Today in History for 20th August 2024

[CoM Moderators]

Historical Events

1828 - Gioachino Rossini's opera "Le Comte Ory" premieres in Paris
1951 - 12th Venice Film Festival: "Rashomon" directed by Akira Kurosawa wins the Golden Lion
1953 - Russia publicly acknowledges hydrogen bomb test detonation
1959 - Belgium shortens military conscription to 12 months
1994 - Archbishop Quarracino wants all homosexuals to leave Argentina
2023 - Russia's Luna 25 spacecraft has crashed into the moon according to Roscosmos, the country's space agency

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Famous Birthdays

1926 - Frank Rosolino, American jazz trombonist (The Frank Rosolino Sextet), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 1978)
1931 - Don King, American boxing promoter best known for his association with Mike Tyson and for his unusual hairstyles, born in Cleveland, Ohio
1956 - Joan Allen, American actress (Peggy Sue Got Married, Tucker, In Country), born in Rochelle, Illinois
1966 - Steven Finn, Canadian NHL defenseman (LA Kings), born in Laval, Quebec, Canada
1971 - Steve Stone, English footballer, born in Gateshead, England
2003 - Prince Gabriel of Belgium, second child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, born in Erasmus Hospital, Anderlecht, Brussels, Belgium

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Famous Deaths

1914 - Pius X [Giuseppe Sarto], 257th Italian Roman Catholic Pope (1903-14 - lowered age of Communion from 12 to 7,) and saint, dies at 79
1932 - Paul Keller, German writer (Vergrabenes Gut), dies at 59
1959 - Alfred Kubin, Austrian writer and illustrator, dies at 82
1978 - Ivan Jirko, Czech composer, music critic and psychiatrist, dies at 51
1996 - Rio Reiser, German rock singer ("Ton Steine Scherben"), dies at 46
2017 - Jerry Lewis [Joseph Levitch], American comedian (Martin and Lewis, MDA Telethon), dies at 91

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