photo credit: Tienda Esquipulas
This week's birthdays are shared by stars, who like pinatas, have so much in them to share.
Rue McClanahan (2/21/1934) - 75. Eddi Rue studied acting at the University of Tulsa and then headed to New York City. She joined the cast of popular TV shows, Another World, All in the Family, Maude and Mama's Family. Her breakthrough came as proper Southern nymphomaniac Blanche Deveraux in the long running Golden Girls. McClanahan had mixed success in film and on Broadway. She is a long time supporter of animal rights, cancer awareness and the cure for AIDS. In 1997, she was successfully treated for breast cancer. Rue married five times before finding Mr. Right: Tom Bish, friend Norman Hartwig, actor Peter DeMaio, realtor Gus Fisher, old high school sweetheart Tom Keel, and actor/producer Morrow Wilson who she has been with since 1997. McClanahn tells all in her book My First Five Husbands..And the Ones Who Got Away. She has one son, Mark from her first union. Best line: I've been allowed to develop my own character, which I'm still working on.
Sidney Poitier (2/20/1927) - 82. Who would guess the ever dignified Poitier was once a rowdy teenager. Despite strong parental influence, at 17 he moved to New York City, got low paying jobs, was arrested for vagrancy after being kicked out of his apartment and then joined the Army. Initially, Poitier had no better luck at acting due, in part, to a heavy Bahamian accent. But the acting bug had bitten and despite great odds he found increible success in so many films including Blackboard Jungle, Lilies of the Field, A Raisin in the Sun, The Bedford Incident, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, To Sir, with Love, In the Heat of the Night and They Call Me Mister Tibbs. Poitier has been married twice: Juanita Hardy for 15 years and current wife Joanna Shimkus since 1976. He has six daughters, including actress Sydney Tamiia Poitier. He serves as ambassador of the Bahamas. Best line: I never had an occasion to question color, therefore, I only saw myself as what I was... a human being.
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