Born on October 30th – SONGWORTHY EDITION

So, To-day is your Birth Day. Big Deal! Who ever wrote a song about YOU?

Praying for Victory

William F. Halsey Jr (born 10/30/1882)
Naval commander in the Pacific campaign of World War II

“Admiral Halsey notified me
He had to have a berth or he couldn’t get to sea.
I had another look and I had a cup’a tea
And a butter pie.”
- “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” by Paul McCartney, for Wings

Pound's hair... Goddamm

Ezra Pound (born 10/30/1885)
American poet and literary critic

“And then you took in hand
Pricked by poisoned pin
Painted the world one color
Oooh you drew me in
You draw me in
We won’t read the end
Ezra Pound”
- “Ezra Pound” by Kevin Griffin, for Better Than Ezra

The Good Sport, left

Clifton Clowers (born 10/30/1891)
Overprotective father

“They say don’t go on Wolverton Mountain,
If you’re looking for a wife.
‘Cause Clifton Clowers has a pretty young daughter;
He’s mighty handy with a gun and a knife.”
- “Wolverton Mountain”, written by Claude King and Merle Kilgore (Clowers’ nephew)

Say what you want, this isn't gay

Charles Atlas (born 10/30/1892)
Italian-born bodybuilder and entrepreneur

“He ate nutritious High-Protein
And swallowed raw eggs
Tried to build up his shoulders,
His chest, arms and legs
Then a magazine advert with a new muscle plan
(said…)
In just seven days I can make you a man.”
- “Charles Atlas Song,” from Rocky Horror Show by Richard O’Brien

Timmy Schmit, when he was little

Timothy B. Schmit (born 10/30/1947)
Folk-Rock musician (Poco, The Eagles)

“If we leave really early and we hurry
We can get in with the band
‘Cause little Tim Schmitty’s got his old man’s van
So let’s get to gettin’ while the gettin’ is right
And roll with the rhythm tonight”
- “My Music” by Jim Messina and Kenny Loggins

Born on October 29th

So, To-day is your Birth Day. Big Deal! At your age, just what have YOU accomplished?

Oldest baby in the world

At age 21, funny-faced Fanny Brice (born 10/29/1891 as Fania Borach) created an infantile character named Baby Snooks, a popular role she played to increasing acclaim right up to her death 38 years later.

D'oh Boy

At age 30, faceless Dan Castellaneta (born 10/29/1957) first gave voice to the Great Yellow One, Homer Simpson, on the Tracey Ullman Show.

Back when he was somebody

At age 33, Palestinian-born (technically, yes) Ralph Bakshi (born 10/29/1938) creates the world’s first X-rated animated feature (which is probably equivalent to a PG-13 today), Fritz the Cat.

Happy to get that creepy mongrel out of their hair

At age 37, the unHeather, Winona Ryder (born 10/29/1971 as Winona Horowitz) played Amanda Grayson, aged mother of famous fictional character Dick Grayson. Excuse me, I mean Spock.

Frank Sinatra's hand on the back of anonymous smiling man

At age 43, heavyweight arranger Neal Hefti (born 10/29/1922) composed his most famous tune, the theme to Batman. (Sample lyric: “Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na, Batman!”)

Born on October 28th

So, To-day is your birthday. Big Deal! At your age, just what have YOU accomplished?

Hopkins, with unknown companion

At age 23, bosomy buddy Telma Hopkins (born 10/28/1948) was enlisted by Tony Orlando to help turn his studio ensemble “Dawn” into a real live touring act.

 

 

Proof that 'gay' is infectious

At age 30, Wheaties icon Bruce Jenner (born 10/28/1949) made his one foray into Hollywood a doozy, starring in the cult classic Can’t Stop the Music.

 

 

 

Lanchester, playing The Face That Sunk A Thousand Ships

At age 32, pop-eyed Elsa Lanchester (born 10/28/1902), one half of Britain’s Tracy/Hepburn, appeared as the Bride of Frankenstein; contrary to popular belief, the monster was not played by her husband, Charles Laughton.

 

 

 

Jack Soo, Sex Symbol

At age 44, coffee maker Jack Soo (born 10/28/1917 as Goro Suzuki) benefited from the dearth of Asian film actors by being cast in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, Flower Drum Song.

 

 

Never too busy to keep the highways clean

At age 47, engineering professor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (10/28/1956) became Mayor of Tehran when he was selected by the City Council, its members chosen by no more than 12% of the eligible voters; by such mandates are great leaders created…

 

Born on October 27th

So, To-day’s your Birth Day. Big deal! At your age, what have you REALLY accomplished with your life…?

He talked the silly talk, and walked the silly walk

At age 24, silly walker John Cleese (born 10/27/1939) appeared with British sketch group Cambridge Circus on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”

Not a Cowboy, but a Bullyboy

At age 26, stone-faced Theodore Roosevelt (born 10/27/1858) left behind a budding political career and retired to his ranch in the Dakotas, where he built a life-long friendship with lawman Seth Bullock.

Who is she, again...?

At age 30, inexplicably famous Marla Maples (born 10/27/1963) stretched her 15 minutes of fame into five-plus years of marriage to Donald Trump.

Did it quickly

At age 31, fragile Sylvia Plath (born 10/27/1932) entered the writer’s confessional to create her semi-autobiographical novel, The Bell Jar.

Did it slowly

At age 37, well-greased Welshman Dylan Thomas (born 10/27/1914) rose to the occasion of his father’s impending death to pen the memorable memorial “Do not go gentle into that good night.”

Born on October 26th

So, Today’s your Birth Day. Big deal! At your age, just what have YOU acccomplished with your life?

Secretary of Fashion

While attending Wellesley College, 19-year-old Hillary Rodham Clinton (born 10/26/1947) worked to make Edward Brooke (a Republican) the first popularly elected Black senator in America.

Battle of the Birthday Boys

At age 30, heavyweight champion Jack Sharkey (born 10/26/1902 as Joseph Zukauskas) lost his title to bulky 26-year-old boxer Primo Carnera (born 10/26/1906).

Hillary-detractors claim she introduced them

At age 47, Edward Brooke (born 10/26/1919) became the first black Senator elected by popular vote (thanks in part to Hillary Rodham); some ten years  later he was the first Black Senator to sleep with a network television anchorwoman.

Did her part during the Depression by feeding starving artists

At age 55, Williamsburgher Abby Rockefeller (born 10/26/1874) opened the fledgling Museum of Modern Art partly so she wouldn’t have to continue using her New York City apartment at 10 W. 54^th St. to show her acquisitions.

Born on October 22nd

So, today is your Birthday. Big Deal! At your age, just what have you really accomplished with your life…?

And she kept on blossoming...

At age 21, blossoming Annette Funicello (born 10/22/1942) put puberty behind her with the first of five teen beach movies (she went Back to the Beach in her mid-40s).

Master of the (self) image

At age 22, having already concocted a catchy new name for himself, Robert Capa (born in Hungary on 10/22/1913 as Endre Friedman) supposedly concocted a ‘candid’ war photo that made that name.

The serious side of Mr. Howard

At age 29, ginger-haired Curly Howard (born 10/22/1903 as Jerome Horwitz) shaved his head and filled in for his brother Shemp as the third of Ted Healy’s Stooges.

You were expecting Warren Beatty?

At age 25, Red bait John Reed (born 10/22/1887) put aside his journalistic impartiality and spoke out in behalf of striking silk workers in Paterson , N.J., leading to the first of many arrests.

You don't act with your leg anyway

At age 61, over-active Sarah Bernhardt (born 10/22/1844) injured her leg on stage so severely that it eventually had to be amputated, prompting a promoter to offer $10,000 to display it in a side show; this minor setback didn’t keep her off the stage.

Born on October 20th – GENDER NEUTRAL EDITION

So, today’s your Birthday. Big Deal! At your age, what have you really accomplished with YOUR life…?

Brief flirtation with being a normal teenager

At age 7, Kylie’s little sister, Dannii Minogue (born 10/20/1971 as Danielle Minogue) got the jump on her older sister when she made an appearance on an Australian soap opera.

Earned the attention of parodist Allan Sherman

At age 21, Fred Astaire’s last regular dance partner, Barrie Chase (born 10/20/1935), made her initial movie splash as well-mannered chorus girl in Irving Berlin’s White Christmas.

Superman's creators didn't look like much, either

At age 23, Frederic Dannay (born

10/20/1905), along with his cousin Manfred Lee, introduced Ellery Queen, as both pseudonymous author and fictional detective.

You're right, he IS the spitting image of Martin Landau!

At age 47, Ed Wood’s BFF, Béla Lugosi (born in 10/20/1882 as Béla Blaskó, in Lugos, near Transylvania) struck gold in Hollywood, not for playing Dracula (that would come two years later) but for sleeping with “It Girl” Clara Bow. (But then, everyone else in California did, too.)

Jane Dean

At age 57, publicity-shy Austrian author Elfriede Jelinek (born 10/20/1946) won the Nobel Prize for Literature, despite (or perhaps because of)  her florid descriptions of sexuality and violence.

Born on October 19th

So, today’s your Birthday. Big Deal! At your age, what have you accomplished with YOUR life…?

Harper Valley Hair

At age 22, country/pop crossover queen Jeannie C. Riley (born 10/19/1945) debuted with a Tom T. Hall satire, Harper Valley P.T.A.

Proponent of the "Look Like #&%@" School of Directing

At age 23, Jason Reitman, (born 10/19/1977 with a silver emulsion in his mouth) turned down the chance to short cut his Hollywood career by directing Dude, Where’s My Car?

He just never took a bad picture

At age 52, Swedish wrestler and beloved MST3K icon Tor Johnson (born 10/19/1903) at last made his mark on film in a string of typical Ed Wood featurettes.

Lady politicians were catnip for the paparazzi

At age 57, Bertha Landes (born 10/19/1868 and included on this page simply because there were so few notable women born on this date) became the first woman mayor elected in a major US city. That is, if you call Seattle ‘major’.

Work to free the slaves now, play later

At age 84, abolitionist Cassius “I’m a Lover, Not a Slaver” Clay (born 10/19/1810) married 15-year-old orphan Dora Richardson; the former Ambassador to Russia and his ward divorced soon after.

Born on October 16th

So, you say it’s your Birthday. Big Deal! At your age, what have you really accomplished with YOUR life…?

As Flattop, in "Dick Tracy"

At age 23, the once-married-and-divorced-already Angela Lansbury (born 10/16/1925) wed actor Peter Shaw, who managed her career for the rest of their 53 years together.

Got Milk bath?

At age 27, proto-Goth goddess Nico (born 10/16/1938 as Christa Päffgen) was assigned to front the art rock band The Velvet Underground by the group’s ‘manager,’ Andy Warhol; despite the group’s reluctance, the resulting album was later named the 13^th-greatest rock album of all time by Rolling Stone.

Exploring a second career

At age 30, the tallest (and skinniest) man in basketball, Manute Bol (born 10/16/1962) successfully shot 6-out-of-12 from three-point range in a game against Phoenix.

Mayer with Mandy Moore, the one that got away

At age 38, serial dater John Mayer (born 10/16/1977)  took time out from his busy social life to record “Bittersweet Poetry” with Kanye West.

Oscar Snape taught Defense Against the Dull Arts

Just before his death at age 46, Master Mason (weren’t they all) Oscar Wilde (born 10/16/1854) asked to be baptized into the Roman Catholic Church, which accepted the gay aesthete as one of their own.

Born on October 15th

So, today’s your birthday. Big Deal! At your age, what have you accomplished with YOUR life…?

Long-ago Lavin

At age 28, underrated actress Linda Lavin (born 10/15/1937) sang a spoof of “The Girl from Ipanema” in The Mad Show, lyrics courtesy of Estaban Ria Nido (a.k.a. Stephen Sondheim).

Emeril, inside a real working kitchen

At age 30, condiment advocate Emeril Lagasse (born 10/15/1959) opened his first restaurant, Emeril’s in New Orleans, which was named Esquire’s Restaurant of the Year.

More Jeeves than Bertie

At age 35, G-rated P. G. Wodehouse (born 10/15/1881 as Pelham Grenville Wodehouse) penned his first Jeeves book, a series which continues to live in film, on stage and on television.

Budding media darling; next stop, television

At age 39, buttery Lee Iacocca (born 10/15/1924 as Lido Iacocca) made the cover of Time magazine for introducing a number of popular Ford cars, including the Mustang.

Meathead's Missus

At age 40, Bronx-born Penny Marshall (born 10/15/1942) was still playing a 20-something Brooklyn transplant in 50s Milwaukee.