These Television Celebrities Are Still Alive and Kicking!

There are several elderly television celebrities that the general public may have long have long thought dead and gone but are actually still alive and kicking. If you can remember back to the Fifties and Sixties, then you can easily recall stars such as Mitch Miller, Art Linkletter, Dr. Irwin Corey, and Harry Morgan, all staples of television and all still very much alive. The same goes for an actress that portrayed the beloved mother of one of the medium's most famous characters, an actor that finally caught his man, even though he was innocent, and one that helped make the "Streets of San Francisco" safe for all. These celebrities from past decades of television, and many others, have not yet shuffled off this mortal coil, and all of them are over 85 years old.

The elder statesman of this group of television celebrities that many have long thought dead is Mitch Miller, whose popular hit TV show "Sing Along With Mitch" ran from 1961 through 1964 before, at the very height of its popularity, was cancelled because it attracted mostly older viewers, which turned off the advertisers of the network. Miller, who was born in 1911, making him 96 now, did it all in the music business, at one time or another being a conductor, musician, singer, record producer, and record company executive. His show featured the lyrics of a song that he was singing, backed by his all male choir as a bouncing ball on the screen helped people stay with the words, coining the phrase, "Follow the bouncing ball."

Not far behind Mitch in age is Karl Malden, who starred in countless movies but was most famous for his role as Michael Douglas's partner Mike Stone in the detective show "Streets of San Francisco." Malden, born Mladen Sekulovich in 1912 before the Titanic sank, has been married to the same woman now since 1938! Besides his "Streets" fame, Malden also played in several movies, including "A Streetcar Named Desire", for which he received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Malden also played General Omar Bradley opposite George C. Scott in Patton.

Another television celebrity that most might think has passed is Art Linkletter, whose long running "House Party" made the Canadian-born Linkletter a household name in America. Linkletter used to ask small children questions, often with hilarious results. He won a pair of Emmy Awards, has written over twenty books, and his "Kids Say the Darndest Things" has been a best-seller. Linkletter, now 95, is still active on the lecture circuit and is the spokesperson for USA Next, a conservative senior citizen's organization.

Professor Irwin Corey is 93 now, a former "cultural clown" who billed himself as the "World's Foremost Authority" on a variety of subjects, none of which he knew a thing about. He was always on some talk show in the Fifties, Sixties, and Seventies and was a regular on such variety shows as "The Jackie Gleason Show" and "The Tonight Show" with his wild hair going everywhere and a blackboard on which he would try to explain something scientific, totally confusing the viewer.

Everyone wished they had a mom as nice as Barbara Billingsley, Theodore and Wally's mother on "Leave It To Beaver". Barbara played June Cleaver from 1957 through 1963; Hugh Beaumont, Ward Cleaver in the series, died in 1982 of a heart attack. Billingsley remains active even at the age of 91, having just done some work on the NBC show "My Name Is Earl." Harry Morgan, who played Joe Friday's partner on "Dragnet" and Colonel Potter on "M*A*S*H", is 92 now, having begun his acting career in 1942, the veteran of countless movie and television appearances. Barry Morse will always be associated with his character of Lieutenant Gerard from "The Fugitive", the cop who always was chasing and finally did catch up with Richard Kimble in one of the most watched episodes of any show in history. Morse is a five time winner of Canada's Best Actor Award and it has been estimated that he has played close to three thousand roles on radio, the stage, movies, and television. Morse is 89.

The name Frank Cady might not ring a bell, but Sam Drucker, the storekeeper from "Petticoat Junction" and "Green Acres" will. Cady is alive and 92 years old. Dick Wilson is 91, best known as Mr. Whipple from the "Please don't squeeze the Charmin" commercials. "Gilligan's Island" and "The Brady Bunch" creator Sherwood Schwartz will turn 91 in November, while George Gaynes, who played Henry Warnimont in "Punky Brewster", will be 91 next May. Another "M*A*S*H" alumni, Allan Arbus, the fellow who had a recurring role as the psychiatrist, is 89 and "The F.B.I." star Efram Zimbalist, Jr is another celebrity from the world of television that is still alive, turning 89 on November 30th. Finally, on November 19th, say a special "Happy 89th Birthday" to Alan Young, an actor that will always be associated with a talking horse, as he played Wilbur Post on "Mr. Ed."