I read an article about the last living person born in the 1800s (Emma Morano, 117 years old). Just a little before this, me and hubby were watching Holiday Inn and I remarked, “I think they’re all dead” and, sure enough, all of the leads were dead. It got me wondering-- what is the oldest movie with still living cast members? It has to be a speaking roll, a named character and credit given. Babies not included. Or, how about the oldest movie with all the leads still alive?
Not sure how to research this. Think of the oldest living actors and look at their IMDB movie listing? Find a list of really old movies and check at the Dead or Alive site against the cast listing? Ask at the Dope and see what they know?
Haunted Honeymoon is almost there, having been made in only 1986. I think only one lead (Jonathan Pryce) is still alive that was in that one. The others (Dom Deluise, Gildna Radner, Gene Wilder) have all passed now. In fact, just yesterday another actor from that movie died (Peter Vaughn), although it being one of my favorite movies, I wouldn’t call his character one of the leads.
I wish I could post the name of an early Judy Garland movie because Judy somehow overcame her demons was still around as a happy, at least relatively healthy (very) senior. But as they say, “If wishes were fishes…”
Has anyone seen the interview with her that has aired on TCM several times? I think it’s called “The Elephant in the Room”. It was very good.
It also shows an IQ test she was given shortly after she left the music industry, when she was still a youngster, and it registered in the 140s. :eek: I found that quite believable after seeing this interview; she is obviously very intelligent.
It’s kind of interesting that the entire crew of the Nostromo from Alien (1979) is still with us. Granted, the movie wasn’t that long ago, but some of the actors were no spring chickens.
I find it amazing that the movie MASH, from 1970, has almost the entire leading cast still alive, 46 years later. Only Roger Bowen has died. And it was a really big cast too.
Still alive are Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould, Robert Duvall, Tom Skerritt, Sally Kellerman, Gary Burghoff, Bud Cort, Rene Auberjonois, Fred Williamson, Jo Ann Pflug, Carl Gottlieb, Michael Murphy, and John Schuck.
(Bobby Troup and G. Wood have also died, but I don’t think either one had very much screen time.)
The ones who are alive ranged from 22 to 35 in 1970, so are in their late 60s to early 80s. It’d be more surprising if a significant number of them had died, IMO. (Bowen was 63 when he died, and would be 84 now, if he’d lived.)
Depending on your definition of “lead,” Young Frankenstein has only Teri Garr and Cloris Leachman still alive. Peter Boyle, Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn, and Marty Feldman have died.
What about legendary actor, director, and producer, 102 year old Norman Lloyd. His first major film role was in Alfred Hitchcock’s film Saboteur in 1942.
