April 26: Births and Deaths

Birthdays are a wonderful daily occurrence in our lives. It is rare to weave through one's day without becoming privy to an announcement or celebration of a birthday or two, whether they belong to family, friends, or other eminent figures. Remembering those who have passed each day is, perhaps, just as noteworthy an endeavor, for if their memories are kept alive, one might argue, so too are their spirits.

Here is a sampling of April 26 honorees:

Birthdays

Tom Welling - He can always claim to be one of the few actors to portray Superman. Welling, born in Putnam Valley, New York in 1977, is an actor, director and former fashion model. He has played Clark Kent in Smallville, which started a formidable run in 2001, but also had roles in "Cheaper by the Dozen," and "The Fog."

Jet Li - The international film star was born in Beijing, China on this date in 1963, and began his career in China in 1982, ultimately starring in many critically acclaimed martial arts films. He has appeared in many Hollywood films, beginning with "Lethal Weapon 4" in 1998. He has also starred with Brendan Fraser in "The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor."

Carol Burnett - This comedy legend was born in San Antonio, Texas in 1933, and has been hysterically funny ever since. She's a legendary entertainer who excelled as actress, singer, dancer and writer in addition to comedian. "The Carol Burnett Show," which was aired from 1967 to 1978 on CBS television was critically acclaimed and enormously popular.

Bobby Rydell - If you can sing Volare word for word, you probably know who Bobby Rydell is. Born in Philadelphia, PA in 1942, he began performing at the age of four and ultimately rode the teen idol wave in the late 1950's and early 1960's. Rydell also appeared in the extraordinarily popular "Bye Bye Birdie."

Deaths

Jack Valenti - Many will remember his appearances on each year's Academy Award telecasts. Mr. Valenti was a long-time president of the Motion Picture Association of America. During his 38-year tenure, he created the MPAA film rating system. He became the first "special assistant" to Lyndon Johnson's White House in 1963, but was persuaded to resign in 1966 by Universal Studios chief Lew Wasserman, to become president of the MPAA. He passed away on this day in 2007 at the age of 86.

Lucille Ball - Arguably the most famous female comedian in television history, she was also a committed businessperson and pioneer in the television industry. She graduated from supporting comedic roles in Hollywood to starring roles in the 1940's, and finally to the place for which she will always be remembered. With "I Love Lucy," she and husband Desi Arnaz developed the three-camera technique that eventually became the standard in sitcom production. As importantly, they developed the concept of syndicating television programs. Lucille Ball passed away in 1989 at the age of 78.