A Galaxy of Birthdays

If you feel a little something special in the air today, perhaps it's a result of the extraordinary energy generated by the fabulous creatures celebrating their birthdays.

The glorious Dalida, international sensation and tragic muse;

Miss Sheree North, who made it through a rocky start as a Marilyn-wannabe to become a genuinely interesting character actress and Hollywood survivor;

Betty White. Sigh. I just adore her, and her little dog, too.

One of Britain's great contributions to the world of camp divas, ballerina/actress Moira Shearer;

And, last but hardly least, the sadly missed Eartha Kitt, seen here back where it all began, in New Faces of 1952.

It's a testament to the grandeur and force of character of these ladies that they effortlessly defeat all the bad karma generated by today's birthday boys, who include such lamentable creatures as Kid Rock, Maury Povich, Al Capone, Andy Kaufman, and Larry Fortensky.