RIP 2011

[Alex]

Originally Posted by Strangler Lewis

And George Arliss was born before Marie Dressler.

Whoops. I misread what you'd said and didn't look closely when they both floated to the top of the list.

As for oldest on screen, here's the result of poking around with IMDb's Power Searches (keeping in mind that many people don't have birthdate information listed. Quite a few world leaders born early appear in the earliest films (Peopl Leo XIII, Queen Victoria, etc.) but the first credited in IMDb as "Actors" are:

Lotten Amlof, born 7/31/1827. This one seems a bit suspect since her only credit is a 1921 film when she'd have been 94 years old. But who knows.

Daddy Taylor, born 7/9/1828. Another nonagenarian on film if correct as his credit is Chaplin's The Gold Rush in 1925 (when he'd have been 97). But he is credited as "Ancient Dancing Prospector."

Charles Manly, born 9/25/1830. Started a series of short films as Uncle Josh in 1900, worked until 1917.

Sky Hunter born 11/7/1830. Did some kind of short film in 1912.