• 1 On March 1, 1974, seven people, including former Nixon White House aides H.R. Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman, former Attorney General John Mitchell and former assistant Attorney General Robert Mardian, were indicted on charges of conspiring to obstruct justice in connection with the Watergate break-in. They were convicted the following January, although Mardian's conviction was later reversed. - In 1781, the Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation. - In 1790, Congress authorized the first U.S. census. - In 1845, President Tyler signed a congressional resolution to annex the Republic of Texas. - In 1867, Nebraska became the 37th state. - In 1872, Congress authorized creation of Yellowstone National Park. - In 1932, the infant son of Charles and Anne Lindbergh was kidnapped from the family home near Hopewell, N.J. The baby's remains were found the following May. - In 1954, Puerto Rican nationalists opened fire from the gallery of the U.S. House of Representatives, wounding five congressmen. - In 1961, President Kennedy established the Peace Corps. - In 1967, Rep. Adam Clayton Powell of New York, accused of misconduct, was denied his seat in the 90th Congress. The Supreme Court ruled in 1969 that Powell had to be seated. - Ten years ago: The Senate overwhelmingly approved Dr. Louis W. Sullivan to be secretary of health and human services and Adm. James D. Watkins to be secretary of energy. - Five years ago: Falling four votes shy of a two-thirds majority, the Senate rejected a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. A Lebanese immigrant opened fire on a van of Hasidic students on New York's Brooklyn Bridge, killing one. At the 36th annual Grammy Awards, Whitney Houston won best female pop vocalist and record of the year for "I Will Always Love You;" "The Bodyguard" won album of the year. - One year ago: In Germany, Lower Saxony Governor Gerhard Schroeder won a sweeping re-election that paved the way for his successful campaign to oust Chancellor Helmut Kohl. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actor Robert Clary is 73. - Singer Harry Belafonte is 72. - Former U.S. Solicitor General Robert H. Bork is 72. - Actor Robert Conrad is 64. - Author Judith Rossner is 64. - Rock singer Mike D'Abo (Manfred Mann) is 55. - Sen. John Breaux, D-La., is 55. - Rock singer Roger Daltrey is 55. - Actor Dirk Benedict is 54. - Actor Alan Thicke is 52. - Actor-director Ron Howard is 45. - Actress Catherine Bach is 45. - Country singer Janis Gill (Sweethearts of the Rodeo) is 45. - Actor Tim Daly is 43. - Singer-musician Jon Carroll is 42. - Rock musician Bill Leen is 37. - Actor John David Cullum is 33. - Actor Mark-Paul Gosselaar is 25. Today is Wednesday, March 1, the 61st day of 2000. There are 305 days left in the year. - On March 1, 1932, the infant son of Charles and Anne Lindbergh was kidnapped from the family home near Hopewell, N.J. (Remains identified as those of the baby were found the following May.) - In 1781 the Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation. - In 1790 Congress authorized the first U.S. Census. - In 1845 President Tyler signed a congressional resolution to annex the Republic of Texas. - In 1864 Rebecca Lee became the first black woman to receive an American medical degree, from the New England Female Medical College in Boston. - In 1867 Nebraska became the 37th state. - In 1872 Congress authorized creation of Yellowstone National Park. - In 1940 "Native Son" by Richard Wright was first published. - In 1954 Puerto Rican nationalists opened fire from the gallery of the U.S. House of Representatives, wounding five congressmen. - In 1961 President Kennedy established the Peace Corps. - In 1981 Irish Republican Army member Bobby Sands began a hunger strike at the Maze Prison in Northern Ireland; he died 65 days later. - Ten years ago the controversial Seabrook, N.H. nuclear power plant won federal permission to go on line after two decades of protests and legal struggles. - Five years ago Somalia militiamen loyal to warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid seized control of the Mogadishu airport after peacekeepers withdrew. At the 37th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, Sheryl Crow won record of the year for "All I Wanna Do" while Tony Bennett's "MTV Unplugged" was named best album. - One year ago the General Accounting Office released an audit of the Internal Revenue Service which found chronic problems in the agency's record-keeping. An attack by Rwandan Hutu rebels in a Ugandan national park left eight foreign tourists, including two Americans, and a park guard dead. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actor Robert Clary is 74. - Singer Harry Belafonte is 73. - Former U.S. Solicitor General Robert H. Bork is 73. - Actor Robert Conrad is 65. - Author Judith Rossner is 65. - Rock singer Mike D'Abo (Manfred Mann) is 56. - Senator John Breaux (D-La.) is 56. - Rock singer Roger Daltrey is 56. - Actor Dirk Benedict is 55. - Actor Alan Thicke is 53. - Actor-director Ron Howard is 46. - Actress Catherine Bach is 46. - Country singer Janis Gill (Sweethearts of the Rodeo) is 46. - Actor Tim Daly is 44. - Singer-musician Jon Carroll is 43. - Rock musician Bill Leen is 38. - Actor Russell Wong is 37. - Actor John David Cullum is 34. - Actor Mark-Paul Gosselaar is 26.
  • 2 1793: The first president of the Republic of Texas, Sam Houston, was born near Lexington, Va. - 1836: Texas declared its independence from Mexico. - 1877: A U.S. electoral commission finally declared Republican Rutherford B. Hayes the winner of the 1876 presidential election over Democrat Samuel J. Tilden, even though Tilden had won the popular vote. The original result had been too close to call, with several disputed ballots. - 1904: Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel) was born. - 1917: The Jones Act, establishing Puerto Rico as an American territory, was passed by the U.S. Congress. - 1923: Time magazine made its debut. - 1925: State and federal highway officials developed a nationwide route numbering system and adopted the U.S. shield-shaped, numbered marker. - 1933: "King Kong," starring Fay Wray, had its world premiere in New York at Radio City Music Hall and the RKO Roxy. - 1944: "Casablanca" won best picture, best director, and best screenplay at the Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles. Jennifer Jones received the best actress award for "The Song of Bernadette," while Paul Lukas won best actor for "Watch on the Rhine." - 1946: Ho Chi Minh was elected president of North Vietnam. - 1949: Captain James Gallagher completed the first non-stop around the world flight. - 1964: Filming began on the Beatles' first film, "A Hard Day's Night." *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - John Cullum, 69, actor, "Northern Exposure," "ER" - Mikhail Gorbachev, 68, former Soviet president - John Irving, 57, novelist, "The World According to Garp" - Jon Bon Jovi, 37, singer/musician - Eddie Money, 50, singer/musician - Laraine Newman, 47, comedienne - Lou Reed, 55, singer/musician - Tom Wolfe, 68, novelist, "Bonfire of the Vanities" Today is Thursday, March 2, the 62nd day of 2000. There are 304 days left in the year. - On March 2, 1877, Republican Rutherford B. Hayes was declared the winner of the 1876 presidential election over Democrat Samuel J. Tilden, even though Tilden had won the popular vote. - In 1793 the first president of the Republic of Texas, Sam Houston, was born near Lexington, Va. - In 1836 Texas declared its independence from Mexico. - In 1899 President McKinley signed a measure creating the rank of Admiral of the Navy for Admiral George Dewey. Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state was established. - In 1917 Puerto Ricans were granted U.S. citizenship. - In 1923 Time magazine made its debut. - In 1939 Roman Catholic Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli was elected Pope; he took the name Pius XII. The Massachusetts legislature voted to ratify the Bill of Rights, 147 years after the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution had gone into effect. - In 1949 an American B-50 Superfortress, the Lucky Lady II, landed at Fort Worth, Texas, after completing the first non-stop round-the-world flight. - In 1977 the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a strict code of ethics. - Ten years ago more than 6,000 drivers went on strike against Greyhound Lines Inc. (the company, later declaring an impasse in negotiations, fired the strikers). A grenade attack on a discotheque in Panama killed a U.S. soldier and injured 28 other people. - Five years ago the Senate rejected the balanced-budget amendment; the vote, 65-35, was two votes shy of the two-thirds majority needed for passage. The space shuttle Endeavour blasted off to study the far reaches of the universe. The last U.N. peacekeepers in Somalia were evacuated. British trader Nick Leeson, blamed for the collapse of Barings PLC, was detained in Germany. - One year ago conservative commentator Pat Buchanan launched a third presidential bid. Texas Governor George W. Bush announced he was forming a presidential exploratory committee. Singer Dusty Springfield died at her home west of London at age 59. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actress Jennifer Jones is 81. - Bluegrass singer-musician Doc Watson is 77. - Actor John Cullum is 70. - Former Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev is 69. - Author Tom Wolfe is 69. - Actress Barbara Luna is 61. - Actor Jon Finch is 59. - Author John Irving is 58. - Singer Lou Reed is 58. - Singer Eddie Money is 51. - Actress Cassie Yates is 49. - Actress Laraine Newman is 48. - Sen. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) is 47. - Singer Jay Osmond is 45. - Pop musician John Cowsill (The Cowsills) is 44. - Tennis player Kevin Curren is 42. - Rock singer Jon Bon Jovi is 38. - Actress Heather McComb is 23.
  • 3 On March 3, 1931, "The Star-Spangled Banner" officially became the national anthem of the United States. - In 1845, Florida became the 27th state. - In 1847, the inventor of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. - In 1849, the U.S. Department of the Interior was established. - In 1849, Congress created the Minnesota Territory. - In 1875, the Georges Bizet opera "Carmen" premiered in Paris. - In 1885, the U.S. Post Office began offering special delivery for first-class mail. - In 1940, Artie Shaw and his orchestra recorded "Frenesi" for RCA Victor. - In 1969, Apollo IX blasted off from Cape Kennedy on a mission to test the lunar module. - In 1974, nearly 350 people died when a Turkish Airlines DC-10 crashed shortly after takeoff from Orly Airport in Paris. - In 1991, 25 people were killed when a United Airlines Boeing 737-200 inexplicably crashed while approaching the Colorado Springs airport. - In 1991, in a case that sparked a national outcry, motorist Rodney King was severely beaten by Los Angeles police officers in a scene captured on amateur video. - Ten years ago: Senate Republican Leader Bob Dole suggested that Defense Secretary-designate John Tower be given the opportunity to appear before the Senate to answer allegations against him. - Five years ago: Amid continuing trade tensions with Japan, President Clinton issued an executive order reviving an expired provision of U.S. trade law known as Super 301, which provided a strict timetable for results. - One year ago: Presidential confidant Vernon Jordan testified before the grand jury investigating the Monica Lewinsky matter. Microsoft chairman Bill Gates testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee that his company wasn't a monopoly out to crush rivals in the Internet software market. The Supreme Court ruled that local lawmakers' votes are immune to lawsuits even if they had been based on illegal or discriminatory motives. Larry Doby, the first black player in the American League, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Former CBS News president Fred W. Friendly died in New York at age 82. *** Today's Birthdays - Actor James Doohan is 79. - Lee Radziwill Ross is 66. - Singer Jennifer Warnes is 52. - Actor-director Tim Kazurinsky is 49. - Singer-musician Robyn Hitchcock is 46. - Actress Miranda Richardson is 41. - Actress Mary Page Keller is 38. - Olympic track and field gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee is 37. - Football player Herschel Walker is 37. - Rapper-actor Tone-Loc is 33. - Rock musician John Bigham (Fishbone) is 30. - Actress Julie Bowen ("Three") is 29. - Actor David Faustino is 25. - Actor Danny Masterson ("That '70s Show") is 23. - Actress Jessica Biel ("7th Heaven") is 17. Today is Friday, March 3, the 63rd day of 2000. There are 303 days left in the year. - On March 3, 1931, "The Star-Spangled Banner" officially became the national anthem of the United States. - In 1845 Florida became the 27th state. - In 1849 the U.S. Department of the Interior was established. Congress created the Minnesota Territory. - In 1875 the Georges Bizet opera "Carmen" premiered in Paris. - In 1887 Anne Mansfield Sullivan arrived at the Alabama home of Capt. and Mrs. Arthur H. Keller to become the teacher of Helen, their blind and deaf 6-year-old daughter. - In 1940 Artie Shaw and his orchestra recorded "Frenesi" for RCA Victor. - In 1969 Apollo 9 blasted off from Cape Kennedy on a mission to test the lunar module. - In 1974 nearly 350 people died when a Turkish Airlines DC-10 crashed shortly after takeoff from Orly Airport in Paris. - In 1991 25 people were killed when a United Airlines Boeing 737-200 crashed while approaching the Colorado Springs, Colo., airport. In a case that sparked a national outcry, motorist Rodney King was severely beaten by Los Angeles police officers in a scene captured on amateur video. - Ten years ago President Bush sparked controversy by expressing opposition to the settlement of Soviet Jewish refugees in East Jerusalem. - Five years ago President Clinton held a news conference in which he asserted his administration had built a safer world and stronger economy while Republicans were trying to cut money for the needy to give tax breaks to the rich. The dollar plunged to a new low against the Japanese yen. - One year ago the Supreme Court ruled that public schools had to finance one-on-one nursing care for some disabled students throughout the school day. Monica Lewinsky, in an ABC interview timed to coincide with the publication of her book, recounted for Barbara Walters some of the fondest, as well as most painful, aspects of her relationship with President Clinton. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actor James Doohan is 80. - Lee Radziwill Ross is 67. - Actress Hattie Winston is 55. - Singer Jennifer Warnes is 53. - Actor-director Tim Kazurinsky is 50. - Singer-musician Robyn Hitchcock is 47. - Actress Miranda Richardson is 42. - Actress Mary Page Keller is 39. - Olympic track and field gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee is 38. - Football player Herschel Walker is 38. - Rapper-actor Tone-Loc is 34. - Rock musician John Bigham (Fishbone) is 31. - Actress Julie Bowen is 30. - Country singer Brett Warren (The Warren Brothers) is 29. - Actor David Faustino is 26. - Actor Danny Masterson ("That '70s Show") is 24. - Actress Jessica Biel ("7th Heaven") is 18.
  • 4 Today is Thursday, March 4, the 63rd day of 1999. There are 302 days left in the year. - On March 4, 1789, the Constitution of the United States went into effect as the first federal Congress met in New York. Lawmakers then adjourned for lack of a quorum. - In 1791, Vermont became the 14th state. - In 1829, an unruly crowd mobbed the White House during the inaugural reception for President Jackson. - In 1837, the Illinois state legislature granted a city charter to Chicago. - In 1861, Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated president. - In 1902, the American Automobile Association was founded in Chicago. - In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge's inauguration was broadcast live on 21 radio stations coast-to-coast. - In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated president, pledging to lead the country out of the Great Depression. - In 1933, the start of President Roosevelt's first administration brought with it the first woman to serve in the Cabinet: Labor Secretary Frances Perkins. - In 1952, Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis were married in San Fernando Valley, Calif. - In 1971, Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau married Margaret Sinclair in North Vancouver, B.C. They later divorced. - Ten years ago: Time Inc. and Warner Communications Inc. announced plans to merge into the world's largest media and entertainment conglomerate. Eastern Airlines machinists went on strike and were joined by pilots and flight attendants. - Five years ago: In New York, four extremists were convicted of the World Trade Center bombing that killed six people and injured more than a thousand. The space shuttle Columbia blasted off on a two-week mission. Actor-comedian John Candy died in Durango, Mexico, at age 43. - One year ago: The Supreme Court ruled that sexual harassment at work can be illegal even when the offender and victim are of the same gender. A judge ordered Miami to hold a new mayoral election, saying widespread absentee-ballot fraud played a role in the victory of Xavier Suarez the previous fall. *** Today's Birthdays - Folk singer Miriam Makeba is 67. - Actress Paula Prentiss is 60. - Movie director Adrian Lyne ("Fatal Attraction") is 58. - Singer Bobby Womack is 55. - Rock musician Chris Squire (Yes) is 51. - Singer Shakin' Stevens is 51. - Singer Chris Rea is 48. - Actress Kay Lenz is 46. - Musician Emilio Estefan is 46. - Movie director Scott Hicks ("Shine") is 46. - Actress Catherine O'Hara is 45. - Actor Mykelti Williamson is 39. - Actor Steven Weber is 38. - Rock musician Jason Newsted (Metallica) is 36. - Actress Stacy Edwards ("Chicago Hope") is 34. - Rock musician Patrick Hannan (The Sundays) is 33. - Rock singer Evan Dando (Lemonheads) is 32. - Actress Patsy Kensit is 31. - Chastity Bono is 30. - Rock musician Fergal Lawler (The Cranberries) is 28. - Country singer Jason Sellers is 28. Today is Saturday, March 4, the 64th day of 2000. There are 302 days left in the year. - On March 4, 1789, the Constitution of the United States went into effect as the first Federal Congress met in New York. (The lawmakers then adjourned for lack of a quorum.) - In 1791 Vermont became the 14th state. - In 1829 an unruly crowd mobbed the White House during the inaugural reception for President Jackson. - In 1837 the Illinois state legislature granted a city charter to Chicago. - In 1861 Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as president. - In 1902 the American Automobile Association was founded in Chicago. - In 1925 President Calvin Coolidge's inauguration was broadcast live on 21 radio stations coast-to-coast. - In 1933 Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated as president, pledging to lead the country out of the Great Depression. The start of President Roosevelt's first administration brought with it the first woman to serve in the Cabinet: Labor Secretary Frances Perkins. - In 1952 Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis were married in San Fernando Valley, Calif. - In 1989 Time Inc. and Warner Communications Inc. announced plans to merge into the world's largest media and entertainment conglomerate. - Ten years ago voters in the Soviet Republics of Russia, Byelorussia and the Ukraine participated in local and legislative elections, resulting in notable gains for reformists and nationalists. - Five years ago President Clinton, in his weekly radio address, said spending cuts proposed by congressional Republicans would gut safe-school and anti-drug programs needed to protect children. - One year ago, outraging Italian authorities, a military jury in North Carolina cleared a Marine pilot of charges he was flying recklessly when his jet sliced through a ski gondola cable in the Alps, sending 20 people plunging to their deaths. Retired Supreme Court Justice Harry A. Blackmun, who wrote the 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide, died in Arlington, Va., at age 90. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Singer Miriam Makeba is 68. - Actress Paula Prentiss is 61. - Movie director Adrian Lyne is 59. - Singer Bobby Womack is 56. - Rock musician Chris Squire (Yes) is 52. - Singer Chris Rea is 49. - Actress Kay Lenz is 47. - Musician Emilio Estefan is 47. - Movie director Scott Hicks is 47. - Actress Catherine O'Hara is 46. - Actor Mykelti Williamson is 40. - Actor Steven Weber is 39. - Rock musician Jason Newsted (Metallica) is 37. - Actress Stacy Edwards is 35. - Rock musician Patrick Hannan (The Sundays) is 34. - Rock singer Evan Dando (Lemonheads) is 33. - Actress Patsy Kensit is 32. - Chastity Bono is 31. - Rock musician Fergal Lawler (The Cranberries) is 29. - Country singer Jason Sellers is 29.
  • 5 On March 5, 1770, the Boston Massacre took place as British soldiers who'd been taunted by a crowd of colonists opened fire, killing five people. Two British soldiers were later convicted of manslaughter. - In 1849, Zachary Taylor took the oath of office at his presidential inauguration. - In 1868, the Senate was organized into a Court of Impeachment to decide charges against President Andrew Johnson. - In 1933, in German parliamentary elections, the Nazi Party won 44 percent of the vote, enabling it to join with the Nationalists to gain a slender majority in the Reichstag. - In 1946, Winston Churchill delivered his famous "Iron Curtain" speech at Westminster College in Fulton, Mo. - In 1953, Soviet dictator Josef Stalin died at age 73 after 29 years in power. - In 1963, a private plane crash near Camden, Tenn., claimed the lives of country music performers Patsy Cline, "Cowboy" Copas and "Hawkshaw" Hawkins. - In 1970, a nuclear non-proliferation treaty went into effect after 43 nations ratified it. - In 1982, comedian John Belushi was found dead of a drug overdose in a rented bungalow in Hollywood; he was 33. - Ten years ago: Machinists striking Eastern Airlines withdrew an immediate threat to picket the nation's railroads, after a federal judge issued an order temporarily prohibiting rail workers from honoring the Eastern picket lines. - Five years ago: White House Counsel Bernard Nussbaum resigned in the wake of turmoil over the Clinton administration's handling of questions related to Whitewater. A jury in Pensacola, Fla., convicted anti-abortion activist Michael F. Griffin of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Dr. David Gunn; Griffin was sentenced to life in prison. - One year ago: Details of President Clinton's deposition testimony in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case against him were published in The Washington Post, prompting an angry denunciation from the president for the news leak. NASA scientists said enough water is frozen in the loose soil of the moon to support a lunar base and perhaps to one day build a human colony there. *** Today's Birthdays - Actor James Noble is 77. - Actor James B. Sikking is 65. - Actor Dean Stockwell is 63. - Actor Fred Williamson is 61. - Actor Michael Warren is 53. - Actor Eddie Hodges is 52. - Singer Eddy Grant is 51. - Violinist Eugene Fodor is 49. - Rock musician Alan Clark (Dire Straits) is 47. - Actress-comedian Marsha Warfield is 45. Magician Penn Jillette is 44. - Rock singer Charlie Reid is 37. - Rock singer Craig Reid is 37. - Rock musician John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers) is 29. - Singer Rome is 29. - Actor Kevin Connolly ("Unhappily Ever After") is 25. - Model Niki Taylor is 24. - Actor Jake Lloyd ("Jingle All the Way") is 10. Today is Sunday, March 5, the 65th day of 2000. There are 301 days left in the year. - On March 5, 1770, the Boston Massacre took place as British soldiers, taunted by a crowd of colonists, opened fire, killing five people. - 1849 Zachary Taylor took the oath of office at his presidential inauguration. - In 1867 an abortive Fenian uprising against English rule took place in Ireland. - In 1868 the Senate was organized into a Court of Impeachment to decide charges against President Andrew Johnson. - In 1933 in German parliamentary elections, the Nazi Party won 44% of the vote, enabling it to join with the Nationalists to gain a slender majority in the Reichstag. - In 1946 Winston Churchill delivered his "Iron Curtain" speech at Westminster College in Fulton, Mo. - In 1953 Soviet dictator Josef Stalin died at age 73 after 29 years in power. - In 1963 a private plane crash near Camden, Tenn., claimed the lives of country music performers Patsy Cline, "Cowboy" Copas and "Hawkshaw" Hawkins. - In 1970 a nuclear non-proliferation treaty went into effect after 43 nations ratified it. - In 1982 comedian John Belushi was found dead of a drug overdose in a rented bungalow in Hollywood; he was 33. - In 1986 in Lebanon, Islamic Jihad issued a statement saying it had "executed" French hostage Michel Seurat, who had been abducted almost a year earlier. - Ten years ago to the cheers of onlookers, workers in Bucharest, Romania, finally succeeded in removing a 25-foot, seven-ton bronze statue of Vladimir Lenin from its foundation. - Five years ago an Australian yacht broke in two and sank in heavy wind and fierce waves off the Southern California coast, the first sinking in the history of America's Cup racing; all 17 crew members were rescued. - One year ago Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema met at the White House with President Clinton, a day after a military jury in North Carolina acquitted a Marine pilot in the Italian cable car accident that killed 20 people; D'Alema demanded justice, while Clinton expressed profound regret. Actor Richard Kiley died in Warwick, N.Y., at age 76. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actor James Noble is 78. - Actor James B. Sikking is 66. - Actor Dean Stockwell is 64. - Actor Fred Williamson is 62. - Actor Michael Warren is 54. - Actor Eddie Hodges is 53. - Singer Eddy Grant is 52. - Violinist Eugene Fodor is 50. - Rock musician Alan Clark (Dire Straits) is 48. - Actress-comedian Marsha Warfield is 46. - Magician Penn Jillette is 45. - Rock singer Craig Reid is 38. - Rock singer Charlie Reid is 38. - Rock musician John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers) is 30. - Singer Rome is 30. - Actor Kevin Connolly is 26. - Model Niki Taylor is 25. - Actor Jake Lloyd is 11.
  • 6 On March 6, 1836, the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, fell to Mexican forces after a 13-day siege. - In 1834, the city of York in Upper Canada was incorporated as Toronto. - In 1853, Verdi's opera "La Traviata" premiered in Venice, Italy. - In 1857, in its "Dred Scott" decision, the Supreme Court held that Scott, a slave, could not sue for his freedom in federal court. - In 1933, a nationwide bank holiday declared by President Roosevelt went into effect. - In 1935, retired Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. died in Washington. - In 1944, U.S. heavy bombers staged the first American raid on Berlin during World War II. - In 1957, the former British African colonies of the Gold Coast and Togoland became the independent state of Ghana. - In 1983, in a case that drew much notoriety, a woman in New Bedford, Mass., reported being gang-raped atop a pool table in a tavern called Big Dan's; four men were later convicted of the attack. - In 1987, 189 people died when the British ferry "Herald of Free Enterprise" capsized off the Belgian port of Zeebrugge. - Ten years ago: With nearly 90 percent of its pilots honoring the picket lines of striking machinists, Eastern Airlines shut down operations on all but three routes. - Five years ago: Two top Clinton administration officials, Vice President Al Gore and White House adviser George Stephanopoulos, appeared on the Sunday TV talk shows to blame Republican sniping for much of the furor over Whitewater. Greek actress-turned-politician Melina Mercouri died in New York. - One year ago: The Army honored three Americans who risked their lives and turned their weapons on fellow soldiers to stop the slaughter of Vietnamese villagers at My Lai in 1968. A Connecticut state lottery accountant shot to death three supervisors and the lottery chief before killing himself. *** Today's Birthdays - TV personality Ed McMahon is 76. - Conductor Sarah Caldwell is 75. - Former FBI and CIA director William Webster is 75. - Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan is 73. - Former Washington D.C. Mayor Marion S. Barry Jr. is 63. - Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova is 62. - Country singer Doug Dillard is 62. - Sen. Christopher Bond, R-Mo., is 60. - Actress-writer Joanna Miles is 59. - Actor Ben Murphy is 57. - Opera singer Dame Kiri Te Kanawa is 55. - Singer Mary Wilson (The Supremes) is 55. - Actor-director Rob Reiner is 52. - Singer Kiki Dee is 52. - Actor Tom Arnold is 40. - Country songwriter Skip Ewing is 35. - Actress Moira Kelly is 31. - Actress Amy Pietz ("Caroline in the City") is 30. - Basketball player Shaquille O'Neal is 27. Today is Monday, March 6, the 66th day of 2000. There are 300 days left in the year. - On March 6, 1836, the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, fell to Mexican forces after a 13-day siege. - In 1834 the city of York in Upper Canada was incorporated as Toronto. - In 1853 Verdi's opera "La Traviata" premiered in Venice, Italy. - In 1857 in its Dred Scott decision, the Supreme Court held that Scott, a slave, could not sue for his freedom in federal court. - In 1933 a nationwide bank holiday declared by President Roosevelt went into effect. - In 1935 retired Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. died in Washington. - In 1944 U.S. heavy bombers staged the first American raid on Berlin during World War II. - In 1957 the former British African colonies of the Gold Coast and Togoland became the independent state of Ghana. - In 1981 Walter Cronkite signed off for the last time as principal anchorman of "The CBS Evening News." - In 1983 in a case that drew much notoriety, a woman in New Bedford, Mass., reported being gang-raped atop a pool table in a tavern called Big Dan's; four men were later convicted of the attack. - In 1987 189 people died when the British ferry Herald of Free Enterprise capsized off the Belgian port of Zeebrugge. - Ten years ago the Soviet parliament overwhelmingly approved legislation allowing people to own factories and hire workers for the first time in nearly seven decades. - Five years ago the Republican-controlled House took up business-backed legislation to alter the civil legal system over White House objections that some of the proposals were too extreme (the House passed the measure the following day). - One year ago the emir of Bahrain (Sheik Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa), a key Western ally who had ruled for nearly four decades, died shortly after a meeting with Defense Secretary William Cohen; he was 65. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - TV personality Ed McMahon is 77. - Conductor Sarah Caldwell is 76. - Former FBI and CIA director William Webster is 76. - Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan is 74. - Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova is 63. - Country singer Doug Dillard is 63. - Senator Christopher Bond (R-Mo.) is 61. - Actress-writer Joanna Miles is 60. - Actor Ben Murphy is 58. - Opera singer Dame Kiri Te Kanawa is 56. - Singer Mary Wilson (The Supremes) is 56. - Actor-director Rob Reiner is 53. - Singer Kiki Dee is 53. - Actor Tom Arnold is 41. - Actor D.L. Hughley is 37. - Country songwriter Skip Ewing is 36. - Actress Moira Kelly is 32. - Actress Amy Pietz is 31. - Basketball player Shaquille O'Neal is 28. - Actor Jimmy Galeota ("Michael Hays") is 14.
  • 7 On March 7, 1849, horticulturist Luther Burbank was born in Lancaster, Mass. - In 1850, in a three-hour speech to the U.S. Senate, Daniel Webster endorsed the Compromise of 1850 as a means of preserving the Union. - In 1875, composer Maurice Ravel was born in Cibourne, France. - In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for his telephone. - In 1911, the U.S. sent 20,000 troops to the Mexican border as a precaution in the wake of the Mexican Revolution. - In 1926, the first successful trans-Atlantic radio-telephone conversation took place, between New York and London. - In 1936, Adolf Hitler ordered his troops to march into the Rhineland, thereby breaking the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Pact. - In 1945, during World War II, U.S. forces crossed the Rhine River at Remagen, Germany, via the damaged but still usable Ludendorff Bridge. - In 1965, state troopers and a sheriff's posse broke up a march by civil rights demonstrators in Selma, Ala. - In 1975, the Senate revised its filibuster rule, allowing 60 senators to limit debate in most cases, instead of the previously required two-thirds of senators present. - Ten years ago: Secretary of State James A. Baker III met with Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze in Vienna, Austria. Baker agreed to visit Moscow the following May to discuss prospects for a summit between President Bush and Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev. - Five years ago: The Supreme Court ruled that parodies that poke fun at an original work can be considered "fair use" that doesn't require permission from the copyright holder. The U.S. Navy issued its first permanent orders assigning women to regular duty on a combat ship - in this case, the USS Eisenhower. - One year ago: Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, speaking in Rome, said the U.S. wouldn't tolerate any more violence in Kosovo, which she blamed on Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Photographer Lord Snowdon is 69. - TV weatherman Willard Scott is 65. - Auto racer Janet Guthrie is 61. - Actor Daniel J. Travanti is 59. - Walt Disney Co. chairman Michael Eisner is 57. - Rock musician Chris White (The Zombies) is 56. - Actor John Heard is 53. - Rock singer Peter Wolf is 53. - Rock musician Matthew Fisher (Procol Harum) is 53. - Singer Peggy March is 51. - Football Hall-of-Famer Franco Harris is 49. - Former football player Lynn Swann is 47. - Tennis player Ivan Lendl is 39. - Singer-actress Taylor Dayne is 34. - Rock musician Randy Guss (Toad the Wet Sprocket) is 32. - Actress Laura Prepon ("That '70s Show") is 19. Today is Tuesday, March 7, the 67th day of 2000. There are 299 days left in the year. - On March 7, 1850, in a three-hour speech to the U.S. Senate, Daniel Webster endorsed the Compromise of 1850 as a means of preserving the Union. - In 1849 horticulturist Luther Burbank was born in Lancaster, Mass. - In 1875 composer Maurice Ravel was born in Cibourne, France. - In 1876 Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for his telephone. - In 1911 the U.S. sent 20,000 troops to the Mexican border as a precaution in the wake of the Mexican Revolution. - In 1926 the first successful trans-Atlantic radio-telephone conversation took place, between New York and London. - In 1936 Adolf Hitler ordered his troops to march into the Rhineland, thereby breaking the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Pact. - In 1945 during World War II, U.S. forces crossed the Rhine River at Remagen, Germany, using the damaged but still usable Ludendorff Bridge. - In 1965 a march by civil rights demonstrators was broken up in Selma, Ala., by state troopers and a sheriff's posse. - In 1975 the Senate revised its filibuster rule, allowing 60 senators to limit debate in most cases, instead of the previously required two-thirds of senators present. - In 1994 the Supreme Court ruled that parodies that poke fun at an original work can be considered "fair use" that doesn't require permission from the copyright holder. - Ten years ago Health and Human Services Secretary Louis Sullivan announced the government would propose a more informative food-labeling system that would require the disclosure of the fat, fiber and cholesterol content of nearly all packaged foods. - Five years ago New York Gov. George Pataki signed a death penalty bill into law. In a near-party-line vote, the House passed, 232-193, a business-backed measure designed to pressure combatants in lawsuits to settle their differences short of costly trials. - One year ago movie director Stanley Kubrick, whose films included "Dr. Strangelove," "A Clockwork Orange" and "2001: A Space Odyssey," died in Hertfordshire, England, at age 70. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Photographer Lord Snowdon is 70. - TV weatherman Willard Scott is 66. - Auto racer Janet Guthrie is 62. - Actor Daniel J. Travanti is 60. - Walt Disney Co. chairman Michael Eisner is 58. - Rock musician Chris White (The Zombies) is 57. - Actor John Heard is 54. - Rock singer Peter Wolf is 54. - Rock musician Matthew Fisher (Procol Harum) is 54. - Singer Peggy March is 52. - Football Hall-of-Famer Franco Harris is 50. - Former football player Lynn Swann is 48. - Actor Bryan Cranston ("Malcolm in the Middle") is 44. - Tennis player Ivan Lendl is 40. - Singer-actress Taylor Dayne is 35. - Rock musician Randy Guss (Toad the Wet Sprocket) is 33. - Actress Rachel Weisz is 29. - Actress Laura Prepon ("That 70's Show") is 20.
  • 8 On March 8, 1841, Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., the "Great Dissenter," was born in Boston. - In 1702, England's Queen Anne ascended the throne upon the death of King William III. - In 1854, U.S. Commodore Matthew C. Perry made his second landing in Japan. Within a month, he concluded a treaty with the Japanese. - In 1874, the 13th president of the U.S., Millard Fillmore, died in Buffalo, N.Y. - In 1917, Russia's "February Revolution" - so called because of the Old Style calendar used by Russians at the time - began with rioting and strikes in St. Petersburg. - In 1917, the U.S. Senate voted to limit filibusters by adopting the cloture rule. - In 1930, the 27th president of the U.S., William Howard Taft, died in Washington. - In 1942, Japanese forces captured Rangoon, Burma, during World War II. - In 1944, U.S. bombers resumed bombing Berlin. - In 1965, the U.S. landed about 3,500 Marines in South Vietnam. - In 1986, four French TV crew members were abducted in west Beirut; a caller claimed Islamic Jihad was responsible. All four were eventually released. - Ten years ago: In Lebanon, daily artillery barrages between Christian and Syrian forces and their militia allies began in Beirut; at least 930 people were killed before a cease-fire took hold the following September. - Five years ago: President Clinton announced the appointment of Washington attorney Lloyd Cutler as senior counsel, replacing Bernard Nussbaum. The Defense Department announced a smoking ban for workplaces ranging from the Pentagon to battle tanks. - One year ago: James McDougal, one of the most important cooperating witnesses in Kenneth Starr's Whitewater investigation, died in a federal medical prison in Fort Worth, Texas, at age 57. More than a foot of wind-driven snow paralyzed travel across the central Plains and Midwest. Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke died in Florida at age 61. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actress Claire Trevor is 90. - Actress Sue Ane Langdon is 63. - Baseball player-turned-author Jim Bouton is 60. - Actress Lynn Redgrave is 56. - Actor-director Micky Dolenz is 54. - Lyricist Carole Bayer Sager is 52. - Actress Jaime Lyn Bauer is 50. - Baseball player Jim Rice is 46. - Singer Gary Numan is 41. - Actor Aidan Quinn is 40. - Actress Camryn Manheim ("The Practice") is 38. - Actress Kathy Ireland is 36. - Actress Andrea Parker ("The Pretender") is 30. - Actor Freddie Prinze Jr. is 23. - Actor James Van Der Beek ("Dawson's Creek") is 22. - Rhythm-and-blues singer Kameelah Williams (702) is 21. Today is Ash Wednesday, March 8, the 68th day of 2000. There are 298 days left in the year. - On March 8, 1854, U.S. Commodore Matthew C. Perry made his second landing in Japan. Within a month, he concluded a treaty with the Japanese. - In 1702, England's Queen Anne ascended the throne upon the death of King William III. - In 1841, Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., the "Great Dissenter," was born in Boston. - In 1874, the 13th president of the United States, Millard Fillmore, died in Buffalo, N.Y. - In 1917, Russia's "February Revolution" (so called because of the Old Style calendar used by Russians at the time) began with rioting and strikes in St. Petersburg. - In 1917, the U.S. Senate voted to limit filibusters by adopting the cloture rule. - In 1930, the 27th president of the United States, William Howard Taft, died in Washington. - In 1942, Japanese forces captured Rangoon, Burma, during World War II. - In 1944, U.S. bombers resumed bombing Berlin. - In 1965, the United States landed about 3,500 Marines in South Vietnam. - In 1986, four French television crew members were abducted in west Beirut; a caller claimed Islamic Jihad was responsible. (All four were eventually released.) - Ten years ago: Opening arguments were heard in the Iran-Contra trial of former national security adviser John M. Poindexter. - Five years ago: Two United States diplomats were killed, one injured, when their car was ambushed as they were driving to the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan. The plummeting dollar stabilized after Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan called the decline unwarranted. - One year ago: New York Yankees baseball star Joe DiMaggio died in Hollywood, Fla., at age 84. The Clinton administration directed the firing of nuclear scientist Wen Ho Lee from his job at the Los Alamos National Laboratory because of alleged security violations. President Clinton began a tour of Central America. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actress Claire Trevor is 91. - Actress Sue Ane Langdon is 64. - Baseball player-turned-author Jim Bouton is 61. - Actress Lynn Redgrave is 57. - Actor-director Micky Dolenz is 55. - Lyricist Carole Bayer Sager is 53. - Actress Jaime Lyn Bauer is 51. - Baseball player Jim Rice is 47. - Singer Gary Numan is 42. - Actor Aidan Quinn is 41. - Actress Camryn Manheim is 39. - Actress Kathy Ireland is 37. - Actress Andrea Parker ("The Pretender") is 31. - Actor Freddie Prinze Jr. is 24. - Actor James Van Der Beek ("Dawson's Creek") is 23.
  • 9 On March 9, 1796, the future emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte, married Josephine de Beauharnais. The couple divorced in 1809. - In 1862, during the Civil War, the ironclads "Monitor" and "Virginia" (formerly "Merrimac") clashed for five hours to a draw at Hampton Roads, Va. - In 1916, Mexican raiders led by Pancho Villa attacked Columbus, N.M., killing more than a dozen people. - In 1933, Congress, called into special session by President Roosevelt, began its "hundred days" of enacting New Deal legislation. - In 1945, during World War II, U.S. B-29 bombers launched incendiary bomb attacks against Japan. - In 1954, CBS-TV newsman Edward R. Murrow critically reviewed Wisconsin Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy's anti-Communism campaign on "See It Now." - In 1975, work began on the Alaskan oil pipeline. - In 1977, about a dozen armed Hanafi Muslims invaded three buildings in Washington, D.C., killing one person and taking more than 130 hostages. The siege ended two days later. - In 1990, Dr. Antonia Novello was sworn in as the first female and Hispanic surgeon general. - In 1996, comedian George Burns died in Beverly Hills, Calif., at age 100. - In 1997, gangsta rapper The Notorious B.I.G., whose real name was Christopher Wallace, was killed in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles; he was 24. - Ten years ago: The Senate rejected President Bush's nomination of John Tower to be defense secretary by a vote of 53-47. - Five years ago: The U.N. Human Rights Commission condemned anti-Semitism, putting the world body on record for the first time as opposing discrimination against Jews. - One year ago: In a case pitting former high school sweethearts against each other, Brian Peterson pleaded guilty in Wilimington, Del., to manslaughter in the death of his newborn son in a Newark, N.J., motel and agreed to testify against the mother, Amy Grossberg. She eventually pleaded guilty to manslaughter. She received 2-1/2 years in prison; Peterson, two years. *** Today's Birthdays - Author Mickey Spillane is 81. - Singer Lloyd Price is 66. - Actress Joyce Van Patten is 65. - Actor-comedian Marty Ingels is 63. - Country singer Mickey Gilley is 63. - Singer Mark Lindsay (Paul Revere and the Raiders) is 57. - TV personality Charles Gibson is 56. - Chess player Bobby Fischer is 56. - Actress Trish Van Devere is 54. - Rock musician Robin Trower is 54. - Singer Jeffrey Osborne is 51. - Country musician Jimmy Fadden (The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) is 51. - Magazine editor Michael Kinsley is 48. - Actress Linda Fiorentino is 39. - Actress Juliette Binoche is 35. - Actor Emmanuel Lewis is 28. Today is Thursday, March 9, the 69th day of 2000. There are 297 days left in the year. - On March 9, 1862, during the Civil War, the ironclads Monitor and Virginia (formerly Merrimac) clashed for five hours to a draw at Hampton Roads, Va. - In 1796, the future emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte, married Josephine de Beauharnais. (The couple divorced in 1809.) - In 1916, Mexican raiders led by Pancho Villa attacked Columbus, N.M., killing more than a dozen people. - In 1933, Congress, called into special session by President Roosevelt, began its "hundred days" of enacting New Deal legislation. - In 1945, during World War II, U.S. B-29 bombers launched incendiary bomb attacks against Japan. - In 1954, CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow critically reviewed Wisconsin Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy's anti-Communism campaign on "See It Now." - In 1975, work began on the Alaskan oil pipeline. - In 1977, about a dozen armed Hanafi Muslims invaded three buildings in Washington D.C., killing one person and taking more than 130 hostages. The siege ended two days later. - In 1989, the Senate rejected President Bush's nomination of John Tower to be defense secretary by a vote of 53-47. - In 1996, comedian George Burns died in Beverly Hills, Calif., at age 100. - In 1997, gangsta rapper The Notorious B.I.G., whose real name was Christopher Wallace, was killed in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles; he was 24. - Ten years ago: Dr. Antonia Novello was sworn in as surgeon general, the first woman and the first Hispanic to hold the job. - Five years ago: House Republicans unveiled their long-promised tax cut for families, businesses and investors. President Clinton eased travel restrictions on Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams and invited him to the White House for St. Patrick's Day. Los Angeles police detective Mark Fuhrman took the stand at the O.J. Simpson murder trial, denying ever meeting a woman who had accused him of making racist remarks. - One year ago: RJR Nabisco Holdings Corp., the food-and-tobacco conglomerate, announced it was getting out of the cigarette business. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Author Mickey Spillane is 82. - Singer Lloyd Price is 67. - Actress Joyce Van Patten is 66. - Actor-comedian Marty Ingels is 64. - Country singer Mickey Gilley is 64. - Singer Mark Lindsay (Paul Revere and the Raiders) is 58. - TV personality Charles Gibson is 57. - Chess player Bobby Fischer is 57. - Actress Trish Van Devere is 55. - Rock musician Robin Trower is 55. - Singer Jeffrey Osborne is 52. - Country musician Jimmie Fadden (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) is 52. - Magazine editor Michael Kinsley is 49. - Actress Linda Fiorentino is 40. - Actress Juliette Binoche is 36. - Rock musician Robert Sledge (Ben Folds Five) is 32. - Actor Emmanuel Lewis is 29. - Actress Jean Louisa Kelly ("Mr. Holland's Opus") is 28. - Actor Kerr Smith ("Dawson's Creek") is 28.
  • 10 On March 10, 1949, Nazi wartime broadcaster Mildred E. Gillars, also known as "Axis Sally," was convicted in Washington, D.C., of treason. She served 12 years in prison. - In 1785, Thomas Jefferson was appointed minister to France, succeeding Benjamin Franklin. - In 1848, the Senate ratified the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, ending the war with Mexico. - In 1864, Ulysses S. Grant became commander of the Union armies in the Civil War. - In 1876, the first successful voice transmission over Alexander Graham Bell's telephone took place in Boston as his assistant heard Bell say, "Mr. Watson, come here. I want you." - In 1880, the Salvation Army arrived in the U.S. from England. - In 1894, New York Gov. Roswell P. Flower signed the nation's first dog-licensing law. The fee was $2, renewable annually for $1. - In 1948, the body of the anti-Communist foreign minister of Czechoslovakia, Jan Masaryk, was found in the garden of Czernin Palace in Prague. - In 1965, Neil Simon's play "The Odd Couple," starring Walter Matthau as Oscar Madison and Art Carney as Felix Unger, opened on Broadway. - In 1969, James Earl Ray pleaded guilty in Memphis, Tenn., to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Ray later repudiated that plea, maintaining his innocence until his death last April. - In 1985, Konstantin U. Chernenko, Soviet leader for just 13 months, died at age 73. - Ten years ago: One day after the Senate rejected the defense secretary nomination of John Tower, President Bush announced he would nominate Wyoming Rep. Dick Cheney, who was later confirmed. - Five years ago: White House officials began testifying before a federal grand jury about the Whitewater controversy. - One year ago: U.S. Air Force and Navy personnel in the Persian Gulf received vaccinations against anthrax. Indonesia's President Suharto was elected to his seventh term. Actor Lloyd Bridges died in Westwood, Calif., at age 85. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Talk show host Ralph Emery is 66. - Actor Chuck Norris is 59. - Playwright David Rabe is 59. - Singer Dean Torrence (Jan and Dean) is 59. - Actress Katharine Houghton is 54. - Newspaper columnist Bob Greene is 52. - Rock musician Tom Scholz (Boston) is 52. - Actress Shannon Tweed is 42. - Actress Sharon Stone is 41. - Rock musician Gail Greenwood (Belly) is 39. - Rock musician Jeff Ament (Pearl Jam) is 36. - Britain's Prince Edward is 35. - Actress Jasmine Guy is 35. - Singer Edie Brickell is 33. - Actor Stephen Mailer is 33. - Country singer Daryle Singletary is 28. - Olympic gold-medal gymnast Shannon Miller is 22. Today is Friday, March 10, the 70th day of 2000. There are 296 days left in the year. - On March 10, 1876, the first successful voice transmission over Alexander Graham Bell's telephone took place in Boston as his assistant heard Bell say, "Mr. Watson, come here. I want you." - In 1785, Thomas Jefferson was appointed minister to France, succeeding Benjamin Franklin. - In 1848, the Senate ratified the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, ending the war with Mexico. - In 1864, Ulysses S. Grant became commander of the Union armies in the Civil War. - In 1880, the Salvation Army arrived in the United States from England. - In 1948, the body of the anti-Communist foreign minister of Czechoslovakia, Jan Masaryk, was found in the garden of Czernin Palace in Prague. - In 1949, Nazi wartime broadcaster Mildred E. Gillars, also known as "Axis Sally," was convicted in Washington D.C. of treason. (She served 12 years in prison and died in 1988.) - In 1965, Neil Simon's play "The Odd Couple," starring Walter Matthau as Oscar Madison and Art Carney as Felix Unger, opened on Broadway. - In 1969, James Earl Ray pleaded guilty in Memphis, Tenn., to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (Ray later repudiated that plea, maintaining his innocence until his death.) - In 1980, "Scarsdale Diet" author Dr. Herman Tarnower was shot to death in Purchase, N.Y. (Jean Harris, convicted of murder, served nearly 12 years in prison before being released in January 1993.) - In 1985, Konstantin U. Chernenko, Soviet leader for just 13 months, died at age 73. - Ten years ago: Haitian ruler Lt. Gen. Prosper Avril resigned during a popular uprising against his military regime. - Five years ago: The Labor Department reported the nation's unemployment rate for February dropped to 5.4 percent, down 0.003 from the month before. The Clinton administration released $3 billion to support Mexico's faltering economy. Former Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari fled to the United States. - One year ago: During a visit to Guatemala, President Clinton acknowledged the U.S. role in Central America's "dark and painful period" of civil wars and repression. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Talk show host Ralph Emery is 67. - Actor Chuck Norris is 60. - Playwright David Rabe is 60. - Singer Dean Torrence (Jan and Dean) is 60. - Actress Katharine Houghton is 55. - Newspaper columnist Bob Greene is 53. - Rock musician Tom Scholz (Boston) is 53. - Actress Shannon Tweed is 43. - Actress Sharon Stone is 42. - Rock musician Gail Greenwood is 40. - Rock musician Jeff Ament (Pearl Jam) is 37. - Britain's Prince Edward is 36. - Actress Jasmine Guy is 36. - Singer Edie Brickell is 34. - Actor Stephen Mailer is 34. - Actress Paget Brewster ("Love and Money") is 31. - Country singer Daryle Singletary is 29. - Olympic gold-medal gymnast Shannon Miller is 23.
  • 11 On March 11, 1942, as Japanese forces continued to advance in the Pacific during World War II, Gen. Douglas MacArthur left the Philippines for Australia, vowing, "I shall return." He did, nearly three years later. - In 1810, Emperor Napoleon of France was married by proxy to Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria. - In 1861, the Confederate convention in Montgomery, Ala., adopted a constitution. - In 1888, the famous "Blizzard of '88" struck the northeastern U.S., resulting in some 400 deaths. - In 1941, President Roosevelt signed into law the Lend-Lease Bill, providing war supplies to countries fighting the Axis. - In 1954, the U.S. Army charged that Wisconsin Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy and his subcommittee's chief counsel, Roy Cohn, had exerted pressure to obtain favored treatment for Pvt. G. David Schine, a former consultant to the subcommittee. - In 1959, the Lorraine Hansberry drama "A Raisin in the Sun" opened at New York's Ethel Barrymore Theater. - In 1965, the Rev. James J. Reeb, a white minister from Boston, died after being beaten by whites during civil rights disturbances in Selma, Ala. - In 1977, more than 130 hostages held in Washington, D.C., by Hanafi Muslims were freed after ambassadors from three Islamic nations joined the negotiations. - In 1985, Mikhail S. Gorbachev was chosen to succeed the late Soviet President Konstantin U. Chernenko. - Ten years ago: Former World Bank head John J. McCloy, who had advised several presidents, died in Stamford, Conn., at age 93. - Five years ago: Secretary of State Warren Christopher arrived in Beijing, the mood of his trip already soured by a fresh government crackdown on Chinese dissidents. - One year ago: The International Astronomical Union issued an alert, saying a mile-wide asteroid could zip very close to Earth Oct. 26, 2028, possibly colliding with it. But the next day, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory said there was no chance the asteroid will hit Earth. A Florida appeals court restored Joe Carollo as mayor of Miami after charges of voter fraud on absentee ballots. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Media mogul Rupert Murdoch is 68. - ABC News correspondent Sam Donaldson is 65. - Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is 63. - Musician Flaco Jimenez (The Texas Tornadoes) is 60. - Actress Tricia O'Neil is 54. - Rock singer-musician Mark Stein (Vanilla Fudge) is 52. - Singer Bobby McFerrin is 49. - Movie director Jerry Zucker is 49. - Actress Susan Richardson is 47. - Singer Nina Hagen is 44. - Country singer Jimmy Fortune (The Statler Brothers) is 44. - Singer Cheryl Lynn is 42. - Actress Alex Kingston ("ER") is 36. - Actor Wallace Langham ("Veronica's Closet") is 34. - Actor John Barrowman is 31. - Singer Pete Droge is 30.
  • 12 On March 12, 1912, Juliette Gordon Low founded the Girl Guides, which later became the Girl Scouts of America. - In 1664, New Jersey became a British colony as King Charles II granted land in the New World to his brother James, the Duke of York. - In 1925, Chinese revolutionary leader Sun Yat-sen died. - In 1930, Indian political and spiritual leader Mohandas K. Gandhi began a 200-mile march to protest a British tax on salt. - In 1932, the so-called "Swedish Match King," Ivar Kreuger, committed suicide in Paris, leaving behind a financial empire that turned out to be worthless. - In 1933, President Roosevelt delivered the first of his radio "fireside chats," telling Americans about the nation's economic crisis. - In 1938, the "Anschluss" took place as German troops entered Austria. - In 1939, Pope Pius XII was formally crowned in ceremonies at the Vatican. - In 1940, Finland and the Soviet Union concluded an armistice during World War II. Fighting between the two countries flared again the following year. - In 1947, President Truman established what became known as the "Truman Doctrine" to help Greece and Turkey resist Communism. - In 1969, Paul McCartney married Linda Eastman in London. - In 1993, Janet Reno was sworn in as the nation's first female attorney general. - Ten years ago: Some 2,500 veterans and supporters marched at the Art Institute of Chicago to demand that officials remove an American flag placed on the floor as part of a student's exhibit. - Five years ago: The Church of England ordained its first women priests. Secretary of State Warren Christopher held discussions with Chinese leaders in Beijing that were marked by blunt exchanges on human rights. - One year ago: The government reported the rate of new cancer cases among Americans had inched down for the first time; so 70,000 fewer people than expected were diagnosed between 1992 and 1995. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Former AFL-CIO president Lane Kirkland is 77. - Former astronaut Wally Schirra is 76. - Playwright Edward Albee is 71. - Former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young is 67. - Broadcast journalist Lloyd Dobyns is 63. - Singer Al Jarreau is 59. - Actress Barbara Feldon is 58. - Actress-singer Liza Minnelli is 53. - Singer-songwriter James Taylor is 51. - Rock singer-musician Bill Payne (Little Feat) is 50. - Actor Jon Provost ("Lassie") is 49. - Actor Jerry Levine is 42. - Rock musician Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) is 42. - Singer Marlon Jackson (The Jackson Five) is 42. - Actor Courtney B. Vance is 39. - Actor Titus Welliver ("Brooklyn South") is 38. - Baseball player Darryl Strawberry is 37. - Actress Julia Campbell is 36. - Rock musician Graham Coxon (Blur) is 30.
  • 13 Today is Saturday, March 13, the 72nd day of 1999. There are 293 days left in the year. - On March 13, 1884, Standard Time was adopted throughout the United States. - In 1781, the planet Uranus was discovered by Sir William Herschel. - In 1852, "Uncle Sam" made his debut as a cartoon character in the New York "Lantern." - In 1868, the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson began in the U.S. Senate. - In 1901, the 23rd president of the United States, Benjamin Harrison, died in Indianapolis. - In 1906, American suffragist Susan B. Anthony died in Rochester, N.Y. - In 1925, a law went into effect in Tennessee prohibiting the teaching of evolution. - In 1933, banks began to re-open after a "holiday" declared by President Roosevelt. - In 1947, the Lerner and Loewe musical "Brigadoon" opened on Broadway. - In 1964, in a notorious case, 38 residents of a New York City neighborhood failed to respond to the cries of Kitty Genovese as she was stabbed to death. - In 1969, the Apollo 9 astronauts splashed down, ending a mission that included the successful testing of the lunar module. - In 1988, yielding to student protests, the board of trustees of Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., a liberal arts college for the hearing-impaired, chose I. King Jordan to become the school's first deaf president. - Ten years ago: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration began a quarantine of all fruit imported from Chile after traces of cyanide were found in two Chilean grapes. The space shuttle Discovery blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on a five-day mission. - Five years ago: A South African diplomat took over as leader of Bophuthatswana as the black homeland's president, Lucas Mangope, was deposed. The Israeli Cabinet outlawed two Jewish extremist groups, Kach and Kahane Lives, branding them terrorist organizations. - One year ago: Sgt. Maj. Gene McKinney, once the Army's top enlisted man, was acquitted at his court-martial of pressuring military women for sex, but was convicted of trying to persuade his chief accuser to lie. U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II, D-Mass., announced he would not seek a seventh term. *** Today's Birthdays - Country singer Liz Anderson is 69. - Country singer Jan Howard is 69. - Opera singer Rosalind Elias is 68. - Songwriter Mike Stoller is 66. - Singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka is 60. - Actor William H. Macy is 49. - Actor Fred Berry ("What's Happening!!") is 48. - Actress Deborah Raffin is 46. - Comedian Robin Duke is 45. - Actress Dana Delany is 43. - Rock musician Adam Clayton (U2) is 39. - Jazz musician Terence Blanchard is 37. - Actor Christopher Collet is 31. - Actress Annabeth Gish is 28. - Actress Tracy Wells is 28. - Rapper Khujo (Goodie Mob) is 27.
  • 14 On March 14, 1743, the first recorded town meeting in America was held, at Faneuil Hall in Boston. - In 1794, Eli Whitney received a patent for his cotton gin, an invention that revolutionized America's cotton industry. - In 1879, physicist Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany. - In 1883, German political philosopher Karl Marx died in London. - In 1900, Congress ratified the Gold Standard Act. - In 1923, President Harding became the first chief executive to file an income tax report. - In 1939, the republic of Czechoslovakia was dissolved, opening the way for Nazi occupation. - In 1943, Aaron Copland's orchestral work "Fanfare for the Common Man" premiered in New York, with George Szell conducting. - In 1951, during the Korean War, U.N. forces recaptured Seoul. - In 1964, a jury in Dallas found Jack Ruby guilty of murdering Lee Harvey Oswald, the accused assassin of President Kennedy, the previous November. - In 1965, Israel's cabinet formally approved establishing diplomatic relations with West Germany. - In 1967, the body of President Kennedy was moved from a temporary grave to a permanent memorial site at Arlington National Cemetery. - Ten years ago: In a policy shift, the Bush administration announced an indefinite ban on imports of semiautomatic assault rifles. - Five years ago: Associate Attorney General Webster Hubbell, a longtime friend of President and Mrs. Clinton, resigned because of controversy over billings he'd charged while in private law practice. Secretary of State Warren Christopher wrapped up three days of meetings with Chinese leaders, who rejected attempts to link their human rights record with preferred trade status. - One year ago: India's Congress party picked Sonia Gandhi, the Italian-born widow of assassinated prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, as its new president. An earthquake killed at least five people and left thousands homeless in southeastern Iran. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Cartoonist Hank Ketcham ("Dennis the Menace") is 79. - Former astronaut Frank Borman is 71. - Singer Phil Phillips is 68. - Actor Michael Caine is 66. - Composer-conductor Quincy Jones is 66. - Former astronaut Eugene Cernan is 65. - Movie director Wolfgang Petersen ("Das Boot") is 58. - Comedian Billy Crystal is 51. - Country singer Jann Browne is 45. - Actor Adrian Zmed is 45. - Prince Albert of Monaco is 41. - Actor Jake Fogelnest is 20. - Actress Kate Maberly is 17.
  • 15 On March 15, 1919, the American Legion was founded, in Paris. - In 44 B.C., Roman dictator Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of nobles that included Brutus and Cassius. - In 1493, Christopher Columbus returned to Spain, concluding his first voyage to the Western Hemisphere. - In 1820, Maine became the 23rd state. - In 1875, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of New York, John McCloskey, was named the first American cardinal, by Pope Pius IX. - In 1913, President Wilson held the first open presidential news conference. - In 1956, the Lerner and Loewe musical "My Fair Lady" opened on Broadway. - In 1964, actress Elizabeth Taylor married actor Richard Burton in Montreal; it was her fifth marriage, his second. - In 1965, addressing a joint session of Congress, President Johnson called for new legislation to guarantee every American's right to vote. - In 1975, Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis died near Paris at age 69. - Ten years ago: Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev convened a two-day meeting of the Communist Party's Central Committee to decide on agricultural reforms. - Five years ago: Illinois Congressman Dan Rostenkowski, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, defeated four Democratic primary challengers in his bid for re-election. - One year ago: CBS' "60 Minutes" aired an interview with former White House employee Kathleen Willey, who said President Clinton had made unwelcome sexual advances toward her in the Oval Office in 1993, a charge denied by the president. Dr. Benjamin Spock, whose child care guidance spanned half a century, died in San Diego at 94. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Country singer Carl Smith is 72. - Former astronaut Alan L. Bean is 67. - Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 66. - Jazz musician Cecil Taylor is 66. - Actor Judd Hirsch is 64. - Rock musician Phil Lesh (The Grateful Dead) is 59. - Singer Mike Love (The Beach Boys) is 58. - Rock singer-musician Sly Stone Stewart is 55. - Actor Craig Wasson is 45. - Rock singer Dee Snider (Twisted Sister) is 44. - Actress Park Overall is 42. - Movie director Renny Harlin is 40. - Model Fabio is 38. - Singer Terence Trent D'Arby is 37.
  • 16 On March 16, 1802, Congress authorized the establishment of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. - In 1751, James Madison, fourth president of the U.S., was born. - In 1836, the Republic of Texas approved a constitution. - In 1915, the Federal Trade Commission was organized. - In 1935, Adolf Hitler scrapped the Treaty of Versailles. - In 1945, during World War II, Iwo Jima was declared secured by the Allies. - In 1968, during the Vietnam War, the My Lai Massacre was carried out by U.S. troops under the command of Lt. William L. Calley Jr. - In 1969, "1776," a musical about the writing of the Declaration of Independence, opened on Broadway. - In 1978, Italian politician Aldo Moro was kidnapped by left-wing urban guerrillas, who later murdered him. - In 1991, Americans Kristi Yamaguchi, Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan swept the World Figure Skating Championships in Munich, Germany. - Ten years ago: The Soviet Communist Party's Central Committee approved sweeping agricultural reforms and elected the party's 100 members to the Congress of People's Deputies, a new legislative body. - Five years ago: Figure skater Tonya Harding pleaded guilty in Portland, Ore., to conspiracy to hinder prosecution for covering up the attack on rival Nancy Kerrigan, avoiding jail but drawing a $100,000 fine. Russia agreed to phase out production of weapons-grade plutonium. - One year ago: In a long-awaited document that Jewish leaders immediately criticized, the Vatican expressed remorse for the cowardice of some Christians during the Holocaust, but defended the actions of Pope Pius XII. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Statesman Mike Mansfield is 96. - Actor Leo McKern is 79. - Comedian-director Jerry Lewis is 73. - Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-New York) is 72. - Movie director Bernardo Bertolucci is 59. - Game show host Chuck Woolery is 58. - Singer-songwriter Jerry Jeff Walker is 57. - Country singer Robin Williams is 52. - Actor Erik Estrada is 50. - Actor Victor Garber is 50. - Actress Kate Nelligan is 48. - Rock singer-musician Nancy Wilson (Heart) is 45. - Golfer Hollis Stacy is 45. - Actress Isabelle Huppert is 44.
  • 17 Today is Wednesday, March 17, the 76th day of 1999. There are 289 days left in the year. - On March 17, A.D. 461, according to tradition, St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, died in Saul. - In 1776, British forces evacuated Boston during the Revolutionary War. - In 1870, the Massachusetts legislature authorized the incorporation of Wellesley Female Seminary. It later became Wellesley College. - In 1905, Eleanor Roosevelt married Franklin D. Roosevelt in New York. - In 1910, the Camp Fire Girls organization was formed. It was formally presented to the public exactly two years later. - In 1941, the National Gallery of Art opened in Washington, D.C. - In 1942, Gen. Douglas MacArthur arrived in Australia to become supreme commander of Allied forces in the southwest Pacific theater during World War II. - In 1950, scientists at the University of California at Berkeley announced they had created a new radioactive element, which they named "californium." - In 1966, a U.S. midget submarine located a missing hydrogen bomb that had fallen from an American bomber into the Mediterranean off Spain. - In 1969, Golda Meir became prime minister of Israel. - In 1993, Helen Hayes, the "First Lady of the American Theater," died in Nyack, N.Y., at age 92. - Ten years ago: The Senate unanimously confirmed Wyoming Congressman Dick Cheney to be secretary of defense, following the failed nomination of former Sen. John Tower. - Five years ago: Secretary of State Warren Christopher, just back from China, told a House subcommittee that reports the trip was a failure were "rather misleading," and said Beijing had made "solid improvements" in areas of prison labor and immigration. - One year ago: Washington Mutual announced it had agreed to buy H.F. Ahmanson and Co. for $9.9 billion dollars, creating the nation's seventh-largest banking company. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actress Mercedes McCambridge is 81. - Myrlie Evers-Williams, former NAACP chairwoman, is 66. - Rock musician Paul Kantner is 58. - Singer-songwriter Jim Weatherly is 56. - Singer-songwriter John Sebastian (The Lovin' Spoonful) is 55. - Rock musician Harold Brown (War) is 53. - Actor Patrick Duffy is 50. - Actor Kurt Russell is 48. - Country singer Susie Allanson is 47. - Actress Lesley-Anne Down is 45. - Country singer Paul Overstreet is 44. - Actor Gary Sinise is 44. - Actor Rob Lowe is 35. - Rock singer Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) is 32. - Rock musician Van Connor (Screaming Trees) is 32. - Rock musician Melissa Auf der Maur (Hole) is 27.
  • 18 Today is Thursday, March 18, the 77th day of 1999. There are 288 days left in the year. - On March 18, 1959, President Eisenhower signed the Hawaii statehood bill. - In 1766, Britain repealed the Stamp Act. - In 1837, the 22nd and 24th president of the U.S., Grover Cleveland, was born in Caldwell, N.J. - In 1909, Einar Dessau of Denmark used a shortwave transmitter to converse with a government radio post about six miles away in what's believed to have been the first broadcast by a "ham" operator. - In 1931, Schick Inc. marketed the first electric razor. - In 1937, more than 400 people, mostly children, were killed in a gas explosion at a school in New London, Texas. - In 1962, France and Algerian rebels agreed to a truce. - In 1965, the first spacewalk took place by Soviet cosmonaut Aleksei Leonov. - In 1974, most of the Arab oil-producing nations ended their embargo against the U.S. - In 1979, Iranian authorities detained American feminist Kate Millett, a day before deporting her and a companion for what were termed "provocations." - Ten years ago: The space shuttle Discovery landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California, completing a five-day mission. - Five years ago: The space shuttle Columbia returned from a two-week mission. Published reports said first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton had made nearly $100,000 from the commodities market in the late 1970's on an initial investment of only $1,000. - One year ago: Julie Hiatt Steele, a former friend of Kathleen Willey's, released a sworn affidavit undercutting Willey's claim that President Clinton had made an unwanted sexual advance toward her in 1993. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actor Peter Graves is 73. - Author GeorgePlimpton is 72. - Composer John Kander is 72. - Author John Updike is 67. - Nobel peace laureate and former South African president F.W. de Klerk is 63. - Country singer Charley Pride is 61. - Singer Wilson Pickett is 58. - Actor Kevin Dobson is 56. - Actor Brad Dourif is 49. - Singer Irene Cara is 40. - Actor Thomas Ian Griffith is 37. - Singer James McMurtry is 37. - Singer-actress Vanessa L. Williams is 36. - Olympic gold medal speedskater Bonnie Blair is 35. - Rock musician Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains) is 33. - Rapper-actress Queen Latifah is 29. - Rock musician Stuart Zender is 25.
  • 19 Today is Friday, March 19, the 78st day of 1999. There are 287 days left in the year. This is the date the swallows traditionally return to the San Juan Capistrano Mission in California. - On March 19, 1979, the U.S. House of Representatives began televising its day-to-day business. - In 1859, the opera "Faust" by Charles Gounod premiered in Paris. - In 1917, the Supreme Court upheld the eight-hour work day for railroads. - In 1918, Congress approved Daylight-Saving Time. - In 1931, Nevada legalized gambling. - In 1945, about 800 people were killed as kamikaze planes attacked the U.S. carrier Franklin off Japan; the ship, however, was saved. - In 1945, Adolf Hitler issued his so-called "Nero Decree," ordering the destruction of German facilities that could fall into Allied hands. - In 1953, the Academy Awards ceremony was televised for the first time; "The Greatest Show on Earth" was named best picture of 1952. - In 1976, Buckingham Palace announced the separation of Princess Margaret and her husband, the Earl of Snowdon, after 16 years of marriage. - In 1985, in a legislative victory for President Reagan, the Senate voted, 55-45, to authorize production of the MX missile. - In 1987, televangelist Jim Bakker resigned as chairman of his PTL ministry organization amid a sex and money scandal involving Jessica Hahn, a former church secretary from Oklahoma. - In 1993, Supreme Court Justice Byron R. White announced plans to retire. White's departure paved the way for Ruth Bader Ginsburg to become the court's second female justice. - Ten years ago: Alfredo Cristiani of the right-wing ARENA party was elected president of El Salvador, defeating Fidel Chavez Mena of the Christian Democratic Party. - Five years ago: Talks between North Korea and South Korea collapsed, imperiling a U.S.-brokered deal to resolve the North Korean nuclear dispute. In his weekly radio address, President Clinton promised to tell people "all across America about our health reform plan and what it really means." - One year ago: Completing baseball's transformation from family ownership to corporate control, Rupert Murdoch's Fox Group won approval to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers for a record $350 million. *** Today's Birthdays - Former White House national security adviser Brent Scowcroft is 74. - Actor-director Patrick McGoohan is 71. - Theologian Hans Kung is 71. - Author Philip Roth is 66. - Actress-singer Phyllis Newman is 64. - Actress Renee Taylor is 64. - Actress Ursula Andress is 63. - Singer Clarence "Frogman" Henry is 62. - Singer Ruth Pointer (The Pointer Sisters) is 53. - Actress Glenn Close is 52. - Actor Bruce Willis is 44.
  • 20
  • 21 On March 21, 1965, more than 3,000 civil rights demonstrators led by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. began their march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala. - In 1685, composer Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach, Germany. - In 1790, Thomas Jefferson reported to President Washington in New York as the new secretary of state. - In 1806, Mexican statesman Benito Juarez, Mexico's first president of Indian ancestry, was born in Oaxaca. - In 1945, Allied bombers began four days of raids over Germany. - In 1946, the United Nations set up temporary headquarters at Hunter College in New York. - In 1960, some 70 people were killed in Sharpeville, South Africa, when police fired on demonstrators. - In 1963, the Alcatraz federal prison island in San Francisco Bay was emptied of its last inmates at the order of Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. - In 1972, the Supreme Court ruled that states cannot require at least a year's residency for voting eligibility. - In 1979, the Egyptian Parliament unanimously approved a peace treaty with Israel. - Ten years ago: Randall Dale Adams, whose conviction for killing a police officer was overturned after the documentary "The Thin Blue Line" challenged evidence, was released from a Texas prison. - Five years ago: "Schindler's List" won best picture at the 66th Academy Awards; Holly Hunter was named best actress for "The Piano" while Tom Hanks was named best actor for "Philadelphia." Actor Macdonald Carey died in Beverly Hills, Calif., at age 81. - One year ago: Pope John Paul II began a visit to Nigeria with the Vatican pressing the African nation's military regime to release dozens of prisoners, including prominent opposition figures and journalists. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actor Al Freeman Jr. is 65. - Actor Timothy Dalton is 55. - Actress Marie-Christine Barrault is 55. - Singer-musician Rose Stone (Sly and the Family Stone) is 54. - Rock singer-musician Roger Hodgson (Supertramp) is 49. - Rock musician Conrad Lozano (Los Lobos) is 48. - Rhythm-and-blues singer Russell Thompkins Jr. (The Stylistics) is 48. - Actress Sabrina LeBeauf is 41. - Actor Gary Oldman is 41. - Actor Matthew Broderick is 37. - Comedian-talk show host Rosie O'Donnell is 37. - Actress Cynthia Geary is 33. - Rock MC Maxim (Prodigy) is 32. - Rock musician Andrew Copeland (Sister Hazel) is 31.
  • 22 On March 22, 1895, Auguste and Louis Lumiere showed their first movie to an invited audience in Paris. - In 1638, religious dissident Anne Hutchinson was expelled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. - In 1765, Britain enacted the Stamp Act to raise money from the American colonies. The Act was repealed the following year. - In 1820, U.S. naval hero Stephen Decatur was killed in a duel with Cmdr. James Barron near Washington, D.C. - In 1882, Congress outlawed polygamy. - In 1894, hockey's first Stanley Cup championship game was played; the home team Montreal Amateur Athletic Association defeated the Ottawa Capitals, 3-1. - In 1933, during Prohibition, President Roosevelt signed a measure to make wine and beer containing up to 3.2% alcohol legal. - In 1945, the Arab League was formed with the adoption of a charter in Cairo, Egypt. - In 1946, the British mandate in Transjordan came to an end. - In 1972, Congress sent the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution to the states for ratification. It fell short of two-thirds approval needed. - Ten years ago: National Football League Commissioner Pete Rozelle announced plans to retire. Fawn Hall, Oliver North's former secretary, began two days of testimony at North's Iran-Contra trial in Washington. - Five years ago: The Federal Reserve announced it was raising short-term interest rates from 3.25% to 3.5%, the second such boost of the year. "Woody Woodpecker" creator Walter Lantz died in Burbank, Calif., at age 93. - One year ago: President Clinton departed Washington for a historic 12-day tour of Africa. A deeply divided United Auto Workers union approved a new contract with Caterpillar Inc., ending a 6 1/2-year contract battle. Eleven young campers died in a mountain cabin fire in Centre County, Pa. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Actor Karl Malden is 87. - Actor Werner Klemperer is 79. - Pantomimist Marcel Marceau is 76. - USA Today founder Allen H. Neuharth is 75. - Composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim is 69. - Actor William Shatner is 68. - Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) is 65. - Actor M. Emmet Walsh is 64. - Singer-guitarist George Benson is 56. - Singer Jeremy Clyde (Chad and Jeremy) is 55. - Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber is 51. - Actress Fanny Ardant is 50. - Sportscaster Bob Costas is 47. - Actress Lena Olin is 44. - Singer-actress Stephanie Mills is 42. - Actor Matthew Modine is 40. - Actress Reese Witherspoon is 23.
  • 23 On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry made his famous call for America's independence from Britain, telling the Virginia Provincial Convention, "Give me liberty, or give me death!" - In 1792, Joseph Haydn's Symphony No. 94 in G Major (the "Surprise" symphony) was performed publicly for the first time, in London. - In 1806, explorers Lewis and Clark, having reached the Pacific coast, began their return journey. - In 1919, Benito Mussolini founded his Fascist political movement in Milan, Italy. - In 1933, the German Reichstag adopted the Enabling Act, which effectively granted Adolf Hitler dictatorial legislative powers. - In 1942, during World War II, the U.S. government began evacuating Japanese-Americans from West Coast homes to detention centers. - In 1956, Pakistan became an independent republic within the British Commonwealth. - In 1965, America's first two-person space flight blasted off from Cape Kennedy with astronauts Virgil I. Grissom and John W. Young aboard. - In 1983, President Reagan first proposed development of technology to intercept enemy missiles - a proposal that came to be known as the Strategic Defense Initiative, as well as "Star Wars." - In 1983, Dr. Barney Clark, recipient of a permanent artificial heart, died at the University of Utah Medical Center after 112 days with the device. - Ten years ago: Fawn Hall, former secretary to onetime National Security Council aide Oliver North, completed two days of testimony at North's Iran-Contra trial. - Five years ago: Luis Donaldo Colosio, Mexico's leading presidential candidate, was assassinated in Tijuana. Twenty-three paratroopers were killed when a F-16 fighter jet and C-130 transport collided while landing at Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina and the F-16 skidded into another transport on the ground. Wayne Gretzky broke Gordie Howe's National Hockey League career record with his 802nd goal. Actress Giulietta Masina died in Rome at age 73. - One year ago: President Clinton hailed "the new face of Africa" as he opened a historic six-nation tour in Ghana. The U.S. Supreme Court allowed term limits for state lawmakers. Russian President Boris Yeltsin fired his Cabinet. At the Academy Awards, "Titanic" tied the record by winning 11 Oscars, including best picture, director and song. *** Today's Birthdays - Comedian Marty Allen is 77. - Movie director Mark Rydell is 65. - Singer-producer Ric Ocasek is 50. - Singer Chaka Khan is 46. - Actress Amanda Plummer is 42. - Comedian John Pinnett is 35. - Actor Richard Grieco is 34. - Rock musician John Humphrey (The Nixons) is 29. - Actress Keri Russell ("Felicity") is 23. - Actress Nicholle Tom ("The Nanny") is 22.
  • 24 On March 24, 1949, at the Academy Awards, "Hamlet" won best picture of 1948 and its star, Laurence Olivier, best actor; Jane Wyman won best actress for "Johnny Belinda;" "Treasure of Sierra Madre" won best director for John Huston and best supporting actor for the director's father, Walter Huston. - In 1765, Britain enacted the Quartering Act, requiring American colonists to provide temporary housing to British soldiers. - In 1882, German scientist Robert Koch announced in Berlin that he had discovered the bacillus responsible for tuberculosis. - In 1883, long-distance telephone service was inaugurated between Chicago and New York. - In 1934, President Roosevelt signed a bill granting future independence to the Philippines. - In 1944, in occupied Rome, the Nazis executed more than 300 civilians in reprisal for an attack by Italian partisans the day before that killed 32 German soldiers. - In 1955, the Tennessee Williams play "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" opened on Broadway. - In 1958, rock-and-roll singer Elvis Presley was inducted into the Army in Memphis, Tenn. - In 1976, the president of Argentina, Isabel Peron, was deposed by her country's military. - In 1980, one of El Salvador's most respected Roman Catholic Church leaders, Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero, was shot to death by gunmen as he celebrated Mass in San Salvador. - Ten years ago: The nation's worst oil spill occurred as the supertanker Exxon Valdez ran aground on a reef in Alaska's Prince William Sound and began leaking 11 million gallons of crude. - Five years ago: President Clinton held a news conference in which he acknowledged he had significantly overstated the loss in his Whitewater land investment and promised to release late 1970's tax returns to answer questions on the land deal. - One year ago: Two students, ages 13 and 11, opened fire outside their school in Jonesboro, Ark., killing four classmates and a teacher. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Fashion and costume designer Bob Mackie is 59. - Actor R. Lee Ermey is 55. - Movie director Curtis Hanson ("L.A. Confidential") is 54. - Rock musician Lee Oskar is 51. - Rock musician Dougie Thomson (Supertramp) is 48. - Comedian-actor Louie Anderson is 46. - Actress Donna Pescow is 45. - Actor Robert Carradine is 45. - Actress Kelly LeBrock is 39. - Rhythm-and-blues DJ Rodney "Kool Kollie" Terry (Ghostown DJs) is 38. - Actress Annabella Sciorra is 35. - Actress Lara Flynn Boyle is 29. - Rapper P.A. Pasemaster Mase (De La Soul) is 29. - Actress Alyson Hannigan ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") is 25.
  • 25 On March 25, 1911, in a tragedy that galvanized America's labor movement, 146 immigrant workers were killed when fire broke out at the Triangle Shirtwaist Co. in New York. - In 1634, Maryland was founded by English colonists sent by the second Lord Baltimore. - In 1865, during the Civil War, Confederate forces captured Fort Stedman in Virginia. - In 1894, Jacob S. Coxey began leading an "army" of unemployed from Massillon, Ohio, to Washington, D.C., to demand help from the federal government. - In 1913, the home of vaudeville, the Palace Theatre, opened in New York City. - In 1918, French composer Claude Debussy died in Paris. - In 1947, a coal mine explosion in Centralia, Ill., claimed 111 lives. - In 1957, the Treaty of Rome established the European Economic Community. - In 1965, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. led 25,000 marchers to the state capitol in Montgomery, Ala., to protest the denial of voting rights to blacks. - In 1990, 87 people, most of them Honduran and Dominican immigrants, were killed when fire raced through an illegal social club in New York City. - In 1992, Soviet cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, who had spent 10 months aboard the orbiting Mir space station and missed the upheaval in his homeland, finally returned to Earth. - Ten years ago: In the wake of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska's chief environmental officer, Dennis Kelso, criticized cleanup efforts as too slow. - Five years ago: American troops completed their withdrawal from Somalia. - One year ago: Shaken by horror stories from the worst genocide since World War II, President Clinton grimly acknowledged during his Africa tour that "we did not act quickly enough" to stop the slaughter of up to 1 million Rwandans four years earlier. The FCC netted $578.6 million at auction for licenses for new wireless technology. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Modeling agency founder Eileen Ford is 77. - Former astronaut Jim Lovell is 71. - Movie reviewer Gene Shalit is 67. - Feminist author Gloria Steinem is 65. - Singer-actor Hoyt Axton is 61. - Singer Anita Bryant is 59. - Singer Aretha Franklin is 57. - Actor Paul Michael Glaser is 56. - Singer Elton John is 52. - Actress Bonnie Bedelia is 51. - Singer Nick Lowe is 50. - Actress-comedian Mary Gross is 46. - Actor James McDaniel ("NYPD Blue") is 41. - Actor-writer-director John Stockwell is 38. - Actress Lisa Gay Hamilton is 35. - Actress Sarah Jessica Parker is 34. - Singer-musician Jeff Healey is 33. - Olympic bronze medal figure skater Debi Thomas is 32. - Singer Melanie Blatt (All Saints) is 24.
  • 26 On March 26, 1979, the Camp David peace treaty was signed by Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat at the White House. - In 1804, the Louisiana Purchase was divided into the Territory of Orleans and the District of Louisiana. - In 1827, composer Ludwig van Beethoven died in Vienna. - In 1875, poet Robert Frost was born in San Francisco. - In 1892, poet Walt Whitman died in Camden, N.J. - In 1911, playwright Tennessee Williams was born in Columbus, Miss. - In 1958, the U.S. Army launched America's third successful satellite, Explorer III. - In 1964, the musical play "Funny Girl" opened on Broadway. - In 1971, East Pakistan proclaimed its independence, taking the name Bangladesh. - In 1982, groundbreaking ceremonies took place in Washington, D.C., for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. - In 1997, the bodies of 39 members of the Heaven's Gate techno-religious cult who'd committed suicide were found inside a mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. - Ten years ago: Voters in the Soviet Union filled 1,500 of more than 2,000 seats in the new Congress of People's Deputies, beginning embarrassing defeats for the Communist Party. - Five years ago: U.N. peacekeepers in Bosnia-Herzegovina destroyed a Serb bunker following a seven-hour exchange of fire. The Senate passed President Clinton's education reform measure, the "Goals 2000" bill, 63-22. - One year ago: President Clinton stood with President Nelson Mandela in a racially integrated South African parliament to salute a country that was "truly free and democratic at last." *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Retired Army Gen. William C. Westmoreland is 85. - Singer Rufus Thomas is 82. - Conductor-composer Pierre Boulez is 74. - Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor is 69. - Actor-director Leonard Nimoy is 68. - Actor Alan Arkin is 65. - Actor James Caan is 59. - Author Erica Jong is 57. - Journalist Bob Woodward is 56. - Singer Diana Ross is 55. - Actor Johnny Crawford ("The Rifleman") is 53. - Rock singer Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) is 51. - TV personality Vicki Lawrence is 50. - Singer Teddy Pendergrass is 49. - Comedian Martin Short is 49. - Country singer Dean Dillon is 44. - Country singer Charly McClain is 43. - Actress Jennifer Grey is 39. - Basketball player John Stockton is 37. - Rock musician James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins) is 31. - Country singer Kenny Chesney is 31.
  • 27 On March 27, 1977, 582 people were killed when a KLM Boeing 747, attempting to take off, crashed into a Pan Am 747 on the Canary Island of Tenerife. - In 1512, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon sighted Florida. - In 1794, President Washington and Congress authorized creation of the U.S. Navy. - In 1836, the first Mormon temple was dedicated, in Kirtland, Ohio. - In 1884, the first long-distance telephone call was made, between Boston and New York. - In 1917, the Seattle Metropolitans became the first U.S. team to win the Stanley Cup as they defeated the Montreal Canadiens. - In 1945, during World War II, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower told reporters in Paris that German defenses on the Western Front had been broken. - In 1958, Nikita Khrushchev became Soviet premier in addition to First Secretary of the Communist Party. - In 1964, Alaska was rocked by a powerful earthquake that killed 114 people. - In 1968, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first man to orbit the earth, died in a plane crash. - Ten years ago: Boris N. Yeltsin and other anti-establishment candidates claimed victory in parliamentary elections for the new Congress of People's Deputies. - Five years ago: More than 40 people were killed as violent thunderstorms tore across the Southeast. Italians went to the polls in general elections that resulted in big gains for a right-wing coalition. Ukraine held its first parliamentary elections since the collapse of the Soviet Union. - One year ago: The Food and Drug Administration approved the drug Viagra, made by Pfizer, saying it helped about two-thirds of impotent men improve their sexual function. Ferdinand Porsche Jr., who founded the sports car firm that bears his name, died at age 88 in Zell am See, Austria. *Happy Birthday* ---------------- - Lord Callaghan, former British prime minister, is 87. - Former Secretary of State Cyrus R. Vance is 82. - Dancer-singer Harold Nicholas is 75. - Newspaper columnist Anthony Lewis is 72. - Dance company director Arthur Mitchell is 65. - Actor Julian Glover is 64. - Actor Jerry Lacy is 63. - Actor Austin Pendleton is 59. - Actor Michael York is 57. - Rock musician Tony Banks (Genesis) is 49. - Actress Maria Schneider ("Last Tango in Paris") is 47. - Rock musician Andrew Farriss (INXS) is 40. - Movie director Quentin Tarantino is 36. - Rock musician Derrick McKenzie (Jamiroquai) is 35. - Singer Mariah Carey is 29. - Rock musician Brendan Hill (Blues Traveler) is 29.
  • 28 Twenty years ago, on March 28, 1979, America's worst commercial nuclear accident occurred inside at the Three Mile Island plant in Pennsylvania. - In 1797, Nathaniel Briggs of New Hampshire patented a washing machine. - In 1834, the U.S. Senate voted to censure President Jackson for the removal of federal deposits from the Bank of the United States. - In 1854, during the Crimean War, Britain and France declared war on Russia. - In 1898, the Supreme Court ruled that a child born in the U.S. to Chinese immigrants was a U.S. citizen. - In 1930, the names of the Turkish cities of Constantinople and Angora were changed to Istanbul and Ankara. - In 1939, the Spanish Civil War ended as Madrid fell to the forces of Francisco Franco. - In 1941, novelist and critic Virginia Woolf died in Lewes, England. - In 1942, during World War II, British naval forces raided the Nazi-occupied French port of St. Nazaire. - In 1943, composer Sergei Rachmaninoff died in Beverly Hills, Calif. - In 1969, the 34th president of the U.S., Dwight D. Eisenhower, died in Washington at age 78. - Ten years ago: President Bush sent three high-ranking officials to Alaska to "take a hard look" at the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska's Prince William Sound. - Five years ago: More than 50 people were killed in violence that erupted in Johannesburg, South Africa, during a march by Zulu nationalists. Absurdist playwright Eugene Ionesco died in Paris at age 81. - One year ago: President Clinton, during his visit to South Africa, went to Soweto, a landmark in the bloody uprising against apartheid, to honor South Africans "who answered the call of conscience" and defeated their country's system of white supremacy. *Happy Birthday* - Actor Dirk Bogarde is 78. - Ex-White House national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski is 71. - Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-Alaska) is 66. - Country musician Charlie McCoy is 58. - Movie director Mike Newell ("Four Weddings and a Funeral") is 57. - Actress Conchata Ferrell is 56. - Actor Ken Howard is 55. - Actress Dianne Wiest is 51. - Rhythm-and-blues musician Milan Williams (The Commodores) is 51. - Country singer Reba McEntire is 44. - Actor Max Perlich is 31. - Rapper Salt (Salt-N-Pepa) is 30. - Actor Vince Vaughn is 29. - Rapper Mr. Cheeks (Lost Boyz) is 28.
  • 29 On March 29, 1951, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage. - In 1638, Swedish colonists settled in present-day Delaware. - In 1790, the 10th president of the U.S., John Tyler, was born. - In 1847, victorious forces led by Gen. Winfield Scott occupied the city of Vera Cruz after Mexican defenders capitulated. - In 1867, the British Parliament passed the North America Act to create the Dominion of Canada. - In 1943, World War II meat, butter and cheese rationing began. - In 1962, Jack Paar hosted NBC's "Tonight" show for the final time. - In 1971, Army Lt. William L. Calley Jr. was convicted of murdering at least 22 Vietnamese civilians in the My Lai massacre. - In 1971, a jury in Los Angeles recommended the death penalty for Charles Manson and three female followers for the 1969 Tate-La Bianca murders. - In 1974, eight Ohio National Guardsmen were indicted on charges stemming from the shooting deaths of four students at Kent State University. - Ten years ago: The movie "Rain Man" won Academy Awards for best picture, best director Barry Levinson and best actor Dustin Hoffman; Jodie Foster was named best actress for "The Accused." - Five years ago: Mexico's ruling party picked Ernesto Zedillo to be its new presidential candidate, replacing the assassinated Luis Donaldo Colosio. - One year ago: Twenty-two people were killed when a Russian-made Antonov military plane crashed into a Peruvian shantytown outside the northern city of Piura. The Lady Vols of Tennessee won a third straight NCAA basketball championship, defeating Louisiana Tech. *Happy Birthday* - Former U.S. Sen. Eugene McCarthy is 83. - Actress Eileen Heckart is 80. - Former British Prime Minister John Major is 56. - Comedian Eric Idle is 56. - Composer Vangelis is 56. - Singer Bobby Kimball (Toto) is 52. - Olympic gymnast Kurt Thomas is 43. - Actor Christopher Lambert is 42. - Model Elle MacPherson is 36. - Rock singer-musician John Popper (Blues Traveler) is 32. - Actress Lucy Lawless ("Xena: Warrior Princess") is 31. - Country singer Regina Leigh (Regina Regina) is 31. - Country singer Brady Seals is 30. - Tennis player Jennifer Capriati is 23.
  • 30 On March 30, 1981, President Reagan was shot and seriously injured outside a Washington, D.C., hotel by John W. Hinckley Jr. Also wounded were White House press secretary James Brady, a Secret Service agent and a District of Columbia police officer. - In 1822, Florida became a U.S. territory. - In 1842, Dr. Crawford W. Long of Georgia first used ether as an anesthetic during a minor operation. - In 1867, U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward reached agreement with Russia to purchase the territory of Alaska for $7.2 million, a deal roundly ridiculed as "Seward's Folly." - In 1870, the 15th amendment to the Constitution, giving black men the right to vote, was declared in effect. - In 1870, Texas was readmitted to the Union. - In 1909, the Queensboro Bridge, linking the New York boroughs of Manhattan and Queens, opened. - In 1945, the Soviet Union invaded Austria during World War II. - In 1979, Airey Neave, a leading member of the British parliament, was killed by a bomb planted by the Irish National Liberation Army. - Ten years ago: "The Heidi Chronicles" by Wendy Wasserstein won the Pulitzer Prize for drama; in the journalism category, the Anchorage Daily News won the public service award for its reports on alcoholism and suicide among native Alaskans. - Five years ago: Serbs and Croats signed a cease-fire to end their war in Croatia while Bosnian Muslims and Serbs continued to battle each other. The Clinton administration announced it was lifting virtually all export controls on non-military products to China and the former Soviet bloc. - One year ago: Rolls-Royce was purchased by German automaker BMW in a $570 million deal. *Happy Birthday* - Singer Frankie Laine is 86. - Former CIA Director Richard Helms is 86. - Actor Richard Dysart is 70. - Actor John Astin is 69. - Game show host Peter Marshall is 69. - Actor-director Warren Beatty is 62. - Rock musician Eric Clapton is 54. - Actor Paul Reiser is 42. - Rap artist M.C. Hammer is 36. - Singer Tracy Chapman is 35. - Singer Celine Dion is 31.
  • 31 Today is Wednesday, March 31, the 90th day of 1999. There are 275 days left in the year. The Jewish holiday Passover begins at sunset. - On March 31, 1949, Newfoundland entered confederation as Canada's 10th province. - In 1492, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain issued an edict expelling those Jews unwilling to convert to Christianity. - In 1889, French engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel unfurled the French tricolor from atop the Eiffel Tower, officially marking its completion. - In 1917, the U.S. took possession of the Virgin Islands from Denmark. - In 1923, the first U.S. dance marathon, held in New York City, ended with Alma Cummings setting a world record of 27 hours on her feet. - In 1933, Congress authorized the Civilian Conservation Corps. - In 1943, Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical "Oklahoma!" opened on Broadway. - In 1945, the Tennessee Williams play "The Glass Menagerie" opened on Broadway. - In 1968, President Johnson stunned the country by announcing he would not run for another term of office. - In 1976, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that coma patient Karen Anne Quinlan could be disconnected from her respirator. - In 1986, 167 people died when a Mexicana Airlines Boeing 727 crashed in a remote mountainous region of Mexico. - In 1995, Mexican-American singer Selena, 23, was shot to death in Corpus Christi, Texas, by the founder of her fan club. - Ten years ago: The FBI announced it would conduct a criminal investigation into the massive oil spill in Alaska's Prince William Sound. - Five years ago: The PLO and Israel agreed to resume talks on Palestinian autonomy, more than a month after the Hebron mosque massacre. - One year ago: For the first time in history, the Clinton administration released a detailed financial statement for the federal government showing its assets and liabilities. The U.N. Security Council imposed a new arms embargo on Yugoslavia to pressure the Serbs into concessions concerning ethnic Albanians in Kosovo. Former New York Congresswoman Bella Abzug died at age 77. *Happy Birthday* - Actor William Daniels is 72. - Hockey Hall-of-Famer Gordie Howe is 71. - Actress Shirley Jones is 65. - Country singer-songwriter John D. Loudermilk is 65. - Actor Richard Chamberlain is 64. - Musician Herb Alpert is 64. - Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) is 59. - Actor Christopher Walken is 56. - Comedian Gabe Kaplan is 54. - Vice President Al Gore is 51. - Actress Rhea Perlman is 51. - Actor Ed Marinaro is 49. - Actor Marc McClure is 42. - Actor Ewan McGregor is 28.