If they were still alive today...and 2011 was a leap year....

....but it's not...tomorrow would be February 29th and it would be the birthday of the following notables.  I guess that would be both good and bad, being born on "Leap Year" day...does that mean you can divide your age by 4?  You only get a birthday every four years, so it makes sense to me...thus, I've adjusted the ages accordingly:



Great operatic composer Gioacchino Rossini was born in Pesaro, Italy in 1792. He would be 54 3/4.  Atleast one of his operas, The Barber of Seville, could be called a "comic masterpiece".  His William Tell Overture is known to anyone who remembers The Lone Ranger ("Ba-da-bum, ba-da-bum, ba-da-bum-Bum-BUM...").  It's sort of considered "camp" now, as it's been so overused, but give it a fresh listen--pretend that it's for the first time.  It really is a pretty thrilling piece of music.  Here's the finale:



 
Singer/TV hostess Dinah Shore was born in Winchester, Tenessee in 1916.  She'd be 23 3/4  today.
Great bandleader/clarinetist/saxophonist/composer Jimmy Dorsey was born in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania in 1904, and would be 26 3/4 today. One of the famed "Dorsey Brothers" (with younger brother, Tommy).  Unfortunately, most of the time, they hated each other and their relationship was very volatile.  Here's Jimmy and his orchestra accompanying Ginger Rogers, performing the great Irving Berlin tune, "Let Yourself Go" (no, this song is NOT about Charlie Sheen!):





Legendary Hollywood film director William "Wild Bill" Wellman was born in Brookline, Massachusetts in 1896, and would be 29. He directed many films now considered classics:  A Star Is Born (the first one), The Public Enemy, Nothing Sacred and Wings, the first "Best Picture" Academy Award winner.  He wasn't exactly beloved by his actors, who (rumor had it) were "bullied" into giving their memorable performances.  Hey....whatever it takes...