It’s a happy birthday to Cybill Shepherd, who turns 59 today. In addition to frequently having her name misspelled in about a dozen different combinations, Shepherd is one of those dames of a certain age — like Elizabeth Taylor, and probably eventually Jennifer Lopez — who everyone talks about, whenever their name comes up, as having been sooo beautiful, perhaps as a way to mitigate discussion about general nuttiness or diva-ish behavior. For Shepherd, the big demarcator is her topless turn as Jacy Farrow in 1971’s The Last Picture Show, above. She also, of course, has the (well earned) reputation of being a very vocal pain-in-the-ass; in fact, I’ve interviewed a former costar who only smiled tightly when asked about her, and then nodded wryly when asked if that could be interpreted as being indicative of their feelings about her. Still, one has to give it up for Moonlight,* which really sang in those first two seasons. That’s the Shepherd I prefer to remember, and celebrate.

* EDIT: Moonlighting! Man. I blame the Hennessy…