May 20: Comings and Goings

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 May 20 honorees:

Birthdays

Cher - There aren't many performers that span the gamut of entertainment as Cher has during a prolific career. She is an American pop singer-songwriter, actor, director and record producer, and has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globe Awards and a People's Choice Award. Where does one start in detailing her distinctions? She rose to prominence with husband Sonny Bono when she was only 17 years old, and their song, "I Got You Babe" became a legacy-making hit. She went on to critically acclaimed performances in "Silkwood," "Mask," "The Witches of Eastwick," and "Moonstruck." And just to demonstrate she hadn't lost a step, her hit dance single "Believe" became her biggest-selling recording and was the best-selling single of 1999...34 years after "I Got You Babe!" Cher's three-year "Farewell Tour" beginning in 2002 was among the most successful ever by a female solo artist.

Bronson Pinchot - He is one of those actors that finds early success and fame, but then seemingly falls off the face of the earth. But Mr. Pinchot, born on this day in New York City in 1959, has merely slipped into a quiet, anonymous working actor's life. Pinchot parlayed what many considered a humorous foreign accent into his big professional break, the role of Balki Bartokomous from the island of Mypos on the ABC sitcom "Perfect Strangers." Since then, he has been active on stage, and in children's television and film.

Deaths

Gilda Radner - It is always heartbreaking when someone passes away well before their time, but it seems that Ms. Radner's battle with ovarian cancer, her eventual death, and Gilda's Club legacy have had a particular impact around the country. She was, of course, known widely for her comedic skills on display weekly with the original "Saturday Night Live" cast. She won an Emmy Award in 1978 on the strength of her hilarious fictional characters, such as Emily Litella and Roseanne Roseannadanna, and parodies of mega stars Barbara Walters, Lucille Ball, and others. She married Gene Wilder in 1982, and he was later instrumental in developing the Gilda's Club phenomenon. A network of affiliate clubhouses where people living with cancer, their friends and families, can meet to learn how to live with cancer, it was founded in 1991, two years after her death.

Hamilton Jordan - He was Chief of Staff to President Jimmy Carter was a key advisor and strategist for him during the 1976 presidential campaign and during his administration. He, too, passed away at the relatively young age of 63, from mesothelioma, and it wasn't the first battle he had with cancer. He had survived several other forms of cancer earlier in his life including diffuse histiocytic non-Hodgkins lymphoma, melanoma, and prostate cancer.