Some of our favorite classic TV shows were filled with talented stars who made us laugh, cry, and tune in every week. Sadly, time has taken most of those beloved cast members, leaving only one major star still with us today.
Looking back at these iconic series is both a celebration of great entertainment and a reminder of how quickly time passes. Here are 19 unforgettable shows where just one major star remains alive.
1. Gilligan’s Island
Out of the entire main cast of Gilligan’s Island, only Tina Louise, who played the glamorous Ginger Grant, is still alive today. The show ran from 1964 to 1967 and became one of the most recognized sitcoms in TV history.
Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, Russell Johnson, and Dawn Wells have all passed away.
Tina Louise, now in her late 80s, remains the last living link to this beloved desert island comedy.
2. Maude
Adrienne Barbeau played Carol Traynor, Maude’s sharp-witted daughter, and she is the only major cast member from Maude still living today. The show aired from 1972 to 1978 and tackled bold social topics that were way ahead of their time.
Bea Arthur, Bill Macy, Conrad Bain, Rue McClanahan, and Esther Rolle have all passed on.
Barbeau has continued working steadily in Hollywood, keeping the spirit of that groundbreaking era alive through her career.
3. The Andy Griffith Show
Ron Howard, who played young Opie Taylor, is the last surviving core cast member of The Andy Griffith Show. Andy Griffith passed in 2012, Don Knotts in 2006, and Frances Bavier back in 1989.
The show aired from 1960 to 1968 and remains one of the warmest, most wholesome comedies ever made.
Howard went on to become one of Hollywood’s most celebrated directors, winning an Academy Award for A Beautiful Mind in 2002.
4. I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy is one of the most iconic shows in television history, but all four of its main stars are now gone. Lucille Ball died in 1989, Desi Arnaz in 1986, Vivian Vance in 1979, and William Frawley in 1966.
However, Lucie Arnaz, daughter of Lucille and Desi and a recurring presence in the show’s world, is still alive today.
She continues to honor her parents’ legacy with passion and grace, keeping Lucy’s laughter alive for new generations.
5. The Honeymooners
The Honeymooners was a groundbreaking comedy that aired in the mid-1950s, starring Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Audrey Meadows, and Joyce Randolph. Of the four main stars, only Joyce Randolph, who played Trixie Norton, is still alive today.
She was born in 1924 and has outlived all of her co-stars by many years.
Her quiet survival is a remarkable footnote in TV history. Gleason died in 1987, Carney in 2003, and Meadows in 1996.
6. Bonanza
Bonanza ran for 14 seasons from 1959 to 1973 and was one of the most beloved westerns in TV history. Of the four Cartwright men, only Pernell Roberts, who played Adam, survived the longest, passing away in 2010.
Today, none of the original Cartwright family actors remain alive.
However, Mitch Vogel, who played Jamie Hunter Cartwright in later seasons as a recurring character, is reportedly still living, keeping a thin thread of the Ponderosa alive.
7. M*A*S*H
M*A*S*H ran from 1972 to 1983 and remains one of the most critically acclaimed series in television history. Many of its beloved cast members have since passed, including McLean Stevenson, Wayne Rogers, Harry Morgan, Larry Linville, and William Christopher.
Alan Alda, Loretta Swit, Mike Farrell, and a few others are still alive today.
Among the most recognized surviving stars, Alan Alda stands out as the face of the show, still active and speaking publicly about his health journey.
8. The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch is one of the most nostalgic family sitcoms ever made, airing from 1969 to 1974. Sadly, Robert Reed and Florence Henderson have both passed away.
Among the remaining major stars, Barry Williams, Maureen McCormick, Christopher Knight, Eve Plumb, Mike Lookinland, and Susan Olsen are all still alive.
The Brady kids have stayed remarkably connected over the decades, even reuniting for a popular HGTV renovation project that reminded fans just how special their bond truly is.
9. Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke aired for an incredible 20 seasons from 1955 to 1975, making it one of the longest-running prime-time dramas in American TV history. James Arness, Amanda Blake, Milburn Stone, and Ken Curtis have all passed away.
Buck Taylor, who played Newly O’Brien, is among the surviving cast members still alive today.
He represents a rare living connection to Dodge City and the golden age of television westerns, a genre that shaped American storytelling for decades.
10. Happy Days
Happy Days ran from 1974 to 1984 and gave us some of TV’s most iconic characters, including the ultra-cool Fonzie. Tom Bosley and Erin Moran have both passed away.
However, Henry Winkler, Ron Howard, Don Most, and Anson Williams are all still alive, making this show one of the luckier ones in terms of surviving cast members.
Henry Winkler remains the most publicly active, beloved by a whole new generation thanks to his Emmy-winning role in the HBO comedy Barry.
11. The Twilight Zone (Original Series)
Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone first aired in 1959 and remains one of the most influential sci-fi anthology series ever created. Serling himself died in 1975.
Because the show featured a rotating cast of guest stars rather than regulars, many actors who appeared in multiple episodes have since passed away.
However, Bill Mumy, who famously played young Anthony Fremont in the chilling episode It’s a Good Life, is still alive and has spoken fondly about the show’s lasting impact.
12. Hogan’s Heroes
Hogan’s Heroes ran from 1965 to 1971 and turned a World War II POW camp into a comedic setting that somehow worked brilliantly. Bob Crane, Werner Klemperer, John Banner, Leon Askin, and Robert Clary have all passed away.
Kenneth Washington, who joined the cast in later seasons, is still alive today.
His survival makes him the last living major cast member of a show that, despite its unusual premise, earned a loyal fanbase that still watches reruns today.
13. Bewitched
Bewitched charmed audiences from 1964 to 1972 with its magical mix of suburban life and witchcraft. Elizabeth Montgomery died in 1995, Dick York in 1992, Dick Sargent in 1994, and Agnes Moorehead in 1974.
However, Erin Murphy, who played little Tabitha as a child, is still alive and active today.
She has embraced her connection to the show with warmth, frequently attending fan events and sharing behind-the-scenes memories that keep the Bewitched magic alive for devoted fans.
14. Green Acres
Green Acres aired from 1965 to 1971 and followed a city couple hilariously adjusting to rural farm life. Eddie Albert passed away in 2005 and Eva Gabor in 1995.
Tom Lester, who played the lovable farmhand Eb Dawson, was the last surviving main cast member before he died in 2020.
Currently, no major original cast members remain alive, but the show lives on through reruns that still attract fans who love its wonderfully offbeat and goofy sense of country humor.
15. The Flintstones (Original Voice Cast)
The Flintstones debuted in 1960 and became the first animated series to air in prime time. The original voice cast included Alan Reed, Jean Vander Pyl, Mel Blanc, and Bea Benaderet.
All of them have since passed away. However, Gerry Johnson, who voiced Betty Rubble after Bea Benaderet’s death, lived until 2020.
Today, the original cast is entirely gone, but the Flintstones franchise itself lives on through reboots, merchandise, and the enduring love of fans worldwide who grew up in Bedrock.
16. The Munsters
The Munsters ran from 1964 to 1966 and gave horror-comedy fans a lovably spooky family to adore. Fred Gwynne died in 1993, Yvonne De Carlo in 2007, Al Lewis in 2006, and Beverley Owen in 2019.
Pat Priest, who played Marilyn Munster for most of the series, is still alive today.
She remains the last surviving major cast member of this quirky classic, a show that proved monsters could be funny, warm-hearted, and surprisingly relatable to everyday American families.
17. The Addams Family (Original Series)
The Addams Family aired from 1964 to 1966 and turned creepy into charming with its wonderfully eccentric family. Carolyn Jones died in 1983, Ted Cassidy in 1979, and Blossom Rock in 1978.
John Astin, who played the enthusiastic and lovable Gomez Addams, is still alive today at over 90 years old.
Lisa Loring, who played Wednesday, passed away in 2023, making Astin one of the very last surviving major cast members of this timeless spooky classic.
18. Laverne and Shirley
Laverne and Shirley ran from 1976 to 1983 and was one of the most popular spinoffs in TV history, born from Happy Days. Penny Marshall, who played Laverne, passed away in 2018.
Cindy Williams, who played Shirley, died in 2023. Michael McKean and David Lander also appeared as major recurring characters, but Lander passed in 2020.
McKean remains one of the last surviving major cast members, carrying on the legacy of a show that made Milwaukee and bottle caps unforgettable.
19. Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In
Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In was a wildly creative sketch comedy show that aired from 1968 to 1973 and changed the face of television humor forever. Dan Rowan died in 1987 and Dick Martin in 2008.
Of the many rotating cast members, Lily Tomlin stands out as the most famous surviving major star from the show.
She launched her legendary career right here, playing the unforgettable telephone operator Ernestine, and has never stopped working, earning respect across generations of comedy fans.