Look who is turning 50 this year!
By David Laurell
Had he lived, "John-John" would have turned 50 this November
If you were born the year Clark Gable died and John F. Kennedy was elected president, this will be the year you begin living life after 50. Along with the death of the man best remembered for his portrayal of Rhett Butler in “Gone With the Wind,” and the election of a young president who would usher in a short-lived era known as “Camelot,” 1960 also saw actress Joanne Woodward honored with the very first star on Hollywood Boulevard’s Walk of Fame, and the film “Ben-Hur” take the Oscar for Best Picture. A musical group known as The Beatles, unheard of by most Americans, was performing in a Hamburg, Germany nightclub. A brash young fighter named Cassius Clay won the Gold Medal for heavyweight boxing in the summer Olympics before going on to win his first professional fight in the fall. And following the previous year’s admission of Hawaii as the 50th state, 1960 saw the debut of the 50-star United States flag. The previous year also saw the birth of future luminaries Madonna, Ellen DeGeneres, Prince and Sharon Stone. Today, having had an entire year to settle in to their 50th year on the planet, Madonna, Ellen, Prince and Sharon can join us in congratulating those who of the 2010 class who will be entering and surpassing their 50th year. From the stage and screen, actors including Sean Penn, James Spader, David Duchovny, Hugh Grant, Brad Garrett and Stanley Tucci who was most recently seen as the murderer in “The Lovely Bones,” will all be hitting the big five-oh. Among the actresses who will celebrate the beginning of life after 50 are Meg Tilly, Brenda Strong, Daryl Hannah, Julianne Moore, Valerie Bertinelli and Erin Moran who played Jonnie Cunningham on “Happy Days.” Athletes Cal Ripken Jr., Howie Long, Greg Louganis and John Elway will be joining the club, as well as rockers Joan Jett and U2’s Bono. Gospel star Amy Grant will see 50 candles lit on her cake this year, as will supermodels Carol Alt and Kim Alexis. Other notables who will be joining the five decade club this year include Robin Roberts of “Good Morning America,” Prince Andrew and Chef Mario Batali. Sadly, a tragic 1999 plane crash denied John F. Kennedy Jr. of seeing his 39th birthday. Had the son of the man elected president 50 years ago lived, he also would have turned 50 this coming November.
