When I'm 65

'Hope I die before I get old', goes the refrain from Who favourite My Generation – and, while Roger Daltrey continues to wow audiences with his old band, as well keeping up his tireless charity work, getting old is something the Peter Pan of rock looks unlikely to succumb to for a good few years yet Photograph: Tim Shaffer/REUTERS

Actor Anita Pallenberg, pictured here in 2007, is probably best-known for her relationships with Brian Jones and Keith Richards in the 60s and 70s, and her influence on the Rolling Stones cannot be underestimated. Apparently Mick Jagger respected Pallenberg's opinion so much that he remixed tracks on Beggars Banquet after she criticised them. As well as the 1970 cult film Performance, in which she starred with Jagger and James Fox, Pallenberg appeared in the equally feted 60s classic Barbarella with Jane Fonda Photograph: David Fisher/Rex Features

Bernard Hill, the revered film and stage actor, has had an illustrious career spanning more than 30 years. But while he maybe best-known to US audiences as King Théoden in the box-office busting Lord of the Rings trilogy, to Brits of a certain age he is most fondly remembered as Yosser Hughes in Alan Bleasdale's incredibly powerful Boys from the Blackstuff (pictured). Bleasedale must never have imagined Hughes's hopeless refrain of 'Gizza job' would still be so relevant today Photograph: PA

In 1967 Ray Davies was quoted as saying, 'If I had to do my life over, I would change every single thing I have done' – and over 30 years later the iconoclasm, fierce individualism and controversial nature of one of Britain's greatest songwriters hasn't faded a jot Photograph: Eamonn McCabe

American Author and feminist Alice Walker, best-known for her 1983 Pulitzer prize-winning novel The Color Purple Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty

The English stage and film actor Frances de la Tour is perhaps best-known for playing Miss Ruth Jones in the cult British sitcom Rising Damp, and Madame Olympe Maxime in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. She also won a Tony for her role as Maggie Steed in Alan Bennett's acclaimed The History Boys - a role she later reprised in the 2006 film Photograph: Alex Oliveira/Rex Features

While other 65-year-olds are doling out the Werther's Originals, Jerry Springer, the spritely, sage-like presenter of the world's most famous 'trash TV talk show' is handling topics such as adultery, bestiality, incest, pornography, prostitution, fetishes, dwarfism and transvestism – and all in front of a crowd baying for blood and with guests who would seemingly rather kill each other than engage in meaningful dialogue Photograph: Scott Olson/Getty

Actor Francesca Annis (pictured here in 2006) has endured much in her career, but appearing in David Lynch's quite brilliantly awful Dune and still being able to forge out an illustrious stage and film career, where many actors would've never shaken off the indignity of having to appear alongside Sting (hello most of the cast of Quadrophenia), is proof of her class – and talent Photograph: Richard Young/Rex Features

'Hi, I'm George Lucas – I know I let you all down (not just one generation, but two - count 'em!) with the pointless Star Wars prequels, not to mention the fourth Indiana Jones (even I didn't know what the hell was going on with the ending!), but I'm only 65 and so have a good 20 or so years to make the sequel to THX 1138, which I'm confident will be my crowning glory. I can tell you're excited - so am I!' Photograph: Sipa Press/Rex Features

The British stage and film actor Jane Lapotaire is a specialist in playing strong women from Cleopatra to Marie Curie – and after a brain haemorrhage in 2000 showed just how tough she was by writing an acclaimed account of the experience, Time Out of Mind Photograph: Garaint Lewis/Rex Features

Mandy Rice-Davies, who was involved in the Profumo sex scandal in the 60s which caused a crisis for Harold Macmillan's Tory government. Bridget Fonda portrayed Rice-Davies in the 1989 film about the subject, Scandal Photograph: Howard/Evening News/Rex Features

Ah, Michael Douglas – now here's a guy who's just getting more likeable as he matures. An Oscar-winner and star of such iconic films as Wall Street and Fatal Attraction, as Douglas moves seemlessly to his 'older guy' characters phase, he's still picking and choosing his films with impeccable taste – 2007's King of California with Evan Rachel Wood just one example. (Just don't mention Ghosts of Girlfriends Past ...) Photograph: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

The enigmatic author of the Velvet Underground's frighteningly primal drum beats, Mo Tucker was easily the coolest member of the coolest band of the 60s. Period. And today, while Lou Reed continues to espouse the relative merits of every yoghurt-weaver's favourite past-time, Tai Chi, and John Cale continues to petulently bad mouth his former lead-singer, Tucker is still quietly getting on with the business of music making and being an all-round legend Photograph: Adam Ritchie/Redferns

Two of the (many) roles that make the Welsh-American actor Roger Rees an acting legend: a) Rebecca's boss Robin Colcord in Cheers, and b) The Leo McGarry-baiting Lord John Marbury in The West Wing. Rees imbued both roles – although there was 10 years between them – with a boyish charm that US audiences couldn't resist. And at 65, as this picture proves, the mischievous glint in the eye looks in no danger of fading any time soon Photograph: Carvalho/Rex Features

Like her West Wing colleague Roger Rees, Stockard Channing has an enduring youthful, frisky charm that has served her well in many roles (such as Mrs Allworthy in 1996's Moll Flanders). Indeed, when she took the part of her most iconic role, high-school teenager Betty Rizzo in Grease, Channing was actually 33 years old Photograph: Everett Collection/Rex Features

The indefatigable Diana Ross performing in Las Vegas in 2009. The Motown legend is currently recording an album (her 62nd!) with jazz producer Tommy LiPuma Photograph: Sipa Press // Rex Features