Tip: 90 is the new middle-age, for some

It's never too late . . . to pole vault?

"Over 90 and Loving It," a documentary premiering next week on PBS, features 14 people who have lived to a remarkable age and are still doing remarkable things. Among those profiled is Don Pellmann, now 95, of Santa Clara, Calif., who is a phenomenon at Senior Games and Senior Olympics. Pellmann competes in -- and almost always wins -- the 100-meter dash, shot put, high jump and javelin throw. He added pole vaulting to his repertoire five years ago.

Among the other nonagenarians featured in the documentary are Harry Rakoff, a 94-year-old cabdriver in Brooklyn, and Nola Ochs, who last year at age 98 received her master's degree from Fort Hays State University in Kansas. And there is the love story of Ernest and Annell Rogers of Huntsville, Ala. Both long widowed, the two got married in December 2009 when Ernest was 93 and Annell was 91. Also profiled is folk singer Pete Seeger, who turns 92 on Tuesday.

Susan Polis Schutz, the documentary's executive producer and director, got the idea to profile people over 90 while attending a jazz club in Manhattan. The master of ceremonies was saxophonist Les Lieber. "I thought maybe he was 75 or 76," Schutz says, but she was off by 20 years. "Here's a guy at 96, totally alert, doing something passionate, so active, I thought, maybe there's a lot of people that age doing great things that we just don't know about." Lieber is also featured in the documentary, and still plays jazz every Friday at Players in Manhattan.

The documentary is more than life affirming. It is quality-of-life affirming. Everyone profiled is passionate about something -- their jobs, hobbies or their loved ones.

Since the filming last year, two of the subjects have died, Schutz said, but the others are going strong. For example, Pellmann last month picked up more medals -- and shattered several world records -- at a Senior Olympics in Stanford. Ochs is now a part of the faculty at her alma mater. Seeger recently headlined a sold-out benefit concert in Tarrytown.

"Over 90 and Loving It" airs on WLIW Ch. 21 next Saturday at 5 p.m. and on WNET Ch. 13, May 12 at 8 p.m.