Like the song says, "Age ain't nothing but a number." Of course, that song was sung by a teenager, and it created some serious legal problems for the much older subject described in the lyrics. Perhaps a more helpful adage would be, "It's never too late to break out and begin a new adventure," be it completing a degree, starting a new business, or learning a new skill. If you need a little inspiration, consider the careers of these actors who didn't pop until they were approaching middle age.
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Don Johnson
(b. 1949) Breakout age: 35! In 1984, after years of appearing in several failed television pilots and a handful of mostly forgettable films, Johnson was cast as undercover police detective Sonny Crockett in Michael Mann's groundbreaking television series Miami Vice. And hey, if you count Nash Bridges and a third career resurrection in Robert Rodriguez's ultraviolent grindhouse homage Machete, that's two additional middle-age career break outs! -
Rue McClanahan
(b. 1934; d.2010) Breakout age: 38! Before she took on the role of the oversexed Southern Belle Blanche Devereaux in the hit series The Golden Girls, McClanahan broke out playing the role of Vivian Harmon on yet another groundbreaking show, the 1972 All in the Family spinoff Maude. In real life, like Bea Arthur's character Maude (and Bea Arthur herself), McClanahan was an outspoken, socially conscious feminist. -
Fred Rogers
(b. 1928; d.2003) Breakout age: 40! Fred Rogers became a children's television icon as a result of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood which premiered on public television in 1968. His background as a minister and skills as an actor (he provided the voice for most of the puppets appearing on the show) served him in his mission to inspire healthy social, cognitive, and emotional development in his young viewers. -
James Earl Jones
(b. 1931) Breakout age: 40! Sure he provided the unforgettable voice of the evil Darth Vader in George Lucas' 1977 classic Star Wars and subsequent sequels/prequels. But it was Jones' breakthrough performance as boxer Jack Jefferson in the 1970 film The Great White Hope that gave him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Jones was also one of the first celebrities to appear on a then-new and innovative children's show called Sesame Street where, in one of the early pilots, he slowly, and dramatically, counted from one to 10. -
Dennis Farina
(b. 1944) Breakout age: 42! Chicago-born and raised Farina served on the Chicago police force for 18 years moonlighting as an actor before being cast by Michael Mann in a couple episodes of Miami Vice and then as the lead in the stylish, controversial, and short-lived series Crime Story. -
Bernie Mac
(b. 1957; d.2008) Breakout age: 44! One of the Kings of Comedy, Bernie "Mac" McCullough came up as a stand-up comedian with R- and X-rated routines inspired by the greats Redd Foxx and Richard Pryor. In 2001, Mac brought another layer of emotional depth to his edgy humor in the role of a nearly overwhelmed dad suddenly saddled with three adopted kids on the Fox TV series, The Bernie Mac Show. The show was a hit and brought the Macman's talent into living rooms of "America," as he was wont to address the viewer in recurring segments where he broke the "fourth wall" and addressed the camera directly. -
Bea Arthur
(b. 1922; d. 2009) Breakout age: 44! Another alum of The Golden Girls, actress, comedienne, and singer Bea Arthur is well known for her supporting role on the show All In The Family where she played Edith Bunker's outspoken, adamantly feminist sister Maude Findlay. But before her television success, this multifaceted performer won a Tony Award for her performance as Vera Charles in the musical Mame (1966). -
Pam Grier
(b. 1949) Breakout age: 48! Grier of course is an icon of classic 1970s blaxploitation films including the classic Foxy Brown. Leave it to Quentin Tarantino to see the scope of her true potential as an actor and cast her as the star of one of his best films, Jackie Brown (1997). -
Morgan Freeman
(b. 1937) Breakout age: 52! Freeman made his Broadway debut in 1968 in an all-black version of Hello, Dolly!. Later, he was featured on the 1970s children's television show The Electric Company playing the characters Easy Reader and Vincent the Vegetable Vampire. But it was his award-winning performances in the 1989 films Driving Miss Daisy and Glory that sealed his reputation as one of the great actors of our time. He is also the man you wish narrated your life. -
John Houseman
(b. 1902; d. 1988) Breakout age: 71! One of the great producers of early groundbreaking American theater, including the politically charged The Cradle Will Rock, Houseman personified the professor-you-love-but-who-still-scares-the-hell-out-of-you in his career-defining role as Professor Charles Kingsfield in the 1973 film The Paper Chase. Law school would never be the same.
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