7.) June Lockhart, age 93.
With 172 acting credits on IMDb spanning nine decades, it is fair to say that multiple generations have enjoyed Lockhart’s work. Best known for playing mother roles in “Lassie” and “Lost in Space” on television, she got her start by playing Belinda Cratchit in the 1938 film “A Christmas Carol.” The two-time Emmy Award and one-time Tony Award winner last appeared in a film in 2016 called “The Remake.”
8.) Marsha Hunt, age 100.
As a left-winger, Hunt was blacklisted in Hollywood as a suspected communist by the House Un-American Activities Committee in the 1950s. Still, political leanings obviously don’t negate the work she did in films such as “Born to the West” (alongside John Wayne), “Pride and Prejudice,” “Kid Glove Killer,” “Cry ‘Havoc,” and others. After the blacklisting, Hunt worked on such TV shows as “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “Murder, She Wrote.” Her last acting appearance came in a 2008 TV movie called “Empire State Building Murders.”
9.) Sidney Poitier, age 92.
The World War II veteran holds the distinction for being the first black actor to win an Academy Award for Best Actor, along with a Golden Globe for best actor; Poitier accomplished this as the star of the 1963 film “Lilies of the Field.” Four years later, he elevated his legacy with three box-office hits that dealt with race relations: “To Sir, with Love,” “In the Heat of the Night,” and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” While he might not be acting anymore, Poitier served as the Bahamian Ambassador to Japan from 1997 to 2007 and in 2009 received a Presidential Medal of Freedom from then-President Barack Obama.
10.) Mel Brooks, age 92.
The “Spaceballs” and “Blazing Saddles” comedian is not only still kicking, but he’s still quite the prolific creator. He’s done a one-man show in recent years, along with voice work in the “Hotel Transylvania” movies, the latest of which is in theaters now.
He’s also railed against political correctness in comedy in recent interviews — and promised several times he still wants to make a sequel to one of his most successful movies, “Spaceballs.”
This article was originally published in July 2018 and was updated on May 13, 2019. Tom Joyce is a freelance writer from the South Shore of Massachusetts. He covers sports, pop culture, and politics and has contributed to The Federalist, Newsday, and other outlets.