Monday, December 16, 2013 at 7:00PM
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Reader Comments (233)
Movita, once married to Brando and co-star to Clark Gable in Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) is 96.
I wanted to mention Audrey Totter. I was looking for her date of birth when I read she's died on December 12th. On the 20th of this month she would have turned 96.
Michael, as soon as I read your comment about Rose Marie I thought of Kaye Ballard, who turned 88 last month. ;-)
How crazy is it that we're only 5-6 years from Jack Nicholson, Robert Redford, and Warren Beatty making this list?
And only 1 or 2 until Carol Burnett and many others join it.
Today is the fourth anniversary of the death of Jennifer Jones, my all time favorite actress. What a great light she gave.
Coleen Gray (10/23/1922), Nebraskan-born beauty in classics "Red River"(1946), "Kiss of Death" and "Nightmare Alley" (both 1947), "The Killing" (1956), and cult favorite "The Leech Woman" (1960). Barbara Hale (4/18/1922), smoky-voiced Della Street on TV's "Perry Mason" and in "Airport" (1970). Vibrant Janis Paige (9/16/1922), in Silk Stalkings" (1957)..."Glorious Technicolor, Breathtaking Cinemascope, and Sterophonic Sound." Raven Long-Haired Patrricia Morison (3/19/1915), a Sherlock Holmes villain and later singing stage actress. (Most of this entire list is women, I'm discovering).
That's right, don't forget Carla Laemmle! May be the oldest actor of all/ on this list! 10/20/09 Famous as a coach passenger in "Dracula" ('31) and niece of Universal Pictures founder Carl Laemmle. Her new movie Mansion of Blood is due next summer!
Monica Lewis! 91 and still very much with us and full of wonderful stories. A frequent Facebook poster.
I've seen Doris Day's date of birth given as 1922. She was supposedly listed as being 18 years old in a 1940 Ohio census report.
Ann Blyth (8/16/1928), who slapped Joan Crawford in "Mildred Pierce" (1945).
Peggy Dow (3/18/1928), talented star in "Harvey" (1950), who chucked it all for marriage and 5 sons.
Jan Shepard (3/19/1928). in 2 Elvis movies and "Attack of the Giant Leeches" (1959).
George Maharis (9/01/1928), of TVs "Route 66" and a singer, too!
Rosemaphy Murphy (1/13/1927), in "To Kill a Mockingbird" (1962), noteworthy on stage, too.
Lola Albright (7/20/1925), TV's Peter Gunn's alluring secretary.
Patricia Barry (11/16/1921), versatile actress, memorable in "Sea of Love" (1989).
Nancy Davis Reagan (7/06/1921), former actress and 1980s First Lady.
Phyllis Coates (1/15/1927) and Noel Neill (11/25/1920) - both played Lois Lane to TV's "Superman"
Two New York born funnymen: Abe Vigoda (2/24/1921) and Professor Irwin Corey (7/29/1914).
Monica Vitti (11/03/31) beloved muse of Antonioni's film ... in Italy is a legend as Valentina Cortese, Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida ... even more I guess. Truly talented ... but now she's retired because her illness. She's suffering of Alzheimer's Disease.
Also to consider Lucia Bosé (01/28/31) former neorrealist actress (in Italy and Spain)
How about Arlene Dahl, Rhonda Fleming, Marsha Hunt, Barbara Hale, Joan Leslie, Lizabeth Scott and Gloria Jen?
Shirley Temple is NOT the "Ur Child Star"! That distinction goes to 95-year-old Diana Serra Cary, the former "Baby Peggy" of the silent era. She is still alive, and a documentary on her life "Baby Peggy: The Elephant in the Room" was just released on DVD with the ORIGINAL "Captain January" (remade by Shirley) as a bonus feature.
For those who want to know more about her amazing life:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Serra_Cary
Some others: Baby Peggy (aka Diana Serra Cary), James Best, Theodore Bikel, Bobby Breen, Gisele Casadesus, Marge Champion, Leila Danette, Ann B. Davis, Betsy Drake, Taina Elg, Pierre Etaix, Nanette Fabray, Gabriele Ferzetti, Fyvush Finkel, Sally Forrest, Yvonne Furneaux, George Gaynes, Shecky Greene, Robert Guillaume, Estelle Harris (though it's unclear if her DOB is in 1928 or 1932), Steven Hill, James Hong, Rance Howard, Herb Jeffries, Marvin Kaplan, Don Keefer, Bruce Kirby, Jack Larson, Robert Loggia, Bill Macy, Judith Malina, Jayne Meadows, Ron Moody, Meg Mundy, Nehemiah Persoff, Leslie Phillips, Nova Pilbeam, Marc Platt, Priscilla Pointer, Micheline Presle, Joyce Randolph, Gene Reynolds, Fritz Weaver, Elizabeth Wilson, Jane Withers, Shirley Yamaguchi, Alan Young and Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.
Many of these actors may not necessarily be "stars" in the strictest sense of the term, but they are certainly still with us and they had fascinating careers.
Gorgeous Leading Men Blue-Eyed Brothers Rex Reason (11/30/1928), in "The Creature Walks Among Us" (1956), "This Island Earth" (1955), and Rhodes Reason (4/19/1930). in "King Kong Escapes" (1967) and the musical stage.
Red-headed brilliant comic Carole Cook (12/13/1925).
TV/Film Stars Hugh O'Brian (4/19/1925) and Mike Connors (8/15/1925 - "Mannix")
Four stunning cult actresses: Carol Ohmart (7/3/1927) - "House on Haunted Hill" (1958).
Yvonne Furneaux (5/11/1928), "The Mummy" (1959), also "La Dolce Vita" (1960).
Nicole Maurey (12/20/1925) - "The Day of the Triffids" (1963).
Jane Adams (8/7/1921), fine in "House of Dracula" (1945) and "The Brute Man" (1946).
2 great character actors: Elizabeth Wilson (4/04/1921) - "The Graduate" (1967), and Gerald S. O'Loughlin (12/23/1921), TV's "The Rookies"
Some others: Carle Laemmle-10/20/09; Marsha Hunt- 10/17/17; Marge Champion- 9/2/19; Monica Lewis- 5/5/22; Anne Jeffreys- 1/26/23; Jane Withers- 4/12/26; Carleton Carpenter- 7/10/26. Aba Daba!
Rose Marie was born August 15, 1923. She celebrated her 90th birthday and has one of the longest careers of any of those on this list, having started as a child and in the last year provided the voice for characters on the cartoon Garfield, and in between making us laugh on The Doris Day Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and Hollywood Squares, plus a host of others. .
And don't forget the world's most glamour living sex symbol, Mamie Van Doren- 2/6/31
Nova Pilbeam, 1919 -- kidnapped girl in the original Man Who Knew Too Much, and lead in Hitchcock's Young and Innocent
Blonde actress Mona Freeman (born 6/09/1926) - in big hits, "Dear Ruth" (1947), "The Heiress" (1949 - stars Olivia De Havilland, now 97), "Battle Cry" (1955), more.
2 Singing legends in few films: Chuck Berry (10/18/1926), Kay Starr (7/21/1922).
I'm really surprised Carla Laemmle isn't on this list. She turned 104 this past October and is the last surviving cast member of Dracula (1931) and the silent Phantom Of the Opera (1925). She SPOKE the very first words in Dracula. This was a great list but she is distinctly MISSING. I'd love to see it updated. 101! http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0480675/
How about Carleton Carpenter (July 10, 1926)?
You forgot Rod Taylor (1930) frm THE BIRDS and THE TIME MACHINE
Carla Laemmle ... 104
prob the oldest living actress.
Her first 2 films were Phantom of the Opera and Dracula
Jane Powell made a movie called "One Bride of Seven""?!?!?!
Indeed, Marsha Hunt must be added! She's 96 and as beautiful and bright as ever. We just had tea together a couple of weeks ago. Plus there's a documentary in the works about her and her varied career.
Lovely Dainne Foster, born on 10/31/1928, Canadian leading lady of the first order.
Striking Angla Stevens (5/08/1925) - "Creature with the Atom Brain" (1955).
Perky Cara Williams (6/19/1925) Had her own TV show 1964 - 1965.
Chic Marjorie Lord (7/26/1918) "Make Room for Daddy" TV series, mother to actress Anne Archer.
Unseen usually June Foray (9/18/1917), voice actress extraordinaire.
Joyce Holden (9/1/1930), cult actress in "The Werewolf" (1956) and "Terror from the Year 5000" (1958).
Gaby Rodgers (3/29/1928) and Marian Carr (7/06/1926), spectacular blonde femme fatales in "Kiss Me Deadly" (1955).
Joseph Campanella (11/21/1927), Peter Mark Richman (4/16/1927), Tim O'Connor (7/03/1927) - Sturdy TV stars.
Where is Marsha Hunt!.
Forgot oldest director in the world,the portuguese Manoel de Oliveira ( 105 years)
Greetings from Portugal
Appealing Leading Men Clu Gulager (11/16/1928), Clint Walker (5/30/1927), Earl Holliman (9/11/1928), Ralph Waite (6/22/1928)
What about Norman Lloyd?. A wonderful Character actor as well as a producer He's well into his nineties now. He worked with Chaplin, Orson Wells, and Alfred Hitchcock. Not to shabby and then in recent years he had a recurring role as a doctor on St. Elsewhere on TV. An amazing actor and a wonderful raconteur.
You managed to miss all my personal friends, including Coleen Gray (91), Julie Adams (87), Barbara Rush (soon to be 87), Lizabeth Scott, Kathleen Hughes (85), Donna Martell (86), and a whole bunch more. I will not share this list with any of them, lest they feel slighted!
The multi-talented actor Robert Horton, born July 29, 1924, definitely warrants a mention. Probably best known as that fabulous looking frontier scout Flint McCullough on TV's Wagon Train, he did make movies, appeared on TV frequently and, appeared in a long running Broadway show (110 in the Shade.)
It is gratifying to know that so many incredible actors are still with us. Thanks to all who contributed to the list.
Bruce -- no. it was a word play. I was referring to Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Note the lack of italics. not a film title.
PEOPLE -- it's wonderful to hear from so many people about their favorites. I'm gratified to know that all these peeople are still alive. but i can't keep updating the list since the blog must go on.
Lovely column (even if some excellent people are missing, as has been noted), but here's one tiny, tiny correction.
About "Send in the Clowns," you write, "Stephen Sondheim wrote "Send in the Clowns" specifically for her voice during out of town tryouts for the stage musical A Little Night Music."
Every reliable account says that the song was written late in rehearsals, not out of town. Glynis Johns even sang it, lyric sheet in hand (because the song had just been delivered that morning), at the invited runthrough in New York before the company left for Boston. A live recording of the opening night performance in Boston includes the song,
If you're not certain you can trust me on this and you need specific sources, send me an email
This was a surprisingly hilarious (and informative) post. Dead @ the Emmanuelle Riva blurb.
Patricia Morison (98), Janis Paige (91)
Alan -- oh maybe i misunderstood the recent doc SIX BY SONDHEIM which is where i got that info. perhaps i just gleaned out of town tryouts when it was merely rehearsals.
Nathaniel - I need to draw your attention to your list on Angie Dickinson (9/30/31) - her description "Policewoman, Tough Broad" has gotten mixed up with that of "Monica Vitti" (11/3/31). Thanks for this list, with some hilarious soundbites, and the comments are momentous additions, and fascinating.
I need to add one more, and quickly, because you never know: Earnest Lithuanian actress Cornel Borchers (3/16/25), Best Actress BAFTA for "The Divided Heart" (1954) and beautiful co-star to Rock Hudson in "Never Say Goodbye" (1956), featuring uncredited direction by Douglas Sirk.
Perhaps too young for the list: Brit beauty Veronica Hurst (11/11/1931), who got lost in "The Maze" (1953) and saw a "Peeping Tom" (1960).
What about Betsy Palmer (11/1/1926), longtime TV personality, film star, and sensational in "Friday the 13th" (1980)?
I don't know if anyone posted Vera Miles, 84--8-23-29
Betsy Palmer, 11-1-86
Don Murray (7/31/1929) Raucous "Bus Stop" (1956) cowboy.
Mara Corday (1/03/1930) Foxy Sci-Fi heroine in "Tarantula" (1955), "The Giant Claw" (1957), and "The Black Scorpion" (1957).
James Karen (11/28/1923) "Poltergeist" (1982), much more.
Madeline Sherwood (11/13/1922) In "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (1958) - "5 Kids and one in the oven", also "The Flying Nun" TV show.
Marge Redmond (12/14/30) Emmy nominated for "The Flying Nun."
Jacqueline White (11/23/1922) Last film (to date - but you never know, see Carla Laemmle) was the highly regarded "The Narrow Margin" (1952).
Sheila MacRae (9/24/1924) - TV personality and some films.
Louise Latham (9/13/1922) Mom of "Marnie"' (1964) and superb actress.
Dee Hartford (4/21/1928) Breathtaking TV sci-fi starlet ("Lost in Space", "The Outer Limits", "Twilight Zone", "Land of the Giants"), once married to director Howard Hawks.
William Daniels (3/31/1927) - "The Graduate" (1967), "St. Elsewhere" TV series.
Richard Anderson (8/08/1926) Tall actor in authoritative roles, marvelous.
William Schallert (7/6/1922) Same as above and a treasure.
How about Barbara Hale? (04-18-22)
The wife of Richard Attenborough, Sheila Sim, Lady Attenborough, born 5 June 1922, is still very much alive. She starred in the Powell & Pressburger film A Canterbury Tale as well as alongside her husband in The Guinea Pig. The pair occasionally make appearances in newspaper columns here in the UK just because they're so adorable.
Isn't Jane Withers still alive?
I second Vera Miles - "The Wrong Man" and "Psycho" for Hitchcock, plus "The Searchers," "Back Street," "The FBI Story," "The Hellfighters," many others. She's 84.
Vera Miles is on the list and has been since it was published. she wasn't even a late addition ;)