History Blog

April 12

Happy Birthday RIP Johnnie Collier(“Ann Miller” 1923–2004) Sir Charles Napier(1936–2011) Herbert Khaury(“Tiny Tim” 1932–1996) Thomas Clancy Jr(1947–2013) ; Herbert Hancock–75 Edward O’Neill–69 David Letterman–68 David Cassidy–65 Thomas Noonan–64 Andrés “Andy” García Menéndez–59 Shannen Doherty–44 Nicholas Brendon Schultz–44 Claire Danes–36 Jennifer Morrison–36 ; 1955 – The polio vaccine, developed by Dr. Jonas Salk, is declared safe and effective.

April 11

Happy Birthday RIP Oleg Cassini Loiewski(1913–2006) Meshach Taylor(1947–2014) ; Ethel Skakel Kennedy–87 Joel Grey(Katz)–83 Louise Lasser–76 William Irwin–65 Michele Scarabelli–60 Lisa Stansfield–49 ; 1976 – The Apple I is created.

April 10

Happy Birthday RIP Joseph Pulitzer(1847–1911) Kevin “Chuck” Connors(1921–1992) Harry Morgan(Bratsberg 1915–2011) ; Carl “Max” von Sydow–86 Michel Shalhoub(عمر الشريف “Omar Sharif”)–83 John Madden–79 Lee Capellaro(“Ving”)–65 Steven Seagal–63 Brian Setzer–56 Katrina Leskanich–55 Charlie Hunnam–35 Michael Pitt–34 Amanda “Mandy” Moore–31 Haley Joel Osment–27 ; 1866 – The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is founded in New York City by Henry Bergh. ; 1912 – The RMS Titanic leaves port in Southampton, England for her maiden and only voyage.

April 9

Happy Birthday RIP Avery Schreiber(1935–2002) ; Hugh Hefner–89 Moshopopoulos Yolas(“Marty Krofft”)–78 Michael Learned–76 Dennis Quaid–61 Marc Jacobs–52 Cynthia Nixon–49 Jennifer Massoli(“Jenna Jameson”)–41 Keshia Knight Pulliam–36 Jonathan Baruchel–33 Leighton Meester–29 Jesse McCartney–28 Kristen Stewart–25 Mary Elle Fanning–17 ; 1867 – Alaska purchase: Passing by a single vote, the United States Senate ratifies a treaty with Russia for the purchase of Alaska.

April 8

Happy Birthday RIP “Mary Pickford”(Gladys Smith 1892–1979) Elizabeth “Betty” Ford(1918–2011) ; Sheldon Greenfield(“Shecky Greene”)–89 John Schneider III–55 Jeffrey “Izzy Stradlin” Isbell–53 John Julian Lennon–52 Robin Wright–49 Patricia Arquette–47 ; 1913 – The 17th amendment to the Constitution, providing for the popular election of U.S. senators, was ratified.

April 7

Happy Birthday RIP Ian Richardson(1934–2007) “Billie Holiday”(Elinore Fagan 1915–1959) James Bumgarner(“Garner” 1928–2014) ; William “Wayne” Rogers III–82 Edmund “Jerry” Brown Jr–77 Francis Ford Coppola–76 John Oates–67 Kong-sang “Jackie” Chan(陳港生)–61 Russell Crowe–51 ; 1927 – First long-distance public television broadcast (from Washington, D.C., to New York City, displaying the image of Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover) ; 1967 – Film critic Roger Ebert published his very first film review in the Chicago Sun-Times

April 6

Happy Birthday William December Williams–78 Merle Haggard–78 John Ratzenberger–68 Patrika Darbo–67 “MariLou Henner”(Mary Lucy Pudlowski)–63 Paul Rudd–46 Anders Jensen–43 Zachary Braff–40 Candace Cameron–39 ; 1909 – Robert Peary and Matthew Henson reach the North Pole. ; 1947 – The first Tony Awards are presented for theatrical achievement at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City

April 5

Happy Birthday RIP Eldred Gregory Peck(1916–2003) Ruth “Bette” Davis(1908–1989) Spencer Tracy(1900–1967) Christopher Hewett(1921–2001); Colin Powell–78 Maxwell Gail–72 Åse Agneta Fältskog–65 Thea Gill–45 Pharrell Williams–42 ; 1792 – U.S. President George Washington exercises his authority to veto a bill, the first time this power is used in the United States.

April 4

Happy Birthday RIP Heath Andrew Ledger(1979–2008) Daniel David White(1916–1990) Anthony Perkins(1932–1992) “Maya Angelou”(Marguerite Johnson 1928–2014) ; Estelle Harris(Nussbaum)–87 Craig T. Nelson–71 Hugo Weaving–55 Graham Walker(“Norton”)–52 David Cross–51 Robert Downey Jr–50 Nancy McKeon–49 James Rodriguez(“Roday”)–39 ; 1850 – The city of Los Angeles was incorporated ; 1968 – Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated by James Earl Ray at a motel in Memphis, Tennessee ; 1975 – Microsoft is founded as a partnership between Bill Gates and Paul Allen in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

April 3

Happy Birthday RIP Leslie Howard Steiner(1893–1943) Marlon Brando Jr(1924–2004) ; Doris Kappelhoff(“Doris Day”)–92 Dame Valerie Jane Morris Goodall–81 Marsha Mason–73 Carson Wayne Newton–73 Michael Orlando Cassavitis(“Tony Orlando”)–71 Alexander “Alec” Baldwin III–57 David Hyde Pierce–56 Edward “Eddie” Murphy–54 Paul Benjamin Mendelsohn–46 Jamie Bamber Griffith–42 ; 1860 – The first successful United States Pony Express run from Saint Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, begins ; 1968 – Martin Luther King, Jr. delivers his “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech.