Jennifer Anniston is 43 today.
Hank Gathers might have been 45 today. The Loyola Marymount basketball star — he lead the nation in scoring and rebounding 1988-89 with 32.7 points and 13.7 rebounds — collapsed and died on the court during a game in 1990 at age 23.
Sarah Louise Heath Palin is 48 today. I can see her birthday from here.
Sheryl Crow is 50. Fifty.
All I wanna do is have some fun;
I got a feeling I’m not the only one.
Jeb Bush is 59.
Gerry Goffin is 73. With his then wife Carole King, Goffin wrote some great songs — “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” “The Locomotion,” “Don’t Say Nothing About My Baby,” “One Fine Day,” “Up on the Roof.”
Burt Reynolds is 76.
Gene Vincent was born February 11, 1935. He died at age 36.
Though he landed his contract with Capitol Records largely because he sounded like Elvis Presley, Gene Vincent quickly established himself as a rockabilly pioneer and the very personification of rock and roll rebellion. Born Vincent Gene Craddock, he grew up in Norfolk, Virginia, and served in the Korean war as an enlisted navyman until a motorcycle accident resulted in a crippling leg injury. Vincent listened to country music as a youngster and picked up the guitar in his teens, so it was a natural progression for him to embrace rock and roll. A radio station-WCMS in Hampton Roads, Virginia-solicited talent for Country Showtime, a Grande Ol Opry-style showcase aired live from a local theater on Friday evenings, and Vincent showed up. He won a spot owing to his uncanny covers of Elvis Presley songs. He also had a song of his own called “Be-Bop-A-Lula.”
Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno is 78 today. He has been in custody since 1990, currently back in Panama.
Tina Louise is 78. Ginger — Ginger! — Seventy. Eight.
Leslie Nielsen was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, 86 years ago today. He died in 2010. The doctor on Airplane! was his first comedy role.
Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. was born on February 11, 1920. In 1975 he became the first African-American four-star general (USAF). James attended Tuskegee Institute and trained the Tuskegee Airmen, but did not fly combat duty himself until Korea. He flew 101 combat missions there.
Eva Gabor, the Gabor sister on Green Acres, was born February 11, 1919. She died in 1995. Eva was the youngest of the Gabor sisters, Zsa Zsa and Magda. Eva was married five times; Zsa Zsa nine; Magda six.
Max Baer, the one-time Heavyweight Champion of the World, was born February 11, 1909. He held the title for 364 days before losing it to the Cinderella Man, James J. Braddock. Baer’s most famous victory was over the German Max Schmeling at Yankee Staduium in 1933. Baer, partly Jewish, wore a Star of David on his trunks.
Thomas Alva Edison was born in Milan, Ohio, on this date in 1847. Edison’s stature has diminished since his death; technology has evolved so much since then. But he was still a hero when he died in 1931. These are the sub-headlines from his obituary in The New York Times:
World Made Over By Edison’s Magic
He Did More Than Any One Man to Put Luxuries Into the Lives of the Masses
Created Millions Of Jobs
Electric Light, the Phonograph, Motion Pictures and Radio Improvements Among Gifts
Lamp Ended “Dark Ages”
He Held the Miracle of Menlo Park, Produced on a Gusty Night 50 Years Ago, His Greatest Work
We think downloading music is sooo modern. But a century ago they brought music to your door.
Edison photo from The American Experience.
Jean Baptiste Charbonneau was born at Fort Mandan in what is now North Dakota on this date in 1805. His mother was Sacagawea. The infant accompanied Lewis and Clark to the Pacific and back 1805-1806. Little Pomp, as he was called, later was raised by Clark and became a successful trapper, scout, prospector and entrepreneur. He died in 1866 after an accident in Oregon. He is the only child ever depicted on U.S. currency (with his mother on that beautiful $1 coin).