Tuesday, June 26, 2012

TODAY'S BIRTHDAYS:

• Sean Hayes (actor, Will & Grace's Jack) (42)
• Chris Isaak (singer, "Wicked Game") (56)
• Derek Jeter (New York Yankees shortstop) (38)
• Chris O'Donnell (actor, NCIS: Los Ageles, Scent of a Woman, Circle of Friends, Batman Forever, Grey's Anatomy, The Chamber, Batman & Robin, The Bachelor, Kinsey) (42)
• Patty Smyth (lead singer, Scandal; wife of John McEnroe) (55)
• Jason Schwartzman (actor, Rushmore, I Heart Huckabees, Bewitched, Shopgirl, The Darjeeling Limited, Bored To Death, Moonrise Kingdom) (32)
• Paul Thomas Anderson (director, Hard Eight, Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Punch-Drunk Love, There Will Be Blood, The Master) (42)
• Mick Jones (singer-guitarist, the Clash, Big Audio Dynamite) (57)
• Billy Davis, Jr. (singer, the 5th Dimension, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr.) (74, disputed)
• Michael Vick (disgraced football player) (32)
• Nick Offerman (actor, Parks and Recreation, husband of Megan Mullally) (42)
• Colin Greenwood (bassist, Radiohead) (43)

ON THIS DAY:

• 1819, William Clarkson ofNew York patents the bicycle.
• 1904, Actor Peter Lorre (The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca) is born. He dies in 1964.
• 1909, Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's longtime manager, is born. He dies in 1997.
• 1912, the Oreo cookie was invented by Nabisco.
• 1917, the first troops of the American Expeditionary Force arrived inFrance during World War One.
• 1927, the Cyclone roller coaster opened at Coney Island inBrooklyn,New York.
• 1945, the charter of the United Nations was signed by 50 countries inSan Francisco.
• 1963, President John F. Kennedy visitedWest Berlin, where he was greeted by more than one million of the divided city's residents. In a speech, he made his famous declaration, "Ich bin ein Berliner." He meant "I am a Berliner," but it translated literally as "I am a jelly donut."
• 1965, "Mr. Tambourine Man" by the Byrds, a cover of the Bob Dylan song, hits Number One on the pop chart.
• 1974, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton divorced for the first time. They later remarried -- and redivorced.
• 1975, Sonny & Cher's divorce was finalized after 11 years of marriage.
• 1976, Rocks by Aerosmith peaks at Number Three on the album chart, where it stays for three weeks.
• 1977, Elvis Presley made what turned out to be his final public appearance, at the Market Square Arena inIndianapolis. He died 51 days later.
• 1982, "Heat Of The Moment" by Asia peaks at Number Four on the pop chart, where it stays for three weeks.
• 1990, President George Bush, who had campaigned for office on a pledge of "no new taxes," conceded that tax increases would have to be included in any deficit-reduction package worked out with congressional negotiators.
• 1993, in retaliation for an Iraqi plot to assassinate former U.S. president George Bush during his April visit to Kuwait, President Bill Clinton ordered U.S. warships to fire Tomahawk cruise missiles at Iraqi intelligence headquarters in downtown Baghdad. The attack destroyed the building, and according to Iraqi accounts, killed several civilians.
• 1996, Van Halen releases a statement saying they're recording new material with original lead singer David Lee Roth, and that his replacement, Sammy Hagar, is no longer with the group. The result of the sessions with Roth are the songs "Me Wise Magic" and "Can't Get This Stuff No More," which are included on The Best Of Van Halen Vol. 1. Roth and the band part company again after an appearance at the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards.
• 2000, Federal investigators concluded John F. Kennedy, Jr.'s plane crashed after he became disoriented and lost control.
• 2000, rival scientific teams completed the first rough map of the human genetic code after a 10-year race.
• 1819 William Clarkson ofNew York patents the bicycle.
• 1904 Actor Peter Lorre (The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca) is born. He dies in 1964.
• 1909 Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's longtime manager, is born.
• 1912 The Oreo cookie is invented by Nabisco.
• 1927 The Cyclone roller coaster opens at Coney Island inBrooklyn,New York. The Cyclone is the country's oldest roller coaster.
• 1963 While visiting West Berlin, President John F. Kennedy makes his famous "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech. He was trying to say "I am a Berliner," in support of the people of the city that was divided into East and West segments at the end of World War II, but what he said actually translates as "I am a jelly doughnut."
• 1974 The barcode on products is introduced. A pack of Wrigley's gum is the first item to be swiped at a supermarket inTroy,Ohio.
• 1977 Elvis Presley gives what will be his last concert, at Market Square Arena inIndianapolis,Indiana.
• 1981 The movie Stripes, starring Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, P.J. Soles, John Candy, John Larroquette, and Judge Reinhold, opens.
• 1986 The city of Pittsburghconsiders banning rock concerts after 25 people are injured at a Run-DMC show.
• 1990 President George Bush, who had campaigned for office on a pledge of "no new taxes," concedes that tax increases will have to be included in any deficit-reduction package worked out with congressional negotiators.
• 1992 Still upset over the theft of his journal the previous night, Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder punches out a security guard at aDenmark concert after he sees bouncers roughing up stagedivers. The band cancels two shows inLondon, saying that Vedder is exhausted.
• 1993 The Last Action Hero soundtrack enters the album chart. It features songs by Aerosmith, Anthrax, Alice In Chains, Cypress Hill, and Fishbone.
• 1993 In retaliation for an Iraqi plot to assassinate former U.S.president George Bush during his April visit to Kuwait, President Bill Clinton ordersU.S. warships to fire Tomahawk cruise missiles at Iraqi intelligence headquarters in downtownBaghdad. The attack destroys the building, and according to Iraqi accounts, kills several civilians.
• 1996 Van Halen announce that they're recording new material with original lead singer David Lee Roth, and that his replacement, Sammy Hagar, is no longer with the group. Two songs result from the sessions and are included on The Best Of Van Halen Vol. 1, but Roth and the band part company again after an appearance at the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards.
• 1996 Porno For Pyros announces that it will headline the ENIT Festival, which will also feature Love & Rockets, Meat Beat Manifesto, Nancy Sinatra and others.
• 1997 TheU.S.Supreme Court rules that the Communications Decency Act violates the First Amendment.
• 1999 Director Sofia Coppola marries director Spike Jonze. The marriage ends in early 2004.
• 2003 Foo Fighters's new video for their single "Low" is rejected by MTV Networks, due to the controversial nature of the clip. The video features frontman Dave Grohl and actor Jack Black prancing around in women's clothes, spanking each other, and implying a sex scene.
• 2004 Velvet Revolver bassist Duff McKagan appears on America's Most Wanted to discuss the unsolved murder of Lorella Lepper, who ran the website for McKagan's former band, Loaded.
• 2005 Sum 41 singer Deryck Whibley and pop starlet Avril Lavigne get engaged.
• 2007 British band the Verve announces that it will reunite after eight years apart for a winter tour and new album.
  2007 The Beastie Boys issue their first all-instrumental album, titled The Mix Up.