December 27, 1734
- Paul Revere
- Was
an American
silversmith and a
patriot in the
American Revolution. Because he was
glorified after his death for his role as a messenger in the
battles of Lexington and Concord, Revere's
name and his "midnight ride" are well-known in the
United States as a patriotic symbol. In
his lifetime, Revere was a prosperous and prominent
Boston craftsman, who helped organize an
intelligence and alarm system to keep
watch on the
British military. Revere later served as
an officer in one of the most disastrous campaigns of the
American Revolutionary War, a role for
which he was later exonerated. After the war, he was early to
recognize the potential for large-scale
manufacturing of metal.
Revere was likely born in very late
December in
Boston's
North End on this day. |
December 22,
1812 - Lady Bird Johnson - First Lady |
December 22,
1901 - André Kostelanetz -
was a popular
orchestral music
conductor and arranger, one of the
pioneers of
easy listening
music. Born in
St. Petersburg, Russia, on this day. |
December 22, 1938 - Lucien
Bouchard - 27th Premier of Quebec. |
December 22, 1945 - Diane Sawyer
- News caster. |
December 22, 1948 - Steve Garvey - Sports Figure
Baseball Great |
December 22, 1962 - Ralph Fiennes - Actor - Fiennes is best
known for his Oscar-nominated performance in such acclaimed
films as "Schindler's List" and "The English Patient," as well
as portraying Lord Voldemort in the "Harry Potter" movies. He
earned a 2007 Tony award nomination for his work in the play
"Faith Healer" and an Emmy nomination the same year for his
performance in the TV movie "Bernard and Doris." Fiennes was
born in Suffolk, England, on this day. |
December 22, 1993 - Ali Lohan - Actress and singer - Ali is
probably best known as the sister of pop star Lindsay Lohan, as
well as starring in the reality series "Living Lohan." Beginning
her career as a fashion model, Lohan has released the album "Lohan
Holiday" and the single "All The Way Around." She recently made
her film debut in the direct to DVD comedy "Mostly Ghostly: Who
Let the Ghost Out?" Lohan was born in Merrick, New York, on this
day. |
December 23, 1918 - Helmut Schmidt - Politician |
December 23, 1926 - Robert Bly - Writer |
December 23, 1945 - Harry Shearer |
December 23, 1946 - Susan Lucci - Actress
- Lucci is most easily recognized by soap opera fans for her
Emmy-winning portrayal of Erica Kane on the long running soap
"All My Children,
" a role she has played since 1970. she was a recent contestant
on "Dancing With the Stars' and starred on Broadway in a
production of "Annie Get Your Gun." Lucci is the mother of Liza
Huber, who recently starred on the soap "Passion." Lucci was
born in Scarsdale, New York, on this day. |
December 23, 1969 - Martha Byrne - Actress - Byrne is probably
best known for portraying Lily Snyder on the soap opera "As the
World Turns" from 1985-2008. Currently, she plays Andrea Floyd
on the soap "General Hospital." She has starred in the TV Movie
"Anna to the Infinite Power" and also serves as a scriptwriter
on the soap "The Bold and the Beautiful." Byrne also sings and
has released three music albums. Martha was born in Ridgewood,
New Jersey, on this day. |
December 24, 1503 - Michel de Nostradomus - Astrologer |
December 24, 1546 - Tycho Brahe - Astrologer |
December 24, 1809 - Kit Carson - Western Figure
|
December 24,
1822 - Matthew Arnold - Was an English poet, and cultural
critic. |
December 24, 1905 - Howard Hughes - Recluse
- Was an
American
aviator,
industrialist,
film producer/director,
philanthropist, and one of the
wealthiest people in the world. He gained fame in the late 1920s
as a maverick film producer, making big budget and often
controversial films like
Hell's Angels,
Scarface, and
The Outlaw. As an aviator, Hughes
set multiple
world air-speed records (for which he
won many awards, including the
Congressional Gold Medal), built the
Hughes H-1 Racer and
H-4 "Spruce Goose"
aircraft, and acquired and expanded
Trans World Airlines. Despite his
contributions to
aeronautics and his other professional
achievements, Hughes is perhaps most widely remembered for his
highly-publicized descent into madness in later life.
Nonetheless, Hughes' legacy is still visible through the
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and
he remains one of the most influential aviators in American
history. Born Howard Robard
Hughes, Jr. in either
Humble, Texas or
Houston, Texas on this day. |
December 24, 1905 - Ava Gardner - Actress |
December 24, 1944 - Daniel Johnson
Jr.- 25th Premier of Quebec - A former Quebec
politician. He was a member of the
Liberal Party of Quebec and was
Premier of the Province of Quebec,
Canada for most of
1994.His father,
Daniel Johnson, Sr. and his brother Pierre-Marc Johnson.,
had been the Premier of Quebec. Born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
on this day. |
December 24, 1949 - Sissy Spacek - Actress |
December 24, 1954 - Annie Lennox - Singer |
December 24,
1955 - Grand Bush - Actor - This veteran actor who has appeared
in such major films as "Colors," "Lethal Weapon" and "Demolition
Man." He appeared in the groundbreaking TV miniseries "Roots"
and performed on stage in the rock musical "Hair." On the small
screen, Bush has guest-starred on episodes of "JAG," "Chicago
Hope," and "Walker, Texas Ranger." He and his wife, TV
journalist Sharon Crews, are reportedly currently developing
independent projects. Grand was born in Los Angeles on this day. |
December 24,
1966 - Diedrich Bader - Actor - Bader is probably had his
biggest success as Oswald Lee Harvey on the hit series "The Drew
Carey Show" from 1995-2004. He's appeared recently on episodes
of "Bones," "CSI: Miami," and "King of the Hill" as well as
giving voice to the caped crusader in "Batman: The Brave and the
Bold." On the big screen, he's appeared in films such as "Space
Buddies," "Meet the Spartans' and "Napoleon Dynamite." Bader was
born in Alexandria, Va., on this day. |
December 24, 1974 - Ryan Seacrest - Television Host
|
December 25, 1821 - Clara Barton - Nurse
|
December 25, 1870 - Helena Rubenstein - Cosmetics
- Was a
Polish-American
cosmetics industrialist, founder and
eponym of Helena Rubinstein,
Incorporated, which made her one of the world's richest women.
Born Chaja Rubinstein in
Kraków,
Austria-Hungary (now
Poland) on this day. |
December 25, 1887 - Conrad Hilton
Jr.- Hotel Empire - Was
an American
hotelier and founder of the
Hilton Hotel chain. He is the
great-grandfather of
Paris Hilton and
Nicky Hilton. The
Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management
at the
University of Houston is named after
Conrad Hilton, as is the College of Business Administration
building at
Loyola Marymount University. Born in
San Antonio,
Socorro County,
New Mexico Territory (now
New Mexico) on this day. |
December 25,
1899 - Humphrey Bogart -
Was an
Academy Award-winning
American
actor and
film star. Born
New York City, New York, |
December 25, 1907 - Cab Calloway - Entertainer |
December 25, 1918 - Anwar Sadat -
Muhammad Anwar Al Sadat -
Political Leader
- Was the third
President of Egypt, serving from
October 15,
1970 until his assassination on
October 6, 1981. He was a senior member of the
Free Officers group that overthrew the
Muhammad Ali Dynasty in the
Egyptian Revolution of 1952, and a
close confidant of
Gamal Abdel Nasser, whom he succeeded
as President in 1970. Born in
Mit Abu al-Kum, al-Minufiyah, Egypt on
this day. |
December 25, 1924 - Rod Serling - Writer
-was an
American
screenwriter, best known for his live
television dramas of the 1950s and his
science fiction
anthology TV series,
The Twilight Zone.
Born Rodman Edward "Rod"
Serling
in
Syracuse, New York on this day. |
December 25, 1925 - Carlos Castaneda - Writer
- was a
Peruvian-born
American author. Starting with The
Teachings of Don Juan in 1968, Castaneda wrote a series of
books that describe his purported training in traditional
Mesoamerican
shamanism. His 12 books have sold more
than 8 million copies in 17 languages. The books and Castaneda,
who rarely spoke in public about his work, have been
controversial for many years. Supporters claim the books are
either true or at least valuable works of philosophy and
descriptions of practices which enable an increased awareness.
Academic critics claim the books are works of
fiction, citing the books' internal
contradictions, discrepancies between the books and
anthropological data, alternate sources for Castaneda's detailed
knowledge of shamanic practices and lack of corroborating
evidence. Born in
Cajamarca,
Perú
on this day. |
December 25, 1946 - Larry Csonka - Sports Figure |
December 25, 1949 - Sissy Spacek - Actress |
December 25, 1954 - Annie Lennox - Singer |
December 25,
1971 - Dido - Singer - whose distinctive choppy hairstyle became
known as the Dido flip. Dido is probably best known for her 2000
collaboration with Eminem on the hit single "Stan." Dido was
also nominated for a 2003 Grammy award for her single "White
Flag." Her albums include "No Angel," "Life For Rent" and her
most recent release. "Safe Trip Home." Dido was born Florian
Cloud de Bounevialle Armstrong on this day in London, England. |
December 26, 1893 - Robert Ripley - Cartoonist
|
December 26, 1893 - Mao Tse-Tung - Political Leader
- Ruler of Red China
|
December 26, 1891 - Henry Miller - Writer
- was an
American
writer and
painter. He was known for breaking
with existing literary forms and developing a new sort of
"novel" that is a mixture of novel, autobiography, social
criticism, philosophical reflection, surrealist free
association, and mysticism, one that is distinctly always about
and expressive of the real-life Henry Miller and yet is also
fictional. His most characteristic
works of this kind are
Tropic of Cancer,
Tropic of Capricorn, and
Black Spring. He also wrote
travel memoirs and essays of literary criticism and analysis.
Born Henry Valentine Miller in the
Yorkville section of
Manhattan,
New York City, of
German
Catholic heritage on this day. |
December 26, 1914 - Richard Widmark - Actor |
December 26, 1921 - Steve Allen - Comedian Entertainer |
December 26, 1924 - Alan King - Comedian |
December 26, 1954 - Ozzie Smith
|
December 26,
1963 - Lars Ulrich - Drummer - Ulrich has been the drummer for
the heavy metal band Metallica since its inception in 1981. The
driving beat behind such hit albums as "Kill 'em All," "Ride The
Lightning" and "The Black Album," Ulrich in recent years has
become a high-profile opponent or free Internet music downloads.
Ulrich has been romantically linked to actress Connie Nielsen.
Ulrich was born in Gentofte, Denmark, on this day. |
December 26,
1971 - Jared Leto - Actor - Leto has appeared in films such as
"Lonely Hearts," "Alexander" and "Panic Room." Leto first drew
notice starring with Claire Danes in the 1994 teen drama series
"My So Call Life." In the future, Leto will star in the upcoming
films "Mr. Nobody" and "Tekken." Besides acting, Leto also
performs in the band 30 Seconds to Mars with his brother
Shannon. Leto was born in Bossier City, La., on this day. |
December 27, 1571 - Johann Kepler
-
was a
German
mathematician,
astronomer and
astrologer, and key figure in the
17th century astronomical revolution.
He is best known for his
eponymous
laws of planetary motion, codified by
later astronomers based on his works
Astronomia nova,
Harmonices Mundi, and Epitome
of Copernican Astrononomy. They also provided one of the
foundations for
Isaac Newton's theory of
universal gravitation. Kepler was born
at the
Imperial Free City of
Weil der Stadt (now part of the
Stuttgart Region in the German state
of
Baden-Württemberg, 30 km west of
Stuttgart's center) on this day. |
December 27, 1822 - Louis Pasteur - Scientist
- Was a
French
chemist and
microbiologist best known for his
remarkable breakthroughs in the causes and prevention of
disease. His experiments supported the
germ theory of disease, also reducing
mortality from
puerperal fever (childbed), and he
created the first
vaccine for
rabies. He was best known to the
general public for inventing a method to stop milk and wine from
causing sickness - this process came to be called
pasteurization. He is regarded as
one of the three main founders of
microbiology, together with
Ferdinand Cohn and
Robert Koch. He is also credited with
dispelling the theory of
spontaneous generation with his
experiment employing chicken broth and a goose neck flask. He
also made many discoveries in the field of chemistry, most
notably the
asymmetry of
crystals.
He is buried beneath the Institute Pasteur, an incredibly rare
honor in France, where being buried in a cemetery is mandatory
save for the fewer than 300 "Great Men" who are entombed in the
Panthéon. Born Louis Jean Pasteur in
Dole in the
Jura region of
France on this day. |
December 27, 1823 - Sir MacKenzie Bowell
|
December 27, 1901 - Marlene Dietrich - Actress
- Was a
German-born
American
actress,
singer and
entertainer. She is considered to be
the first German actress to flourish in
Hollywood. Dietrich had a
contralto singing range. She managed
to remain popular by continually re-inventing herself through
her long lasting career. During the 1920s she began her work as
a cabaret singer, chorus girl and film actress in
Berlin. In the 1930s, she became a
Hollywood actress, a
World War II frontline entertainer,
and lastly an international stage show performer from the 1950s
to the 1970s. By the end of her career she had become an
entertainment icon of the 20th century.
Dietrich was born Marie Magdalene
Dietrich in
Schöneberg, a district of
Berlin,
Germany on this day. |
December 27,
1906 - Oscar Levant -
was an
American
pianist,
composer,
author,
comedian, and
actor. He was more famous for his
mordant character and witticisms, on the
radio and in
movies and
television, than for his
music. Born in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on this day. |
December 27, 1939 - John Amos
|
December 27, 1948 - Gerard Depardieu - Actor |
December 27,
1952 - Tovah Feldshuh - Actress - Feldshuh made her biggest
splash on the stage, starring in Broadway productions of "Yentl,"
"Lend Me A Tenor" and, most recently "Golda's Balcony." On
television, she's had a recurring roles on "Crossing Jordan" and
"Law & Order." Her film credits include "Brewster's Millions"
and "The Blue Iguana." In her latest film, she co-starring with
Natasha Lyonne in "Goyband." Feldshuh was born in New York City
on this day. |
December 28,
1856 - Woodrow Wilson -
Was the twenty-eighth
President of the United States. A
leading intellectual of the
Progressive Era, he served as
President of Princeton University and
then became the
Governor of New Jersey in 1910. With
Theodore Roosevelt and
William Howard Taft dividing the
Republican Party vote, Wilson was
elected President as a
Democrat in 1912. He proved highly
successful in leading a Democratic
Congress to pass major
legislation that included the
Federal Trade Commission, the
Clayton Antitrust Act, the
Underwood Tariff, the
Federal Farm Loan Act and most notably
the
Federal Reserve System.
Born Thomas Woodrow Wilson was born in
Staunton,
Virginia on this day. |
December 28, 1908 - Lew Ayres - Actor |
December 28,
1932 - Nichelle Nichols - Actress - Nichols is well known to
sci-fi fans worldwide as Lt. Uhura from the classic TV series
"Star Trek" and "Star Trek" movies. She began her career
as a model and sang with the bands of Duke Ellington and Lionel
Hampton before landing her signature role in 1966. In 1994,
Nichols wrote the autobiography "Beyond Uhura: Star Trek and
Other Memories," Recently, she guest-starred on "The Simpsons"
and appears regularly on the hit TV show "Heroes." Nichelle was
born in Robbins, Ill., on this day. |
December 28, 1934 - Maggie Smith - Actress
|
December 28, 1954 - Denzel Washington - Actor |
December 28, 1973
- Seth Meyers - Actor and comedian - Meyers has been a cast
member of "Saturday Night Live" since 2001, primarily anchoring
weekend update since 2006, and currently serves as the show's
head writer. He's also appeared in movies such as "Journey to
the Center of The Earth," "See This movie" and "Nick and Norah's
Infinite Playlist." Meyers is the brother of "Mad TV's" Josh
Meyers. Meyers was born in Bedford, N.H., on this day. |
December 29, 1809 - William Gladstone - Prime Minister |
December 29, 1876 - Pablo Casals - Conductor
- best known during his
professional career as Pablo Casals, was a
Spanish
Catalan
cellist and later conductor. He made
many recordings throughout his career, of solo, chamber, and
orchestral music, also as conductor, but Casals is perhaps best
remembered for the recording of the
Bach:
Cello Suites he made from 1936 to
1939. Born Pau
Casals i Defilló
in
El Vendrell,
Catalonia,
Spain on this day. |
December 29, 1936 - Mary Tyler Moore- Sitcom Actress
- Is
an
Academy Award-nominated and seven-time
Emmy Award-winning
American
actress and
comedian, primarily known for her
roles in
sitcoms and television. Moore is
arguably best known for
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
(1970–1977), in which she starred as
Mary Richards, a 30-something single
woman who worked as a news producer at WJM-TV in
Minneapolis, and for her early role as
Laura Petrie, wife of television comedy writer Rob Petrie
(played by
Dick Van Dyke) on
The Dick Van Dyke Show
(1961–1966). Moore played leading roles in two of the most
fondly remembered classic comedy series, making a tremendous
impact on television over two decades. She has also appeared in
various films over the years. Her best-remembered performance
came in 1980's
Ordinary People, which garnered
her an
Oscar nomination for a role that was
the polar opposite of the characters viewers had become
accustomed to seeing her portray on television. This TV icon has
recently guest-starred on episodes of "Lipstick Jungle" and
"That '70s Show." She has also
been active in charity work and various political causes,
particularly
animals and diabetes rights. In 2009,
Moore released the book "Growing Up Again: Life, Loves, And Oh
Yeah, Diabetes." Born in
the
Brooklyn Heights section of
Brooklyn, New York on this day. |
December 29, 1938 - Jon Voight - Actor |
December 29, 1947 - Ted Danson - Actor - Danson is best
remembered for his two time Emmy-winning role as Sam Malone on
the classic comedy series "Cheers." He's also starred in the
successful sitcom "Becker" and had a recurring role on the
popular cable show "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Currently, he stars
opposite Glenn Close in the drama series "Damages." Danson has
been married to actress Mary Steenburgen since 1995. Ted was
born in San Diego on this day. |
December 30, 1895 - Lotte von Strahl - Psychic |
December 30, 1865 - Rudyard Kipling - Writer
- was an
English
author and
poet, born in
Bombay,
British India, and best known for his
works
The Jungle Book (1894),
The Second Jungle Book (1895),
Just So Stories (1902), and
Puck of Pook's Hill (1906); his
novel,
Kim (1901); his poems, including
Mandalay (1890),
Gunga Din (1890),
If— (1910) and Ulster 1912
(1912); and his many short stories, including
The Man Who Would Be King (1888)
and the collections Life's Handicap (1891), The Day's
Work (1898), and
Plain Tales from the Hills (1888).
He is regarded as a major "innovator in the art of the short
story"; his children's books are enduring classics of children's
literature; and his best works speak to a versatile and luminous
narrative gift. Kipling was one of the most popular writers in
English, in both prose and verse, in the late 19th and early
20th centuries. Kipling was born in
Bombay,
British India on this day. |
December 30, 1914 - Bert Parks - Entertainer |
December 30, 1935 - Sandy Koufax - Sports Figure |
December 30, 1946 - Patti Smith - Entertainer |
December
30, 1959 - Tracey Ullman - British Actress
-naturalized United States U.S.citizen, comedienne actress, singer, dancer, screenwriter, and author, In 1987, she launched her American TV career with the Fox Network's weekly The Tracey Ullman Show.
In 1996 Emmy-winning HBO series Tracey Takes On. Born
Slough,
Buckinghamshire (now
Berkshire),
United Kingdom |
December 30,
1873 -
Was elected
Governor of New York four times, and
was the
Democratic
U.S. presidential candidate in 1928.
He was the first
Roman Catholic and
Irish-American to run for President as
a major party nominee. He lost the election to
Herbert Hoover. He then became
president of the Empire State, Inc. and was instrumental in
getting the
Empire State Building built during the
Great Depression. Born
Alfred Emanuel
Smith, Jr.,
in the multiethnic
Lower East Side of
Manhattan, on Oliver Street, within
sight of the
Brooklyn Bridge, which was then under
construction on this day. |
December 30, 1965 - Heidi Lynne Fleiss known as the
"Hollywood Madam" Her ring had numerous famous and wealthy
clients shocked the world. Born in Los Feliz, Los Angeles,
California. |
December 30,
1980 - Eliza Dushku - Actress - Dushku currently stars on the
series "Dollhouse." She also starred on the short-lived series "Tru
Calling" as well as appearing regularly on "Buffy the Vampire
Slayer" and "Angel." On the big screen, she's starred in movies
such as "Wrong Turn," "Soul Survivors" and "Bring It On." Dushku
has been linked to Los Angeles Lakers basketball star Rick Fox.
Dushku was born in Watrtown, Mass., on this day. |
December 30,
1982 - Kristin Kreuk - Actress - Kreuk may be best known as Lana
Lang on the hit TV series "Smallville." She starred in the title
role of the TV movie "Snow White: The Fairest Of Them All" and
appeared in the sci-fi miniseries "Legend of Earthsea." On the
big screen, Kreuk has appeared in films such as "Eurotrip,"
"Partition" and the upcoming action movie "Street Fighter: The
Legend of Chun Li." (2009). Kreuk was born in Vancouver, Canada
on this day. |
|
December 31, 1886 - Elizabeth Arden - Cosmetics |
December 31, 1869 - Henri Matisse - Artist
- Was a
French
artist, known for his use of
color and his fluid, brilliant and
original draughtsman ship. As a
draughtsman,
printmaker, and
sculptor, but principally as a
painter, Matisse is one of the
best-known artists of the 20th century. Although he was
initially labeled as a
Fauve (wild beast), by the 1920s, he
was increasingly hailed as an upholder of the classical
tradition in French painting. His mastery of the expressive
language of color and drawing, displayed in a body of work
spanning over a half-century, won him recognition as a leading
figure in
modern art. Born Henri-Émile-Benoît
Matisse in
Le Cateau-Cambrésis,
Nord-Pas-de-Calais,
France on this day. |
December 31, 1908 - S. Wiesenthal - Activist |
December 31, 1936 - Noel Tyl - Astrologer |
December 31,
1937 - Anthony Hopkins - Skilled Actor - Hopkins was forever
immortalized in Hollywood for his Oscar winning performance as Dr.
Hannibal Lecter in the 1991 classic thriller "The Silence of the
Lambs." He's also earned Oscar nominations for his work in
"Amistad," "Nixon" and "The Remains of the Day." This versatile
thespian also won Emmy awards for his roles in the TV movies "The
Lindbergh Kidnapping Case" and "the Bunker." Hopkins was born in
Port Talbot, Wales, on this day. |
December 31, 1943 - John Denver - Singer |
December 31, 1943 - Ben Kingsley - Actor - Kingsley won a 1982
Academy Award for his brilliant performance in the film "Gandi."
Kingsley has a distinguished resume with films such as
"Schindler's List," "Tock Everlasting" and "Oliver Twist" to his
credit. In 2006, Kingsley was nominated for an Emmy award for
his performance in the TV movie "Mrs. Harris." Kingsley was
knighted Sir Ben Kingsley in 2001. Kingsley was born Krishma
Bhanji, in Yorksire, England, on this day. |
December 31, 1959 - Val Kilmer - Actor |
December 31, 1964 - Dedee Pfeiffer - Actress, the younger
sister of megastar Michelle Pfeiffer |
December 31, 1969 - Verne Troyer
- Actor |
January 1, 1864 - Alfred Stieglitz
- Was
an American photographer who was instrumental over his
fifty-year career in making
photography an acceptable art form
alongside
painting and
sculpture. Many of his photographs are
known for appearing like those other art forms, and he is also
known for his marriage to painter
Georgia O'Keefe,
most famous for her large-scale paintings of flowers. Raised in
a
brownstone on
Manhattan's
Upper East Side on this day. |
January 1, 1895 - J. Edgar Hoover - FBI Director |
January 1, 1900 - Xavier Cugat - Bandleader |
January 1, 1909 - Barry Goldwater - Politician
- was a five-term
United States Senator from
Arizona (1953–1965, 1969–1987) and the
Republican Party's nominee for
President in the
1964 election. He was also a
Major General in the
U.S. Air Force Reserve. He was
frequently referred to as "Mr. Conservative" in numerous media
articles. Goldwater is the
politician most often credited for
sparking the resurgence of the
American conservative political
movement in the 1960s. He also had a substantial impact on the
libertarian movement. Goldwater was
born in
Phoenix, in what was then the
Arizona Territory on this day. |
January 1, 1919 - J. D. Salinger - Writer
- Is an
American
author, best known for his 1951
novel
The Catcher in the Rye, as well as
his
reclusive nature. He has not published
an original work since 1965 and has not been interviewed since
1980.Born
Jerome David Salinger
in
Manhattan,
New York on this day. |
January 1, 1938 - Frank Langella - Actor - Langella won tony
awards for his stage performances in plays such as "Frost/Nixon"
(for which he also received an Oscar nomination in the 2008
film), "Seascape" and "Fortune's Fool." Langella also has an
extensive resume of films including "Dracula," "Superman
Returns" and the recent release "The Box." Langella also starred
in the upcoming sequel "Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps."
Langella was born in Bayonne, New Jersey, on this day. |
January 1, 1968 - Cuba Gooding Jr. - Actor
|
January 1,
1968 - Catherine McCormack - Actress - McCormack first drew
notice as Murron in the 1995 Academy Award-winning film "Braveheart."
She went on to star in such movies as "Dangerous Beauty,"
"Shadow Of the Vampire" and "28 Weeks Later." She's also
performed in British stage production of "The 39 steps,' "A
Doll's House" and "A Portrait of a Lady." McCormack was born in
Hampshire, England, on this day. |
January 2, 1873 - Therese De Lisieux - Saint |
January 2, 1880 - Joseph Stalin - Dictator |
January 2,
1920 - Isaac Asimov -
was a
Russian-born
American author and professor of
biochemistry, a highly successful
writer, best known for his works of
science fiction and for his
popular science books. |
January 2, 1940 - Jim Bakker - Religious Figure |
January 2,
1967 - Tia Carrere - Actress and singer - Carrere starred as
Sydney Fox on the series "Relic Hunter" from 1999-2002. She's
also starred in films such as "Wayne's World" and "True Lies,"
and has guest-starred on series such as "CSI: Miami," "Nip/Tuck"
and "The O.C." Carrere is also an accomplished singer and won a
Grammy in 2008 for the album "Hawaiiana" and another Grammy in
2009 for the album "Ikena." Carrere was born in Honolulu,
Hawaii, on this date. |
January 2,
1971 - Taye Diggs - Actor - Diggs has starred in such films as
"The House on Haunted Hill," "How Stella Got Her Groove Back"
and "Rent." He began his career in the stage production of
"Rent" and went on to become a cast member of the long-running
soap "Guiding Light." He's had recurring roles on the TV shows
"Grey Anatomy" and "Will & Grace" and currently stars in the
drama "Private Practice." Diggs was born in New Jersey on this
day. |
January 2, 1983 - Kate Bosworth
|
January 3, 1892 -
J. R. R. Tolkien - Writer Author of 'the Lords of the Rings" |
January 3,
1897 - Marion Davies -
was an
American film
actress. Davies is best remembered for
her relationship with newspaper tycoon
William Randolph Hearst.
Even during her career, her high-profile social life often
obscured her professional career. In her posthumously published
memoirs, Davies claimed she wasn't an actress, knew nothing
about politics, and described herself as a "silly, giggly
idiot," but this is in keeping with her modest, self-deprecating
personality. Davies was born Marion Cecilia Douras in
Brooklyn, New York on this day |
January 3, 1909 - Victor Borge - Musician
-was a Danish-American
humorist, entertainer and
pianist, affectionately known as
the Clown Prince of Denmark
and the
Great Dane.
Borge played his first major
concert in 1926 at the Danish concert-hall
Odd Fellow Palæet (The Odd Fellow
Mansion). After a few years as a classical concert pianist,
he started his now famous "stand up" act, with the signature
blend of piano music and jokes. He married American
Elsie Chilton in 1933, the same year
he debuted with his revue acts. Borge started touring
extensively in Europe, where he began telling anti-Nazi
jokes. When the Nazis occupied Denmark during
World War II, Borge was playing a
concert in
Sweden, and managed to escape to
Finland. He traveled to America on the
USS American Legion, the last
passenger ship that made it out of Europe prior to the war, and
arrived
August 28,
1940 with only 20 dollars, three of
which went to the customs fee. Disguised as a sailor, Borge
returned to Denmark once during the occupation to visit his
dying mother. Even though Borge didn't speak a word of English
upon arrival, he quickly managed to adapt his jokes to the
American audience, learning English by watching movies. He took
the name of Victor Borge, and, in 1941, he started on
Rudy Vallee's radio show, but was
hired soon after by
Bing Crosby for his
Kraft Music Hall. From then on, it
went quickly for Borge, who won Best New Radio Performer of the
Year in 1942. Soon after the award, he was offered film roles
with stars such as
Frank Sinatra (in
Higher and Higher). While hosting
The Victor Borge Show on
NBC from 1946.
Borge used physical and visual elements in his live and
televised performances. He would play a strange-sounding piano
tune from sheet music, looking increasingly confused; turning
the sheet upside down, he would then play the actual tune,
flashing a joyful smile of accomplishment to the audience (he
had, at first, been literally playing the actual tune upside
down). When his energetic playing of another song would cause
him to fall off the piano bench, he would open the seat lid,
take out the two ends of an automotive seatbelt, and buckle
himself onto the bench, "for safety".
Born Børge
Rosenbaum in
Copenhagen,
Denmark on this day. |
January 3, 1932 - Dabney Coleman - Actor |
January 3, 1950 - Victoria Principle - Actress |
January 3, 1956 - Mel Gibson - Actor
|
January 3,
1960 - Joan Chen - actress and director - Chen first big
international film success came when she starred I the acclaimed
1987 epic "The Last Emperor." She went on to star as Josie in
the cult series "Twin Peaks" and the subsequent film "Twin
Peaks: Fire Walk With Me." Her other films include "Heaven &
earth," "On Deadly Ground" and, most recently, "Americanese."
Chen also directed Richard Gere and Winona Ryder in the 2000
tear-jerker, "Autumn in New York." Chen was born in Shanghai,
China, on this day. |
January 4, 1643 - Isaac Newton - Scientist |
January 4, 1809 - Louis
Braille - Was the inventor of
braille, a world-wide system used by
blind and
visually impaired people for reading
and writing.
Braille is read by passing the fingers
over characters made up of an arrangement of one to six
embossed points. It has been adapted
to almost every known language. Born in Coupvray, France on this
day. |
January 4, 1938 - Dyan Cannon - Actress |
January 4, 1958 - Matt Frewer - Actor |
January 4,
1963 - Dave Foley - Actor and comedian - Foley rose to fame as a
cast member of the Canadian sketch comedy show "Kids In The
Hall" from 1989-1994. He went on to star as Dave Nelson on the
popular comedy series "NewsRadio" from 1995-99 and he also had a
recurring role on TV's "Will and Grace." On the big screen,
Foley has appeared in films such as "The Wrong Guy," "Sky High"
and "Blast From the Past." Foley was born in Toronto, Canada on
this day. |
January 5, 1876 - Konrad Adenauer - Chancellor |
January 5, 1893 - P. Yogananda - Guru |
January 5, 1918 - Jean Dixon - Psychic |
January 5, 1928 - Walter Mondale - Politician |
January 5, 1931 - Robert Duvall - Actor |
January 5, 1946 - Diane Keaton - Actress |
January 5, 1969 - Marilyn Manson - Rock star - Manson been the
singer for the metal band Marilyn Manson since 1989. He grew to
fame in the 1990s with albums such as "Antichrist Superstar" and
"Smells Like Children." Manson, born Brian Warner, has branched
off into acting and has appeared in films such as "Lost
Highway," "Jawbreaker" and "Rise." The singer has also penned
the autobiography "The Long Hard Road Out Of Hell." Manson was
born in Canton, Ohio, on this day. |
January 5, 1978 - January Jones - Actress - Jones has drawn
widespread acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination for her
performance as Betty Draper on the hit TV series "Mad Men." On
the big screen, Jones has starred in films such as "American
Pie," "We are Marshall" and "Anger Management." Jones was born
in Sioux Falls, S.D., on this day. |
January 6, 1572 - Johannes Kepler - Astronomer |
January 6, 1832 - Gustave Dore - Artist |
January 6, 1872 - Alexander Sciabian - Composer |
January 6, 1878 - Carl Sandburg - Poet
- Was an
American writer and editor, best known
for his
poetry. He won two
Pulitzer Prizes, one for his poetry
and another for a biography of
Abraham Lincoln.
H. L. Mencken called Carl Sandburg
"indubitably an American in every pulse-beat."
Sandburg was born in
Galesburg,
Illinois on this day. |
January 6, 1913 -
Loretta Young -
was an
Academy Award-winning
American actress. Born in
Salt Lake City, Utah as Gretchen
Young (she took the name Michaela at confirmation) on
this day. |
January 6, 1915 - Alan Watts - Writer |
January 6, 1925 - John Delorean - Celebrity |
January 6, 1947 - David Bowie - Musician |
January 6,
1950 - Richard Norton - Martial arts star - Norton has played in
such films as "Road House 2," "License to Kill" and "The
Octagon." Before his acting career began in 1980, Norton worked
as a bodyguard for a number of celebrities including The Rolling
Stones, David Bowie and James Taylor. He recently starred in the
Aussie drama "Under a Red Moon" and served as fight coordinator
for the 2007 "Stone Cold" Steve Austin film "The Condemned."
Born in Australia on this day. |
January 6, 1955 - Rowan Atkinson
- Actor/ comedian - Who plays "Mr. Bean & BlackAdder." |
January 6, 1969 - Joey Lauren Adams - Actress
|
January 6,
1969 - Norman Reedus - Actor - Reedus has starred in movies such
as "The Boondock Saint," "Deuces Wild" and "Red Canyon," as well
as starring in the recent release "The Boondock Saints II: All
Saints Day." On the small screen, Reedus has guest starred on
shows such as "Law & Order: SVU," "Charmed" and "Masters of
Horror." The Actor has a son with supermodel Helena Christensen.
Reedus was born in Hollywood, Florida, on this day. |
January 7, 1572 - Johannes Kepler - Astronomer |
January 7, 1844 - Bernadette - Saint |
January 7, 1912 - Charles Samuel Addams
- Cartoonist |
January 7, 1948 - Kenny Loggins - Singer/ Musician
|
January 7,
1956 - David Caruso - TV actor - One of his earliest parts was a
recurring role on "Hill Street Blue" and his film debut was the
1980 movie "Getting Wasted." This birthday guy currently stars
as Horatio Caine on the prime time crime drama "CSI: Miami." His
career skyrocketed when he portrayed detective John Kelly on the
gritty hit TV series "NYPD Blue" in 1993. His film credits
include "Kiss Of Death," "Season 9" and "Proof of Life." Caruso
was born in Queens, New York, on this day. |
January 7,
1957 - Katie Couric - Journalist - Couric has served as anchor
of "CBS Evening News" since 2006 as well as frequently appearing
on the news show "60 Minutes." Couric rose to fame as a host of
the popular "Today" show from 1991-2006. Couric has
guest-starred on the series "Will & Grace" and "Murphy Brown"
and has also appeared in the movies "Austin Powers in Goldmember"
and "Shark Tale." Couric was born in Arlington, Va., on this
day. |
January 8, 1864 - Prince Albert Victor - Royalty |
January 8, 1896 - Arthur Ford - Medium |
January 8, 1911 - Gypsy Rose Lee
-
Was an
American actress,
burlesque entertainer and writer whose
1957 memoir, written as a monument to
her mother, was made into the stage musical and film
Gypsy. Born as Rose Louise
Hovick in
Seattle, Washington on this day. |
January 8, 1935 - Elvis Presley - Musician
- Was
an
American
singer,
musician and
actor. He is considered a
cultural icon, sometimes referred to
as "The
King of Rock 'n' Roll",
or simply "The King."
Presley began his career as one of the first performers of
rockabilly, an
uptempo fusion of
country and
rhythm and blues with a strong
back beat. His novel versions of
existing songs, mixing "black"
and "white"
sounds, made him popular—and controversial—as did his
uninhibited stage and television performances. He recorded songs
in the
rock and roll genre, with tracks like
"Hound
Dog" and "Jailhouse
Rock" later embodying the style.
Presley had a versatile voice and had unusually wide success
encompassing other genres, including gospel, blues, ballads and
pop. To date, he has been inducted into four music
halls of fame. In the 1960s, Presley
made the majority of his thirty-one movies—mainly poorly
reviewed, but financially successful, musicals. In 1968, he
returned with acclaim to live music in a
television special, and thereafter
performed across the U.S., notably in
Las Vegas.
Throughout his
career, he set records for concert attendance, television
ratings and recordings sales. He is one of the best-selling and
most influential artists in the history of popular music.
Born
Elvis Aaron Presley in
Memphis,
Tennessee,
USA on this day. |
January 8, 1939 - Yvette Mimieux - Actress |
January 8, 1946 - Robby Krieger - Musician
|
January 8, 1947 - David Bowie -
Singer |
January 8, 1951
- John McTiernan - Director - McTiernan is known for directing
such super-charged action blockbusters as "Predator," "Die
Hard"and "The Hunt For Red October." He also had the dubious
distinction of winning two 1994 Razzie Awards for Worst Picture
and Worst Director for the flop "Last Action Hero." McTiernan
next project will be directing the upcoming crime thriller
"Run." McTiernan was born in Albany, New York, on this day. |
January 8,
1965 - Michelle Forbes - Actress - Michelle first drew attention
for her Emmy nominated role as Dr. Sonni wells on the soap
"Guiding Light" from 1987-89. She went on to appear on series
such as "Homicide: Life on the Street," "24" and "True Blood."
On the big screen, Forbes' resume of films includes "Escape From
L.A.," "Swimming With Sharks" and "Kalifornia." Forbes was born
in Austin, Texas on this day. |
January 8,
1979 - Sarah Polley - Actress - Polley has starred in such films
as "Dawn of the Dead," "The Secret Life Of Words" and "My Life
Without Me." Polley first graced the big screen at age 4 in the
children's film "One Magic Christmas." The performer is
currently slated opposite Jared Leto in the upcoming
science-fiction movie "Mr. Nobody." Polley was born in Toronto,
Canada on this day. |
January 9, 1898 - Gracie Fields - Entertainer |
January 9, 1902 - Rudolph Bing - Opera Admin. |
January 10,
1904 - Ray Bolger -
was an
American entertainer of stage and
screen, best known for his portrayal of the
Scarecrow and Kansas farmworker Hunk
in the
1939 film,
The Wizard of Oz. |
January 9, 1908 - Simone de Beauvoir - Writer |
January 9, 1913 - Richard Nixon - President US
-
Was the thirty-seventh
President of the United States
(1969–1974) and the only American president to resign from that
office. He was also
Vice President of the United States
from 1953 to 1961. Born
Richard Milhous
Nixon
in
Yorba Linda,
California on this day. |
January 9, 1914 - Gypsy Rose Lee - Entertainer |
January 9, 1928 - Judith Kranz - Writer |
January 9, 1939 - Susannah York - Actress - York distinguished
acting career is highlighted by a 1969 Oscar nomination for her
performance in "The Shoot horses, Don't They?" and a 1972 Emmy
nomination for her work in the TV movie "Jane Eyre." She's also
had memorable roles in "Superman,,""A Man For All Seasons" and
"Tom Jones." Recently, York did her turn in British theater,
appearing in the 2008 production of "Wuthering Heights"{ and the
2007 tour "The Wings of the Dove." York was born in London,
England on this day. |
January 9, 1941 - Joan Baez -
Is an
American folk singer and songwriter. Born in Staten Island, NYC,
USA |
January 9, 1944 - Jimmy Page -
Musician |
January 9, 1951
- Crystal Gayle - Singer |
January
9, 1965 - Joely Richardson - actress - Richardson has portrayed
Julie McNamara on the hit TV series "Nip/Tuck" since 2003. Her
films include Disney's "101 Dalmatians," "King Ralph" and "Maybe
Baby." The pedigreed performer is the daughter of actress
Vanessa Redgrave and film director Tony Richardson as well as
the sister of Natasha Richardson. Joely was born in London,
England on this day. |
January
9, 1974 - Omari Hardwick - Actor - Omari currently stars as Ty
Curtis on the TV crime drama "Dark Blue." Hardwick also has
appeared on the big screen in films like "The A-Team," "For
Colored Girls" and "Gridiron Gang." An accomplished athlete
before getting into acting. Hardwick was a starting defensive
back for the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team.
Hardwick was born in Savannah, Georgia, on this day.- |
January 10, 1887 - Robinson Jeffers - Writer |
January 10, 1927 - Giselle MacKenzie - Singer |
January 10, 1945 - Rod Stewart - Singer/ Musician
|
January 10, 1949 - George Foreman
|
January 10, 1953 - Pat Benetar - Singer |
January 10, 1961 - Evan Handler - Actor - Handler is probably
best recognized for playing Charlotte's husband Harry in the
series "Sex and the City" as well as the recently released movie
of the same name. Currently, Handler stars with David Duchovny
in the cable series "Californication." His film credits
including "The three Stooges," "Natural Born Killers" and
"Taps." The actor has also written the book "Time On Fire: My
Comedy Of Terrors." Handler was born in Queens, New York on this
day. |
|
January 11, 1842 - William James - Writer |
January 11, 1928 - Grant Tinker - TV Production |
January 11, 1934 - Jean Chretien
- 20th Prime Minister of Canada |
January 11, 1946 - Naomi Judd - Singer duo the Judds
|
January 11,
1962 - Kim Cole - Actress - Coles is probably best known for
portraying Synclaire James Jones on the popular series "Living
Single" from 1993-98. Coles has a recurring role on the current
series "!0 Items or Less" and starred in the short-lived "The
Geena Davis Show." She's appeared as a contestant on the reality
show's "Celebrity Fit Club" and "The Mole" and was a cast member
of the hit sketch comedy series "In Living Color" in 1990. Coles
was born in Brooklyn, New York, on this day. |
January 11, 1972 - Amanda Peet
|
January 12, 1876 - Jack London
-
was an American author who wrote
The Call of the Wild and other
books. A pioneer in the then-burgeoning world of commercial
magazine fiction, he was one of the first Americans to make a
lucrative career exclusively from writing. Born near Third and
Brannan Streets in
San Francisco on this day. |
January 12, 1893 - Herman Goering - Nazi |
January 12, 1915 - Martin Agronski - TV Host |
January 12, 1951 - Rush Limbaugh - Radio Host |
January 12, 1951 - Kirstie Alley - Actress played " Rebecca from Cheers"
|
January 12, 1954 - Howard Stern - Talk Radio Shock Jock.
The guy is currently the host of the popular
"The Howard Stern Show," and has had his own
nationally syndicated radio show in one form or another since
1986. He's penned the books "Private Parts" and "Miss America"
and even tried his hand at acting when he starred as himself in
the 1997 film version of "Private Parts." He hosted his own
comedy TV show in 1990 and briefly ran a campaign for governor
of New York in 1994. Stern was born in New York City on this
day. |
January 12, 1968 - Heather Ann Mills McCartney - estranged wife of former Beatle Paul McCartney
born Hampshire, England |
January 13, 1832 - Horatio Alger - Writer |
January 13, 1860 - J. Pershing - Military |
January 13, 1866 - Sophie Tucker - Entertainer |
January 13, 1913 - Ralph Edwards - Broadcaster |
January 13, 1919 - Robert Stack - Actor |
January 13, 1943 - Richard Moll - Actor - Moll was forever
immortalized in TV history as zany bailiff Bull Shannon in the
hit series "Night Court." Since Bull was put out to pasture in
1992, Moll has appeared mostly in second-tier movies, but has
guest-starred on series such as "Smallville," "Babylon 5" and
"7th Heaven." Moll will next appear on the big screen in 2010 in
the horror movie "Razor." Moll was born in Pasadena, California,
on this day. |
January 13, 1961 - Julia Louis-Dreyfus -Julia Scarlett
Elizabeth Louis-Dreyfus' Comedian/ Actress played Elaine Benes
in "Seinfeld" and now the sitcom "The New Adventure of Old
Christine" and Recurring characters on Saturday Night
Live |
January 13, 1966
- Patrick Dempsey - Actor - Dempsey currently stars as Dr.
shepherd on the hit medical drama "Grey's anatomy." he had
recurring roles on "Will & Grace" and "the Practice" and has
appeared on the big screen in films such as "Enchanted," "Scream
3" and "Mobsters." Besides acting, Dempsey is part owner of the
Vision racing team in the Indy Car Series and also competes as a
driver in the Rolex Sports car series. Dempsey was born in
Lewiston, Maine, on this day. |
January 14, 1875 - Albert Schweitzer - Humanitarian
- Was an
Alsatian
theologian,
musician,
philosopher, and
physician. He was born in
Kaisersberg in
Alsace-Lorraine, a bilingual
Romano-Germanic region which
France regained from
Germany after
World War I. Schweitzer challenged
both the secular view of
historical Jesus current at his time
and the traditional Christian view, depicting a Jesus who
expected the imminent end of the world. He received the
1952
Nobel Peace Prize in 1953 for his
philosophy of "reverence
for life",[1]
expressed in many ways, but most famously in founding and
sustaining the
Albert Schweitzer Hospital in
Lambaréné, now in
Gabon, west central
Africa (then French Equatorial Africa)
.Born
in Kaisersberg on this day. |
January 14, 1412 - Joan of Arc - Saint |
January 14, 1919 - Andy Rooney - TV Personality |
January 14, 1941 - Faye Dunaway - Actress |
January 14, 1941 - Gamble Benedict - Heiress |
January 14, 1948 - Carl Weathers - Actor - Weathers is probably
best recognized for his performance as Apollo Creed in the 1976
Oscar winner "Rocky." he is a former football player and played
for the Oakland Raiders in 1970 and 1971. his acting career
blossomed with films such as "Predator," "Happy Gilmore" and
"Action Jackson." He also appeared on TV in "Arrested
Development" and "ER," as well as on the current series
"Brothers." Weathers was born in New Orleans on this day. |
January 14, 1968 -
LL Cool J - Rapper and actor - LL rose to stardom in the late
'80s and early '90s with hit singles such as "Mama Said Knock
You Out," "I'm Bad" and "I Need Love." Still prominent in music
with the recent release of his latest album "Exit 13," LL has
also established himself as a legitimate actor over the past 20
years with roles in films such as "Deep Blue sea," "Any Given
Sunday" and "Last Holiday." LL was born in Queens, N.Y., on this
day. |
January 14, 1969 - Jason
Bateman - Actor |
January 15,
1622 - Jean-Baptiste
Poquelin,
also known by his
stage name, Molière - Was a
French
playwright and
actor who is considered one of the
greatest masters of
comedy in Western literature.
Among Molière's best-known dramas are
Le Misanthrope,
(The Misanthrope),
L'Ecole des femmes (The School
for Wives),
Tartuffe ou l'Imposteur,
(Tartuffe or the Hypocrite),
L'Avare ou l'École du mensonge (The
Miser),
Le Malade imaginaire (The
Imaginary Invalid), and
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme (The
Bourgeois Gentleman). Born in Paris, France on this day. |
January 15, 1906 - Aristotle Onassis - Industrialist
- was one of the richest
shipping
magnates of the 20th century.
Some sources say he was born in 1900 and later changed his age
to be 16 so as to avoid deportation from Turkey. Born in
Karatass, a suburb of
Smyrna,
Ottoman Empire (now
İzmir,
Turkey) on this day. |
January 15, 1913 - Lloyd Bridges - Actor |
January 15, 1929 - Martin Luther King
Jr.- Civil Rights |
January 15,
1947 - Andrea Martin - Actress and comedian - Martin starred on
the offbeat cult comedy series "SCTV" from 1976-1983 and won two
Emmy awards for her writing on the show. She won a 1992 Tony
Award for her performance in the Broadway production of "My
Favorite Year" and she's appeared in films such as "Wag The
Dog," "The Producers" and "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." Martin was
born in Portland, Maine, on this day. |
January 15, 1957 - Mario Van Peebles
- Actor |
January 15,
1960 - Oliver Platt - Actor - Platt is an established actor
whose credits include the recent blockbuster movie "2012"
(2009). He starred in the series "Huff" and had recurring roles
on "Nip/Tuck" and "The West Wing," and portrayed George
Steinbrenner in the miniseries "The Bronx is Burning." His
extensive resume of film appearances include roles in
"Frost/Nixon," "The Ice Harvest" and "Lake Placid." Platt was
born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, on this day. |
January 15, 1968 - Chad Lowe - Actor
|
January 15,
1978 - Eddie Cahill - Actor - Cahill has starred as Detective
Flack on the hit series "CSI: NY" since 2004. Cahill starred in
the short-live TV series "Glory Days," as well as appearing in
recurring roles on "Friends" and "Felicity." On the big screen,
Cahill has appeared in such movies as "The Lords of Dogtown,"
"This is Not a Test" and "Miracle." In 2000, Cahill appeared on
stage in a production of "The Altruists." Cahill was born in New
York City, New York ,on this day. |
January 16, 1901 - F. Batista - Dictator |
January 16, 1908 - Ethel Merman - Entertainer
Singer - Was an
American
actress and
singer for
musical theatre, well known for her
powerful voice, often hailed by critics as "The Grande Dame of
the Broadway stage". Merman was born Ethel Agnes Zimmermann
in her
maternal grandmother's house at 359
6th Avenue,
Astoria,
Queens, New York on this day.
|
January 16, 1948 - John Carpenter
|
January 16,
1950 - Debbie Allen - Actress and director - Allen is best
recognized for starring on the series "Fame" from 1982-1987 and
the 1980 movie of the same name. She currently stars in the new
TV version of "Fame" as well. Allen has directed episodes of the
hit series "Everybody Hates Chris," "Girlfriends" and "That's So
Raven." She's also produced "The Crosby Show' spin-off "A
Different World" and, coincidentally, is the sister of "The
Cosby Show' star Phylicia Rashad. Allen was born in Houston,
Texas, on this day. |
January 16, 1959 - Sade - Singer - born Helen Folasade -
|
January 16, 1968 - Danni Ashe -
The Billion Download Woman, Adult Photo Model and Business
Woman born in
Beaufort, South Carolina,
U.S. |
January 16,
1974 - Kate Moss - Supermodel - Moss is one of the most
recognized models in the world as well as one of the richest,
cashing in on her "Warf look." She's been romantically linked to
actor Johnny Depp, as well as to musicians Pete Doherty and
Jamie Hince. She is noted for her charity work, supporting the
Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity and appearing at Comic
Relief. Moss was born in Croydon, England, on this day. |
January 17,
1706 - Benjamin Franklin -
was one of the
Founding Fathers of the
United States of America. A noted
polymath, Franklin was a leading
author and
printer,
satirist,
political theorist,
politician,
scientist,
inventor,
civic activist,
statesman and
diplomat. As a scientist he was a
major figure in the
Enlightenment and the
history of physics for his discoveries
and theories regarding
electricity. He invented the
lightning rod,
bifocals, the
Franklin stove, a carriage
odometer, and
a musical instrument. He formed both
the first
public lending library in America and
first
fire department in Pennsylvania.
Franklin is credited as being foundational to the roots of
American values and character, a marriage of the practical and
democratic
Puritan values of thrift, hard work,
education, community spirit, self-governing institutions, and
opposition to authoritarianism both political and religious,
with the scientific and tolerant values of the Enlightenment.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts on this day. |
January 17, 1863 - David Llloyd Geroge - Prime Minister |
January 17, 1899 - Al Capone -
Mafia
Boss/ Gangster |
January 17, 1927 - Tom Dooley - Humanitarian |
January 17, 1933 - Shari Lewis - Puppeteer |
January 17, 1931 - James Earl Jones born Todd Jones
Actor-the voice of Darth Vader from "Star Wars" |
January 17,
1939 - TV host - Povich has hosted the daytime talk show "Maury"
(formerly known as "The Maury Povich Show") since 1991. A former
news anchor at local stations from Los Angeles to Philadelphia,
Povich hosted the popular syndicated news show "A Current
Affair" from 1986-1990. In 2000, Povich was the host of the
short return of the classic game show "Twenty One." Povich has
been married to newswoman Connie Chung since 1984. Povich was
born in Washington, D.C., on this day. |
January 17, 1942 - Muhammad Ali "Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr."
- Boxer |
January 17, 1944 - Joe Frazier - Boxer |
January 17, 1949 - Andy Kaufman - Comedian |
January 17, 1962 - Jim Carrey - Comedian / Actor |
January 17, 1971 - Kid Rock - Rocker - Rock has topped the
charts with singles such as "Bawitdaba," "Only God Knows Wh,"
and "All Summer Long." Born Robert James Ritchie, has been
nominated for five Grammy awards and has a new album in the
pipeline. Besides music, Rock has dabbled in acting, appearing
in the films "Joe Dirt" and "Biker Boyz." as well as
guest-starring on "The Simpsons" and "South Park." Rock was born
in Romeo, Mich., on this day. |
January 17, 1980 - Zooey Deschanel - Actress, Musician and
Singer - Is an
American
actress,
musician and
singer. Deschanel made her film debut
in 1999's
Mumford and soon became known for
memorable,
deadpan supporting roles in films such
as
Almost Famous (2000),
The New Guy (2002),
Big Trouble (2002) and
The Good Girl (2002). She then
began playing lead roles,
All the Real Girls (2003),
Elf (2003),
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
(2005),
Winter Passing (2005),
Failure to Launch in (2006),
Tin Man in (2007) and
Bridge to Terabithia (2007). Since
2001, Deschanel has performed in the jazz
cabaret act
If All the Stars Were Pretty Babies
with fellow actress
Samantha Shelton. Born Zooey
Claire Deschanel in
Los Angeles,
California,
United States on this day. |
January 18, 1815 - Sir John A. Macdonald - Canada's First
Prime Minister |
January 18, 1822 - Alexander MacKenzie |
January 18, 1840 - A.P. Seinnett - Occultist |
January 18, 1892 - Oliver Hardy - Was
an American
Comedian Actor
of
the Silent Film Era and after,
famous as the second half of Laurel and Hardy, the classic
double act that began in the era of
silent films and lasted nearly 40
years. Hardy’s star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame is located at
1500
Vine Street,
Hollywood,
California. Born
born
Oliver Norvell Hardy in
Harlem, Georgia on this day. |
January 18, 1904 - Cary Grant - Actor
- better known by his
stage name, Cary Grant, was a
British-born
American
actor. With his distinctive
Mid-Atlantic accent, he was noted as
perhaps the foremost exemplar of the debonair leading man,
handsome, virile, charismatic and charming. He was named the
second
Greatest Male Star of All Time of
American cinema, after
Humphrey Bogart, by the
American Film Institute. He was well
known for starring in classic films such as
The Philadelphia Story,
North by Northwest,
Notorious,
His Girl Friday,
To Catch A Thief,
Bringing Up Baby and
The Bishop's Wife. Born Archibald
Alec Leach was born in
Horfield,
Bristol,
England on this day. |
January 18, 1913 - Danny Kaye -
was an
American award-winning
actor,
singer and
comedian. Born David Daniel
Kaminsky to
Jewish
Ukrainian immigrants in
Brooklyn,
New York on this day. |
January 18, 1933 - John Boorman - Producer and director -
Boorman has directed such memorable films as "Deliverance,"
"Excalibur" and "Zardoz." He's also produced the movies "The
Tailor of Panama," "The General" and "Beyond Rangoon." This
father of actors Charley and Katrine Boorman will next direct
and produce the Roman epic "Memoirs of Hadrian" starring Daniel
Craig. Boorman was born in Surrey, England, on this day. |
January 18, 1955 - Kevin Costner - Actor |
January
18, 1964 - Jane Horrocks - Is an
English
actress,
musician, and singer. She trained at
the
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art with
Imogen Stubbs and
Ralph Fiennes and began her career
with the
Royal Shakespeare Company.[3]
She first drew critical notice for her performance in the 1990
film
Life is Sweet and became a
household name with the role of
Bubble in
Absolutely Fabulous, in which she
also played Katy Grin in the last two seasons of the series.
Born Barbara Jane Horrocks in
Rawtenstall,
Lancashire, UK on this day. |
January 18, 1965 - Dave Attell - Comedian
|
January 18,
1980 - Jason Segel- Actor - Jason has portrayed Marshall on the
series "How I Met Your Mother" since2005. He's also starred in
films such as "I Love You, Man," "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and
"Knocked Up." Segel will next star in the kids' movie "The
Muppets." An accomplished musician, Segel contributed to the
soundtrack of the comedy "Get Him to the Greek." Segel was born
in Los Angeles on this day. |
January 19, 1809 - Edgar Allen Poe - Writer |
January 19, 1839 - Paul Cezanne - Artist
- was a
French
artist and
Post-Impressionist
painter whose work laid the
foundations of the transition from the 19th century conception
of artistic Endeavour to a new and radically different world of
art in the 20th century. Cézanne can be said to form the bridge
between late 19th century
Impressionism and the early 20th
century's new line of artistic enquiry,
Cubism. The line attributed to both
Matisse and
Picasso that Cézanne "is the father of
us all" cannot be easily dismissed. Cézanne's work demonstrates
a mastery of design, colour, composition and draftsmanship. His
often repetitive, sensitive and exploratory brushstrokes are
highly characteristic and clearly recognisable. He used planes
of colour and small brushstrokes that build up to form complex
fields, at once both a direct expression of the sensations of
the observing eye and an abstraction from observed nature. Born
in
Aix-en-Provence, one of the
southernmost regions of
France on this day. |
January 19, 1943 - Janis Joplin - Singer |
January 19, 1946 - Dolly Parton -
Western Singer/ Actress |
January 19, 1964 - Katey Sagal - Actress - Katey rose to fame as
Peggy Bundy on "Married With Children" and would go onto star on
the hit series "8 Simple Rules," as well as providing the voice
of Leela on the animated series "Futurama." Currentlt, Segal
stars as Gemma on the series "Sons of Anarchy." A former singer,
Segal sang bac-up vocals on the solo album of Kiss' Gene
Simmons. Was born in Hollywood, California on this date. |
January 19,
1961 - Paul McCrane - Actor - McCrane portrayed Dr. "Rocket"
Romano on the hit series "ER" and has appeared on "24," "Ugly
Betty' and "The X-files." On the big screen, McCrane appeared in
"RoboCop," "From the Earth to the Moon" and "Fame." the actor
composed two songs for the movie "Fame" and received a 1980
Grammy nomination for his contributions to the score. McCrane
was born in Philadelphia, on this day. |
January 19,
1969 - Wendy Moniz - Actress - Moniz is probably best recognized
for her role as Dinah Marier on the soap opera "Guiding Light"
from 1995 -99. She was regular on the series "Nash Bridges" as
well as her recent stint on the short-lived series "Big Shots."
Moniz is the wife of actor Frank Grillo who co-starred on
"Guiding Light" and the couple has two children. Moniz was born
in Kansas City, Mo., on this day. |
January 19, 1971 - Shawn Wayans - Comedian
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