26 Apr 07 - Thursday
Birthdays:
1880 Mikhail Fokine Russia, choreographer/founder of modern dance
1886 Ma Rainey [Gertrude Pridgett] "Mother of the Blues", US blues singer
1893 Anita Loos author (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes)
1904 William "Count" Basie jazz pianist (Policy Man, Blazing Saddles)
1906 Gracie Allen Mrs George Burns, comedienne (George Burns Show)
1933 Carol Burnett San Antonio TX, comedian/actress (Annie, 4 Seasons)
1942 Bobby Rydell Philadelphia PA, rock singer (Wild One, Bye Bye Birdie)
1943 Gary Wright Creskill NJ, singer/keyboardist (Dream Weaver, Spooky Tooth
-Love Is Alive)
This day:
1478 Easter is celebrated for the first time
1721 Smallpox vaccination 1st administrated
1865 John Wilkes Booth assassin, is shot dead near Bowling Green VA at 27
1928 Madame Tussaud's waxworks exhibition opens in London
1941 A tradition begins, 1st organ at a baseball stadium (Chicago Cubs)
1948 The XP-86 prototype for the Sabre Jet first "officially" breaks the sound barrier. The first operational F-86A Sabres entered service in May of the same year
1970 Gypsy Rose Lee [Rose Louise Hovick] stripper/actress (Pruitts of Southampton), dies from cancer at 56
1977 New York's famed disco Studio 54 opens
1981 Largest US bank robbery (Tucson AZ), more than $33 million stolen
1982 Rod Stewart is mugged, the gunman steals his $50,000 Porsche
1984 William "Count" Basie jazz piano great, dies on 80th birthday
1984 Liverpool's Cavern Club reopens
1986 Worst nuclear disaster, 4th reactor at Chernobyl USSR explodes, 31 die
1989 Lucille Ball comedienne/actress (I Love Lucy), dies of a massive heart attack at 78
1990 Danny Wood of New Kids, steps on a stuffed animal & twists his ankle
“Well, if you find a note tonight that sounds good, play the same damn note every night!” - William “Count” Basie
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