# Do any Hollywood stars grow old gracefully anymore? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 9, 2012, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-hollywood-stars-grow-old-gracefully-anymore/612333 "2012-02-09T19:00:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-hollywood-stars-grow-old-gracefully-anymore/612333/41 "2012-02-10T19:19:36Z")
I can’t believe someone beat me to mentioning James Garner. Looking over my Dragon_Con photos, I’ll say that of the older folks I’ve seen (some at arm’s length), Howard Hesseman, Edward James Olmos, Dean Stockwell, William B. Davis, Avery Brooks, Richard Herd, Dwight Schultz, Louise Fletcher, and Peter Mayhew_ all look like they have avoided surgery. - 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-hollywood-stars-grow-old-gracefully-anymore/612333/42 "2012-02-10T19:39:39Z")
Abe Vigoda seems to be agine naturally. But then again, he looked like he was 70 in Godfather I (1972). Or maybe he is actually 110! ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-hollywood-stars-grow-old-gracefully-anymore/612333/43 "2012-02-10T19:39:49Z")
I think growing old gracefully can still encompass having some work done; it’s just the amount of work and what it’s trying to accomplish that is in question. For instance, if Julie Christie has had work done, it’s not to pretend she’s still 25 years old - she still looks her age, just a less saggy version than she might have otherwise looked. I don’t know if Goldie Hawn has had work done; she’s rumored to have, but even if not, she always appears to me that she thinks she’s still 25 and makes herself up and dresses as though she still is. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-hollywood-stars-grow-old-gracefully-anymore/612333/44 "2012-02-10T19:45:17Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > There’s a _huge_ amount of confirmation bias here. It’s relatively difficult to identify plastic surgery done right. People don’t look like they’ve had work done, they just look good. > > The people you can identify as having had plastic surgery are usually partway into the uncanny valley of stretched skin, big lips, uneven features, etc. The only ones you notice are the ones that look bad. Yes, I have a relative who is an older actress who has had a facelift, and it is flawless, you would never be able to tell, not even in person. Her husband described it as just like herself, only better. Didn’t Bea Arthur have a facelift during the run of Maude? Hers was quite natural looking, and probably never would have been noticed if she hadn’t talked about it. ---
**Author:** ![YoudNeverGuess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a587f6/32.png) [@YoudNeverGuess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YoudNeverGuess)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-hollywood-stars-grow-old-gracefully-anymore/612333/45 "2012-02-10T21:10:49Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > I think growing old gracefully can still encompass having some work done; it’s just the amount of work and what it’s trying to accomplish that is in question. For instance, if Julie Christie has had work done, it’s not to pretend she’s still 25 years old - she still looks her age, just a less saggy version than she might have otherwise looked. I don’t know if Goldie Hawn has had work done; she’s rumored to have, but even if not, she always appears to me that she thinks she’s still 25 and makes herself up and dresses as though she still is. Yes good point. Julie Christie certainly looks more gracefully her age than Goldie Hawn. Both look their age and both look good for their age except that Goldie does tend to look like ‘mutton dressed as lamb’ because of the clothes she wears and the colour and styling of her hair. That’s not graceful in my book. ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-hollywood-stars-grow-old-gracefully-anymore/612333/46 "2012-02-10T22:39:16Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > It’s sad that people feel the need to surgically alter themselves, but it’s much sadder how often it winds up being so obvious and creepy looking. I have to wonder how so many crappy surgeons stay in business. I mean, these people have plenty of money, they’re not bargain-hunting, so what exactly happens? Do they look for people who have recently been made to look like poor facsimiles of people, ask who did that to them, and then go to that person? Is that what they’re going for? [New Plastic Surgery Technique Makes 40-Year-Old Women Look Like Really-Weird-Looking 38-Year-Olds](http://www.theonion.com/articles/new-plastic-surgery-technique-makes-40yearold-wome,19437/) ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-hollywood-stars-grow-old-gracefully-anymore/612333/47 "2012-02-11T00:20:39Z")
Kinda surprised no one’s mentioned Betty White. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-hollywood-stars-grow-old-gracefully-anymore/612333/48 "2012-02-11T00:34:25Z")
> [@Purd\_Werfect](#): > > Kinda surprised no one’s mentioned Betty White. She’s a good example. [She’s acknowledged having some work done](http://www.beaarthurfan.com/articles/beabetty.html), including eye bags, but she isn’t trying to look like an ingenue. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-hollywood-stars-grow-old-gracefully-anymore/612333/49 "2012-02-11T00:45:13Z")
How about the ever-chic and gracefully aging Sylvia Miles? [http://www.superiorpics.com/sylvia\_miles/](http://www.superiorpics.com/sylvia_miles/) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-hollywood-stars-grow-old-gracefully-anymore/612333/50 "2012-02-11T00:49:07Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > She’s a good example. [She’s acknowledged having some work done](http://www.beaarthurfan.com/articles/beabetty.html), including eye bags, but she isn’t trying to look like an ingenue. Angela Lansbury also acknowledges having some work done, but it’s good work and not too much of it. [2011 picture](http://server1.showbizspy.com/static/SGY-0223221.jpg) Judi Dench has looked like she’s in her 60s for the last 30 years, but she’s a natural looking 60-something, and currently that’s kind of flattering for her since she’s in her mid '70s (and was, don’t know if she still is, a really heavy smoker). [2011 picture](http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/bg/Dame+Judi+Dench+2011+Southbank+Sky+Arts+Awards+rC-1n5jzeAZl.jpg) Cicely Tyson, who’s in her late 70s and is a long-time veegan and exercise/yoga afficianado, looks very good without looking enhanced. [2011 pic](http://www.contactmusic.com/pics/ld/bet_honors_arrivals_160111/cicely_tyson_3168468.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-hollywood-stars-grow-old-gracefully-anymore/612333/51 "2012-02-11T00:53:29Z")
> [@Archergal](#): > > Robert Redford looks pretty unmodified to me. and a walking advert for the use, every single day use, of sunscreen. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-hollywood-stars-grow-old-gracefully-anymore/612333/52 "2012-02-11T00:58:02Z")
For men, Christopher Plummer is a dapper 80-something. He probably has had work done, but it was affective work and didn’t give him lizard eyes or skydiver face. [2011 pic](http://o.onionstatic.com/images/articles/article/21/21279/SB_Christopher_Plummer_R_jpg_630x1200_upscale_q85.jpg) (though in that picture it looks like he’s going to GraceBrothersCon as Mr. Humphries) Christopher Lee is a natural looking and attractive 89 years old, and I hope I’m that in-demand when I’m his age. (He has had severe arthritis in his hands for many years and so in close-ups he usually is holding something.) [2011 pic](http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/bg/Christopher+Lee+Stars+Paris+Premiere+Hugo+ZpzfluJe3hHl.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-hollywood-stars-grow-old-gracefully-anymore/612333/53 "2012-02-11T01:16:44Z")
Poor Brigitte Bardot looks like an ad _for_ plastic surgery. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-hollywood-stars-grow-old-gracefully-anymore/612333/54 "2012-02-11T01:28:20Z")
Other than maintaining her red hair well past the age where it looks natural, [Maureen O’Hara](http://pdxretro.com/2011/08/maureen-o-hara-is-91-today/) has seemed to have aged gracefully. Good lord, that woman was lovely. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-hollywood-stars-grow-old-gracefully-anymore/612333/55 "2012-02-11T01:33:53Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > I am reminded of a Julia Roberts quote from perhaps a year or so back. No, I don’t do Botox and such. I want my children to know when I’m mad at them. David Letterman, after Zsa Zsa Gabor was the victim of a fender bender: “She was so mad, you should have seen the face she wanted to make!” mmm [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-hollywood-stars-grow-old-gracefully-anymore/612333.md?page=2)