Diamonds for Elizabeth (2/27/07)

Today we honor the birthday of Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor Hilton Wilding Todd Fisher Burton Burton Warner Fortensky (whew!), and how appropriate is it that her 75th birthday is also her diamond anniversary? Elizabeth (not "Liz"; never "Liz") was a star from the age of 9, when she appeared in her first picture, and barely a day has gone by since then when she wasn't in the public eye. Despite her ups and downs, she's been the personification of glamour -- and used her notoriety to champion her favorite causes, most notably AIDS research. But more than a mere icon, she's an actress of power and grace, being nominated for five Academy Awards (winning two), not to mention being the first actress to earn a million dollars for a film and ranking seventh in a list of the greatest film actresses of all time. We may not be able to give her diamonds, but we'll definitely hoist a chicken in her honor.