# Age differences on TV. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 10, 2003, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342 "2003-11-10T04:06:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![crazy\_grady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dbc845/32.png) [@crazy\_grady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazy_grady)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342/1 "2003-11-10T04:06:38Z")
Age trivia on TV: On Sanford and Son, the character Grady was played by Whitman Mayo was only 43 playing a dottering senior citizen. Redd Foxx was only 50. At least Demond Wilson (Lamont) was young enough to play Foxx’s son. On Good Times, John Amos who played the father James is 19 years younger than the late Esther Rolle who played the mother Florida. The oldest son was played by Jimmie Walker (JJ). John Amos is only 7 1/2 years older than JJ. So, in real time, when JJ was born, mom was 27 and dad was in the second grade. On the Golden Girls, Estelle Getty is two monthes younger than Bea Arthur and 1 1/2 years younger than Betty White. Rue MCClanahan is about 7-8 years younger than the rest of the group. On I Love Lucy, William Frawley (Fred) is 22 years older than Ethel (Vivian Vance), so Frawley could of been Vance’s father not husband. Lucy was 6 years older than Desi. Lucy was the last cast member to die (1989). Any other weird age trivia? ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342/2 "2003-11-10T04:34:34Z")
Michael Chiklis was in his late 20’s when he took the role of Tony Scalia in _The Commish_. He played the 40-ish police commissioner so well that he was almost passed over for the role of Vic Mackey in FX’s _The Shield_ because the producers thought of him as “an old guy”. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342/3 "2003-11-10T04:57:17Z")
Well, Sean Connery is 12 years older than Harrison Ford, yet played his father in _Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade_. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342/4 "2003-11-10T05:32:49Z")
**The Jeffersons** : Isabelle Sanford is 21 years older than Sherman Hemsley. **I Love Lucy** : Vivian Vance was 22 years younger than William Frawley. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342/5 "2003-11-10T05:48:34Z")
In the movie **Blue Hawaii (1961), Angela Lansbury** played Elvis Presley’s mother even though Elvis was just ten years younger. In the movie **Manchurian Candidate (1962), Angela Lansbury** played Laurence Harvey’s mother even though she was only 3 years older than Laurence Harvey. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342/6 "2003-11-10T13:34:46Z")
I know the OP says “T.V.” but since others have already opened it up to movies . . . Cary Grant was two weeks OLDER than Jessie Royce Landis, who played his mother in North by Northwest. Dustin Hoffman was a 30 year old GRADUATE having an affair with a 36 year old Anne Bancroft- ooh scandalous! ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342/7 "2003-11-10T14:51:15Z")
In the mid 80’s I saw Mark Lenard (Sarek) at a sci-fi convention. One clueless guy in the audience asked him the following: Q: Could you be Spock’s father? A: I don’t understand your question sir. Q: Could you really be Spock’s father? A: What do you mean? Q: I mean, are you old enough to be Nimoy’s father? long pause A: What are you, naive? Sure, if I had him when I was 7. Next question. Audience utters a collective “whoah!”. ---
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342/8 "2003-11-10T15:21:23Z")
Beverley Mitchell, plays the younger sister Lucy on **7th HEaven** , & Jessica Beil who played the older Mary was actually a bit over a year younger. In **POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE** Shriley MacLaine playing the Mom & is almost exactly 20 years older than Meryl Streep, possible & in the ballpark but pushing it … ---
**Author:** ![okielady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/fbc32d/32.png) [@okielady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/okielady)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342/9 "2003-11-10T15:28:00Z")
I’ve heard that the girl who plays the younger sister in “8 Simple Rules” is actually older than the girl who plays the older sister. I don’t know their official ages though, so I’m not sure how much older. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342/10 "2003-11-10T15:31:02Z")
**Six Feet Under** : Peter Krause was born in 1965, and Frances Conroy and Richard Jenkins, who play his mother and father, were both born in 1953. They must have had him when they were only 12 years old. ---
**Author:** ![Tradnor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@Tradnor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tradnor)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342/11 "2003-11-10T20:39:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by okielady \* > \*\*I’ve heard that the girl who plays the younger sister in “8 Simple Rules” is actually older than the girl who plays the older sister. I don’t know their official ages though, so I’m not sure how much older. \*\* This is true. The blonde girl is 18, and the redhead (the “younger” sister) is 24. ---
**Author:** ![cichlidiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f9b8f/32.png) [@cichlidiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cichlidiot)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342/12 "2003-11-10T20:50:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bienville \* > \*\*Cary Grant was two weeks OLDER than Jessie Royce Landis, who played his mother in North by Northwest. > > \*\* Ooh, cool trivia, I never realized this. As to the OP, it’s not a huge age disparity, but on Malcolm In The Middle, Malcom (Frankie) is actually just a bit over a year older than Reese. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342/13 "2003-11-10T21:44:04Z")
Since the days of 25-year-old Dwayne Hickman and 24-year-old Bob Denver played high schoolers on _The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis_, all teenagers on tv have been older than they look. Some of the “students” on _Boston Public_ are older than some of the “teachers.” But it’s been getting worse for years. Malcolm-Jamal Warner was 36 on _The Cosby Show_. Mayim Bialek was 42 when she played Blossom. Shannon Doherty was legally dead by her third year on _Beverly Hills 90210_. Most shockingly, the Olsen twins are unaging simulacra created by Nostradamus. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342/14 "2003-11-10T22:43:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Exapno Mapcase \* > \*\*Shannon Doherty was legally dead by her third year on _Beverly Hills 90210_. \*\* Okay, wise guy. However, Gabrielle Carteris _was_ 34 by the time she got off 90210. Olivia Newton-John was 29 and Stockard Channing was 34 when they made Grease. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342/15 "2003-11-11T01:43:03Z")
**Robert Vaughn** was 26 years old when he portrayed a \*\*“Teenage Caveman”(1958) \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342/16 "2003-11-11T14:51:52Z")
Robert Mitchum was 41 years old in 1958. His son, James, was 17 that year, but they played _brothers_ in **Thunder Road**! ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342/17 "2003-11-11T14:51:52Z")
Robert Mitchum was 41 years old in 1958. His son, James, was 17 that year, but they played _brothers_ in **Thunder Road**! ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342/18 "2003-11-11T15:49:25Z")
Stacey Dash was 33 by the time her character, Dionne, graduated high school in the TV series “Clueless.” The lovely Ms. Dash played the same character in the 1995 movie of the same name. The series ran from 1996-99. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342/19 "2003-11-11T16:50:14Z")
On Charmed there are three sisters and a younger half sister, and birth order of the witches is fairly important to the family dynamics on the show. 1st born - Prue - Shannen Doherty: DOB 12 April 1971 2nd born - Piper - Holly Marie Combs: DOB 3 December 1973 3rd born - Phoebe- Alyssa Milano : DOB 19 December 1972 4th born - Paige - Rose McGowan : DOB 5 September 1973 They killed off Prue at the end of season three, so the oldest sister on the show is actually the youngest actress. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342/20 "2003-11-11T18:20:45Z")
Stacey Dash also played “Hallie Gilmore at 18” in the 2002 movie _The Picture_. Must be nice to be eternally ageless. And what I said is true about _Boston Public_, BTW, later joking notwithstanding. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/age-differences-on-tv/212342.md?page=2)