50 of the oldest actors still working
Most movie and television plots center on young characters experiencing a coming-of-age, setting out on a grand adventure, or falling in (or out of) love. But there are plenty of stories that escape these familiar storylines and age brackets, from “Grace and Frankie” to “Thelma,” and feature some of the most talented names in Hollywood. These celebrities lend their experience to various roles, often adding much-needed depth to storylines while proving it is possible to have a long, prolific acting career despite the ageism that has plagued the television and film industries since their inception.
Of course, no one lives forever—that goes for some of our most notable acting icons. To name just a few of the legends we’ve lost thus far in 2026, Oscar-winning actor Robert Duvall died on Feb. 15, action icon Chuck Norris passed away on March 19, and “Buffy the Vampire” star Anthony Head passed in early June. These deaths are a stark reminder that it’s important to celebrate and honor these great talents while they’re still here.
To help with that task, Stacker curated a diverse list of 50 of the oldest actors still working. These stars range from beloved character actors to A-listers who are still putting in the work in their later years. They are well-respected by fans and colleagues and continue taking on challenging and impressive acting roles on the big and small screens. And though we hope they keep working for years and even decades to come, we want to ensure they know how much they’re appreciated right now.
Whether they got their start on a soap opera or after a stint in San Quentin, these pros have the staying power to withstand decades in a very tough industry. This diverse lot of performers continues to do what they love, regardless of age. Perhaps that’s what keeps them going. Keep reading to learn more about 50 of the oldest actors still working.
Sissy Spacek
– Birthdate: Dec. 25, 1949
Born in Quitman, Texas, Sissy Spacek came into the world on Christmas as Mary Elizabeth Spacek. She got her start in television with “Love, American Style” and “The Waltons,” though Spacek’s breakthrough role came when she played a teenager with telekinetic powers in the Brian De Palma film “Carrie.” She continues to act and recently appeared in the 2025 film “Die, My Love” and the Hulu series “Dying for Sex.”
Loretta Devine
– Birthdate: Aug. 21, 1949
With roles in everything from a hit Broadway musical to a 1990s slasher film, Loretta Devine is a force. Her standout roles include the 1995 film “Waiting to Exhale” and the 1996 film “The Preacher’s Wife.” She won an Outstanding Guest Actress Primetime Emmy in 2011 for her role as Adele on television’s “Grey’s Anatomy.” In 2026, Devine appeared on the sitcom “The Ms. Pat Show.”
Meryl Streep
– Birthdate: June 22, 1949
Meryl Streep has the distinction of being the actor with the most Oscar nominations of all time: 21. Aside from her countless memorable film roles, including “Sophie’s Choice,” “The Bridges of Madison County,” and “The Devil Wears Prada,” Streep has become a regular fixture on TV, currently starring on Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building.” In 2026, she’s returned to the big screen with the films “Hoppers” and “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”
Pam Grier
– Birthdate: May 26, 1949
Pam Grier got her start in director Roger Corman’s 1971 film “The Big Doll House.” Director Quentin Tarantino cast her in the 1997 film “Jackie Brown,” which was a homage to Grier’s earlier work from the 1970s. She was diagnosed with stage four cervical cancer in 1988 and given 18 months to live; she defied those odds and continues to act, most recently appearing on the second season of the TV show “Them” and in a 2024 episode of “Bob’s Burgers.”
Samuel L. Jackson
– Birthdate: Dec. 21, 1948
Samuel L. Jackson has been in more than 100 films, though his career didn’t truly take off until he was in his 40s. In 1991, Jackson earned one of his breakthrough film roles in Spike Lee’s “Jungle Fever,” then followed that with a prolific career throughout the decade and beyond. In 2024 alone, he appeared in “Argylle,” “Damaged,” “The Garfield Movie,” “The Piano Lesson,” and “The Unholy Trinity.” His next film, “The Great Beyond,” hits theaters in November 2026. Jackson’s performances as Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and as Mace Windu in the “Star Wars” prequels have helped him earn the title of the highest-grossing actor of all time.
Youn Yuh-jung
– Birthdate: June 19, 1947
Youn Yuh-jung took home an Oscar in 2021 for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Minari.” The South Korean actor has worked in television and film for more than half a century and staged an inspired comeback after taking a 10-year hiatus from acting in the ’70s and ’80s. She also earned strong reviews for her performance in the 2025 romantic comedy “The Wedding Banquet,” and appears in Season 2 of Netflix’s hit anthology series “Beef.”
Glenn Close
– Birthdate: March 19, 1947
Born in Greenwich, Connecticut, Glenn Close’s father was a prominent physician. Her first major film role was as feminist icon Jenny Fields in the 1982 movie “The World According to Garp,” based on John Irving’s novel of the same name. More recently, Close appeared in two 2025 Netflix films: “Back in Action” and “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” and she stars on Ryan Murphy’s legal drama “All’s Fair.” She’ll also be joining the “Hunger Games” universe with “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping,” in theaters November 2026.
Danny Glover
– Birthdate: July 22, 1946
Born to postal workers, Danny Glover’s breakthrough came with his 1982 Broadway debut in “‘Master Harold’… and the Boys,” which led to his first leading role in the Oscar-nominated film “Places in the Heart.” His work on the small screen is equally as impressive as his work in film, and he was nominated for an Emmy for his title role in HBO’s “Mandela.”
Ernie Hudson
– Birthdate: Dec. 17, 1945
Ernie Hudson started getting bit parts in film and on television in the late ’70s, but his career really took off in the ’80s after he was cast as Winston Zeddemore in “Ghostbusters” and its sequel, “Ghostbusters II.” In the ’90s and early 2000s, he was best known as Warden Lee on the acclaimed HBO series “Oz,” and in the 2010s and 2020s, he returned to the film franchise that made him famous. Hudson appeared in the 2016 women-led “Ghostbusters,” 2021’s “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” and the latest installment, “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” which was released in March 2024, and had fans wondering how Hudson does not age. He’ll next be heard as the voice of Combat Carl in the June 2026 sequel “Toy Story 5,” taking over for the late Carl Weathers.
Helen Mirren
– Birthdate: July 26, 1945
English actor Dame Helen Mirren got her start in theater. She won several awards for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in the film “The Queen.” Mirren played another famous leader with her portrayal of a Russian empress in the HBO limited series “Catherine the Great.” Since 2022, she’s been the star of the “Yellowstone” spinoff “1923,” but she’s still making time for movies, including blockbusters like “Fast X” and “Barbie.” In 2025, she starred in “The Thursday Murder Club” and “Goodbye June,” as well as the TV series “MobLand.”
Danny Trejo
– Birthdate: May 16, 1944
Danny Trejo was in and out of prison as a young man for a variety of crimes, including armed robbery. He became a champion boxer while serving time at San Quentin. He eventually became a drug counselor, and got his introduction to acting while working on a movie set. Trejo is known for his roles in Robert Rodriguez films, such as “Desperado” and “Grindhouse.” Rodriguez is Trejo’s second cousin.
Leslie Uggams
– Birthdate: May 25, 1943
Leslie Uggams started acting as a child but gained wide acclaim for her role as Kizzy Reynolds in the 1977 miniseries “Roots,” which led to both a Golden Globe and an Emmy nomination for the star. Uggams has appeared in numerous Broadway productions, winning a Tony in 1968 for her performance in “Hallelujah, Baby!” In the 2010s, Uggams had a career resurgence thanks to her appearances as Blind Al in the “Deadpool” movies (including “Deadpool & Wolverine”), as well as roles on hit TV series like “Empire,” “Fallout,” and “The Gilded Age.”
Christopher Walken
-Birthdate: March 31, 1943
With nearly 145 acting credits to his name, Christopher Walken has appeared in everything from lighthearted comedies to superhero flicks, Stephen King adaptations, and heart-wrenching dramas. Walken won his first and, to date, only Oscar in 1979 for “The Deer Hunter,” though he was nominated for his role in the 2002 film “Catch Me If You Can” as well. He’s also contributed to the soundtracks of several of his movies, like the 2016 live-action iteration of “The Jungle Book” and 2014’s “Jersey Boys.” 2024 saw Walken join Denis Vileneuve’s “Dune” franchise to play the menacing Emperor, and in 2025, he returned for Season 2 of Apple TV+’s hit series “Severance.”
Harrison Ford
– Birthdate: July 13, 1942
Throughout his nearly 60-year career, Harrison Ford has brought numerous iconic characters to life, from Han Solo in “Star Wars” to the titular role in the “Indiana Jones” franchise. Though he’s now in his 80s, Ford’s career still isn’t slowing down. He reprised the latter role in 2023’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” (his last as the character), and he joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Thunderbolt. Ford also transitioned to the small screen, starring on the “Yellowstone” prequel “1923” on Paramount+ and “Shrinking,” an Apple TV+ comedy with Jason Segel.
Al Pacino
– Birthdate: April 25, 1940
Actor Al Pacino studied Method acting under Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio in New York City. One of the most legendary film stars of his generation, Pacino is a triple crown actor, winning an Oscar, Emmy, and Tony Award. His first Oscar nomination came for his role as Michael Corleone in the 1972 film “The Godfather,” a role he played again in “The Godfather Part II” and “The Godfather Part III.” Other memorable films include “Dog Day Afternoon,” “Scarface,” and as labor union leader Jimmy Hoffa in the 2019 film “The Irishman” alongside fellow acting great Robert De Niro. He continues to work often: In 2025 alone, he appeared in “The Ritual,” “Dead Man’s Wire,” “Billy Knight,” “In the Hand of Dante,” and “Easy’s Waltz,” and he has multiple films in development.
Lily Tomlin
– Birthdate: Sept. 1, 1939
Lily Tomlin, born Mary Jean Tomlin, got her start as a stand-up comedian. Some of her most famous roles were on Rowan & Martin’s “Laugh-In” as Edith Ann, a little girl who sits in an oversized rocking chair, and nasally telephone operator Ernestine. She continues to act and starred opposite Jane Fonda as Frankie Bergstein in the comedy, “Grace and Frankie,” for seven seasons.
Ian McKellen
– Birthdate: May 25, 1939
Stage and screen actor Ian McKellen has two Oscar nominations, two Golden Globe nominations, and one Golden Globe win for his supporting role in the 1996 TV movie “Rasputin.” McKellen played Gandalf in “The Hobbit” and “Lord of the Rings” films. His role as Magneto in the 2000 film “X-Men” and its sequels led to mainstream success. These days, McKellen’s work remains eclectic. In 2024, he appeared onstage as John Falstaff in “Player Kings,” and also served as the narrator on the TV show “Ted.” He stars in Steven Soderbergh’s April 2026 film “The Christophers,” and he’ll also appear in December 2026’s “Avengers: Doomsday,” for which he’s reprising his role as Magneto.
Christopher Lloyd
– Birthdate: Oct. 22, 1938
Christopher Lloyd made his film debut as Max Taber in 1975’s “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” setting off a half-century of beloved film roles. Among his most memorable portrayals are as Doc Brown in “Back to the Future,” Professor Plum in “Clue,” Uncle Fester in “Addams Family Values,” and, in 2021, Harry Mansell Sr. in the action thriller “Nobody.” His television credits are just as vast, including his role as “Reverend” Jim Ignatowski on “Taxi,” which earned him two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. In 2025, he appeared in the sequel “Nobody 2” and in a guest-starring role on Netflix’s “Wednesday.”
Anthony Hopkins
– Birthdate: Dec. 31, 1937
In 1968, Anthony Hopkins played alongside Peter O’Toole and Katharine Hepburn in “The Lion in Winter” and received a British Academy of Film and Television Arts nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. He also played one of the greatest and most memorable film villains of all time: psychiatrist-turned-serial killer Hannibal Lecter. Hopkins has earned accolades late in his career, winning an Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in 2020’s “The Father.” He appeared in the 2025 thriller “Locked,” and will star in Guy Ritchie’s “Wife & Dog,” hitting theaters in October 2026.
Jane Fonda
– Birthdate: Dec. 21, 1937
Jane Fonda was born to socialite Frances Seymour Brokaw and legendary actor Henry Fonda, whom she acted alongside in the 1981 Oscar-nominated film “On Golden Pond.” Known for her roles in films like “Barbarella,” “Klute,” and “9 to 5” in the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s, Fonda had a successful run on the small screen opposite Lily Tomlin in Netflix’s “Grace and Frankie” from 2015 to 2022. Her acting career continues today; she appeared in Jennifer Lopez’s “This Is Me… Now: A Love Story” in 2024, and had a cameo on HBO’s “The Comeback” in March 2026.
Morgan Freeman
– Birthdate: June 1, 1937
Morgan Freeman found success with theater, television, and film work in the ’70s and ’80s. He won an Obie Award for performance for his successful portrayal of Hoke Colburn in Alfred Uhry’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Driving Miss Daisy” and reprised the role in the 1989 film version with Jessica Tandy. Among his latest projects are the 2024 films “My Dead Friend Zoe” and “Gunner,” and the 2025 sequel “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t.”
George Takei
– Birthdate: April 20, 1937
George Takei’s career spans television, film, theater, and radio, and he is an ardent activist and a successful writer. Born Hosato Takei, he is known for playing Sulu in the 1960s series “Star Trek.” Takei continues to act and do voice work, with recent appearances on the TV series “Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai” and “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” He even reprised his role as Sulu on the animated “Star Trek” spinoff “Star Trek: Lower Decks.”
Billy Dee Williams
– Birthdate: April 6, 1937
Known for playing Lando Calrissian in the 1980 film “The Empire Strikes Back” and 1983’s “Return of the Jedi,” Williams has continued to find success with his portrayal of Lando in video games and on TV. On the big screen, he reprised his most famous role in the 2019 sequel “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.”
Vanessa Redgrave
– Birthdate: Jan. 30, 1937
Daughter of renowned theatrical actor Michael Redgrave, Vanessa Redgrave followed in her father’s footsteps and went on to have a successful stage, film, and television career. She’s acted in everything from the 1974 Sidney Lumet film “Murder on the Orient Express” to the controversial FX television series, “Nip/Tuck.” Redgrave more recently played Great Nana in the 2022 film “The Lost Girls,” and she appears in the February 2026 release “Cold Storage.”
Nick Nolte
– Birthdate: Feb. 8, 1941
Nick Nolte’s extensive career has included multiple awards and nominations—including three Academy Award nods for “The Prince of Tides,” “Affliction,” and “Warrior.” But his work spans decades and genres, from action comedies like “48 Hrs.” and “I Love Trouble” to serious dramas like “The Thin Red Line” and “Hotel Rwanda” to, well, less acclaimed fare like “Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore.” Nolte has made headlines for several drug and alcohol-related problems over the years. However, he’s never stopped working, appearing in 2025 films “The Golden Voice” and “Die, My Love,” and 2026’s “Crime 101.”
Alan Alda
– Birthdate: Jan. 28, 1936
Alan Alda’s film and TV credits include those as an actor, writer, and director. For his well-known role as Hawkeye Pierce in the long-running television series “M*A*S*H,” he won Emmy awards across three categories. While he has slowed down in recent years following his 2018 announcement that he’d been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, Alda continues to work in film and television, making appearances on the series “Ray Donovan” and “The Good Fight,” and in the movie “Marriage Story.” His latest project is as producer of the Netflix series “The Four Seasons,” which is based on Alda’s 1981 film of the same name.
Julie Andrews
– Birthdate: Oct. 1, 1935
Her most famous role is that of Maria in the 1965 film “The Sound of Music,” though Julie Andrews also starred in the titular role in 1964’s “Mary Poppins.” More recently, Andrews voiced the Queen in several of the “Shrek” films and played Queen Clarisse Renaldi in “The Princess Diaries” and its 2004 sequel. Andrews continues to do voice work in film and television, notably voicing the character of Lady Whistledown in Netflix’s “Bridgerton” series.
Ben Kingsley
– Birthdate: Dec. 31, 1943
Born Krishna Bhanji, the incomparable Sir Ben Kingsley began acting on-screen at the age of 23, when he appeared in a 1966 episode of the TV show “Pardon the Expression.” He went on to star as Mahatma Gandhi in the 1982 film “Gandhi,” for which he won the Best Actor Oscar and a well-deserved round of critical praise. Kingsley’s later roles include an appearance in “Iron Man 3,” a part he reprised in 2021’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” and takes on again in the 2026 Marvel series “Wonder Man.” He also recently starred in Netflix’s “The Thursday Murder Club,” and will be seen in the July 2026 film “Young Washington.”
Judi Dench
– Birthdate: Dec. 9, 1934
Born in York, England, as Judith Olivia Dench, the actor has performed on stage at the Old Vic Theatre, the National Theatre, and the Royal Shakespeare Company. Dench is also an accomplished film actor and received an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Queen Elizabeth I in the 1998 film “Shakespeare in Love.” She secured a starring role alongside Jamie Dornan and Caitriona Balfe in Kenneth Branagh’s 2021 film “Belfast.” In May 2024, she hinted at her potential retirement from the screen due to issues with her vision.
Sophia Loren
– Birthdate: Sept. 20, 1934
International movie star Sophia Loren has received critical acclaim in her native Italy as well as in the United States. Her role in the 1960s Italian film “Two Women,” about the horrors a widow and her daughter face during World War II, won Loren the first Best Actress Oscar for a non-English language performance. The actor took on her first role in a decade as Madame Rosa, a Holocaust survivor, in the 2020 film “The Life Ahead,” which was directed and co-written by her son Edoardo Ponti and based on the novel “The Life Before Us.”
Shirley MacLaine
– Birthdate: April 24, 1934
The older sister of screen actor Warren Beatty has starred on Broadway and in feature films. Her silver screen debut came in 1955 in Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Trouble With Harry.” She took home her first Oscar for Best Actress for her performance as an overbearing mother in the 1983 film “Terms of Endearment.” While she doesn’t act as much these days, she showed up on the Hulu series “Only Murders in the Building” in 2022 and starred in the film “American Dreamer” that same year.
Michael Caine
– Birthdate: March 14, 1933
Michael Caine was born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite in London, eventually changing his name in the interest of his acting career. The actor started out in theater but transitioned to film with numerous memorable performances in films like “Alfie,” “Educating Rita,” and “The Cider House Rules.” The double Oscar winner retired from acting in 2023, following the release of his film “The Great Escaper,” but has since announced plans to act again.
Ellen Burstyn
– Birthdate: Dec. 7, 1932
One of Ellen Burstyn’s first roles was as a showgirl on television’s “The Jackie Gleason Show,” though her big break didn’t come until she was cast in the 1971 Peter Bogdanovich film “The Last Picture Show.” She won the Best Actress Oscar for her 1974 performance in the film “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.” She starred alongside several others on this list in the 2021 comedy “Queen Bees” and reprised her role as Chris MacNeil in the 2023 film “The Exorcist: Believer.” Next up, Burstyn will be starring alongside Pamela Anderson and Taika Waititi in the film “Place to Be.”
Joel Grey
– Birthdate: April 11, 1932
Actor, singer, dancer, and director Joel Grey is probably best known for playing the Master of Ceremonies in “Cabaret” on Broadway and in Bob Fosse’s 1972 film adaptation. The multihyphenate has won an Oscar, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, and a Tony, as well as the Lifetime Achievement Tony Award in 2023. Among the standout roles on his long resume are performances in musicals like “Chicago” and “Wicked,” films like “Kafka” and “Dancer in the Dark,” and TV shows from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” to “Oz.” Recently, he appeared in the 2022 FX drama thriller “The Old Man.”
Rita Moreno
– Birthdate: Dec. 11, 1931
One of the few entertainers to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony, Rita Moreno is part of the EGOT Winners’ Circle. Born Rosita Dolores Alverío in Puerto Rico, one of the actor’s most memorable roles came when she played Anita in the 1961 film “West Side Story,” for which she became the first Latina to win a Best Supporting Actress Oscar. In 2021, she starred as Valentina (an expanded, reimagined version of the original version’s Doc) in Steven Spielberg’s remake of the classic musical.
Barbara Eden
– Birthdate: Aug. 23, 1931
Barbara Eden is most famous for her portrayal of a genie who grants wishes to the astronaut who released her from a bottle in the 1960s sitcom “I Dream of Jeannie.” Born Barbara Jean Morehead in Tucson, Arizona, Eden acted in several television movies throughout her career. In 2019, she played Mrs. Claus in “My Adventures with Santa,” and she reprised her iconic role as Jeannie in the YouTube series “Master Dearest, from the Diaries of Jeannie” from 2020 to 2023.
Marla Gibbs
– Birthdate: June 14, 1931
Marla Gibbs was 44 years old when she started playing George Jefferson’s maid, Florence Johnston, on the famed CBS sitcom “The Jeffersons.” The show ran for a decade between 1975 and 1985; for its first few years, Gibbs moonlighted as a United Airlines reservations desk clerk, the job she got when she first moved to Los Angeles in 1963. Gibbs said in a 1978 Washington Post interview that she’d finish taping “The Jeffersons” around 5:30 p.m. and then work at United until 11 p.m.
After “The Jeffersons” ended, Gibbs was upgraded from supporting actor to lead with a starring role on the NBC sitcom “227,” which ran until 1990. She’s been all over television since, with recurring roles on “The Hughleys,” “Passions,” “Black-ish,” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” and shows no sign of slowing down. Most recently, she appeared on a January 2026 episode of “Chicago Med.”
William Shatner
– Birthdate: Mar. 22, 1931
Best known for playing Captain James T. Kirk in “Star Trek,” William Shatner has spent more than seven decades on screen. Now in his 90s, Shatner has done voice acting on “Fireheart” and “Masters of the Universe: Revolution” in recent years. Aside from voicing Captain Kirk in several video games over the past two decades, Shatner hasn’t reprised his role since 1994’s “Star Trek: Generations”—though he admitted in a March 2024 interview with The Hollywood Reporter that he’d return to the captain’s chair if it “genuinely added to the lore of ‘Star Trek.'”
Lois Smith
– Birthdate: Nov. 3, 1930
Known for her roles in the films “Minority Report,” “Twister,” and “Lady Bird,” Lois Smith is also an accomplished stage actor. Her first film was “East of Eden” in 1955 and she continues to remain active in the industry, appearing on multiple episodes of “Law & Order: Organized Crime” in 2024, as well the 2025 film “On the End.” She’ll next be seen in the indie comedy “The Steel Harp.”
Clint Eastwood
– Birthdate: May 31, 1930
San Francisco-born Clinton Eastwood Jr. is best known for playing cops and cowboys, but he made his Hollywood debut in a pair of 1955 monster movies: “Revenge of the Creature” and “Tarantula.” His breakout role, as Rowdy Yates on the Western TV series “Rawhide,” came a few years later in 1958. After a string of hit spaghetti Westerns in the mid-1960s, Eastwood established his own production company, Malpaso Productions, in 1967, and made his directorial debut in 1971. It wasn’t until 1993, however, that he won his first pair of Oscars—Best Picture and Best Director—for “Unforgiven.” Eastwood continued to find success both in front of and behind the camera in the 2000s with films like “Mystic River,” “Million Dollar Baby,” and “Letters from Iwo Jima.” His more recent projects include “Cry Macho” and “The Mule,” and the November 2024 sleeper hit “Juror No. 2.”
Tippi Hedren
– Birthdate: Jan. 19, 1930
Born Nathalie Kay Hedren, actor Tippi Hedren was discovered by famed director Alfred Hitchcock, who saw her in a TV commercial. Hedren acted in two Hitchcock films, “The Birds” and “Marnie.” She went on to land roles in various television series over the next several decades. Hedren, who is also the mother of actor Melanie Griffith and the grandmother of actor Dakota Johnson, was last seen in the 2017 thriller “The Ghost and the Whale.”
June Squibb
– Birthdate: Nov. 6, 1929
June Squibb became an Oscar nominee at 84 for her role in the 2013 Alexander Payne film “Nebraska.” Her diverse career has seen her playing everything from the stripper Electra in the Broadway show “Gypsy,” to an uncredited role as the voice of Michael’s mother on the television show “The Office.” Squibb continues to act in both television and film—she starred in the critically acclaimed 2024 action-comedy “Thelma” and the 2025 film “Eleanor the Great,” Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut. In December 2025, she became the oldest Broadway performer in history when she starred in the play “Marjorie Prime.”
James Hong
– Birthdate: Feb. 22, 1929
One of the founders of the East-West Players, an Asian American theater in Los Angeles, James Hong has more than 600 acting credits. Three of the films he appeared in—”Chinatown,” “Airplane,” and “Blade Runner”—were selected by the Library of Congress for inclusion in the National Film Registry because of their cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance. Much of his work now is voice acting, like in the “Kung Fu Panda” franchise and on the Max series “Gremlins,” which wrapped its second season in April 2025.
Estelle Parsons
– Birthdate: Nov. 20, 1927
Estelle Parsons’ first big role in front of the camera was actually as herself.
The former Boston University law student got a job in 1954 as a writer, producer, and commentator for “The Today Show,” where she stayed for five years. During that time, she made her Broadway debut in 1956 in Ethel Merman’s musical “Happy Hunting”—and in the 1960s, 1970s, and decades that followed, she earned five Tony nominations. Though she hasn’t won a Tony yet, Parsons did take home the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance as Blanche in the 1967 classic “Bonnie and Clyde.” Still, that’s likely not the character most people remember her as.
The part Parsons is best known for across the U.S. is as Beverly Harris, Roseanne’s mother, on the hit 1990s sitcom “Roseanne” and its spinoff “The Conners.”
Rosemary Harris
– Birthdate: Sept. 19, 1927
While most people might recognize Rosemary Harris as Aunt May from Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man” trilogy, she has had an illustrious career on screen and stage that goes far beyond one role. Harris won a Tony Award for “The Lion in Winter,” but was nominated eight other times. She also got an Academy Award nomination for the 1994 film “Tom & Viv.” Although Harris doesn’t act nearly as much these days, she returned to the stage for a revival of “My Fair Lady” from 2018 to 2019, and she appeared on two episodes of the show “Search Party” in 2022.
William Daniels
– Birthdate: March 31, 1927
William Daniels won millennial hearts as beloved teacher-turned-principal Mr. Feeny on the ’90s TV series “Boy Meets World,” but the actor’s career dates back well before that show debuted. He gained fame in the ’80s on the hit shows “St. Elsewhere” and “Knight Rider,” where he voiced the AI technology KITT. He is also known for his roles as Benjamin Braddock’s (Dustin Hoffman’s) father in “The Graduate,” and for playing John Adams in the big-screen musical “1776.” Daniels reprised his role as Mr. Feeny on “Girl Meets World” from 2014 to 2017, and his last film role was in 2020’s “Superintelligence.”
Lisa Lu
– Birthdate: Jan. 19, 1927
The Chinese-born actor migrated to the United States in the 1950s. Lu had notable roles in the 1987 film “The Last Emperor” and in the 1993 film “The Joy Luck Club.” In her 90s, she’s portrayed the family matriarch in 2018’s “Crazy Rich Asians” and appeared in the 2024 TV series “Death and Other Details.”
Mel Brooks
– Birthdate: June 28, 1926
Mel Brooks’ expansive, enduring career has spanned acting, comedy composing, directing, producing, and writing. The filmmaker’s most famous comedies include “Blazing Saddles,” “Robin Hood: Men in Tights,” “The Producers,” and “Young Frankenstein.” He has executive producer and acting credits on 2021’s computer-animated, action-adventure comedy “Blazing Samurai,” and in 2023, he released the long-awaited sequel to “History of the World, Part I.” He’ll be reprising his role as Yogurt in 2027’s “Spaceballs: The New One,” which he also co-wrote.
Dick Van Dyke
– Birthdate: Dec. 13, 1925
Born Richard Wayne Van Dyke, the actor got his start in television on “The Phil Silvers Show” and also appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show” as a sketch actor. By 1961, the entertainer landed his own show, which ran until 1966. His early films include 1963’s “Bye Bye Birdie” and 1964’s “Mary Poppins,” and he made his way back to the franchise for 2018’s “Mary Poppins Returns.” At 98, Van Dyke became the oldest actor to win a Daytime Emmy Award for his guest appearance on “Days of Our Lives” in 2024.
Eva Marie Saint
– Birthdate: July 4, 1924
Two of 101-year-old Eva Marie Saint’s most memorable roles are her Oscar-winning turn in the 1954 Elia Kazan film “On the Waterfront” and her performance in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1959 film “North By Northwest.” While she is largely retired, she lent her voice to audio plays on “The Pack Podcast” in 2020 and 2021. As for onscreen appearances, her last role was in 2014’s “Winter’s Tale.”
Additional writing by Louis Peitzman.
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Entertainment
