More Birthdays Than I Know What to Do With

I don’t know if any of you are aware, but May is absolutely filled to the brim with the birthdays of old Hollywood icons! I took one look at my calendar page and about had a heart attack. I’ve already missed a few and I apologize for that, but hopefully the rest of this post makes up for it.

May 3rd: Bing Crosby
One of my favorite singers and a great actor, too. Le Bing is the personification of cool, calm, and relaxed, which makes it all the more heartbreaking and profound when you see a performance like THE COUNTRY GIRL.

May 4th: Audrey Hepburn
What more can be said about Audrey? To me, she’s fantastic in everything she does: dancing, singing, acting, wearing clothes, you name it. She can do no wrong, I don’t care what people say.

May 7th: Gary Cooper
This man…ugh, don’t even get me started. One look from him makes me melt. You’ll never want to watch MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN with me—I become far too annoying with my adoration of the gorgeous Mr. Cooper.

May 10th: Fred Astaire
I think you all know how I feel about Fred, considering my earlier posts. But what can I say? Never has anyone been so original, wonderful, humble, and talented, and no one ever will be again.

May 12th: Katharine Hepburn
If I’m not too busy, I’m going to try to post something about this magnificent human being on her actual birthday, because she’s just so much a part of me. I keep a framed picture of her near me for inspiration every day. She’s too important to really condense into words, but by golly, I’ll try.

May 16th: Henry Fonda
He’s adorable in THE LADY EVE, inspiring in 12 ANGRY MEN, and funny in SEX AND THE SINGLE GIRL. Henry Fonda is one of those actors that I know I can count on every time. He’s also one that I need to see more of.

May 18th: Frank Capra
One of my favorite filmmakers. His films are accused of being sentimental corn, but I think that’s unfair. His work is sweet, romantic, humane, and has a great sense of humor. I always feel better after one of his movies because I’m allowed to feel all sorts of emotions—I can cry, laugh, and worry without fear of being judged.

May 20th: Jimmy Stewart
I will never be able to express my deep love and appreciation of this man. He’s never turned in a bad performance and I can always find something to admire. To the film community, to audiences, and to the human race in general, he was a gift.

May 22nd: Laurence Olivier
Olivier’s Maxim de Winter is one of the main performances that contributed to my burgeoning love for film a few years ago. I fell in love with Laurence Olivier instantly, and I have never stopped adoring him since.

May 26th: John Wayne
Confession time: I’ve only seen a few John Wayne films. I know what a sin I’ve committed, and I’m working on fixing it. But trust me, from what I’ve seen, I know how crazy good Wayne is. His work in THE QUIET MAN left me doe-eyed, for sure.

May 27th: Vincent Price
What to say about Vincent Price? He can be debonair and sophisticated, or wicked and creepy. He’s like a chameleon, really, and I love every second of his performances. He was one of the best supporting actors ever, and underappreciated for his leading roles if you ask me. Look past the campy films and you’ll find a marvelous actor.

Happy birthday to all of them!

With love,
Michaela

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