While there have been a great number of Hollywood stars that never made it to 40, there are just as many, if not more, famous actors and entertainers that lived longer than 90 years. In fact, several eclipsed the century mark before crossing over into the great unknown. These titans of the movie industry, actors and directors behind Best Picture winners, and staples of the small screen all have one thing in common, besides being beloved by millions, their longevity.
Here are 32 Hollywood stars that lived to be more than 90.
Sean Connery
Sean Connery, the iconic actor best known for playing James Bond in several of the best 007 movies, lived to the age of 90 years, two months, and six days before passing away on Halloween in 2020. Upon his death, the BBC said he left behind a tremendous body of work and a vacancy for the title of “Greatest Living Scot.”
Betty White
Trailblazing comedian and cherished American treasure Betty White passed away on December 31, 2021, just a few weeks before the Golden Girls star and recurring guest on The Carol Burnett Show would have turned 100, per CNN. In her 99 years on the Earth, White lived life to the fullest to say the very least.
Carl Reiner
Carl Reiner, one of the most well-known and successful names in all of show business, lived to the age of 98 before dying in June 2020, leaving behind a massive body of work stretching decades, according to the New York Times. From creating shows like The Dick Van Dyke Show to a long-lasting partnership with Mel Brooks to stealing scenes in the Ocean’s movies, he had quite a legacy.
Cicely Tyson
Cicely Tyson, the dynamic actress that won a Tony, multiple Emmys, an honorary Oscar, and dozens of other accolades, was 96 years old when she died in January 2021, according to the New York Times. Over the course of a seven-decade career, Tyson gave commanding performances in film, television, and on Broadway.
Tony Bennett
Though known mostly for his decades-long music career that saw him earn countless awards, honors, and other accolades, Tony Benett made several film and TV appearances throughout his life. Sadly, the legendary crooner passed away at the age of 98 in July 2023, per the New York Times.
Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas, the star of classics like Paths of Glory, The Bad and the Beautiful, and most famously, Spartacus, passed away in February 2020, per the New York Times. The Hollywood star lived to the age of 103.
Mickey Rooney
One of the brilliant Hollywood stars lost in 2014, Mickey Rooney was 93 years old at the time of his death, which marked the end to one of the most prolific and tumultuous careers in all of show business, according to the New York Times. Throughout his 88-year career, Rooney appeared in more than 300 movies and reinvented himself time and time again.
Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Hepburn, who won a record four Academy Awards throughout her career, and was 96 years old at the time of her death in June 2003. At that time, the Washington Post described her as an actress of breathtaking talent and unsurpassed durability.
Sidney Poitier
Trailblazing actor Sidney Poitier, who became the first Black performer to win an Oscar for Best Actor, lived to the age of 94 years old before passing away in June 2022, per the New York Times. Throughout his career, Poitier appeared in films like Lillies of the Field, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, and In the Heat of the Night to name only a few. Several of Poitier’s best movies could also be considered touchstones of American cinema.
Bob Hope
After spending decades entertaining millions upon millions with his various Broadway, radio, television, and movies, not to mention his tireless efforts bringing laughter to troops stationed around the world, Bob Hope passed away in July 2003. According to the Los Angeles Times, the later entertainer was 100 years old at the time of his passing.
Gloria Stuart
Gloria Stuart, the older Rose from James Cameron’s 1997 romantic epic, Titanic, passed away in July 2010. According to the Los Angeles Times, the veteran actress died just two days after her 100th birthday.
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Hollywood legend Zsa Zsa Gabor, known for her work in For the First Time, Moulin Rouge, Lovely to Look At, We’re Not Married, and dozens upon dozens of other projects, passed away in December 2016. According to Variety, the actress, who dazzled on the silver screen for 60 years, was 99 years old at the time of her death.
Angela Lansbury
Angela Lansbury, best known for starring roles in Beauty and the Beast and Murder, She Wrote among others, was 96 years old at the time of her death in October 2022, according to the Guardian. Following her death, Lansbury’s legacy and influence was remembered by multiple celebrities, including Hugh Jackman, Josh Gad, and Judd Apatow.
George Burns
After 93 years in show business, George Burns lived to be 100 before he passed away in March 1999. In his obituary published by the New York Times, Burns was described as a cigar-smoking comedian considered to be the best “straight man” in the world of comedy. Over the course of his decades-spanning career, Burns performed on TV, in sold out clubs and theaters, and pretty much anywhere else where audiences would watch his trademark routines.
Bob Barker
Bob Barker, the longtime host of The Price is Right, Happy Gilmore star, and advocate for spaying and neutering your pets, lived to be 99 years old before he passed away in August 2023, per TMZ. The TV and Hollywood icon was just four months shy of his 100th birthday at the time of his death, a passing that was met with an emotional response from his fans. Dozens of celebrities took to social media in the wake of his passing to share stories about working with the iconic figure, including Adam Sandler with whom he had a funny ongoing feud.
Ed Asner
Ed Asner, who starred on shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Roots, as well as movies like Up and Elf, was 91 at the time of his passing in August 2021, per The Hollywood Reporter. The late actor left behind a massive body of work and lasting legacy we’ll feel for years, if not decades, to come.
Doris Day
American actress and singer Doris Day passed away in May 2019 just weeks after her 97th birthday, per the New York Times. The star of Alfred Hitchcock thrillers (The Man Who Knew Too Much), all-time great romantic comedies (Pillow Talk), and her own sitcom (The Doris Day Show), Day was one of the most talented and prolific Hollywood stars of her time.
Billy Wilder
Billy Wilder, one of the most iconic and impactful directors in the history of Hollywood, lived to the age of 95 before passing away in March 2002, according to CNN. Known for movies like Some Like It Hot, Double Indemnity, Sabrina, and most famously, Sunset Boulevard, the late filmmaker gave moviegoers some of the most unforgettable moments throughout his career.
Harry Dean Stanton
Harry Dean Stanton, one of the greatest character actors of all time, passed away in September 2017, according to the New York Times. He was 91 years old at the time of his passing. Stanton, whose work ranged from Alien to Paris, Texas, and dozens upon dozens of other great films, was one of a kind.
Ennio Morricone
After spending decades crafting some of the most well-known film scores in the history of Hollywood, composer Ennio Morricone passed away at the age of 91 in July 2020, per the New York Times. Throughout his unparalleled career, Morricone created unforgettable moments in everything from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and so much in between.
Joan Fontaine
Joan Fontaine, who appeared in classics like Rebecca and Suspicion and so much more, passed away in December 2013. According to The Hollywood Reporter, she was 96 at the time of her death.
Harry Morgan
Best known for his portrayal of Col. Sherman T. Potter on the long-running sitcom M*A*S*H, Emmy Award-winning actor Harry Morgan lived to be 96 years of age before he passed away in December 2011, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Christopher Plummer
Following a decades-spanning career that saw him take major roles in The Sound of Music, Beginners, and Knives Out, passed away in February 2021. According to Variety, the multi-talented actor and Oscar winner was 91 years old at the time of his death.
Jerry Lewis
A comedian that was great in dramatic roles, Jerry Lewis lived to be 91 years old before his death in August 2021, according to Variety. Throughout his career, Lewis appeared in everything from The Nutty Professor to The King of Comedy, and so much more.
Phyllis Diller
After spending most of her life serving as one of the funniest, sassiest, and most prolific comedians in show business, Phyllis Diller passed away in August 2012. In her obituary published by the New York Times, Phyllis was credited with inspiring two generations of female comedians by breaking through doors, ceilings, and just about everything else to make her voice heard. She was 95 years old at the time of her passing.
Hal Holbrook
Hal Holbrook, who spent decades perfecting his craft in film, television, and his long-running one-man stage show about Mark Twain, lived to the age of 95, before passing away in February 2021, according to the New York Times. Throughout his career, he appeared in movies like All the President’s Men, Into the Wild, and Lincoln, to name just a few.
Ernest Borgnine
Ernest Borgnine lived to be 95 years of age, until his death in July 2012, per The Hollywood Reporter. The legendary actor appeared in countless film and television projects throughout his career and even won an Oscar for his performance in Delbert Mann’s 1955 romantic drama, Marty.
Maureen O’Hara
After spending a career dazzling audiences in movies like Miracle on 34th Street, How Green Was My Valley, and The Foxes of Harrow, Maureen O’Hara passed away in October 2014 when she was 95, according to USA Today.
Jerry Stiller
Jerry Stiller passed away in May 2020 — the beloved comedian, Seinfeld star, and father of actor Ben Stiller was 92. Over the course of his legendary career in show business, Stiller found success with his wife, Anne Meara, appeared in movies like Hairspray and The Taking of Pelham One, Two, Three, and did so much more, as covered in his New York Times obituary.
Stan Lee
Stan Lee, the man behind some of the most recognized and influential Marvel Comics characters, as well as a great cameo actor in several of the best Marvel movies, lived to be 95 years old before passing away in November 2018. Described by the New York Times as a man who revolutionized the comic book world, Lee’s impact continues to be felt today.
Joss Ackland
Joss Ackland, who appeared in more than 100 movies and TV shows ranging from Lethal Weapon 2 to White Mischief, passed away in November 2023. According to the BBC, the legendary and prolific actor was 95 years old at the time of his death.
Hugh Hefner
Though he wasn’t an actor or director, Hugh Hefner was just as much a part of the Hollywood scene as anyone else throughout the second half of the 20th century and beyond, thanks to his groundbreaking Playboy publication. The party came to an end for the media trailblazer in September 2019 when he passed away at the age of 91. According to the New York Times, Hefner died at his longtime home, the Playboy Mansion.
While we are sad that some of these beloved Hollywood stars have passed away, we can take solace in knowing they all lived long and fulfilling lives, each having an incredible impact on the entertainment industry and culture as a whole. Five, ten, and even fifty years from now, it’s hard to imagine a Hollywood, or world, where these icons aren’t just as impactful as they are today.
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Khushi Patel is a science fiction author who lives in Austin, Texas. She has published three novels, and her work has been praised for its originality and imagination. Khushi is a graduate of Rice University, and she has worked as a software engineer. She is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, and her books have been nominated for several awards.
