Claudia Cardinale starred in European, Italian and American films. Recognized as a model with her dark eyes and sensual beauty, she appeared in some of the most acclaimed films in the 1960s and 1970s, like “Rocco and His Brothers” and “The Leopard”. It all happened after she was crowned “Most Beautiful Italian Girl in Tunisia” in 1957.
This led to film contracts almost overnight as the prize included a trip to Italy’s Venice Film Festival, where she met film producer Franco Cristaldi. In the U.S., she played opposite David Niven in “The Pink Panther” and starred in several American-themed films before heading back to Italy. Today, she’s a Goodwill Ambassador for UNESCO, a women’s rights advocate, and she still acts.
Vera Lynn (born 1917)
Vera Lynn performed for the first time at the age of seven, starting a career that spanned over eight decades. During WWII she toured Egypt, India, and Burma to entertain the troops, and became incredibly popular as a singer, songwriter, and actress.
In 2009, when she was 92, she released a compilation album that soared to No. 1 in the charts, beating out Bob Dylan as the oldest artist to have a No. 1 album in the U.K.! Her latest album, another compilation entitled 'Vera Lynn 100', was released in commemoration of her 100th birthday, in 2017. She passed away in June 2020 at the age of 103.
Paul Michael Glaser (born 1943)
Paul Michael Glaser was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Glaser is an actor, director, writer, and, most recently, an artist. Most people know him for his role as Starsky on the enormously popular 1970s TV series, "Starsky and Hutch". For his film debut, he played Perchik in "Fiddler on the Roof" (1971). He graduated from Tulane majoring in theatre and English and went on to earn his master’s degree in acting and directing at Boston.
In 1980, he married his wife Elizabeth. Sadly, she contracted HIV from a blood transfusion, which ultimately ended her life a few years later. Elizabeth died shortly after co-founding the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Glasner directed a public service spot for AIDS awareness in 1989.
Tippi Hedren (born 1930)
Tippi Hedren was discovered by Alfred Hitchcock, who chose her for a lead role in "The Birds". Astonishingly, it was Tippi’s first acting job. She won a Golden Globe and became a Hollywood star under Hitchcock’s influence. He was inspired by her, but also a demanding boss, borderline abusive. She went on to appear in over eighty films!
Born Nathalie Kay Hedren, she grew up in Minnesota. Her father, who ran the general store in the town, nicknamed her “Tippi.” While she was in high school, her parents relocated the family to California. She was married to actor Peter Griffith for seven years, with whom she had the famous Melanie Griffith.
Honor Blackman (born 1925)
This British-born actress started out on the stage in London’s West End in the early 1940s. Later, in 1961, she took a role as Cathy Gale on the popular show "The Avengers". Her impressive presence landed her a role opposite Sean Connery. As the memorable Pussy Galore in "Goldfinger", she pioneered female spy roles. She famously practiced judo to prepare her for such roles and became so skilled she performed some of her own stunts.
Her career ran for over sixty years, in which she starred in close to 90 movies and TV shows. She’s the same age as the Queen of England, but she sure doesn’t show it! In 2020, when she was 94 she died in her home country - England.