1 – Time Rewind

On This Day April 1

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On This Day March 1

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Celebrity Birthdays

1904 – Swing bandleader, composer and arranger Glenn Miller (d. 1944)

1927 – Grammy and Tony-winning singer, actor and social activist Harry Belafonte, dubbed the “King of Calypso”

1944 – Singer-songwriter and The Who founder-frontman Roger Daltrey

1954 – Actor and Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard (“The Andy Griffith Show,” “Happy Days,” “Apollo 13,” “A Beautiful Mind,” “Cinderella Man,” “Frost/Nixon,” “Solo: A Star Wars Story”)

1994 – Grammy-winning pop sensation Justin Bieber

History Highlights

1872 – The U.S. Congress passes an act designating Yellowstone the first federally protected national park.

1932 – In one of the most sensational criminal cases in American history, the 20-month-old son of aviator Charles Lindbergh is kidnapped from the family’s Hopewell, New Jersey mansion. Despite a ransom payment, the child is never returned. Two months later, his decomposed body is found by a truck driver about four miles from the Lindbergh home. The investigation eventually leads to the arrest of German immigrant and carpenter Bruno Hauptmann, who is tried, convicted and executed for the crime in 1936.

1961 – Newly elected President John F. Kennedy signs an executive order establishing the Peace Corps. Over the years, the Peace Corps has sent nearly a quarter of a million American volunteers to 141 countries to provide local training and assistance with health, education, water, sanitation, agriculture, nutrition and forestry projects.

1969 – Legendary New York Yankees center fielder Mickey Mantle announces his retirement from baseball. Nicknamed “The Mick,” he is considered one of the greatest power and switch hitters in baseball history.

Musical Milestones

1969 – “Everyday People,” by Sly and the Family Stone, tops the Billboard Hot 100.

1973 – “The Dark Side of the Moon,” the eighth studio album by British rock band Pink Floyd, is released in the U.S. and gives us classics including “Money” and “Us and Them.” It remains on the Billboard album chart for an incredible 937 weeks (18 years).

1974 – Olivia Newton-John wins Record of the Year and Best Pop Female Vocal Performance Grammys for “I Honestly Love You.”

1975 – The Eagles soar to the top of the singles chart with their first No. 1 single: “Best of My Love.”

1986 – Mr. Mister’s “Kyrie,” from the band’s “Welcome to the Real World” album, begins two weeks as a No. 1 single.

1997 – The Spice Girls’ debut single, “Wannabe,” is in the middle of a four-week domination of the Billboard Hot 100. The track also goes on to top the pop charts in the band’s native U.K. and 20 other countries.

2003 – Jennifer Lopez and LL Cool J wrap up four weeks as chart-toppers with “All I Have.”

On This Day February 1

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Celebrity Birthdays

1901 – Actor Clark Gable, known as the “King of Hollywood” (“It Happened One Night,” “Gone With the Wind,”) (d. 1960)

1902 – Poet Langston Hughes, best known as leader of the so-called “Harlem Renaissance” movement (d. 1967)

1937 – Singer Don Everly of The Everly Brothers (“”Wake Up, Little Susie”)

1948 – Funk musician Rick James (“Super Freak,” “Give It To Me Baby”) (d. 2004)

1965 – Actress Sherilyn Fenn (“21 Jump Street,” “Two Moon Junction,” “Twin Peaks”)

1968 – Stand-up comedian and actor Pauly Shore (“Encino Man,” “In the Army Now,” “Bio-Dome,” “Son in Law”)

1968 – Singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of rock and roll legend Elvis Presley (d. 2023)

1971 – Golden Globe-winning actor Michael C. Hall (“Six Feet Under,” “Dexter”)

1994 – Singer-songwriter Harry Styles, formerly of the popular boy band One Direction

History Highlights

1884 – The first portion, or fascicle, of the Oxford English Dictionary, considered the most comprehensive and accurate dictionary of the English language, is published.

1893 – Thomas Edison completes construction of the first motion picture studio, the Black Maria, on his property in West Orange, New Jersey.

1968 – The New York Central Railroad and the Pennsylvania Railroad merge to form the ill-fated Penn Central line.

1978 – Director Roman Polanski skips bail and flees the United States to France after pleading guilty to charges of engaging in sex with a 13-year-old girl.

1982 – “Late Night With David Letterman” premieres on NBC, introducing ‘Stupid Pet Tricks,’ ‘Stupid Human Tricks’ and other frivolity to late-night television. Actor Bill Murray is Dave’s first guest.

2003 – Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-107) disintegrates upon re-entry to Earth, killing all seven crew members. Debris from the ill-fated spaceship falls along a path from Fort Worth, Texas eastward into Louisiana.

2004 – The term “wardrobe malfunction” is born at Houston’s Reliant Stadium (now NRG Stadium) when one of Janet Jackson’s breasts is briefly exposed during her Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show performance with Justin Timberlake.

Musical Milestones

1958 – Elvis Presley records his last single before joining the U.S. Army: “Wear My Ring Around Your Neck.”

1964 – “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” by The Beatles, tops the Billboard Hot 100 and remains there for seven weeks.

1969 – “Crimson and Clover,” by Tommy James and The Shondells, begins two weeks as the No. 1 single. With an estimated five million copies sold, it is the band’s best-selling hit.

1975 – Neil Sedaka reigns over the singles chart with “Laughter in the Rain.” It’s his first No. 1 since “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do” in 1962.

1980 – Blondie releases “Call Me” — the theme from the movie “American Gigolo,” starring Richard Gere. The track climbs to No. 1 two months later and holds there for six consecutive weeks. It becomes the top-selling single of 1980.

1992 – Recorded live in concert, the George Michael-Elton John duet, “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down on Me,” tops the singles chart. John originally released the song on his 1974 “Caribou” album and it climbed as high as No. 2 that year.

1997 – Toni Braxton continues her domination of the pop chart with “Un-Break My Heart,” in the midst of an 11-week run at No. 1.

2003 – “Bump, Bump, Bump,” by B2K featuring P. Diddy, tops the Billboard Hot 100 for a week.

On This Day January 1

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Celebrity Birthdays

1735 – American Revolution patriot Paul Revere (d. 1818)

1919 – Author J. D. Salinger, best known for his critically acclaimed novel “The Catcher in the Rye” (d. 2010)

1938 – Tony-winning actor Frank Langella (“Dracula,” “Dave,” “Frost/Nixon,” “Unknown”)

1942 – Country Joe McDonald, lead singer of the 60s psychedelic rock group Country Joe & the Fish

1943 – Actor-comedian Don Novello, best known as Father Guido Salducci on “Saturday Night Live”

1958 – Rapper Grandmaster Flash, born Joseph Saddler, considered one of the pioneers of hip-hop DJing, cutting and mixing

1969 – Actor Morris Chestnut (“Boyz n the Hood,” “The Best Man,” “Ladder 49”)

History Highlights

1818 – Mary Shelley’s classic “Frankenstein” is published.

1863 – President Abraham Lincoln signs the Emancipation Proclamation aimed at abolishing slavery in the U.S.

1942 – The United Nations is created when U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill issue a declaration, signed by representatives of 26 countries, vowing to form an international postwar peacekeeping organization.

1959 – Cuban President Fulgencio Batista is overthrown by Fidel Castro’s rebel forces during the Cuban Revolution. Amid celebration and chaos in the capitol of Havana, the U.S. is left to determine how best to deal with the radical Castro and brewing anti-Americanism in Cuba.

1971 – A ban on cigarette advertising on American television takes effect, with the last commercial (for Virginia Slims) broadcast on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson” at 11:50 p.m.

1994 – The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) takes effect between Canada, the United States and Mexico. Former President George H.W. Bush signed the NAFTA agreement in 1992 before leaving office.

Musical Milestones

1953 – One of America’s first country music superstars, Hank Williams, dies at the age of 29, but leaves a lasting legacy that continues to influence artists of all musical genres.

1959 – Country music legend Johnny Cash (a.k.a. “The Man in Black”) plays his first of many free concerts at California’s San Quentin Prison. The captive audience of inmates included future country music great Merle Haggard , who, at 19, was serving time for grand theft auto and armed robbery.

1962 – From the “Ooops” file: The Beatles audition for London record company Decca on the same day as Brian Poole & the Tremeloes. Decca tells The Beatles, “guitar groups are on their way out,” and signs the Tremeloes.

1966 – Simon & Garfunkel are No. 1 on the singles chart with “The Sounds of Silence.”

1977 – Rod Stewart begins his eighth and final week on top of the pop chart with “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright).”

1983 – Hall & Oates dominate the Billboard Hot 100 for a third week with “Maneater.”

2000 – “Smooth,” by Santana featuring Rob Thomas, scores its ninth week on top of the Billboard Hot 100. The track will spend one more week at No. 1 and later capture three Grammy Awards: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.

On This Day December 1

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Celebrity Birthdays

1935 – Oscar-winning screenwriter-actor-director Woody Allen (“Annie Hall,” “Manhattan,” “Hannah and Her Sisters”)

1939 – Pro golfer Lee Trevino

1940 – Standup comedian-actor Richard Pryor (d. 2005)

1945 – Grammy, Golden Globe and Emmy-winning singer-actress Bette Midler, best known for her pop hits “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” and “Wind Beneath My Wings” and the movies “The Rose,” “Beaches” and “For the Boys”

1946 – Singer-songwriter Gilbert O’Sullivan, best known for his 1970s hits “Alone Again (Naturally)”, “Clair” and “Get Down”

1951 – Actor Treat Williams (“Hair,” “Prince of the City,” “Once Upon a Time in America,” “The Late Shift,” “127 Hours”)

1970 – Comedian and “SNL” alum Sarah Silverman (“School of Rock,” “Wreck-It Ralph,” “A Million Ways to Die in the West”)

History Highlights

1891 – James Naismith shoots and scores! The 30-year-old physical education teacher from the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts invents basket ball (originally two words) using two peach baskets and a ball. At the 1936 Summer Olympic Games, the year basketball was introduced to the international competition, Naismith was in Berlin, Germany to present medals to the winning teams of the three North American countries: United States, Gold; Canada, Silver; and Mexico, Bronze.

1913 – The Ford Motor Company introduces the first moving assembly line.

1914 – The Maserati company is founded in Bologna, Italy, and goes on to produce its first car in 1926.

1953 – The first issue of “Playboy” magazine is published, featuring a nude Marilyn Monroe centerfold. More than 50,000 copies sell at 50 cents apiece.

1955 – Rosa Parks is arrested in Montgomery, Alabama for refusing to give up her seat on a public bus to a white man — a violation of the city’s racial segregation laws. The incident, which triggers a year-long boycott of the city’s bus system, is considered the birth of the modern civil rights movement.

1992 – Workers drill a hole through a wall of rock 132 feet beneath the English Channel connecting both ends of a tunnel linking Great Britain with the European mainland for the first time in 8,000 years. The Channel Tunnel or “Chunnel” finally opens for passenger service in 1994.

Musical Milestones

1957 – Buddy Holly and the Crickets appear on “The Ed Sullivan Show” performing “That’ll Be The Day” and “Peggy Sue.” Sam Cooke is a guest on the same show performing “You Send Me.”

1958 – The Teddy Bears are No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “To Know Him is to Love Him.” It remains a chart-topper for three weeks.

1962 – The Four Seasons are midway through a five-week domination of the singles chart with “Big Girls Don’t Cry.”

1973 – “Top of the World” puts the Carpenters on top of the singles chart, where they remain for two weeks. It is the duo’s second No. 1 single following “(They Long to Be) Close to You” in 1970.

1984 – Wham! begins its third and final week with a No. 1 single: “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go.”

1990 – “I’m Your Baby Tonight,” by Whitney Houston, begins a week-long run at No. 1 on the pop chart. It is Houston’s eighth chart-topping single.

2001 – Mary J. Blige has the No. 1 single with “Family Affair.”

2007 – Alicia Keys kicks off five weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100 with “No One,” from her “As I Am” album. The track captures Grammys for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song.

On This Day November 1

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Celebrity Birthdays

1942 – Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt (d. 2021)

1949 – Grammy-winning record producer David Foster, who has worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Alice Cooper, Céline Dion, Whitney Houston, Jennifer Lopez, Rod Stewart and Barbra Streisand

1957 – Grammy-winning Texas singer-songwriter and actor Lyle Lovett, born Lyle Pearce

1972 – Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress Toni Collette (“Muriel’s Wedding,” “The Sixth Sense,” “Little Miss Sunshine,” “Hereditary,” “United States of Tara”)

1972 – Playboy model-turned-actress-TV host Jenny McCarthy (“The Jenny McCarthy Show,” “Love in the Wild,” “The View”)

History Highlights

1512 – The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, one of Italian artist Michelangelo’s finest works, is exhibited to the public for the first time.

1952 – The U.S. detonates the world’s first thermonuclear weapon, the hydrogen bomb, on an island in the Pacific. The test is code-named “Mike.” The blast generates a three-mile-wide fireball, destroys the island and kills wildlife on nearby islands.

1971 – The U.S. Mint produces the first Eisenhower dollar coins.

1979 – First Lady Mamie Eisenhower dies just a couple of weeks shy of her 83rd birthday.

1982 – Honda becomes the first Asian automaker to produce cars in the United States when it opens a factory in Marysville, Ohio. Honda’s flagship vehilce, the Accord, is the first model to roll off the assembly line.

1993 – The European Union (EU) officially takes effect, made up of 12 nations: Great Britain, France, Germany, the Irish Republic, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Denmark, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Austria, Finland and Sweden become EU members in 1995.

Musical Milestones

1956 – Elvis Presley buys a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle and takes actress Natalie Wood on a nearly three-hour ride around Memphis on it.

1968 – The first solo recording by a Beatle is released. It’s George Harrison’s “Wonderwall Music” — the first Apple Records production. The album is the soundtrack to Joe Massot’s movie “Wonderwall,” and consists primarily of Indian-influenced instrumentals, featuring Eric Clapton and Ringo Starr.

1969 – Elvis Presley makes a brief comeback with “Suspicious Minds,” the most popular song in the U.S. on this day and The King’s last No. 1 hit.

1975 – Elton John rules the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks with “Island Girl,” off his “Rock of the Westies” album. Coincidentally, the single bumps Neil Sedaka’s “Bad Blood,” a song in which EJ provides backup vocals.

1980 – “The River” becomes Bruce Springsteen’s first No. 1 album. Containing the hit “Hungry Heart,” it remains on top of the Billboard album chart for four weeks.

1986 – Cyndi Lauper begins her second and final week at No. 1 with “True Colors.”

1997 – Elton John’s rewritten and re-recorded version of his 1973 single “Candle in The Wind” is No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was released on September 13, 1997 as a tribute to Princess Diana, who died two weeks earlier in a Paris car crash.

2003 – “Baby Boy,” by Beyoncé featuring Sean Paul, is in the middle of nine weeks as a No. 1 single.

On This Day October 1

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Celebrity Birthdays

1910 – Outlaw Bonnie Parker (Bonnie & Clyde) (d. 1934)

1920 – Actor Walter Matthau (“The Odd Couple,” “The Fortune Cookie,” “Grumpy Old Men,” “Dennis the Menace”) (d. 2000)

1921 – Tony and Emmy-winning actor James Whitmore (“The Asphalt Jungle,” “Them!,” “Kiss Me Kate,” “Battle Cry,” “Oklahoma!,” “Planet of the Apes,” “Tora! Tora! Tora!,” “The Serpent’s Egg,” “Nuts,” “The Shawshank Redemption,” “The Majestic.” (d. 2009)

1924 – 39th U.S. President Jimmy Carter

1927 – Actor Tom Bosley (“Happy Days,” “The Father Dowling Mysteries,” “Murder, She Wrote”) (d. 2010)

1928 – Actor George Peppard (“Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” “The Blue Max,” “The A-Team”) (d. 1994)

1930 – Actor Richard Harris, best known for his performances as King Arthur in Broadway’s “Camelot” and Albus Dumbledore in the first two “Harry Potter” films (d. 2002)

1935 – Oscar and Tony-winning actress-singer Julie Andrews, born Julia Elizabeth Wells (“Mary Poppins,” “The Sound of Music,” “Camelot,” “My Fair Lady,” “Victor, Victoria,” “The Princess Diaries”)

1950 – Actor and “Saturday Night Live” alum Randy Quaid (“National Lampoon’s Vacation” and its sequels, “Independence Day”)

1969 – Comedian-actor Zach Galifianakis (“The Hangover” movie series, “Due Date,” “The Campaign,” “Are You Here,” “Birdman,” “Keeping Up with the Joneses”)

History Highlights

1890 – Yosemite National Park, located in the Sierra Nevada mountains of central California and home to such natural wonders as El Capitan and Half Dome as well as the giant sequoia trees, is established by an act of Congress. The sprawling 760,000-acre park typically draws about four million visitors a year.

1961 – Americans meet a talking horse with the premiere of the TV comedy “Mister Ed.”

1961 – New York Yankee Roger Maris becomes the first Major League baseball player to hit more than 60 home runs in a single season. He hits his 61st homer on the final day of the season against the Boston Red Sox.

1962 – Johnny Carson begins hosting “The Tonight Show” on NBC. He succeeds Jack Paar, who took over from the original host, Steve Allen. Carson remains host until turning his seat and microphone over to Jay Leno in May 1992.

1971 – Ten thousand visitors converge near Orlando, Florida as Disney opens its second theme park — Walt Disney World. Admission to the Magic Kingdom costs $3.50 for adults and $1 for children.

Musical Milestones

1966 – “Cherish,” by The Association, parks itself at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

1970 – Funeral services are held for Seattle native Jimi Hendrix. The legendary rock guitarist and singer-songwriter died in London two weeks earlier at the age of 27.

1977 – Meco’s disco interpretation of composer John Williams’ theme from the motion picture “Star Wars” (later retitled “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope”) kicks off two weeks as the No. 1 single.

1982 – A revolution in the way we listen to music takes place, as the first compact disc (CD) player goes on sale in Japan for about $1,000. It’s the Sony CDP-101, and it lands in stores around the world six months later. The first CD to officially hit the market is Billy Joel’s “52nd Street.”

1988 – “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” by Bobby McFerrin, marks its second and final week as a Billboard No. 1 single.

1994 – Boyz II Men own the top spot on the pop chart with “I’ll Make Love to You,” which remains at No. 1 for 14 weeks and captures a Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

2005 – “Gold Digger,” by Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx, is in the middle of a 10-week run atop the Billboard Hot 100. The track, which samples Ray Charles’ “I Got a Woman,” is the second chart-topper for West and Foxx. It goes on to capture a Best Rap Solo Performance Grammy.

2011 – “Moves Like Jagger,” by Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera, is the No. 1 single.

On This Day September 1

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Celebrity Birthdays

1922- Actress Yvonne DeCarlo (“The Ten Commandments,” “The Munsters”) (d. 2007)

1923- Former world heavyweight boxing champion Rocky Marciano, born Rocco Francis Marchegiano (d. 1969)

1933 – Country Music Hall of Famer and Rockabilly Hall of Famer Conway Twitty, born Harold Lloyd Jenkins (d. 1993)

1938 – Attorney and Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz

1939 – Tony, Emmy and Grammy-winning actress-comedian Lily Tomlin (“Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In,” “9 to 5,” “All of Me,” “The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe,” “Flirting with Disaster,” “Tea with Mussolini,” “I Heart Huckabees,” “A Prairie Home Companion”)

1946 – Singer-songwriter and Bee Gees founder Barry Gibb

1950 – TV psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw

1957 – Grammy-winning musician Gloria Estefan, born Gloria Fajardo, lead singer of the 80s band Miami Sound Machine

History Highlights

1807 – Former U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr is acquitted of plotting to annex parts of Louisiana and Spanish territory in Mexico to be used toward the establishment of an independent republic.

1964 – Pitcher Masanori Murakami becomes the first Japanese man to play in U.S. Major League Baseball. He pitches a scoreless 8th inning for the San Francisco Giants in a 4-1 loss to the New York Mets at Shea Stadium.

1972 – In what is billed as the “Match of the Century,” American chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer defeats Russian Boris Spassky during the World Chess Championship in Reykjavik, Iceland. Fischer, from Brooklyn, NY, became the first American to win the competition since its inception in 1866. The victory also marked the first win for a non-Russian in 24 years.

1983 – A Soviet fighter jet shoots down Korean Air Lines Flight 007 after the New York to Seoul flight enters Soviet airspace. All 269 aboard the 747 jumbo jet are killed, including U.S. Congressman Lawrence McDonald. President Ronald Reagan condemns the incident as a “massacre.”

1985 – An expedition led by oceanographer Dr. Robert Ballard locates the wreck of the RMS Titanic 73 years after the luxury liner sank to the bottom of the North Atlantic.

1989 – The first Lexus is sold, marking the beginning of Toyota’s new luxury line of automobiles.

1998 – A federal law takes effect requiring that all cars and light trucks sold in the United States have air bags installed in the front seats as standard equipment. Seat belts had been required since the 1960s, and some auto manufacturers had begun voluntarily providing air bags before 1998.

Musical Milestones

1962 – Tommy Roe is on top of the singles chart with “Sheila.” It’s the re-recorded version of a track first released in 1960 when Roe was part of a band called The Satins.

1973 – “Brother Louie,” by one-hit-wonder Stories, enters its second and final week as a No. 1 single. The track, about an interracial love affair, was originally recorded by British soul band Hot Chocolate, which just a few months earlier took it to No. 7 on the U.K. singles chart.

1977 – Blondie, featuring former Playboy Bunny Debbie Harry, signs its first major record company contract with Chrysalis Records.

1980 – Fleetwood Mac ends a nine-month world tour with a performance at the Hollywood Bowl. Lindsay Buckingham tells the audience, “This is our last show. For a long time.”

1984 – “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” by Queen of Rock and Roll Tina Turner, begins three weeks on top of the U.S. singles chart. The track, off Turner’s “Private Dancer” album, goes on to capture three Grammy Awards: Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. In 2012, it is inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

1990 – “If Wishes Came True,” by Sweet Sensation, bumps Mariah Carey’s “Vision of Love” to become the No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100.

2001 – Alicia Keys enters a third week atop the singles chart with her Grammy-winning debut single “Fallin’.

On this Day August 1

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Celebrity Birthdays

1779 – Attorney and poet Francis Scott Key, who wrote the lyrics to what became America’s national anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner” (d. 1843)

1819 – Novelist and poet Herman Melville, best known for the literary classic “Moby-Dick” (d. 1891)

1933 – Actor, comedian and chef Dom DeLuise (“Blazing Saddles,” “Silent Movie,” “History of the World: Part I”) (d. 2009)

1942 – Grateful Dead founder and frontman Jerry Garcia (d. 1995)

1953 – Grammy-winning blues guitarist and singer Robert Cray

1963 – Rapper-actor Coolio, born Artis Leon Ivey, Jr.

1965 – Oscar and Golden Globe-winning director Sam Mendes (“American Beauty,” “Road to Perdition,” “Jarhead,” “Skyfall”)

1973 – Actress Tempestt Bledsoe, best known as Vanessa Huxtable from “The Cosby Show”

1979 – Actor Jason Momoa (“Baywatch Hawaii,” “Stargate: Atlantis,” “Game of Thrones”)

History Highlights

1941 – The first Jeep is manufactured for the U.S. Army to use in World War II. Known as the Willys MA, the rugged vehicle features a gearshift on the steering column, low side body cutouts, two circular instrument clusters on the dashboard and a hand-brake on the left side.

1957 – The U.S. and Canada establish the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) to provide early detection and warning of air attacks on North America.

1961 – The first Six Flags amusement park opens in Arlington, Texas becoming the first theme park to feature log flume and mine train rides.

1966 – Carnage on the University of Texas campus in Austin, as ex-Marine Charles Whitman opens fire on passersby from the observation deck of the UT tower. Seventeen people, including Whitman, are killed, and 31 others are injured. The attack introduces a stunned nation to the term “mass shooting.”

1996 – American sprinter Michael Johnson breaks the world record in the 200 meters to win gold at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta. This came three days after winning the 400 meters, making him the first man in history to win both events at the Olympics.

Musical Milestones

1964 – The Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night” is No. 1 on the singles chart and stays there for two weeks.

1970 – “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” by the Carpenters, tops the Billboard Hot 100.

1971 – “The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour” premieres on CBS. The variety show, hosted by husband and wife pop duo Sonny & Cher, runs for three seasons. It returns in 1976 as “The Sonny & Cher Show” following the couple’s divorce.

1981 – Rick Springfield kicks off two weeks as a chart-topper with “Jessie’s Girl.”

1981 – MTV (Music Television) launches with five VJs, or video jockeys, hosting: J.J. Jackson, Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Martha Quinn and Alan Hunter. The channel introduces the world to the music video. The first music video played is “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles.

1987 – Bob Seger owns the top spot on the singles chart with “Shakedown,” from the “Beverly Hills Cop II” soundtrack.

1992 – “Baby Got Back,” by Sir Mix-a-Lot, begins its fifth and final week as a Billboard No. 1.

1998 – Brandy & Monica are No. 1 on the singles chart with “The Boy Is Mine.” The song holds the top spot for 13 weeks.

2009 – The Black Eyed Peas are in the midst of a 14-week domination of the Billboard Hot 100 with “I Gotta Feeling.”

On this Day July 1

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Celebrity Birthdays

1908 – Beautician-business executive Estée Lauder (d. 2004)

1934 – Actor Jamie Farr, who played Klinger in the hit TV sitcom “M*A*S*H”

1939 – Actress Karen Black (“Easy Rider,” “Five Easy Pieces,” ”Family Plot”) (d. 2013)

1945 – Singer-songwriter-actress Debbie Harry, former lead singer of the new wave band Blondie (“Heart of Glass,” “Call Me,” “The Tide Is High,” “Rapture”)

1952 – Actor-comedian Dan Aykroyd (“Saturday Night Live,” “The Blues Brothers,” “Trading Places,” “Ghostbusters,” “Driving Miss Daisy,” “Coneheads,” “Tommy Boy”)

1961 – U.S. Olympic track and field champion Carl Lewis

1961 – Diana, Princess of Wales (d. 1997)

1967 – Actress-model Pamela Anderson (“Baywatch,” “Dancing with the Stars”)

1971 – Grammy-winning rapper Missy Elliott (“The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly),” “Sock It 2 Me,” “Get Ur Freak On,” “One Minute Man,” “4 My People,” “Gossip Folks,” “Work It”)

1977 – Actress Liv Tyler (“Armageddon,” “Lord of the Rings” film trilogy, “Jersey Girl,” “The Strangers,” “The Incredible Hulk”)

History Highlights

1963 – The U.S. Postal Service introduces the five-digit Zone Improvement Plan (ZIP) code to make mail delivery more efficient. A cartoon character named Mr. ZIP is used to help market it.

1979 – After the boombox, music becomes even more portable as Sony rolls out the Walkman, originally called the “Sound-About.” It retails for $200.

1984 – The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) institutes the PG-13 rating, strongly recommending parental guidance for moviegoers age 13 or younger. Red Dawn, starring Patrick Swayze, is the first movie to receive that rating.

1991 – “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” directed by James Cameron and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, premieres. In this sequel to the original “The Terminator,” the Schwarzenegger character is transformed from villain to savior.

1992 – “A League of Their Own,” starring Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Madonna and Rosie O’Donnell and directed by Penny Marshall, opens in theaters.

1997 – Actor Robert Mitchum, best remembered for his roles in such films as “The Story of G.I. Joe,” “Crossfire,” “Out of the Past,” “The Night of the Hunter” and “Cape Fear,” dies at 79.

1997 – At the stroke of midnight, Hong Kong reverts back to Chinese rule in a ceremony attended by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Prince Charles of Wales, Chinese President Jiang Zemin and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

2004 – Legendary actor and Oscar winner Marlon Brando, best remembered for performances in “On the Waterfront,” “The Godfather,” “A Streetcar Named Desire,” “Viva Zapata!,” “Julius Caesar,” ““The Wild One,” “Last Tango in Paris,” and “Apocalypse Now,” dies at the age of 80.

Musical Milestones

1967 – “Windy,” by The Association, blows its way to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart and remains there for four weeks.

1972 – Neil Diamond’s “Song Sung Blue” is the No. 1 single. The track is nominated for two Grammys in 1973 — Record of the Year and Song of the Year — but those honors ultimately go to Roberta Flack for “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.”

1989 – Milli Vanilli score the first of three No. 1 singles with “Baby Don’t Forget My Number,” off the “Girl You Know It’s True” album, which paves the way for a Best New Artist Grammy. However, a lip-syncing scandal forces the duo to surrender the award a year and a half later.

1995 – Legendary disk jockey Wolfman Jack, beloved for his signature raspy voice and on-air howls, dies of a heart attack at the age of 57.

2000 – “Be With You,” by Enrique Iglesias, is in the middle of three weeks atop the singles chart.

2006 – Taylor Hicks, who won the fifth season of “American Idol,” conquers the Billboard Hot 100 for a week with “Do I Make You Proud.”