A Big Month for Celebrities

February is the shortest month of the year, but for us old timers it's a month that produced a lot of the folks who entertained us through our years of the “Greatest Generation.”

For example, Actor Clark Gable was born on February 1, 1901. Who can forget his memorable portrayal in Gone With the Wind?

On the second day of February, 1937, Tommy Smothers of the famous “Smothers Brothers,” came into the world.

Comedian Joey Bishop was born on February 3, 1918; and a year and a day later, Red Buttons was born.

“Babe” Ruth was born on February 6, 1895, and on the same day in 1911 Ronald Reagan came into being, and on the 6th day of the month in the year 1940, newsman and author Tom Brokaw, joined us.

On the 8th, we got a foursome: Actress Lana Turner, Jack Lemmon, James Dean and Ted Koppel, not all in the same year.

On the 9th, in 1943, Joe Pesci breathed his first breath, and two years later on the same day, Mia Farrow came along in 1945. Also, the war ended that year.

On the 11th, 1936, Bert Reynolds, was born, followed in 1963, by singer Sheryl Crow.

In 1909, Charles Darwin breathed his first breath, in 1915, Ben Cartwright, (Loren Greene) was born, and on the same day in 1955, talk show host Arsenio Hall was born.

On February 13, Tennessee Ernie Ford was born in 1919, and on the same day in 1933, Kim Novak came along.

Back in 1894, Jack Benny squeezed his first nickel, Hugh Downs came along in 1921, Actor Vic Morrow in 1932, and in 1934, Actress Florence Henderson.

A day later, in 1927, Harvey Korman was born, and on the same day in 1951, along came actress Jane Seymour.

Jumping ahead to the 17th Actor Hal Holbrook was born in 1925, and Cleveland Browns football great Jim Brown came onto earth.

Skipping along to February 18, we had Jack Palance in 1920, Cybill Shepherd in 1950, and John Travolta in 1954. And were that not enough for that day, Matt Dillon came along in 1964.

On the 19th, in 1924, Lee Marvin came into life, and a day later in the same year, Sidney Poitier was born.

More folks the oldtimers will remember were Erma Brombeck on February 21, 1927, Rue McClanahan, in the same date in 1933, and on the 21st. In 1946, Tyne Daly.

On the following date in 1907, Robert Young of “Father Knows Best,” and “Marcus Welby” fame was born.

February 22, 1932, was the birth date of Edward M. Kennedy, and on that date in 1975, actress Drew Barrymore was born.

Dropping a good bit back to 1885, World War II Admiral Chester W. Nimitz was born, and on that same date in 1938, so was Actor James Farentino.

On February 25, 1901, who was born but Zeppo Marx, and in 1935 Sally Jesse Raphael, and in 1943, Beatle George Harrison.

On the 26th, 1887, Fred Mertz (William Frawley) was born, as was Tony Randall in 1920, Fats Domino in 1928, and Jackie Gleason in 1916.

Nearing the end of February, John Steinbeck was born in 1902, Actress Joanne Woodward in 1930, two years later, Elizabeth Taylor; and in 1937, Ralph Nader.

Actor Charles Durning was born on the 28th, in 1915; Race car driver Mario Andretti, in 1940; Actress Bernadette Peters in 1948, and Comedian Gilbert Gottfried, in 1955. Closing out the month of memorables, and in a leap year, was singer Dinah Shore in 1916.

Now if that isn't a month full of famous folks, who knows what is.

And for those readers who celebrate birthdays this month: Happy Birthday!