Nelson Mandela is 93 today.
John Glenn is 90.
Dion (DiMucci) of Dion and The Belmonts is 72.
James Brolin is 71.
Joe Torre is 71 as well.
Martha (Reeves) of Martha and The Vandellas is 70.
Could it be the devil in me
Or is this the way love’s supposed to be
Just like a heatwave
Burning in my heart
Can’t keep from cryin’
It’s tearing me apart
Ricky Skaggs is 57.
Vin Diesel is 44.
Author Elizabeth Gilbert is 42.
Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam is 36. She’s better known as M.I.A.
I fly like paper, get high like planes
If you catch me at the border I got visas in my name
If you come around here, I make ’em all day
I get one down in a second if you wait
All I wanna do is (BANG BANG BANG BANG!)
And (KA CHING!)
And take your money
Actor Hume Cronyn was born 100 years ago today. He was married to Jessica Tandy for more than 50 years. Cronyn died in 2003.
Richard Bernard Skelton was born 98 years ago today. Red Skelton was a star in movies, radio and television from the 1930s to 1960s. His variety TV show ran on CBS from 1954-1970. Skelton was on a plane I was on once. He stood up from his first class seat and did a little monologue for us folks in coach. Skelton died in 1997.
Hunter S. Thompson was born on July 18th in 1937. He committed suicide in 2005.
The assault on Fort Wagner by the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment was on July 18th in 1863. This is the regiment and assault depicted in the movie Glory. The unit of approximately 1,000 took casualties of 272 that day. Sergeant William Harvey Carney was awarded the Medal of Honor for recovering and carrying the colors at Fort Wagner. He was the first African-American to win the highest honor.
Disneyland opened 56 years ago today.