is an actor who worked in the '30s, '40s, and '50s before retiring and becoming a dance teacher. Along with playing plenty of her own roles, Marsh Doll was Judy Garland's stand-in for The Wizard of Oz and Ziegfeld Girl, and is one of few people who worked on The Wizard of Oz and are still living. Because of this, in recent years, she has attended a few Wizard of Oz festivals. "When you're 19 and working on a film, you don't really think it's something that you'll still be known as a part of when you're 92," she told Syracuse.com of the classic movie in 2011.
20
Marsha Hunt, 103

Birthday: October 17, 1917
At 103, Marsha Hunt is considered the oldest living actor from Hollywood's Golden Age. She appeared in many films during her career, including Pride and Prejudice, Born to the West, and The Human Comedy. After being named on the Hollywood blacklist during the McCarthy era, she became a humanitarian focused on world hunger, and later homelessness and the support of same-sex marriage, as reported by Patch. Asked about her long life by the Associated Press in 2020, Hunt said, "I don't think it's long. I hope it will be long. I think I'm just very lucky. I have no enemies that I know of and I have no hatred. I go around loving people and getting along with them."
RELATED:28 Celebrities Who Are Older Than You Thought.
FAQs
The 20 Oldest Living Celebrities in 2021? ›
1. Elisabeth Waldo - Born June 1918. Elisabeth Waldo is thought of as the oldest living star. A violinist, composer and conductor, Elisabeth Waldo began her impressive musical career on her family's ranch in Washington State.
Who is currently the oldest living celebrity? ›1. Elisabeth Waldo - Born June 1918. Elisabeth Waldo is thought of as the oldest living star. A violinist, composer and conductor, Elisabeth Waldo began her impressive musical career on her family's ranch in Washington State.
What actor is almost 101 years old? ›Olaf Pooley, at 101 years old, is the oldest living actor to have appeared on Star Trek.
What celebrity lived to 100? ›Name | Lifespan | Age |
---|---|---|
Dorothy Dickson | 1893–1995 | 102 |
Caren Marsh Doll | 1919– | 104 |
Kirk Douglas | 1916–2020 | 103 |
Ellen Albertini Dow | 1913–2015 | 101 |
Caren Marsh-Doll is currently one of the oldest actors in the world. She is 103 years old as of October 2022.
What male actors are 70 years old? ›- Morgan Freeman.
- Robert De Niro.
- Harrison Ford.
- Arnold Schwarzenegger.
- Michael Caine.
- Sylvester Stallone.
- Al Pacino.
- Ian McKellen.
The subject of widespread public and media interest, Lillie Langtry made her debut in West End theatre in 1881 causing a sensation in London by becoming the first socialite to appear on stage. The following year she became the poster-girl for Pears Soap, becoming the first celebrity to endorse a commercial product.
Who is the oldest person to act in a movie? ›At the age of 114, she appeared briefly in the 1990 film Vincent and Me as herself, making her the oldest person ever to appear in a motion picture. A documentary film about her life, entitled Beyond 120 Years with Jeanne Calment, in 1995.
Who is the most senior actor? ›1. Dharmendra (87 years old)
Who is the oldest living actor at 106? ›Norman Lloyd | |
---|---|
Lloyd in 1937 | |
Born | Norman Nathan PerlmutterNovember 8, 1914 Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. |
Died | May 11, 2021 (aged 106) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Education | New York University (dropped out) |
Who is the oldest celebrity alive 2023? ›
First on our list is David Attenborough. The English natural historian and TV producer will turn 97 years old this year. Also a TV host, he's famous for narrating the BBC series Planet Earth.
How many celebrities lived to be 100? ›Both movie legends were centenarians, with de Havilland passing at age 104 and Douglas at age 103. The long life of these two screen gems is noteworthy but not rare. There are more than 200 actors who've passed the 100-year-old milestone. 24/7 Tempo compiled a list of 26 of the more famous actors who lived to be 100.
What celebrity is 104 years old? ›As of 7 September 2022, after the death of American actress Marsha Hunt, she became the oldest celebrity and living actress in the world. Serbian actress Branka Veselinović has died at the age of 104 in Belgrade.
Who is the most famous person in the world ever lived? ›Rank | Name | Time frame |
---|---|---|
1 | Muhammad | c. 570–632 |
2 | Isaac Newton | 1643–1727 |
3 | Jesus | 4 BC–33 AD |
4 | Gautama Buddha | 563–483 BC |
Dwayne Johnson is known as “The Rock” and is currently the most well-known person in the world. Dwayne, who was previously a WWE champion wrestler, is now an actor as well as a producer.
Who is the oldest American male actor? ›As of October 8, 2022, Nussbaum is the oldest actor in Hollywood. Nussbaum was born in 1923 to a Jewish family and grew up in Chicago. Some of his most famous roles are in the movies, Fatal Attraction (1987), Field of Dreams (1989), and Men in Black (1997).
Who is the most famous old male actor? ›- 8 James Cagney. ...
- 7 Clark Gable. ...
- 6 Henry Fonda. ...
- 5 Fred Astaire. ...
- 4 Marlon Brando. ...
- 3 James Stewart. ...
- 2 Cary Grant. ...
- 1 Humphrey Bogart. Quite possibly the most recognizable actor from classic Hollywood, Humphrey Bogart built a career many would kill for.
These celebrities seriously do not age. We're talking about Jared Leto, Charlize Theron, Halle Berry, Pharrell Williams, Reese Witherspoon, Mario Lopez, Jennifer Lopez, Paul Rudd and Will Smith who seem to be forever young!
Who is the #1 most popular celebrity? ›- 1 Beyoncé98%
- 2 Jim Carrey98%
- 3 Leonardo DiCaprio98%
- 4 Britney Spears98%
- 5 Angelina Jolie98%
- 6 Oprah Winfrey98%
- 7 Jennifer Lopez98%
- 8 Joe Biden98%
The first modern celebrity was born 175 years ago. How Sarah Bernhardt mastered her craft, dominated the media, and wrote the playbook for the famous people who came after her.
Who was the first celebrity to get a star on the Walk of Fame? ›
Official groundbreaking took place on February 8, 1960. On March 28, 1960, the first permanent star, director Stanley Kramer's, was completed on the easternmost end of the new Walk near the intersection of Hollywood and Gower.
Who is the world richest actor? ›Who is the number one richest actor in the world? Currently, Jami Gertz is the richest actor in the world with a net worth of $3 billion.
What male actor has the most movies? ›1 Eric Roberts – 455 movies
Eric Roberts is an actor with an impressive filmography that includes over 455 movies. He has appeared in a wide range of films, from blockbuster hits to independent productions, and has proven to be a versatile and talented performer.
According to tradition, in 534 or 535 BC, Thespis astounded audiences by leaping on to the back of a wooden cart and reciting poetry as if he was the characters whose lines he was reading. In doing so he became the world's first actor, and it is from him that we get the world thespian.
Is 70 too old to start acting? ›The great thing about being an actor is that there is no age limit. There is no such thing as starting too early or starting too late. You can be discovered at age 12, age 18, age 40 or age 70! There are plenty of actors who didn't find success until later in life.
Can you be an actor over 50? ›With experience and acting chops, there are still plenty of opportunities in theater, TV, film, and commercials for the older actor.” In other words, there's no age limit.
Who is the oldest actress to appear in a movie? ›Jeanne Louise Calment (France, 1875 - 1997), portrayed herself at the age of 114 in the film Vincent and Me (Can 1990) —a modern-day fantasy about a young girl who travels through time to the 19th Century to meet Van Gogh.
Who is the longest serving actor? ›William Patrick Roache OBE (born 25 April 1932) is a British actor. He is best known for playing Ken Barlow in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street since it was first broadcast on 9 December 1960. He is listed in the Guinness World Records as the longest-serving television star in a continuous role.
Who has one best actor the most? ›Since its inception, the award has been given to 85 actors. Daniel Day-Lewis has won the award a record three times. Spencer Tracy and Laurence Olivier were nominated a record nine times. Peter O'Toole is the most nominated actor in this category without a single win.
Who is the greatest stage actor? ›- Simon Russell Beale. ...
- Sir Ian McKellen. ...
- Denzel Washington. ...
- Dame Judi Dench. ...
- Ben Whishaw. ...
- David Tennant. ...
- Hugo Weaving. ...
- Andrew Scott.
When were most celebrities born? ›
A total of 36 out of 300 celebs are born in October, making it the month that the most successful and famous people celebrate their birthdays.
Who was the oldest person in 2013? ›Studies have shown that low-stress, relaxed lifestyles lead to increased lifespans. Celebs know the value of taking a little “me time.” They have the money to jet off to Bali or spend days at an expensive spa resort.
Who is the oldest living black actor? ›Sidney Poitier was the first black actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. Who is the oldest black actor alive? At 91, James Earl Jones is the oldest black actor alive.
Where do the most people live over 100? ›Okinawa, Japan
Regular physical activity is thought to be one of the contributing factors to the large number of elderly people living in Blue Zones. In Okinawa, Japan, home to one of the highest percentages of centenarians in the world, many people take part in regular exercise.
Actor | Birth | Debut |
---|---|---|
Angela Lansbury | October 16, 1925 (1925-10-16) (age 97) | 1944 |
Carla Balenda | November 22, 1925 (1925-11-22) (age 97) | 1944 |
Marcy McGuire | February 22, 1926 (1926-02-22) (age 97) | 1942 |
Marilyn Knowlden | May 12, 1926 (1926-05-12) (age 97) | 1931 |
Old Hollywood defines the golden years of the film industry, which runs from the 1920s to the late 1950s.
Who was Queen of Hollywood Golden Age? ›In the universe of Hollywood's limitless sky, few stars shone as brightly, brilliantly and, perhaps surprisingly, as long — a trailblazing trajectory of seven decades — as did Elizabeth Taylor.
What celebrity has the most kids? ›Surprisingly, Mel Gibson has 9 children, Mia Farrow had a whopping 14. DMX has had addiction issues, but has managed to have 15 kids along the way. And of course, Bob Marley spread his love all over the world, mainly in Jamaica, as he had 11 kids.
Who is the most famous person in the world? ›Rank | Celebrity | Nationality |
---|---|---|
1 | Barack Obama | American |
2 | Jennifer Lopez | American |
3 | The Rock | American |
4 | Michael Jackson | American |