# 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:** 9
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/161 "2020-12-11T18:21:40Z")
Replying to my own post from September unfortunately Chuck Yeager just passed away this week. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2020, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/162 "2020-12-12T19:50:11Z")
I noticed Mel Brooks in the credits of _Hotel Transylvania 3_" as “Grandpa Dracula”. I was amazed he was still alive. He’s “only” 94 too.! (I thought he was older) He sort of fits the OP as he’s played older people several times. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/163 "2020-12-14T07:06:35Z")
I just found out Ruth Buzzi is still alive. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/164 "2020-12-14T13:26:47Z")
Dick Van Dyke just turned 95. And of course Betty White is a month from being 99. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/165 "2020-12-14T13:53:05Z")
I was watching an old episode of _Mad About You_ earlier, and Nancy Dussault shows up as Helen Hunt’s mom. So I popped over to IMDb, since I hadn’t seen Dussault since her _Too Close for Comfort_ days. I was surprised to see that Nancy’s still with us, too. ---
**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 14, 2020, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/166 "2020-12-14T15:01:44Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Dick Van Dyke just turned 95. And of course Betty White is a month from being 99. I really think people are petty aware they are alive. Abe Vigoda is the “i thought he died” guy. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/167 "2020-12-14T15:31:04Z")
I agree, I just saw some articles on his birthday and decided to post it here. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/168 "2020-12-15T15:33:08Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > So I think of him as a contemporary of people like Danny Devito, Judd Hirsch, Tony Danza, and Marilu Henner, who are all still alive. Danza has a new show on Netflix called _The Good Cop_, also unexpectedly starring Josh Groban. It’s…fine. But Danza looks to be in good shape. ---
**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 15, 2020, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/169 "2020-12-15T18:14:30Z")
Last time we checked, The Love Boat had the record for oldest show with the still alive main cast(credited in titles). Are they all still alive or has there been a death? ---
**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:** [December 15, 2020, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/170 "2020-12-15T18:39:26Z")
George Schultz was in the news few years back , he was a board member of the scam blood test company Theranos. His grandson Tyler also worked there . And Tyler and his parents spent $500k fighting lawsuits over Theranos ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/171 "2020-12-15T18:43:48Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Last time we checked, The Love Boat had the record for oldest show with the still alive main cast(credited in titles). Hey, if you’re not counting _Sugarfoot_… ---
**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:** [December 15, 2020, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/172 "2020-12-15T18:44:33Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Last time we checked, The Love Boat had the record for oldest show with the still alive main cast(credited in titles). > > Are they all still alive or has there been a death? Looks like they are, indeed, all still alive. The oldest are Gavin MacLeod (89) and Bernie Kopell (87). ---
**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:** [December 16, 2020, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/173 "2020-12-16T03:57:52Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Last time we checked, The Love Boat had the record for oldest show with the still alive main cast(credited in titles). > > Are they all still alive or has there been a death? The Pacific Princess was scrapped in 2013. ---
**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:** [December 16, 2020, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/174 "2020-12-16T16:50:06Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Looks like they are, indeed, all still alive. The oldest are Gavin MacLeod (89) and Bernie Kopell (87). Kopell is not only not dead, he’s still working. I recognized him in a new sitcom I’ve seen one or two episodes of, _B Positive_, where he plays a minor character. ---
**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:** [December 16, 2020, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/175 "2020-12-16T21:05:50Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > Kopell is not only not dead, he’s still working. I misread this as “Kopell is not only dead, he’s still working.” Impressive! ---
**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 16, 2020, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/176 "2020-12-16T21:14:29Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > I misread this as “Kopell is not only dead, he’s still working.” Weekend at Bernie’s 3: Love Bloat ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/177 "2020-12-26T00:16:48Z")
I was reading the Death Pool thread, and came across two more surprises: Bob Barker and Angela Lansbury. Barker I haven’t heard anything about in so long, I guess I assumed he was not longer with us; Lansbury, I guess, because I had it in my mind that Olivia de Haviland would be the last connection with old Hollywood, but that really is Lansbury. Her first screen role was in _Gaslight_ (1944) with Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer. It was a supporting role, but still a very significant one. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/178 "2020-12-26T01:05:16Z")
Angela Lansbury had a pretty significant cameo in the Mary Poppins Returns movie a couple of years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/179 "2020-12-26T02:39:18Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > I would have sworn Dick Van Dyke was no longer with us His brother Jerry died back in 2018…perhaps you’re thinking of that? (He’s one who always seemed older than he was to me, too - if I had had to guess, I’d have said Dick was the younger van Dyke, but, nope, he’s about 8 years older.) ---
**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:** [December 26, 2020, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-our-current-abe-vigodas-people-you-might-be-surprised-to-learn-are-still-alive/919985/180 "2020-12-26T04:01:57Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > > [@needscoffee](#): > > > > I would have sworn Dick Van Dyke was no longer with us > > His brother Jerry died back in 2018…perhaps you’re thinking of that? (He’s one who always seemed older than he was to me, too - if I had had to guess, I’d have said Dick was the younger van Dyke, but, nope, he’s about 8 years older.) - No, I knew about Jerry. I just somehow thought Dick had joined him. Glad he hasn’t yet. [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=8) [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=10)