Actress Gloria Stuart turns 99

Actress Gloria Stuart is among a number of celebrities who personally have a reason to celebrate the Fourth of July along with the rest of the country. Man, what it must be like to have the whole country officially celebrate your birth date with you. Extraordinary.

Stuart, ironically, had her most noted role today as a 100-year-old in the 1997 film Titanic, portraying storyteller Rose DeWitt Bukater.

Read Stuart's biography

www.wikipedia.org

Independence Day 2009 marks 233 years since America's Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence from British rule in 1776.

Ironically, in 1826, 50 years after signing the declaration, former Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4.

In 1959, 50 years ago today, a 49-star flag was unfurled to honor the statehood of Alaska; a year later in 1960, today's 50-star flag honored Hawaii's statehood.

Other celebrities, now senior citizens, who join other citizens also celebrating their birthday today include advice columnist Pauline Phillips, 91; actresses Eva Marie Saint, 85, and Gina Lollobrigida, 82; playwright Neil Simon, 82; baseball team owner George Steinbrenner, 79; singer Bill Withers, 71; broadcast journalist Geraldo Rivera, 66.

Stuart in Here Comes the Navy in 1934

There are several other celebrities who've made it to their fifties, but to remain true to the age-range of 99andbeyond, we will leave them unmentioned .... well, OK. Rhythm-and blues musician Ralph Johnson is 58. Rock musician Domingo Ortiz is 57. Singer John Waite is 54.

But that's the last name ....aaaahhhh .... Malia Obama made 11 years old today.