Christopher Reeve turned 50 on Wednesday, and he celebrated in style, with a big bash at New York's Marriott Marquis Hotel that also brought out, among others, fellow birthday boy Michael Douglas, who turned 58, birthday-girl wife Catherine Zeta-Jones, who turned 33, and ABC newsie Barbara Walters, who turned 71.

"This is Chris's birthday," a tuxedo-clad Robin Williams told reporters as he was en route to the hotel ballroom, "and, being 51, I can see him through this."

The evening raised money for the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation (last year's bash raised $3 million, WNBC News reports), and most of the guests, who Kim Cattrall, Alan Alda, Matthew Modine, Al Roker, Paula Zahn and Chevy Chase, made note of the progress Reeve has made recently.

"This has been an amazing year for Chris," said Zeta-Jones.

As PEOPLE reported last week, the former "Superman" star, paralyzed after a 1995 horse-riding accident, is experiencing slight movement in his fingers and toes and can feel hugs from his wife and children.

"Soon he'll be able to move everything," "Sex and the City" sexual athlete Cattrall, 46, told WNBC with a naughty inflection. "And I mean everything."

As for how he felt reaching the landmark, Reeve said: "I almost left the planet when I was 42, so turning 50 was no big deal."