History Blog

December 29

Happy Birthday Inga Swenson-79 Mary Tyler Moore-75 Jon Voight-73 Ted Danson-64 Paula Poundstone-52 Patricia Clarkson-52 Andy Wachowski-44 Jude Law-39

December 28

Happy Birthday Nichelle Nichols-79  Maggie Smith-77 Denzel Washington-57 Seth Meyers-38 Brendan Hines-35 David Archuleta-21 ; 1981, Elizabeth Jordan Carr, the first American test-tube baby, was born in Norfolk, Va.

December 27

Happy Birthday Cokie Roberts-68 Gerard Depardieu-63 Wilson Cruz-38  RIP Marlene Dietrich(1901-1992)  ; 1932 Radio City Music Hall opened in New York City.

December 25

Happy Birthday Tony Martin-98 Gary Sandy-66 Jimmy Buffet-65 Barbara Mandrell-63 Sissy Spacek-62 Florian “Dido” Armstrong-40 Annie Lennox-57

December 24

Happy Birthday Mary Higgins Clark-84 Diedrich Bader-45 Ricky Martin-40 Ryan Seacrest-37 ; 1906 Canadian physicist Reginald A. Fessenden became the first person to broadcast a music program over radio, from Brant Rock, Mass.

December 23

Happy Birthday Japanese Emperor Akihito-78 Bob Kahn-73 Harry Shearer-68 Susan Lucci-65 Eddie Vedder-47 RIP Corey Haim (1971-2010) ; 1913 – The Federal Reserve Act is signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson, creating the Federal Reserve.

December 21

Happy Birthday Phil Donahue-76 Jane Fonda-74 Samuel L. Jackson-63 Ray Romano-54 Andy Dick-46 Kiefer Sutherland-45 ; 1913 The first crossword puzzle was published, in New York World.

December 19

Happy Birthday Cicely Tyson-78 Elaine Joyce-68 Tim Reid-67 Mike Lookinland-51 Jennifer Beals-48 Tilman Schweiger-48 Kristy Swanson-42 Alyssa Milano-39 Rosa Blasi-39 Jake Gyllenhaal-31 ; 1984, Britain and China signed an accord returning Hong Kong to Chinese sovereignty on July 1, 1997.