History Blog

Category Archives: History

April 29

Happy Birthday RIP Edward “Duke” Ellington(1899–1974) ; Richard Klein–69 Nora Dunn–61 Jerome “Jerry” Seinfeld–59 Leslie Jordan–58 Katherine “Kate” Mulgrew–58 Daniel Day-Lewis–56 Michelle Pfeiffer–55 Eve Plumb–55 Uma Thurman–43 Andre Agassi–43 ; 1996 – The musical “Rent” opened on Broadway

April 28

Happy Birthday RIP Carolyn Jones(1930–1983) Lionel Barrymore(1878–1954) ; Ann-Margret Olsson–72 James “Jay” Leno–63 Mary McDonnell–61 Jorge Garcia–40 Penélope Cruz Sánchez–39 Jessica Alba–32 ; 1932 – A vaccine for yellow fever is announced for use on humans

April 27

Happy Birthday RIP Hiram Ulysses Grant(1822–1885) Walter Lantz(1899–1994) Jacob “Jack” Klugman(1922–2012) Robert Donner(1931–2006) ; Kemal “Casey” Kasem–81 Kate Pierson–65 Kevin McNally–57 Sheena Easton(Orr)–54 James Duke Mason–21 ; 1981 – Xerox PARC introduces the computer mouse.

April 26

Happy Birthday Carol Burnett–80 Jet Li Lian Jie( 李連杰) –50 Kevin George “James” Knipfing–48 Thomas “Tom” Welling–36 Channing Tatum–33 : 1986 – the world’s worst nuclear accident occurred at the Chernobyl plant in the Soviet Union. An explosion and fire in the No. 4 reactor sent radioactivity into the atmosphere; at least 31 Soviets died immediately.

April 25

Happy Birthday RIP Ella Fitzgerald (1917–1996) ; George “Meadowlark” Lemon–81 Alfredo Pacino–73 Henry “Hank” Azaria–49 Andrew “Andy” Bell–49 Renée Zellweger–44 Jason Wiles–43 ; 1972 – Polaroid Corp. introduced its SX-70 folding camera, which ejected self-developing photographs.

April 24

Happy Birthday Shirley MacLean Beatty–79 Barabra Joan Streisand–71 Richard M. Daley–71 Jean-Paul Gaultier–61 Djimon Hounsou–49 Eric Balfour–36 Kelly Clarkson–31 ; 1800 – The United States Library of Congress is established when President John Adams signs legislation to appropriate $5,000 USD to purchase “such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress”

April 23

Happy Birthday RIP William Shakespeare(1564–1616) Hervé Villechaize(1943–1993) Roy Orbison(1936–1988) ; Shirley Temple–85 Alan Oppenheimer–83 Harvey Lee Yeary(“Lee Majors”)–74 Joyce DeWitt–64 Michael Moore–59 Valerie Bertinelli–53 

April 22

Happy Birthday RIP Edward Albert Heimberger(1906–2005) Aaron Spelling (1923–2006) Bettie Page(1923–2008) ; Charlotte Rae Lubotsky–87 Glen Campbell–77 John “Jack” Nicholson–76 John Waters–67 Peter Frampton–63 Catherine Mary Stewart(Nursall)–54 Ryan Stiles–54 Byron Allen Folks–52 Jeffrey Dean Morgan–47 ; 1864 – The U.S. Congress passes the Coinage Act of 1864 that mandates that the inscription In God We Trust be placed on all coins minted as United States currency.

April 21

Happy Birthday Queen Elizabeth Mary Windsor–87 Charles Grodinsky–78 James Osterberg(“Iggy Pop”)–66 Patti LuPone–64 Anthony Iadanza(“Tony Danza”)–62 Rosalie “Andie” MacDowell–55 Robert Smith–54 John Cameron Mitchell–50 Nicole Sullivan–43 James McAvoy–34 ; 1789 – John Adams was sworn in as the first vice president of the United States.

April 20

Happy Birthday RIP Luther Vandross(1951–2005) ; George Takei–76 Charles “Ryan” O’Neal–72 Jessica Lange–64 Crispin Glover–49 “Carmen Electra”(Tara Patrick)–41 Joseph Lawrence Mignogna–37 ; 1836 – U.S. Congress passes an act creating the Wisconsin Territory.