How do you describe a legend?

It's Miss Lauren Bacall's 88th birthday today!

The lady herself prefers not to be called a "legend", despite the fact that the term seems to have been coined for her. For how else do you describe one of the greatest survivors of that Golden Era of Hollywood?

I have featured some of Miss Bacall's shining moments before - notably here, and I have no doubt featured this clip before.

However, some things are just too fantabulosa not to have a repeat airing, so here is the lady herself camping it up in "the gay bar scene" from Applause (the musical adaptation of All About Eve) - enjoy!

Lauren Bacall in Applause

Miss Bacall is our latest exhibit in the Dolores Delargo Towers Museum of Camp...

Nothing I know brings on the glow like sweet applause

Many happy returns today to one of the few remaining composers from the classic era of musicals - the 83-year-old Charles Strouse.

With a back catalogue of Broadway productions that includes Bye Bye Birdie, Golden Boy, Nick & Nora and of course the timeless classic Annie, as well as numerous revues for stars such as Chita Rivera, film soundtracks for Bonnie and Clyde and The Night They Raided Minsky's, and standards such as Once Upon a Time and Born Too Late, he certainly has a track record to be proud of!

Not least for this, in my opinion his campest meisterwork:

Lauren Bacall in Applause

Applause, written by Mr Strouse, Betty Comden and Adolph Green with Lauren Bacall in mind, is of course a musical adaptation of every queen's favourite Bette Davis movie All About Eve. A delight...

http://www.charlesstrouse.com/

The CD of Applause is available from Dress Circle (of course!)