Issue date: Oct. 24, 1999

Also:
Matthew Perry on turning 30

Sharon Stone, was 30 in 1988: Star of a TV movie; in two grade-B films.
David E. Kelley, was 30 in 1986: Boston lawyer; joins TV's L.A. Law as a story editor.
Chris Evert, was 30 in 1985: Ranked No. 1 or No. 2; wins 11 major tournaments.
Bill Gates, was 30 in 1985: Windows program debuts.
Oprah Winfrey, was 30 in 1984: Joins faltering talk show A.M. Chicago; renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show, it soon goes national.
Bill Clinton, was 30 in 1976: Newly wed to Hillary; Arkansas attorney general.
Paul McCartney, 1972: Singer in Wings; debut album, Wild Life, flops.
Bill Cosby, 1967: Star of TV's I Spy, for which he won 3 of his 5 Emmys.
Sen. John McCain, 1967: Naval aviator shot down over Hanoi; imprisoned.
Maya Angelou, 1958: Nightclub performer in California and New York; writing her first play.
Tom Hanks, 1986: Star of The Money Pit and Nothing in Common.
John Grisham, 1985: Practicing attorney specializing in criminal defense and personal injury; writing first novel, A Time to Kill; Mississippi state legislator.
Helen Hunt, 1993: Co-star of TV's Mad About You and multiple TV specials.
Jeff Bezos, 1995: Founds amazon.com with four employees in his garage; sells first book.
Ronald Reagan, 1941: Starring in four films: The Bad Man, International Squadron, Million Dollar Baby and Nine Lives Are Not Enough.
Gloria Estefan, 1987: Singer for Miami Sound Machine; releases album Let It Loose; represents U.S. at Pan American Games.
Connie Chung, 1976: Becomes news co-anchor at KNXT-TV (now KCBS) station in Los Angeles.
Rev. Jesse Jackson, 1971: Founds People United to Save Humanity (PUSH); loses Chicago mayoral race; named Humanitarian Father of the Year.
Warren Beatty, 1967: Produces and stars in Bonnie and Clyde; nominated for best picture and best actor Oscars.
Pierce Brosnan, 1983: Playing title-character in TV detective drama Remington Steele.
Harry Potter series author J.K. Rowling, 1995: Divorced mother living on public assistance; writing first book.