On This Day March 22 Click each item below to learn more! Celebrity Birthdays 1912 – Oscar and Emmy-winning actor Karl Malden (“A Streetcar Named Desire,” “The Streets of San Francisco”), best remembered for his line, “Don’t leave home without them,” in American Express commercials (d. 2009) 1923 – French actor and world renowned mine artist Marcel Marceau, most famous for his stage persona, “Bip the Clown.” (d. 2007) 1930 – Oscar, Tony and Grammy-winning Broadway composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim (“West Side Story,” “Gypsy,” “Sweeney Todd”) (d. 2021) 1931 – Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor and author William Shatner, best known as Captain James T. Kirk in the “Star Trek” TV and movie series 1943 – Grammy-winning jazz guitarist-singer George Benson (“Breezin’,” “This Masquerade,” “On Broadway,” “Give Me The Night”) 1948 – Oscar, Tony and Grammy-winning Broadway composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (“Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Cats,” “Evita,” “The Phantom of the Opera”) 1948 – CNN anchor and host Wolf Blitzer 1952 – Emmy-winning NBC sportscaster and Olympic Games anchor Bob Costas 1959 – Actor Matthew Modine (“Full Metal Jacket,” “Married to the Mob,” “Memphis Belle,” “And The Band Played On,” “The Dark Knight Rises”) 1976 – Oscar and Golden Globe-winning actress-producer Reese Witherspoon (“Pleasantville,” the “Legally Blonde” movies, “Walk the Line,” “Gone Girl,” “Wild”) History Highlights 1765 – The British Parliament passes the Stamp Act to help fund British troops stationed in the colonies during the Seven Years’ War. The act required the colonists to pay a tax, represented by a stamp, on various forms of papers, documents and playing cards. Reactions range from boycotts of British goods to more violent protests, including riots and attacks on tax collectors. 1933 – President Franklin Roosevelt signs the Beer-Wine Revenue Act into law. The measure legalizes the sale of alcoholic beverages containing no more than 3.2 percent alcohol (this level was declared non-intoxicating). Prohibition is officially repealed by the 21st Amendment in December 1933. 1972 – The Senate passes the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, and sends it to the states for ratification. However, it falls short of the required three-fourths approval. 1983 – The Pentagon awards a $1.2 billion contract to AM General Corporation to develop 55,000 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV), nicknamed the Humvee. Designed to transport troops and cargo, these workhorses became widely recognized when used by the U.S. military during the 1989 invasion of Panama and the first Persian Gulf War of the early 1990s. 1984 – Teachers at the McMartin Preschool in Manhattan Beach, California are charged with satanic ritual-related abuse of their students. The charges are later dropped as completely unfounded. Musical Milestones 1965 – Bob Dylan releases his fifth studio album,” Bringing It All Back Home” — the first of Dylan’s albums to break into the Billboard Top 10. The lead-off track, “Subterranean Homesick Blues,” becomes Dylan’s first single to chart, peaking at No. 39. 1969 – “Dizzy,” by Tommy Roe, is in the midst of four weeks as a Billboard singles chart-topper. 1975 – Frankie Valli owns the hottest single for a week with “My Eyes Adored You.” 1975 – Led Zeppelin launches a six-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart with “Physical Graffiti,” the group’s fourth chart-topping album. Among the most popular tracks on this double-album are “Kashmir,” “In My Time of Dying” and “Trampled Under Foot.” 1980 – Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall” is on top of the singles chart and holds there for four weeks. It’s the only No. 1 single the band has ever had in the U.S. 1986 – “These Dreams,” by Heart, becomes the sister duo’s first Billboard chart-topper. The song, co-written by longtime Elton John lyricist Bernie Taupin, was originally offered to Stevie Nicks, who turned it down. The track spends a week at No. 1. 1997 – “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down,” by Puff Daddy featuring Mase, kicks off a six-week domination of the Billboard Hot 100. 2003 – “In da Club,” by 50 Cent, is in the middle of nine-weeks as a Billboard chart-topper. READ MORE
On this Day June 13 Click each item below to learn more! Celebrity Birthdays 1892 – Actor Basil Rathbone, best known for playing Sherlock Holmes in more than a dozen movies by the mid-1940s (d. 1967) 1926 – Actor-comedian Paul Lynde (“Bewitched,” “Hollywood Squares”) (d. 1983) 1943 – Actor Malcolm McDowell (“A Clockwork Orange,” “Star Trek Generations,” “Heroes,” “Entourage,” “The Mentalist”) 1951 – Actor Stellan Skarsgård (“Breaking the Waves,” Good Will Hunting,” “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”) 1951 – Emmy-winning actor Richard Thomas, best known for playing John-Boy on the CBS series “The Waltons” 1953 – Actor-comedian Tim Allen (“Home Improvement,” Buzz Lightyear in the “Toy Story” movies, “Galaxy Quest”) 1962 – Actress and “Brat Pack” member Ally Sheedy (“War Games,” “The Breakfast Club,” “St. Elmo’s Fire” 1981 – Actor Chris Evans, best known for portraying Captain America in the “Avengers” and “Captain America” films, as well as the Human Torch in “Fantastic Four” 1986 – Actress-turned-fashion designer Ashley Olsen, best known for sharing the role of Michelle Tanner with twin sister Mary-Kate Olsen in the ABC sitcom “Full House” 1986 – Actress-turned-fashion designer Mary-Kate Olsen, best known for sharing the role of Michelle Tanner with twin sister Ashley Olsen in the ABC sitcom “Full House” History Highlights 1966 – In a landmark ruling (Miranda v. Arizona), the Supreme Court establishes the Miranda Rights, requiring police officers to advise criminal suspects of their rights before questioning them. 1967 – Calling it “the right thing to do, the right time to do it, the right man and the right place,” President Lyndon Johnson nominates U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Thurgood Marshall as the first African American Supreme Court Justice. Two months later, after heated debate, the Senate confirms Marshall’s nomination by a 69 to 11 vote. Two days later, he is sworn in by Chief Justice Earl Warren. 1967 – The fifth James Bond movie, “You Only Live Twice,” opens in theaters across the U.S. Once again, Sean Connery stars as suave British secret agent 007. 1971 – The New York Times publishes the “Pentagon Papers,” revealing the growing political and military involvement of the U.S. in Southeast Asia. 1983 – The NASA spacecraft Pioneer 10 becomes the first man-made object to leave the solar system. Musical Milestones 1960 – The Everly Brothers are chart-toppers with “Cathy’s Clown.” 1963 – The Dixie Cups are midway through a three-week run at No. 1 on the pop chart with “Chapel of Love.” 1970 – Before breaking up, The Beatles enjoy their last No. 1 single in the U.S.: “The Long and Winding Road.” The album it came from, “Let It Be,” tops the Billboard album chart that same day. 1981 – Kim Carnes is in the middle of a nine-week reign over the Billboard Hot 100 with “Bette Davis Eyes.” The song goes on to capture Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Record of the Year. 1987 – “Always,” by Atlantic Starr, is the most popular song on American radio. 1992 – Billy Ray Cyrus’ debut album, “Some Gave All,” launches a 17-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart. The album spawns Cyrus’ breakout single, “Achy Breaky Heart.” 1998 – Brandy and Monica own the No. 1 spot on the pop chart with “The Boy is Mine.” 2005 – A California jury clears pop sensation Michael Jackson of all charges following a four-month-long child abuse trial. Charges were brought against Jackson after the airing of a 2003 TV documentary in which he admitted to sharing his bed with young children. 2009 – “Boom Boom Pow,” by The Black Eyed Peas, is in the middle of a 12-week run on top of the Billboard Hot 100. READ MORE