80 most influential Americans over 80

The United States is not known for respecting its elderly, who are often overlooked, perceived as lacking the value of the young who are still likely to be in the workforce. Yet, some of the country’s oldest living citizens are, and continue to be, among the most influential Americans.

24/7 Wall St. compiled a list of American citizens who are at least 80 years old — living legends, whose contributions have had a permanent effect on our society. Many of these Americans, despite being over 80 years old, continue to go to work every day. Some have worked at the top of their industries for over half a century. Others are retired, but their work continues to have a lasting impact on every aspect of American life.

Businesspeople, entertainers and artists, politicians and government officials, scientists and academics, authors, and athletes are all well-represented among the 80 most influential Americans over 80.

80 Most Influential Americans Over 80

It is not always clear what achievements will stand the test of time. The effect of recent accomplishments lauded as truly great may fade in coming decades. For many of the people on the 80 Most Influential Americans Over 80 list, their work was done over the greater part of their lifetimes. Without exception, each of these individuals have had an unquestionable contribution to society.

Most of the people on this list will go down in history, with life works that have redefined their fields, often to the point that their influence spills into other aspects of society. The level of influence of a person’s life work often needs to be evaluated in the context of his or her profession. For instance, some of the “80 over 80” are film stars or athletes, whose fame, visibility and reach — by the nature of their profession — dwarfs that of academics and artists. However, the influence celebrities have may seem to pale when measured against the influence of a Supreme Court justice, president, or great inventor.

While some of the individuals on this list have retired, many are still producing work, speaking publicly, and otherwise shaping a new generation of talent in their field. Chuck Berry, one of the pioneers of rock and roll, is set to put out another album. Noam Chomsky, one of the most cited intellectuals of all time, is still writing books. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is still making judicial decisions that will impact every living American and those yet to be born.

It is immediately clear that men dominate the list. Just 11 of the 80 most influential Americans are women. This unfortunate lack of diversity is a byproduct of how, outside of a few occupations for much of the 20th century, it was unheard of for women to wield significant influence. These women were born less than two decades after their gender gained the right to vote. Most of the women that made our list had to overcome oppressive disadvantages to earn the respect they deserved in their fields.

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The opportunities for non-white men to wield tremendous influence, especially for most of the 20th century, was very limited. While African Americans, for example, are well represented among the entertainers on this list, they are not especially common among the most influential living government officials or business leaders over 80.

These are the most influential Americans over 80 — in no particular order.

1. Rupert Murdoch, 85
> Profession: Media mogul

Billionaire media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his family are controlling shareholders of 21st Century Fox and News Corp. The two conglomerates control dozens of television, film, and production companies operate in the U.S. and around the world. Fox, National Geographic, the Wall Street Journal, and MarketWatch, for example, are all operated under Murdoch’s leadership.

2. John Madden, 80
> Profession: NFL coach and sports broadcaster

Pro Football Hall of Famer John Madden was head coach of the Oakland Raiders in the 1960s and 1970s. He led the team to a number of successful seasons, including a Super Bowl win. After retirement, a select few sports superstars manage to capitalize on their fame to pursue careers in film, television, and often, sports broadcasting. Arguably none have done so as successfully as Madden. After retiring upon the conclusion of the 1978 season, Madden became one of the most popular football broadcasters, starred in a number of commercials, and became the face of a wildly popular video game franchise that continues to bear his name long after his retirement from television.

3. Henry Kissinger, 93
> Profession: Political scientist and diplomat

Henry Kissinger served as Secretary of State from September 1973 until January 1977. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 for his involvement in negotiations during the Vietnam War. He then served on various U.S. government national security and defense commissions, councils, and boards through the turn of the century. Kissinger is a polarizing figure, and has many have criticized his involvement in international affairs, with some even suggesting he should be considered a war criminal. Kissinger is currently chairman of the international consulting firm Kissinger Associates, Inc.

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4. Alan Greenspan, 90
> Profession: Chairman of the Federal Reserve

Ronald Reagan appointed Alan Greenspan chairman of the Federal Reserve Board in 1987. Greenspan served in the position until 2006. As chairman, Greenspan wielded enormous influence over U.S. monetary policy and the U.S. economy. He has been praised for his advisory roles under various presidents, and has also been criticized for his perceived responsibility for the dot-com bubble and the subprime mortgage crisis.

5. Robert Redford, 80
> Profession: Actor and director

One of the most enduring actors of all time, Redford starred in a number of classics, including “The Sting,” “All the President’s Men,” “Out of Africa,” and “Butch Cassidy the Sundance Kid.” Over his lengthy career as an actor and director, Redford has won and has been nominated for numerous awards, including the Academy Award for best director for the 1980 film “Ordinary People.”

6. Sidney Poitier, 89
> Profession: Actor, director, author, and diplomat

One of Hollywood’s dominant forces in the second half of the 20th century, Sidney Poitier has acted in more than 50 feature films and directed nine. In 1964, Poitier became the first African American to win an Academy Award for best actor. Today, he is the oldest living actor to have won the award. Poitier’s films frequently addressed complex racial issues of the day, and in 2009 the cultural icon earned a Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the country.

7. Sonny Rollins, 86
> Profession: Jazz saxophonist

Tenor saxophonist Theodore Walter Rollins, known as Sonny Rollins, is one of the greatest living jazz artists. Playing and recording since the late 1940’s, Rollins has made timeless contributions to the genres of bebop and hard bop. While Rollins certainly experimented with his music, he could also be very accessible, and is said to have helped move jazz into the mainstream. Rollins released his most recent recording, “Sonny, Please,” in 2006, close to 70 years after his first recording.

8. Noam Chomsky, 87
> Profession: Writer and academic

As a linguist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Noam Chomsky refuted the prevailing view of language acquisition and helped lay the groundwork for the modern study of linguistics. Chomsky has authored roughly 120 books on topics that include linguistics, U.S. foreign policy, international politics, and media, and is one of the most cited academics of all time.

9. John Clifton “Jack” Bogle, 87> Profession: Investor and CEO

John Clifton Bogle founded the Vanguard Group in 1974, today one of the world’s largest mutual fund companies. Bogle’s influence in the investing world extends beyond his success and wealth. Bogle helped popularize investment, making market investments more accessible through no-load mutual funds and index funds. In 1999, he wrote “Common Sense on Mutual Funds: New Imperatives for the Intelligent Investor,” which to this day is considered required reading by many investors.

10. Stan Lee, 93 
> Profession: Comic book creator

Stan Lee is responsible for creating some of the most well known superheroes in pop culture. With characters like Spider-Man, the Hulk, and the X-Men, Stan Lee introduced flawed humanity into the superhero archetype and helped define the modern comic book and establish its popularity across the globe. As the public figurehead of Marvel Comics, Lee also helped grow the once small publishing division into a global media conglomerate. A number of superhero films based on characters Lee helped create have dominated the box office since the early 2000’s.

MORE:See the rest of the top 80 most influential Americans over 80

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