# Actors Who Looked "Old" for a LOOOONG Time **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 27, 2020, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069 "2020-01-27T18:44:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069/101 "2020-02-03T16:57:41Z")
Spencer Tracy always looked like an old fuddy duddy. I can’t see the appeal there, even when he was young. Same with Humphrey Bogart. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069/102 "2020-02-03T17:10:38Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > Well, more like 30s and early 40s, really, not close to fifty. But I think I get your point anyway - they’re not young men in their physical peak, which for most men would be in their twenties, they’re starting to approach middle age, and for some reason that makes them more credible. Even Matt Damon was 32 when he starred in the first Bourne movie. Surely Liam Neeson would win this tangent? He was 56 when he did the \*first \*Taken movie. His “special skills” probably don’t include being able to quickly stand up from squatting. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069/103 "2020-02-03T17:29:54Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > I thought for a long time that William Hartnell, the first Doctor Who, was within a loud shout of 70 when he took the role in 1963. Nope. Only 55. You do realise he was wearing makeup and a wig, right? Here’s what he really looked like. [![](http://shillpages.com/dw/hartnw26.jpg) ](http://shillpages.com/dw/hartnw26.jpg) [![](http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20101125173759/tardis/images/5/5f/The_Cast_and_Verity.jpg) ](http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20101125173759/tardis/images/5/5f/The_Cast_and_Verity.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069/104 "2020-02-03T17:45:53Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > You do realise he was wearing makeup and a wig, right? > > Here’s what he really looked like. > > [http://shillpages.com/dw/hartnw26.jpg](http://shillpages.com/dw/hartnw26.jpg) > [http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/\_\_cb20101125173759/tardis/images/5/5f/The\_Cast\_and\_Verity.jpg](http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20101125173759/tardis/images/5/5f/The_Cast_and_Verity.jpg) He looks pretty friggin old in those shots. It wasn’t the makeup and wig. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069/105 "2020-02-03T20:01:35Z")
If you allow a little sidetrack from the musical world: Johnny Cash already looked like a weathered 45 years old when he started his recording career at Sun Studios as a twenty-something and kept on looking older than his real age until his death. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069/106 "2020-02-04T06:20:43Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Ernest Borgnine has always looked like a beer-bellied unhealthy living 55-60 years old throughout his whole career to me. [Here he is at age 36](https://filmforum.org/do-not-enter-or-modify-or-erase/client-uploads/_1000w/from-here-to-eternity-slide4.jpg) in _From Here to Eternity_. Stocky but fit and pretty much looking his age, IMHO. > [@](#): > > ETA: one more: Max von Sydow has always looked old. > [@typoink](#): > > Ooh, that’s a good one. I always thought he looked like he was past 40 in The Seventh Seal (not just in his late twenties). I disagree. I remember seeing that movie again a few years ago and thinking, “How young he looks!” Of course, his character is supposed to be war weary and look older than his years. > [@](#): > > And I’ve also always felt like The Seventh Seal looks like it was shot in the fifties or earlier, not in the late sixties. Any time I see him my gut reaction is that he must be impossibly old. 😕 It was made in [1957](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050976/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0). ETA: Margaret Hamilton was the one I was going to mention, but a couple of people have beaten me to it. ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2020, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069/107 "2020-02-06T05:25:30Z")
Johnny Cash was an actor at times, mostly in TV movies, but he had some decent parts. One was as the good guy in “Murder in Coweta County” - with Andy Griffith cast as the villain. But yes, when we was 70 he looked 90. ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2020, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069/108 "2020-02-06T05:28:37Z")
> [@BubbaDog](#): > > Forgive me for being a little off topic but I remember that one of the reasons I went to a Willie Nelson concert in 1978 was that I believed that soon after he might be too old to tour. Not as extreme, but I remember seeing the Stones in 1989, and everyone in that line seemed to say “well…this is the last chance” - not just on account of their age, but it was rumored Mick and Keith would break up at any time. B.B. King was another person who spent 20-30 years on tours that everyone figured would be the last chance. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2020, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069/109 "2020-02-06T16:59:23Z")
I just saw the 1951 version of **Show Boat** last night, with a 51 year old Agnes Moorehead as Parthenia “Parthy” Hawks. She doesn’t look too bad or too old. She doesn’t look great, though, because she’s surrounded by flamboyant characters dressed in outrageously vibrant Technicolor clothes, and she’s dressed in brown. Plus, she plays a real “downer” of a character. I think that’s part of the reason she’s perceived as prematurely old – her notable roles are dressed down and are pretty negative. Parthy Hawks, Mary Kane (in _Citizen Kane_, when she was only 41), whacko romance-spoiling Aunt Fanny Minifer in _The Magnificent Ambersons_, Jane Eyre’s mean Aunt who throws her out, The Woman in “The Invaders” on _The Twilight Zone_. If she’d had upbeat roles and dressed more flashily I don’t think she’d be perceived as Prematurely Old. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2020, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069/110 "2020-02-06T17:45:59Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I just saw the 1951 version of **Show Boat** last night, with a 51 year old Agnes Moorehead as Parthenia “Parthy” Hawks. She doesn’t look too bad or too old. She doesn’t look great, though, because she’s surrounded by flamboyant characters dressed in outrageously vibrant Technicolor clothes, and she’s dressed in brown. Plus, she plays a real “downer” of a character. I think that’s part of the reason she’s perceived as prematurely old – her notable roles are dressed down and are pretty negative. Parthy Hawks, Mary Kane (in _Citizen Kane_, when she was only 41), whacko romance-spoiling Aunt Fanny Minifer in _The Magnificent Ambersons_, Jane Eyre’s mean Aunt who throws her out, The Woman in “The Invaders” on _The Twilight Zone_. If she’d had upbeat roles and dressed more flashily I don’t think she’d be perceived as Prematurely Old. You left out “businesswoman” Bertha Parchman in \*\*\*The Revolt of Mamie Stover \*\*\*(1956)—opposite Jane Russell. :o ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2020, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069/111 "2020-02-06T18:40:16Z")
> [@syncrolecyne](#): > > Not as extreme, but I remember seeing the Stones in 1989, and everyone in that line seemed to say “well…this is the last chance” - not just on account of their age, but it was rumored Mick and Keith would break up at any time. Coincidentally, I got an online ad today offering me tickets to their upcoming local concert. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069/112 "2020-02-08T23:13:50Z")
I saw Judd Hirsch recently in _Uncut Gems_ and thought of this thread. He’s finally looking old old, but I swear he looked to be 60 for about 30 years. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069/113 "2020-02-09T00:02:29Z")
> [@Powers](#): > > In the sequel, one of the first things 77-year-old Doc does is strip off his aging mask (which Doc had used to hide his de-aging treatments from Marty) so that Lloyd could play him without makeup. Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down. I thought the joke was that when he took the aging mask, he looked identical to how he looked before. We laughed in the theater in 1989 thinking that was the joke and I have always thought that was the joke. He…did look the same after he took off the “peel”, didn’t he? I thought Marty was being nice when he paused and said, “Yeah, ya’ look great, Doc” or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069/114 "2020-02-09T13:57:22Z")
I was surprised Ian McDiarmid was only 36 in Empire Strikes Back. They used makeup and other stuff to make him look much older. He’s 75 now. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069/115 "2020-02-09T19:36:01Z")
Anne Bancroft was only six years older than Dustin Hoffman. She had no problem playing the older woman in The Graduate. Anne always looked middle aged to me, no matter which movie. > **[The Graduate (1967) - Trivia - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061722/trivia/)** > > The Graduate (1967) - Trivia on IMDb: Cameos, Mistakes, Spoilers and more... > [@](#): > > Although Mrs. Robinson is supposed to be much older than Benjamin, Anne Bancroft and Dustin Hoffman were just under six years apart in age. He looked naturally boyish, and she was made up to look older. Bancroft was only eight years older than her “daughter” Katharine Ross. William Daniels (Mr. Braddock) only ten years older than his “son” Hoffman. ---
**Author:** ![Powers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Powers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069/116 "2020-03-26T19:10:09Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down. I thought the joke was that when he took the aging mask, he looked identical to how he looked before. > > We laughed in the theater in 1989 thinking that was the joke and I have always thought that was the joke. > > He…did look the same after he took off the “peel”, didn’t he? I thought Marty was being nice when he paused and said, “Yeah, ya’ look great, Doc” or something like that. Doc’s aging makeup was subtle, yes. But it’s there. > **[Rejuvenation Clinic – Back to the Predictions](https://backtothepredictions.com/rejuvenation-clinic/)** Powers &8^] ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069/117 "2020-03-26T21:08:37Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > I saw Judd Hirsch recently in _Uncut Gems_ and thought of this thread. He’s finally looking old old, but I swear he looked to be 60 for about 30 years. Considering that he’s 85, that sounds like the opposite of looking prematurely old. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069/118 "2020-03-26T21:10:37Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I just saw the 1951 version of **Show Boat** last night, with a 51 year old Agnes Moorehead as Parthenia “Parthy” Hawks. She doesn’t look too bad or too old. She doesn’t look great, though, because she’s surrounded by flamboyant characters dressed in outrageously vibrant Technicolor clothes, and she’s dressed in brown. Plus, she plays a real “downer” of a character. I think that’s part of the reason she’s perceived as prematurely old – her notable roles are dressed down and are pretty negative. Parthy Hawks, Mary Kane (in _Citizen Kane_, when she was only 41), whacko romance-spoiling Aunt Fanny Minifer in _The Magnificent Ambersons_, Jane Eyre’s mean Aunt who throws her out, The Woman in “The Invaders” on _The Twilight Zone_. If she’d had upbeat roles and dressed more flashily I don’t think she’d be perceived as Prematurely Old. I never thought of her as looking prematurely old- just her age. And FWIW, she was quite good looking in her youth as well. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069/119 "2020-03-26T21:12:20Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Considering that he’s 85, that sounds like the opposite of looking prematurely old. There are two sentences in my post. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069/120 "2020-03-26T21:29:02Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Bea Arthur always seemed the same age no matter what point in her career. Though I know it’s not accurate, in my mind’s eye the pictures of her as Maude and Dorothy Zbornak are interchangeable. I think she was prematurely gray as well. It really makes a huge difference. My mother didn’t go gray until her late 60s, and then, it was just a few strands. She died at 77, and didn’t have any serious gray until her hair grew back after chemo. That was the first time she ever looked old-- she’d also lost a lot of weight, which made her skin hang. But in her early 60s, when she had naturally ungray hair, she easily could have passed for 10 years younger. In fact, if she’d told you she was 48, you probably would have thought she didn’t look great for her age, but you would have believed her. > [@needscoffee](#): > > Irene Ryan looked old as the hills long before she became Granny in The Beverly Hillbillies starting at age 62. All I can say is she must have been one heavy smoker. I’m pretty sure she wore age make-up, and she definitely wore a wig in _The Beverly Hillbillies_. The “old voice” was an affect, too. A younger actress was actually cast on purpose, partly because they didn’t know how long the series would run, but also partly because if she could move like someone much younger (and she really could move for 62), it was funny. I read that somewhere-- it was a book on TV effects, not a book on _The Beverly Hillbillies_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-looked-old-for-a-loooong-time/847069.md?page=7)