April 30: 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 30 honorees:

Birthdays

Kirsten Dunst - Point Pleasant, New Jersey native Kirsten Dunst was born on this day in 1982. She began her career at the tender age of seven, and by age 12 had a breakthrough role in "Interview with the Vampire" with Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and Antonio Banderas...a rather prodigious position for an actress her age. She has the distinction of starring almost exclusively in well-received, successful box-office films such as the "Spider-Man" trilogy, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," "Little Women," "Wimbledon," and "Marie Antoinette." To complement her acting skills, Ms. Dunst is also a talented singer

Michael Waltrip - Winner of the 2001 and 2003 Daytona 500, Mr. Waltrip is a professional stock car race driver and brother of Darrell Waltrip, retired three-time NASCAR champion. Born on this day in 1963 in Owensboro, Kentucky, his career was auspiciously launched with a Mini-Modified division track championship at Kentucky Motor Speedway. Today, he is a co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing and a part-time commentator for the SPEED Channel.

Willie Nelson - Country singing icon Willie Nelson was born in Abbott, Texas on this day in 1933. In addition to an extensive recording career and a litany of music awards, he has appeared in more than 20 films, has been a social and political activist, and an American folk hero. No stranger to controversy, he was arrested as late as 2006 at the age of 73, for marijuana possession.

Deaths

Tom Poston - There were few personalities that were able to grace, with equal aptitude, several generations of entertainment. Mr. Poston was a panelist on "To Tell the Truth," an Emmy-winning comic actor on "The Steve Allen Show, " an airhead on the "Bob Newhart Show," a bumbling handyman on "Newhart," and a problematic neighbor on "Mork & Mindy." Beyond television, he appeared in comedic films such as "Cold Turkey," "Christmas With the Kranks," and "The Princess Diaries 2," and a multitude of Broadway plays. He made social news late in life with his marriage to Suzanne Pleshette in 2001. Both have passed away since. Mr. Poston was 85 when he left us in 2007.

Muddy Waters - Blues musician extraordinaire, Muddy Waters passed away on this date at the age of 68 in 1983. He is generally regarded as the inspiration for so many singers and musicians through several generations of contemporary music. Among his late-career highlights was his appearance on stage with "The Band," for their farewell concert, which was then transformed into the highly acclaimed "The Last Waltz" feature film, directed by Martin Scorcese.