5 Stars from the 1950s Who Are Still Thriving Today

      These icons of the 1950s continue to thrive, including Clint Eastwood, who celebrated his 96th birthday today.

      Here are five stars from the 1950s who are still shining today.

      Clint Eastwood

      Clint Eastwood, seen here in Francis in the Navy. Universal Pictures

      As the most prolific of the enduring stars from the 1950s, Clint Eastwood rose to fame with films like Francis in the Navy, The First Traveling Saleslady, and Ambush at Cimarron Pass, while also appearing on television shows such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Highway Patrol.

      The 1960s saw him in a steady role on the TV series Rawhide, and he became one of the most recognized stars 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 presence loomed large in the following two decades with the Dirty Harry franchise, but his most significant impact on cinema might be his directorial work, earning him four Oscars—two for directing and producing The Unforgiven (1993) and Million Dollar Baby (2005). Other notable films include Mystic River (2003), Letters From Iwo Jima (2006), and American Sniper (2014).

      He is still directing films, with his latest, Juror #2, currently streaming on Max. As he turns 96, he is reportedly planning another movie.

      Rita Moreno

      Singin’ in the Rain. MGM

      Rita Moreno, aged 94, emerged as one of the stars of the 1950s with roles in classic films like Singin’ in the Rain (above) and The King and I, later becoming widely recognized for her performance in 1961’s West Side Story.

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

      Recently, she made audiences laugh in 80 for Brady and appeared in Fast X. She remains as active as ever.

      Warren Beatty

      CBS

      Warren Beatty, the youngest in this group at 89, first gained attention as a popular TV star in the 1950s through his role on the beloved sitcom The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (above).

      He quickly became a matinee idol with his starring role alongside Natalie Wood in 1960’s Splendor in the Grass, propelling both actors into stardom during the 1960s.

      Over the following decades, he embarked on a legendary career featuring films like Bonnie and Clyde (1967), McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971), The Parallax View (1974), and Shampoo (1975), before shifting to directing and starring in Heaven Can Wait (1978), Reds (1981), and the intriguingly bizarre Bulworth (1998). He won the Academy Award for Best Director for Reds. He co-starred with Annette Bening in 1991’s Bugsy, and the couple has been married for over thirty years.

      Since directing and starring in 2016’s Rules Don’t Apply, Warren Beatty has been less active but still remains vibrant, appearing unexpectedly last year in the TCM special Tracy Zooms In, where he answered questions as a comic-strip character.

      His family boasts great genes, as his older sister is also on this list…

      Shirley MacLaine

      MGM

      Shirley MacLaine was among the Broadway stars of the 1950s before making her film debut in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1955 film The Trouble With Harry. She also starred that year in Artists and Models (above), and later in Around the World in 80 Days (1956), Some Came Running (1958), and Ask Any Girl (1959).

      She kicked off the 1960s with a poignant and unforgettable performance in the insightful comedy The Apartment (above), opposite Jack Lemmon.

      Her status as a top star of the 1960s solidified with roles in The Children’s Hour (1961), Irma la Douce (1963), and Sweet Charity (1969). She went on to win an Academy Award for Best Actress for 1983’s Terms of Endearment, and continued to receive accolades for her work in Steel Magnolias (1989), Postcards From the Edge (1990), and Bernie (2011).

      Most recently, the reincarnation enthusiast shone in the second season of Only Murders in the Building.