Today In History
Historical Events
1943 – -24] 826 Allied bombers attack Dortmund
1944 – Chinese counter offensive at Hunan front
1970 – A fire breaks out in the Britannia Bridge over the Menai Straits in north Wales contributing to its partial destruction and causing approximately £1,000,000 worth of fire damage
1974 – Italian Red Brigade officer Mario Sossi freed
2019 – Fifty children rescued from an international paedophile ring on the dark web in Thailand, Australia and the US by Interpol under Operation Blackwrist, main organizer sentenced to 146 years
Famous Birthdays
1734 – Franz Anton Mesmer, Austrian physician and hypnotist (Mesmerism), born in Iznang, Germany (d. 1815)
1933 – Joan Collins, British actress (Dynasty – “Alexix”; The Bitch), and writer, born in Paddington, London
1951 – Don Warrington [Donald Williams], Trinidadian-born British actor (Rising Damp), born in Trinidad
1958 – François Feldman, French pop singer and songwriter (Petit Frank), born in Paris, France
1964 – Staci Greason, American actress (Isabella Toscando in “Days of Our Lives”), born in Denver, Colorado
Famous Deaths
1498 – Girolamo Savonarola, Italian Dominican friar who helped expel Medici from Florence, becoming the city’s de facto ruler (1494-98), and preached against papal corruption, hanged at 45
1857 – Augustin Louis Cauchy, French mathematician and physicist, dies at 67
1926 – Hans Koessler, German composer, conductor and music teacher, dies at 73
1947 – Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz, Swiss writer (Le Petit Village), dies at 68
2025 – Barbara Ferris, British stage and screen actress (Nice Girl Like Me, Having a Wild Weekend), dies at 85
Historical Events
1945 – German island of Helgoland in the North Sea surrenders to British
1962 – Joe Pepitone 2nd NY Yankee to hit 2 HRs in 1 inning (Joe DiMaggio)
1969 – 22nd Cannes Film Festival: “If…” directed by Lindsay Anderson wins the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film
1977 – Moluccan extremists hold 105 schoolchildren and 50 others hostage on a hijacked train in the Netherlands, children released May 27, siege ends June 11
1992 – NHL Prince of Wales Conference Final: Pittsburgh Penguins beat Boston Bruins, 4 games to 0
2000 – Eminem releases his third studio album “The Marshall Mathers LP,” the fastest-selling studio album ever (Grammy – Best Rap Album, 2001)
2010 – 63rd Cannes Film Festival: “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul wins the Palme d’Or
2017 – Michael Bay is honored with a hand-and-footprint ceremony at The TCL Chinese Theatre
Famous Birthdays
1848 – Otto Lilienthal, German pioneer aviator who explored winged flight through gliders, born in Anklam, Province of Pomerania, Kingdom of Prussia (d. 1896)
1882 – James Gleason, American writer and actor (Bishop’s Wife, Flying Fool), born in New York City (d. 1959)
1901 – Edmund Rubbra, English composer (Morning Watch), born in Semilong, Northampton, England (d. 1986)
1910 – Franz Kline, American abstract expressionist painter, born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (d. 1962)
1930 – Friedrich Achleitner, Austrian architecture critic (Österreichische Architektur im 20. Jahrhundert), and poet, born in Schalchen, Austria (d. 2019)
1935 – Melvin Leipzig, American figurative painter (Joshua’s Tattoos, Francesca at the Door), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2025)
1951 – Antonis Samaras, Greek politician and Prime Minister (2012-15), born in Athens, Greece
1952 – James Mankey, American rock guitarist (Sparks, 1972-73; Concrete Blonde – “Joey”), born in Washington
1979 – Ivo Kahánek, Czech concert pianist, born in Frýdek-Místek, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic)
1982 – Tristan Prettyman, American singer-songwriter, born in Del Mar, California
Famous Deaths
1524 – Ismail I, Shah of Persia, converted Iran from Sunni to Shi’ah, dies at 36
1691 – Adrien Auzout, French astronomer who improved measuring instruments (moon crater “Auzout”), dies at 69
1752 – William Bradford, English-born printer (Pennsylvania’s first printing press), dies at 89
1927 – Henry Edwards Huntington, American railroad executive (owned Pacific Electric Railway), dies at 77
1954 – H R Bromley-Davenport, cricketer (batted in 4 Tests for England), dies
1966 – Ruth Gates, American actress (Aunt Jenny-Mama), dies at 79
1969 – Peter Alma, Dutch painter and graphic artist, dies at 83
1981 – Rayner Heppenstall, English novelist (The Blaze of Noon), dies at 70
2003 – Csaba Szabo. Hungarian composer, dies at 67
2009 – Roh Moo-hyun, South Korean politician (16th President of the Republic of Korea 2003-8), commits suicide at 62