Eighth President of Mexico, Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón kicks things off today given his parents were out of breath having said his full name for the first time in 1794. Poet Wystan Hugh (W.H.) Auden was about the house from 1907. Double amputee and fighter pilot, (who could dance better than I can), Douglas Bader scrambled in 1910. Also born that year, television presenter Edward Marsden ‘Eddie’ Waring noted for his rugby league commentary had his first up and under. Actress/dancer Lucille Bremer arrived behind locked doors in 1917. Ex-despot dictator, (sorry President), of Zimbabwe, Robert Gabriel Mugabe who gave up trying to ruin, sorry, run his country in 2017 was born in 1924. Film director/screen writer David Samuel Peckinpah staged the getaway in 1925. Actor known for playing Private Walker in classic BBC sit-com Dad’s Army, Stanley James Carroll Beck, had his own coronation in 1927. Also arriving in 1927, fashion designer and founder of Givenchy – Hubert James Marcel Taffin de Givenchy obviously wasn’t a loafer. Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon, but going onto find fame as Nina Simone let it all out in 1933. Actor known for playing muuuurrrderrr Detective Taggart – Mark McManus wasn’t a rogue male in 1935. Norwegian of the day goes to chief sash and medal wearer – King Harald V started wearing ermine nappies from 1937. Also born that year, actor Gary Lockwood was unable to stand up and be counted. Multiple record label founder David Laurence Geffen tracked his entrance to the world in 1942. Member of the RSC before moving onto films, Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman was nearly the January man in 1946. Also born that year, actress who was one half of Cagney & Lacey, Ellen Tyne Daly was better late than never. Yet another actor, this one known for playing robot C-3PO in dull film franchise Star Wars, Anthony Daniels went through the motions of birth. Star of un-amusing sit-coms Cheers and Frasier, Allen Kelsey Grammer was down periscope in 1955. Singer of dirge songs, Mary Chapin Carpenter wondered why walk when you can fly through birth in 1958. Co-star of The Blue Lagoon with Brooke Shields, Christopher Atkins Bowmann who abbreviated that to Christopher Atkins, has found it’s my party this day from 1961. Omnipresent journo/presenter Vanessa Feltz popped out for the first time in 1962. Actor William Joseph Baldwin started suffering from the backdraft in 1963. Orange/white space suit wearing twins, (to tell which one was which), Mark Edward Kelly and Scott Joseph Kelly blasted off in 1964. Singer with Transvision Vamp now showing her age – Wendy James hasn’t been the nameless one since 1966. Lead singer with Welsh band Manic Street Preachers, James Dean Bradfield didn’t get to see the roses in the hospital in 1969. Un-amusing smug looking comedian, Michael Hazen James McIntyre found it was showtime in 1976. Previous star of the Disney Channel, Jennifer Love Hewitt took the shortcut to happiness in 1979. Co-founder of Spotify – Daniel Ek started streaming in 1983. Second ‘Welshie’ of the day goes to ‘Voice of an Angel’, (before she started on the fags and vodka), Charlotte Maria Church had her first little movements in 1986. Known for her role in Juno, actress Ellen Grace Philpotts-Page made it through the wet season in 1987. Actress Sophie Turner started with a game of potty’s a few months after her birth in 1996.
As for deaths, we start with King James I of Scotland who stopped swigging whisky in 1437. Next up are two Popes, the first of which, Pope Julius II hung his cape and zucchetto up in 1513, whilst 217 years later in 1730 Pope Benedict XIII didn’t have to say any more Hail Mary’s, (or self flagellate himself). Emperor Ninko of Japan saw the Chrysanthemum wilt from 1846. So far as I know, non-relation to Justin, American lawman who helped capture Jesse James, James H. Timberlake found himself mortally captured in 1891. Religious runner who picked up a couple of gongs at the Olympics, Eric Henry Liddell wheezed his last in 1945. Malcolm X, the civil rights campaigner with no surname, (obviously Little didn’t count as such), found his civil liberties curtailed in 1965. Unfortunately, it is not documented as to who was the last person who saw mountaineer Noel Ewart Odell alive in 1987. Reigate, (Surrey), born prima ballerina, Margaret Evelyn Hookham/Dame Margot Fonteyn de Arias started spinning in her grave in Panama City back in 1991. Founder of MAD magazine – Harvey Kurtzman was unable to reboot in 1993. Actor of stage, screen and television – John Edward Thaw was anything but thawed in 2002. Songwriter responsible for ‘Fly Me To The Moon’, born Howard Joseph Gustafson, but known as Bart Howard, reached a crescendo in 2004. Serial killer Colin Ireland obviously got bored of looking at the bars in his cell given he rolled over in 2012. Not making it through 2018 – evangelist William Franklin ‘Billy’ Graham Jr., didn’t get the global audience he wanted for at his funeral. Keeping with the church theme, actress known for her role in The Vicar of Dibley – Emma Gwynedd Mary Chambers has been downstage since 2018. Finally, another Monkee, (mentioned last week in honour of his birthday) – Peter Halsten Thorkelson or just Peter Tork has been unable to listen to the band since 2019.
With thanks to http://www.onthisday.com for filling in the gaps.
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