Today in History for 20th April 2024

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Historical Events

1818 - Napoleon Bonaparte bids emotional farewell to his old guard at Palace of Fontainebleau
1914 - US President W Wilson, having dispatched more naval ships to Mexico, asks a joint session of Congress to approve armed force if necessary; Congress approves
1947 - Frederik IX becomes King of Denmark
1962 - NASA civilian pilot Neil Armstrong takes X-15 to 63,250 m
1963 - -30] All Africa Conferences of Churches opens in Kampala Uganda
1975 - 29th Tony Awards: "Equus" (play) and "The Wiz" (musical) win

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Famous Birthdays

1904 - Bruce Cabot, American actor (Diamonds are Forever, King Kong), born in Carlsbad, New Mexico (d. 1972)
1919 - Richard Hillary, Australian Spitfire pilot and author (The Last Enemy), born in Sydney, Australia (d. 1943)
1924 - Leslie Phillips, British stage and screen, screen, and radio actor (Carry On; Harry Potter films), born in Tottenham, England (d. 2022)
1936 - Pauli Ellefsen, Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands (1981-85), born in Miðvágur, Vágar, Faroe Islands (d. 2012)
1943 - Edie Sedgwick, American actress (Ciao Manhattan) and socialite, born in Santa Barbara, California (d. 1971)
1971 - Terry Smith, NFL wide receiver (Indianapolis Colts), born in Clemson, South Carolina

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Famous Deaths

1912 - Bram Stoker, Irish theater manager and author (Dracula), dies at 64
1935 - Lucy, Lady Duff-Gordon, English fashion designer, dies at 71
1951 - Ivanoe Bonomi, Prime Minister of Italy (b. 1873)
1968 - Mabel Stark, American tiger trainer "crazy Mabel", found dead after her suicide at 79
1998 - Trevor Huddleston, English Anglican bishop in South Africa and anti-apartheid activist (wrote Naught for Your Comfort), dies at 84
2015 - Bob St. Clair, American NFL football player, 1953-63 (San Francisco 49ers), known as "The Geek", dies at 84

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