Mary Pickford was born in 1892 on this day. According to Wikipedia, she was an alcoholic. But if she was, how did she live to be 87? Really. The definition of alcoholic has really gotten out of hand when it is applied to Pickford. The great economist John Hicks was born in 1904. And another alleged alcoholic, Betty Ford, was born in 1918. She lived to be 93.

Comedian Shecky Greene is 87 today. The great investigative journalist Seymour Hersh is 76. Special effects master Douglas Trumbull is 71. John Madden, director of Shakespeare in Love and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, is 64. And actresses Robin Wright and Patricia Arquette are 47 and 45.

But the day belongs to the great Jacques Brel who was born in 1929, but died unacceptably young in 1978. Like many musicians who died young, he left us much to remember him by.

Adieu Jacques je t’aimais bien tu sais!

For my analysis of this song, see It’s Hard to Die in French.