# 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:** 69
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2026, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1367 "2026-06-13T06:38:05Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > …Ronnie Schell… Just passed away yesterday. He was 94. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2026, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1368 "2026-06-17T16:02:28Z")
Ali MacGraw is 87. She peaked in popularity in the early 1970s. She hasn’t appeared in anything except documentaries since 1997. ---
**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:** [June 20, 2026, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1369 "2026-06-20T23:45:27Z")
Actress Tuesday Weld, whose last film role was 25 year ago, is 82. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2026, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1370 "2026-06-21T00:01:47Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > Barbara Feldon This didn’t give her age. She’s 93. She never did anything else as famous as her role as Agent 99 on _Get Smart_, but she’s still in good shape mentally at least. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2026, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1371 "2026-06-21T00:02:34Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Ali MacGraw is 87. She peaked in popularity in the early 1970s. She hasn’t appeared in anything except documentaries since 1997. [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Ali_MacGraw_-_1972.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Ali_MacGraw_-_1972.jpg) ---
**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:** [June 21, 2026, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1372 "2026-06-21T01:33:21Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Everquest is still “alive” and just released its 26th expansion pack in December 2019. This means not only are players still playing, but enough are playing to justify the development and sale of expansion packs. Still “alive” in 2026 and it just released its 32nd update DLC pack. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2026, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1373 "2026-06-21T15:52:01Z")
When I was in college (early 70s) there was a showing of _Goodbye, Columbus_ on the campus. There were posters advertising it with the phrase: “Ali Macgraw - in the raw!” ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2026, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1374 "2026-06-21T16:26:45Z")
> [@LurkMeister](#): > > “Ali Macgraw - in the raw!” That poster was pretty dishonest. Not much of her body is seen in the movie. It was mild stuff for a movie in the late 1960s and early 1970s. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2026, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1375 "2026-06-21T22:42:06Z")
True (as I recall after 50 years) but it was a way to get students to see it. ---
**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:** [June 24, 2026, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1376 "2026-06-24T12:38:29Z")
She’s not especially famous, but today I discovered that Elaine Lelane (widow to Jack Lalane, the fitness guru of the mid 20th century) is still kicking at age 100. > **[Elaine LaLanne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaine_LaLanne)** > > Elaine LaLanne (née Doyle; born March 19, 1926), also known as Lala LaLanne, is American fitness and nutrition guru and author. She is nicknamed the First Lady of Fitness. > Elaine Doyle was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on March 19, 1926. She was married to fellow fitness guru Jack LaLanne until his death in 2011. Elaine has stated that prior to meeting Jack at the age of 27, she "never exercised" and had lived on a diet of "chocolate doughnuts, candy, soda, frankfurters and ice cream for year... Jack Lalane, incidentally, lived to age 96, and died of complications from pneumonia. If he hadn’t been so stubborn (he had been sick for a week but refused to see a doctor), he might have lived even longer. ---
**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:** [June 24, 2026, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1377 "2026-06-24T18:53:49Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > Jack Lalane, incidentally, lived to age 96, and died of complications from pneumonia. If he hadn’t been so stubborn (he had been sick for a week but refused to see a doctor), he might have lived even longer. Like Jim Henson and Kyle Busch. My wife has always been adamant if I get any mild bronchitis or lung irritation, go the doctor immediately to fight it right away. Pneumonia can get way out of control very quickly. ---
**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:** [June 25, 2026, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1378 "2026-06-25T12:13:26Z")
Carly Simon turns 83 today. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2026, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1379 "2026-06-25T19:31:03Z")
> she “never exercised” and had lived on a diet of "chocolate doughnuts, candy, soda, frankfurters and ice cream for year… Which leads to my favorite[SNL fake commercial](https://youtu.be/CxCUHjx7U7Y). ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2026, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1380 "2026-06-26T19:08:29Z")
I’m seeing 'Happy 100th, Mel Brooks" messages, though wikipedia says he was born on the 28th, not the 26th, of 1926. In either case, it’s a heck of a life! On the sadder side, “Veda” Ann Blyth made it to only 98, passing two days ago. The Golden Age of Hollywood movies really doesn’t have many representatives left. (Blyth was “Veda,” the Daughter from Hell, in _Mildred Pierce_, 1945.) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2026, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1381 "2026-06-30T16:29:45Z")
Dame Shirley Bassey, still alive and kicking at 89. ---
**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:** [June 30, 2026, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1382 "2026-06-30T18:30:16Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Dame Shirley Bassey, still alive and kicking at 89 She came out 13 years ago at the Oscars and sang Goldfinger. I was stunned then that she was alive. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fhsXXxpqWog/hqdefault.jpg "Oscars 2013 James Bond Tribute Shirley Bassey") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhsXXxpqWog) ---
**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:** [June 30, 2026, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1383 "2026-06-30T21:21:58Z")
Paul Dooley was mentioned in another thread. He’s still alive and working at 98. ---
**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:** [July 1, 2026, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1384 "2026-07-01T00:13:56Z")
William Daniels just posted an online message about his 75th anniversary with Bonnie Bartlett. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2026, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1385 "2026-07-01T21:31:02Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Paul Dooley was mentioned in another thread. He’s still alive and working at 98. Very cool! (I was one of those posting about him.) For fans of _Breaking Away_, his _Law and Order: Criminal Intent_ episode is a must-see. He’s re-teamed with his son from the movie, Dennis Christopher—and they both get to show some scary acting chops. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2026, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/1386 "2026-07-01T22:17:12Z")
OMG I had a crush on her in the 70’s [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=68) [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=70)