Chief Justice John Roberts is just 53 today.
The actor James Cromwell is 68. Among his many roles, Cromwell was the farmer in Babe. The role earned him an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor. Who was the lead in that film — the pig?
Mikhail Baryshnikov is 60.
Sultry-voiced Margo Timmins of the Cowboy Junkies is 47.
Peter Fonda’s daughter Bridget is 44.
Jerome Kern was born on this date in 1885.
Kern and his wife returned to America, where he enhanced the scores of European musicals and worked as a rehearsal pianist. Then he met Oscar Hammerstein II, who became a lifelong friend, and the two collaborated on Show Boat in 1927. This musical gave us the songs “Ol’ Man River” and “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man.” In 1933, Kern and Hammerstein produced Roberta, which included the famous song “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.”
Kern moved to Hollywood in 1935, and he enjoyed success there. He wrote “The Way You Look Tonight” for the movie Swing Time, and the song won an Academy Award. In 1941, Kern and Hammerstein wrote “The Last Time I Saw Paris” because Paris had just been occupied by Nazi Germany, and that song also won an Academy Award.
Kern died in 1945 with Hammerstein at his side. At the memorial service, Hammerstein said of his friend Jerome Kern, “He stimulated everyone. He annoyed some. He never bored anyone at any time.”
We just watched “Babe” the other night. Our boys hadn’t seen it and we were all delighted. I remember the first time I saw it: I was at the dollar theater in Tucson and the two little girls in front of me got really annoyed and “shushed” me because I was giggling at the little singing mice. Tsk…
One of my favorite movie quotes of all-time: “That’ll do, pig. That’ll do…”
Chokes me up and, well, I use that same line on my dogs, cat, kids… and anyone who needs a little, “That’ll do…”
😉
Jerome Kern was the namesake for Jerome Garcia, who turned out to be no slouch as a musician.