80 Is the New 30
Happy 80th Birthday, William Shatner! From Star Trek to Boston Legal to Priceline commercials, the actor still has star power, just like Betty White, Hugh Hefner, and more celebrity 80-somethings.

Noel Vasquez / Getty Images for Extra

After sky-rocketing to fame as Captain Kirk in Star Trek nearly half a century ago, William Shatner is still at the top of his game, from a primetime sitcom to Priceline’s spokesman (and negotiator). He may be 80, but he’s also active on Twitter and hosts his own talk show, Shatner’s Raw Nerve. When asked in a recent interview how he’s been able to achieve longevity in his career, Shatner—star of $#*! My Dad Says -- simply replied, “It’s called survival.”
Noel Vasquez / Getty Images for Extra

Last year, she became Saturday Night Live’s oldest host, made TV Land’s Hot in Cleveland a hit, and generally took Hollywood by storm in 2010. A recent press release called her “the hottest woman in town,” and we’re inclined to agree.
Chris Pizzello / AP Photo

Her long-running annual Oscars special may be over, but Walters is still everywhere—from her Sirius XM show Here’s Barbara to her always insightful, sometimes catty, and endlessly entertaining exchanges on The View.
Retna

The legendary syndicated columnist once said she wanted to “die with my boots on at my desk.” Now that she’s writing online, you can download her columns on your iPhone, boots and all.
Retna

He was in his sixties when he claimed the role of George's dad on Seinfeld, stealing every scene he was in. Today, he’s still working on a project almost every year. Most recently: a film about swingers and a stint on CBS hit series The Good Wife.
Peter Kramer / AP Photo

The Bronx-born spinner of sinister tales will not stop writing. She’s written 42 books—her newest, I'll Walk Alone, comes out this April.
Stuart Ramson / AP Photo

If you liked her Broadway debut in 1947’s Angel in the Wings, you’ll love her as Jack Donaghy’s mother in 2009’s 30 Rock.
Retna

It’s been more than half a century since Martin and Lewis cracked their first jokes, and the surviving half of that team is still hosting telethons and racking up awards as if it were The Colgate Comedy Hour.
Scott Harrison / Retna

He managed to make skin mags classy, and his parties at the Playboy Mansion remain the stuff of dreams for young men everywhere. And now, he's marrying 24-year-old former Playmate of the Month, Crystal Harris.
Alberto Pellaschiar / AP Photo

Though she currently makes America laugh as the Alzheimer-stricken Maw Maw in Fox’s recently-renewed comedy Raising Hope, Leachman is personally at the top of her game. She kicked, she twirled, and she rocked a tasseled dress with her death-defying performance on 2008’s Dancing With the Stars. She stole our hearts with her moves and her hilarious interviews afterward.
Chris Haston / AP Photo

Working in stand-up comedy – one of the toughest acts in show business – the insult king has managed a career that’s spanned from the Sinatra era to Super Bowl XLIV.
Reed Saxon / AP Photo

He must be using the Schwartz. How else could Mel Brooks still be cracking wise and reprising the beloved Spaceballs franchise decades after he originally wrote it?
Kevork Djansezian / AP Photo

The 85-year-old star of screens big and small is pure class, and she recently wowed audiences with her Tony-nominated performance in Broadway's A Little Night Music opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones. Lansbury's next co-stars are Jim Carrey in 2011’s Mr. Popper’s Penguins and Katherine Heigl in 2012’s Adeline.
Mark Lennihan / AP Photo

Since leaving Gracie Mansion, the former mayor of New York continues to pen editorials, appear on TV, and be generally entertaining wherever he goes.
Frank Franklin II / AP Photo
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.