Aging Actors

Over the weekend I happened to catch a bit of "The Fugitive" and "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope" (That is no fun to type) and having recently watched Morning Glory with an aging Harrison Ford (he's 68!) I was amazed at how much younger he looked.  Now his skin is sagging and he is a little hunched.  Hey - he still looks better than me, but it breaks my heart to know that he won't produce another action/adventure blockbuster.  And that got me thinking about other actors who are being claimed by the years.  Here is my list of actors/actresses that I am sad to see moving over for younger generations.  I wish I could reverse the years on them...

1. Liam Neeson - he was late to the party anyways, and is still producing great movies.  Only a year ago he made "Taken" where he was a ex-spy trying to rescue his kidnapped daughter but it won't be too long before he's playing a grandpa trying to remember...something....
2. Sean Connery - Oh...he's been aging for years and I'm sure people were looking at him playing opposite Catherine Zeta Jones and thinking it was time for him to get out of the game.  Still nobody played cool quite like the original Bond.
3. Tom Selleck - he never quite hit the same highs as the other actors on this list and that is a shame.  At best he was Quigly Down Under.  But the mustachioed one just oozed macho and I wish he had headlined a few more great films.  Now he is relegated to playing Ashton Kutcher's stepfather - ick!  Sadly we'll never get to see how high he could have flown.
4. Sandra Bullock - For some unknown reason I sat through the entirety of "The Proposal" and couldn't stop thinking how old she is getting.  Women age faster than men for reasons science knows.  It's sad that their stars fade faster than men's - with the notable exception of the spicy Hellen Mirren.  But with Sandra, although her perky personality that popped in "Demolition Man" and "Speed" is still there, she is showing the signs of time.  It won't be long before she'll be playing the soccer mom and the crazy aunt to some forgettable newcomers.
5. Anthony Hopkins - He has been playing old guys as long as I can remember.  Of course, I don't remember him before Hannibal Lecter, but have you seen him lately?  I will still pay to watch him read the newspaper - he is that engaging, but he needs to choose his twilight films (not Twilight the nasty vampire soap opera) carefully.  We don't need another "Black Sheep" with the precious time he has left.
6. UPDATE 1:  Mel Gibson.  Personally, I don't care much about his personal life as I don't care about most people's, not just movie stars.  Still, Mel was quite the draw.  Between Mad Max, Lethal Weapon, and triple threat Braveheart, he could throw down action with the best.  Now he is playing vengeful fathers ala Liam Neeson.  I believe he might have one more dark blockbuster in him, but the lines on his face mean that the lines on his script will involve less stunt work.
7. Clint Eastwood - I know the guy is 80-some and still making movies - Gran Torino and Million Dollar Baby were awesome - and as a director he really knows how to make it raw.  But he won't last forever.  And we won't get to see another Josey Wales, Harry Calahan (sp?), William Munney (which was kinda the point of "Unforgiven" anyway).
8. Tommy Lee Jones - He's still making fine movies like his one time co-star Clint Eastwood, but I fear he won't be making another appearance as Sam Gerard.  And such a shame.  The only reason U.S. Marshals is in my DVD collection is because of his performance.  He'll probably make some more great films, but his action days are (probably) behind him as well.
9. Ed Harris - He's not a name you might think of instantly, but his solid performances in many movies could be easily overlooked.  I even sat through his labor of love - "Pollack" (which I don't recommend, sadly).  Ed will probably go the way of Tom Skerrit, another beloved father figure actor whose character lines are blurring as the wrinkles increase.
10. UPDATE 2: Morgan Freeman.  The man is 73 and still making great films.  I'm a pre-emptive mourner for the day we lose his golden voice.  

There are many other actors who are moving on, will be moving on shortly, or should have moved on long ago.  Bruce Willis is still playing hard men, but how much longer can that last.  Even the amazingly indestructible John McClane will eventually get run over by a power chair.  And Kurt Russel's next role as Snake Pliskin will be "Escape from Shady Rest Home".  Tom Cruise - 'nuff said.  Michelle Pfieffer still looks great, but she won't be playing catwoman again - meow!  Kevin Costner's on the outside of the age envelope to make a sequel to "Dances With Wolves".  Gene Hackman seems to have disappeared from the marquis which is a shame.  He has a real gravitas to him.  Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, and Robert DeNiro are a mixed bag of aging gracefully and should choose their films carefully.  We don't want to remember them for things like "Little Fockers".  Christopher Lloyd - the amazing Doc Brown - has already blown his legacy on "Baby Geniuses" - (Full Disclosure: I did not watch "Baby Geniuses".  I just got a real sucky vibe from it.)  Speaking of "Back to the Future", we never got to see Michael J. Fox peak.  So sad.  I'm also sad to see John Cusack (still cool after all these years) and Mathew Broderick (lost his cool somewhere after "Glory") getting older.  Kevin Spacey has some time left on his clock, but his middle years are coming to an end.  Someday his Verbal Kint limp may be real.

There are many more that I haven't mentioned.   Feel free to nominate your favorite star in a decaying orbit in the comments.