OBE "Order of the British Empire"

I'm beginning to wonder what one must achieve/accomplish in order to earn the OBE "Order of the British Empire", which is equated to "knighthood". 

I attach a list of some who have receive the OBE.  Some I understand: Julie Andrews, Peggy Ashcroft, David Attenborough, Richard Attenborough, Shirley Bassey, David Beckham, Michael Caine, Jackie Chan (honourary MBE 1989), Charles Chaplin, Agatha Christie, Petula Clark, Gladys Cooper, Peter Cushing, Plácido Domingo (honourary KBE 2002), David Frost, James Galway, Bill Gates (honourary KBE 2005), Barry Gibb (Bee Gees), Maurice Gibb (but I refuse to believe youngest brother Robin Gibb- of Bee Gees who lived & died by drugs also received an OBE!), Jane Goodall (she deserved it most of all!), Alec Guiness, George Harrison (Beatles), Alfred Hitchcock, Bob Hope (honourary KBE 1980), Anthony Hopkins,  Tom Jones, Deborah Kerr (CBE 1998), Ben Kingsley (CBE 2000), Christopher Lee, John Lennon (Beatles, Lulu (I QUESTION THIS ONE!!!), Paul McCartney, Steve McQueen (CBE 2011), Dudley Moore, Roger Moore, Robert Morley, Liam Neeson, Olivia Newton-John, Cathleen Nesbitt, Om Puri (honourary OBE 2004), Pelé (honourary KBE 1998), Anthony Quayle, Lynn Redgrave, Michael Redgrave, Vanessa Redgrave, Cliff Richard, J.K. Rowling, Jean Simmons, Maggie Smith, Steven Speilberg (honourary KBE 2001), Peter Ustinov and a LOT MORE who have made little or NO impact on anyone's life. 

Here's a complete list:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_celebrities_appointed_to_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire

One I REALLY coudn't believe (but alas it's true) is British "actress/singer" Jane Birkin:   
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Birkin
who was awarded OBE.  Geeeeeeeez - this lady had ONE big hit (in 1969) in which she moaned and groaned with Serge Gainsbourg in "Je T'aime....Moi Non Plus" - hey, I have moaned and groaned a lot more - once when I accidentally cut my hand with a knife and had to go to E.R., and another time when I broke my little finger I was MOANING and GROANING - no-one gave me the OBE!!!

Moreover, I'm beginning to wonder what one has to do to become an OBE - they've forgotten the really great stars/celebreties like: Julie Christie, Trevor Howard, singer Matt Monroe....and (duh!) Cary Grant!  And what about Sean Connery????

I think these "knighthood" awards must be awarded randomly - maybe by the compliments paid to the Queen's hat??  TOO many on the list should be taken off and all those in bold SHOULD be knighted! - posthumously or living.