Morgan Freeman, one night, in Hollywood

Today is the first day of June, which means that the midpoint of 2010 is nearly here and can snow be far behind? So work the minds of those of us whose formative years were spent in climes that are sunny year-round.

But today being June 1, it means also that we have to celebrate a birthday. And that birthday boy happens to be Morgan Freeman , born 73 years ago in Memphis, Tenn.

Personal anecdote time: Years ago, sometime in the fall of 1989, I flew to Los Angeles to attend the premiere of Steven Spielberg’s “Always.” Starring Richard Dreyfuss, Holly Hunter and John Goodman, the film had been shot in the Inland Northwest - notably near Ephrata, near Sprague and outside Libby, Mont. So there was a local focus.

Which was why I received an invite. And how I got to go. And how I learned all about how Hollywood - or how Hollywood used to, at least - wines and dines critics so as to put them in the best mood possible when reviewing their product. Anyway, on the night I saw the film, I teamed up with a couple of other critics - one the book reviewer from the San Diego Union - and we hit a hotel bar after the screening.

It all felt pretty big-time, you know what I mean? There we were, drinking beers - in those days all I drank was beer - in the city of dreams. I was pretty taken by the film, too, though the other two were less enthused (and, when I finally landed back on Earth, I realized just how right they were).

And just about the middle of beer three, when I was thinking about calling it a night, who should walk into the room? It was none other than Morgan Freeman, a beautiful blonde on each arm, wearing a grin that would shame the Cheshire Cat . He strode into the room, headed into a private corner, and disappeared from view.

I was astounded. “Driving Miss Daisy” hadn’t yet been released. And though Freeman already had been nominated for an Oscar (for the 1987 film ” Street Smart” ), he wasn’t yet a household name. His face was, though, because of his years starring on the kids’ show “The Electric Company.” So he was known, at least to us critics and a legion of children, but not as a movie star. Not yet.

I did stop drinking and returned to my room shortly afterward. And the next day I spent several hours doing round-robin interviews with Dreyfuss, Hunter, Goodman, Brad Johnson and, of course, Spielberg. I even squeezed at one point into the refreshment room between Spike Lee and Roger Ebert. But nothing that happened to me that weekend, from being on a big-time movie-studio lot to shaking hands with the director of “Saving Private Ryan,” made as much of an impression as did seeing Morgan Freeman, enjoying the first taste of what it mean to be a star.

Five Oscar nominations (and one win, for 2005’s “Million Dollar Baby”) later, Freeman is still going strong. I’ll bet nothing he’s done beats that night, though.

Success is always best when it first strikes.

Below : A young Morgan Freeman takes a bath in a casket.