Today is my birthday and to distract me from wallowing in my old(ish) age, I’ve decided to celebrate other people born today and the strange coincidences that link them to books.
To start, three actresses share my birthday, and one other thing: they all played the main character in a film adaptation of a classic novel – all novels I read and loved as a child.
- Megan Follows (1968) was the Anne Shirley I know best, in the 1985 Canadian version of Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea.
- Kate Maberly (1982) starred as Mary Lennox in the 1993 version of The Secret Garden (better known as the one without Colin Firth at the end).
- Liesel Matthews (1984) was Sara Crewe in the 1995 adaptation of A Little Princess.
Screenwriter, director and producer Kevin Williamson was born today (1965). He hasn’t written any books, but he has developed popular television shows based on books, including The Vampire Diaries and The Secret Circle, as well as a film (I Know What You Did Last Summer) which was based on a Lois Duncan novel.
Comedian and actor Billy Crystal celebrates his birthday today. He actually has written books, four of them: an autobiography, two children’s books, and a memoir based on his memories of his father. That’s in addition to his numerous film roles, which includes literary-related roles in Hamlet (1996), Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) and – of course! – The Princess Bride (1987).
I’m connected to a Sir! That is, SIR Michael Caine has his birthday today as well. He’s an Oscar and BAFTA winner, is one of only two actors nominated for an Oscar for acting in every decade from the 60′s to the 2000′s and he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth for his contribution to arts and entertainment. Among his many, many movie roles, he starred in The Man Who Would Be King (based on a short story by Rudyard Kipling, The Cider House Rules (based on John Irving’s novel) and The Quiet American (based on Graham Greene’s novel).
My biggest claim to fame, however, is sharing a birthday with Albert Einstein. He published widely, both scientific papers and non-scientific work. He’s the father of modern physics and oh yeah, a Nobel Laureate. And his name is literally synonymous with “genuis.” He’s been portrayed by various actors in pop culture, becoming a character in novels, films and television shows. Even Yoda is based, in part, on Einstein. Not a bad connection to have.
So there are just some of my birthday buddies. Thanks to LND readers for putting up with my self-indulgence today. Which famous people – literary-related or not – do you share your birthday with? Tell me in the comments.
[Photo Credit: Google Images - Zazzle.com]
2 Comments
Happy late birthday! Those are some awesome people to share a birthday with. I’m a little jealous. According to the internet, I share a birthday with John Keats and Peter Jackson, which I think counts as literary. As for everyone else, the level of famousness is pretty suspect. But I also share a birthday with Christopher Columbus, Willow Smith, and Vanilla Ice. Lucky me.
Other Meredith – Thanks!