# 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:** 59
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2025, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1167 "2025-12-17T05:43:13Z")
Another one for the “thought he’d died years ago” list: Norman Podhoretz, dead at 95. [https://www.usnews.com/news/entertainment/articles/2025-12-17/norman-podhoretz-contentious-and-influential-neo-conservative-has-died](https://www.usnews.com/news/entertainment/articles/2025-12-17/norman-podhoretz-contentious-and-influential-neo-conservative-has-died) (In other news, still no plans by _Commentary to_ merge with _Dissent_ and form _Dysentery_.) ---
**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:** [December 17, 2025, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1168 "2025-12-17T13:38:53Z")
One that died, but people would be surprised about was Tom Metzger. A huge racist guy, white supremacist. KKK member. Eventually a White Aryan Resistance member. People would have guessed he died in the 1980s or so, but he actually lived until 2020. Louis Theroux spent time with him and it was actually pretty clear even Metzger didn’t believe his own crap; he was just sticking to his brand. Pathetic. The Lord let him live 82 years! Shocking. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2025, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1169 "2025-12-17T20:12:29Z")
I also heard that they offered him four different options for his dance number, and he chose the most difficult, even refusing any help in performing it. ---
**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:** [December 18, 2025, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1170 "2025-12-18T19:27:35Z")
Burton Gilliam One of the bad guys in Blazing Saddles who used racial slurs against the sheriff(he felt TERRIBLE using them in real life). Alive at age 87. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2025, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1171 "2025-12-18T19:40:39Z")
Actress Zohra Lampert is 94. (You might remember her from such films as _Let’s Scare Jessica to Death_.) ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2025, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1172 "2025-12-24T03:11:38Z")
[Joanne Herring](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joanne_Herring), portrayed by Julia Roberts in _Charlie Wilson’s War,_ sill alive at 96. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2025, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1173 "2025-12-27T04:49:20Z")
And the last Dionne quintuplet, Annette, has just passed at 91. > **[Annette, the last of Northern Ontario’s famous Dionne Quints, passes away](https://www.sootoday.com/local-news/annette-last-of-the-dionne-quints-passed-away-11671919)** > > Born in Corbeil, just south of North Bay, the world-famous Dionne Quintuplets became a global sensation from the moment of their birth on May 28th 1934 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2025, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1174 "2025-12-27T04:58:55Z")
> [@Scoobysnax](#): > > With the 50th anniversary of Happy Days passing a few days ago, I was surprised to see that Marion Ross is still with us. She is 95. We watched _Operation Petticoat_ on TCM today. Looking at the Wikipedia article, it seems Marion Ross is the last survivor of the credited cast. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2025, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1175 "2025-12-27T16:10:23Z")
Just learned Angie Dickinson is still around at age 94. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1176 "2025-12-29T02:49:17Z")
Update: dead at 97. > **[Gary Graffman, pianist and former Curtis faculty member and president, has...](https://www.inquirer.com/obituaries/obiruary-gary-graffman-painist-curtis-president-20251228.html)** > > He first came to Curtis as a student at age 7. In 1980, he returned as faculty and then became director and president. He taught superstar musicians like Yuja Wang and Lang Lang. RIP to a master. ---
**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:** [December 30, 2025, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1177 "2025-12-30T16:08:37Z")
Lloyd Kaufman is 80 years old today. I wouldn’t consider him a Abe Vigoda, but some might. He is the guy who co-founded Troma movies. I will use this moment to slightly brag: I just won and received a signed by Lloyd Kaufman poster of his latest(and maybe final?) movie, called Shakespeare’s Shitstorm. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2025, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1178 "2025-12-30T16:38:48Z")
> [@Author\_Balk](#): > > While checking murderers on Columbo, three of the first four female murderers are still alive. > Lee Grant - Apparently 96-98 > Susan Clark - a “young” 81 > Vera Miles - 95 They’re still all alive, with Lee Grant by some accounts having passed the century mark ---
**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:** [January 1, 2026, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1179 "2026-01-01T06:28:01Z")
Vera Miles is in her mid '90s ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2026, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1180 "2026-01-01T07:11:46Z")
Could have sworn Don King was dead. Learned in the Death Pool that he’s alive and 94. ---
**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:** [January 1, 2026, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1181 "2026-01-01T14:24:31Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Could have sworn Don King was dead. Wow, great one. I thought he died 10-15 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Jamasta1976](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b487fb/32.png) [@Jamasta1976](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamasta1976)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2026, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1182 "2026-01-03T06:44:03Z")
Not sure if he quite fits as an “Abe Vigoda,” but jokes about Keith Richards still being alive are a few decades old at this point. ---
**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:** [January 3, 2026, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1183 "2026-01-03T18:12:48Z")
> [@Jamasta1976](#): > > Not sure if he quite fits as an “Abe Vigoda,” but jokes about Keith Richards still being alive are a few decades old at this point Definitely not an Abe Vigoda, but Ozzy and Keith Richards got jokes due to their drug or alcohol abuse. Keith just keeps going. I heard he quit smoking at some point? Surprised that didn’t kill him. My friends and I are wondering if Bam Magera can survive much longer. Who knows? Maybe he’ll live to 80+. Robert Tilton has probably been mentioned, but we shouldn’t be surprised a scam-evangelist and total fraudster is alive. Seems like these guys always live a long time. Jim Bakker(?) I think is alive as well. ---
**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:** [January 3, 2026, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1184 "2026-01-03T18:47:32Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Jim Bakker(?) I think is alive as well. He is; he turned 86 yesterday, in fact. And, he’s still running an online “ministry,” still running scams, etc. He’s apparently been pushing end-times prepper stuff for a while. ---
**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:** [January 3, 2026, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1185 "2026-01-03T19:07:50Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > And, he’s still running an online “ministry,” still running scams, etc. He’s apparently been pushing end-times prepper stuff for a while I think he was trying to sell stuff that cured Covid right when it hit. I mean…that he claimed cured Covid. Creflo Dollar, Joel Osteen, Robert Tilton, Benny Hinn, Jim Bakker. I’m a Christian and there are real deal pastors out there, but these dudes are total frauds. Somehow, evil keeps them alive. Even Proverbs in the Bible asks why the evil survive and good die. It sucks. And yes, Benny Hinn is also still alive. Hadn’t heard from him in years. ---
**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:** [January 3, 2026, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1186 "2026-01-03T22:53:57Z")
Kurt Loder is 80, by the way. Man…that’s amazing to me. [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=58) [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=60)