Top 20 oldest living actors in 2024: Who are they?
How many actors are over 90 years old? Making it past 90 years is no mean feat, and doing it in the public eye is even more challenging. Here are the 20 oldest living actors who continue to steal the spotlight despite their age. Not only are these actors still alive, but they are also working in the industry and continue to captivate audiences with their performances across various mediums.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Top 20 oldest living actors in 2024
- 1. Dick Van Dyke
- 2. Mel Brooks
- 3. Barbara Rush
- 4. Lisa Lu
- 5. Bob Newhart
- 6. Robert Wagner
- 7. Clint Eastwood
- 8. James Earl Jones
- 9. Robert Duvall
- 10. William Shatner
- 11. Joel Grey
- 12. H.M. Wynant
- 13. Earl Holliman
- 14. Mark Rydell
- 15. Rita Moreno
- 16. William Daniels
- 17. Gene Hackman
- 18. Eva Marie Saint
- 19. June Lockhart
- 20. Lee Grant
- Who is the oldest celebrity still alive?
Although the Golden Age of Hollywood ended over 50 years ago, some actors from this time are still alive in 2024, and some are still active in the entertainment scene. They have also paved the way for modern stars and made it easier for future actors to make their mark in Hollywood.
Top 20 oldest living actors in 2024
Retirement is not on the cards for these 20 Hollywood stars still making movies in their eighties and nineties. For better or worse, these stars are all legends in their own right, and despite facing challenges in their careers, they would not change their journey for anything. These old celebrities are well respected by fans and colleagues and continue taking on challenging and impressive acting roles on screens.
We strive to provide our readers with valuable insights and information through our various rankings and lists. Understanding our methodology and the principles governing our ranking processes is essential. Our rankings are based on a combination of objective and quantifiable criteria. We endeavour to use the most up-to-date and accurate data available during ranking compilation.
| No. | Names |
| 1. | Dick Van Dyke |
| 2. | Mel Brooks |
| 3. | Barbara Rush |
| 4. | Lisa Lu |
| 5. | Bob Newhart |
| 6. | Robert Wagner |
| 7. | Clint Eastwood |
| 8. | James Earl Jones |
| 9. | Robert Duvall |
| 10. | William Shatner |
| 11. | Joel Grey |
| 12. | H.M. Wynant |
| 13. | Earl Holliman |
| 14. | Mark Rydell |
| 15. | Jonathan Haze |
| 16. | William Daniels |
| 17. | Gene Hackman |
| 18. | Eva Marie Saint |
| 19. | June Lockhart |
| 20. | Lee Grant |
1. Dick Van Dyke
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Richard Wayne Van Dyke
- Date of birth: December 13, 1925
- Age: 98 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: West Plains, Missouri, USA
- Nationality: American
Dick Van Dyke is an American actor and entertainer whose career has spanned over 75 years. Some of his notable works include Mary Poppins (1964), The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961 - 1966) and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968). He also earned numerous awards and accolades, including a Grammy Award, a Tony Award, and induction into the Television Hall of Fame.
2. Mel Brooks
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Melvin James Brooks
- Date of birth: June 28, 1928
- Age: 97 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Nationality: American
Mel Brooks is one of the world's oldest actors, responsible for comedies such as Young Frankenstein (1974) and Blazing Saddles (1974). He founded his production company, Brooksfilms, in 1980 and is credited for leading films such as The Elephant Man (1980), To Be or Not to Be (1983) and The Fly (1986).
3. Barbara Rush
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Barbara Rush
- Date of birth: January 4, 1927
- Age: 97 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Denver, Colorado, USA
- Nationality: American
Barbara Rush is an American actress who began her career in 1950 and caught her big break when she starred in the cult classic It Came from Outer Space. Her other notable films include When World Collide (1951), Quebec (1951), Flaming Feather (1952), and The Young Philadelphians (1959).
4. Lisa Lu
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Lisa Lu Yan
- Date of birth: January 19, 1927
- Age: 97 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Beijing, China
- Nationality: Chinese
Lisa Lu is a Chinese-American actress, and her first notable film is The Mountain Road (1960), set during World War II. Her other films include Bonanza (1959), Rider on a Dead Horse (1962), The 14 Amazons (1972) and Terror in the Wax Museum (1973).
5. Bob Newhart
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: George Robert Newhart
- Date of birth: September 5, 1929
- Age: 94 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Oak Park, Illinois, USA
- Nationality: American
Bob Newhart is an American actor and stand-up comedian who starred in numerous hit shows, including The Bob Newhart Show (1972 - 1978) and Newhart (1982 - 1990). He won his first Emmy in 2013 for his guest star on The Big Theory.
6. Robert Wagner
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Robert John Wagner Jr.
- Date of birth: February 10, 1930
- Age: 94 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Nationality: American
Robert Wagner is an American actor known for starring in television shows It Takes a Thief (1968 - 1970) and Switch (1975 - 1978). He has also featured in films including Harper (1966) and The Towering Inferno (1974).
7. Clint Eastwood
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Clinton Eastwood Jr.
- Date of birth: May 31, 1930
- Age: 93 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: San Francisco, California, USA
- Nationality: American
Clint Eastwood is an American actor, director, and producer who gained recognition for his role as The Man with No Name across three spaghetti Westerns: A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965) and The Good the Bad and the Ugly (1966). His other popular films include Pale Rider (1985), Escape from Alcatraz (1979) and Heartbreak Ridge (1986).
8. James Earl Jones
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: James Earl Jones
- Date of birth: January 17, 1931
- Age: 93 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Arkabutla, Mississippi, USA
- Nationality: American
James Earl Jones, one of the oldest black actors alive, is known for his distinctive booming voice. His breakthrough was in the adaptation of The Great White (1971), which earned him an Oscar nomination. His other notable roles include The Great White Hope (1967), Field of Dreams (1989) and Coming to America (1988).
9. Robert Duvall
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Robert Selden Duvall
- Date of birth: January 5, 1931
- Age: 93 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: San Diego, California, USA
- Nationality: American
Robert Duvall is an actor who gained fame in the play Wait Until Dark (1966). His other Oscar-nominated films include Apocalypse Now (1979), The Apostle (1997), A Civil Action (1998) and The Judge (2014).
10. William Shatner
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: William Shatner OC
- Date of birth: March 22, 1931
- Age: 92 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Montreal, Canada
- Nationality: Canadian
William Shatner is a Canadian actor, author, producer, director, and singer best known for portraying James T. Kirk in the Star Trek franchise, which aired from 1966 to 1969. Some of his other notable roles include Boston Legal (2004-2008), Rescue 911 (1989-1996), and The Practice (2004-2008).
11. Joel Grey
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Joel Grey
- Date of birth: April 11, 1932
- Age: 91 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Nationality: American
Joel Grey gained prominence for his portrayal of the Master of Ceremonies in Cabaret (1966). His other notable roles include Kafka (1991), The Music of Chance (1993), The Fantsticks (2000), and Dancer in the Dark (2000).
12. H.M. Wynant
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: H.M. Wynant
- Date of birth: February 12, 1927
- Age: 97 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Nationality: American
H. M. Wynant is an American actor whose film credits include The Slender Thread (1965), The Helicopter Spies (1986), Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) and Hangar 18 (1980). He has also made numerous guest appearances on television shows, such as The Twilight Zone and The Rockford Files.
13. Earl Holliman
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Henry Earl Holliman
- Date of birth: September 11, 1928
- Age: 95 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Delhi, Louisiana, USA
- Nationality: American
Henry Earl Holliman is an actor who became famous after portraying Sergeant Bill Crowley on Police Woman (1974 - 1978). His other notable films include Pony Soldier (1952), Scared Stiff (1953), Tennessee Champ (1954) and The Rainmaker (1956). Besides acting, he is an animal rights activist.
14. Mark Rydell
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Mark Rydell
- Date of birth: March 23, 1929
- Age: 94 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: New York, USA
- Nationality: American
Mark Rydell is an actor and director known for The Long Goodbye (1973), On Golden Pond (1981) and Hollywood Ending (2002). He has directed several award-winning films, including Cinderella Liberty (1973), The Rose (1979), and The River (1984).
15. Rita Moreno
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Rita Moreno
- Date of birth: December 11, 1931
- Age: 92 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Humacao, Puerto Rico
- Nationality: Puerto Rican
Rita Moreno is a Puerto Rican actress and one of the last remaining stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood. She made history as the first Hispanic woman to win an Academy Award, earning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress as Anita in the West Side Story film adaptation (1961). Her other films include The Four Seasons (1981), and I Like It Like That (1994).
16. William Daniels
Source: UGC
- Full name: William David Daniels
- Date of birth: March 31, 1927
- Age: 96 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Nationality: American
William David is an American actor who gained fame for playing Mark Craig on the drama series St. Elsewhere. His other notable roles include A Thousand Clowns (1965), The Graduate (1967), The Parallax View (1974), and The One and Only (1978).
17. Gene Hackman
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Eugene Allen Hackman
- Date of birth: January 30, 1930
- Age: 94 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: San Bernardino, California, USA
- Nationality: American
Gene Hackman is an American actor and novelist known for his charismatic and heartfelt performances across several genres. Some of his notable films include The Conversation (1974), Hoosiers (1986), Get Shortly (1995), The Birdcage (1996), and The Royal Tenenbaums (2001).
18. Eva Marie Saint
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Eva Marie Saint
- Date of birth: July 4, 1924
- Age: 99 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Newark, New Jersey, USA
- Nationality: American
Eva Marie Saint, one of the oldest actors still acting, is famous for playing the lead female role in On the Waterfront (1954), earning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her other classic movies she has appeared in include Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest (1959) and Exodus (1960).
19. June Lockhart
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: June Lockhart
- Date of birth: June 25, 1925
- Age: 98 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: New Jersey, USA
- Nationality: American
June Lockhart is an American actress best known as Ruth Martin on the CBS television series Lassie (1958–1964). Her other notable films include Adam Had Four Sons (1941), Miss Annie Rooney (1942), Bury Me Dead (1947), and Dead Women in Lingerie (1991).
20. Lee Grant
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Lee Grant
- Date of birth: January 30, 1930
- Age: 94 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: New York, USA
- Nationality: American
Lee Grant gained fame after winning the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Warren Beatty's older lover in Shampoo (1975). Her other films include Detective Story (1951), The Balcony (1963), The Fugitive (1964), and The Last Generation (1971).
Who is the oldest celebrity still alive?
Elisabeth Waldo (age 105 years old in 2024) was born on June 18, 1918, making her the oldest living celebrity still alive today. She is an American composer, conductor, and violinist who released several albums, including Realm of the Incas (1961), People of the Book (1967), Land of Golden Dreams (2004) and Heartstrings Soul of the Americas (2008).
Above are the oldest living actors in 2024, and they have proved that age is just a number and that it should never hinder success. These individuals are celebrated for their contributions to the entertainment industry and are admired for their talent, longevity, and enduring impact on the entertainment scene.
READ ALSO: Top 20 famous South African actors and actresses you should know
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Most of these stars have opened up their careers to encompass dramas, horror movies, and comedies. Here are the top South African actors and actresses you should know.
Source: Briefly News
