Born in Myra, West Virginia, he was the first man to fly faster than the speed of sound. He served the military as a Brigadier General in the U.S. Air Force. In WWII, Yeager shot down over a dozen German planes. He was shot down and injured in German-occupied France, but was lucky to be rescued by French resistance forces and then made his way back to his base in England.
In 1983, Sam Shepard played the role of Yeager, bringing to life his outstanding military career. In the opening scene, the fighter pilot breaks the sound barrier, starting “The Right Stuff” off with a bang. The beloved actor died in 2020, but he is still cherished and remembered by many.
Debbie Harry (born 1945)
Straight out of the New York punk scene, Debbie Harry and all-girl band, the Stilettos, were rocking the stage in a downtown club in 1974 when Chris Stein discovered her. Together they formed Blondie. As lovers, bandmates, and friends, they created a unique musical style. Selling over 40 million albums, tunes like "Atomic", "Heart of Glass" and "Call Me" they topped charts globally.
Harry’s immense popularity ushered in many women in rock music. Blondie split up in 1981, got back together in 1997, and was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. They released their eleventh studio album in May of 2017.
Terry Moore (born 1929)
Terry Moore continues to make appearances in film and television. Born Helen Luella Koford, she took her stage name in 1948. In the 1950s she rose to stardom. She was nominated for an Oscar for "Come Back, Little Sheba" starring opposite Burt Lancaster. She's acted in "Mighty Joe Young", "Batman", and most recently, in the film "Saving Flora".
Moore’s celebrity status goes back for many years. She posed for Playboy magazine at 55 years old. She’s also known for her many marriages. The most controversial was her relationship with the venerable (and super-wealthy) Howard Hughes. They married out at sea in 1949, however, Hughes destroyed the ship’s log and the entire record of the matrimony. They officially separated in 1956.
Ali MacGraw (born 1939)
Ali MacGraw rose to stardom in the late sixties, hitting international fame in 1970 when she starred in "Love Story". Her first major award, though, was in 1969, when she won the Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer for her role in the film "Goodbye, Columbus".
Born in New York, MacGraw became a fashion model first, posing for Vogue and working as a stylist for the magazine. She also assisted fashion virtuoso and editor-in-chief, Diana Vreeland, at Harper’s Bazaar. MacGraw is also known for being married to pop culture icon Steve McQueen, although they divorced in 1978.
Cloris Leachman (born 1926)
Cloris Leachman was born in Iowa, on April 30, 1926. She grew up in Des Moines and lived there until she attended Illinois State to study drama, and then graduated from Northwestern University. She started her film career soon after, but not before winning Miss America in 1946. She is best known for her hilarious role as Phyllis Lindstrom on "The Mary Tyler Moore" show.
Leachman also appeared in the Mel Brooks film "Young Frankenstein" and continued to work with Brooks for many years. She set a record winning eight primetime Emmy Awards. Just a few days before 2022, she kicked the bucket. Her last role was performed in the 2020 movie "Jump, Darling".