Older and Wiser

Older and Wiser

By Cate Rees-Hessel with Wes Hessel

The Last 3 Weeks

The last three weeks have been torturous for Democrats. Joe Biden, one of the greatest presidents of the last 100 years has been under fire because he’s old. The drumbeat to pass the torch to the next generation became too loud to ignore and he has stepped down and endorsed his Vice President, Kamala Harris. Well, we just wanted to remind folks that many people do their best work well into their 80’s.

Age is Just a Number…

Folks in their 70’s, 80’s, and beyond are still going strong. Here are 80 examples of individuals still rockin’ it; capable, determined, and resilient:

1. Betty White was entertaining audiences until the age of 99 – this Golden Girl let nothing stop her.
2. Dick Van Dyke – still vital and funny at 98.
3. Carol Burnett – still as lovely as ever and doing MeTV promos at age 91.
4. Barbara Eden – pretty as a picture at 92.
5. Mary Kaye Ash – was still keeping her skin care empire in the pink at 83.
6. Patrick Stewart – as sexy as can be and still captain of his ship at age 84.
7. Engelbert Humperdinck still has the pipes to croon the most romantic songs and tour at 88.
8. Kent McCord (Jim Reed on “Adam-12”) at 81 is still doing voice overs, and involved in the Screen Actors Guild; he and his bride have been married 62 years.
9. Clara Peller – she brought us the iconic “Where’s the Beef?” line forty years ago, starting her acting career at the age of 81; prior to that she was a manicurist and beautician for 35 years.
10. Eric Estrada – as handsome as ever, still acting, and assisting law enforcement to help keep children safe at age 75.
11. Robert Redford – good looking and active activist at the age of 87; as part of his very lengthy resume, he had a role in two Marvel films, the most recent in 2019.
12. Randolph Mantooth, age 78, and Kevin Tighe, 79 – they continue to advocate for EMS and paramedicine, which their acting work helped create, and recently were working on producing a paramedic reality show.
13. Rick Springfield – sexy, handsome and tearing up concert stages at age 74
14. Angela Lansbury – was still acting, beautiful, and elegant at age 97 before she passed away in 2022.
15. Julie Andrews – beautiful, regal, and still going strong at 88.
16. Carol King – the phenomenal lady is still lovely and melodic, entertaining audiences at 82.
17. Barbara Hale – known to many as Della Street, was still very vital at age 94.
18. Della Reese – an ordained minister and actress until age 86.
19. Anthony Fauci – now age 83, sustained us through the COVID crisis; director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for 38 years until 2022.
20. Jonas Salk – director of the virus research lab at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School when he created the polio vaccine; at his Salk Institute, he was diligently working on an AIDS vaccine until his death at age 80.
21. Stanley Sacks – at age 100, has been practicing law for 75 years in Norfolk, Virginia.
22. Warren Buffet – he has complained he doesn’t pay his fair share in taxes; at 92, and has been CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, number 7 on the Fortune 500 list, for nearly 60 years.
23. Roger Penske at age 84 has been CEO for 25 years at Enterprise Products Partners.
24. Joe Grier, at 99, is working full time at Victory (a Planter Company), making molds for awards and trophies.
25. Mike Nussbaum – Had the pleasure of sharing appetizers with him at a Chicago Shakespeare reception; at age 99 he was the oldest working actor in America.
26. Sara Dappen – per oldest.org, at age 92, finally retired from McDonald’s.
27. Michelin Star sushi chef Jiro Ono – still active at age 97.
28. Dolly Saville – at age 99, retired from her work as a barmaid at Britain’s Red Lion Pub.
29. Jim Clements – in Essex, England, worked in the office of a security firm until age 100.
30. Irving Kahn – retired from investment banking at age 109.
31. Eileen Kramer – still dancing as a performing ballerina at age 108 – check her moves out on Youtube; she began dancing over 80 years ago in 1943.
32. Senator Dianne Feinstein – retired last year at the age of 90.
33. Walter Bingham – at age 99 was the oldest working journalist, in Israel; a heroic Holocaust survivor.
34. Governor (Republican) Kay Ivey is running the state of Alabama nearing age 80.
35. Buddy Guy – still touring, singing the blues at age 88.
36. Dolly Parton – been performing since 1956, this beautiful lady is 78.
37. The legendary Victor Borge continued to perform until his passing at age 91, having done so for 83 years.
38. Magda Olivero – opera diva still belting out arias at 96 years old.
39. Margaret Tunes – was still singing age 104; an African-American beauty that made her Met debut at age 55.
40. James Ivory – director and screenwriter; won his Academy Award at age 89 in 2018.
41. George Takei – strident activist, writer, and actor, 87.
42. Barry Manilow – sensational singer/songwriter; still touring at age 81.
43. Pope Francis – living a life worthy of Christ, while overseeing the Catholic Church at 87
44. Robert Di Nero – actor, including recent Oscar nominee for “Killers of the Flower Moon”, father, and family man, recently on the cover of People Magazine, at 80.
45. King Charles – monarch of the United Kingdom and cancer fighter at age 75.
46. Lou Zambelli – at 87, still works 7 days a week at the family fireworks plant of the Zambelli pyrotechnic dynasty, manufacturing custom specialty shells (per the company’s website).
47. Mel Brooks – still active producer/director at 97 years young.
48. Quincy Jones – continues to produce music at age 90.
49. Berry Gordy – producer and Motown founder, still going at 94.
50. Al Pacino – still sexy as ever at 83.
51. James Earl Jones – still intoning that signature bass in acting at 93.
52. David Attenborough – another icon at age 97
53. Michael Caine – still a silver fox at 90.
54. Martha Stewart – the lifestyle maven, still creating and absolutely beautiful at 82.
55. Joan Collins still stunning at 90.
56. William Shatner – 93 and literally out of this world (in sub-orbital space) just 3 years ago, the oldest person in space.
57. Kim Novak – still lovely and working at age 91.
58. The “Hart to Hart” favorites still shine – Stephanie Powers at 81, and Robert Wagner, recently active in a recurring role on “NCIS”, at 94.
59. Willie Nelson – still making music at 90.
60. The two remaining of the Fab Four – Ringo Starr, 83 and Paul McCartney, 81.
61. Gene Hackman – still can hack it at 94.
62. Rita Moreno – full of energy at age 92.
63. Morgan Freeman – the legend, active actor at 87.
64. Gena Rowlands – still full of life at age 93.
65. Eva Marie Saint – one of my favorite actresses; absolutely beautiful, gracious, and talented at 99.
66. Clint Eastwood – age 93, ‘nuff said.
67. The powerhouse pair, Lily Tomlin at 84, and Jane Fonda at 86 – both still activist and actors.
68. Chuck Norris – 84.
69. Tippi Hedren – vivacious vigor at age 94.
70. Bob Newhart – still playing the ultimate straight man at 94.
71. Robert Duvall – acting at 93.
72. Keith Richards and Mick Jagger are both 80 – still tearing up the stage…
73. Buzz Aldrin may no longer be in orbit but still active at 94.
74. Ellen Burton – very pretty and present at age 91.
75. Joel Grey – still the incomparable man, also at 91.
76. Ruth Westheimer – continued to prove a good sex life keeps you young, up until her recent passing at age 96.
77. Senator Bernie Sanders – still advocating for American people at age 82.
78. Harrison Ford – ever the rakish rogue, now just the silver fox version, continuing his career at 82.
79. Hellen Mirren – the perennial great actress, who was on the runway during Paris Fashion Week this past October, now 78.
80. Judi Dench – another ground-breaking female, who had even taken on the classically male role of James Bond’s boss “M”; won an Oscar two years ago, still working at age 89.