CAREN MARSH-DOLL, 102 YEARS OLD

If there is anything that 102-year-old Caren Marsch-Doll is known for, it is perseverance. When she was younger, her mother wanted her to go to college and earn a degree, but she wanted to be an actress. She decided to audition for a part in Rosalie. Unfortunately, however, she got cut during the auditions by the MGM panel. Feeling undaunted, she went back to the line and then tried again. She thought that there were many people and the audition panel would not remember her. Her hunch turned to be true, and she got in.

Her name might not have appeared on The Wizard of Oz; Marsh-Doll is now recognized as one of the few surviving crew of the movie. Survival seems to be the theme of her life as earlier, in 1949, she survived a plane crash while it was on its final approach. She is also a dance instructor, which has helped keep her fit through the years.