Prince – Time Rewind

On This Day April 21

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On This Day April 26

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Celebrity Birthdays

1933 – Emmy, Tony and Golden Globe-winning comedian-actress Carol Burnett

1936 – Guitarist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Duane Eddy

1958 – Actor Giancarlo Esposito (“Do The Right Thing,” “School Days,” “The Usual Suspects,” “Malcolm X,” “Breaking Bad”)

1963 – Martial artist-actor Jet Li (“The War Lords,” “Lethal Weapon 4,” “Romeo Must Die,” “Kiss of the Dragon,” “The Forbidden Kingdom”)

1965 – Actor-comedian Kevin James (“Everybody Loves Raymond,” “The King of Queens,” “Paul Blart: Mall Cop,” “Grown Ups,” “Zookeeper,” “Pixels”)

1980 – Actor Channing Tatum (“Coach Carter,” “21 Jump Street,” “22 Jump Street,” “She’s the Man,” “The Dilemma,” “White House Down,” “Foxcatcher,” “The Hateful Eight,” “Hail, Caesar!”, “Smallfoot”)

History Highlights

1865 – Presidential assassin John Wilkes Booth is killed by Union soldiers that track him to a Virginia farm 12 days after Booth fatally shot Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C.

1954 – More than 1.8 million American children (“Polio Pioneers”) participate in the Salk polio vaccine field trials. Dr. Jonas Salk developed the vaccine in an effort to wipe out polio — an infectious disease occurring primarily in children that can result in paralysis. A year later, researchers declare that the vaccine is safe and effective, and it becomes a standard part of childhood immunizations across the U.S.

1984 – President Ronald Reagan visits China — the first such mission by a U.S. president since the historic Nixon trip in 1972.

1986 – An explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine sets off fires that release deadly radioactive material into the air, becoming the world’s worst nuclear disaster.

1986 – Almost a decade after meeting at a celebrity tennis tournament, TV news reporter Maria Shriver weds movie actor and former bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger. The marriage lasts 25 years.

1989 – An American entertainment icon, comedian Lucille Ball (“I Love Lucy”) dies at the age of 78.

1994 – South Africa’s 18 million blacks vote in multi-party elections for the first time ever and anti-Apartheid crusader Nelson Mandela is elected president.

Musical Milestones

1969 – The Edwin Hawkins Singers hit the singles chart with “Oh Happy Day,” which eventually soars to No. 4 and million-selling status. It becomes the first gospel track to cross over to the pop chart.

1975 – B.J. Thomas owns the hottest single in America with “(Hey Won’t You Play), Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song.”

1980 – Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” begins its 15th and final week on top of the Billboard album chart. It becomes the best-selling album of 1980.

1986 – “Kiss,” by Prince and The Revolution, holds at No. 1 on the singles chart for a second week. The song clinches Prince a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.

1988 – A jury in White Plains, New York finds Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger not guilty of copyright infringement. Reggae singer Patrick Alley had sued Jagger for $7 million over the song “Just Another Night,” claiming the chorus’s lyrics were similar to his version. Jagger provided jurors with a rare glimpse into his work habits by playing homemade and studio tapes demonstrating the development of his song.

1997 – “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down,” by Puff Daddy featuring Mase, wraps up a six-week run as a Billboard chart-topper.

2008 – Leona Lewis kicks off a week at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with “Bleeding Love.”

2013 – George Jones, known as “the greatest voice in country music,” dies in Nashville at the age of 81.

On This Day March 31

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Celebrity Birthdays

1927 – Labor leader and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez, who co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (d. 1993)

1934 – Oscar-winning actress and singer Shirley Jones (“The Music Man,” “The Partridge Family”)

1935 – Grammy-winning trumpeter and the “A” in A&M Records, Herb Alpert

1943 – Oscar and Golden Globe-winning actor and frequent “Saturday Night Live” host Christopher Walken (“Annie Hall,” “The Deer Hunter,” “Sarah, Plain and Tall,” “Pulp Fiction,” “Catch Me If You Can”)

1948 – Environmental activist and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore

1971 – Actor Ewan McGregor (“Trainspotting,” “Star Wars” prequel trilogy, “Moulin Rouge!” “Big Fish,” “Robots,” “The Island,” “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “T2 Trainspotting”,”Christopher Robin”,”Birds of Prey”)

History Highlights

1492 – Spain’s King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella issue the Alhambra Decree, also known as the The Edict of Expulsion, mandating that all Jews be expelled from the country by the end of that July.

1889 – The iconic Eiffel Tower, built for the Paris International Exhibition, is formally dedicated. Engineer Gustave Eiffel, who designed the massive structure, presides at the ceremony with French Prime Minister Pierre Tirard, other dignitaries and 200 construction workers.

1959 – The Dalai Lama flees Chinese suppression in Tibet, and after an epic 15-day journey on foot over the Himalayan mountains, is granted political asylum in India.

1968 – During a national address to provide an update on the status of the Vietnam War, President Lyndon B. Johnson stuns Americans by announcing that he will not seek a second term in office.

1981 – Robert De Niro wins the Best Actor Oscar for his role in “Raging Bull,” in which he portrays former World Middleweight Champion Jake LaMotta. De Niro gained more than 60 pounds to portray LaMotta’s retirement years. Directed by Martin Scorsese, the movie also features performances by Joe Pesci and Cathy Moriarty.

1995 – Tejano superstar Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, known as the “Mexican Madonna,” is shot and killed by Yolanda Saldívar, the president of her fan club. Selena was the first female Tejano artist to win a Grammy, in the Best Mexican-American album category, for her 1993 album “Selena Live!” At the time of her murder, at age 23, Selena was on the brink of international fame, recording her first English language album.

1999 – The sci-fi thriller “The Matrix,” starring Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne, opens in movie theaters and goes on to become a cult classic followed, in 2003, by sequels “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions.”

Musical Milestones

1943 – Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” premieres on Broadway. In 1955, the musical is produced as a motion picture starring Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones (in her film debut).

1958 – Chess Records releases “Johnny B. Goode,” by Chuck Berry. The song climbs as high as No. 8 on the pop chart and goes on to become a rock and roll classic.

1962 – Connie Francis claims the top spot on the pop chart for a week with “Don’t Break the Heart That Loves You”

1967 – Jimi Hendrix suffers minor burns to his hands when he sets his guitar on fire during a performance at Finsbury Park in London. Nevertheless, he goes on to torch guitars several times during his short career.

1973 – Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly with His Song” returns to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for a fifth week after The O’Jays interrupted her for a week with their hit, “Love Train.”

1979 – “Tragedy,” by the Bee Gees, dominates the singles chart for a second and final week.

1984 – Kenny Loggins kicks off a three-week run atop the Billboard Hot 100 with “Footloose,” from the movie of the same name.

1987 – Prince releases his ninth studio album, “Sign o’ the Times,” which spawns three Top 10 hit singles: “If I Was Your Girlfriend,” “U Got the Look,” (with Sheena Easton) and the title track.

2007 – “Glamorous,” by Fergie featuring Ludacris, enters its second and final week as the No. 1 single.

On This Day March 2

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Celebrity Birthdays

1793 – American statesman Sam Houston, best known for his role in bringing Texas into the United States as a constituent state (d. 1863)

1904 – Children’s book author and illustrator Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel (“If I Ran the Zoo,” “Horton Hears a Who!” “If I Ran the Circus,” “The Cat in the Hat,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” “Green Eggs and Ham”) (d. 1991)

1917 – Actor Desi Arnaz, best known for playing Ricky Ricardo in the sitcom “I Love Lucy,” which starred his wife, Lucille Ball (d. 1986)

1931 – Former Soviet President and Nobel laureate Mikhail Gorbachev

1942 – Rock-punk singer-songwriter-guitarist Lou Reed, originally of the 60s band Velvet Underground and solo artist (“Walk on the Wild Side”) (d. 2013)

1950 – Pop sensation Karen Carpenter of the 70s sibling duo Carpenters (d. 1983)

1962 – Bon Jovi frontman Jon Bon Jovi (“Dead or Alive”, “Livin’ On A Prayer”, “You Give Love A Bad Name”, “Blaze Of Glory”), born John Francis Bongiovi, Jr.

1968 – Actor Daniel Craig, best known for playing British spy James Bond

1980 – Actress-comedian Rebel Wilson (“Bridesmaids,” “Pitch Perfect,” “Pitch Perfect 2,” “How To Be Single”)

History Highlights

1836 – The Republic of Texas declares its independence from Mexico. A convention of American Texans meets at Washington-on-the-Brazos (today commonly referred to as “the birthplace of Texas”) and confirms Sam Houston as the commander in chief of all Texan forces.

1925 – State and federal highway officials create the United States’ first system of numbered interstate highways.

1933 – The horror film “King Kong,” about the giant ape that runs loose across Manhattan, opens at New York’s Radio City Music Hall. Screenings sell out for the first four days.

1949 – The first automatic street light is installed in New Milford, Connecticut.

1955 – Nine months before Rosa Parks’ famous act of civil disobedience, 15-year-old Claudette Colvin is arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated Montgomery, Alabama bus. Colvin was traveling home from school when the driver ordered her and three fellow Black students to give up their row of seats to a White passenger.

1962 – Wilt Chamberlain sets the single-game scoring record in the NBA by scoring 100 points for the Philadelphia Warriors in a match against the New York Knicks.

1965 – “The Sound of Music,” starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, based on the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical about the Von Trapp family, opens in New York. The movie goes on to capture five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director (Robert Wise).

1972 – NASA launches Pioneer 10 — the first spacecraft to pass through the asteroid belt and the first to make direct observations and capture close-up images of Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system.

1978 – Three months after his death, grave robbers steal the corpse of silent film legend Charlie Chaplin from a Swiss cemetery and demand $600,000 for its safe return.

Musical Milestones

1963 – “Walk Like a Man,” by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, starts a three-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard singles chart. It is the band’s third chart-topping hit.

1967 – The Beatles win three Grammys for records issued the previous year: Best Song for “Michelle,” Best Vocal Performance for “Eleanor Rigby” and Best Cover Artwork for the album design of “Revolver” by Klaus Voormann.

1974 – “Seasons in the Sun,” by one-hit wonder Terry Jacks, claims the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and stays there for three weeks.

1974 – At the 16th Annual Grammy Awards, Stevie Wonder captures five honors: Album of the Year and Best Engineered Recording for “Innervisions,” Best R&B Song and Best Vocal for “Superstition,” and Pop Vocal Performance for “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life.”

1974 – Roberta Flack wins Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Grammys for “Killing Me Softly with His Song.” The track also garners a Song of the Year Grammy for its writers, Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox.

1985 – “Careless Whisper,” by Wham! featuring George Michael, begins its third and final week at No. 1 on the singles chart.

1985 – Sheena Easton becomes the first musical artist ever to land Top 10 hits on the pop, R&B, country, dance and adult contemporary charts when “Sugar Walls,” written by Prince, reaches No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. That is the song that sparked the Parental Advisory music labeling system (listen carefully to the lyrics and you’ll know why).

1999 – Acclaimed British pop vocalist Dusty Springield (“I Only Want To Be With You,” “You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me”) dies at the age of 59 following a five-year battle with breast cancer.

2002 – “Always on Time,” by Ja Rule featuring Ashanti, enters its second and final week as a No. 1 single.

On This Day January 26

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Celebrity Birthdays

1925 – Oscar-winning actor and race car driver Paul Newman (“The Hustler,” “Hud,” “Cool Hand Luke,” “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” “The Verdict,” “The Color of Money,” “The Hudsucker Proxy,” “Road to Perdition”) (d. 2008)

1941 – Actor Scott Glenn (“Urban Cowboy,” “The Right Stuff,” “The Hunt for Red October,” “The Silence of the Lambs,” “Backdraft,” “Training Day,” “The Bourne Ultimatum”)

1955 – Legendary rock guitarist and songwriter Eddie Van Halen of the band Van Halen (“Hot for Teacher”, “Ain’t Talking ‘Bout Love”, “Jump”, “Panama”) (d. 2020)

1958 – Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Anita Baker (“Sweet Love,” “Just Because”)

1958 – Emmy-winning TV host, comedian, actress and LGBTQ advocate Ellen DeGeneres

1961 – Retired hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, who played for four teams during 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL)

History Highlights

1788 – Britain’s First Fleet sails into Sydney Harbor and begins the European colonization of Australia. The fledgling colony marks this event each year as Australia Day, however in recent years Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander have objected because they see the occasion as the beginning of the deliberate destruction of their people and culture.

1905 – A 3,106-carat diamond is discovered during a routine inspection at the Premier Mine in Pretoria, South Africa. Weighing 1.33 pounds, it is the largest diamond ever found, and is named the Cullinan after Sir Thomas Cullinan, the owner of the mine.

1926 – Scottish inventor John Logie Baird gives the first public demonstration of a true television system (called a “televisor”) in London, launching a revolution in communication and entertainment.

1950 – The Republic of India is formed as the Indian constitution takes effect.

1961 – President John F. Kennedy appoints Janet Travell, 59, as his personal physician, making her the first woman in history to hold that post.

1979 – The General Lee, a bright orange Dodge Charger with a Confederate flag on its roof, kicks up dust clouds as “The Dukes of Hazzard” premieres on CBS.

1988 – Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera” has its first Broadway performance at the Majestic Theatre.

1998 – During one of the most memorable news conferences of his presidency, Bill Clinton tells reporters, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.” Clinton later confesses that he did indeed have an “improper physical relationship” with Monica Lewinksky, a 24-year-old White House intern.

2005 – Condoleezza Rice assumes the post of U.S. Secretary of State two months after her nomination by President George W. Bush. She becomes the highest ranking African American woman ever to serve in a presidential cabinet.

Musical Milestones

1963 – The Rooftop Singers stroll to the top of the singles chart with “Walk Right In.”

1970 – Phil Spector and John Lennon write and record Lennon’s “Instant Karma” in one day. It lands on the Billboard pop chart 33 days later, eventually climbing to No. 3.

1974 – “You’re Sixteen” by Ringo Starr is the No. 1 single. The song is from the ex-Beatle’s “Ringo” album, which also contains the hits “Photograph” and “Oh My My.”

1980 – Prince makes his television premiere with an appearance on “American Bandstand.” He shyly answers questions from host Dick Clark, beginning with “How did you learn to do this in Minneapolis?”

1985 – Madonna wraps up six weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100 with her first No. 1 single, “Like a Virgin.”

1991 – Surface kicks off two weeks atop the pop chart with “The First Time.” It is the last time the New Jersey trio has a No. 1 single.

2002 – “U Got It Bad,” by Usher, is in the midst of a five-week ride on top of the singles chart.

On This Day November 9

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Celebrity Birthdays

1922 – Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated actress-singer-dancer Dorothy Dandridge, who performed regularly at the legendary Cotton Club and Apollo Theater in New York’s Harlem (d. 1965)

1934 – Astronomer-author Carl Sagan (“Cosmos: A Personal Voyage”) (d. 1996)

1935 – Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson

1941 – Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) rhythm guitarist and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Tom Fogerty (d. 1990)

1951 – Actor-bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno, best known for playing the big green guy in TV’s “The Incredible Hulk”

1970 – Grammy-winning blues singer-songwriter Susan Tedeschi of Tedeschi Trucks Band

1972 – Actor Eric Dane, best known for playing Dr. Mark “McSteamy” Sloan on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy”

History Highlights

1906 – On the first foreign trip by a U.S. president, Theodore Roosevelt departs for Panama from Chesapeake Bay aboard the recently commissioned battleship Louisiana.

1938 – Violent anti-Jewish demonstrations erupt across Germany, Austria and parts of Czechoslovakia. The Nazi-led attacks are part of what is called “Kristallnacht” (“Night of Broken Glass”) after the countless smashed windows of Jewish-owned establishments. Nearly a hundred Jews are killed, 7,500 Jewish businesses are damaged and hundreds of synagogues, homes, schools and graveyards are vandalized.

1965 – A massive power failure in the middle of the evening rush hour leaves New Yorkers and millions of others in the Northeast and parts of Canada in the dark, with many people stranded in subways and elevators for up to 13 hours.

1967 – The first edition of Rolling Stone magazine hits newsstands featuring John Lennon on the cover.

1982 – Sugar Ray Leonard retires from boxing, but climbs back into the ring two years later.

1989 – A Cold War icon begins to literally crumble as East German officials open the Berlin Wall and allow citizens to travel from East to West Berlin. Built in 1961 by East German officials allied with the Soviets, the wall was designed to prevent those in East Germany from going to the West and came to represent the ideological differences between the Eastern Bloc and western countries at the time.

Musical Milestones

1961 – Record store manager Brian Epstein goes to a Liverpool, England nightclub to hear and meet The Beatles. Two months later, he becomes their manager and helps secure their first record deal, setting them on a path to global fame and fortune. Sometimes referred to as “the fifth Beatle,” Epstein dies in 1967 from an apparent accidental drug overdose at the age of 32.

1969 – Simon and Garfunkel record what becomes one of their signature songs — “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” The track captures five awards at the 13th Annual Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

1974 – Bachman Turner Overdrive’s “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” tops the Billboard Hot 100.

1985 – Jan Hammer tops the singles chart with the theme from the TV series “Miami Vice,” which starred Don Johnson and Phillip Michael Thomas.

1991 – “Cream,” by Prince and the New Power Generation, kicks off two weeks as a No. 1 single.

1996 – Blackstreet featuring Dr. Dre rule the Billboard Hot 100 with “No Diggity,” which remains at No. 1 for four weeks.

On This Day October 27

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Celebrity Birthdays

1858 – Theodore Roosevelt, 26th president of the United States (d. 1919)

1914 – Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, whose works include the poems “Do not go gentle into that good night,” “And death shall have no dominion”, the “Play for Voices” and “Under Milk Wood” (d. 1953)

1922 – Emmy and Grammy-winning actress and playwright Ruby Dee (“A Raisin in the Sun,” “Do The Right Thing,” “The Stand,” “American Gangster”)(d. 2014)

1939 – Actor-comedian, author and Monty Python founder John Cleese (“Monty Python’s Flying Circus,” “Fawlty Towers,” “A Fish Called Wanda,” “Harry Potter,” “Shrek”)

1942 – Country singer Lee Greenwood, best known for his song “God Bless the USA,” which gained popularity following the September 11, 2001 attacks

1952 – Actor-director Roberto Benigni, best known for his Oscar-winning 1997 film “Life Is Beautiful”

1958 – Musician Simon Le Bon, lead singer of the Grammy-winning band Duran Duran (“Girls on Film,” “Hungry Like the Wolf,” “Save a Prayer,” “Rio,” “The Reflex,” “A View to a Kill,” “Ordinary World”)

1984 – Actress, singer and fashion designer Kelly Osbourne, who rose to fame on the reality show about her family, “The Osbournes”

History Highlights

1904 – America’s first rapid transit system begins operating when the New York City subway opens to the public. More than 100,000 people pay a nickel to take their first ride aboard the Interborough Rapid Transit (I.R.T.) under Manhattan.

1954 – “Disneyland,” Walt Disney’s first TV series, premieres on ABC. It airs for 34 seasons, in later years under different names, including “Walt Disney Presents” and “The Wonderful World of Disney.”

1962 – Thirteen days after an American U-2 spy plane first captures photos of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba aimed at the U.S., a Soviet missile destroys the U.S. Air Force jet during another Cuba flyover. The pilot, Major Rudolf Anderson, Jr., becomes the first casualty of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Anderson’s death is believed to have saved millions of American lives in a potential nuclear attack.

1978 – The Nobel Peace Prize is jointly awarded to Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat in honor of the Camp David Agreement which brought about a negotiated peace between Egypt and Israel.

1986 – The New York Mets become world champions of baseball, as they beat the Boston Red Sox in Game Seven of the World Series, 8-5.

Musical Milestones

1960 – Soul and R&B sensation Ben E. King records “Spanish Harlem” and “Stand by Me,” launching his successful solo career after leaving The Drifters.

1973 – Gladys Knight & the Pips have their first No. 1 single with “Midnight Train To Georgia,” which stays on top of the pop chart for two weeks and goes on to capture a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group or Chorus.

1975 – Bruce Springsteen’s early career gets a shot in the arm as he lands on the covers of two national news magazines on the same day — Newsweek and Time.

1982 – Prince releases his breakthrough double-album “1999,” which contains the hits “1999” and “Little Red Corvette.” The album peaks at No. 9 a few months later, but climbs to No. 7 on the Billboard album chart following Prince’s death in 2016.

1984 – “I Just Called to Say I Love You,” by Stevie Wonder, marks its third and final week as a No. 1 single.

1990 – Janet Jackson rules the Billboard Hot 100 for a week with “Black Cat,” off her “Rhythm Nation 1814” album.

2001 – “I’m Real (Murder Remix),” by Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule, is in its second and final week as a No. 1 single.

2006 – Amy Winehouse releases her second and final studio album, “Back to Black,” which spawns five singles, including “Rehab” and “You Know I’m No Good.” It goes on to capture Album of the Year honors at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards.

On This Day October 6

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Celebrity Birthdays

1846 – Electrical and engineering pioneer George Westinghouse (d. 1914)

1908 – Actress Carole Lombard, born Jane Alice Peters (“Twentieth Century,” “My Man Godfrey”, “Nothing Sacred”) (d.1942)

1942 – Actress and former “Bond Girl” Britt Ekland

1963 – Actress Elisabeth Shue (“The Karate Kid,” “Adventures in Babysitting,” “Cocktail,” “Back to the Future Part II,” “Back to the Future Part III,” “Leaving Las Vegas,” “The Saint,” “Hollow Man”)

1971 – Actress Emily Mortimer (“Lovely and Amazing,” “Match Point,” “Lars and the Real Girl,” “Chaos Theory,” “Harry Brown,” “Shutter Island,” “Hugo,” “The Newsroom,” “Mary Poppins Returns”)

1973 – Actor Ioan Gruffudd (“Titanic,” “Hornblower,” “Fantastic Four,” “Black Hawk Down,” “San Andreas,” “Forever”)

1974 – Actor Jeremy Sisto (“Clueless,” “Six Feet Under,” “Waitress,” “Law & Order,” “Suburgatory”)

History Highlights

1866 – John and Simeon Reno (a.k.a. The Reno Brothers) stage the first train robbery in U.S. history, making off with $12,000 from an Ohio & Mississippi Railroad train in Seymour, Indiana. The pair perfected the art of stopping trains at gunpoint along sparsely populated stretches of track.

1926 – Yankee slugger Babe Ruth hits a record three home runs against the St. Louis Cardinals in the fourth game of the World Series. Although the Yankees win the game 10-5, they lose the championship in the Game Seven.

1961 – With the Cold War raging, President John F. Kennedy urges Americans to build bomb shelters to protect against atomic fallout in the event of a nuclear war with the Soviet Union.

1973 – Hoping to win back territory lost to Israel during the third Arab-Israeli war, Egyptian and Syrian forces attack Israel on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. And so begins the Yom Kippur War, which rages for 18 days until the United Nations intervenes.

1974 – Five years after launching on the BBC in Great Britain, “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” premieres on American television.

1981 – The world is horrified as Egyptian President Anwar el-Sadat is assassinated during the nation’s annual victory parade in Cairo.

1989 – Oscar-winning screen legend Bette Davis, known for such movie classics as “All About Eve,” “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” and “Hush…Hush Sweet Charlotte,” dies of cancer at the age of 81.

Musical Milestones

1962 – “Sherry,” by The Four Seasons, is in the midst of a five-week ride atop the Billboard Hot 100. The song was originally titled “Jackie Baby” in honor of then-First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, but was later changed.

1973 – Cher begins a two-week hold on the top spot on the singles chart with “Half-Breed.” The single becomes her second No. 1 as a solo act.

1979 – Robert John’s “Sad Eyes” is the No. 1 single and holds the top spot for a week.

1984 – “Let’s Go Crazy,” by Prince and the Revolution, is in its second and final week as a chart-topping single.

1990 – “Close to You,” by Maxi Priest, tops the Billboard Hot 100 for a week.

2001 – Alicia Keys is in the midst of a three-week reign over the pop chart with her Grammy-winning single “Fallin’.” The track is off her debut album “Songs in A Minor.”

2011 – Starship’s “We Built This City” (from 1985) is named the worst song of the 1980s in a Rolling Stone magazine readers’ survey. “The Final Countdown,” by the Swedish band Europe comes in second and “Lady in Red,” by Chris de Burgh, is third. Also among the Top Five are Wham!’s “Wake Me Up (Before You Go Go)” and “The Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats.

2012 – Maroon 5, featuring Adam Levine, is in the midst of a nine-week domination of the pop chart with “One More Night.”

On This Day September 29

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Celebrity Birthdays

1907 – Entertainer Gene Autry, born Orvon Grover Autry, affectionately known as “The Singing Cowboy” (d. 1998)

1929 – NFL coach Bum Phillips, most associated with the former Houston Oilers (d. 2013)

1935 – Rock and Roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis (“Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On,” “Great Balls of Fire”)

1942 – Jazz-rock violinist-composer Jean Luc Ponty

1942 – Actress Madeline Kahn, born Madeline Gail Wolfson, best known for her roles in the Mel Brooks comedies “Blazing Saddles,” “High Anxiety” and “Young Frankenstein” (d. 1999)

1943 – Nobel Laureate Lech Walesa, former Polish president and leader of Poland’s Solidarity movement

1948 – Emmy-winning former “Today Show” co-host and “Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel” host Bryant Gumbel

1980 – Actor Zachary Levi (“Less Than Perfect,” “Chuck,” “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel,” “Tangled,” “Thor: The Dark World”)

History Highlights

1941 – The Babi Yar massacre of nearly 34,000 Jewish men, women, and children begins on the outskirts of Kiev in the Nazi-occupied Ukraine. The two-day bloodbath becomes a symbol of Jewish suffering in the Holocaust.

1966 – General Motors rolls out the sporty Chevy Camaro in an effort to go head-to-head with the popular Ford Mustang, which debuted two years earlier.

1988 – NASA launches the so-called “Return to Flight Mission” — the first space shuttle launch since the devastating Challenger explosion that claimed the lives of all seven crew members in January 1986. STS-26 marks the seventh flight for shuttle Discovery.

1988 – Stacy Allison of Portland, Oregon, becomes the first American woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth.

1995 – President Bill Clinton posthumously awards voting rights advocate Willie Velasquez the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Velasquez and the organizations he founded are credited with dramatically increasing political awareness and participation among the Hispanic communities of the Southwestern U.S.

2005 – New York Times reporter Judith Miller is released from a federal detention center after agreeing to testify in the investigation into the leaking of the identity of covert CIA officer Valerie Plame.

2008 – Congress fails to pass a $700 billion bank bailout plan, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeting nearly 780 points — at the time, the largest single-day point loss in history. The free fall follows the bankruptcies of Wall Street brokerage firm Lehman Brothers, Savings and Loan bank Washington Mutual and the Fed’s pledge to extend an $85 billion bailout for insurance provider AIG.

Musical Milestones

1962 – “Sherry,” by The Four Seasons, is in the middle of a five-week run on top of the Billboard singles chart.

1973 – Grand Funk Railroad’s “We’re An American Band” is the No. 1 single.

1976 – Enjoying a little target practice during his own birthday party, rock and roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis accidentally shoots his bass player, Norman “Butch” Owens, in the chest. Twice! Owens survives and sues Lewis.

1979 – The Knack begin their fifth and final week on top of the Billboard Hot 100 with “My Sharona.”

1984 – Prince and the Revolution rule the singles chart with “Let’s Go Crazy,” from the soundtrack to the movie “Purple Rain.” The track holds the top spot for two weeks.

1990 – The hard rock band Nelson begins one week atop the pop chart with “(Can’t Live Without Your) Love and Affection.”

2004 – Keith Moon’s five-piece silver Premier drum kit, custom-made for The Who drummer in 1968, sells for £120,000 ($215,772 U.S.) at Christie’s auction house in London to an American collector, setting a world auction record for a set of drums.

2007 – “Stronger,” by Kanye West, is the No. 1 single.

On This Day September 24

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Celebrity Birthdays

1896 – Author F. Scott Fitzgerald, most recognized for his novel “The Great Gatsby” (d. 1940)

1921 – Emmy-winning TV sports anchor Jim McKay, best known for his coverage of the Munich Olympics and as host of ABC’s “Wide World of Sports” (d. 2008)

1936 – Puppeteer Jim Henson, the creative mind behind The Muppets (d. 1990)

1939 – R&B singer Sonny Turner (The Platters)

1941 – Musician-photographer Linda McCartney, who was married to Paul McCartney of The Beatles (d. 1998)

1942 – Musician Gerry Marsden, leader of the British Merseybeat and the 60s band Gerry and the Pacemakers (d. 2021)

1946 – Star NFL defensive lineman “Mean” Joe Greene, born Charles Edward Greene

1948 – Emmy-winning actor Gordon Clapp (“NYPD Blue”)

1948 – Actor-comedian and “Saturday Night Live” alum Phil Hartman (d. 1998)

History Highlights

1789 – Congress passes and President George Washington signs the Judiciary Act of 1789 into law, establishing the U.S. Supreme Court as a tribunal comprised of six justices who were to serve until they voluntarily step down, retire or die.

1941 – The Japanese consul in Hawaii is instructed to divide Pearl Harbor into five zones, calculate the number of battleships in each zone and report the findings back to Japan. Unbeknownst to U.S. military officials, this information is used to lay the groundwork for Japan’s devastating December 7, 1941 attack.

1957 – President Dwight Eisenhower orders federal troops to escort nine African American students, nicknamed the “Little Rock Nine,” into the previously all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.

1968 – One of television’s longest-running news magazines debuts on CBS. It’s “60 Minutes,” with hosts Harry Reasoner and Mike Wallace presenting documentary-style coverage of the week’s news.

1969 – The trial of the “Chicago 8” begins. The band of protesters is accused of conspiracy and inciting a riot during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

1977 – “The Love Boat” sets out on its maiden TV voyage on ABC, featuring a cruise ship full of celebrity passengers with tales of romance found and hearts broken.

1988 – Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson runs the 100-meter dash in 9.79 seconds to win gold at the Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. However, Johnson tests positive for steroids three days later and is stripped of the medal, which is instead awarded to American Carl Lewis.

Musical Milestones

1966 – “Cherish,” by The Association, begins three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

1982 – Prince releases the single “1999,” a month before releasing the album of the same name. It climbs as high as No. 44 that December. Re-released in 1983, the track rises to No. 12 that July. Warner Brothers releases it again in 1985 as a 12″ single with “Little Red Corvette” as the B-side. Within two weeks, it’s a No. 2 hit. The song returns to the pop chart in December 1998, becoming Prince’s last Top 40 hit before his death in 2016.

1983 – Billy Joel rules the singles chart with “Tell Her About It,” off his “An Innocent Man” album.

1988 – Bobby McFerrin begins a two-week run on top of the singles chart with “Don’t Worry Be Happy,” the first a cappella record to be a No. 1. The accompanying music video features the late actor-comedian Robin Williams.

1991 – The pioneering grunge band Nirvana releases “Nevermind” — the album containing the hit singles “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Come as You Are,” “Lithium” and “In Bloom.” It reaches No. 1 on the album chart in January 1992 and goes on to sell around 30 million copies worldwide.

1994 – “I’ll Make Love to You,” by Boyz II Men, is in the middle of a 14-week domination of the pop chart.

2005 – “Gold Digger,” by Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx, is the No. 1 single.

2011 – “Moves Like Jagger,” by Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera, begins three weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100.