Happy 4th & 99th

“The United States is the only country with a known birthday.”  
                                           James G. Blaine

July 4th not only marks the birthday of the United States of America (and the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776), but it’s the birthday of actress Gloria Stuart. Don’t remember that name? Need a clue? Well, she’s most well known for her role as a 100-year-old woman. Gloria Stuart played the older Rose character in James Cameron’s 1997 film Titanic, the biggest money making movie in history. She turned 99 today.

I don’t know if Stuart has ever been to Iowa, but I like to point out that her character Rose is living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa when the audience is first introduced to her. For her role as Old Rose, Stuart became the oldest person ever nominated for an Oscar.

Stuart was born in 1910 and made her first film, Street of Women, in 1932. But it wasn’t until Titanic came out in 1997 that she became internationally known— seventy years after she graduated from Santa Monica High School.

“I was voted the girl most likely to succeed. I didn’t realize it would take so long.”
                          Gloria Stuart

Like they say, it takes a little time sometimes.