Today in History for 21st May 2024

[CoM Moderators]

Historical Events

1863 - Siege of Port Hudson, Louisiana, begins
1964 - Fire in Belgian resort kills 19
1968 - Nuclear-powered sub USS Scorpion, with 99 men, reported missing and is later found at the bottom of the ocean off Azores
1972 - "Lost in the Stars" based on the novel "Cry the Beloved Country" by Alan Paton closes at Imperial Theater NYC after 39 performances
1977 - Stevie Wonder's single "Sir Duke", a tribute to Duke Ellington and other musical influences of Wonder's, begins a 3-week run at #1
1977 - Revival of Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick's musical "Fiddler on the Roof", starring Zero Mostel, closes at Winter Garden Theater, NYC, after 167 performances

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Famous Birthdays

1920 - Anthony Steel, British actor and singer (Malta Story, The Wooden Horse), born in London, England (d. 2001)
1923 - Armand Borel, Swiss mathematician (d. 2003)
1943 - Vincent Crane [Cheesman], British rock Hammond organist, and songwriter (The Crazy World of Arthur Brown - "Fire"), born in Reading, Berkshire, England (d. 1989)
1943 - John Dalton, British rock bass player (The Kinks, 1969-76 -"Lola"; "Celluloid Heroes"), born in Enfield, Middlesex, England
1952 - Mr. T [Lawrence Tureaud], American actor (A-Team, Rocky III, T and T), born in Chicago, Illinois
1979 - Jamie Hepburn, Scottish politician, Member of the Scottish Parliament, born in Glasgow, Scotland

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Famous Deaths

1771 - Christopher Smart, English poet and journalist (Ceremony of Carols), dies at 49
1895 - Franz von Suppé, Austrian composer (Poet und Bauer), dies at 76
1990 - Moelvi Mohammed Farouk, Indian spiritual leader, murdered
1992 - Elizabeth David, British cookbook writer (English Bread and Yeast Cookery), dies after a series of strokes at 72
1995 - Les Aspin, American politician, (Rep-D-Wisc, 1971-93) US Secretary of Defense (1993-95), dies of stroke at 56
2023 - Ray Stevenson, Northern Irish actor (King Arthur, Rome), dies at 58

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