Today is the birthday of a bunch of characters. Character-actors, that is.
Doris Roberts is 77. She was Raymond’s mom.
Loretta Swit is 70. She was Major Houlihan.
Art Carney was born on this date in 1918. He’s most famous for playing Ed Norton opposite Jackie Gleason’s Ralph Kramden but he won the Oscar for best actor for Harry and Tonto. Carney died in 2003.
Martin Balsam was born on this date in 1914. Balsam was also a character actor. NewMexiKen’s favorite Balsam roles: Juror #1 in 12 Angry Men, Henry Mendez in Hombre, Mr. Green in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, and his Oscar-winning Arnold Burns (best supporting actor) in A Thousand Clowns. Balsam died in 1996.
It’s also the birthday of Delbert McClinton. He’s 67.
The novelist Charles Frazier is 57 today.
Kathy Griffin is 47.
The Karate Kid, Ralph Macchio, is 46.
And Matthew McConaughey is 38.
The First Lady of the United States, Laura Bush, is 61 today.
And Walter Cronkite is 91.
Will Rogers was born in Oologah, Oklahoma, on this date in 1879.
H.L. Mencken called him “the most dangerous writer alive.” Damon Runyan dubbed him “America’s most complete document.” And Franklin D. Roosevelt credited him with bringing his fellow Americans “back to a sense of proportion.” He was a ranch hand, rodeo rider, vaudeville performer, film star, columnist and author, radio personality, pioneer of aviation, tireless master of ceremonies, friend to presidents, and unofficial ambassador of good will under three administrations. He was Will Rogers, and during his lifetime he was the single most popular and beloved man in America.
A little of Rogers’ “cowboy philosophy” —
“A fool and his money are soon elected.”
“I bet after seeing us, George Washington would sue us for calling him ‘father.'”
“There is no credit to being a comedian, when you have the whole government working for you. All you have to do is report the facts. I don’t even have to exaggerate.”
“Everything is changing. People are taking the comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke.”
“I never met a man I didn’t like.”
You mention Martin Balsam without mentioning his Colonel Cathcart in Catch-22?
And you call yourself an American!
Read the book, never seen the movie.
I love it when you quote Okies.
One of my favorite Will Rogers’ quotes:
“If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”