# Who are our current "Abe Vigodas"? (people you might be surprised to learn are still alive) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** actor-characters\ **Created:** [September 7, 2020, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985 "2020-09-07T01:18:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [September 7, 2020, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1 "2020-09-07T01:18:05Z")
For many years. Abe Vigoda was the butt of the joke regarding shock over him still being alive. I even had the Firefox extension years ago that simply displayed his life status. He just looked so old in the Godfather. He is, alas, dead. Who are some people that kind of fill that role now? Who might some of us not realize are still living? I’ll go first. Willie Mays is still alive at age 89. And God bless him, a national treasure. ---
**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:** [September 7, 2020, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/2 "2020-09-07T01:28:23Z")
Christopher Lloyd. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2020, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/3 "2020-09-07T01:28:50Z")
Chuck Yeager, Henry Kissinger and Bod Dole are still alive. They were all born in 1923. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2020, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/4 "2020-09-07T01:32:12Z")
Children’s author Beverly Cleary (_Henry Huggins_, _Beezus and Ramona_, _The Mouse and the Motorcycle_, etc.) is 104. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2020, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/5 "2020-09-07T01:38:15Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Children’s author Beverly Cleary (_Henry Huggins_, _Beezus and Ramona_, _The Mouse and the Motorcycle_, etc.) is 104. - Damn, I had no idea she was still alive. I still have copies of those very books (and more). ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2020, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/6 "2020-09-07T01:42:57Z")
Betty White just amazes me. Mr.Wrekker has an Aunt who’s 102. She’s been kinda in her own world for decade or so. She still lives at home with his younger Aunt in her 90s. They have live-in help. But still. Then there’s Jimmy Carter. He’s not doing so hot, though. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2020, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/7 "2020-09-07T01:47:55Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Damn, I had no idea she was still alive. I hadn’t realized, either (and I, too, read a lot of her books when I was a kid), and then, a couple of years ago, I read an article about her which mentioned she was still alive. (And, according to Wikipedia, as of this writing, she still is. 🙂 ) > **[Beverly Cleary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverly_Cleary)** > > Beverly Atlee Cleary (née Bunn; April 12, 1916 – March 25, 2021) was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction. One of America's most successful authors, 91 million copies of her books have been sold worldwide since her first book was published in 1950. Some of her best known characters are Ramona Quimby and Beezus Quimby, Henry Huggins and his dog Ribsy, and Ralph S. Mouse. > The majority of Cleary's books are set in the Grant Park neighborhood of northeast Portland, Oregon, wher... ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2020, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/8 "2020-09-07T01:52:41Z")
I would have sworn Dick Van Dyke was no longer with us, but it seems he’s still around at age 94. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2020, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/9 "2020-09-07T01:56:08Z")
Huh, John Astin is still around, too. He’s only 90. ---
**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:** [September 7, 2020, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/10 "2020-09-07T01:57:11Z")
Until recently I thought Cedric the Entertainer had died. Apparently I had him confused with Bernie Mac, who was also in _The Original Kings of Comedy_. I saw part of the film not long after it came out, but don’t remember much about it. ---
**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:** [September 7, 2020, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/11 "2020-09-07T02:04:26Z")
I suspect many people are missing part of the point from the OP’s question. The Abe Vigoda meme existed because he was that character actor who looked old _decades_ ago. He played grandfathers back when many of us were still small kids, and here we are adults turning grey ourselves and he’s still there. So naming a bunch of old people isn’t really the game. Betty White might fit the meme best, she was playing a Golden Girl back in the frigging 80s. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2020, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/12 "2020-09-07T02:06:01Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > I suspect many people are missing part of the point from the OP’s question. Perhaps so, but the title of the thread doesn’t do the question full justice. But, to that end, the recently-deceased Wilford Brimley played old guys since the mid '80s. ---
**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:** [September 7, 2020, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/13 "2020-09-07T02:06:49Z")
The body of the OP makes it clear though. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2020, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/14 "2020-09-07T02:06:57Z")
So far, Dr. Auschlander (Norman Lloyd) seems to be holding the record for oldest really well known person. His most recent acting role was in Trainwreck at age 100. Also, Keith Richards is not dead yet. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2020, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/15 "2020-09-07T02:07:46Z")
I’m always surprised when I hear mention of Pope Benedict XVI. I always assumed that a pope was the pope until he died, but Benedict resigned in 2013 after holding the position for 8 years. He’s now 93. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2020, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/16 "2020-09-07T02:10:59Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > So naming a bunch of old people isn’t really the game. > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Perhaps so, but the title of the thread doesn’t do the question full justice. > [@Omniscient](#): > > The body of the OP makes it clear though > > > [@Mahaloth](#): > > > > I’ll go first. > > > > Willie Mays is still alive at age 89. And God bless him, a national treasure. I don’t think the intent of Mahaloth’s OP was only people who have always looked elderly. Has Willie Mays always seemed old? I’ve never heard that before. He just seems like he’s been around forever. ---
**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:** [September 7, 2020, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/17 "2020-09-07T02:12:58Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > I suspect many people are missing part of the point from the OP’s question. The Abe Vigoda meme existed because he was that character actor who looked old _decades_ ago. He played grandfathers back when many of us were still small kids, and here we are adults turning grey ourselves and he’s still there. How about Norman Lloyd? Here’s [a picture of him](https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/audrey-rose-lobbycard-in-mirror-from-left-susan-swift-norman-lloyd-picture-id1137093117) in _Audrey Rose_ - a movie that was filmed in 1976. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2020, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/18 "2020-09-07T02:14:54Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > I always assumed that a pope was the pope until he died And, that has nearly always been the case. Benedict was the first pontiff to resign since 1415, and the first to voluntarily step down since 1294. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2020, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/19 "2020-09-07T02:25:59Z")
Ruth Buzzi. I always thought she looked old even when she was only in her 30s. She didn’t actually look old at all, but that’s a young kid’s perception. I thought the same for Lily Tomlin. ---
**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:** [September 7, 2020, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/20 "2020-09-07T02:34:24Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Huh, John Astin is still around, too. He’s only 90. He’s a pretty good example because the person to play Gomez much after him died a long time ago(Raul Julia) while Astin is doing just fine. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985.md?page=2)