History Blog

January 4

Happy Birthday RIP Sorrell Booke(1930–1994) ; Barbara Rush–86 Dyan Cannon(Samile Friesen)–76 Bernard Sumner–59 Ann Magnuson–56 Denise Matthews(“Vanity”)–54 Matt Frewer–54 John Michael Stipe–53 Dave Foley–50 Dorothy “Dot” Jones–49 Adam Trese–44 Julia Ormond–48 August Diehl–37 Aaron Schwartz–32 ; 1865 – The New York Stock Exchange opens its first permanent headquarters at 10-12 Broad near Wall Street in New York, New York.

January 3

Happy Birthday RIP John Ronald Reuel Tolkien(1892–1973) ; Salvatore “Robert” Loggia–83 Dabney Coleman–81 Victoria Principale–63 Brian Bruce(LaBruce)–49 ; 1938 – The March of Dimes is established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt ; 1977 – Apple Computer is incorporated

January 2

Happy Birthday RIP Florence Bridgford(Florence Lawrence 1886–1938) Joan Winnifrith(Anna Lee 1913–2004) Isaak Ozimov(1920–1992) ; Cuba Gooding Jr.–45 Patrick Huard–44 Dax Shepard–38 Catherine “Kate” Bosworth–30 ; 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–75 Joseph Saddler(“Grandmaster Flash”)–55 Dedee Pfeiffer–49 Verne Troyer–44 William Jonas Armstrong–32 ; 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

First Parade

December 31

Happy Birthday RIP John Denver(Henry Deutschendorf 1943–1997) Donna Summer(LaDonna Gaines 1949–2012) ; Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins–75 Andy Summers–70 Ben Kingsley(Krishna Bhanji)–69 Diane Von Furstenberg(Diane Halfin)–66 Timothy Matthieson–64 Beatrice “Bebe” Neuwirth–54 Val Kilmer–53 Michael McDonald–48 Joseph “Joey” McIntyre–40 ; 1983 – The AT&T Bell System is broken up by the United States Government due to antitrust laws.

December 30

Happy Birthday RIP Davy Jones(1945–2012) ; James Burrows–72 Meredith Vieira–59 Matt Lauer–55 Tracey Ullman–53 Heidi Fleiss–47 Jason Behr–39 Eldrick “Tiger” Woods–37 Kristin Kreuk–30 ; 1940 – California’s first freeway, the Arroyo Seco Parkway connecting Los Angeles and Pasadena, was officially opened.

December 29

Happy Birthday Inga Swenson–80 Mary Tyler Moore–76 Jonathan “Jon” Voight–74 Edward “Ted” Danson–65 Yvonne Elliman–61 Paula Poundstone–53 Patricia Clarkson–53 Andy Wachowski–45 David Jude Law–40 ; 1851 The first American Young Men’s Christian Association was organized, in Boston Mass.

December 28

Happy Birthday Grace “Nichelle” Nichols–80  Dame Margaret “Maggie” Smith–78 Denzel Washington–58 Terri Garber–52 Seth Meyers–39 Brendan Hines–36 David Archuleta–22 ; 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–73 Cokie Roberts(Mary Boggs)–69 Gérard Depardieu–64 Wilson Echevarrí(“Cruz”)–39 Masa Oka(岡 政偉)–38 ; 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–76 Osborn “Ozzie” Smith–58 David Sedaris–56 Richard “Reichen” Lehmkuhl–39; 1865 – James H. Nason of Franklin, Mass., received a patent for the coffee percolator ; 1933 – FM radio is patented