The Only Main Actors Still Alive From The Cast Of The Graduate
Coming-of-age stories are a dime a dozen in pop culture, but few are as emotionally intense and perfectly told as "The Graduate." Based on a novel of the same name by Charles Webb — who based it on his own experiences after graduating from college — Mike Nichols' classic 1967 film centers on Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman), a disaffected recent college graduate who can't quite figure out what he wants to do with his life in the real world. When he meets the glamorous older woman Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft) at a party thrown by his wealthy parents, he's immediately drawn to her, and the two carry on an affair ... even as Benjamin starts falling for Mrs. Robinson's beautiful daughter Elaine (Katharine Ross).
Many of the incredible actors who appeared in "The Graduate," like Bancroft, have passed away since the film was released, but a handful of these performers are still alive ... and a few of them are even still working steadily. Here's who's still alive from the cast of "The Graduate."
Dustin Hoffman (Benjamin Braddock)
Dustin Hoffman was still relatively early in his career when he played Benjamin Braddock in "The Graduate," and he was the perfect choice to play the brooding, fresh-faced college grad with no real goals or aims. Benjamin is disaffected enough that Mrs. Robinson is able to completely captivate him even as he starts falling for Elaine, and when it looks like he's going to truly lose Elaine over his relationship with her mother, he goes to great lengths to win her back. Benjamin ultimately interrupts Elaine's wedding to a man named Carl (Brian Avery), but when the two run away together, the film draws to a close with its now-famous final shot, showing them sitting with the weight of their decisions.
Hoffman is still a major film star and a longtime Hollywood staple, and after "The Graduate," he appeared in huge films like "Midnight Cowboy," "Tootsie," "All the President's Men," "Hook," and many, many more. He also picked up two Academy Awards for best actor after playing Benjamin — one for his leading role in "Kramer v. Kramer" alongside Meryl Streep and another for "Rain Man," which co-starred Tom Cruise. Most recently, Hoffman lent his voice to "Kung Fu Panda 4" and is set to appear in Francis Ford Coppola's (potentially troubled) ensemble science fiction film "Megalopolis."
Katharine Ross (Elaine Robinson)
Katharine Ross is impossibly young and beautiful as Elaine Robinson, so it's no surprise that Benjamin Braddock falls in love with her even as her mother is actively pursuing him. Still, it should be noted that Benjamin treats Elaine pretty badly. He tanks their first date by taking her to a strip club, at which point she bursts into tears. When he manages to salvage that date and Elaine starts to actually like Benjamin, he ruins things all over again by sleeping with her mother. The Robinsons then basically demand that Elaine marry Carl — even after she forgives Benjamin for his affair with Mrs. Robinson — but Benjamin interrupts the wedding, whisking Katherine away and into an unknown future.
The role of Elaine earned Ross an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actress (the movie ultimately only took home a trophy for Mike Nichols' direction), and shortly after "The Graduate," Ross went on to star in the first film adaptation of "The Stepford Wives," a classic '70s horror flick. These days, Ross has largely retired from acting, though you might have seen her in "Donnie Darko" or alongside her husband, Sam Elliott, in 2017's "The Hero."
William Daniels (Mr. Braddock)
Though Benjamin's father Mr. Braddock — played by William Daniels — isn't exactly central to the story, his presence is integral to the younger man's overall journey, whether he's lavishing praise upon his son at the party where Mrs. Robinson and Benjamin meet or wondering when his son will get his life together and get a job. So why does Mr. Braddock look familiar? He just so happens to be played by one of television's most famous and beloved teachers.
From 1993 to 2000, Daniels played the role of Mr. George Feeny on the classic sitcom "Boy Meets World," and ultimately reprised the role in the much-later sequel "Girl Meets World." As the beloved teacher to Ben Savage's Cory Matthews and all of his friends — a teacher who inexplicably follows a few of his students from elementary to high school to college — Daniels created one of the most iconic television characters in history and endeared himself to a generation of kids and teens. Daniels is also known for his role in the musical — and film — "1776," and in 2012, he had a memorable guest arc on "Grey's Anatomy" alongside Sandra Oh's character, Dr. Cristina Yang.