History Blog

January 20

Happy Birthday RIP “George Burns”(Nathan Birnbaum 1896–1996) Patricia Neal(1926–2010) Jackson DeForest Kelley(1920–1999) Ottis “Slim” Whitman Jr(1923–2013) Arthur “Arte” Johnson(1929–2019) ; Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin Jr–94 David Lynch–78 William “Bill” Maher Jr–68 Lorenzo Lamas–66 James Denton Jr–61 Rainn Wilson–58 Melissa Rivers (Rosenberg)–56 “Skeet Ulrich”(Bryan Trout)–54 Evan Peters–37 ; 1920 – The American Civil Liberties Union is founded

January 19

Happy Birthday RIP Edgar Allan Poe(1809–1849) Janis Joplin (1943–1970) Robert Palmer (1949–2003) Jean Stapleton(Jeanne Murray 1923–2013) Phillip Everly(1939–2014) ; Nathalie “Tippi” Hedren–94 Dolly Rebecca Parton–78 Desi Arnaz Jr.(Desiderio Arnaz IV)–71 Catherine “Katey” Sagal–70 Paul Rodriguez–69 Robert “William” Ragsdale–63 Shawn Wayans–53 Benjamin Ayres–47 Elizabeth “Bitsie” Tulloch–43 Jodie Sweetin–42 ; 1955 – A presidential news conference was filmed for TV for the first time, with the permission of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. ; 1935 – Coopers Inc. sells the world’s first men’s brief type underwear.

January 18

Happy Birthday RIP Oliver Hardy (1892–1957) Thomas Watson (1854–1934) “Cary Grant”(Archibald Leach 1904–1986) “Danny Kaye”(David Kaminski 1913–1987) ; Kevin Costner–69 Thomas “Tom” Bailey–70 Allison Arngrim–62 David Attell–59 Jason Segel–44 ; 1886 – Modern hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England ; 1919 – Bentley Motors Limited is founded

January 17

Happy Birthday RIP Karl Lämmle(1867–1939) Andrew “Andy” Kaufman(1949–1984) Nancy Parsons(1942–2001) Sheree North(Dawn Crang 1932–2005) Eartha “Kitt”(Keith 1927–2008) “Muhammad Ali”(Cassius Clay Jr 1942–2016) Betty Ludden White 1922–2021) ; James Earl Jones–93 Maurice “Maury” Povich–85 Paul Young–68 Broderick “Steve” Harvey–67 Susanna Hoffs–65 James Carrey–62 Michelle Obama–60 Naveen Andrews–55 Robert Ritchie(“Kid Rock”)–53 Diogo Morgado–43 ; 1893 – Hawaii’s monarchy was overthrown as a group of businessmen and sugar planters forced Queen Liliuokalani to abdicate her monarchy.

January 16

Happy Birthday RIP Henry “Harry” Carey II(1878–1947) Ethel Merman(Zimmerman 1908–1984) Aaliyah Haughton(1979–2001) ; Anthony “A.J.” Foyt–89 Ronnie Milsap–81 John Carpenter–76 Deborrah “Debbie” Allen–74 Helen “Sade” Adu–65 Andrea James–57 David Al-Chokhachy (“Chokachi”)–56 Jonathan Mangum–53 Katherine “Kate” Moss–50 ; 1964 – The musical “Hello, Dolly!” starring Carol Channing opened on Broadway, beginning a run of 2,844 performances

January 15

Happy Birthday RIP Martin Luther King Jr(1929–1968) Lloyd Bridges Jr(1913–1998) “Phyllis Coates'(Gypsy Ann Stella 1927–2023) ; Andrea Martin–77 William James Nesbitt–59 Lisa Lisa Velez-58 Charles “Chad” Lowe–56 Regina King–53 Edmund “Eddie” Cahill–46 ; 1889 – The Coca-Cola Company, then known as the Pemberton Medicine Company, is originally incorporated in Atlanta, Georgia by the pharmacist John Pemberton that created the original formula for the popular soda drink. ; 1974 –”Happy Days” premiered on ABC ; 2001 – Wikipedia, a web-based encyclopedia, made its debut

January 14

Happy Birthday RIP Phyllis “Bebe” Daniels (1901–1971) Andrew “Andy” Rooney(1919–2011) ; John “Jack” Jones–86 Dorothy Faye Dunaway–83 Holland Taylor–81 Steven Soderbergh–61 Emily Watson–57 James Smith(“LL Cool J”)–56 Jason Bateman–55 Kevin Durand–50 Zachary Gilford–42 Thomas Grant Gustin–34 ; 1952 – National Broadcasting Company’s long-running morning news program “Today” debuts, with host Dave Garroway

January 13

Happy Birthday RIP “Kay Francis”(Katherine Gibbs 1905–1968) Robert Stack(1919–2003) Charles Nelson Reilly(1931–2007) Charles “Rip” Taylor Jr. (1931–2019) Frances Sternhagen(1930–2023) Charles Richard Moll(1943–2023) ; “Jason Stuart”(Stuart Greif)–65 Julia Louis-Dreyfus–63 Tracy Adkins–62 Patrick Dempsey–58 Michael Peña–48 Orlando Bloom–47 Brad Williams–40 Liam Hemsworth–34 ; 1910 – The first public radio broadcast takes place; a live performance of the opera “Cavalleria Rusticana” is sent out over the airwaves from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, New York

January 12

Happy Birthday RIP Sarah “Patsy” Kelly(1910–1981) Joseph Frazier(1944–2011) Kirstie Alley(1951–2022) ; George Kresge Jr(“Amazing Kreskin”)–89 Anthony Andrews–76 Howard Stern–70 Oliver Platt–64 Jeffrey Bezos(Jorgensen)–60 Robert Cummings(“Rob Zombie”)–59 Matthew Kohler–45 Jo-Issa “Issa” Rae Diop–39 William Rothhaar–37 Andrew Lawrence–36 ; 1915 – The United States House of Representatives rejects a proposal to give women the right to vote. Not until 1920 when 19th Amendment is ratified will it be illegal to deny voter rights based on gender ; 1971 – All in the Family, one of the most famous situation comedies, premieres on CBS

January 11

Happy Birthday RIP Felix Silla (1937–2021) Mitchell Ryan(1934–2022) Diana “Naomi” Judd(1946–2022) ; Lee Ritenour–72 Vicki Peterson Cowsill–66 Mary Jane Blige–53 Marcus Blucas–52 Amanda Peet–52 ; 1964 – Surgeon General of the United States Dr. Luther Terry, M.D., publishes the landmark report Smoking and Health: Report of the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General of the United States saying that smoking may be hazardous to health, sparking national and worldwide anti-smoking efforts