… of Bill Russell. He’s 72 today. Back-to-back NCAA championships at the University of San Francisco, 1955-1956 — 55 consecutive wins. Eleven NBA championships with the Celtics in 13 years, 1957-1969 — Russell was the only player there for all 11. Simply the greatest winner in basketball history. (And the best laugh.)
… of author Judy Blume. She’s 68.
… of Ray Manzarek. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee is 67.
The Doors formed in the summer of 1965 around Morrison and Manzarek, who’d met at UCLA’s film school. A year later the group signed with Elektra Records, recording six landmark studio LPs and a live album for the label. They achieved popular success and critical acclaim for their 1967 debut, The Doors (which included their eleven-minute epic “The End” and “Light My Fire,” a Number One hit at the height of the Summer of Love), and all the other albums that followed.
(Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)
… of actress Maud Adams. Octopussy is 61.
… of actress Christina Ricci. Wednesday Addams is 26.
Lorne Greene (aka Ben Cartwright) was born on this date in 1915.
Omar Bradley, the G.I General, was born on this date in 1893.
And it’s the birthday of artist Thomas Moran, born on this date in 1837. The National Gallery of Art has an outstanding online exhibit on Moran. Click to see a replica of his classic painting Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
