The Secret To Staying Young

They are beautiful, sexy, and smart, and their allure in Hollywood has been nothing short of legendary.

The March issue of the AARP magazine profiles seven of Hollywood's most glamorous Oscar-winning actresses.

Among them are Shirley Jones and Rita Moreno, who visited The Early Show along with Nancy Graham, the deputy editor of the AARP magazine to share their secrets for staying young in the continuing series "5-O!".

"I don't even think about growing old. I swear I don't," Moreno, 73, tells co-anchor Hannah Storm. "I've never had notions about growing older, perhaps because I danced most of my life."

Moreno actually says the secret behind her enormous stamina is in her mind.

She explains, "I learned something last year. I did a play called 'Master Class,' where I played Maria Callas and I had to learn the encyclopedia, practically. I've never had to learn so many words in my entire life. I was scared to death. And I thought, 'Well, this will certainly make my mind more agile than it ever was.' And indeed, I think that's what it does. Helen Hayes used to learn three or four new words a week, and she used to learn one passage a week from some classical play."

Pointing at her head, she says, "It is here. It is here."

And Shirley Jones agrees. "Keeping it going," she says, thanking God for her stamina and adding, "It's the mind that you have to take care of."

Over the summer, Jones, 70, was actually on Broadway starring with her son on "42nd Street."

Jones notes, "Again, I was scared to death. I hadn't done a show in 38 years."

Though some people may just know Jones as Mrs. Partridge, she has done extensive work both on stage and on the big screen. Soon, she will be seen with Adam Sandler in the film "Nana's Boy."

She notes, "I just did 'Sesame Street' about a month ago and I played Mother Goose. I've gone from Mother Goose to the sexaholic lady that likes to sleep with 20-year-olds - very funny part. Doris Roberts, Shirley Knight and myself are roommates in this film."

And though they admit getting older in Hollywood is a big issue, their lives are a testimony of what can be done at their age.

"We're living longer and we've proven ourselves," Jones says.

That is, in part, why they are among the people on the AARP magazine cover, which was inspired by the one put out by Vanity Fair.

AARP magazine deputy editor Nancy Graham says, "It has struck me that the Vanity Fair annual Hollywood cover rarely includes anybody over 39, which is a shame because so many of today's female sex symbols are over 39. These are women who don't look good for their age; they look good, period.

"A big part of AARP's mission is to redefine the way people think about age and this is what we wanted to do with this cover, and I think we've accomplished it."

Asked of all the trophies she has received what Moreno is most proud of, she says, "I think the Medal of Freedom is pretty nice from the president. The Oscar was spectacular, but the Medal of Freedom, good grief."

Moreno has broken many barriers for Latino actresses as well. Salma Hayek is among those who says has benefited by following in her footsteps.

Moreno says, "Salma approached me at the last Oscars I was at, not the current one, the 75th anniversary. She said, 'You know, I felt if you could do it, I could do it.' I almost started to cry. That meant so much to me."

And that is what Graham hopes others will take home as well. She says, "I think, for a lot of people, life doesn't end at 50. It begins at 50."