Longest Film Careers
A list of film and television stars with a career of over 80 years.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:OscarLake/Longest_Hollywood_career_of_all_time
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:OscarLake/Longest_Hollywood_career_of_all_time
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- Jack Totheroh was born on 28 August 1914 in Niles, California, USA. He was an actor, known for Chaplin (1992), Weekend King (2007) and The Bachelor's Baby (1915). He was married to Marian. He died on 20 May 2011 in Ventura, California, USA.Jack Totheroh • lived 1914-2011 • acted 1915-2007 • 92 years of acting
Jack Totheroh was in only four movies: He played a baby in the 1915 short "The Bachelor's Baby", starred in the 1922 short "Try and Get It", he played a cameraman in the 1992 film "Chaplin, and finally he played an old man named Jack in the 2007 film "Weekend King". This leaves an incredible 70-year gap between one movie and the next! - Actress
- Additional Crew
- Camera and Electrical Department
Carla Laemmle was born on 20 October 1909 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She was an actress, known for The Adventures of Frank Merriwell (1936), King of Jazz (1930) and The Gate Crasher (1928). She died on 12 June 2014 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Carla Laemmle • lived 1909-2014 • acted 1925-2015 • 90 years of acting
Carla Laemmle starred in 12 silent films in the 20s and 30s, and didn't act again until 2001, leaving a 62-year gap between films. As well as a 2010 film and a 2013 film, she was in two films released in 2015. Quite impressive for an 104-year-old!- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Mickey Rooney was born Joe Yule Jr. on September 23, 1920 in Brooklyn, New York. He first took the stage as a toddler in his parents vaudeville act at 17 months old. He made his first film appearance in 1926. The following year, he played the lead character in the first Mickey McGuire short film. It was in this popular film series that he took the stage name Mickey Rooney. Rooney reached new heights in 1937 with A Family Affair, the film that introduced the country to Andy Hardy, the popular all-American teenager. This beloved character appeared in nearly 20 films and helped make Rooney the top star at the box office in 1939, 1940 and 1941. Rooney also proved himself an excellent dramatic actor as a delinquent in Boys Town (1938) starring Spencer Tracy. In 1938, he was awarded a Juvenile Academy Award.
Teaming up with Judy Garland, Rooney also appeared in a string of musicals, including Babes in Arms (1939) the first teenager to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in a leading role, Strike Up the Band (1940), Babes on Broadway (1941), and Girl Crazy (1943). He and Garland immediately became best of friends. "We weren't just a team, we were magic," Rooney once said. During that time he also appeared with Elizabeth Taylor in the now classic National Velvet (1944). Rooney joined the service that same year, where he helped to entertain the troops and worked on the American Armed Forces Network. He returned to Hollywood after 21 months in Love Laughs at Andy Hardy (1946), did a remake of a Robert Taylor film, The Crowd Roars (1932) called Killer McCoy (1947) and portrayed composer Lorenz Hart in Words and Music (1948). He also appeared in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard. Rooney played Hepburn's Japanese neighbor, Mr. Yunioshi. A sign of the times, Rooney played the part for comic relief which he later regretted feeling the role was offensive. He once again showed his incredible range in the dramatic role of a boxing trainer with Anthony Quinn and Jackie Gleason in Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962). In the late 1960s and 1970s Rooney showed audiences and critics alike why he was one of Hollywood's most enduring stars. He gave an impressive performance in Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 film The Black Stallion (1979), which brought him an Academy Award nomination as Best Actor in a Supporting Role. He also turned to the stage in 1979 in Sugar Babies with Ann Miller, and was nominated for a Tony Award. During that time he also portrayed the Wizard in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz with Eartha Kitt at New York's Madison Square Garden, which also had a successful run nationally.
Rooney appeared in four television series': The Mickey Rooney Show (1954) (1954-1955), a comedy sit-com in 1964 with Sammee Tong called Mickey, One of the Boys in 1982 with Dana Carvey and Nathan Lane, and The New Adventures of the Black Stallion (1990) from 1990-1993. In 1981, Rooney won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of a mentally challenged man in Bill (1981). The critical acclaim continued to flow for the veteran performer, with Rooney receiving an honorary Academy Award "in recognition of his 60 years of versatility in a variety of memorable film performances". More recently he has appeared in such films as Night at the Museum (2006) with Ben Stiller and The Muppets (2011) with Amy Adams and Jason Segel.
Rooney's personal life, including his frequent trips to the altar, has proved to be just as epic as his on-screen performances. His first wife was one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood, actress Ava Gardner. Mickey permanently separated from his eighth wife Jan in June of 2012. In 2011 Rooney filed elder abuse and fraud charges against stepson Christopher Aber and Aber's wife. At Rooney's request, the Superior Court issued a restraining order against the Aber's demanding they stay 100 yards from Rooney, as well as Mickey's other son Mark Rooney and Mark's wife Charlene. Just prior, Rooney mustered the strength to break his silence and appeared before the Senate in Washington D.C. telling of his own heartbreaking story of abuse in an effort to live a peaceful, full life and help others who may be similarly suffering in silence.
Rooney requested through the Superior Court to permanently reside with his son Mark Rooney, who is a musician and Marks wife Charlene, an artist, in the Hollywood Hills. He legally separated from his eighth wife in June of 2012. Ironically, after eight failed marriages he never looked or felt better and finally found happiness and peace in the single life. Mickey, Mark and Charlene focused on health, happiness and creative endeavors and it showed. Mickey Rooney had once again landed on his feet reminding us that he was a survivor. Rooney died on April 6th 2014. He was taking his afternoon nap and never woke. One week before his death Mark and Charlene surprised him by reunited him with a long lost love, the racetrack. He was ecstatic to be back after decades and ran into his old friends Mel Brooks and Dick Van Patten.Mickey Rooney • lived 1920-2014 • acted 1926-2016 • 90 years of acting
Mickey Rooney was famous in many ways. The award-winning actor who married eight times was famous for his height (5'2") and the 338 movies and TV shows he starred in. His first appearance was in the 1926 short "Not to Be Trusted" and his final appearances were museum keeper Gus in "Night of the Museum: Secret of the Tomb" in 2014 and Mr. Louis in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" in 2016.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Growing up as the youngest of four sons of the merchant Jacobus Heesters and his wife Gertruida, née van der Hoevel, he began a commercial apprenticeship after finishing school. He actually wanted to become a priest, but then began an apprenticeship in a bank. In 1920 he switched to acting. He initially completed singing and acting training in Amsterdam and had his first theater engagements there in 1921. He later also played on stages in The Hague, Brussels and Rotterdam. In 1924 he received a supporting role in his first silent film "Cirque Hollandais" directed by Theo Frenkel. In 1930 Heesters married Louisa H. Ghijs, with whom he had two daughters, Wiesje and Nicole. He was married to his wife for 53 years until her death in 1985. After appearances at theaters in the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland, he received his first engagement as a tenor in operetta in 1934 in Millöcker's "The Begging Student" at the Vienna Volksoper. A year later, in 1936, he went to Berlin.
Here Heesters celebrated his breakthrough, first at the Komische Oper and then at the Metropoltheater and the Admiralspalast. He also owed his nickname "Jopie" to the audience in the German capital. He was immediately discovered for the film. Numerous UFA productions followed, such as his first leading role in "The Bettelstudent" (1936) and "The Court Concert" (1936). With "Gasparone" (1937) alongside Marika Rökk, Heesters became a film star. In 1938 he sang the role of Count Danilo for the first time in the Franz Léhar operetta "The Merry Widow", a role that he developed into one of his signature roles for 35 years. This was followed by "The Adventure Continues - Every Woman Has a Sweet Secret", "My Aunt - Your Aunt" (1939) and "Love School" (1940). The Reich Ministry for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda soon included him on the so-called "God-Given List". His attitude towards Nazi Germany was contradictory. Although he owed his success primarily to the UFA, he also rejected German citizenship. He neither became a member of the NSDAP nor did he explicitly distance himself from National Socialism.
Despite a few encounters with Adolf Hitler, he performed in the Netherlands in 1938 with a Jewish theater group that had fled Germany. There was massive criticism from abroad, especially in Holland, where he was accused of being a collaborator who was in German service when his homeland was occupied by the Wehrmacht. He celebrated great successes during the war years with films such as "Hello Janine" with Marika Rökk, "It began so harmlessly" with Theo Lingen and "Roses in Tirol" with Hans Moser. Despite his success in film, Heesters returned to theater after the Second World War. His popularity remained unbroken. Count Danilo's entrance song "I'm going to Maxim" from the operetta "The Merry Widow" became an evergreen. He appeared on stage in this role over 1,600 times. In 1953, Otto Preminger hired him for the Hollywood film "The Virgin on the Roof". Meanwhile, Heesters had already been involved in around 50 film productions by 1961. In 1970, after a long break from filming, he appeared in "The Inspector: Parking Lot Hyenas". "The Beautiful Wilhelmine" followed in 1983.
In 1984 Johannes Heesters became an honorary member of the Vienna Volksoper. In 1985 the comedy film "Otto - The Film" followed. Heesters was also active in literature. He described his life in his 1993 autobiography entitled "Thank God I'm Not Young Anymore." In the 1990s he appeared in front of the camera for the television plays "Two Munichers in Hamburg", "Two Old Hands" and "Between Night and Day". In 1992 Heesters married the actress Simone Rethel, who was 46 years his junior. From 1996 to the summer of 2001 he played alongside his wife in the play "A Blessed Age" written for him by Curth Flatow. In 1999 he was awarded a "Bambi" for his life's work. In 1997, at the age of 94, Heesters celebrated his 75th stage anniversary and went on tour with the play "A Blessed Age". At the turn of the millennium, Heesters, who was fond of tobacco and whiskey until old age, became the oldest active entertainer in the world. In 2001 he was honored with the Platinum Romy for his life's work.
In 2002, the 99-year-old Heesters was able to look back on 80 years on the stage. Another autobiographical work by Heesters followed in 2002 with the title "Even a hundred years are not enough". In 2003, Johannes Heesters received an honorary award from the "Bambi" for his life's work. In 2004, Heesters appeared four times in the role of the gentleman in Hofmannsthal's "Everyman". At the Wittenberge Elbland Festival he was awarded the title of "chamber singer". In August 2006, the first exhibition about Heesters took place in the Berlin Academy of Arts, which he personally opened with a song recital. In the year 2006 he received the "Honorary Radio Rainbow Award". In 2008, Heesters took on a supporting role in the Til Schweiger comedy "1 1/2 Knights - In Search of the Adorable Herzelinde". From July 2010, Heesters plays the king in Rolf Hochhuth's "Inselkomödie" in the Berliner Ensemble.
Johannes Heesters died on December 24, 2011 in Starnberg, at the age of 108.Johannes Heesters • lived 1903-2011 • acted 1924-2011 • 87 years of acting
Johannes Heesters was a Dutch actor who starred primarily in German films over his 87-year career. He starred in his first film at age 21, and he starred in his last film at age 108.- Actress
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Having toured the world with husband, Kajar the Magician's Show 'Magicadabr', Jean Darling settled in Dublin and became an author of dozens of short mysteries for Ellery Queen, Alfred Hitchcock, Mike Shayne Mystery Magazines and Horror Fantasy for Whispers Magazine, etc. In 1980 she became Aunty Poppy (named for her home State flower) writing and telling over 450 children's story on both RTE radio and TV. Jean has also written several radio plays broadcast on RTE.Jean Darling • lived 1922-present • acted 1927-2013 • 86 years of acting
Jean Darling played "Jean" in the "Our Gang" short films in the late 20s and early 30s. She appeared in a few other films in the 30s as well. Finally, she appeared in "The I Don't Care Girl" in 1953 and a short called "The Butler's Tale" in 2013, leaving a 60-year gap between the two films.- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Manoel de Oliveira was born on 11 December 1908 in Oporto, Portugal. He was a director and writer, known for The Cannibals (1988), I'm Going Home (2001) and Christopher Columbus, the Enigma (2007). He was married to Maria Isabel Brandão de Meneses de Almeida Carvalhais. He died on 2 April 2015 in Oporto, Portugal.Manoel de Oliveira • lived 1908-2015 • directed, acted, wrote, produced, and edited 1928-2014 • 86 years of filmmaking
Manoel de Oliveira, a Portugese filmmaker, was an extra in the 1928 movie "Fatima Milagrosa". His first movie that he made was "Labor on Douro River". He continued to make movies until his death on April 2, 2015.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Milton Berle was an American comedian and actor.
Berle's career as an entertainer spanned over 80 years, first in silent films and on stage as a child actor, then in radio, movies and television. As the host of NBC's Texaco Star Theatre (1948-55), he was the first major American television star and was known to millions of viewers as "Uncle Miltie" and "Mr. Television" during the first Golden Age of Television. He was honored with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work in both radio and TV.
Berle won the Emmy for Most Outstanding Kinescoped Personality in 1950. In 1979, Berle was awarded a special Emmy Award, titled "Mr. Television." He was twice nominated for Emmys for his acting, in 1962 and 1995.
Berle was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1984. On December 5, 2007, Berle was inducted into the California Hall of Fame.Milton Berle • lived 1908-2002 • acted 1914-2000 • 86 years of acting
Milton Berle started acting when he was six and didn't stop until he was 92. He starred in 95 movies and TV shows during his career, so he must have really enjoyed acting!- Actress
- Soundtrack
Barbara Perry was born on 22 June 1921 in Norfolk, Virginia, USA. She was an actress, known for Trancers (1984), The Back-up Plan (2010) and Mr. Woodcock (2007). She was married to Art Babbitt and Bennett Warren James. She died on 5 May 2019 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA.Barbara Perry • lived 1923-present • acted 1933-2015 • 82 years of acting
Barbara Perry's first movie was when she was 10, and her most recent was when she was 90. Mostly appearing in TV shows, she starred in shows like "The Donna Reed Show" and "The Dick Van Dyke Show" in the 50s and 60s.- Gisèle Casadesus was born on 14 June 1914 in Paris, France. She was an actress, known for Loves of Casanova (1947), Paméla (1945) and Sous le figuier (2012). She was married to Lucien Pascal. She died on 24 September 2017 in Paris, France.Gisèle Casadesus • lived 1914-present • acted 1934-present • 82 years of acting
Gisèle Casadesus is a French actress who has acted in countless French movies since 1934, and also a number of American movies such as "My Afternoons with Margueritte" and "Sarah's Key". The 102-year-old actress was married to fellow French actor Lucien Pascal for 72 years. She has also appeared in many French theatre productions. - Maxine Elliott Hicks' parents were George W. & Margaret Hicks. They are listed in the 1910 Colorado census and then show up in 1920, 1930 and 1940 census records in California. On George W. Hicks' death certificate is shows his mother's maiden name as Joslyn. Maxine was married several times, one being a Dodge.Maxine Elliott Hicks • lived 1904-2000 • acted 1914-1994 • 80 years of acting
Maxine Elliott Hicks started as a young actress in the 10s, 20s, and 30s, starting her career with the short "The Borrowed Finery" in 1914. She didn't act again until the 70s, 80s, and 90s, when she appeared in many TV shows and a few films. Her last appearance was the show "Thunder Alley" in 1994. - Actor
- Director
- Writer
Curt had one of the longest careers in film history appearing in films at the age of 8, In 1933 he fled Germany to seek artistic freedom in New York where he quickly captivated audiences in his many stage appearances. After a few years Hollywood beckoned with the mot productive period of his career taking place in the late 30's and early 40's with such films as The Great Waltz, Hold Back the Dawn and Cover Girl, After WWII he felt it was time to return to Germany where he not only continued to make films but started directing and producing but it was his cabaret performances that earned him a solid reputation as a fine performer. He died in late 1991Curt Bois • lived 1901-1991 • acted 1907-1987 • 80 years of acting
Curt Bois, a German actor, started out in German films as a child and young adult. His first American film was "Tovarich" in 1937. He continued to act until 1987, in German and American films. he was 86 when he made his final movie. His most famous role was "the pickpocket" in the 1942 film "Casablanca".