# Hollywood Greats: Who's Left? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 13, 2003, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529 "2003-06-13T09:28:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529/1 "2003-06-13T09:28:04Z")
I’m betting **Eve** has the answer to this one. How many of the actors/actresses who were big names in the “Golden Era” of Hollywood are left? How many of them are still working? And how many of them would _like_ to work, but aren’t able to find a decent script? (Jimmy Stewart supposedly spent the last years of his life turning down scripts that he disliked.) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529/2 "2003-06-13T12:25:59Z")
Katherine Hepburn, for one, though I doubt she’s getting scripts these days. Technically, Robert Blake, but he’s not getting many scripts, either. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529/3 "2003-06-13T12:52:26Z")
Kath **a** rine Hepburn Bob Hope Fay Wray Anita Page Mickey Rooney Baby Peggy (1920s child star) Van Johnson June Allyson Ann Miller Margaret O’Brien Barbara Kent (1920s starlet) Frances Dee Maureen O’Hara Olivia De Havilland Joan Fontaine Cyd Charisse . . . I’m sure I’m forgetting some; haven’t had my coffee yet. ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529/4 "2003-06-13T13:02:34Z")
Lauren Baccal? Mickey Rooney? ---
**Author:** ![paulberserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@paulberserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulberserker)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529/5 "2003-06-13T13:05:38Z")
gregory pecks not. he bought the farm this morning unfortunately. mickey rooneys still going. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529/6 "2003-06-13T13:06:24Z")
Does Kirk Douglas count, or is he a little too young to qualify as a Golden Age of Hollywood star? ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529/7 "2003-06-13T13:09:54Z")
Oh… and wasn’t two-time Best Actress winner Luise Rainer at the last Oscar ceremony? Presumably, she’s still alive. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529/8 "2003-06-13T13:19:11Z")
Oop, I knew I’d forget someone (sorry, Lauren, Luise and Kirk!). Oh, Donald O’Connor . . . Debbie Reynolds . . . Elizabeth Taylor . . . Kim Novak (OK, we’re veering into the 1950s here) . . . ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529/9 "2003-06-13T13:20:41Z")
Betty Hutton! _One_ of the Nicholas Brothers (can’t remember which) . . . ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529/10 "2003-06-13T13:26:31Z")
Question. Of those listed who are still alive, how many are in any shape to actually work? Tuckerfan’s question about those who would like to work seems (to me) to imply the ability to do so. For instance, I’ve heard that Bob Hope is not in good shape these days. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529/11 "2003-06-13T13:27:08Z")
It never ceases to amaze me that Fay Wray is STILL alive. Myrna Loy was still alive until fairly recently, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529/12 "2003-06-13T13:29:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Trion \* > \*\*Question. Of those listed who are still alive, how many are in any shape to actually work? \*\* Last time I saw Lauren on tv she was looking good, but then she’s not _that_ old. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529/13 "2003-06-13T13:33:49Z")
Of the ones I’ve named, Margaret O’Brien, Olivia De Havilland, Debbie Reynolds and Ann Miller are still working. Many others are able to work, but prefer retirement and the occasional interview. Bob Hope, Katharine Hepburn, and Anita Page (a dear friend of mine) are Not Well. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529/14 "2003-06-13T13:36:14Z")
Isn’t Penny Singleton (Blondie) still alive? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529/15 "2003-06-13T13:47:03Z")
Oooh, you’re right, Penny Singleton _is_ still alive! Oh, and Kitty Carlisle Hart (the caffeine is kicking in . . .). ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529/16 "2003-06-13T15:17:22Z")
I was surprised to see Fay Wray and Van Johnson on your list. Jane Russell? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529/17 "2003-06-13T15:36:41Z")
Yep, Miss Russell. Also Ronald Reagan . . . Simone Simon . . . Hume Cronyn . . . Constance Cummings . . . Gloria Stuart . . . Artie Shaw (OK, not really an actor) . . . Buddy Ebsen . . . Eddie Albert . . . And, incredibly prolific character actor [Charles Lane](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Lane,+Charles+(I)), still alive at 98 (his IMDB birth year is wrong, he was born in 1895)! ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529/18 "2003-06-13T15:43:20Z")
😕 1895 + 98 = 1993 He’s 108? Or was he born in 1905? ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529/19 "2003-06-13T15:47:15Z")
Lena Horne and Donald O’Connor are still alive ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529/20 "2003-06-13T15:57:27Z")
It is beginning to look like we’ve got the cast of a pretty good MGM musical… “Hey, gang, mean ol’ Mr. Potter has called in the note on the rest home, but Ms. Teasdale doesn’t have the money! We’re all going to be kicked out and sent to live with our kids!” “I know…let’s put on a show! We’ll raise the money and pay off the note!” \ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hollywood-greats-whos-left/181529.md?page=2)