How Far The Oldest Players On Survivor Made It On The Show

Since Jeff Probst first began hosting Survivor, the reality TV show has featured a slew of fantastic players, which is why some seasons are so great. However, as every fan who isn't figuring out which season to watch first should already know, some players do terribly and get voted out very quickly.

Over the years, several Survivor cast members have been older than their tribemates. Assuming they don't get medically evacuated, most of those players has fought and clawed to last just like everyone else on the show. With that in mind, it is interesting to look at how long the oldest Survivor players have lasted.

8 How Long Did Jim Lynch Last During Survivor?

Played Survivor At 63 Years Old

Looking back at Survivor: Guatemala, it is pretty heartbreaking to see what happened to Jim Lynch. After all, Survivor: Guatemala began with a 15-mile trek in the jungle to the tribes' campsites. During that severely difficult hike, the then 63-year-old Jim suffered a torn bicep which really didn't need to happen.

Despite his awful injury and falling ill, Jim exhibited his incredible work ethic by continuing to give the game his all. Despite that, Jim was understandably considered a liability by his tribemates due to his state and he was unanimously voted out first. It is fascinating to wonder how things would have gone for Jim if Survivor: Guatemala didn't start with such a dangerous hike.

7 How Long Did Sonja Christopher Last During Survivor?

Played Survivor At 63 Years Old

During the first episode of Survivor, fans got to briefly see what made Sonja Christopher so lovable. The kind of person who wants to bring sunshine into other people's lives, the 63-year-old Sonja memorably brought a ukulele as her comfort item.

Despite how lovable Sonja was, she became the first Survivor player to ever get voted out of the game because she was seen as weak in challenges. In April 2024, Entertainment Weekly published an article about her after Sonja passed away at 87 years old.

6 How Long Did Dan Lembo Last During Survivor?

Played Survivor At 63 Years Old

Just like Jim and Sonja, Dan Lembo was 63 years old when he played during Survivor: Nicaragua. However, unlike Jim and Sonja, Dan was able to last a lot longer, since he stayed in the game long enough to come in fifth place.

Sadly, a December 2023 Screen Rant article about the oldest Survivor players reveals that Dan passed away in 2022 when he was 75 years old.

5 How Long Did B.B. Andersen Last During Survivor?

Played Survivor At 64 Years Old

Another player from the first season of Survivor, B.B. Andersen had a very different attitude than Sonja did. After all, instead of being a source of positivity, the then 64-year-old B.B. seemed like he really didn't enjoy his Survivor: Borneo experiences at all.

That played a major role in the fact that B.B. left the game second as he asked his tribemates to vote him out. In November 2013, People reported the sad news that B.B. passed at 77 years old after battling brain cancer.

4 How Long Did Gregory "Tarzan" Smith Last During Survivor?

Played Survivor At 64 Years Old

Easily one of the most unique players ever, Gregory "Tarzan" Smith was an unforgettable part of Survivor: One World. After all, "Tarzan" consistently used his expansive vocabulary, argued with some of the season's nicest players, and was called out for his poor sanitary habits.

A crafty player, "Tarzan" had big plans to make it to the end of the game, which helped him last even if he fell short of that goal. After all, the then 64-year-old "Tarzan" came in sixth place. To "Tarzan's" credit, he lasted the longest of the men who fell to Survivor: One World's legendary all-women alliance.

3 How Long Did Jimmy Johnson Last During Survivor?

Played Survivor At 67 Years Old

Already a major celebrity by the time he began playing Survivor, Jimmy Johnson got attention for his football coaching career. After all, Jimmy is such a celebrated coach that he has been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Due to his celebrity status, Jimmy's age of 67 when he played Survivor didn't get as much attention. Unfortunately for Jimmy, his legendary coaching career ultimately still doomed his Survivor game.

Known for his ability to successfully lead teams, Jimmy's skills could have been seen as a major asset by his tribemates. However, Jimmy was instead deemed to be a threat and that played a role in him becoming the third player voted out during Survivor: Nicaragua.

2 How Long Did Joe Del Campo Last During Survivor?

Played Survivor At 71 Years Old

In theory, Joe del Campo could have been one of Survivor: Kaôh Rōng's most compelling players. After all, Joe was a then 71-year-old player who was also a former FBI agent. It is easy to imagine how someone with experience investigating people could potentially apply those skills to Survivor.

Unfortunately for fans, however, Joe turned out to be a rather benign presence throughout Survivor: Kaôh Rōng, as Joe simply relied on his alliance with Aubry Bracco to get him far into the game.

Still, it is impressive that Joe came in fifth place during Survivor: Kaôh Rōng, especially since he struggled greatly during the challenges. More than that, it is important to note that Joe could have gone further, since he was never actually voted out of the game. Instead, Joe was medically evacuated after he gorged himself during a reward and developed severe urinary tract issues as a result.

1 How Long Did Rudy Boesch Last During Survivor?

Played Survivor At 72 And 75 Years Old

When Rudy Boesch played during Survivor: Borneo, the show's first season, the former Navy SEAL was 72 years old. No other player in Survivor history has been that old or older. Still, Rudy didn't allow his age to hold him back during that season.

After allying himself with Sue Hawk, Kelly Wiglesworth, and Richard Hatch, their infamous group became the final 4. After losing the final immunity challenge, Rudy was voted out and came in third place.

Rudy would later be brought back for Survivor: All-Stars when he was 75 years old. That allowed Rudy to further the gap between him and the second-oldest person to play Survivor. During Survivor: All-Stars, Rudy injured his ankle, which inspired his tribemates to vote him out second. In November 2019, Entertainment Weekly reported that Rudy passed away at 91 years old.