When Whoopi Goldberg turns 71, she has a career spanning stage, film, television and publishing. Born Karen Elaine Johnson on November 13, 1955, in New York City, she began as a one-woman stage performer before becoming one of the most recognizable figures in American culture. Her first big break came in 1985 in The Color Purple. The role earned her an Oscar nomination and marked the beginning of a string of memorable screen roles. Five years la…