Milestone Birthdays in August

Aug. 8: Connie Stevens, 80

This bubbly blonde got her break in the 1958 Jerry Lewis comedy Rock-a-Bye Baby. The next year, she became a household name as shutterbug Cricket Blake on ABC’s detective show Hawaiian Eye and later became a tabloid staple during her short marriage to Elizabeth Taylor’s ex, crooner Eddie Fisher. She co-starred with Crispin Glover in a recent thriller called By the Rivers of Babylon.

Aug. 15: Debra Messing, 50

Messing has appeared in films (Woody Allen’s Hollywood Ending) and starred on the Broadway-themed TV series Smash for two seasons. But for most fans, the Emmy winner will forever be interior decorator Grace Adler, opposite Eric McCormack as her gay lawyer roomie, on NBC’s Will & Grace. After a reboot last year proved popular, NBC ordered two more seasons of 18 episodes for this fall and next year.

Aug. 16: Angela Bassett, 60

Ever since she was nominated for an Oscar for her star-making turn in the 1993 Tina Turner biopic What’s Love Got to Do With It, this regal actress has been in high demand, playing such icons as Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King on TV and in films. Lately, she was the Queen Mother of Wakanda in Black Panther and a CIA agent in Mission: Impossible – Fallout. Her L.A. cop returns for a second season of Fox’s 911 on Sept. 23.

Aug. 16: Madonna, 60

Leave it to Madonna, the ultimate shape-shifter, to be defiant when it comes to senior-citizen expectations. As she says, “Once you reach a certain age you're not allowed to be adventurous, you're not allowed to be sexual. I mean, is there a rule? Are you supposed to just die?” The pop diva has teased that her 14th album, her first in three years, will arrive soon. WATCH: The Evolution of Madonna

Aug. 17: Belinda Carlisle, 60

This lead singer of the all-girl rock band The Go-Go’s, the source of such bouncy 1980s hits as "Our Lips Are Sealed" and "We Got the Beat," never really went away. Carlisle had an equally successful solo career, with such songs as "Heaven is a Place on Earth" and "Mad About You." The group has recently reunited for live shows to promote their just-opened Broadway jukebox musical, Head Over Heels.

Aug. 20: Robert Plant, 70

The powerful vocalist behind Led Zeppelin’s "Stairway to Heaven" has been rocking fans for more than 50 years. Since 1982, Plant has maintained a successful solo career while collaborating with others, most notably country singer and musician Alison Kraus. Asked how he stays fit on tour, the belter replied, “I do my best to be in love with life. I stay in shape as long as I’m happy and I can add something creative.”

Aug. 21: Kenny Rogers, 80

The country legend took a tip from one of his best-known songs and knew when to fold ‘em in April when health issues cut short his “The Gambler’s Last Deal” tour that began in 2015. “I didn’t want to take forever to retire,” he said. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity to say farewell to the fans.” Good thing he has a six-decade stockpile of hits, from "Lucille" to "Islands in the Stream" with Dolly Parton and beyond.    

Aug. 24, Rachel Ray, 50

The spunky celebrity cook and three-time Emmy winner, who introduced the acronym EVOO — extra-virgin olive oil  — into the vernacular, has built quite a lifestyle empire since joining the Food Network in 2001. Ray hosts a syndicated daytime talk show, just renewed for a 13th season; boasts a magazine with 1.7 million subscribers; and oversees furniture, housewares and pet food brands bearing her name. 

Aug. 25: Tim Burton, 60

Hollywood’s master of merry macabre — director of such gothic giddiness as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — has been in a bit of a box-office slump of late. But Burton, who got his start as a Disney animator, could see his fortunes turn around given the upbeat online reactions to a trailer for his live-action remake of the studio’s Dumbo, due in March.

Aug. 28: Scott Hamilton, 60

Few U.S. Olympic skaters are as beloved as this 1984 gold medalist. Hamilton went on to be a coveted TV commentator on the sport. But at this year’s Winter Games, he was demoted while younger athletes, flashy Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir, took over. He handled it with the same grace he shows with his ongoing cancer battles: “I lamented it being over. But change happens to everyone — even me.”

Also of Interest

Rita Moreno on being cast as a 'Spanish spitfire' and having the time of her life

Scott Hamilton on "What I Know Now" — cancer, hope and survival