5 Stars from the 1950s Who Are Still Thriving

      These stars from the 1950s are still thriving today, including Shirley MacLaine, who recently celebrated her 92nd birthday.

      (Referring to her current life, of course.)

      Here are five stars from the 1950s who continue to shine today.

      Clint Eastwood

      20th Century Fox – Credit: C/O

      Without a doubt, Clint Eastwood is the most prolific among the enduring stars from the 1950s. He gained fame with films like Francis in the Navy, The First Traveling Saleslady, and Ambush at Cimarron Pass while also appearing in TV shows such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Highway Patrol.

      The 1960s saw him take a regular role on the TV series Rawhide, and he became an iconic figure of that decade through Sergio Leone’s "Man With No Name" trilogy: A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965), and The Good, The Bad and the Ugly (1966).

      His influence continued strongly over the next twenty years with the Dirty Harry series, but perhaps his most significant impact on cinema has been as a director. He has won four Oscars, two each for directing and producing The Unforgiven (1993) and Million Dollar Baby (2005). Other notable films of his include Mystic River (2003), Letters From Iwo Jima (2006), and American Sniper (2014).

      He is still directing; his latest film, Juror #2, is currently available for streaming on Max. He will turn 96 next month.

      Rita Moreno

      Singin’ in the Rain. MGM

      At 94, Rita Moreno emerged as a 1950s star with roles in classic films like Singin’ in the Rain and The King and I, but she is best known for her performance in 1961's West Side Story.

      She has achieved rare EGOT status, having won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony, among many other accolades, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Kennedy Center Honor, and a Peabody Award. Her extensive filmography features Popi (1969), The Four Seasons (1981), The Slums of Beverly Hills (1998), and Steven Spielberg’s 2021 West Side Story remake.

      Most recently, she brought humor to 80 for Brady and appeared in Fast X. She shows no signs of slowing down.

      Warren Beatty

      CBS

      Warren Beatty, the youngest at 89, became one of the most adored TV stars in the 1950s with his role in the beloved sitcom The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.

      He quickly ascended to matinee idol status with 1960's Splendor in the Grass alongside Natalie Wood, which catapulted them into stardom during the 1960s.

      His legendary career continued with iconic films like Bonnie and Clyde (1967), McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971), The Parallax View (1974), and Shampoo (1975). He then transitioned to directing and starring in Heaven Can Wait (1978), Reds (1981), and the intriguingly odd Bulworth (1998). He won the Best Director Oscar for Reds and starred opposite Annette Bening in 1991's Bugsy; the couple has been married for over thirty years.

      While he hasn't been very active since directing and starring in 2016's Rules Don’t Apply, he still remains vibrant, making a surprise appearance in last year’s TCM special Tracy Zooms In, where he answered questions as a comic-strip legend.

      He hails from a family with good genes, as his older sister is also on this list...

      Shirley MacLaine

      MGM

      Shirley MacLaine was among the Broadway talents of the 1950s before making her film debut in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1955 movie The Trouble With Harry. That same year, she also starred in Artists and Models and went on to appear in Around the World in 80 Days (1956), Some Came Running (1958), and Ask Any Girl (1959).

      She began the 1960s with a striking performance in the memorable comedy The Apartment alongside Jack Lemmon.

      She solidified her place as one of the top stars of the 1960s with roles in The Children’s Hour (1961), Irma la Douce (1963), and Sweet Charity (1969). She later won the Academy Award for Best Actress for Terms of Endearment (1983) and received numerous accolades for films such as Steel Magnolias (1989), Postcards From the Edge (1990), and Bernie (2011).

      Recently, the reincarnation enthusiast was a standout in the second season of Only Murders in the Building.

      Mel Brooks

      Mel Brooks in To Be or Not to Be. 20th Century Fox – Credit