Legendary Celebrities Who May Have Already Peaked But Are Still Alive Today
Barbara Mandrell – Born in 1948
Barbara Mandrell is a country music singer whose peak came in the late ’70s and ’80s when she was among the country’s most successful singers. She began her career in 1969, and a few years later, she released singles like “Tonight My Baby’s Coming Home” and “The Midnight Oil,” which soared to the top of the Billboard charts.
In 1979, Mandrell won the Country Music Association’s Female Vocalist of the Year award, and from 1980 to 1982, she hosted “Barbara Mandrell & the Mandrell Sisters.” In 1982, she won two Grammy Awards for her gospel album, “He Set My Life to Music.” She retired from music in 1997 to become an actress.
Bruce Springsteen – Born in 1949
Bruce Springsteen has arguably been one of the world’s biggest and most well-known rock singers since he began his career in 1964 by playing at local venues. In 1973, he released two albums, which didn’t get much attention, but his 1975 album, “Born to Run,” pushed him to mainstream audiences, selling over seven million copies and peaking at number three on the Billboard 200.
Since then, Springsteen has released 18 more albums and has sold more than 140 million records worldwide. He has also received 20 Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes, an Academy Award, and a Special Tony Award.
Richard Chamberlain – Born in 1934
Richard Chamberlain is an actor and singer who became a teen idol when he starred in the series “Dr. Kildare” from 1961 to 1966. After that, he appeared in other series like “Shōgun” and “The Thorn Birds” and also starred as Jason Bourne in the 1988 movie “The Bourne Identity.”
Chamberlain had some singing ability, and his song “Three Stars Will Shine Tonight” reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. He also appeared in theatre productions like “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” “My Fair Lady,” and “The Sound of Music,” and in 1969, he became the first American to play the title role in “Hamlet” since John Barrymore did in 1925.
Tony Bennett – Born in 1926
Tony Bennett is a retired singer who was launched into the limelight in 1951 when he released the song “Because of You.” He was at the peak of his powers in the late ’50s when he released albums like “The Beat of My Heart” and “Strike Up the Band,” which were very popular.
Throughout his seven-decade career, he has received numerous accolades, like 20 Grammy Awards and two Primetime Emmy Awards, and he was praised for continuing to release critically acclaimed works. In 2014, Bennett and Lady Gaga created a joint album, “Cheek to Cheek,” which they promoted by touring various countries in 2014 and 2015.
Debbie Harry –Born in 1945
Debbie Harry is a singer, songwriter, and actress most recognizable for being the lead vocalist of the band “Blondie,” which she formed in 1974. She previously worked as a dancer and secretary before pursuing a musical career. In 1976, her band released its first album, “Blondie,” and it was certified Gold in the United Kingdom.
Their third album “Parallel Lines” was a global hit, and the single “Heart of Glass” became the second highest-selling single of 1979. The group split in 1982, and Harry began a solo career and combined it with acting by starring in the 1983 movie “Videodrome.” In 2019, she released a memoir, “Face It.”
Sandie Shaw – Born in 1947
Sandie Shaw was one of the most successful female British singers in the ’60s, and during that period, the singles “There’s Always Something to Remind Me,” “Long Live Love,” and “Puppet on a String” became the U.K. number one singles. The latter won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1967.
Shaw began her career in 1964, and she appeared in various popular Television programs performing barefoot, which endeared her to the public audience. In 1968, she started a fashion label and sold her clothing and jewelry, and that same year, she hosted her T.V. show “The Sandie Shaw Supplement.” In 2013, she retired, and in 2017, she was awarded an M.B.E.
Ann-Margret – Born in 1941
Ann-Margret is a singer, dancer, and actress and is recognized for her roles in “Pocketful of Miracles,” “Carnal Knowledge,” “Taxi,” and “Going in Style,” and has won five Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy Award. In 1994, she released her autobiography, “Ann-Margret: My Story,” which detailed intimate and vulnerable moments from her life.
Ann-Margret’s music career has spanned over six decades since 1961, and in her younger days, she was noted for her sultry, contralto voice and was usually referred to as a female version of Elvis Presley. In 1962, she was nominated for a Grammy Award; in 2001, her gospel album “God is Love” was nominated for another Grammy.
Jane Birkin – Born in 1946
Jane Birkin is a singer and actress who kickstarted her career with a minor role in the 1966 movie “Blowup.” Two years later, she met Serge Gainsbourg, and that began a decade-long personal and working relationship that produced a joint album, “Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg” in 1969, and the 1975 movie “Je t’aime moi non plus.”
Birkin parted ways with Gainsbourg in 1980 and continued her work by appearing in other French movies like “La fille prodigue” and “La pirate,” which was nominated for a Cesar Award. In 2016, she played a lead role in “La femme et le TGV,” which was nominated for an Academy Award.
Barbara Mandrell – Born in 1948
Barbara Mandrell is a country music singer whose peak came in the late ’70s and ’80s when she was among the country’s most successful singers. She began her career in 1969, and a few years later, she released singles like “Tonight My Baby’s Coming Home” and “The Midnight Oil,” which soared to the top of the Billboard charts.
In 1979, Mandrell won the Country Music Association’s Female Vocalist of the Year award, and from 1980 to 1982, she hosted “Barbara Mandrell & the Mandrell Sisters.” In 1982, she won two Grammy Awards for her gospel album, “He Set My Life to Music.” She retired from music in 1997 to become an actress.
Katharine Ross – Born in 1940
Katharine Ross is an actress who has appeared in numerous movies, theatre productions, and television series since she began her career in 1962. She received critical acclaim in 1967 when she starred in “The Graduate,” which saw her get nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and winning a Golden Globe for New Star of the Year.
In 1969, Ross starred in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here,” for which she won a BAFTA Award. She continued to star in other movies throughout the following decades and spent most of the ’90s semi-retirement before fully retiring in 2019.
Tom Selleck – Born in 1945
Tom Selleck is instantly recognizable for his famous mustache. The actor had a breakout role in 1980 when he portrayed the character Thomas Magnum in the television series “Magnum P.I.,” for which he won an Emmy Award in 1985. He has also appeared in numerous movies and series like “Three Men and a Baby,” “Mr. Baseball,” “Lassiter,” “The Rockford Files,” and “Friends.”
Since 2005, Selleck has portrayed Jesse Stone’s character in nine movies adapted from the books of Robert B. Parker. He has also had the long-standing role of Frank Reagan in the series “Blue Bloods,” and in 2021, he was featured on Nicholas King’s album, “Act One.”
Lorenzo Lamas – Born in 1958
Lorenzo Lamas’ most significant role was as Lance Cumson in the soap opera “Falcon Crest,” for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as Best Supporting Actor. His other notable roles include Reno Raines in the series “Renegade,” Hector Ramirez in the series “The Bold and the Beautiful,” and Dr. Hollywood in the Nickelodeon series “Big Time Rush.”
Lamas is also a theatre actor and has been a part of plays like “The King and I,” which was shown at the Ogunquit Playhouse, and “The Fantasticks” at the Casa Manana Theatre. In 2015, he appeared in the reality show “Celebrity Apprentice,” and in 2016, he became a helicopter pilot.
Max Baer Jr. – Born in 1937
Not to be confused with his father, Max Baer Sr., a professional boxer, Max Baer Jr. is an actor, comedian, and director best known for playing Jethro Bodine in the sitcom “The Beverly Hillbillies” that ran from 1962 to 1971. He began his professional career in 1960 and made minor appearances in series like “Maverick” and “Cheyenne.”
Following the end of “The Beverly Hillbillies,” Baer Jr. wrote and produced “Macon County Line” in 1974, which was a critical and commercial success. He is recognized as one of the first to use the name of a song as the name and plot of a movie.
Stephanie Beacham – Born in 1947
Stephanie Beacham is best known for playing characters like Sable Colby in the series “The Colbys” and Dr. Kristin Westphalen in the science fiction series “seaQuest D.S.V.” She began her career in 1967 by appearing in British television. In 1970, she made her movie debut in “The Games.”
In the ’70s, Beacham gained a reputation for being a “scream queen” because she appeared in several horror movies like “Dracula A.D. 1972” and “Schizo.” In 2011, she released an autobiography, “Many Lives,” where she discussed her life and career, and she appeared on reality shows like “Strictly Come Dancing” and “Celebrity Big Brother” in 2007 and 2010, respectively.
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