What do Baby Boomers and late bloomers have in common? Just when you begin to assume their best days are behind them, they do something brilliant and prove you dead wrong.

Below is a list of some notable history-makers who were just hitting their stride at an age when their contemporaries had already taken to rocking chairs, retirement, and recollections of things past. 

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Movie star of the 1930s, Gloria Henry was in her 90s and long retired when she made the ultimate comeback in the highly acclaimed film, “Titanic” and won a best supporting actress Oscar for her stunning performance.

When comedian George Burns was in his late-90s, he said, “If you make it to 100, you’re in great shape, because very few people die after 100.” Ironically, he lived about two weeks beyond his 100^th birthday. Until those last few months, he never stopped living his life to the fullest, which, according to him, included two cigars daily and one martini. A long-time widower, he knew how to party. Well known as a great performer, ballroom dancer, and escort of eligible women easily half a century younger, he was already well into his 90s when he signed a five-year contract with a Las Vegas hotel, and firmed warned management they had better be in business long enough to honor their deal with him. His philosophy: “Age to me means nothing. I can’t get old; I’m working. I was old when I was 21 and out of work. As long as you’re working you stay young.”

America’s first supermodel Lauren Hutton is still writing books, running a business, and setting an example to the world that 64 can be as sexy and sensational as ever, and without any assistance from a cosmetic surgeon.

Suzanne Somers is another productive and sexy 60-year old, determined to give a good name to the process of aging via her personal appearances, products, and books geared to healthy living.

David Letterman is 60, a new father, and still running a late night TV show five times a week.

Sophia Loren is 73, and has lost none of the allure of her earlier years as a movie sex goddess.

Elizabeth Arden was 75 in 1954 when she was still running her multi-million dollar cosmetics empire and doing yoga handstands on a daily basis. It is no surprise she lived into her 90s.

When Benjamin Franklin was 83 he invented bifocals, for which the rest of the vision-challenged world can still be grateful.

Pablo Picasso was creating great works of art past his 90^th birthday.

The same can be said of American artist Georgia O’Keefe.

On October 10, 1976, 98-year old Dimitrion Yordanidis completed a marathon in Athens, Greece of over 23 miles.

Helen Keller could neither see nor hear but she spent a life of 88 years writing books, teaching, and inspiring the rest of the world to live a productive life, with or without a handicap.

Miguel Cervantes wrote Don Quixote when he was nearly 70.

John Milton wrote Paradise Regained at 63.

Noah Webster wrote his classic Webster’s Dictionary at 70.

Benjamin Franklin helped frame the US Constitution at 81.

Alfred Lord Tennyson published Crossing the Bar at 83.

Michelangelo was still painting masterpieces into his late 80s.

Galileo was still making scientific and mathematical discoveries into his 70s.

Thomas Edison was still working late hours in his laboratory at 83.

Arturo Toscanini was still conducting a symphony orchestra at 87.

Mark Twain wrote Eve’s Diary and The $30,000 Bequest at 71.

Titian painted his “Last Supper” at 91, and “The Battle of Lepanto” at 95.

Louis Pasteur gave the first injection against rabies when he was 62.

Grandma Moses lived to 101, and was already over 70 when she started painting seriously. She continued turning out great works of art for nearly 30 more years.

Climbing Mt. Fuji at any age would be considered a monumental feat, but Ichijirou Araya scaled all 12,388 feet of it on August 5, 1994 at the age of 100.

And for those over-60 singles calculating their chances of meeting the love of their life at this slightly late date, take heart. On May 31, 1991, 102-year old Minnie Munro of Point Claire, New South Wales, Australia, married young stud Dudley Reid, 83. You would think she might at least have lied about her age.

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