Jean Harlow was born Harlean Carpenter on March 3, 1911 in Kansas City, Missouri.

The official announcement heralding the arrival of their daughter sent out by Dr. and Mrs. Mont Clair Carpenter was hand-written by Mother Jean. Notice that it includes "Harlow" as Harlean's middle name, even though officially that was not on her birth certificate.

Harlean is an amalgam for Mother Jean's maiden name (Jean Harlow) and is pronounced HAR-LEEN.

Once a baby, always "The Baby!" -- Although she died in 1937 at age 26, The Baby's spirit lives on in the films she left behind and in the hearts of fans who still adore her.

While it's natural for fans to feel remorse that the platinum blonde star never lived to enjoy her golden years, I think it's important to remember to be satisfied with, if not grateful for, the simple fact that she was ever born at all.

It's easy to canonize fallen idols and make them into saints, especially with fan websites such as mine. In truth, Jean Harlow was a human being like you and me. What sets her apart is that she possessed a talent to entertain movie fans and a charisma that made her accessible to everyday people, even today.