Heroes

The birthday list today includes three actors that suggested today's theme. Michael Douglas, son of another heroic figure, was born at New Brunswick, New Jersey on this day in 1944. Mark Hamill, Jedi knight Luke Skywalker, was born at Oakland, California in 1952. And then there is the quintessential hero, the Man of Steel, fighting for Truth, Justice, and the American Way: Superman. Christopher Reeve was born at New York City, also in 1952, and was a real-life hero to millions as he fought back after his paralyzing accident. As these quotes tell, you can be hero as well.

“Not a day passes over the earth but men and women of no note do great deeds, speak great words, and suffer noble sorrows. Of these obscure heroes, philosophers, and martyrs the greater part will never be known.”
     – Charles Reade, 1814 – 1884

“A boy doesn't have to go to war to be a hero; he can say he doesn't like pie when he sees there isn't enough to go around.”
     – Edgar Watson Howe, 1853 – 1937

“We relish news of our heroes, forgetting that we are extraordinary to somebody too.”
     – Helen Hayes, 1900 – 1993

“The tragic hero prefers death to prudence. The comedian prefers playing tricks to winning. Only the villain really plays to win.”
     – Mason Cooley, 1927 – 2002

“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.”
     – Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr, 1943 – 1993

“How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!”
     – Maya Angelou

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James A. Restucci is the author of this blog. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 Internal License.

4 Responses to Heroes

  1. jeanine says:

    Oh, so the qualification is movie hero, rather than actual hero. Got it.

  2. jimr says:

    Michael Douglas has played a hero in movies more times than I can count, and Mark Hamill of course was Luke Skywalker, nuff said.

  3. jeanine says:

    I’m not sure I’m following your post. The opening sentence says that today’s list of famous birthday’s suggested the theme, that theme being heroes, but it is unclear to me how Michael Douglas’s inclusion and reference to his father being heroic intimates a theme.

    It seems to me that the definition of hero is being used incorrectly here. I’m not seeing what Michael Douglas or Mark Hamill have done to create a heroic persona. Christopher certainly fought for research and development of treatment for those who have become paralyzed, making him a hero. But two bad actors? No.

  4. TVNews says:

    Micheal Douglas. A great actor. I don’t think I’ve seen a movie he was in I didn’t like.