Birthdays: March 2008 Archives

The star of "Doing Time on Maple Drive" turns 43 today! He's still got that boyish face as I found out when I literally came face-to-face witn him at an ATM machine in Woodland Hills on a rainy day a few years back.

Sometimes credited as Billy McNamara, this handsome actor was a cast member (along with Tuc Watkins, Charlotte Ross and Brian Kerwin) on Showtime's late, great series "Beggars and Choosers." I also loved him opposite Jodie Foster in the late 80s flick "Stealing Home" as the younger version of Mark Harmon's character. Billy's other credits include playing Montgomery Clift in "The Elizabeth Taylor Story," a killer in "Copycat" opposite Sigourney Weaver and Holly Hunter, and Jeff Bridges' son in "Texasville." He also co-starred with Richard Chamberlain (today's other birthday boy) in the 1990-91 series "Island Son."

I'd say I loved him most in "Chasers" (above) but that's just because he hardly wore any clothes in several of the scenes! I really can't print some of the stills but I can provide this link to Kennethinthe212 from a few years back!
Billy still works in smaller movies and TV guest spots but it really seemed like he was poised to be a bigger star in the 90s.

I wish him much success in whatever he does in the future and pay tribute to what I believe was his best role to date as the closeted college student in "Doing Time on Maple Drive." Jim Carrey played his alcoholic older brother and Lori Laughlin his fiancee in this emotionally wrenching TV movie from the early 90s. It was directed by Ken Olin and if you haven't seen it, do so and have a box of tissue handy!

The handsome and out star of "Dr. Kildare," "Shogun" and "The Thorn Birds" turns 74 today! He still makes out hearts skip a beat!

The great sax player Dave Koz who turns 45 today! Dave has been very candid about the fact that once he came out publicly (about 3-4 years ago I think), life has never been better.

I try not to miss the birthdays of my favorite stars but I'm on vacation in Palm Springs this week so my focus is not what is usually is! Yesterday, the wonderful actor and person TR Knight turned 35 years old. It must be wonderful to reach that milestone as a man who is experiencing his biggest professional success with his Emmy-nominated performance on "Grey's Anatomy." And off screen, he has become one of the most visible out actors in Hollywood and he makes us all so proud.

...Sir Elton John turns 61 years young today.
I love Elton for being outspoken, for being an out and proud gay man, for all he does to raise money for his AIDS foundation. He's also close friends with my all-time hero, Billie Jean King, and theirs is the most beautiful of friendships that dates back to the early 70s.

Mostly, I love Elton because of his music. It was the soundtrack to my childhood with an older brother who played Elton's 70s records (yes, they were LPs!) over and over and over again. Years later, I have memories of several Elton concerts including one in San Diego that he did with Billy Joel, then a three-song set he did after a special screening of "The Lion King" in Hollywood, and best of all, a 10-song set Elton did for Billie Jean last year at the Beverly Hilton during an awards ceremony for female athletes called, The Billies.

I've interviewed Elton a few times. One was for a freelance magazine article and I was told he would call "sometime Monday or Tuesday" so it was a matter of having my cellphone on me at all times. Can you imagine? Of course Elton called while I was stuck in rush hour traffic on the 101 Freeway. I pulled off into a gas station parking lot and scrawled down some notes on a yellow legal pad.
OTHER BIRTHDAYS TODAY: If Elton wanted to have a birthday dinner with olther famous people born today, it would be a pretty awesome evening! I figure Elton would be seated in between two legendary ladies: Aretha ("The QUEEN of Soul") Franklin to his left and the great feminist and author Gloria Steinem to his right. Aretha turns 66 while Miss Steinem is 74.
Others at the table: Sarah Jessica Parker (43), young hunks Lee Pace (29) and Sean Faris (26), Desperate Housewives Marcia Cross (46) and Brenda Strong (48), my "Starsky & Hutch" crush Paul Michael Glaser (65) and Bonnie Bedelia (60) who was so good in "Private Lives." Elton could have Katherine McPhee (24) perform a few songs before dinner then the infamous anti-gay activist Anita Bryant (68) could be trotted out later so everyone could throw pies at her face.

I'd love to attend THAT party!

The greatest creative talent in American musical theater turns 78 years young today. This seven-time Tony winner is responsible for virtually all my favorite Broadway shows.

His most famous scores include (as composer/lyricist) "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," "Company," "Follies," "A Little Night Music," "Sweeney Todd," "Sunday in the Park with George," "Into the Woods," and "Assassins," as well as, get this, the lyrics for "West Side Story" and "Gypsy."

The one, the only Rosie O'Donnell turns 46 today.

After she left "The View" last year, we wondered what Rosie would do, how she would make herself heard. Well, that has not been a problem with her Rosie.com blog which is honest and open and hard-hitting. Rosie also published her book "Celebrity Detox," is preparing for her second "True Colors" tour with Cyndi Lauper and company, and has her ocean cruise business for LGBT families.

Whatever Rosie does, we wish her the best because she is a courageous woman - absolutely one of a kind.

...Glenn Close, an amazingly youthful 61 years old today! The Emmy winner and three-time Tony Award recipient has poven her talent in stage ("Sunset Boulevard"), on television ("Damages," "The Shield") and in a series of feature films that have earned her five Oscar nominations ("Fatal Attraction," "101 Dalmations," "The Big Chill")

But we love her even more for her many queer-related projects like her Emmy-winning role as a lesbian forced out of the military on "Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story," her oh-so moving performance as the mother of a gay son with AIDS in the Christopher Reeve-directed "In the Gloaming" (remember when she asked her son if he'd known love?), her hilarious guest spot as a bisexual photographer on an episode of "Will & Grace."

Then there are so many of my other Glenn faves like "The Lion in Winter," "The Paper" (best line to Michael Keatron: You are so f****n fired!), and a very uinderated performance in the flop remake of "Stepford Wives.") She was absolutely insane in that flick...rent it and see.

I interviewed Glenn for a magazine piece a few years back when she took on the role on "The Shield." She had missed my call at the appointed hour and finally got back to me sometime later. She apologized then said, "Do you want to call me back?"

I repliied: "No, I'm good. We can talk now."

Glenn: "Well, shouldn't this be on your dime?"

Wow! Tardy AND frugal.

That's probably not a very nice story to share on the woman's birthday but heck, the first three graphs are so full of suck-up I just had to balance it out!

Liza Minnelli turns 62 today!

The Oscar winner, Tony winner, and Judy Garland's little girl is a survivor. We love Liza with a Z not only because she's an amazing performer, but she has a terrific sense of humor - even about some of her very questionable marriages!

With "Cabaret," "New York New York," and "Arthur," Liza's spotty film career has its gems and she was a riot on "Arrested Development." But Liza's always at her best when she's doing what she was born to do: singing!!!

The star of "Doctor Who" turns 41 years old today!

Why we love him: He's gorgeous, tremendously talented as a dramatic actor and musical star, openly gay and outspoken about it. I honestly think the world is just a bit of a better place because of someone like John whose great energy and lust for life is contageous.

I wish him even more success in the years to come...

First, I gotta share this very interesting portrait of Rosie O'Donnell fashioned out of snack food - including Ring Dings, one of her snaking faves. It was created by mosaic artist Jason Mecier and is the latest in his collection of celebrity portraits rendered out of discarded objects. People.com reports that previously, the artist has created portraits of everybody from Kathy Griffin crafted out of Clay Aiken CDs and George Clooney out of jelly beans.

And speaking of Rosie - who I miss seeing on TV regularly - she will again be among those joining the awesome Cyndi Lauper for "The True Colors Tour" which will hit the road again this summer. Others incxlude The B-52s and host Carson Kressley who we have most recently spotted in a speedo on the beach in Australia with a very handsome guy.

The tour will kick off Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month on May 31st at Boston's Bank of America Pavilion. Produced by True Colors Concerts in partnership once again with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the 24 city North American tour is presented by Logo in support of the newly created True Colors Fund of Stonewall Community Foundation. The concerts feature nearly five hours of nonstop music with exciting special guests appearing on select dates throughout the tour including Wanda Sykes, Tegan and Sara, Regina Spektor, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Joan Armatrading, Indigo Girls, Nona Hendryx, Deborah Cox and The Cliks."

The original member of The Supremes turns 64 today!

Why we love her: She's a SUPREME! Now, it really wasn' very nice to write all those nasty things about Diana Ross in her best-selling memoir "Dreamgirl: My Life as a Supreme" but I do not doubt that much of it was true. Still, I wish Mary, Diana and Cindy Birdsong (Flo Ballard's replacement) would reunite on last time.

Happy birthday to Mary who has never given up the dream and still performs all over the world...

She's the only child of Sonny and Cher and has used the spotlight to become an LGBT activist and author. Her book "Family Outing" came along at a time when I really needed to read it more than a decade ago and I wish Chastity Bono nothing but health and happiness.

Mostly, I wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Why we love him: He's the best Bond ever! (Sorry Sean Connery fans!) We are counting the days until "Quantum of Solace" is completed and released because "Casino Royale" absolutely rocked and these photos of Daniel Craig emerge from the water showed the world just how sexy the actor could be. The same year, his diverse talent was on display again in the Truman Capote biopic "Infamous" as a killer awaiting a death sentence...