Celebrating Older Americans Month: It’s Never Too Late for Greatness
The idea that “age is just a number” is certainly true for many people who have blossomed, achieved greatness, found fame, or reinvented themselves later in life. This Older Americans Month, we would like to highlight a few of our favorites:
Colonel Harland Sanders was modestly successful as a restaurant owner in his 40s. However, it wasn’t until he was 62 years old that he opened the first Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). Soon, his image became one of the most recognizable in the advertising world, and he appeared in dozens of commercials. Today, there are over 29,000 KFC outlets in 147 countries and territories.
Burt Mustin began his professional acting career at age 67. He ultimately appeared in over 150 movies and television shows. He was known for his dependability, professionalism, and diversity. Among his TV roles were Leave It to Beaver, The Twilight Zone, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Monkees, Dragnet, Gunsmoke, and Bewitched.
John Fenn was a scientist and researcher who was forced to retire at age 70. When he was in his 80s, he received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for creating a way to measure ribosomes and viruses. This is used universally as a standard today.
Frank McCourt was in his 60s when he wrote his memoir, Angela’s Ashes. The book became a bestseller and won the Pulitzer Prize. It was also made into a feature film.
Estelle Getty had been a struggling actress for several years before she got her big break at age 62. She was cast in the Broadway play Torch Song Trilogy, which led to her role as Sophia on TV’s The Golden Girls. She subsequently received seven consecutive Emmy nominations and won the award in 1988 when she was 64.
Mimi Weddell didn’t begin acting until she was over 65. After her husband’s death, she was left with several debts and took to the stage as a way to earn money. She appeared on TV shows like Law & Order and Sex and the City, and movies like The Purple Rose of Cairo and Hitch. The 2008 documentary film, Hats Off, tells the story of her life.
Harry Bernstein retired as a screenwriter when he was 62. In his 90s, he wrote and published four books.
Iris Apfel had a successful career in textiles in her younger days, but she didn’t become a fashion icon until she was over 80. She was signed to a national modeling agency at age 97 and was the subject of a 2014 documentary.
Peter Mark Roget was in his 70s when he published the lists that would become Roget’s Thesaurus. The book has since sold millions of copies.
Joseph A. Campbell was a moderately successful entrepreneur and owner of a canned goods company. But it wasn’t until he was 78 that he developed his first condensed soup, and Campbell Soup took off.
At Pi, we believe that it’s never too late to have a career, a life, an outstanding accomplishment, or a dream come true. And we believe in designing communities that channel residents’ needs and interests and nurture their hopes and dreams.
Pi Architects | Contact us here or call us at 512-231-1910.
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