History Blog

June 8

Happy Birthday Jerry Stiller–86 Joan Rivers(Molinsky)–80 Nancy Sinatra–73 William “Boz” Scaggs–69 Kathy Baker–63 “Bonnie Tyler”(Gaynor Hopkins)–62 Keenen Ivory Wayans–55 Bernard White–54 Nick Rhodes(Bates)–51 Frank Grillo–50 Kevin Farley–48 Julianna Margulies–47 Dan Futterman–46 Mark Feuerstein–42 Eion Bailey–37 Kanye West–36 Jess Weixler–32 ;  1953 – The Supreme Court ruled that restaurants in the District of Columbia could not refuse to serve blacks.

June 7

Happy Birthday RIP “Dean Martin”(Dino Crocetti 1917–1995) Jessica Tandy(1909–1994) ; Tom Jones(Woodward)–73 “Jenny Jones”(Janina Stronski)–67 William “Liam” Neeson–61 William Forsythe–58 Prince Nelson–55 Karl Urban–41 Bill Hader–35 Michael Cera–25 ; 1972 – The musical “Grease” opened on Broadway.

June 6

Happy Birthday Robert Englund–66 Harvey Fierstein–61 Sandra Bernhard–58 Björn Borg–57 Colin Quinn–54 Jason Isaacs–50 Paul Giamatti–46 Sonya Walger–39 ; 1892 – Chicago ‘EL’ begins operation (Elevated Trains) ; 1933 – The first drive-in movie theater opened, in Camden County, N.J.

June 5

Happy Birthday RIP Robert Lansing(Brown 1928–1994) ; Peggy Stewart(O’Rourke)–90 Bill Moyers–79 Susan Orman–62 Kenneth Gorelick(“Kenny G”)–57 Richard Butler–57 Susan Lynch–42 Mark Wahlberg–42 Chad Allen Lazzari–39 Peter Wentz–34 François Sagat–34 ; 1968 – Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was shot and mortally wounded just after claiming victory in California’s Democratic presidential primary. Gunman Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was immediately arrested.

June 4

Happy Birthday RIP Catherine Rosalind Russell(1907–1976) William Dennis Weaver(1924–2006) ; Bruce Dern–77 Richard Stevenson Parker–61 Eldra “El” DeBarge–52 Albert Brown(“Al B Sure”)–45 Scott Wolf–45 Noah Wyle–42 Angelina Jolie Voight–38 Russell Brand–38 Todd “T.J.” Miller–31 ; 1912 – Massachusetts became the first state to adopt a minimum wage law.

June 3

Happy Birthday RIP “Josephine Baker”(Freda McDonald 1906–1975) “Tony Curtis”(Bernard Schwartz 1925–2010) ; Chuck Barris–84 Ian Hunter Patterson–74 “Deniece Williams”(June Chandler)–63 Suzie Plakson–55 Anderson Cooper–46 ; 1889 – The first long-distance electric power transmission line in the United States is completed, running 14 miles (23 km) between a generator at Willamette Falls and downtown Portland, Oregon.

June 2

Happy Birthday RIP Marvin Hamlisch(1944–2012) ; Sally Kellerman–76 Walter Stacy Keach–72 Lars Hallström–67 Jerry Mathers–65 Joanna Gleason(Hall)–63 Dana Carvey–58 Wentworth Miller–41 Zachary Quinto–37 Justin Long–35 Dominic Cooper–35 ; 1924 – Congress granted U.S. citizenship to all American Indians

June 1

Happy Birthday RIP Marilyn Monroe(Norma Jeane Mortenson 1926–1962) Cleavon Little(1939–1992) Andy Griffith(1926–2012) ; Charles “Pat” Boone–79 Morgan Freeman–76 Rene Auberjonois–73 Brian Cox–67 John Price–66 Heidi Klum–40 Alanis Morissette–39 ; 1980 – CNN made its debut.

May 31

Happy Birthday RIP Walter “Walt” Whitman(1819–1892) Dominic “Don” Ameche(Amici 1908–1993) ; Clinton Eastwood–83 Peter Yarrow–75 Sharon Gless–70 Joseph “Joe” Namath–70 Thomas Berenger(Moore)–64 Christopher Elliott–53 Lea Thompson–52 Corey Hart–51 Brooke Shields–48 Colin Farrell–37 ; 1889 – Johnstown Flood: Over 2,200 people die after a dam break sends a 60-foot (18-meter) wall of water over the town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

May 30

Happy Birthday RIP Mel Blanc(Melvin Blank 1908–1989) Benjamin “Benny” Goodman(1909–1986) ; Colm Meaney–60 Ted McGinley–55 Mark Sheppard–49 “Wynonna Judd”(Christina Ciminella)–49 Idina Menzel–42 Omri Katz–37 ; 1911 – At the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the first Indianapolis 500 ends with Ray Harroun in his Marmon Wasp becoming the first winner of the 500-mile auto race.