Aside from qualifying dead pools, I do not think she counts in this discussion. 99 out of 100 Americans would have no idea who she is. Actually 999 out of 1000 Americans would not know who she is. Let’s stick to the Bob Hope type celebrities here, k?
That said, Fay Wray or Reagan come to mind… The graceful Lady Bird would be in her 90s now. Reagan, Carter, and Ford, god bless them, would be about a year younger.
Hrm… Leni is our winner so far. Filtering through all the internet crazies who pick just about anyone beyond 95 who nobody has ever heard of, getting down to true celebrities, I think 101 and soon to be 102 would be our winner.
I would say at least as many people know of Madame Chiang Kai-Shek as would know of Leni Riefenstahl. Madame Chiang was quite a celebrity in her day. IIRC, she addressed a joint session of Congress on one occasion.
Of note, as relates to a determination of “celebrity”:
Luise Rainer, who won two Oscars as Best Actress, is 93.
Again, I direct y’all to the website NOTED NONAGENARIANS AND CENTENARIANS, which lists all of the people mentioned here, and others.
Abe Vigoda has only been acting for 30 years, however. He was a 50 year old cab driver when he went to a GODFATHER cattle call and to everybody’s surprise, especially, his, was cast in a large supporting role (and arguably the best role he ever received- Fish on Barney Miller might have been better).
While I have to confess the 119 was an embellishment, he actually had more than 13. He admitted to fathering a few children out of wedlock who didn’t make the official registers (as well as a few out of wedlock who did), so the real number is probably closer to 20.
Charles Lane , best known as Potter’s “rent collector” in It’s A Wonderful Life, and Homer Bedloe on Petticoat Junction
is 104. Here’s what he looked like in one of his many “Bewitched” appearances. Lane also played a weasely reporter in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.
So where in New York City does Madame Chiang live? Not Chinatown, surely?
Hans Bethe and Edward Teller are both still alive.
Didn’t Charles Lane also play Jane Hathaway’s landlord in an episode of The Beverly Hillbillies?