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I'm both a classic movie buff and have a world-class level of sentimentality running through me. So I got to wondering who is still around today who spoke even a single line of dialogue in a pre-1940 movie. Mickey Rooney is gone and so is Shirley Temple. I could think of two still alive, Olivia de Havilland and Terry Kilburn who was a child actor in movies like the 1939 Goodbye Mr. Chips.
While that Wiki feature lists Norman Lloyd (the first name I thought of), he doesn't quite meet the criteria of the OP, as his first movie was Hitchcock's Saboteur in 1942. Obviously though he was active in theater and radio before 1940. I thought of him first because I absolutely loved him as Dr. Auschlander in St. Elsewhere, which I still consider the best TV doctor show ever.
And I should have guessed Olivia de Havildand, who is still around and was in many great Depression-era movies.
The question actually requires either unusual knowledge or, research. Not every actor who appeared in a 1930s movie had dialogue. Not every actor listed as appearing in a 1930s film and said in some sources to be alive is actually still alive. Another similar question would be is there an actor who appeared in a silent movie, who spoke dialogue (as in, silent movie subtitles) still alive? Sadly, I think in recent years that answer is now no.
The question actually requires either unusual knowledge or, research. Not every actor who appeared in a 1930s movie had dialogue. Not every actor listed as appearing in a 1930s film and said in some sources to be alive is actually still alive. Another similar question would be is there an actor who appeared in a silent movie, who spoke dialogue (as in, silent movie subtitles) still alive? Sadly, I think in recent years that answer is now no.
Well the link provided gives you a starting point for your research. Have fun!
Yes, that's her. I have just looked her up. Over 100 years old. Still younger than Olivia De Havilland.
I am not familiar with Baby Peggy but I have the IMdb page on her now and they claim her to be the last true silent movie actor still alive. They also claim she has the longest spanning career, from 1920 to 2015. That last film of hers seems a little bit home movie-ish if the description means anything, but they count it. Mickey Rooney's career went from 1926 to 2017.
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