# Oldest "living" Hollywood Icon? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 5, 2003, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-living-hollywood-icon/199749 "2003-09-05T16:43:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-living-hollywood-icon/199749/1 "2003-09-05T16:43:34Z")
I was wondering if Elvis may just be the oldest Hollywood, and/or entertainment-related icon? The Beatles might be second - as people are still in denial about their break up, etc. Other than these two, do other Hollywood legends live on as “actively”? Or, shall I say vicariously through us now - rather than us through them? For example, James Dean? John Wayne? Marilyn Monroe? Did people swear to see them after death, impersonate, etc? Also along these lines, did any such characters which may come to mind become more popular after death? - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Moo\_the\_Magic\_Cow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@Moo\_the\_Magic\_Cow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moo_the_Magic_Cow)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-living-hollywood-icon/199749/2 "2003-09-05T16:57:41Z")
Does James Dean predate Elvis? People still think he’s cool, and girls still swoon over his posters. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-living-hollywood-icon/199749/3 "2003-09-05T17:24:46Z")
Bogart. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-living-hollywood-icon/199749/4 "2003-09-05T18:34:52Z")
As much as I dislike him, **Charlie Chaplin**. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-living-hollywood-icon/199749/5 "2003-09-05T18:39:53Z")
Rudolph Valentino was a major icon, especially since he had the good sense to “die young and leave a good looking corpse”. Florence Lawrence was an icon in her day, but her cult disappeared in her own lifetime. ---
**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:** [September 5, 2003, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-living-hollywood-icon/199749/6 "2003-09-05T22:32:28Z")
I was going to suggest Valentino, as well. Thousands of weepers showed up at his funeral. James Dean only made three movies, so he’s certainly grown in magnitude since he was killed. I’d wager Monroe is more popular now than when she was alive, too. And I know a lot of people who think of John Wayne as a cult figure. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2003, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-living-hollywood-icon/199749/7 "2003-09-05T23:27:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Moo the Magic Cow \* > \*\*Does James Dean predate Elvis? People still think he’s cool, and girls still swoon over his posters. \*\* And more than a few boys… :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-living-hollywood-icon/199749/8 "2003-09-06T04:45:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eve \* > \*\*As much as I dislike him, **Charlie Chaplin**. \*\* Wasn’t he sighted just two months after he died in 1977? ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oldest-living-hollywood-icon/199749/9 "2003-09-06T08:03:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Doghouse Reilly \* > \*\*Wasn’t he sighted just two months after he died in 1977? \*\* If so, was he kicking an immigration officer up the backside at the time?