If they were still alive...

...today would be the birthday of:

Swedish operatic tenor, Jussi Björling, would have celebrated his 100th birthday today.  Some consider him the all-time greatest tenor.  Here he is, performing "Nessun Dorma" from Puccini's Turandot:





TV sex symbol, Farrah Fawcett, would have been 64.

Greatly influential Irish novelist/poet, James Joyce (Ulysses, Finnegan's Wake), 129.

The name may not be familiar, but the face certainly was: S.Z. "Cuddles" Sakall, MGM supporting character actor of the 1940's, would be 129 (and he's the only film actor to date known as "Cuddles").

Burton Lane, American composer (Finian's Rainbow, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever), 99

And also welcome at the party:



The still very-much alive gossip legend Liz Smith, 88, and stage legend, Elaine Stritch, 86 at their dual birthday party in 2010.