History Blog

January 3

Happy Birthday RIP John Ronald Reuel Tolkien(1892–1973) ; Salvatore “Robert” Loggia–84 Dabney Coleman–83 Victoria Principale–64 Brian Bruce(LaBruce)–50 ; 1938 – The March of Dimes is established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt ; 1977 – Apple Computer is incorporated

January 2

Happy Birthday RIP Florence Bridgford(“Lawrence” 1886–1938) Joan Winnifrith(“Anna Lee” 1913–2004) Isaak Ozimov(1920–1992) ; Cuba Gooding Jr.–46 Patrick Huard–45 Dax Shepard–39 Catherine “Kate” Bosworth–31 ; 1974 – President Richard Nixon signed legislation requiring states to limit interstate highway speeds to 55 mph to conserve gasoline.

January 1

Happy Birthday RIP John Edgar Hoover(1895–1972) ; Frank Langella–76 Joseph Saddler(“Grandmaster Flash”)–56 Dedee Pfeiffer–50 Verne Troyer–45 William Jonas Armstrong–33 ; 1890 – The Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, is held for first time ; 1892 – Ellis Island in New York City opens to begin processing immigrants into the United States ; 1983 – APRANET officially begins using TCP/IP, thus creating Internet.

December 31

Happy Birthday RIP “John Denver”(Henry Deutschendorf 1943–1997) “Donna Summer”(LaDonna Gaines 1949–2012) ; Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins–76 Andy Summers–71 “Ben Kingsley”(Krishna Bhanji)–70 Diane Von Furstenberg(Halfin)–67 Timothy Matthieson–65 Beatrice “Bebe” Neuwirth–55 Val Kilmer–54 Michael McDonald–49 Joseph “Joey” McIntyre–41 ; 1983 – The AT&T Bell System is broken up by the United States Government due to antitrust laws.

December 30

Happy Birthday RIP “Jack Lord”(John Ryan 1920–1998) “Bo Diddley”(Ellas Bates 1928–2008) Davy Jones(1945–2012) ; James Burrows–73 Meredith Vieira–60 Matt Lauer–56 Tracey Ullman–54 Heidi Fleiss–48 Jason Behr–40 Eldrick “Tiger” Woods–39 Kristin Kreuk–31 ; 1940 – California’s first freeway, the Arroyo Seco Parkway connecting Los Angeles and Pasadena, was officially opened.

December 29

Happy Birthday Inga Swenson–81 Mary Tyler Moore–77 Jonathan “Jon” Voight–75 Edward “Ted” Danson–66 Yvonne Elliman–62 Paula Poundstone–54 Patricia Clarkson–54 Andy Wachowski–46 David Jude Law–41 ; 1851 – The first American Young Men’s Christian Association was organized, in Boston Mass.

December 28

Happy Birthday Stanley “Lee” Lieber–91 Grace “Nichelle” Nichols–81  Dame Margaret “Maggie” Smith–79 Denzel Washington–59 Terri Garber–53 Hugh Malcolm Gets–49 Seth Meyers–40 Brendan Hines–37 ; 1912 – The first municipally owned streetcars take to the streets in San Francisco, California.

December 27

Happy Birthday RIP Louis Pasteur(1822–1895) Marie “Marlene” Dietrich(1901–1992) Heather O’Rourke(1975–1988) ; John Amos–74 “Cokie Roberts”(Mary Boggs)–70 Gérard Depardieu–65 Wilson Echevarrí(“Cruz”)–40 Masa Oka(岡 政偉)–39 ; 1932 – Radio City Music Hall opened in New York City.

December 26

Happy Birthday RIP Steve Allen(1921–2000) Irwin Kniberg(“Alan King” 1926–2004) ; Harvey “Phil” Spector–74 Osborn “Ozzie” Smith–59 David Sedaris–57 Jared Leto–42 Richard “Reichen” Lehmkuhl–40 Chris Daughtry–34 ; 1865 – James H. Nason of Franklin, Mass., received a patent for the coffee percolator ; 1933 – FM radio is patented.

December 25

Happy Birthday RIP Humphrey Bogart(1899–1957) “Tony Martin”(Alvin Morris 1913–2012) Rodman Serling(1924–1975) “Mabel King”(Donnie Washington 1932–1999) ; Gary Sandy–68 Jimmy Buffett–67 Barbara Mandrell–65 Mary “Sissy” Spacek–64 Annie Lennox–59 Florian Armstrong(“Dido”)–42 Dylan Vox–39 ; 1815 – The Handel and Haydn Society, oldest continuously performing arts organization in the United States, gives its first performance at King’s Chapel (then Stone Chapel), with a chorus of 90 men and 10 women