# How old is Cecil? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 13, 2003, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276 "2003-01-13T10:43:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mudcrutch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@mudcrutch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mudcrutch)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276/1 "2003-01-13T10:43:03Z")
Is Cecil typing his columns from the old folks home by now or what? Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276/2 "2003-01-13T10:49:21Z")
He’s only been at it for 30 years, and reading the early columns I get the feeling that these are the work of a rather young man, whose style develops enormously over the following decade. I think there’s no way he’ll be older than 55 right now, which gives him quite a few years before he moves on to Shady Pines. ---
**Author:** ![BrightEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2acd7d/32.png) [@BrightEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrightEyes)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276/3 "2003-01-13T10:52:18Z")
1. ---
**Author:** ![femtosecond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@femtosecond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/femtosecond)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276/4 "2003-01-13T12:45:40Z")
[This](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/020712.html) column puts him somewhere between 1946-1964: > [@](#): > > For baby boomers–and your columnist confesses to being one […] ---
**Author:** ![IcicleFuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ba8739/32.png) [@IcicleFuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IcicleFuzz)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276/5 "2003-01-13T12:50:59Z")
Probably the earlier bit of that time frame, given he says he grew up in the 60’s in [this](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/030110.html) column. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276/6 "2003-01-13T12:56:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by femtosecond \* > \*\*[This](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/020712.html) column puts him somewhere between 1946-1964 \*\* And I think we can rule out 1956-1964, on the grounds that he was probably at least 18 when he wrote his first column. So, this year he’ll celebrate his 48th-57th birthday. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276/7 "2003-01-13T23:22:19Z")
On t’other hand, Cecil’s wisdom is ageless. ---
**Author:** ![raz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@raz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raz)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276/8 "2003-01-13T23:39:36Z")
I think there are multiple Cecil Adams’s and it’s all a giant plot. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276/9 "2003-01-14T01:38:26Z")
Looks about 55 from the photos I have seen of him. Kinda looks like stephen king too. ---
**Author:** ![tsunamisurfer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@tsunamisurfer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tsunamisurfer)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276/10 "2003-01-14T02:07:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Priceguy \* > \*\*And I think we can rule out 1956-1964, on the grounds that he was probably at least 18 when he wrote his first column. So, this year he’ll celebrate his 48th-57th birthday. \*\* If he is, as you say, between 1956 and 1964 years in age, are you implying he was born during the first century A.D.? Damn. What the hell does a guy have to do to earn a gold watch? ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276/11 "2003-01-14T02:15:37Z")
Cecil was “sired” in 4688 B.C.E. He’s not entirely human anymore. His old age is also the reason he knows everything; he’s actually witnessed it happening. Unfortunately since he’s a vampire, he can only work night jobs-or jobs that don’t require him to be in the public eye during the day. So wala! The straight dope was born. Think about it, there are no pictures of him. Why would this be? The casual observer might say that Cecil wants his privacy.:rolleyes: But let’s cut the B.S., the reason he doesn’t have any pictures is because his picture **can’t** be taken. Don’t worry though, Cecil’s not evil, per se. He does require the blood of mortals, but because of his age, he only needs it about once every six months. When his blood urge arrises he does what anyone in his position would do; he picks the author of the most inane and pointless letter and snuffs the life out of the person, figuring rightly that the person was too ignorant to live and that his ignorance might infect others. ---
**Author:** ![femtosecond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@femtosecond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/femtosecond)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276/12 "2003-01-14T15:26:02Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Meatros_ > **But let’s cut the B.S., the reason he doesn’t have any pictures is because his picture can’t be taken.** It would explain Slug’s drawings… partly. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276/13 "2003-01-14T16:38:21Z")
“But let’s cut the B.S., the reason he doesn’t have any pictures is because his picture can’t be taken.” Nope, there are a couple of photos of him on the web, just search for them. They are scans of magazine photos of him. ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276/14 "2003-01-14T16:47:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by handy \* > \*\* Nope, there are a couple of photos of him on the web, just search for them. They are scans of magazine photos of him. \*\* :rolleyes: Explain to me how a “vampire” can have their picture taken, alright then, those pictures are clearly fakes… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276/15 "2003-01-14T16:48:03Z")
Cecil was cloned many times over the years, so all the above answers are correct for certain additions. ---
**Author:** ![Cecil\_Adams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cecil\_Adams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cecil_Adams)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276/16 "2003-01-16T17:19:10Z")
My IQ ain’t the only thing we gotta express in scientific notation, bubba. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276/17 "2003-01-16T17:33:55Z")
Oh, the Master posted!!! (Is it wise to question the Master?) ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276/18 "2003-01-16T17:44:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cecil Adams \* > \*\*My IQ ain’t the only thing we gotta express in scientific notation, bubba. \*\* [sub]2[/sub]3 inches of love, eh? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276/19 "2003-01-16T18:09:12Z")
1. He’s 57. b. Feb or March, 1945. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276/20 "2003-01-16T18:22:32Z")
Photo of Cecil Adams [here](http://www.ipass.net/~whitetho/edcecil.htm) . [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-cecil/148276.md?page=2)