Historical Events
1192 – Richard the Lionhearted captured near Vienna by Leopold of Austria on his way home from the Third Crusade (released 1194)
1862 – -Jan 3rd] Vicksburg campaign
1865 – De Clear-Alkmaar railway opens
1956 – Military coup under colonel Simbolon in Sumatra
1979 – Garry Sherman and Peter Udell’s musical “Comin’ Uptown”, based on Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”, and starring Gregory Hines, opens at Winter Garden Theater, NYC; runs for 45 performances
Famous Birthdays
1925 – Vlastimir Nikolovski, Macedonian composer, born in Prileb, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (now North Macedonia) (d. 2001)
1946 – Dick Wolf, American television series creator (Miami Vice, Law and Order), born in New York City
1956 – Guy Babylon, American keyboard player (Elton John) and arranger, born in New Windsor, Maryland (d. 2009|)
1957 – Billy Bragg, English folk-rock singer-songwriter (“Greetings To The New Brunette”; “Sexuality”; “California Stars”), born in Barking, Essex, England
1990 – JoJo [Joanna Levesque], American pop singer-songwriter (“Too Little Too Late”; “Baby It’s You”), born in Brattleboro, Vermont
Famous Deaths
1723 – Augustus Quirinus Rivinus, German physician and botanist, dies at 71
1768 – Carlo Innocenzo Fragoni, Italian poet, dies at 76
1819 – Louis-Luc Loiseau de Persuis, French composer, dies at 50
1976 – Walter Fitzgerald, actor (Adv of Sadie, Fallen Idol), dies at 80
1996 – Carl Sagan, American scientist, astronomer and author (Broca’s Brain, Cosmos, Contact) known for his research on extraterrestrial life, dies of pneumonia after suffering from myelodysplasia at 62