Today in History for 12th March 2024

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Historical Events

1799 - Austria declares war on France
1857 - Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Simon Boccanegra" premieres in Venice
1896 - 1st movie in Netherlands (Kalverstr 220)
2002 - Animated film "Ice Age" directed by Chris Wedge and Carlos Saldanha, with voices by Denis Leary and John Leguizamo premieres
2017 - Irene Sankoff and David Hein's musical drama "Come From Away" opens at Schoenfeld Theatre, NYC
2019 - Dozens charged in US college admission scandal by US federal prosecutors, including actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman

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Famous Birthdays

1837 - Alexandre Guilmant, French organist (La Trinitié, 1871-901), composer and pedagogue (Schola Cantorum, 1894-1911), born in Meudon, France (d. 1911)
1921 - Max de Metz, Dutch publisher and translator (d. 1993)
1931 - William "Billie" Thomas, American child actor (Buckwheat- Our Gang), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 1980)
1938 - Tona Scherchen-Hsiao, German-Chinese composer (Yi; Lo; Shen), born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland
1957 - Jerry Levine, American actor ("Born on the Fourth of July"), born in New Brunswick, New Jersey
1960 - Eldine Baptiste, cricketer (WI all-rounder early 80's)

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Famous Deaths

1902 - John Peter Altgeld, German-American politician (Governor of Illinois, 1893-97), known for pardoning of Haymarket anarchists, dies of a cerebral hemorrhage, while delivering a speech, at 54
1916 - Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach, Austrian writer (The Child of the Parish), dies at 39
1929 - Asa Griggs Candler, American businessman (developed Coca-Cola into a company), dies at 77
1949 - Maria "Beppie" Bakker, Dutch actress abd wife of Piet Vink Sr, dies at 95
1950 - L Heinrich Mann, German/American writer (Between the Races), dies at 78
1993 - Michael Kanin, American director, writer and actor (Woman of the Year, Teacher's Pet), dies at 83

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