# 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:** 22
**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:** [October 25, 2023, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/421 "2023-10-25T21:02:32Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Look at the rest of the 4077th: > > - Trapper John is 3 years younger than Hawkeye (though both of the TV Trappers have been gone a while) > - Dr Oliver Harmon [slur[ Jones is about the same age as Trappec > - Duke is a couple years older than Hawkeye > - Frank Burns is a couple years older than Duke (though the TV Frank checked out many years ago) > - Painless and Radar are quite a bit younger than the others > - TV Hotlips is older than Trapper and Jones, although the movie Hotlips left us a couple years ago > > Oddly, both Henries Blake got their discharge papers at the same time, but the movie Henry was a day late opening his. If the movie Radar and the TV Radar don’t die on the same day it’s gonna be weird. And you left the Father Mulcahys off the list. William Christopher died in 2016 and Rene Auberjonois died in 2019 - another case of the movie actor outliving the TV actor. (George Morgan, who played the character in the TV pilot, outlived both of them and died in 2022.) ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2023, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/422 "2023-10-27T02:25:44Z")
I just saw mention on TV of former Buffalo Bills head coach Marv Levy. Coach is still alive at 98. ---
**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:** [October 27, 2023, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/423 "2023-10-27T02:48:46Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > former Buffalo Bills head coach Marv Levy. Coach is still alive at 98. Heh. He’s on my Themed Celebrity Death Pool list, along with 12 other former NFL coaches. So I’m at least partially responsible for his continued existence. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2023, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/424 "2023-10-28T12:47:59Z")
Today is [Cleo Laine’s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleo_Laine) 96 birthday. ---
**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:** [October 30, 2023, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/425 "2023-10-30T20:06:05Z")
I just watched [a YouTube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvwE-Sw1itw) about celebrity WWII veterans who are still alive. William Daniels (age 96) Roger Corman (age 97) Stanley Baxter (age 97) Mel Brooks (age 97) Norman Jewison (age 97) Dick Van Dyke (age 97) Mike Nussbaum (age 99) Norman Lear (age 101) ---
**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:** [October 30, 2023, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/426 "2023-10-30T20:58:52Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > William Daniels (age 96) > Roger Corman (age 97) > Stanley Baxter (age 97) > Mel Brooks (age 97) > Norman Jewison (age 97) > Dick Van Dyke (age 97) > Mike Nussbaum (age 99) > Norman Lear (age 101) Of this group, I’d bet that people are most surprised about: Roger Corman Norman Lear I think their heyday of being relevant has long gone, but they are still kicking. Here is Roger Corman picking movies in the Criterion Collection just 10 days ago: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-paCwBPzHX0/maxresdefault.jpg "Roger Corman's Closet Picks") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-paCwBPzHX0) ---
**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:** [October 30, 2023, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/427 "2023-10-30T21:04:40Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Of this group, I’d bet that people are most surprised about The surprise for me was William Daniels. I remember him from shows back in the eighties like _Knightrider_ and _St Elsewhere_ but I didn’t realize he was 96. If you had asked me, I would have guessed he was in his forties back then and in his eighties now. ---
**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:** [October 30, 2023, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/428 "2023-10-30T21:37:23Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I would have guessed he was in his forties back then and in his eighties now. he was right around 40 in _The President’s Analyst_ ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/429 "2023-10-31T02:51:37Z")
Matthew Perry’s death got me thinking of the _Friends_ reunion special from a couple of years ago. I was surprised when Larry Hankin, who played downstairs neighbor Mr. Heckles, made an appearance. His character died in 1996, when Hankin was 57 years old, but he seemed much older. He’s been a very busy character actor for many decades, still working at 85. ---
**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:** [October 31, 2023, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/430 "2023-10-31T05:55:19Z")
Wow, I just saw that the man with the (?) famous seventeen-foot scarf will be 90 in January. ---
**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:** [October 31, 2023, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/431 "2023-10-31T13:29:16Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Wow, I just saw that the man with the (?) famous seventeen-foot scarf will be 90 in January He seemed older than he was when played The Doctor. ---
**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:** [October 31, 2023, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/432 "2023-10-31T15:42:32Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > He seemed older than he was when played The Doctor. Reminds me of the occasion when someone was confused about Bob Dylan’s age. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2023, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/433 "2023-11-03T23:26:10Z")
Just found out that Patricia Crowley is still among us at 90. ---
**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:** [November 4, 2023, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/434 "2023-11-04T02:27:03Z")
Perhaps a little off topic but I was thinking of the song/video “Obsession” from back in the eighties. I checked out [the video on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIs5StN8J-0) and I confirmed that it was extremely eighties. So I was astonished to see that the band Animotion is still performing forty years later. ---
**Author:** ![nitter](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nitter/32/15360_2.png) [@nitter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitter)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/435 "2023-11-04T02:29:46Z")
Paul McCartney ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/436 "2023-11-04T08:52:50Z")
Seriously? He’s been in the news pretty much continuously since the Beatles hit it big. Last year he won an Emmy and headlined the Glastonbury Festival, and released a new Beatles song only yesterday, to major media fanfare. You’d have to have been actively avoiding all mainstream and entertainment news for many, many years to assume that he’s dead. ---
**Author:** ![nitter](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nitter/32/15360_2.png) [@nitter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitter)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/437 "2023-11-04T10:48:04Z")
I guess so! I got entertainment news from youtube mostly, frankly never saw his recent works but sometimes it will a ‘let it be’ on the homepage. I must miss thumbnail of new the Beatles song yesterday. ---
**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:** [November 4, 2023, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/438 "2023-11-04T12:57:09Z")
> [@nitter](#): > > Paul McCartney What? Any Beatle, even though we only have two, would be massive news if they died. I don’t know anyone who is confused if Paul and Ringo are alive or if George and John aren’t. ---
**Author:** ![nitter](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nitter/32/15360_2.png) [@nitter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitter)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/439 "2023-11-04T13:44:38Z")
Aha! tbh as a late 80s millennials, I don’t know the name of drummer in the Beatles before I searching Paul McCartney whether not dead, and never saw any news about the drummer. I thought Paul was the only one alive after 2000s and rest of they all dead before I born! The last time I read the news about Paul was he did something with Apple, iPod I guessed? 😅 ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/440 "2023-11-04T18:41:35Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > > [@nitter](#): > > > > Paul McCartney > > What? Any Beatle, even though we only have two, would be massive news if they died. I don’t know anyone who is confused if Paul and Ringo are alive or if George and John aren’t. I thought he died in a car accident in 1966. [Previous 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=21) [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=23)