January 24th 1909 - Ann Todd, English actress (d. 1993)

Benedict Arnold, General/Traitor (The US Revolution) was born on January 25, 1741 and died from reults of gout in his leg on June 14, 1801 at the age of 60 after being delirious for 4 days.

Virginia Woolf, Author (Jacob's Room; To Lighthouse) was born on January 25, 1882.  On 28 March 1941, rather than having another nervous breakdown, Woolf drowned herself by weighing her pockets with stones and walking into the River Ouse near her home. Her body was not found until April 18. Her husband buried her remains under a tree in the garden of their house in Rodmell, Sussex.  She was 59 years old.

January 26th 1958 - Anita Baker, American singer

January 26, 1955  Edward Van Halen rock guitarist of Van Halen

January 26th 1963 - Andrew Ridgeley (Wham!)

January 26, 2008



Gene Siskel, Film Critic  "Siskel & Ebert" was born on January 26, 1946 and died from a Brain Tumor on February 20, 1999 at the age of 53.

Jimmy Van Heusen, American Composer (Won 4 Oscars and an Emmy for his TV/Movie Song Writing) was born on January 26, 1913 and died on February 7, 1990 at the age of 77.

Douglas MacArthur, Famous American General (played a prominent role in the Pacific Theater of WWII) was born on January 26, 1880 and died on April 5, 1964 at the age of 84.

January 27, 2008



Troy Donahue, Actor (Teen Idol in the 1960s) "A Summer Place" was born on January 27, 1936 and died from a Heart Attack at the age of 65 on September 2, 2001.

Donna Reed, Actor (Donna Stone on "The Donna Reed Show") was born on January 27, 1921 and died from Pancreatic Cancer on January 14, 1986 at the age of 64.

Lewis Carroll, Arthur (famous for writing "Alice In Wonderland" and other children's novels; Was also a Mathametician, Logician, Anglican Clergyman and a Photographer) was born on January 27, 1832 and died from Pneumonia on January 14, 1898 at the age of 65.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Classical Composer (Compositions include Symphonic, Concertante, Chamber, Piano, Operatic and Chord Music) was born on January 27, 1756 and died on December 5, 1791 at the age of 35.  There are many speculations of the reason for his death, but it still remains a mystery.

W.C. Fields, Comedian/Actor  "My Little Chickodee" (Was a Vaudeville Actor who did a lot of Silent Films) was born on January 29, 1880 and died from a Stomach Hemorrhage on December 25, 1946 at the age of 66.

William McKinley, Former US President (25th) was born on January 29, 1843.  He was shot twice on September 6, 1901 (One bullet grazed his shoulder, but the other hit his stomach, colon and liver); He died 8 days later after Gangrene set up around his wounds at the age of 58.

January 29th 1933 - Sacha Distel, French singer and guitarist (d. 2004)

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Former US President (32nd) was born on January 30, 1882 and died on April 12, 1945 from a Cerebral Hemorrhage at the age of 63.

Zane Grey, American "Old West" Author (Riders Of The Purple Sage) was born on January 31, 1872 and died from Heart Failure on October 23, 1939 at the age of 67.

Garry Moore, TV Game Show Host (To Tell The Truth; I've Got A Secret) was born on January 31, 1915 and died on November 28, 1993 from Throat Cancer at the age of 78.

Jackie Robinson, 1st African American man to play Major League Baseball (Dodgers) was born on January 31, 1919 and died from Heart Problems and Diabetes on October 24, 1972 at the age of 53.

Chuck Willis, Blues/R & B Singer "C.C. Rider" was born on January 31, 1928 and died from Peritonitis on April 10, 1958 at the age of 30.

Suzanne Pleshette, Actress (The Bob Newhart Show) was born on January 31, 1937 and died on January 17, 2008 from Respiratory Failure at the age of 70.

Terry Kath, Musician (Was a member of the Pop/Jazz group "Chicago") was born on January 31, 1946 and died from an Accidental Self Inflicted Gun Shot Wound on January 23, 1978 at the age of 31.

January 31st 1942 - Derek Jarman, British film director and writer (d. 1994)

February 4th 1918 - Ida Lupino, English film actress and director (d. 1995)

February 4, 1948 Rock star Alice Cooper

February 4, 1948 Rock star Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is well and truly alive.

February 5th 1914 - William S. Burroughs, American author (d. 1997)

February 6th 1945 - Bob Marley, Jamaican musician (d. 1981)

February 1, 2008



Brandon Lee, Actor "The Crow" (He was the son of the late Martial Arts Actor Bruce Lee) was born on February 1, 1965 and was killed in a Freak Accident while filming "The Crow" on March 31, 1993 at the age of 28.

Rick James, Singer "Super Freak" ( Rick was also a Keyboardist, Bassist, Record Producer, Arranger and Composer) was born on February 1, 1948 and died from a Heart Attack on August 6, 2004 at the age of 56.

Clark Gable, Actor (Was nicknamed "The King Of Hollywood"; Also played the role of Rhett Butler in the classic film "Gone With The Wind") was born on February 1, 1901 and died from a Heart Attack at the age of 59 on November 16, 1960

February 2, 2008


Ayn Rand, Author (We The Living) was born on February 2, 1905 and died from Heart Failure on March 6, 1982 at the age of 77.

February 1, 2008



Actor Brandon Lee "The Crow" (he was killed in a freak accident while filming "The Crow"; He was the son of the late Bruce Lee), 1965 - 1993

Singer Rick James "Super Freak" ( Rick was also a Keyboardist, Bassist, Record Producer, Arranger and Composer), 1948 - 2004

Actor Clark Gable (Rhett Butler "Gone With The Wind"), 1901 - 1960


February 1st 1931 - Boris Yeltsin, 1st President of the Russian Federation (d. 2007)

February 2, 2008


Author Ayn Rand (We The Living), 1905 - 1982
February 2nd 1875 - Fritz Kreisler, Austrian violinist (d. 1962)

February 4, 2008



Ida Lupino, actress/director (High Sierra) was born on February 4, 1918 and died from a Stroke at the age of 77 on August 3, 1995.

Rosa Parks, Civil Rights Activist (On 12/1/55 she refused to give up her seat on a bus for a white) was born on February 4, 1913 and died on October 24, 2005 from Dementia at the age of 92.

Charles Lindbergh, Famous Aviator (He became the first American Pilot to fly solo) was born on February 4, 1902 and died on August 26, 1974 at the age of 72 from Lymphoma.

February 5, 2008


Red Buttons, Comedian/Actor (The Red Buttons Show/Poseidon Adventure) was born on February 5, 1919 and died on July 13, 2006 at the age of 87 from Vascular Disease.

February 6, 2008


Bob Marley, Jamaican musician was born on February 6, 1945 and died on May 11, 1981 at the age of 36 after Melanoma had spread to his lungs and brain.

Ronald Reagan, Former US President (40th) (He was also the 33rd Governor of California and an Actor "Bedtime For Bonzo", Head of The Screen Actors Guild and a spokesman for General Electric; Was married to actress Jane Wyman from 1940 - 1948, then married actress Nancy Davis) was born on February 6, 1911 and died after suffering from Alzheimer's Disease for 10 years on June 15, 2004 at the age of 93.

Babe Ruth, Major League Baseball Great  "New York Yankees" was born on February 6, 1895 and died on August 16, 1948 from Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma at the age of 53.

February 6th:

1932 - François Truffaut, French film director (d. 1984)
1933 - Leslie Crowther, British comedian (d. 1996)

February 8 1931 - September 30 1955

legendary actor James Dean would have been 77 years old today ( you can only imagine all the great things he could have done in his career if not for that fatal car crash)  :\'(

February 8 1931 - September 30 1955

legendary actor James Dean would have been 77 years old today ( you can only imagine all the great things he could have done in his career if not for that fatal car crash)  :\'(
More actors for today:

1886 - Charles Ruggles, American actor (d. 1970)
1888 - Dame Edith Evans, British actress (d. 1976)
1903 - Greta Keller, Austrian-born cabaret singer and actress (d. 1977)
1913 - Betty Field, American actress (d. 1973)
1921 - Lana Turner, American actress (d. 1995)
1922 - Audrey Meadows, American actress (d. 1996)
1925 - Jack Lemmon, American actor and film director (d. 2001)

February 9th:

1909 - Carmen Miranda, Brazilian actress (d. 1955)

1914 - Gypsy Rose Lee, American dancer (d. 1970)

1922 - Jim Laker, English cricketer (d. 1986)

February 7, 2008


Harry Sinclair Lewis, American Novelist (Bobbit; Elmer Gantry/Was the first american to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature) was born on February 7, 1885 and died from Alcoholism on January 10, 1951 at the age of 65.

Laura Ingalls Wilder, American Author  "Little House On The Prairie" was born on February 7, 1867 and died on February 10, 1957 at the age of 90.

Charles Dickens , English Author aka "Boz" (A Tale Of Two Cities; Oliver Twist) was born on February 7, 1812 and died on June 9, 1870 from a Stroke at the age of 58.

John Deere, Founder of "Deere & Company" the largest Agricultural and Construction Equipment Manufacturer in the world was born on February 7, 1804 and died on May 17, 1886 at the age of 82.

February 8, 2008



Terry Melcher, Musician/Record Producer (Produced acts like The Byrds "Turn Turn Turn", Paul Revere & The Raiders; Produced the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival; Co wrote the hit "Kokomo" for The Beach Boys with John Phillips of "The Mamas & The Papas"; Was also the son of the late actress Doris Day "Pillow Talk" with Rock Hudson) was born on Febrary 8, 1942 and died on November 19, 2004 from Melanoma at the age of 62.

James Dean, Actor/Teen Idol ("Rebel Without A Cause" with Natalie Wood) was born on February 8, 1931 and was killed in a head on collision with another car on September 30, 1955 at the age of 24.

Audrey Meadows, Actress (played "Alice" , wife of Ralph Kramden ,played by Jackie Gleason on "The Honeymooners") was born on February 8, 1926 and died on February 3, 1996 just five days before her 74th birthday at the age of 73 from Lung Cancer.

Jack Lemmon, Actor/Comedian (Played Felix Unger in the movie and tv series "The Odd Couple" which also starred Walter Matthau) was born on February 8, 1925 and died on June 27, 2001 at the age of 76 from Carcinoma of the Colon and Metastatic Cancer of the Bladder.

Lana Turner, Actress/Pin-Up Girl (The Postman Always Rings Twice (original version)) was born on February 8, 1921 and died from Throat Cancer on June 29, 1995 at the age of 74.

February 9, 2008



Ernest Tubb aka "Texas Troubadour", Singer/Songwriter (Had a hit in 1941 with "Walking The Floor Over You"; Was also one of the Pioneers of Counrty Music) was born on February 9, 1914 and died on September 6, 1984 from Emphysema at the age of 70.

Gypsy Rose Lee, Actress/Burlesque Entertainer (The Trouble With Angels) was born on February 9, 1911 and died from Lung Cancerr at the age of 59 on April 26, 1970.

William H. Harrison, Former US President (9th) (was also a Military Leader; Governor of Indiana and a US Rep/Senator for the state of Ohio) was born on February 9, 1773 and died from Pneumonia, Jaundice and Septicernia on April 4, 1841 at the age of 68.

February 8, 2008



Terry Melcher, Musician/Record Producer (Produced acts like The Byrds "Turn Turn Turn", Paul Revere & The Raiders; Produced the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival; Co wrote the hit "Kokomo" for The Beach Boys with John Phillips of "The Mamas & The Papas"; Was also the son of the late actress Doris Day "Pillow Talk" with Rock Hudson) was born on Febrary 8, 1942 and died on November 19, 2004 from Melanoma at the age of 62.






Terry Melcher is also infamous for having known Charles Manson for a time, Manson was trying to launch a singing career and tried to get Melcher to help him do that and hung out at his house a lot.  As many of us know of course, Sharon Tate later bought the house from him and that's where Manson's followers killed her and her friends in 1969.

February 10th 1929 - Jerry Goldsmith, American composer (d. 2004)

February 10, 2008



Lon Chaney, Jr., Actor "Dracula Vs Frankenstein" (Was the son of Silent Film Actor Lon Chaney, Sr) was born on February 10, 1906 and died from Liver Failure on July 12, 1973 at the age of 67.

Jimmy Durante, Singer/Comedian/Pianist/Actor (Jimmy got his nickname "Schnozzola", because of his big nose; He was also a Vaudeville Star) was born on February 10, 1893 and died from Pneumonia at the age of 86 on January 29, 1980.

Alan Hale, Sr., Actor/Director "Robin Hood" (Was also father to  actor Alan Hale, Jr who played the "Skipper" on Gilligans Island) was born on February 10, 1892 and died following a Liver Ailment and Viral Infection on January 22, 1950 at the age of 57.

February 11th 1938 - Bobby "Boris" Pickett, American singer and songwriter (d. 2007)

February 11, 2008



Bobby "Boris" Pickett, Musician/Actor; Had the 1962 Novelty Hit  "The Monster Mash" was born on February 11, 1938 and died from Leukemia on April 25, 2007 at the age of 69.

Eva Gabor, Actress (Played Lisa Douglas on "Green Acres") was born on February 11, 1919 and died from Respiratory Failure at the age of 76 on July 4, 1995.

Sidney Sheldon, TV Writer/Author (Wrote shows like" I Dream Of Jeannie" and "Hart To Hart"; Wrote the novel "The Other Side Of Midnight") was born on February 11, 1917 and died from Pneumonia on January 30, 2007 at the age of 89.

Max Baer, Sr. aka "Madcap Maxie", Former Heavyweight Boxer/Actor (Father to Max Baer, Jr who played Jethro on "The Beverly Hillbillies") was born on February 11, 1909 and died from a Heart Attack on November 21, 1959 at the age of 50.

Thomas Alva Edison, Famous Inventor (the light bulb) was born on February 11, 1847 and died on October 18, 1931 at the age of 84.

February 11th 1935 - Gene Vincent, American musician (d. 1971)

February 11th 1935 - Gene Vincent, American musician (d. 1971)


He was injured in the same car accident that claimed Eddie Cochran's life in 1960.

He was injured in the same car accident that claimed Eddie Cochran's life in 1960.
I have relatives near the location of the car crash and the next time we will visit them I wish to see the plaque.

February 12th 1915 - Lorne Greene, American actor (d. 1987)

He was injured in the same car accident that claimed Eddie Cochran's life in 1960.
http://www.halletts.co.uk/images/eddie.JPG

The plaque in Chippenham Wiltshire, at the location of the car crash of Eddie Cochran.

1809 Charles Darwin Shrewsbury England, discovered evolution (Origin of species)(d. April 19 1882)

February 12, 2008



Lorne Greene, Actor (Bonanza; Battlestar Gallactia) was born on February 12, 1915 and died from Pneumonia on Sepember 11, 1987 at the age of 72.

Abraham Lincoln, Former US President (16th) was born on February 12, 1809 and was assasinated on April 15, 1865 at the age of 56.

Charles Darwin, Naturalist (Theories of Evolution) was born on February 12, 1809 and died on April 19, 1882 at the age of 73.

Oliver Reed, English Actor (starred in musicals like Tommy and Oliver) was born on February 13, 1938 and died from a Heart Attack at the age of 61 on May 2, 1999.

Tennessee Ernie Ford, Musician/TV Host (performed Country/Western, Pop and Gospel Music) was born on February 13, 1919 and died from Alcoholism and Liver Failure on October 17, 1991.

February 13th 1885 - Bess Truman, First Lady of the United States, wife of President Harry S. Truman (d. 1982)

Vic Morrow, Actor was born on February 14, 1929 (Morrow died on the set of Twilight Zone on July 23, 1982 at the age of 53: The Movie while holding two small children (Myca Dinh Le and Renee Shin-Yi Chen). A helicopter being used on the set spun out of control and crashed, decapitating him and one of the children with its rotor blades. The remaining child was crushed to death as the helicopter crashed. The six occupants inside the helicopter sustained minor injuries. The accident led to massive reforms in U.S. child labor laws and safety regulations on movie sets in California.).

Jimmy Hoffa, American Labor Leader (Was President of "The International Brotherhood Of Teamsters" from the mid 50s until the mid 60s) was born on February 14, 1913 -  His death date is undetemined, since he disappeared on July 30, 1975 at the age of 62.

Thelma Ritter, Actress (All About Eve; Rear Window) was born on February 14, 1902 and died from a Heart Attack following a performance on "The Jerry Lewis Show" on February 5, 1969 just 9 days before her 67th birthday.

Jack Benny, Comedian/Vaudeville Actor, was born on February 14, 1894 and died from Pancreatic Cancer on December 20, 1974 at the age of 80 (Was getting ready to film "The Sunshine Boys" with George Burn until he became ill).

Famous Inventor George Ferris (He is most well known for inventing the Ferris Wheel, constructed for the World's Columbian Exposition in an attempt to create something as impressive as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.), 1859 - 1896

February 15th 1929 - Graham Hill, English two-time F1 World Champion (d. 1975)  :\'(

Febraury 17th 1940 - Gene Pitney, American singer (d. 2006)  :\'(

February 15, 2008


Chris Farley, Comedian/Actor (Saturday Night Live; Wayne's World; Beverly Hills Ninja) was born on February 15, 1964 and died from a Drug Overdose of "Speedballs (Cocaine & Heroin) on December 18, 1997 at the age of 33,

Cesar Romero, Cuban/American Actor (played "The Joker" on the original Batman TV series) was born on February, 1907 and died on January 1, 1994 at the age of 86.

John Barrymore, Actor (Starred in Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and "Richard III"; Also was Grandpa to actress Drew Barrymore "ET"; Charlie Angels) was born on February 15, 1882 and died on May 29, 1942 from Alcoholism and Alzheimer's Disease at the age of 60.

Susan B. Anthony, American Civil Rights Leader was born on February 15, 1820 and died on March 13, 1906 at the age of 86.

Galileo Galilei , Italian Physicist/Astronomer/Astrologer/Philosopher (Was closely associated wtih the "Scientific Revolution") was born on February 15, 1564 and died on January 8, 1642 at the age of 77.

February 16, 2008


Sonny Bono, Record Producer/Singer/Politician "The Sonny & Cher Show" (Was once married to the famous singer/actor "Cher") was born on February 16, 1935 and died from injuries suffered in a Skiing Accident in Nevada on January 5, 1998 at the age of 62.

Hugh Beaumont, Actor/Director/Methodist Minister (Played the part of Ward Cleaver (dad) on "Leave It To Beaver") was born on February 16, 1909 and died from a Heart Attack on May 14, 1982 at the age of 73.

Edgar Bergen, Actor/Radio Performer (Best known as a Ventriloquist; Is the father of actress Candice Bergen "Murphy Brown") was born on February 16, 1903 and died from Kidney Disease on September 30, 1978 at the age of 75.

Gene Pitney, Singer/Songwriter "Only Love Can Break A Heart" was born on February 17, 1940 and died of Natural Causes on April 5, 2006 at the age of 66.

Sir Alan Arthur Bates, English Actor (Georgy Girl; Zorro: The Greek) was born on February 17, 1934 and died from Pancreatic Cancer at the age of 69 on December 27, 2003.

February 21st:

Nina Simone (born in 1933)

1962 - Steve Irwin, Australian herpetologist (d. 2006)  :\'(

February 23rd 1685 - Georg Friedrich Handel, German/British Baroque composer (d. 1759)

February 23rd 1940 - Pete Duel, American actor (d. 1971)

February 25th 1943 - George Harrison, English musician (The Beatles) (d. 2001)

February 25th 1943 - George Harrison, English musician (The Beatles) (d. 2001)

Some sources say his actual birthday was the 24th; he was born just a couple minutes before midnight, locally. Maybe this is why he thought his birthday was the 25th for most of his life.

I can think of a couple of dead people with birthdays on February 26th:


William Frawley, American actor, best known for his role as Fred Mertz on "I Love Lucy" during the 1950s. He was born on 2/26/1887; he died of a heart attack on 3/3/1966, just a few days after turning 79.
Johnny Cash, American singer of country music, known as the "Man In Black"; performed music for most of his life (with a crossover into the world of pop)... Some of his best known hits include "I Walk The Line" and "A Boy Named Sue." He was born on 2/26/1932; he died of diabetes on 9/12/2003 at age 71.

February 26th:


1908 - Tex Avery, American cartoonist (d. 1980)
1912 - Dane Clark, American actor (d. 1998)
1914 - Robert Alda, American actor (d. 1986)
1916 - Jackie Gleason, American actor, writer, composer, and comedian (d. 1987)
1919 - Mason Adams, American actor (d. 2005)
1920 - Tony Randall, American actor (d. 2004)
1921 - Betty Hutton, American actress and singer (d. 2007)
1922 - Margaret Leighton, British actress (d. 1976)

February 29th 1792 - Gioacchino Rossini, Italian composer (d. 1868)

February 28, 2008



Model/Actress Dorothy Stratten (She was Playboy's Playmate Of The Year in 1980, but her estranged husband, Paul Snider, shot and killed her and himself in 1980; There is a movie "Star80" which was written about this tragedy), 1960 - 1980


Musician Brian Jones (He was one of the founding members, lead & rhythm guitarist and a back up singer for the English Rock Band "The Rolling Stones"), 1942 - 1969

February 29, 2008



Singer/Actress/Talk Show Host Dinah Shore (Had several of her own talk shows in the 70s and 80s; She was also romantically involved with actor Burt Reynolds, who was 20 yrs younger than her (you go girl) for several years), 1916 - 1994

Musician Jimmy Dorsey (Recorded the songs "Just For A Thrill" & "I'm Stepping Out With A Memory Tonight"; Jimmy was a Jazz Clarinetist, a Saxophonist and a Big Band Leader along with older brother, Tommy), 1904 - 1957

March 2nd 1950 - Karen Carpenter, American singer (The Carpenters) (d. 1983)  :\'(

Also for March 2nd: Desi Arnaz (born 1917), Cuban-born bandleader, musician, and actor; was married to Lucille Ball from 1940-1960; they starred together in the ever-popular 1950s sitcom I Love Lucy. He died in December 1986 at age 69.

March 3rd 1847 - Alexander Graham Bell, Scottish inventor (d. 1922)

March 3, 2008


Actress Jean Harlow (Starred in the 1933 film "Bombshell"; Was also a sex symbol of the 1930s), 1911 - 1937

March 4th 1936 - Jim Clark, OBE, Scottish racing driver and two-time F1 world champion (d. 1968)

March 6th 1906 - Lou Costello, American actor comedian (d. 1959)

March 8th 1981 - Timothy Jordan II, American musician (The All American Rejects, Jonezetta) (d. 2005)

March 13th 1911 - L. Ron Hubbard, American science fiction author and founder of Scientology (d. 1986)

March 14th 1879 - Albert Einstein, German-born physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1955)

March 17th 1938 - Rudolf Nureyev, Russian-born dancer and choreographer (d. 1993)

March 19th 1921 - Tommy Cooper, Welsh comedy magician (d. 1984)