Today In History Basic Datebook-May 12th

For The Weekday Of: Wednesday in 2010, Thursday in 2011
Today in History Basic!
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People on May 12th: birthdates

Malin Akerman: 1978 (is 32 in 2010, 33 in 2011)
Actress
Mackenzie Astin: 1973 (is 37 in 2010, 38 in 2011)
TV Actor, The Facts of Life's Andy Moffet; Patty Duke & John's son, Sean's brother
Burt Bacharach: 1928 (is 82 in 2010, 83 in 2011)
Conductor/Composer, Songwriter, Music Producer, Arranger, Singer, Pianist, Jewish, b. in Kansas City, Mo.; Angie Dickinson's, then Carol Bayer Sager's ex-hubby
Stephen Baldwin: 1966 (is 44 in 2010, 45 in 2011)
TV/Movie Actor, b. in New York City; Alec's brother; The Young Riders' Billy Cody, Bio-Dome, Born on the Fourth of July, The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas
Jason Biggs: 1978 (is 32 in 2010, 33 in 2011)
TV Actor, Drexell's Class' Willie, As the World Turns' Pete Wendall, American Pie, Anything Else, My Best Friend's Girl
Barry Borden: 1954 (is 56 in 2010, 57 in 2011)
Rock & Roll Musician, of Molly Hatchett
Bruce Boxleitner: 1950 (is 60 in 2010, 61 in 2011)
TV/Movie Actor, b. in Elgin, Ill.; Last Convertible, East of Eden, How the West Was Won's Luke Macahan, Bring 'em Back Alive's Frank, Scarecrow & Mrs. King's Lee Stetson Scarecrow, Babylon 5's Capt. John Sheridan; some say b. 1951
Kix Brooks: 1955 (is 55 in 2010, 56 in 2011)
Country Singer/Guitarist, Songwriter, of Brooks & Dunn
Gabriel Byrne: 1950 (is 60 in 2010, 61 in 2011)
Actor, Irish, Excalibur, Gothic, Polish Wedding, End of Days, Jindabyne
Christian Campbell: 1972 (is 38 in 2010, 39 in 2011)
TV Actor, Malibu Shores' Teddy, All My Children's Bobby Warner
Linda Carlson: 1945 (is 65 in 2010, 66 in 2011)
Actress, Newhart's Bev Dutton
Tyler Cassidy Clinton: 1994 (is 16 in 2010, 17 in 2011)
Celebrity Son, Molly Martin and Roger's son
Sofia Coppola: 1971 (is 39 in 2010, 40 in 2011)
Movie Actress, Writer, Director, Francis Ford's daughter
Lindsay Ann Crouse: 1948 (is 62 in 2010, 63 in 2011)
Actress, Russel's daughter
Linda Dano: 1943 (is 67 in 2010, 68 in 2011)
Soap Actress, TV Talk Show Hostess, One Life to Live's Gretel Rae Cummings, Another World's Felicia Gallant, Attitudes hostess, All My Children's, then One Life to Live's, then General Hospital's Greta Rae Cummings, Guiding Light's Lena Kendall, Desparate Housewives' Francine Williams
James Quentin DePaiva: 1997 (is 13 in 2010, 14 in 2011)
Celebrity Son, Kassie and James' son
Billy Duffy: 1961 (is 49 in 2010, 50 in 2011)
Heavy Metal Guitarst, Songwriter, British, of The Cult
Emilio Estevez: 1962 (is 48 in 2010, 49 in 2011)
Movie Actor, Movie Director, Screen/Scriptwriter, b. in New York, NY; ex-Brat Pack; St. Elmo's Fire, The Breakfast Club, Repo Man, Young Guns, Mighty Ducks; some say May 2 or 11 or 1963; Martin Sheen's son, Charlie Sheen's brother, Paula Abdul's ex-hubby
Kim Fields: 1969 (is 41 in 2010, 42 in 2011)
TV Actress, Producer/Director, LN:-Freeman; b. in Los Angeles, Ca.; Baby I'm Back, The Facts of Life's Dorothy "Tootie" Ramsey, Roots, Living Single's Regine Hunter; Chip's daughter
Tiki Fulwood: 1944 (is 66 in 2010, 67 in 2011)
Rhythm and Blues Musician, Drummer, of P-Funk
April Grace: 1962 (is 48 in 2010, 49 in 2011)
Actress
Kim Greist: 1958 (is 52 in 2010, 53 in 2011)
Actress
Brett Gurewitz: 1962 (is 48 in 2010, 49 in 2011)
Rock & Roll Performer, of Bad Religion
Susan Hampshire: 1942 (is 68 in 2010, 69 in 2011)?
Actress, English, b. in London; some say b. May 12, 1937 (is 73 in 2010), or b. May 12, 1938 (is 72 in 2010)
Becky Herbst: 1977 (is 33 in 2010, 34 in 2011)
Soap Actress, General Hospital's Elizabeth Webber
Rebecca Herbst: 1977 (is 33 in 2010, 34 in 2011)
Soap Actress, General Hospital's Elizabeth Webber
Darrow Igus: 1948 (is 62 in 2010, 63 in 2011)
Comedian, Roll Out, Fridays reg
Malcolm David Kelley: 1992 (is 18 in 2010, 19 in 2011)
Actor, Lost's Walt Lloyd
Eddie Kilgallon: 1965 (is 45 in 2010, 46 in 2011)
Country Musician, of Ricochet
Nicholas Morgan Lieberman: 1994 (is 16 in 2010, 17 in 2011)
Celebrity Son, Marilu Henner and Robert's son
Jamie Luner: 1971 (is 39 in 2010, 40 in 2011)
TV Actress, Just the Ten of Us's Cindy Lubbock, Savannah's Payton Richards, Melrose Place's Lexi Sterling, Profiler's Rachel Burke, 10-8
Robert MacVitte: 1946 (is 64 in 2010, 65 in 2011)
Drummer, of Sugarloaf
Beth Maitland: 1959 (is 51 in 2010, 52 in 2011)
Soap Actress, Young & the Restless's Traci Abbott Carlton; some say b. 1958
John "Jocko" Marcellino: 1950 (is 60 in 2010, 61 in 2011)
Pop Singer, of Sha Na Na
Forbes March: 1973 (is 37 in 2010, 38 in 2011)
Soap Actor, All My Children's Scott Chandler, One Life to Live's Nash
Samantha Mathis: 1970 (is 40 in 2010, 41 in 2011)
Actress
Bruce McCulloch: 1961 (is 49 in 2010, 50 in 2011)
TV Actor, Comedian, Novelty Singer, of Kids In The Hall
Ian McLagen: 1945 (is 65 in 2010, 66 in 2011)?
Rock & Roll Keyboardist, Organist, British, of The (Small) Faces; UP says 1946; some say b. May 12, 1946 (is 64 in 2010)
Dashel Pierce Packham: 2007 (is 3 in 2010, 4 in 2011)
Celebrity Son, Nicole Sullivan and Jason's son
Willie Parnell: 1945 (is 65 in 2010, 66 in 2011)
Singer, of Archie Bell and the Drells
Gary Peacock: 1935 (is 75 in 2010, 76 in 2011)
Bassist, Composer, Teacher
Millie Perkins: 1938 (is 72 in 2010, 73 in 2011)
Movie Actress, Knots Landing's Jane Sumner, Young & The Restless' Rebecca; AP says 1938
James Purify: 1944 (is 66 in 2010, 67 in 2011)
Rhythm and Blues Singer, I'm Your Puppet
Ving Rhames: 1959 (is 51 in 2010, 52 in 2011)
Actor, ER's Walt Robbins, Entrapment, Mission Impossible 2; E.T. says 1959
Richard Riehle: 1948 (is 62 in 2010, 63 in 2011)
Actor, Grounded For Life's Walt Finnerty
Scott Schwartz: 1968 (is 42 in 2010, 43 in 2011)
Actor
Shannon: 1957 (is 53 in 2010, 54 in 2011)
Rhythm and Blues Singer, LN:Greene, FN:Brenda; Let The Music Play
John Simon: 1925 (is 85 in 2010, 86 in 2011)
Critic, N.Y. Times theater critic
Eric Singer: 1958 (is 52 in 2010, 53 in 2011)
Heavy Metal Drummer, of KISS 92-
Billy Squier: 1950 (is 60 in 2010, 61 in 2011)
Heavy Metal Singer, Heavy Metal Guitarst, Songwriter
Frank Stella: 1936 (is 74 in 2010, 75 in 2011)
Painter
Paul Stout: 1972 (is 38 in 2010, 39 in 2011)
Actor, Scarecrow & Mrs. King's Philip King
Billy Swan: 1942 (is 68 in 2010, 69 in 2011)
Soul Singer, Guitarist, Keyboardist, Songwriter, Country Singer, Music Producer, I Can Help
Sawyer Sweeten: 1995 (is 15 in 2010, 16 in 2011)
Actor, Everybody Loves Raymond's Jeffrey Barone
Sullivan Sweeten: 1995 (is 15 in 2010, 16 in 2011)
Actor, Everybody Loves Raymond's Michael Barone
Kai Madison Trump: 2007 (is 3 in 2010, 4 in 2011)
Celebrity Daughter, Vanessa and Donald Jr.'s daughter
Emily Van Camp: 1986 (is 24 in 2010, 25 in 2011)
Actress, Canadian, Everwood's Amy Nicole Abbott
David Walker: 1943 (is 67 in 2010, 68 in 2011)
Rock & Roll Keyboardist, of Gary Lewis & the Playboys
Jay Otis "Little" Washington: 1941 (is 69 in 2010, 70 in 2011)?
Rhythm and Blues Singer, of the Persuasions; UP says b. 1945; some say b. May 12, 1945 (is 65 in 2010)
Amy Wheaton: 1978 (is 32 in 2010, 33 in 2011)
Actress
Vanessa Williams: 1963 (is 47 in 2010, 48 in 2011)
TV/Movie/Stage Actress, Opera Singer, aka Vanessa A. Williams; New Jack City, Melrose Place's Rhonda Blair, Murder One's Lila Marquette; NOT the beauty contest winner/singer
Steve Winwood: 1948 (is 62 in 2010, 63 in 2011)
HALL OF FAMER, Rock & Roll Singer, Harmonicaist, Guitarist, Music Producer, Composer/Songwriter, Keyboardist, English, Multi-instrumental; was lead for Spencer Davis Group, Blind Faith, and Traffic; soloist

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People on May 12th: birth anniversaries

Mary Kay Ash: 1915=d.Nov 22, 2001 (was 86)
Founder, Mary Kay Cosmetics
Christian Brando: 1958=d.Jan 25, 2008 (was 49)
Celebrity Son, Marlon's son
George Carlin: 1937=d.Jun 22, 2008 (was 71)
HALL OF FAMER, Comedian, Radio Disc Jock, TV/Movie Actor, Cartoon Voicist, TV Host, Protestant, b. in New York City; Outrageous Fortune, Americathon, Car Wash, That Girl's George Lester; did The Seven Dirty Words You Cannot Say On Television on HBO uncensored, the words are (CENSORED)!, Shining Time Station's Mr. Conductor, George Carlin Show's George O'Grady, Jersey Girl
Leslie Charteris: 1907=d.Apr 15, 1993 (was 85)
Author, British, Singaporian; Mysteries; The Saint creator
Robert Cox: 1896=d.Sep 8, 1974 (was 78)
Actor, the last surviving member of Keystone Kops
Ian Dury: 1942=d.Mar 27, 2000 (was 57)
Punk Rock Singer, Composer, Guitarist, Songwriter, Painter, British, lead of The Blockheads, soloist
Lincoln Ellsworth: 1880=d.May 26, 1951 (was 71)
Explorer, American, 1st to cross both Arctic (1926) and Antarctic (1935) by air in a single-engine airplane
Gabriel Urbain Faure: 1845=d.Nov 4, 1924 (was 79)
Composer, Musician, French, b. in Pamiers
William Giauque: 1895=d.Mar 28, 1982 (was 86)
Chemist, American, Canadian, discovered method of producing temperatures near absolute zero
Tony Hancock: 1925=d.Jun 25, 1968 (was 43)
Comedian, English
Katherine Hepburn: 1907=d.Jun 29, 2003 (was 96)
Movie Actress, Protestant, b. Hartford, Conn.; 12X Oscar nominee, 4 wins; Little Women, Philadelphia Story, African Queen, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, On Golden Pond; it's May 12, 1907 according to her memoirs, contradicting numerous references that say she was born Nov 8 in 1907, 1909 or 1910
Dorothy Hodgkin: 1910=d.Jul 29, 1994 (was 84)
Scientist, Chemist, Egyptian, vitamin B-12 research
Wilfrid Hyde-White: 1903=d.May 6, 1991 (was 87)
TV/Movie/Stage Actor, English, Peyton Place, The Associates' Emerson, Buck Rogers's Dr. Goodfellow 80s
William Inge: 1888=d.Feb 26, 1954 (was 65)
Dramatist/Playwright, English
Fritz Kortner: 1892=d.Jul 22, 1970 (was 78)
Movie/Stage Actor, German
Edward Lear: 1812=d.Jan 29, 1888 (was 75)
Poet, Artist, Children's Author, English, Limerick inventor; some of my favorites started out with the lines "There once was a young man from Venus", and "There was an old man from Nantucket".
Henry Cabot Lodge: 1850=d.Nov 9, 1924 (was 74)
Senator, Diplomat
Dolley Madison: 1768?=d.Jul 12, 1849 (was 81)
First Lady, RN:Dorothea Dandridge Payne Todd; James' wife; some say b. May 20, 1768
Joe Maphis: 1921=d.Jun 27, 1986 (was 65)
Country Guitarist, NN:King of the Strings
Jules Massenet: 1842=d.Aug 13, 1912 (was 70)
Composer, French, b. in Montaud; MN:Emile Frederic
Evan Mecham: 1924=d.Feb 21, 2008 (was 83)
Governor, Bad Arizona ex-
Florence Nightingale: 1820=d.Aug 13, 1910 (was 90)
Social Reformer, Italian, the founder of modern nursing, inspiration to nurses everywhere; b. in Florence; d. in London
Julius Rosenberg: 1918=d.Jun 19, 1953 (was 35)
Spy, with his wife Ether, the first U.S. civilians to be put to death for espionage.
Dante Gabriel Rossetti: 1828=d.Apr 9, 1882 (was 53)
Poet, Painter, English
Marshall Royal: 1912=d.Feb 3, 1995 (was 82)
Clarinetist, Alto-sax, spent 20 years with the Count Basie Orchestra as lead alto soloist and musical director
Al Shean: 1868=d.Aug 12, 1949 (was 81)
Movie/Stage Actor, Comedian, Vaudevillan, RN:Alfred Shoenberg; Marx Brothers' uncle
Howard K. Smith: 1914=d.Feb 15, 2002 (was 87)
Newscaster, Commentator, Journalist, ABC News, V's himself
Tom Snyder: 1936=d.Jul 30, 2007 (was 71)
TV Talk Show Host, Newscaster, Journalist, b. in Milwaukee; The Tomorrow Show host, CNBC's Tom Snyder Show, The Late Late Show; Dan Aykroyd did a mean impression of him on SNL
Socrates: 470B.C.?=d.May 7, 399B.C.
Philosopher, Greek, Gay, d. Mar 5?; some say b. Jun 4,-470B.C., or b. Jun 5,-468B.C.
Norman Whitfield: 1941=d.Sep 16, 2008 (was 67)
Songwriter, Executive, Music Producer, co-wrote a string of Motown classics including "War" and "I Heard It Through The Grapevine."
Gerry "Wig" Wiggins: 1922=d.Jul 13, 2008 (was 86)
Jazz Singer
Philip Wylie: 1902=d.Oct 25, 1971 (was 69)
Essayist, Novelist, said to be "homophobic" by some critics
Ronald L. Ziegler: 1939=d.Feb 10, 2003 (was 63)
Government Official, ex-White House news secretary under Nixon

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People on May 12th: death anniversaries

Catherine Beecher: 1878 (was 77)/b.Sep 6, 1800
Educator, Suffragate, Henry Ward Beecher & Harriet Beecher's sister
Joe Valdez Caballero: 1989 (was 81)/b.Apr 10, 1908
Inventor, the hard taco shell.
Louis Calhern: 1956 (was 61)/b.Feb 19, 1895
Movie/Stage Actor, RN:Carl Henry Vogt; Julius Caesar, Blackboard Jungle
Perry Como: 2001 (was 88)/b.May 18, 1912
HALL OF FAMER, Singer, Variety Show Host, Movie Actor, b. in Canonsburg, PA; RLN:Pierino Roland; Perry Como Show, Kraft Music Hall
Peter Henry Emerson: 1936 (was 80)/b.May 13, 1856
Photographer, the first photographer to promote photography as an independent art.
Erik H. Erikson: 1994 (was 91)/b.Jun 15, 1902
Scientist, Author, German, Psychoanalyst; Pulitzer Prize-winning; coined the phrase "identity crisis."
Vic Feldman: 1987 (was 53)/b.Apr 7, 1934
Pianist, Drummer, Vibraharpist, English
Sydney Hoff: 2004 (was 91)/b.Sep 4, 1912
Children's Author, Illustrator, ComicStrip Cartoonist, Laugh It Off, Sammy the Seal, Danny the Dinosaur
Sir William Huggins: 1910 (was 86)/b.Feb 7, 1824
Scientist, Astronomer, English, discovered nature of spiral "nebulae"; one of the first to use the spectroscope; with it he revolutionized the observation of celestial bodies; discoverer of stellar nature of Andromeda
Martin Lamble: 1969?/b.Aug, 1949
Drummer, British, of Fairport Convention; some say d. May 14, 1969
John La Porta: 2004 (was 84)/b.Apr 1, 1920
Reeds, Composer, Teacher
Amy Lowell: 1925 (was 51)/b.Feb 9, 1874
Poet, Critic
Arthur Lubin: 1995 (was 96)/b.Jul 25, 1898
Movie Director, Francis The Talking Mule, Mr. Ed
Frances Marion: 1973 (was 84)/b.Nov 18, 1888
Screen/Scriptwriter, Actress, Pollyanna
John Masefield: 1967 (was 88)/b.Jun 1, 1878
Poet, Dramatist/Playwright, Author, English
Roy J. Plunkett: 1994 (was 83)/b.yr unknown
Inventor, Chemist, discovered teflon in 1938
Lillian Roth: 1980 (was 69)/b.Dec 13, 1910
Stage Actress, Singer, RLN:Rutstein; Animal Crackers
Bedrich Smetana: 1884 (was 60)/b.Mar 2, 1824
Conductor/Composer, Musician, Czech
John Smith: 1994 (was 55)/b.Sep 13, 1938
Labor Leader, British, British Labor Party leader
Saul Steinberg: 1999 (was 84)/b.Jun 15, 1914
Artist, ComicStrip Cartoonist, Illustrator, Romanian, New Yorker
Erich von Stroheim: 1957 (was 68)/b.Feb 18, 1889
Movie Actor, Movie Director, Screen/Scriptwriter, Austrian, MN:Oswald Hans Carl Maria von Nordenwall; his b-date is sometimes given as Sep 22, 1885
Eugene Ysaye: 1931 (was 72)/b.Jul 16, 1858
Violinist, Conductor/Composer, Belgiumese, Belguim

Important: This is the short version of the 'This Day in Events History' section.

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General events on May 12th

In 1839, A Shawnee Indian uttered a curse on "The Great White Father" for violating Indian treaties, beginning the curious cycle of American Presidential deaths. Every president elected or re-elected at 20-year cycles died in office from 1840-1960.

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Government and Politics on May 12th

In 1701, Drenthe adopts Gregorian calendar (yesterday was 4/29/1701).

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War, Crime and Disaster events on May 12th

In 1780, British forces captured Charles Town (later Charleston), South Carolina, after a two-month siege in the American War of Independence.

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Royalty and Religious events on May 12th

In 1191, Marriage of Richard I of England and Berengaria of Navarre

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Human Achievement and Science events on May 12th

In 1539, DeSoto leaves Cuba searching for the 7 Cities of Gold

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Arts and Prose events on May 12th

In 1915, Franklin K Mathiews, presents the idea of "Book Week"

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Misc Marrige events on May 12th

In 1621, The first marriage to take place in Plymouth Colony is between Edward Winslow and Susanna White.

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Weird and Other events on May 12th

In 1960, 50 years ago, 05 x 12 = 60

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Random Generated Jokes, Quotes, and Other Stuff!

Today's 'Confused-Us' Saying...
"where in the world does the guy who has everything put it?."

Random Thought...
"A heart in love with beauty never grows old"

Another Random Thought...
"Unregistered Evaluation Tagline"

And Another Random Thought...
"In England there are sixty different religions and only one sauce"

Still Another Random Thought...
"Stop searching forever. Happiness is unattainable"

Yet Another Random Thought...
"Press "+" to see another tagline"

Murphy's Law of the Day...
"If a series of events can go wrong, it will do so in the worst possible way."

Computer Tagline...
"All real programs contain errors until proven otherwise - which is impossible."

Today's Steven Wright Joke...
"I'm writing an unauthorized autobiography."

Today's 'You Might Be A Redneck If' (tm) Joke...
"The worst day of your life was when you dropped your bottle of Jack Daniels the other day."

Today's Sniglet(tm)...
"SCHLATTWHAPPER (shlat' wap ur) n. The window shade that allows itself to be pulled down, hesitates for a second, then snaps up in your face."

Today's Book Hype...
"Unemployed: Anita Job"

Today's Actual Headline...
"WAR DIMS HOPE FOR PEACE"

Today's Signs You Are a Computer Addict...
"It's 1:15 AM, and you have to get up for work at 5:45."

Today's Computer Glossary...
"Bank Select: used by theives to determine who they will rob."

Today's Daffynition...
"Egghead: What Mrs. Dumpty gave Mr. Humpty."

Today's Einstein Quote...
"You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war. --Albert Einstein (1879-1955)"

Today's Hannibal Lecter Joke...
"Why did it take so long for Hannibal Lecter to eat Valerie Bertinelli? Because he could only eat a piece of her one day at a time!"

Today's They Do It...
"I/O Hackers do it without interrupt"

Today's Old Never Die...
"OLD PROGRAMMERS never die, they just move to new addresses"

Today's Mark Twain Quote...
"The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not"

Today's Oxymoron...
"Civil libertarian"

Today's Confused Us Quote...
"money is like a promise, easier made then kept."

Today's Star Trek(tm) Tag...
"* * * <- Tribbles <- Cloaked tribbles"

Today's Star Trek (tm) Quote...
Totally illogical, there was no chance. -- Spock, "The Galileo Seven," stardate 2822.3.

Today's Star Trek TNG (tm) Quote...
I never lie when I've got sand in my shoes, Commodore. -- Star Trek. Geordi to Bochra, "The Enemy"

Random Stuff

Today in History Basic, Today in History, Davesfunstuff