Happy Birthday to...

...the great star, Lanie Kazan.

The singer-actress who first made a name for herself as Barbra Streisand's understudy in "Funny Girl" (She only subbed for two performances but the world took notice!) turns 68 years old young today. She's had an amazing life which I learned all about when we had lunch back in February, My favorite part of our chat was when the star of such films as "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and "My Favorite Year" talked about why gays love her so: "They love me and I love them. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I am a little larger than life and I say what I feel and I sing what I feel. I have an big emotional range and I think a lot of gay men and gay women - at least more in the past and I think it's still holds true - have been caught in that inability or the fear of self expression, of really being who they are. And that's what try and do. I'm me and I'm full blown. I think a lot of gay people identify with that part of me, not afraid to express my feelings - my joy, my pain. All of it."

Related posts:
-- Exclusive: Lainie Kazan talks about singing in LA again, Greek Wedding, and going on for Streisand...

-- Part 2: Lainie Kazan talks about a career low point and how she came back...

-- Lanie Dazzles in Concert...