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
December 25
Happy Birthday RIP Humphrey Bogart(1899–1957) Rodman Serling(1924–1975) Tony Martin(Alvin Morris 1913–2012) ; Gary Sandy–67 Barbara Mandrell–64 Mary “Sissy” Spacek–63 Annie Lennox–58 Florian Armstrong(“Dido”)–41 Dylan Vox–38; 1818 – “Silent Night” was performed for the first time, at the Church of St. Nikolaus in Oberndorff, Austria. #JoyeuxNoel
December 24
Happy Birthday RIP Ava Gardner(1922–1990) ; Mary Teresa Higgins–85 Karl Diedrich Bader–46 Enrique Martín Morales(Ricky Martin)–41 Jeremy Greenberg(Davidson)–41 Ryan Seacrest–38 ; 1851 – Fire devastated the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., destroying about 35,000 volumes. ; 1955 NORAD tracks Santa Claus.
December 23
Happy Birthday RIP Corey Haim(1971–2010) ; Japanese Emperor Akihito(昭仁)–79 Bob Kahn–74 Harry Shearer–69 Susan Lucci–66 Eddie Vedder(Edward Severson III)–48 ; 1913 – The Federal Reserve Act is signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson, creating the Federal Reserve Bank.
December 22
Happy Birthday RIP Barbara Billingsley(Combes 1915–2010) Gene Rayburn(Gene Rubessa 1917–1999) Maurice and Robin Gibb(1949–2003,2012) ; Hector Elizondo–76 Lila Diane Sawyer–67 Ralph Fiennes–50 Heather Donahue–39 ; 1851 – The first freight train is operated in Roorkee, India.
December 21
Happy Birthday RIP Frank Zappa(1940–1993) ; Phil Donahue–77 Jane Fonda–75 Samuel L. Jackson–64 Ray Romano–55 Andy Dick–47 Kiefer Sutherland–46 ; 1913 – The first crossword puzzle was published, in New York World.
December 20
Happy Birthday John Hillerman–80 George Criscuola(“Peter Criss”)–67 Uri Geller–66 Alan Parsons–64 Chris Robinson–46 David Cook–30 Jonah Hill Feldstein–29 Allan Hyde–23 ; 1803 – The Louisiana Purchase is completed at a ceremony in New Orleans.
December 19
Happy Birthday RIP Robert Urich(1946–2002) ; Cicely Tyson–79 Maurice White–71 Elaine Joyce Pinchot–69 Tim Reid–68 Mike Lookinland–52 Jennifer Beals–49 Tilman Schweiger–49 Kristy Swanson–43 Alyssa Milano–40 Rosa Blasi–40 Jacob Gyllenhaal–32 ; 1843 Charles Dickens’ Yuletide tale, “A Christmas Carol,” was first published in Britain.
December 18
Happy Birthday RIP Elizabeth “Betty” Grable (1916–1973) ; Keith Richards–69 Steven Spielberg–66 Leonard Maltin–62 Raymond “Ray” Liotta–57 Casper Van Dien–44 William “Brad” Pitt–49 Katie Holmes–34 Christina Aguilera–32 ; 1957 – the Shippingport Atomic Power Station in Pennsylvania, the first civilian nuclear facility to generate electricity in the United States, went online.
December 17
Happy Birthday Earnest “Ernie” Hudson–67 Eugene Levy–66 Barry Livingston–59 William “Bill” Pullman–59 Antonino Giovanni Ribisi–38 Sarah Paulson–38 Milica “Milla” Jovovich–37 ; 1903 – Orville and Wilbur Wright made the first successful man-powered airplane flight, near Kitty Hawk, N.C.