History Blog

August 18

Happy Birthday RIP “Shelley Winters”(Shirley Schrift 1920–2006) Patrick Swayze(1952–2009) ; Eleanor Rosalynn Carter–86 “Roman Polanski”(Rajmund  Liebling)–80 Charles Robert Redford–76 Martin Mull–70 Elayne Boosler–61 Denis Leary–56 Christian Slater–44 Edward Norton–44 Malcolm-Jamal Warner–43 Andy Samberg–35 ; 1868 – French astronomer Pierre Janssen discovers helium

August 17

Happy Birthday RIP Mary “Mae” West(1893–1980) ; Robert De Niro–70 Larry Ellison–69 Kevin Rowlan–60 Belinda Carlisle–55 Sean Penn–53 Donnie Wahlberg–44 ; 1982 – The first Compact Discs (CDs) are released to the public in Germany.

August 16

Happy Birthday RIP Fess Parker(1924–2010) Edith Gormezano(“Eydie Gormé” 1928–2013) ; Frank Gifford–83 Julia Newmeyer(“Julie Newmar”)–80 Lesley Ann Warren–67 Kathie Lee Gifford(Epstein)–60 James Cameron–59 Madonna Louise Ciccone–55 Angela Bassett–55 Timothy Hutton–53 Steve Carell–51 Cameron Gigandet–31 Cameron Monaghan–20 ; 1954 – Sports Illustrated was first published by Time Inc. ; 1977 – Elvis Presley died at Graceland Mansion in Memphis, Tenn., at age 42. The bathroom where the body was found is closed to the public.

August 15

Happy Birthday RIP Julia Child(McWilliams 1912–2004) ; Rose Marie Mazetta–90 “Mike Connors”(Krekor Ohanian)–88 Patricia Priest–77 Linda Ellerbee(Smith)–69 Princess Anne Windsor–63 Tess Harper(Washam)–63 Željko Ivanek–56 Debra Messing–45 Ben Affleck–41 Joe Jonas–24 Jennifer Lawrence–23 ; 1939 – “The Wizard of Oz” premiered at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood California

August 14

Happy Birthday RIP Alice Ghostley(1924–2007) ; David Crosby–72 Steve Martin–68 Susan Saint James(Miller)–67 Danielle Steel–66 Gary Larson–63 Earvin “Magic” Johnson–54 Marcia Gay Harden–54 Susan Olsen–52 Jon Marc Ingle(“Lady Bunny”)–51 Maria Halle Berry–47 Catherine Bell–45 Christopher Gorham–39 Milena Kunis–30 ; 1935 – Social Security Act, creating a government pension system for the retired, is signed into law by Franklin Roosevelt

August 13

Happy Birthday RIP Irving “Bert” Lahrheim(1895–1967) Alfred Hitchcock(1899–1980) Neville Brand(1920–1992) Herb Ritts(1952–2002) ; Daniel “Pat” Harrington–84 “Kevin Tighe”(John Fishburn)–69 Dante “Danny” Bonaduce–54 John Slattery–51 James Carpinello–38 Augusto “Alex” González–33 ; 1942 – Walt Disney’s animated feature “Bambi” premiered at Radio City Music Hall in New York City

August 12

Happy Birthday RIP Jane Wyatt(1910–2006) Cecil Blount DeMille(1881–1959) ; George Hamilton–74 Patrick “Pat” Metheny–59 Peter Krause–48 Rebecca Gayheart–41 Caleb Casey Affleck–38 ; 1851 – Isaac Singer is granted a patent for his sewing machine

August 11

Happy Birthday Terry Bollea(“Hulk Hogan”)–60 Viola Davis–48 Anna Gunn–45 Chris Messina–39 Chris Hemsworth–30 ; 1965 – deadly rioting and looting broke out in the predominantly black Watts section of Los Angeles

August 10

Happy Birthday RIP Herbert Hoover(1874–1964) Edith Norma Shearer(1902–1983) John “Jack” Haley(1898–1979) Eddie Fisher(1928–2010) ; Ian Anderson–65 Don Swayze–55 Rosanna Arquette–54 José Antonio Banderas–53 Justin Theroux–41 Ryan Eggold–39 Lucas Till–23 ; 1977 – In Yonkers, New York, 24yo postal employee David Berkowitz (“Son of Sam”) is arrested for a series of killings in the New York City area over the period of one year

August 9

Happy Birthday RIP Whitney Houston(1963–2012) ; Sam Elliott–69 Melanie Griffith–56 Amanda Bearse–55 Gillian Anderson–45 Eric Banadinovich(Eric Bana)–45 Audrey Tautou–37 Anna Kendrick–28 ; 1969 – Actress Sharon Tate, Abigail Folger, Wojciech Frykowski, Jay Sebring and Steven Parent were found murdered in Los Angeles; cult leader Charles Manson and a group of his followers were later convicted of the murders