Category: On This Day

Historical Events

1732 – Paris churchyard of Saint-Medard closed after Jansenistic ritual
1942 – 1st broadcast of Roy Plomley’s “Desert Island Discs” on BBC radio
1957 – Graham Greene’s “Potting Shed” premieres in NYC
1975 – First American Annual Comedy Awards, hosted by Alan King
1979 – NFL Pro Bowl, LA Memorial Coliseum: NFC beats AFC, 13-7; MVP: Ahmad Rashād, Minnesota Vikings, WR
2014 – Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the 1st non-Spanish player to captain Real Madrid, making his 500th appearance for the club

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Famous Birthdays

1950 – Max Carl [Gronenthal], American rock singer and musician ( Grand Funk Railroad, 2000-present; 38 Special, 1987-92), born in Platte Center, Nebraska
1953 – Lynne McGranger, Australian actress (Home and Away), born in Sydney, New South Wales
1955 – John Tate, American heavyweight boxer (Olympic bronze 1968)
1960 – Steve Sax, American MLB 2nd baseman, NL rookie of the year, 1981, 5x all-star (LA Dodgers, 1981-88; NY Yankees, Chicago White Sox), born in West Sacramento, California
1968 – Edward Burns, American actor, director, writer (Brothers McMullen, Saving Private Ryan), born in Queens, New York
1971 – Jamal Fountaine, American NFL defensive end (SF 49ers, Atlanta Falcons), born in San Francisco, California

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Famous Deaths

1965 – John Larkin, American actor (Saints and Sinners, The Satan Bug, 12 O’Clock High), dies of heart attack at 52
1973 – Ludwig Stössel, Austrian actor (Man With a Camera, The Pride of the Yankees), dies at 89
1980 – Jimmy Durante, American actor, comedian and singer known as “the schnozzola” (The Durante-Moore Show, Jimmy Durante Show), dies of pneumonia at 86
1998 – Joseph Alioto, mayor of San Francisco (b. 1916)
1999 – Lili St. Cyr, American dancer (b. 1918)
2010 – Tom Brookshier, American football player and sportscaster, dies of cancer at 78

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Historical Events

1561 – By Edict of Orleans French persecution of Huguenots is suspended
1916 – Opera “Goyescas” premieres in New York City
1918 – Finnish Civil War: Rebels seized control of the capital, Helsinki, and members of the Senate of Finland go underground.
1973 – “Barnaby Jones” premieres on CBS TV
1990 – “Independent on Sunday” begins publishing in London
1996 – 12th Sundance Film Festival: “Welcome to the Dollhouse” wins Grand Jury Prize Dramatic

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Famous Birthdays

1878 – Walter Kollo, German composer of operettas, Singspiele, and popular songs (Der Juxbaron), born in Neidenburg, Kingdom of Prussia. (d. 1940)
1910 – Arnold Moss, American actor (Loves of Carmen, Kim, Quebec, Viva Zapata), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1989)
1943 – Dick Taylor, English rock guitarist (The Pretty Things – “S.F. Sorrow”), born in Dartford, England
1975 – David Zingler, American writer
1975 – Julian Dean, Waihi NZ, team pursuit cyclist (Olympics 1996)
1980 – Jesse James, American drug dealer and fugitive, born in Hollywood, California

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Famous Deaths

1256 – Willem II, earl of Holland/German emperor (1238, 47-56), dies at 22
1681 – Richard Allestree, English royalist churchman (b. 1619)
1932 – Franz Xavier Arens, composer, dies at 75
1942 – Pablo Luna, Spanish composer (De España vengo), dies at 61
2006 – Henry McGee, British actor and comedian (No, That’s Me Over Here!, The Benny Hill Show), dies at 77
2008 – Bengt Lindström, Swedish artist, dies at 82

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Historical Events

1909 – The Young Left is founded in Norway
1982 – Los Angeles Kings set an NHL record with their 6th consecutive tied game, a 4-4 deadlock against the visiting Philadelphia Flyers
1988 – Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approves nomination of Judge Anthony Kennedy to US Supreme Court
1996 – 15 day old conjoined twins separated: Sarah Morales survives, Sarahi dies
2013 – 29th Sundance Film Festival: “Fruitvale Station”, directed by Ryan Coogler, wins Grand Jury Prize Dramatic
2019 – Australian Open Men’s Tennis: Novak Đoković of Serbia wins his record 7th Australian singles title; beats Spaniard Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3

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Famous Birthdays

1585 – Hendrick Avercamp, Dutch painter (d. 1634)
1903 – Otto P. Weyland, American military figure (d. 1979)
1942 – Kate Wolf [Allen], American folk singer-songwriter (“Love Still Remains”; “Across the Great Divide”), born in San Francisco, California (d. 1986)
1953 – Bob Mintzer, American jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger, and big band leader (Yellowjackets), born in New Rochelle, New York
1958 – James Grippando, American novelist
1972 – Bryant Young, American football defensive tackle (San Francisco 49ers), born in Chicago Heights, Illinois

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Famous Deaths

1851 – Karl Moser, German composer, dies at 77
1893 – James G. Blaine, US Secretary of State (1881 and 1889-92) known as the “Plumed Knight”, dies at 62
1922 – Giovanni Verga, Italian writer (I Mala Voglia), dies at 81
1989 – Bayani Casimiro, Filipino dancer and actor [Okey Ka Fairy Ko!], dies at 70
1993 – André the Giant, French pro wrestler (WWF World Heavyweight C’ship 1988; WWF World Tag Team C’ship [with Haku] 1989), dies of congestive heart failure at 49
2003 – Louis Archambault, Quebec sculptor (b. 1915)

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Historical Events

1913 – Jim Thorpe relinquishes his 1912 Olympic medals for playing 2 seasons of semi-professional baseball before competing in the Olympics
1961 – 1st woman personal physician to a US President – Janet G. Travell (to John F. Kennedy)
1982 – For the first time since the 1930s, the unemployed population in UK rises above three million
1990 – Boston Red Sox hires Elaine Weddington as asst GM (highest-ranking African American female in a major-league front office)
2004 – Mydoom , the most destructive computer worm (so far), first sighted on computers in North America. Goes on to cause $38 billion in damages.
2005 – Glendale train crash: Two trains derail killing 11 and injuring 200 in Glendale, California, near Los Angeles.

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Famous Birthdays

1920 – Derek Bond, British actor (Nicholas Nickelby, Armchair Theatre), born in Glasgow, Scotland (d. 2006)
1932 – George H Clements, first Roman Catholic Priest to adopt a child.
1936 – Sal Buscema, American comic book artist
1943 – Jean Knight [Caliste], American soul, funk and RandB singer (Mr. Big Stuff), born in New Orleans, Louisiana
1965 – Tim McDonald, American football safety (San Francisco 49ers), born in Fresno, California
1968 – Chris Pringle, New Zealand cricket fast bowler (14 Tests; 64 ODI), born in Auckland, New Zealand

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Famous Deaths

1948 – Ignaz Friedman, Polish pianist and composer, dies at 65
1967 – Albert Rémy, French actor (Grand Prix, The 400 Blows, The Train), dies at 51
1968 – Yvor Winters, American poet (b. 1900)
1977 – Margaret Hayes, American actress (Blackboard Jungle, Robert Montgomery Presents), dies from cancer and hepatitis at 60
1995 – Vic Buckingham, English soccer player/trainer (Ajax), dies at 79
2003 – John Browning, American pianist (Leventritt Award-1956), dies at 69

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Historical Events

1787 – Shays’ Rebellion suffers a setback when debt-ridden farmers, led by Capt Daniel Shays, fail to capture an arsenal at Springfield, Massachusetts
1819 – University of Virginia chartered by Commonwealth of Virginia, with Thomas Jefferson one of its founders
1844 – Recontre between Reps Weller and Shriver, US House of Representative
1895 – New Haven Symphony Orchestra of Connecticut performs its first concert
1959 – 1st transcontinental commercial jet flight (American) (LA to NY for $301)
1988 – Ramsewak Shankar sworn in as President of Suriname

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Famous Birthdays

1891 – Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies, British actress (The Devil Rides Out), born in London, England (d. 1992)
1928 – Eduard Shevardnadze, President of Georgia (1995-2003) and Soviet Foreign Minister (1985-90), born in Mamati, Georgia (d. 2014)
1953 – The Honky Tonk Man [Wayne Farris], American professional wrestler, born in Bolivar, Tennessee
1963 – Carl Fysh, British pop-rocker (Brother Beyond – “Can You Keep a Secret?”)
1967 – Randy McKay, Canadian NHL right wing (Stanley Cup 1998, 2000; NJ Devils; 932 NHL games), born in Montreal, Quebec
1970 – Milt Stegall, American football player (Winnipeg Blue Bombers), born in Cincinnati, Ohio

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Famous Deaths

1733 – Reinier V van Hompech, Dutch gen-maj cavalry, dies
1970 – Eiji Tsuburaya, Japanese television writer and producer (Ultraman) (b. 1901)
1981 – Adele Astaire [Lady Charles Cavendish], American dancer and entertainer, sister of Fred Astaire (Last Man on Earth, Millie), dies at 82
1992 – Mahmoud Riad, Secretary-General of Arab League (1972-79), dies
2001 – Margaret Scriven, English tennis player (French C’ships 1933-34), dies at 88
2019 – Florence Knoll Bassett, American furniture designer (Knoll), dies at 101

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Historical Events

1939 – Spanish government moves to Figueras
1976 – Cleveland Cavaliers biggest margin victory-43 pts (beat Milwaukee 132-89)
1987 – Australian Open Women’s Tennis: Hana Mandlíková of Czechoslovakia wins her 4th and final Grand Slam singles crown; beats Martina Navratilova 7-5, 7-6
1990 – LAs’ Pat Riley becomes the 13th and fastest coach to reach the 500-victory plateau as the Lakers down the Indiana Pacers, 120-111; Riley (500-184) surpasses Don Nelson (500-317) to reach milestone
2001 – Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson resigns
2006 – After losing the federal election to Stephen Harper, Paul Martin resigns as leader of the Liberal party

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Famous Birthdays

1919 – Nora Beloff, English journalist and author, born in London, United Kingdom (d. 1997)
1931 – Maria Piątkowskacka, Polish athlete (WR 4 x 100m relay 1964), born in Goleni, Moldova (d. 2020)
1946 – Michael Ontkean, Canadian actor (Rookies, Slap Shot, Twin Peaks), born in Vancouver, British Columbia
1967 – Phil LaMarr, American voice actor, born in Los Angeles, California
1968 – Mary Lou Retton, American gymnast (Olympic gold all-round 1984), born in Fairmont, West Virginia
1983 – Scott Speed, American race car driver, born in Manteca, California

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Famous Deaths

1473 – Conrad Paumann, German blind organist/composer, dies
1960 – John Miljan, American actor (The Ten Commandments, Possessed, Final Extra, Susan Lenox), dies at 67
1989 – George Knudson, Canadian golfer (8 PGA Tour titles; Masters 1969 runner-up), dies of lung cancer at 51
1993 – Thurgood Marshall, 1st African American supreme court justice (1967-91), dies 84
2005 – June Bronhill, Australian singer (b. 1929)
2020 – Juan José Pizzuti, Argentine soccer striker and manager (12 caps; Racing Club de Avellaneda), dies at 92

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Historical Events

393 – Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor
1912 – The International Opium Convention is signed at The Hague
1973 – Helgafell, island of Heimaey Iceland erupts for 1st time in 7,000 yrs
1979 – NY/SF Giants / New York Mets center fielder Willie Mays elected to Baseball Hall of Fame
2003 – Final communication between Earth and NASA space probe Pioneer 10
2011 – NFC Championship, Soldier Field, Chicago: Green Bay Packers beat Chicago Bears, 21-14

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Famous Birthdays

1841 – Benoît-Constant Coquelin, French actor, born in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France (d. 1909)
1878 – Rutland Boughton, British composer (The Immortal Hour), born in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire (d. 1960)
1898 – Randolph Scott, American actor (Ride the High Country, Last of the Mohicans, Western Union), born in Orange County, Virginia (d. 1987)
1970 – Richard Šmehlik, Czech NHL defenseman (Buf Sabres, Olympic gold 1998), born in Ostrava, Czech Republic
1984 – Arjen Robben, Dutch football player, born in Bedum, Netherlands
1985 – Doutzen Kroes, Dutch supermodel, born in Eastermar, Netherlands

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Famous Deaths

1898 – W. A. Remy [Wilhelm Mayer], Austro-Bohemian composer, dies at 66
1978 – Jack Oakie, American actor (The Great Dictator, 1974 Photoplay Award), dies at 74
1995 – Ken Hill, English playwright and director, dies at 57
2012 – Anthony Capo, DeCavalcante crime family hitman and informant, dies from heart attack at 52/53
2015 – Ernie Banks, American baseball shortstop, 1st baseman and hall of famer known as “Mr Cub” as he played all 19 of his seasons with the Chicago Cubs, dies of a heart attack at 83
2021 – Hal Holbrook, American stage and screen Tony and Emmy award-winning actor (All the President’s Men; “Mark Twain Tonight!”), dies at 95

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Historical Events

1889 – Columbia Phonograph was formed in Washington, D.C.
1955 – Norwegian government of Einar Gerhardsen forms
1965 – US launches TIROS 9 weather satellite
1969 – “Celebration” opens at Ambassador Theater NYC for 110 performances
2007 – The jury portion of the trial against Robert Pickton, accused of being Canada’s worst serial killer, opens in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada.
2012 – NFC Championship, Candlestick Park, SF: New York Giants beat San Francisco 49ers, 20-17 (OT)

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Famous Birthdays

1929 – Ron Richards, British record producer (Gerry and The Pacemakers; The Hollies), born in London (d. 2009)
1929 – Rita Gillespie, British pioneering TV director, born in London, England (d. 1994)
1943 – Marília Pêra, Brazilian actress (Better Days Ahead, Pixote), born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (d. 2015)
1964 – Maria Ellingsen, Icelandic actress (Katrina-Santa Barbara), born in Reykjavik, Iceland
1973 – Rogerio Ceni, Brazilian footballer, born in Paraná, Brazil
2179 – Hikaru Walter Sulu, Fictional Star Trek character, born in San Francisco, California

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Famous Deaths

1781 – Johann Siebenkas, composer, dies at 66
1919 – Carl Larsson, Swedish painter (Midwinter Sacrifice – Swedish National Museum of Fine Arts), dies at 65
1921 – Captain George Streeter, American riverboat captain and circus owner (b. 1837)
1951 – Eastwood Lane, American composer, dies at 71
1967 – Jobyna Ralston, actress (Wings, Girl Shy, Freshman), dies at 66
2007 – Abbé Pierre, French priest (b. 1912)

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Historical Events

1863 – City of Dublin leases part of Cattle Market for 100,000 years
1890 – 1st issue of “Propria Cures”, Amsterdam student-weekly newspaper
1944 – 649 British bombers attack Magdeburg
1958 – Phillies agree to televise 78 games into NYC (doesn’t happen)
1990 – 41st NHL All-Star Game, Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA: Wales beats Campbell, 12-7; MVP: Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins, C
2015 – Italian fashion label Gucci names Alessandro Michele as its new creative director

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Famous Birthdays

1885 – Umberto Nobile, Italian general
1920 – Torsten Nilsson, Swedish organist, choral director, and composer (Out of the Night of the Earth), born in Höör, Sweden (d. 1999)
1926 – Raf Reymen, Flemish actor (Huisvuil, Het glas water), born in Gent, Flanders, Belgium (d. 1990)
1952 – Marco Camenisch, Swiss environmental activist
1961 – Sherry Ramsay, American actress (Trish Mason-As the World Turns), born in Stauton, Virginia
1982 – Dean Whitehead, English footballer

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Famous Deaths

1683 – Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st earl of Shaftesbury, dies at 61
1766 – James Quin, British actor (Covent Garden Theatre), dies at 72
1881 – Wilhelm Matthias Naeff, Swiss Federal Councilor (b. 1802)
1964 – Joseph Schildkraut, Austrian actor (Cleopatra, Joseph Schildkraut Presents, Diary of Anne Frank), dies from a heart attack at 68
1995 – Flavio “Negao” Pires da Conceicao, drug Trafficker, dies at 25
2002 – Peggy Lee [Norma Delores Egstrom], American singer (“Fever”; “Is That All There Is?”), songwriter (“Mañana”), and actress (Pete Kelly’s Blues; Lady and the Tramp), dies of a heart attack at 81

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Historical Events

1045 – Giovanni di Sabina elected Pope Sylvester III
1866 – Prim’s Insurrection in Spain ends
1941 – Chinese Communist leaders re-organize the New Fourth Army in defiance of Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek’s order for it to be disbanded
1989 – Wayne Holdsworth takes a wicket 1st ball in 1st-class cricket
2006 – TV movie “High School Musical” released starring Zac Efron and Vanessa Hugdens, becomes Disney Channel’s most successful TV movie
2021 – Joe Biden is inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States of America and Kamala Harris as the 49th Vice President, the first female, black or south Asian Vice President. Amanda Gorman recites “The Hill We Climb”.

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Famous Birthdays

1831 – Piet Joubert, South African general and vice-president, born in Prince Albert, British Cape Colony (d. 1900)
1923 – (Ottis) “Slim” Whitman, American country singer (Rose Marie), born in Tampa, Florida (d. 2013)
1931 – Earl Grant, American musician and singer (Ebb Tide, Winter Wonderland), born in Idabel, Oklahoma (d. 1970)
1939 – Murle Breer, American golfer (US Women’s Open 1962), born in St. Petersburg, Florida
1959 – Joel Rifkin, American serial killer believed to have killed up to 17 victims between 1989 and 1993 in NYC and Long Island, born in New York
1966 – Tracii Guns [Tracy Ulrich], American rock guitarist and songwriter (L.A. Guns – “It’s Over Now”), born in Los Angeles, California

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Famous Deaths

1691 – Christiaan de Placker, Flemish poet and composer, dies at 77
1819 – Carlos IV [English: Charles], King of Spain (1788-1808), dies at 70
1936 – George V, King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India (1910-36), dies at 70 after being euthanized by his doctor
1965 – Alan Freed, American disc jockey who accepted payola and introduced term “rock-n-roll”, dies at 42
1996 – Ellis Hillman, British Labour party politician, lecturer, and writer (London Under London), dies during heart surgery at 68
2005 – Per Borten, 18th Prime Minister of Norway (1965-71), dies at 91

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