Top 10 Centenarians

Let us have a look at the top 10 centenarians who made major accomplishments and contributions to the society.

1. Jeanne Calment, 122 years old:

Calment was a remarkable lady who is to this day the oldest person to have ever lived. No one has yet surpassed the age of death before or after Calment. She was a strong woman who at 85 years of age took fencing lessons. She was frequently seen biking until she was 110. She was entered into Guinness World Records at 113 for being the oldest living person. After being overthrown, she reentered the race at age 116. Her secret to living a long life was olive oil.

2. Charles Lane, 102 years old:

One of the oldest professional actors in America, Charles Lane had a career which spanned 75 years (from 1931 to 2006). Appearing in 250 films, he would often play 2 to 3 roles a day. His last appearance was at age 101 when was featured in the movie The Night Before Christmas.

3. Albert Hofmann, 102 years old:

He is the renowned scientist responsible for the development and introduction of the Lysergic acid diethylamide or LSD.

4. Leni Riefenstahl, 101 years old:

She is a famous actress, dancer and film director and was widely known for her refine artistry and innovative style in filmmaking. Her works were all critically acclaimed and she has a huge following in Germany.

5. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen’s Mother, 101 years old:

Born as Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and later Queen Elizabeth, she is widely known as the Duchess of York and the last Empress of India and Queen of Ireland. She is the mother of Queen Elizabeth II.

6. Irving Berlin, 101 years old:

He is one of the foremost figures of the music entertainment industry and is highly regarded as a prolific and successful musician and lyricist in history.

7. Bob Hope, 100 years old:

Bob Hope is the ultimate icon of American entertainment industry. He has made his mark in vaudeville, Broadway, TV, radio and the movies.

8. Gloria Stuart, 100 years old:

At 87, Stuart made an astounding and critically acclaimed appearance in the film Titanic. She played the role of Rose who came back to the scene of the Titanic to help retrieve jewelry-explorers were looking for. All in all, Stuart left a legacy many shall remember. Her films spanned a total of 72 years with a major break for 29 years. If it were not for lung cancer, Stuart would have lived a long and healthy life. She conducted interviews until she was 99 years old. Furthermore, she is the oldest person yet to be nominated for an oscar.

9. Miep Gies (100 years old):

Gies worked at Opetka as a secretary to Otto Frank. During most of WWII, she helped hide the Franks, vanPels and Fritz Pfeiffer from the Nazis. She risked the life of her and her husband to save innocent people who were persecuted because of their faith. Ever since the war ended, Gies worked with Otto Frank to keep Anne Frank’s memory alive. For her bravery and humanitarian work, Gies was awarded the Order of Merit by The Federal Republic of Germany and Yad Vashem’s medal of honor. Not many humanitarians did what Gies did with no compensation.

10. George Burns, 100 years old:

George Burns joins the league of great thespians like Bob Hope who had left an indelible mark in the entertainment industry. He remained as dominant as ever extending to the last decades of his life.