# Weirdest Age Discrepancy Between Characters and the Actors Who Play Them **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 4, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920 "2010-04-04T17:11:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920/21 "2010-04-04T21:54:19Z")
> [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > Olivia Newton-John was about 30 when she played a high school student in “Grease” And Stockard Channing was 34 when she played Rizzo in the same movie. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920/22 "2010-04-04T22:18:50Z")
45 year old Robin Williams played 10 year old Jack in the movie of the same name. And speaking of Robin Williams, but tv this time, 56 year old Jonathan Winters played newborn Mearth on “Mork and Mindy”. Also, in 1977, an 81 year old George Burns played God, who lives outside time and whose age is infinite. But that probably doesn’t count. ---
**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:** [April 4, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920/23 "2010-04-04T22:35:25Z")
> [@](#): > > And Stockard Channing was 34 when she played Rizzo in the same movie. The cast also included 24 year old John Travolta, 27 year old Didi Conn, and 28 year old Jeff Conaway. In a thread on inappropriately aged actors playing high school students, I once noted that the only example I could find of a movie or TV show using actors who were actually high school aged was _Saved By The Bell_. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920/24 "2010-04-04T22:35:42Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Well, if we’re going to go after supernatural or mythical creatures, this thread is going to be pretty long. Aragorn was supposed to be 87 and was played by 40 something Viggo Mortinsen, and of course Hugo Weaving was a little younger then the 6000 year old Elrond. > > And on the other side, Gandalf the White was arguably only a couple weeks old in Twin Towers, but was played by 60 something Ian McKellan. The hobbits have human-scaled lifespans. Frodo should appear middle-aged. Aragorn in the books was supposed to look like a man of 40-something, since the Dúnedain, being descending from both elves and humans, as a result have much longer lifespans than ordinary men. Elrond was a half-elf, but chose to cleave his fate to those of the elves, unlike his brother (from whom Aragorn was a direct descendant.) As a result, Elrond’s life force is tied to Middle-Earth–same as the elves–and not separate from it. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920/25 "2010-04-04T23:03:54Z")
On I Love Lucy William Frawley (Fred) was 22 years older than Vivian Vance (Ethel). She did not like the fact that he was so much older in real life and Frawley overheard her say that so they never got along in real life. It was so bad that when she heard he died she said “Champagne for everyone” ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920/26 "2010-04-04T23:08:04Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The cast also included 24 year old John Travolta, 27 year old Didi Conn, and 28 year old Jeff Conaway. > > In a thread on inappropriately aged actors playing high school students, I once noted that the only example I could find of a movie or TV show using actors who were actually high school aged was _Saved By The Bell_. Disney & Nickelodeon are pretty good at using actors more or less the same age as the characters, but they’re an exception. ---
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920/27 "2010-04-04T23:21:22Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > The actresses who played Weezie on The Jeffersons and Florida on Good Times were about 18 years older than the actors who played their husbands. Also, John Amos, who played Florida’s husband, is only 8 years older than his ‘son’ Jimmie Walker. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920/28 "2010-04-04T23:30:56Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > It was so bad that when she heard he died she said “Champagne for everyone” I knew that they supposedly didn’t care for each other, but I didn’t know that there was that extreme level of animosity between them… :eek: ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920/29 "2010-04-04T23:35:29Z")
In the **Karate Kid Part III** , Daniel-(san) seeks the tutelage of a new sensei who is out to betray him down the road. Actor Thomas Griffith playing the part of evil sensei Terry Silver is actually a year younger than Ralph Macchio who was 26 at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920/30 "2010-04-04T23:39:11Z")
> [@Bootis](#): > > Frodo Bagginsis supposed to be 50. FIFTY. the day he sets out on his adventure in **The Lord Of the Rings**. Strangely, they chose to use Elija Wood, who looked even younger than all of the 18 years he was when filming began. Frodo spent 17 of those years in possession of the Ring, and would therefore have looked like a hobbit in his mid-thirties. Since a hobbit of 33 has only just reached adulthood, I’d say 18 is just about right. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920/31 "2010-04-04T23:43:12Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > On I Love Lucy William Frawley (Fred) was 22 years older than Vivian Vance (Ethel). She did not like the fact that he was so much older in real life and Frawley overheard her say that so they never got along in real life… After **I Love Lucy** wrapped up the idea of a spinoff focusing on Fred & Ethel was floated. Frawley was all for it, Vance wouldn’t even consider it. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2010, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920/32 "2010-04-04T23:46:33Z")
Estelle Getty was younger than both Bea Arthur (her daughter) and Betty White on _The Golden Girls_. Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie) was only 9 years older than her son, Larry Hagman (J.R.) on _Dallas_. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920/33 "2010-04-05T00:28:08Z")
On 8 simple rules the oldest daughter , Kaley Cucuo was actually 6 years younger than Amy Davidson who played the younger sister. I guess Davidson looked younger so that’s why they were cast that way. ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920/34 "2010-04-05T01:09:42Z")
Glenn Close played Gertrude to Mel Gibson’s Hamlet despite being only 9 years older than he. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920/35 "2010-04-05T01:17:49Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Well know – Jesse Royce Landis played Cary Grant’s mother in **North by Northwest** despite being only seven years older than he was. **North by Northwest** has another weird age thing that bothered me immensely. Eva Saint Marie’s character is _significantly_ younger than she was at the time of filming. (It’s been awhile since I saw the film, but I think she’s supposed to be 20 - she was 35 at the time.) It’s weird to me because if she actually were 20, she’d be creepily young for Cary Grant’s character, but since she doesn’t actually look anywhere near that age, it doesn’t seem that bad. I guess I don’t get why the character wasn’t aged up to match the actress’ age. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920/36 "2010-04-05T01:18:25Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > In **City of Ember** Harry Treadaway (aged 24) was playing Doon Harrow (aged _12_). :eek: His costar, Saoirse Ronan, was only 14 and also playing a 12 yr old. This, to me, is the winning post so far. I had no idea that guy was so much older than his character. Weird. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Shroud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@The\_Shroud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Shroud)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920/37 "2010-04-05T01:57:12Z")
Just last night I watched “[Make Way For Tomorrow (1937)](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029192/).” In it, Beulah Bondi plays a 70-year old woman who looks more like 85 by 2010 standards. Turns out she was 48 when the movie was filmed. (Great movie, by the way. Bondi is amazing, and the film is very well-written. But it’s very sad.) ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920/38 "2010-04-05T02:03:05Z")
> [@Bootis](#): > > Frodo Bagginsis supposed to be 50. FIFTY. the day he sets out on his adventure in **The Lord Of the Rings**. Strangely, they chose to use Elija Wood, who looked even younger than all of the 18 years he was when filming began. Not to hijack this into a LOTR fanwank, but there was a reason for using teen/early 20s actors for Frodo and his same-age friends: hobbits were, within the context of the Tolkien universe, somewhat longer-lived than humans and matured at a slower rate. Besides, if anything was ever a coming-of-age/quest movie, that was definitely it! ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920/39 "2010-04-05T02:05:39Z")
… ---
**Author:** ![Shawn1767](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shawn1767](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shawn1767)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920/40 "2010-04-05T02:16:04Z")
Does my math work here? This is about Harry Potter movies: Alan Rickman was approximately 55 when he appeared in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” If we go by Hogwart history, Severus Snape was a contemporary of the Potters who were around 21 when they were killed. By the time Harry joins Hogwart’s at age 11, Snape should be around 31 or so since Harry was around 1 when his parents were killed. So he’s about 24 years too old. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weirdest-age-discrepancy-between-characters-and-the-actors-who-play-them/534920.md?page=3)