photo credit: Léna Tritscher
This week's birthday celebs prove you don't always have to be in the spotlight to be a star.
Eric Clapton (3/30/1945) - 64. Clapton was born in Ripley, Surrey, England to his 16 year old mother Patricia. He was raised by his grandparents and, until the age of 9, believed his mother was his sister. Lucky for rock and rollers everywhere, Clapton poured his confusion and pain into his music. At 17, Clapton started his music career and had brief stints with The Roosters and The Yardbirds. In 1966, Clapton join Cream and was discovered by the US rock scene selling millions of records over their three year union.
Clapton never seemed comfortable with his stardom and took a backseat approach to his career over the next few years, playing with George Harrison, Yoko Ono, Leon Russell and Ringo Star. In the 1970's he formed Derek and the Dominos and his songs Layla, Have You Ever Loved a Woman, Why Does Love Got to be So Sad, Bell Bottom Blues, Wonderful Tonight and Cocaine put him back in the limelight where he has continued to stay.
Clapton was lucky in money but not so in love. He fell passionately in love with friend George Harrison’s wife Pattie Boyd who did not immediately return the passion and Clapton used heroin and alcohol to drown his romantic sorrows. Years later Clapton and Boyd married but soon after he began an affair with Yvonne Kelly with whom he had a daughter, Ruth. Boyd forgive him this affair but not the one that followed with Italian model Lory Del Santo, who gave birth to Clapton's son Conor. At the age of four, Conor was killed when he fell from a 53rd story apartment window. In 2002, Clapton married second wife, Melia, 33 years his junior. They have three daughters: Julie Rose, Ella Mae and Sophie, born just born Clapton's 60's birthday. In 2007, Eric’s autobiography, Clapton, was published.
Best line: For me, it's about the music. I'm just the messenger, and I hope to do it as long as I live.
Ali MacGraw (4/1/1938) - 71. Alice MacGraw traded her brief photographer assistant job for one in front of the camera as fashion model for Harper's Bazaar. She credits Harper's fashion editor, Diana Vreeland, for her initial exposure. MacGraw did TV commercials and bit roles until her claim to fame in Love Story with Ryan O'Neal. Other films include The Getaway, Convoy, Players, Just Tell Me What You Want and she starred in her own autobiography, Moving Pictures, which portrayed her alcohol addiction. Since beating her dependency, Ali has practiced yoga and made the video Ali MacGraw Yoga Mind and Body with yoga master Erich Schiffmann. In 2008, GQ magazine named MacGraw one of the sexiest 25 women in film.
Ali has been married three times: banker Robin Hoen for 1 year, film producer Robert Evans for 3 and Steve McQueen for 5 years. McQueen demanded McGraw give up her career to become his housewife but continued his notorious escapades of drinking and womanizing. Devastated MacGraw returned to her career and McQueen moved his latest mistress into their home. On his deathbed in 1980, McQueen refused to see MacGraw. Ali has one son Josh with her ex, Evans.
Best line: Now I think everyone should ask, am I going to be able to be the person I want to be in this relationship?
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