# Who is the longest "lived" fictional character **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 16, 2004, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587 "2004-03-16T04:38:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2015, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587/61 "2015-07-26T19:15:07Z")
I am reanimating the zombie of my own OP because I have discovered a near tie for Wodehouse and Bertie Wooster: the Poldark novels of Winston Graham. My wife and I started watching the new BBC adaptation on PBS last night, and when I checked out the [Wikipedia entry on the novels](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poldark), I discovered that Graham wrote 12 Poldark books from 1945 to 2002, before dying in 2003 at the age of 95. This is a span of 57 years, a very close second to Wodehouse’s 58 years! The only possible fly in the ointment is that I don’t know if Ross Poldark or any of the main characters in the first book survive through to the last one. According to Wiki, the time frame of the last is 31 years after the end of the first, so there’s no reason he shouldn’t. I am surprised (and a little disappointed) that none of my fellow Dopers mentioned Poldark 11 years ago. After all, the BBC’s first adaptation was in 1975. I had heard of it, but never watched. With the revival of this thresd, I look forward to hearing if there are any potential rivals for Bertie’s record since 2004. ---
**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:** [July 26, 2015, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587/62 "2015-07-26T19:46:26Z")
> [@slipster](#): > > Lee Falk is said to have written the adventures of The Phantom for a span of 54 years, from 1936 until 1990. All these years later, I’ll ask: didn’t he wrote MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN longer? ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2015, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587/63 "2015-07-26T19:47:42Z")
Nevermind ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2015, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587/64 "2015-07-26T20:05:57Z")
As I was reading this thread, recognizing that it was from 2004, I assumed it was going to be bumped because of “Go Set a Watchman”. Going by publication dates it would be 55 years (1960-2015) but the two novels were written between 1957 and 1960 so I don’t think it counts. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2015, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587/65 "2015-07-26T20:12:42Z")
Not a potential rival to the 58 year mark, but Sue Grafton has now been publishing Kinsey Millhone stories for 35 years (upon the publication of “X”, due in August) and will likely make the 40 year mark by the time “Z” comes out, assuming she’s in decent health. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2015, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587/66 "2015-07-26T21:43:52Z")
> [@Kaitlyn](#): > > Actually, Stan Lee still writes the daily Spider-Man strip, which puts him at 42 years and counting. > > Robert B. Parker published the first Spenser book in 1973, and the latest one this month, a run of 31 years so far. Stan Lee. Spider-man first appeared in 1961, so it might be 54 years and counting. Jack Kirby on Captain America 1941 thru the 70s I think. Bill everett on Sub mariner ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2015, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587/67 "2015-07-26T22:05:06Z")
I’m surprised nobody has mentioned Tarl Cabot of the \*Gor \*series, which were published pretty much annually (with a couple of large gaps) from 1966 to 2013, a span of 47 years. Although I’ll admit I haven’t read the later ones and can’t swear that Tarl Cabot was in them. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2015, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587/68 "2015-07-27T03:57:59Z")
Minor case: Jerry Shuster drew a page of artwork for _Action Comics_ #544 (Jun 83), commemorating the 45th anniversary of Superman. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2015, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587/69 "2015-07-27T04:48:48Z")
Not a challenge to Wodehouse, but Sax Rohmer wrote Fu Manchu books over a period of 46 years, 1913-1959. And maybe we should we give an honorable mention to Harper Lee, publishing two separate books featuring Atticus Finch 55 years apart. ---
**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 27, 2015, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587/70 "2015-07-27T04:57:50Z")
Beetle Bailey didn’t hold the record when this thread was started but he does now. Mort Walker created the character in 1950 and is still producing the comic strip sixty-five years later. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2015, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587/71 "2015-07-27T06:25:10Z")
Thanks for the replies, but I want to remind folks that back in post #27, I decided to exclude comic strips from consideration in this thread. But as I mentioned there, a similar thread for comic strips might very well be interesting. I also think that Harper Lee doesn’t really count, because the essence of the accomplishment I’m celebrating in this thread is a significant body of work created over an extended period of time. Not just publishing two works many years apart. Besides, there seems to be some question as to the extent of Lee’s involvement in publishing GSAW. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2015, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587/72 "2015-07-27T08:05:46Z")
The characters from Doonesbury? ---
**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:** [July 27, 2015, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587/73 "2015-07-27T08:42:20Z")
Harry Harrison wrote _Stainless Steel Rat_ books since 1961, the most recent came out in 2010 just before his death. 49 years. I still think the adventures of Slippery Jim DiGriz would make a great movie. Or TV series. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2015, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587/74 "2015-07-27T09:16:48Z")
Inspector Maigret had a pretty long career. First book in the series in 1931, last appearance in 72 (all written by Siménon). If posthumous publications count, Arsène Lupin appeared in 1907, and his last adventures were published in 2012 (Leblanc himself died in '41). ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2015, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587/75 "2015-07-27T10:21:12Z")
Dick Tracy was under the same author/artist for 46 years, but is still going strong today. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2015, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587/76 "2015-07-27T10:27:52Z")
Rabbit Angstrom (John Updike), 41 years Atticus Finch (Harper Lee), 55 years ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2015, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587/77 "2015-07-27T10:34:07Z")
Dorothy Gale (L. Frank Baum), a mere 19 years. She was just a kid! Frankenstein (Mary Shelley): 23 years (She wrote three editions) ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2015, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587/78 "2015-07-27T13:01:31Z")
Honourable mention to Rincewind - 30 years from _The Colour of Magic_ (1983) to his last brief mentions in _Raising Steam_ (2013) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2015, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587/79 "2015-07-27T13:30:15Z")
The detectives of Ed McBain’s 87th Precinct mysteries lived from Cop Hater in 1956 to Fiddlers in 2005–a lifespan of 49 years. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2015, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587/80 "2015-07-27T14:15:10Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Honourable mention to Rincewind - 30 years from _The Colour of Magic_ (1983) to his last brief mentions in _Raising Steam_ (2013) I’d give that credit to Death, who appears in \*all \*of the books. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-longest-lived-fictional-character/234587.md?page=5)