Over the past two decades, many of Hollywood’s older stars have seemed to be passing away in rapid succession. This is not so shocking considering that the Hollywood system has been around for over 100 years and the remaining stars of its Golden Age are far past their prime. Recently, Kirk Douglas’ passing at the age of 103 made headlines for his iconic Hollywood roles and problematic legacy over the course of his extremely long life.
Living to be a centenarian or even into one’s late 90s is considered an achievement, given that the global average life expectancy is 72 years old. And according to one study, Oscar winners in particular (such as Douglas) are likely to live longer on average. But while Kirk Douglas achieved this uncommon milestone, he is far from the only Hollywood star to have lived for longer than average. Here are 10 of Hollywood’s brightest and oldest.
Doris Day (97)
Known for her sunny persona and wholesome public image, Doris Day was considered the quintessential “girl next-door” throughout her Hollywood career. She first came to prominence as a singer before transitioning to acting, starring in classics like Calamity Jane (1953), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), and Pillow Talk (1959), for which she was nominated an Academy Award for Best Actress.
She starred in The Doris Day Show from 1968-1973. After finishing the show and retreating from the spotlight, she turned her attention to animal activism and founded The Doris Day Animal Foundation. Today it is one of the largest animal welfare charities in the world. After living a (mostly) quiet later life, Day passed away at her home on May 13th, 2019 at the age of 97.
Karl Malden (97)
When people think of Karl Malden, two things come to mind: his numerous supporting roles in film and television and his “every-man” appearance. He’s best known for his Oscar-winning portrayal in 1951’s A Streetcar Named Desire and for his Oscar-nominated role in On the Waterfront (1954). From 1972-1977 he starred as Detective Mike Stone in the hit TV series The Streets of San Francisco.
Later in life, Malden served three terms as the President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from 1989-1992 and co-wrote his autobiography When Do I Start? with his daughter Carla in 1997. When Malden passed away in 2009 at the age of 97, he was remembered by peers and critics as one of the greatest character actors of all time. He was survived by two of his daughters and his wife, Mona, who passed away in 2019 at the age of 102.
Eli Wallach (98)
Most recognized by today’s generation as Arthur Abbott in the 2006 film The Holiday, Eli Wallach’s acting career was as prolific as it was dynamic. He appeared in several iconic films such as The Magnificent Seven (1960), The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), and The Godfather Part III (1990). Of the roles he played, Wallach admitted that most of the fan mail and praise he received came from his brief stint as Mr. Freeze in the 1960’s Batman TV series.
Wallach continued acting well into his 90s, receiving an Honorary Academy Award in 2010 for his body of work and contributions to acting at the age of 94. His final role in a feature-length film was that same year in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, after which he retired. He died of natural causes on June 24th, 2014 at 98 years old.
Lillian Gish (99)
Lillian Gish’s long life not only lasted for the majority of the 20th century; how she lived it proved influential to on-screen acting. Through her collaborations with D.W Griffith she starred in films such as Birth of A Nation (1915), Intolerance (1916) and Broken Blossoms (1919).
She is remembered for pioneering acting techniques on screen that would differentiate performances on screen versus on stage. As filmmaking continued to change rapidly in the ’20s, Gish briefly had a contract with MGM and later stuck to roles mainly in theatre and television. She continued acting until 1987, her last movie being The Whales of August with Bette Davis. She passed away not too long after on February 27th, 1993 at the age of 99.
June Foray (99)
June Foray worked in Hollywood for over 75 years… though she’s best known for being heard rather than seen. Foray was a voice-actress, known for her work on Looney Tunes, The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show and Disney animated films voicing multiple characters. Often compared to Mel Blanc (known as “The Man of a Thousand Voices”), Looney Tunes animator Chuck Jones was quoted as saying: “June Foray is not the female Mel Blanc. Mel Blanc was the male June Foray.”
Foray fought to have animated films recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, succeeding in 2001 when the awards for Best Animated Feature and Short were introduced. She did voice work until 2014 and passed away on July 26th, 2017 just 2 months shy of her 100th birthday.
Bob Hope (100)
Bob Hope’s legacy is mainly tied to being one of the early pioneers of stand-up comedy. He was the first comedian to acknowledge using writers and encourage them to get fresh and topical material by reading the news. He starred in a series of films known as Road To… with singer Bing Crosby from 1940 to 1962 and often performed at USO tours for soldiers.
A 19-time host of the Academy Awards, Hope began to lose favor with younger generations later in his career for his political views and unchanging comic persona. He retired in 1997, and died on July 27th, 2003 at the age of 100.
Kirk Douglas (103)
Over the course of his career, Kirk Douglas starred in many classics such as Champion (1949), Ace in the Hole (1951), and Lust for Life (1956). In 1955 he founded a production company called Bryna Productions (named after his mother), producing and starring in more classics such as Paths of Glory (1957) and Spartacus (1960).
He began focusing on his family life in the 1990s, his public appearances becoming rarer over the next 30 years. At the time of his passing on February 5th, he was being both remembered fondly for his roles, and examined critically in the #MeToo era; having allegedly assaulted Natalie Wood in the 1950s.
Olivia de Havilland (103… And Counting!)
Olivia de Havilland is known for her eight-decade acting career, with her most iconic role being in 1939’s Gone with the Wind. She received 5 Oscar nominations and won 2 of them for To Each His Own (1946) and The Heiress (1949). She’s also well known for her estranged relationship with her younger sister, Hollywood actress Joan Fontaine.
It appears that good aging genes run in the family, as Fontaine herself lived to be 96 years old. De Havilland is still alive at 103 years old and while she may no longer be acting, she was most recently in the news for suing Ryan Murphy over her unauthorized depiction in his FX television series, Feud.
Luise Rainer (104)
While having one of the longest lifespans in Tinseltown, Luise Rainer had the shortest career of anyone on this list. Originally born in Germany, she was discovered by MGM talent scouts in 1935. She would go on to become the first actor to win 2 consecutive Oscars for her starring roles in The Great Ziegfeld (1936) and (more problematically) The Good Earth (1937).
A decline in roles following her wins resulted in her returning to Europe after only 3 years in Hollywood. She made very few appearances in film and television following this, having been long disillusioned by the dysfunctional Hollywood system. She passed away on December 30th, 2014 just two weeks before her 105th birthday.
Norman Lloyd (105… And Counting!)
Like Olivia de Havilland, Norman Lloyd is still alive and well. He is primarily known for his long term working relationship with Alfred Hitchcock. He first appeared in Hitchcock’s 1942 film Saboteur and went on to be featured in Spellbound (1945) as well as producing Hitchcock’s anthology series Alfred Hitchcock Presents from 1957-1962.
He’s best known for his roles in The Dead Poet’s Society (1988), St. Elsewhere (1982-1988) and most recently, Trainwreck in 2015. In 2014, he celebrated his 100th birthday and is one of the remaining talents who can recall working with auteurs in theatre and film such as Hitchcock and Orson Welles during Hollywood’s Golden Age.
