Famous People Born on the 4th of July

Twin sisters, Ann Landers and Abigail Van Buren were born on the 4th of July. They grew up to become famous newspaper columnists that gave advice to thousands of people over the years. Those of us who remember Ann and Abigail may have read their column or even sought their advice. I never missed a day of reading the newspaper column of one of these 4th of July twins. Usually, it was "Dear Abby" which was Abigail Van Buren. One thing I did not know was that they had birthdays on this patriotic holiday. The twin sisters were known for their sound advice and great humor throughout their lifetime.

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Stephen Foster, was born as Stephen Collins Foster on July 4, 1876 in Pennsylvania. He composed some of the most beloved American songs ever known and got paid very little for them due to poor copyright and composer royalty rights at the time. He was paid a measly $100 dollars for the song "Oh Susanna" and never saw many profits from his famous music because of so many other publishers copying his work. Foster wrote Beautiful Dreamer, My Old Kentucky Home, I Dream of Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair, Swanee River and many other wonderful folk songs of early America. Stephen Foster died at the young age of 37 as an alcoholic and financial debt. His 4th of July birth did not bring him the life and financial freedom that he so deserved, but he will forever be remembered as a great and brilliant songwriter.

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Calvin J. Coolidge was the only United States President born on Independence Day. He was born on July 4, 1872 in Plymouth Notch, Windsor County, Vermont and grew up in much hardship. Calvin's mother died from tuberculosis when he was 12, and his sister died at the young age of 15, at which time Calvin was 18. His father remarried and Coolidge went on to become a Republican lawyer that worked his way into politics. He became Massachusetts' 48th governor and was elected as the United States 29th Vice President in 1920. Coolidge eventually succeeded to the presidential position upon the death of Warren G. Harding in 1923. The 30th president was a man of few words, but big on conservative views and small government. His memories gained momentum during the Ronald Reagan presidential years. Coolidge was succeeded by President Herbert Hoover and died in 1933 of a sudden heart attack. This 4th of July president made this statement right before his death " I Feel I No Longer Fit In With These Times."

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James Anthony Bailey, famous founder of Barnum and Bailey Circus, was born James Anthony McGuiness, July 4, 1847 in Pontiac, Michigan. He was orphaned at the age of 8 and adopted by Fred Harrison Bailey, nephew of the Bailey Circus pioneer. His name eventually changed and James went on to establish Barnum and Bailey's Circus in 1881, after meeting P.T. Barnum. James was the one who obtained Jumbo the Elephant and orchestrated many elephant performances after that. The 4th of July, born circus owner and his partner later teamed up with the Ringling Brothers forming the "Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus" in 1919. James Anthony Bailey married Ruth McCaddon and died of erysipelas, 1906 in Mount Vernon, New York. The disease causes acute streptococcus bacterial infection of the deep epidermis with lymphatic spread. His former home in Harlem, New York City looks like a castle and he will be remembered as the "Modest King of Circus Men."

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Gina Lollobrigida, born July 4, 1927, is a famous Italian American actress that became a major sex-symbol of the 1950's. The Independence Day woman made it big as an actress and also is a photojournalist and sculptress. Gina was born in a beautiful mountain village of Subiaco, Italy and her own natural looks caused her to win several beauty contests. She went on to Hollywood where she starred in several movies, her first one in 1953 being "Beat the Devil" with Humphrey Bogart and Jennifer Jones. The famous 4th of July actress won the title of "The World's Most Beautiful Woman" in 1955 and went on to stardom in movies like Trapeze, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Never So Few, Come September and the famous bible movie, Solomon and Bathsheba. Lola co-starred in the movie "The Private Navy of Sgt. O' Farrell" and traveled with Bob Hope to entertain the troops overseas. She retired from acting in 1997 and is active in The National Italian Foundation. Gina told PARADE in April 2000: " I studied painting and sculpting at school and became an actress by mistake. I've had many lovers and still have romances. I am very spoiled. All my life, I've had too many admirers."

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