# Longest lived cast of a TV show? I've got my answer **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [February 3, 2021, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-lived-cast-of-a-tv-show-ive-got-my-answer/932090 "2021-02-03T00:48:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-lived-cast-of-a-tv-show-ive-got-my-answer/932090/1 "2021-02-03T00:48:26Z")
Different from oldest TV show with still living cast, this is the TV show with the most oldest living cast members. Or cast members that lived the longest. Or that have the longest average lifespans. I think that makes this thread as clear as mud. Anyway, I gotta hand it to The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Betty White just celebrated her 99th. Gavin MacCleod is 89. Ed Asner is 91. John Amos is 81. We just recently lost Cloris Leechman at 99. Valerie Harper and, I was sad just find out, Georgia Engel died in 2019 at 70 and 69 respectively. Which won’t bring down the average more than does Ted Knight, who passed in the 1980s while in his 50s. Of course there is MTM herself, who lived to 81. Any other TV shows whose casts collectively lived to such ripe old ages? Is it being in a sit com that does it or are there any other shows whose primary cast is so long-lived? ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-lived-cast-of-a-tv-show-ive-got-my-answer/932090/2 "2021-02-03T00:54:24Z")
Golden Girls average will be pretty high. Betty White - 99+ Bea Arthur - 86 Rue McClanahan - 76 Estelle Getty - 84 MTM has more over 90 I suppose but GG doesn’t have anyone in the 50s or 60s pulling down the average. I suppose you’d have to do the math and make a call about who counts as a “regular”. ---
**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:** [February 3, 2021, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-lived-cast-of-a-tv-show-ive-got-my-answer/932090/3 "2021-02-03T01:17:47Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > We just recently lost Cloris Leechman at 99. Tell a person to sit down first, wilya!? sheesh! 😧… 😢 ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-lived-cast-of-a-tv-show-ive-got-my-answer/932090/4 "2021-02-03T01:38:38Z")
There was a thread and everything! ---
**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, 2021, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-lived-cast-of-a-tv-show-ive-got-my-answer/932090/5 "2021-02-03T02:03:23Z")
BTW: Cloris Le **a** chman was 94, not 99. * * * The Dick Van Dyke Show is a contender. Working with Mary Tyler Moore was good for a long life. DVD is still with us. Carl Reiner just recently passed at 99. Rose Marie was 96 when she passed in 2017. Mary Tyler Moore as mentioned made it to 81. Morey Amsterdam was 92 when he passed way back in 1996. Jerry Paris only made it to 61 but Millie (Ann Morgan Guilbert) was 87 when she passed in 2016. Mel (Richard Deacon) was the other short lived one, only 63. Go back just 5 years ago and it was amazing how many of the cast was still alive. ---
**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:** [February 3, 2021, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-lived-cast-of-a-tv-show-ive-got-my-answer/932090/6 "2021-02-03T02:10:38Z")
The “classic” (1958-1964) cast of _Lassie_ included June Lockhart (now 95) and Jon Provost (now 70), who are still alive, and Hugh Reilly and George Chandler, who died at 83 and 86, respectively. That works out to an average 83.5 and still climbing. In fact, Lockhart and Reilly replaced Cloris Leachman and Jon Sheppod (who died at age 91). If you count both sets of parents during the Jon Provost/Timmy years, the average climbs to an impressive 86.5 years at death. That’s probably the longest-lived cast which still has two members alive. ---
**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 3, 2021, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-lived-cast-of-a-tv-show-ive-got-my-answer/932090/7 "2021-02-03T02:37:04Z")
_The Andy Griffith Show_ Andy Griffith - 86 Jim Nabors - 87 Frances Bavier - 86 Jack Burns - 86 Howard Morris - 85 George Lindsey - 83 Don Knotts - 81 Hal Smith - 77 Hope Summers - 77 Jack Dodson - 63 Howard McNear - 63 Aneta Corsaut - 62 Still living cast members Betty Lynn - 94+ Elinor Donahue - 83+ Ron Howard - 66+ So we have a show where the youngest death was at age 62. And at least nine cast members who lived into their eighties. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-lived-cast-of-a-tv-show-ive-got-my-answer/932090/8 "2021-02-03T03:11:42Z")
The original _Star Trek_ cast all had long lives DeForest Kelley died at 79 Leonard Nimoy 83 James Doohan 85 William Shatner still alive at 89 Nichelle Nichols 88 George Takei 83 Walter Koenig 84 ---
**Author:** ![TiberiusNeroClaudius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@TiberiusNeroClaudius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TiberiusNeroClaudius)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-lived-cast-of-a-tv-show-ive-got-my-answer/932090/9 "2021-02-03T03:36:25Z")
In an alternative universe where NBC picks up “Star Trek” after seeing the first pilot “The Cage” and they were impressed with several things before rejecting it (assuming no cast changes) Jeffrey Hunter 42 Leonard Nimoy 78 Majel Barrett. 76 John Hoyt. 85 Peter Duryea. 73 Laurel Goodwin. Still alive age 78 ---
**Author:** ![TiberiusNeroClaudius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@TiberiusNeroClaudius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TiberiusNeroClaudius)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-lived-cast-of-a-tv-show-ive-got-my-answer/932090/10 "2021-02-03T03:55:03Z")
For an obscure 1960s sitcom “Please don’t Eat the Daisies” the lead actors Mark Miller (born 1924) and Patricia Cowley (born 1933) are still alive. The four boys that were born in the 1950s are listed being alive in imdb although if any died maybe nobody noticed. Shirley Mitchell who was in half the episodes died at age 94. ---
**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 3, 2021, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-lived-cast-of-a-tv-show-ive-got-my-answer/932090/11 "2021-02-03T04:19:34Z")
**Nitpick:** Patricia Crowley, not Cowley. ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-lived-cast-of-a-tv-show-ive-got-my-answer/932090/12 "2021-02-03T08:18:11Z")
sort of along the same lines, Gary Lockwood and Sally Kellerman are both alive. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-lived-cast-of-a-tv-show-ive-got-my-answer/932090/13 "2021-02-03T13:55:01Z")
Granted that many of them were already old during the run of the series, but the cast of **Green Acres** were surprisingly long-lived. Eddie Albert (Oliver) - 99 Eva Gabor (Lisa) - 76 Tom Lester (Eb) - 81 Frank Cady (Mr Drucker) - 96 Pat Buttram (Mr Haney) - 78 Alvy Moore (Mr. Kimball) - 75 Hank Patterson (Mr Ziffel) - 86 Barbara Pepper (Mrs Ziffel) - 54 Sid Melton (Alf Monroe) - 94 Mary Grace Canfield (Ralph Monroe) - 89 Barbara Pepper kind of drags down the average, 82.8 with her and 86 without. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-lived-cast-of-a-tv-show-ive-got-my-answer/932090/14 "2021-02-03T14:12:52Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Barbara Pepper kind of drags down the average Not to mention everyone (a new piglet for every season) who played Arnold Ziffel. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-lived-cast-of-a-tv-show-ive-got-my-answer/932090/15 "2021-02-03T14:54:31Z")
Well, since @Kent_Clark didn’t count Lassies, I didn’t count Arnolds. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-lived-cast-of-a-tv-show-ive-got-my-answer/932090/16 "2021-02-03T15:08:22Z")
My mother’s favorite TV series of all time, Your Show of Shows (1950-54). Among the six main players, who were each in at least 80 percent of the episodes, the average age at death was 90.2. No other actor appeared in more than 21 percent of the episodes. Carl Reiner 98 Imogene Coca 92 Sid Caesar 91 Felisa Vanoff 90 James Starbuck 85 Howard Morris 85 ---
**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 3, 2021, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-lived-cast-of-a-tv-show-ive-got-my-answer/932090/17 "2021-02-03T19:13:19Z")
> [@Pavelb1](#): > > sort of along the same lines, Gary Lockwood and Sally Kellerman are both alive. So is Andrea Dromm, who played Yeoman Smith in that episode. The one who brought down the average age was Lloyd Haynes, who played Communications Officer Alden. Dromm and Haynes were intended to be regulars on the series but their characters were eliminated after the second pilot. Haynes instead got the lead role of teacher Pete Dixon in _Room 222_. He died of cancer at the age of 52. _Room 222_ might otherwise be a contender of this thread. Besides Haynes, the other three regulars were Michael Constantine (alive at 93), Denise Nicholas (alive at 76), and Karen Valentine (alive at 73). ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2021, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-lived-cast-of-a-tv-show-ive-got-my-answer/932090/18 "2021-02-03T19:28:21Z")
Whoa! Hold on there. While Betty White is 99, but Cloris Leachman was only 94. Valerie Harper died in 2019 at 80 Ted Knight died in 1986 at 62, not in his 50s. ---
**Author:** ![willjackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willjackson/32/8187_2.png) [@willjackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/willjackson)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2021, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-lived-cast-of-a-tv-show-ive-got-my-answer/932090/19 "2021-06-19T11:10:59Z")
The witty Betty White. Never looks older! I’m sure she drinks a sip of Fountain of Youth. ---
**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:** [June 19, 2021, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-lived-cast-of-a-tv-show-ive-got-my-answer/932090/20 "2021-06-19T12:59:03Z")
It would have been interesting if they had kept Andrea Dromm around. In the second pilot, it was implied she was Gary Mitchell’s squeeze (they held hands as the ship neared the energy barrier), and Mitchell of course died at the end of the episode. There were two Doris Ziffels on _ **Green Acres** _, something I noticed immediately watching the show a few months ago. Barbara Patterson fell ill in 1969 and died two days before the Moon landing. She was replaced by Fran Ryan, who lived to be 83. Ryan is another of those actors for whom you can say “Oh, _him/her_ again!” > **[Fran Ryan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran_Ryan)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > > Fran Mary Ryan (November 29, 1916 – January 15, 2000) was an American character actress featured in television and films. She was born in Los Angeles, California. > Ryan began performing at the age of six at Oakland's Henry Duffy Theatre. She attended Stanford University for three years, and during World War II was a member of the USO entertaining troops. She performed comedy, singing and acting on stage in California and Chicago, and launched ...