Sage advice on aging from celebs who made it to their 90s

Mel Brooks  - The joy of reminiscing
James Earl Jones - Embrace growing wiser
Richard Van Dike (name modified) - Never stop making jokes
David Attenborough - One can never tire of nature
Barbara Eden - Keep active
June Squibb - Never give up on your dreams
Angela Lansbury - Wine and vitamins
William Shatner - Nothing matters in the end
Dr. Ruth Westheimer - Keep a dating room in nursing homes
Kirk Douglas - Enjoy time with your family
Iris Apfel - Be the world's oldest teenager
Gene Hackman - Never stop challenging yourself
Rita Moreno - Don't stop celebrating your birthdays
Bob Barker - Have your pet spayed or neutered!
Lee Grant - There's always something to do
Barbara Walters - Make peace with aging
William Daniels - Adapt to your partner, and think of them first
Bob Newhart - Humor doesn't get old
Harry Belafonte - Never stop fighting for what you believe in
Clint Eastwood - You get more interesting roles as you age
Doris Day - Stay positive and love your doggies
Tony Bennett - Always look for the silver lining
Olivia de Havilland - Don't let anyone push you around
Norman Lloyd - Always find something amusing
Vera Lynn - Keep in touch with life
Betty White - Accentuate the positive
Mel Brooks - The joy of reminiscing

The comedic genius behind classic films such as ‘Blazing Saddles’ and The ‘Producers,’ is still going strong at the age of 97. In 2021, he even published an autobiography ‘All About Me.’ In it, he describes his childhood in New York in the 1920s, serving in World War II, and his rise to fame. “I was the happiest - and to this day - probably the happiest in my life from 5 years old to 9. Those four years were blessed with running, Johnny on the pony, kick the can,” he told NPR in a recent interview.

James Earl Jones - Embrace growing wiser

James Earl Jones is an American actor born in 1931. He is best known for his deep and distinctive voice, which has been featured in many films, television shows, and stage productions. Jones is also an accomplished stage actor, and has won numerous awards and accolades for his work. In 2021, he celebrated his 90th birthday with a slice of his favorite dessert, strawberry shortcake, and told USA Today that he plans to keep acting “for as long as I can… I am so proud of my work and accomplishments. I love growing older and wiser with time.”

Richard Van Dike (name modified) - Never stop making jokes

‘The Mary Poppins’ and ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ star was born in December 1925. But he remains active in the media and in supporting his favorite politicians. When photographed by the Daily Mail on Dec. 13, 2022, he was all smiles and joked around about his age. “If I’d known I was going to live this long I’d have taken better care of myself!’” Too humble, he certainly looks great!

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David Attenborough - One can never tire of nature

The world-renowned naturalist and broadcaster celebrates his 98th birthday in May 2024. Born in 1926, Attenborough has been working in television for over 70 years, presenting world-class nature documentaries and programs on the BBC and other networks. In recent years, he hasn’t shown any signs of stopping and remains one of the most influential voices in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss. In 2016, he said he will never retire because one can never “tire” of nature.

Barbara Eden - Keep active

Barbara Eden, star of ‘I Dream of Jeannie,’ is still full of life and energy at 92. Speaking to Page Six, Eden credits her longevity to staying active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. She still has a personal trainer and works out regularly, and says she has an active social life. “I feel young,” she said.

June Squibb - Never give up on your dreams

June Squibb is an American actress born on Nov. 6, 1929. She is best known for her role as Kate Grant in the 2013 film ‘Nebraska,’ for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Finding her greatest fame in later life, she is keeping the momentum going. Since she turned 90, she’s appeared on seven TV shows."Never give up,' she told The Love of Acting.

Angela Lansbury - Wine and vitamins

The iconic actress, known for her roles in films such as ‘The Manchurian Candidate’ and TV shows like ‘Murder, She Wrote,’ recently passed away at age 96. At age 93, she told media she was still feeling “full of energy.” According to Express, she credited her longevity to the fact that she likes wine and takes a lot of vitamins.

William Shatner - Nothing matters in the end

This Canadian actor, author, and musician is best known for his role as Captain Kirk on the popular sci-fi series ‘Star Trek,’ but is beloved by more than just Trekkies. He still has his iconic sense of humor and last year, begame the oldest man to have ever gone to space. This 93-year-old has no plans of retiring and shares the wisdom he’s gathered over his long life: “Take it easy, nothing matters in the end, what goes up must come down,” he told the Guardian.

Dr. Ruth Westheimer - Keep a dating room in nursing homes

Dr. Ruth is a German-born American sex therapist, media personality, and author born in June 1928. Known for her frank and humorous advice on sex, she's had a long, fascinating life. From having to flee the Nazis when she was 10, to being injured in the 1947-49 Palestine war and rising to fame in the US, she has a unique and powerful point of view that she continues to share. Her advice now that she’s in her 90s? “In nursing homes, I would like to make sure that there’s a dating room, with a sign like in a hotel that says do not disturb. There’s a need for caressing and being held at every age,” she told The Guardian.

Kirk Douglas - Enjoy time with your family

The legendary actor, known for his roles in films such as ‘Spartacus’ and ‘Paths of Glory’, said he “shocked” himself by celebrating his 103rd birthday. Born in 1916, he made his Broadway debut before his career was interrupted by World War II. Fast forward to 2019, and he even shared photos of himself camping in a tent in his grandson's backyard. Douglas passed away in 2020 at age 103.

Here, he's pictured with his famous son Michael Douglas.

Iris Apfel - Be the world's oldest teenager

The beloved, bespectacled interior designer died March 1, 2024 at 102. After an astonishing career working for nine presidents in the White House, she hardly slowed down. Since she turned 90, she worked as a visiting professor at the University of Texas at Austin, was voted by the Guardian as one of the best dressed, starred in two documentaries, signed with IMG as a model at age 97, and became the oldest person to ever have had a Barbie made in her image. “Everything about turning 100 is fantastic, but I really do believe that I’m still the world’s oldest teenager,” she joked to InStyle ahead of her 100th birthday.

Gene Hackman - Never stop challenging yourself

This American actor and novelist is best known for his work in films like ‘The French Connection,’ ‘Unforgiven,’ and ‘The Royal Tenenbaums.’ Although he announced his retirement from acting in 2004, he continues channeling his creativity to write novels. “It’s very relaxing for me,” Hackman told Empire about the writing process. “I don’t picture myself as a great writer, but I really enjoy the process.” His fans still love him too, with droves of them honoring him online as he celebrated his 94th birthday in January 2023.

Rita Moreno - Don't stop celebrating your birthdays

This Puerto Rican actress is one of the few stars to have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award. And at 92, she’s still leaving her unique mark on the stage. In the 2020s, she’s starred in and executive-produced a Steven Spielberg adaptation of ‘West Side Story,’ took part in the ‘Wicked Concert’ special on PBS and was profiled in a new documentary. When Fox News asked what she was doing to celebrate her 90th, she said: “everything I can.”

Bob Barker - Have your pet spayed or neutered!

Bob Barker was an American retired television game show host and animal rights activist passed away at 99. He is best known for hosting the long-running game show ‘The Price is Right,’ which he hosted for 35 years. His long-time girlfriend Nancy Burnet told Fox News that Barker, a vegetarian, was still doing great until his final months, only taking one prescription medication for his thyroid. “He’s in very good health for his age and his humor is still in good shape. He’s had a very charmed life,” she said.

Lee Grant - There's always something to do

This fabulous woman, born sometime in the mid 1920s, has worked as an actress, director and documentarian for almost nine decades. She made her stage debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 1931 and has gone on to be the only Academy-award-winning actor to direct an Academy-Award-winning documentary. Still going strong, she played a small part in the 2020 film ‘Kilian & the Comeback Kids.’ "I feel there’s some way that I can still somehow do something. I don’t know what," she wrote in her recent memoir.

Barbara Walters - Make peace with aging

The pioneering television journalist and host, known for her work on shows such as ‘The Today Show’ and ‘The View,’ from which she retired at age 85. Upon her retirement she told AARP that she made peace with aging because "you cannot stop getting older." When she passed away at age 93 and tributes poured in from all corners of show business, politics and media.

William Daniels - Adapt to your partner, and think of them first

The beloved actor, best known for his role as Mr. Feeny on the hit TV show 'Boy Meets World,' was born in March 1927. Daniels has been acting for over 70 years, and he still has fun with his 'Boy Meets World' castmates, as seen in this photo at the Comic-Con Fan Expo. He’s also half of the longest-active Hollywood marriage, having married actress Bonnie Bartlett in 1951. His secret? ""We've hurt each other but you recover and you grow and you change and you adapt. You have to be able to adapt to the other person," he told People. "You have to think of them first"

Photo: Instagram/@daniellefishel

Bob Newhart - Humor doesn't get old

Bob Newhart is an actor and comedian born on Sept. 5, 1929. He is best known for his work in television and has starred in several popular and critically acclaimed sitcoms. Newhart recently celebrated his 90th birthday in Las Vegas, and made a memorable appearance at the Emmy Awards, where he participated in a comedy segment and reminded the audience that he is “still alive.”

Harry Belafonte - Never stop fighting for what you believe in

An American actor, singer, and activist born in 1927, Belafonte was known for his work in music and film. A prominent racial justice activist, he was also involved in political and social causes throughout his career. In 2018, Belafonte came out of retirement to film a scene for Spike Lee’s Oscar-nominated film “BlacKkKlansman.” He passed in 2023, age 96.

Clint Eastwood - You get more interesting roles as you age

The legendary actor, director, and producer, known for his roles in films such as ‘Dirty Harry’ and ‘Unforgiven,’ was born May 31, 1930. Eastwood has been working in the entertainment industry for over 70 years. Speaking to the Los Angeles Times about life as a nonagenarian, he said: “I don’t look like I did at 20, so what?.. That just means there are more interesting guys you can play.”

Doris Day - Stay positive and love your doggies

The singer and actress, who starred in films such as ‘Pillow Talk’ and ‘Calamity Jane’, passed away in 2019 at the age of 97. When she was 92, she revealed her secrets to longevity to CloserWeekly. “You have to stay positive... Whatever will happen, will happen.’” she said, adding: “‘I’m lucky. I’ve been blessed with good health... It’s important to stay active. I like to walk with my doggies.”

Tony Bennett - Always look for the silver lining

The legendary jazz crooner, known for his traditional pop standards and big band hits, died at 96. Born in 1926, Bennett has been singing for over 70 years, releasing numerous albums and touring the world with his music. Despite being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016, Bennett remained active and continued to perform until his retirement in late 2021. "A heart full of joy and gladness will always banish sadness and strife. So always look for the silver lining," he sang on his 2015 album.

Olivia de Havilland - Don't let anyone push you around

The two-time Academy Award-winning actress, best known for her roles in ‘Gone with the Wind’ and ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood,’ lived to the healthy age of 105. She passed away in July 2020. When she was just 27, Olivia de Havilland risked her career by suing Warner Bros. over a restrictive studio contract, and the fight stayed with her. In 2018, she refused to back down in a legal dispute with FX Networks over her portrayal in ‘Feud: Bette and Joan.’

Norman Lloyd - Always find something amusing

This actor and director is best known for his role in the hit TV show ‘St. Elsewhere.’ But he worked in every part of the entertainment industry from theater to radio, television to film. His final film’ Trainwreck’ was released in 2015, just after he turned 100. At 102, he told The Hollywood Reporter the secret to old age is “the attitude of always finding something positive in everybody, something amusing.” At that time, he rode his bike for 30 mins every day. He passed away at age 106 in 2021.

Vera Lynn - Keep in touch with life

The singer and songwriter, who is known for her World War II-era hits such as 'We’ll Meet Again' and 'The White Cliffs of Dover,' was honorifically known as “The Forces’ Sweetheart.” A dame named the Briton who best exemplified the spirit of the 20th century, she lived well into the 21st too. She passed away in 2020 at the age of 103. She told BBC that it's important to "keep in touch with life" and "stay as active as you can" when you reach 100.

Betty White - Accentuate the positive

With a career spanning over 80 years, the beloved 'Golden Girls' star made the world a funnier place. Born in 1922, she continued making media appearances throughout her life and passed away at age 99. When asked by Parade Magazine in 2018, she said her favorite things were vodka, hot dogs and enjoying life. “Accentuate the positive, not the negative. It sounds so trite, but a lot of people will pick out something to complain about, rather than say, ‘Hey, that was great!’ It’s not hard to find great stuff if you look.”

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