It’s the birthday

… of Odetta. The folk and blues singer is 75.

… of Anthony Hopkins. The Oscar winner is 68. Hopkins has been nominated for Best Actor three times, winning for The Silence of the Lambs. He was also nominated as Best Supporting Actor for Amistad.

… of Tim Considine. Spin of “Spin and Marty” is 65. Considine was also the oldest of “My Three Sons” and played the soldier slapped by General Patton in the film Patton.

… of Sarah Miles. The Oscar nominee (best actress for Ryan’s Daughter) is 64.

… of Ben Kingsley. The Oscar winner is 62. He won Best Actor for his portrayal of Gandhi. He was also nominated for Best Actor for House of Sand and Fog and twice for Best Supporting Actor.

… of Tim Matheson. Animal House’s “Otter,” better known recently as Vice President John Hoynes on “West Wing,” is 58.

… of Donna Summer. The Bad Girl is 57.

… of Bebe Neuwirth. Lilith is 47. Ms. Neuwirth won the Emmy twice for this role on Cheers.

… Val Kilmer. “Iceman” is 46.

Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. was born in Roswell, New Mexico, on this date in 1943. His grandmother gave him a guitar while he lived in Tucson and eventually he became John Denver.

Denver died in 1997 when his experimental plane crashed into Monterey Bay.