Promiscuous (third) wife to Roman emperor Claudius – Valeria Messalina arrived in either 17 or 20AD and gets the distinction of starting today’s posting. Scottish poet Robert Burns was piped into the world back in 1759. Major general in the Confederate Army, George Edward Pickett led the charge in 1825. Esteemed writer William Somerset Maugham, had the good manners to be born in 1874. Female version of the above, Adeline Virginia Woolf, (née Stephen), didn’t know if she was born on Monday or Tuesday in 1882. Actor Howard David Wendell found gentleman prefer blondes about twenty years after his birth in 1908. Communist folk songwriter and dad to Kirsty, born James Henry Miller but went by the stage name Ewan MacColl had his solo flight in 1915. Television presenter with the distinctive voice – Raymond Frederic Baxter saw tomorrow’s world from 1922. Singer Farrell H. (‘Rusty’) Draper couldn’t shout, ‘Help me, I’m falling’ in 1923. Second President of Georgia, Eduard Amvroslyevich Shevardnadze started to rise through the ranks from 1928. Known for his role in The Herbie films, actor Dean Carroll Jones’s mum wasn’t called Mandie, but he still made it through the secret tunnel in 1931. Also born that year, acting son to Harold Lloyd Sr. – Harold Lloyd Jr., found father knows best. Successor to Ferdinand and his shoe obsessed wife Imelda – 11th President of the Philippines, Maria Corazon ‘Cory’ Cojuangco Aquino, (née Sumulong) passed her first early day motion in 1933. Having mentioned Jamesetta Hawkins/Etta James a mere five days ago in the second paragraph, here she is again given she was all the way down in 1938. Actress Angela Margaret Leslie Thorne didn’t give her parents any silent hours from 1939. Designer of the Lego minifigures – Jens Nygaard Knudsen had his first BURP in 1942. Given I mentioned his co-star Adrian Edmundson only yesterday, it only seems fair Christopher Papazoglou or Christopher Ryan gets his name here given he started having bottom fluff from 1950. Gay rights activist who tried to arrest TIM, (That Idiot Mugabe), Peter Gary Tatchell didn’t hit a stonewall during birth in 1952. Classical singer, (in Hindustani), Kavita Krishnamurthy recorded her first day in 1958. Professional cyclist Denis Nikolayevich Menchov wasn’t a climber in 1978. Comedian and respected President of Ukraine who’s earning his money at the moment, being seen in his battle fatigues – Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy, has been a servant of the people since 1978. Also arriving that year, former swimmer now Princess Consort of Monaco – Charlene, née Charlene Lynette Wittstock, managed to glide through. Singer Alicia Augello Coo, or as the IRS know her – Alicia Keys, found the element of freedom in 1981.
There aren’t many deaths to report on today, but we do start with Genseric, (other alternatives are available), King of the Vandals and the Alans, (but not vandals called Alan), wrecked his own life in 477. Yet another Pope making it onto the list is non breathing Pope Gregory IV who expired in 844. Extremely wide hat wearer, King Christian II of Denmark & Norway, (as well as Sweden), or ‘Christian the Tyrant’ suffered his final downfall in 1559. Cartographer Guillaume Delisle plotted his grave in 1726. Sailor and explorer who discovered Antarctica – Fabian Gottlieb Thaddeus von Bellingshausen found himself cold (again) in 1852. Russian chess player, Mikhail Ivanovich Chigorin took the basic ending in 1908. Proper American gangster, (without his trousers hanging round his lower buttocks), who was mentioned eight days ago in the births paragraph – Alphonse Gabriel ‘Al’ Capone didn’t speak easy after 1947. Fred’s older sis who also made a living twirling around the place, Adele Astaire waltzed off the planet in 1981. Youngest of seven children, actress, (and ex-Mrs M. Rooney) – Ava Lavinia Gardner jumped off the band wagon in 1990. Actor William Sylvester didn’t get to see 2001 given he keeled over in 1995. First cousin of Saddam Hussein, Ali Hassan Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti aka ‘Chemical Ali’ stopped hanging about in 2010. Dead Norwegian of the day, opera soprano Aase Nordmo Løvberg didn’t have a drawn out death scene in 2013. One half of Womack and Womack – Cecil Dale Womack, who went onto adopt the slightly alternative name Zekkariyas, didn’t find dying in 2013 strange or funny. Kaftan wearing large hairy singer – Artemios ‘Demis’ Ventouris-Roussos bid ‘Auf Wiedersehn’ in 2015. Actor mentioned a mere three days ago in honour of his birth – John Vincent Hurt staged the disappearance in 2017. Actress mate of Dick Van Dyke who also had her own show, Mary Tyler Moore had a change of habit in 2017. Architect and furniture designer Florence Marguerite Knoll Bassett, (née Schust), didn’t get to design her coffin in 2019. You won’t believe this but writer to virtually every comedian in the 70’s and 80’s, comedian, actor and second ‘Old Fart’ – Barry Charles Cryer joined the other comedy greats in 2022.
With thanks to http://www.onthisday.com for filling in the gaps.
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