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Old, Young: A Hollywood Tradition

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

Pairing up aging leading men with much younger actresses is an age-old story in Hollywood where it seems guys are almost never that far past their prime that they can’t catch a leading lady.

History, in fact, is repeating itself with “A Perfect Murder.” Though there is nearly a 30-year difference between Michael Douglas and Gwyneth Paltrow in the murder thriller, there was nearly as wide a discrepancy between the stars of the 1954 original “Dial M for Murder”: Ray Milland was 49 and Grace Kelly was just 25.

Or take 1939’s beloved “Gone With the Wind,” which is set for re-release next Friday. At 46, leading man Leslie Howard was 20 years older than Vivien Leigh and 23 years older than Olivia De Havilland.

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That trend has accelerated in the ‘90s because of two factors: First, the life span of leading men is longer these days. Humphrey Bogart was just 57 when he died of cancer. Clark Gable was felled by a heart attack at age 59. Gary Cooper was just 60 when he died of cancer. Errol Flynn had a heart attack at 50.

Second, today’s 50- and 60-plus leading men also just look younger due to exercise and healthier living (and, who knows, perhaps a visit or two to the plastic surgeon).

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A Hollywood History Lesson

A look at some famous leading men from Hollywood’s golden age and their younger leading ladies.

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Actor; Year of Birth: Humphrey Bogart; Dec. 1899

Movie (Year): To Have and to Have Not (1944)

Movie (Year): Sabrina (1954)

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Actor; Year of Birth: Fred Astaire; May 1899

Movie (Year): Daddy Long Legs (1955)

Movie (Year): Funny Face (1957)

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Actor; Year of Birth: James Cagney; July 1899

Movie (Year): Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)

Movie (Year): Love Me or Leave Me (1955)

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Actor; Year of Birth: Gary Cooper; May 1901

Movie (Year): The Fountainhead (1949)

Movie (Year): High Noon (1952)

Movie (Year): Love in the Afternoon (1957)

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Actor; Year of Birth: Clark Gable; Feb. 1901

Movie (Year): Mogambo (1953)

Movie (Year): It Started in Naples (1960)

Movie (Year): The Misfits (1961)

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Actor; Year of Birth: Bing Crosby; May 1904

Movie (Year): White Christmas (1954)

Movie (Year): The Country Girl (1954)

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Actor; Year of Birth: Cary Grant; Jan. 1904

Movie (Year): To Catch a Thief (1955)

Movie (Year): The Pride and the Passion (1957)

Movie (Year): Charade (1963)

Movie (Year): Father Goose (1964)

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Actress; Year of Birth: Lauren Bacall; Sept. 1924

Difference in Years: 24

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Actress; Year of Birth: Audrey Hepburn; May 1929

Difference in Years: 29

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Actress; Year of Birth: Leslie Caron; July 1931

Difference in Years: 32

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Actress; Year of Birth: Audrey Hepburn; May 1929

Difference in Years: 30

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Actress; Year of Birth: Joan Leslie; Jan. 1925

Difference in Years: 25

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Actress; Year of Birth: Doris Day; April 1924

Difference in Years: 24

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Actress; Year of Birth: Patricia Neal; Jan. 1926

Difference in Years: 25

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Actress; Year of Birth: Grace Kelly; Nov. 1928

Difference in Years: 27

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Actress; Year of Birth: Audrey Hepburn; May 1929

Difference in Years: 28

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Actress; Year of Birth: Grace Kelly; Nov. 1928

Difference in Years: 27

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Actress; Year of Birth: Sophia Loren; Sept. 1934

Difference in Years: 33

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Actress; Year of Birth: Marilyn Monroe; June 1926

Difference in Years: 25

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Actress; Year of Birth: Rosemary Clooney; May 1928

Difference in Years: 24

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Actress; Year of Birth: Grace Kelly; Nov. 1928

Difference in Years: 24

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Actress; Year of Birth: Grace Kelly; Nov. 1928

Difference in Years: 24

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Actress; Year of Birth: Sophia Loren; Sept. 1934

Difference in Years: 30

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Actress; Year of Birth: Audrey Hepburn; May 1929

Difference in Years: 25

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Actress; Year of Birth: Leslie Caron; July 1931

Difference in Years: 27

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