We did not write about them and  print their photos, because their husbands or fiancés bought them a $4 million diamond ring or a $140,000 Christian Dior's wedding gown and became a celebrity overnight! We did, because, meaningfully, they contributed to our society, to arts, to humanities, to education, to science and world peace. They are here, not because, they threw the best parties in the Hamptons, Ibiza or Malibu, or because Joan Rivers said so, the National Enquirer gossiped about them, or because, they know the difference between Calvados, Chateau D'Yquem and root bear. They are on our list, because, they brought warmth to our families, light to our eyes, tender whispers and gentle affection to our hearts, and....because they are the best in their fields! We selected them, because they have heart, brains, presence, principles, culture, remarkable accomplishments, "un je ne sais quoi", a certain mesmerizing aura, perhaps, some have a delightful madness, while others "put a tiger in our tank"! Perhaps? But, almost, all of them made it big time and shined brighter than the whole damned lights and neon of Picadilly Circus, Les Champs-Elysees and Times Square.By no means, our lists are comprehensive or complete. For, should we have decided to extend and expand the lists to reach 120 or 150 names, more illustrious ladies would have easily met the selection criteria. Remarkable ladies l Bernadette Peters, Cindy Benson (Comic Lead of Les Miserables),  Alexandra Lebenthal (President Lebenthal & Co., Inc. ), Amanda McBroom (Songwriter/Composer of The Rose), Susan Egan (the Queen of Broadway), Nancy B. Peretsman (Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Allen & Company, Inc.), etc.

TALENT VERSUS FAME

Fame with a little of education, class or enlightenment would suffice, nowadays, to make you a millionaire movies star with a fat bank account. Some times, talent has nothing to do with how much a superstar deserves, should earn or profit from the box office. Luck is primordial. Big names bring money to Hollywood and that’s the name of the game, Basta Cosi! Business is business. There are thousands of actresses who are probably better than many of the big stars we admire and gossip about. Yet, their names if printed, would appear in small print, never with lights on city billboards. We will always go to see famous stars pictures, and willingly or unwillingly, we keep on feeding their fat bank accounts, and EGO! Fortunately or unfortunately, luck or bad luck strikes everywhere; in the corporate world, academia, politics, modeling, fashion and astrophysics. Sometimes, connections and good contacts catapult and launch the career of a person, regardless of the qualitative and quantitative standards of the accomplishments of the individuals. Today, Julia Roberts is the highest-paid Hollywood actress despite that her recent films were a box-office flop. Roberts earns $36 million a movie. Nevertheless, she is a superb actress with a big heart. Good for her! Cameron Diaz rivals Roberts, and she is on her way to cash much more. Is she better than Ida Lupino and Kim Novak? Probably not. Yet, Lupino the brightest female cinematographer, director, writer, superstar, producer of Hollywood's yesteryears never earned more than 10% of what Roberts or Diaz currently earn with "prejudice"! True! Diaz, is said to be worth up to $36 million per film. Jodie Foster, Drew Barrymore and Reese Witherspoon earn up to $28 million a film, followed by Sandra Bullock who is paid $21-29 million per performance. Jennifer Lopez gets $22 million per film, bad or good! JK Rowling is not doing bad either. She is already a multi-millionaire. And all of them make per year, 40 times more than United States Supreme Court Justices Ruth Ginsburg and Sandra O'Connor! In America, it is the "vain and shallow fame" which feeds a bank account, not credentials and accomplishments. A Star Rapper earns per annum, 40 times more than a professor of divinity or comparative civilization. And a big mouth gossips TV talk show host brings home approximately 15 million Dollars a year. That is 32 times the salary of any astronaut, archeologist or the editor-in-chief of encyclopedia Britannica.

Photo: Torrie, diva of the ring.  Her fame allows her to make per annum,  100 times more than an American soldier fighting in Iraq and 10 times  more than a dozen of university professors combined! Fame is the game, not merits! 

A famous professional female wrestler  who is  physically and sensually prosperous,   makes 4  times more than the world’s greatest and most famous philharmonic orchestra’s female conductor, almost 35% more than a renown female surgeon, 15 times more than Janet Reno, 10 times more than Hilary Clinton as a senator, 50 times more than any female school superintendent, 100 times more than a female medical assistant, 15 times more than a male federal judge, 18 times more than a university astrophysics professor, 60 times more than a small town preacher who has a doctorate degree in divinity or theology, 28 times more than a violinist in a national philharmonic symphony orchestra, 90 times more than a new secretary in a trade firm, and 100 times more than an American soldier fighting in Iraq of Afghanistan. This should tell us a lot about the criteria and requisites of the world fame and fortune... and would shed disturbing lights on how human mediocrity and social vanity make somebody famous and super rich...sometimes, overnight!  Zero Mostel  in Fiddler on the Roof repeated this phrase so many times "If you are rich, people think, you know.", and he was right. Wealth catapults fame and notoriety. Jean Paul Sartre, one said to Simone de Beauvoire: "One think I fear most in life: Notoriety." And he was right too! At the very dawn of Dadaism and Cubism in France, few bought a Braques, a Matisse, a Picasso, a Malevich or a Kandinsky. Why? Simply, because, Braques, Matisse, Picasso, Malevich and Kandinsky were obscure. As soon as a cubist, a Dadaist or an impressionist artist becomes a world celebrity, his paintings could and would bring as high as $110 Million per piece. Van Gogh, Gauging and Pissarro died flat broke. Try now to buy one of their paintings! Do you sit on millions? If you do, go ahead and become a flashy-dashy and silly number in Sotheby's auction. Today, in the world of politics, fashion, modeling, business, arts, entertainment, showbiz, music, performing arts and broadcasting NOTHING HAS CHANGED. It is still the same game. Fame is the game! The only game in town. Do you know who Peter Ustinov is? Few do. But almost 99% of moviegoers know who Tom Cruise is. Even though, Sir Peter Ustinov, the actor,  is 1,000 times better than Mr. Cruise. He is not as famous as Cruise,  despite his most astonishing talent. Consequently, Cruise will keep on cruising and making millions, and of course stealing the headlines, while Ustinov ends his career in divine obscurity, or reinvent himself as a hieroglyphic tour guide nearby Gizah and Egypt's desert.

YES, MONEY IS A FACTOR

In many disciplines, fields, arenas and endeavors, several factors play a paramount role in determining and shaping the financial success, fame, power and public recognition of a personality. In many instances, good connections and contacts, as well as privileged access to influential people assure success and guarantee financial prosperity. It is common in the United States,  to assess the success of a person by looking at his or her annual income, earning power, the digits in his or her bank accounts and how many times that personality has been written up in the papers.  Money is the corner stone in the edifice of quality measurements and importance of an individual in the United States. Those who have anti-American disposition rush so quickly to ascertain this reality or myth. The truth is, from the beginning of time, wealth was the primordial element, cause and effect of a person’s power, strength, influence, security and social visibility. If you have money, ipso facto, you will become famous and desirable. You will be invited to social events and your name will circulate in the social salons like the affairs and hot cakes of Madame de Pompadour. Wealth is a primordial stimulus for fame and power. When the Roman Empire ran out of money and failed to pay tribute (sort of an annual ransom) to the barbarians, Attila the Hun conquered the lands of the mightiest empire on earth and destroyed the pillars of Western culture and civilization. In other words: NO MONEY NO HONEY! NO MONEY, NO ROME ANYMORE! When Spain lost her military naval power caused by the catastrophic defeat of her Armada which tried to invade England, the invincible Spanish Empire collapsed. For several years, during the mid-medieval ages and Renaissance time,  The Vatican lost influence over the Catholic populace and European monarchs of the Christian kingdoms because of escalating exorbitant expenses and financial difficulties.  Then, what happened? The great painters, architects and artists of Florence, Venice and Rome who were in the service of the Holly Seat lost their jobs and became waiters and storytellers in the cheapest inns and taverns in Italy. No more money means no more frescos, no more masterpieces, no more paintings! Art collapsed. Catherine de Medicis, Maria Callas, Carthage’s Didon and Empress Eugenie went through hell  and  suffered public humiliation when their wealth began to show sign of weakness. 

CONTINUES ON THE NEXT PAGE