Celebrities Who’ve Lived Nearly 100 Years or More

Reaching the upper edge of a century is rare, and seeing public figures do it while leaving an enormous cultural footprint is even rarer. These stars worked across film, television, and music, and many of them were still creating and inspiring well into their nineties and beyond. Their careers stretch across eras, and their longevity offers a living timeline of modern entertainment.

Below are celebrated names who reached or approached the hundred year mark or more. Each entry includes key milestones, signature projects, and the kind of career staying power that kept them in the conversation for decades.

Olivia de Havilland

Olivia de Havilland was born in 1916 and lived to 104, spending more than half a century on screens and stages. She earned two Academy Awards for Best Actress and became one of the most respected performers of the studio era.

Her landmark roles include ‘To Each His Own’ and ‘The Heiress’, and she became widely known to new generations through ‘Gone with the Wind’. Away from the camera she reshaped Hollywood labor practices with a successful legal challenge that curtailed restrictive studio contracts.

Kirk Douglas

Kirk Douglas was born in 1916 and lived to 103. He rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most bankable leading men in Hollywood and remained active in film and philanthropy for decades.

Audiences remember him for ‘Spartacus’, ‘Paths of Glory’, and ‘Ace in the Hole’. He received an honorary Academy Award for his body of work and supported stroke research and arts education through his charitable foundation.

Norman Lloyd

Norman Lloyd was born in 1914 and lived to 106. He worked as an actor, director, and producer and spanned the entire history of sound entertainment from radio and early television to contemporary film.

His credits include ‘Saboteur’ and the long running series ‘St. Elsewhere’, and he produced episodes of ‘Alfred Hitchcock Presents’. He collaborated with Orson Welles and Alfred Hitchcock and mentored younger artists throughout his later years.

Marsha Hunt

Marsha Hunt was born in 1917 and lived to 104. She began as a popular ingenue, worked through the classic studio system, and later became known for her humanitarian commitments.

Her filmography includes ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘Raw Deal’, and she appeared frequently in television anthologies. She advocated for free speech during the blacklist period and later campaigned for global hunger relief and housing initiatives in Los Angeles.

Nehemiah Persoff

Nehemiah Persoff was born in 1919 and lived to 102. A prolific character actor, he appeared in hundreds of roles across film and television and was known for his versatility.

Notable appearances include ‘Some Like It Hot’, ‘Yentl’, and episodes of ‘The Twilight Zone’. After retiring from acting he pursued painting full time and exhibited his work while supporting arts education.

Glynis Johns

Glynis Johns was born in 1923 and lived to 100. She worked in both British and American productions and earned acclaim in film, television, and on Broadway.

Audiences know her as Winifred Banks in ‘Mary Poppins’ and for her comic turn in ‘The Court Jester’. On stage she introduced the Stephen Sondheim song Send in the Clowns in ‘A Little Night Music’ and won a Tony Award for the role.

Norman Lear

Norman Lear was born in 1922 and lived to 101. He helped define American television with socially engaged comedies that drew huge audiences and sparked national conversations.

His production slate includes ‘All in the Family’, ‘The Jeffersons’, ‘Good Times’, and ‘Maude’. He earned multiple Emmys and major lifetime honors and founded organizations that promoted civic participation and free expression.

Eva Marie Saint

Eva Marie Saint was born in 1924 and celebrated her 100th birthday in 2024. She moved from live television to film and maintained a steady presence in both mediums for decades.

She won an Academy Award for ‘On the Waterfront’ and starred opposite Cary Grant in ‘North by Northwest’. Her later career included voice work, television movies, and tributes that recognized her contributions to American film history.

Bob Barker

Bob Barker was born in 1923 and lived to 99. He became a daytime television fixture and one of the most familiar hosts in broadcast history.

He guided ‘The Price Is Right’ for decades and won numerous Daytime Emmys for his work. He also supported animal welfare through public service messages and major donations to spay and neuter programs.

Betty White

Betty White was born in 1922 and lived to 99. She began in early television and maintained a career that spanned game shows, sitcoms, and voice acting.

Her signature roles include ensemble work on ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’ and a lead turn on ‘The Golden Girls’, followed by a new wave of popularity with ‘Hot in Cleveland’. She received multiple Emmys and held a record for television longevity among female entertainers.

Mel Brooks

Mel Brooks was born in 1926 and reached 99. He built a career as a writer, director, actor, and songwriter and became one of the few artists to achieve the EGOT.

His comedies include ‘The Producers’, ‘Blazing Saddles’, and ‘Young Frankenstein’. He also co created the television series ‘Get Smart’ and later adapted ‘The Producers’ for Broadway, where it set box office records and won top awards.

Dick Van Dyke

Dick Van Dyke was born in 1925 and reached 99. He found success in television, film, and stage work and continued performing late in life.

He starred in ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show’ and charmed film audiences in ‘Mary Poppins’. He received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award and Kennedy Center Honors and remained a beloved presence at specials and concerts.

James Hong

James Hong was born in 1929 and moved between television, film, and voice acting with uncommon frequency. He amassed hundreds of credits and became a champion for broader Asian representation in Hollywood.

His roles include cult favorites like ‘Big Trouble in Little China’ and the sci fi classic ‘Blade Runner’, plus voice performances in the ‘Kung Fu Panda’ series. He earned renewed acclaim with ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ and was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Angela Lansbury

Angela Lansbury was born in 1925 and lived to 96. She transitioned from early film successes to a defining television role while also flourishing onstage.

Her screen highlights include ‘Gaslight’ and ‘The Manchurian Candidate’, and she voiced Mrs. Potts in ‘Beauty and the Beast’. She headlined ‘Murder, She Wrote’ for many seasons and won multiple Tony Awards for musicals such as ‘Mame’ and ‘Sweeney Todd’.

Tony Bennett

Tony Bennett was born in 1926 and lived to 96. He became one of the most enduring vocalists of the American songbook and toured regularly for decades.

His signature song is I Left My Heart in San Francisco, and he reached new audiences through the ‘Duets’ albums and televised performances with younger artists. He won many Grammy Awards and received a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his long career.

Share the names you would add to this list in the comments and tell us which performances still hold up for you today.