If they were still alive..

...the following folks would be celebrating their birthday today:



"Moms" Mabley would be 117.  Boy, she was an original alright!  And there's never been another like her, though she is credited by many standup comics as one of their strongest influences (Richard Pryor, Whoopi Goldberg, Phyllis Diller and others).  The first "out" lesbian comedian, she appeared onstage toothless and in a rumpled house dress and talked smack about whatever she felt like.  And she is, to date, the oldest person ever to have a Top-40 recording (her version of "Abraham, Martin and John" in 1969).  Her humor has stood the test of time and she is, if anything, funnier than ever. She died at the age of 81 in 1975.



Betty Compson would be 114.  Nearly forgotten today, she was a popular and remarkably prolific actress during the silent era...she made 25 movies...in just one year! (1916).  She successfully crossed the bridge into talking pictures, and was even nominated for a Best Actress Oscar (1928's The Barker).  But her career dwindled, and by the end of the 1930's, she slowly slid into obscurity.  But she was strikingly lovely and has a very appealing screen presence, and was a very talented violinist, too.  Here's a nice photo tribute:






Jo Mielziner would be 110.  Arguably the greatest set/costume designer in Broadway history, the French-born Mielziner had an unprecedentedly great run of successes on the Great White Way, designing many of the greatest clasics of the 20th century, including Carousel, South Pacific, Guys and Dolls, The King and I, A Streetcar Named Desire and Death of a Salesman.

Louis Hayward would be 102.  Born in South Africa, the dashing leading man made most of his films in Britain, though he achieved some success in Hollywood as well (The Man in the Iron Mask, for one).  He was married three times, once to actress Ida Lupino.


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And a VERY happy birthday to the living, thriving Patricia Morison, who celebrates 97 years today!



Above, in 2006.

Was she ever a classic beauty!  And remarkably talented as well.  She started as a contract player in Hollywood in the 1930's, but for some reason, her career never really caught fire.  But she surely found her home on Broadway.  She's one of the true "living legends" of Broadway's "Golden Era," having starred in the original productions of (among other greats) The King and I and Kiss Me Kate, in which she appeared opposite the legendary Alfred Drake.  Here they are, in a 1958 television production of the show.  May she enjoy many more years: