The Three Most Beautiful Women Ever...

....besides my wife, of course.

#3 -- Audrey Hepburn. What a shame we lost her at age 64. I was reminded of her today when I was cruising the news rack, and LIFE has a retrospective magazine on her life. As beautiful as she was in the movies, the candid photos of her off screen are even more amazing. The ballerina poise, the joy her face so often revealed just caught my breath.

#2 -- Christie Brinkley. Now, everything I've ever learned about her personally hasn't exactly endeared her to me, but since we're just talking "beautiful" here, Christie is just about perfect. From the 1970's til now, she causes me to do a double take: The "wow, she's pretty" followed by the "that can't be real". Amazing.

#1 --(drum roll, please.) Ingrid Bergman. Watch "Casablanca" again, and tell me how anyone could be more beautiful than Ingrid Bergman. She's the definition of natural beauty. Not model thin, no one thing you can point to, but...damn. Combined with that voice... she's number one.

Runners up, in no particular order:

Teresa Wright. If that name doesn't ring a bell, it's because she wasn't in the public eye for many years, and not in a long, long time. She's the one who played Greer Garson's ill-fated daughter-in-law in "Mrs. Miniver." I'll bet her performance sold several million dollars of war bonds. Somebody you'd just want to hug and never let go.

Speaking of which: Greer Garson. A woman every man would love to find waiting for him at home.

Elizabeth Mongomery. TV's favorite witch was always bewitching. Another one who left us too soon.

Beverly Sills. Can you think of anyone who would have been more interesting and fun to be with than Beverly Sills?

I think I was born at the wrong time, looking at this list. Everyone but Christie Brinkley is dead, for one reason. Then again, were I not born when I was, life would have not lead me to where I am now, and who I am with; and for whom I wouldn't trade the entire list.

P.S. (1/12/08) How the hell did I forget Valerie Bertinelli?