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1999–Actor, Dirk Bogarde, dies in Chelsea, London, England, at age 78. He appeared in the films Blackmailed, Hunted, They Who Dare, Doctor in the House, The Sleeping Tiger, Simba, Cast a Dark Shadow, A Tale of Two Cities, Libel, Song Without End, Victim, The Mind Benders, I Could Go On Singing, The Servant, Darling, Modesty Blaise, Accident, Oh! What a Lovely War, Justine, and A Bridge Too Far.


BC 453–The house of Zhao defeats the house of Zhi, ending the Battle of Jinyang, a military conflict between the elite families of the State of Jin.

413–Emperor Honorius signs an edict providing tax relief for the Italian provinces Tuscia, Campania, Picenum, Samnium, Apulia, Lucania, and Calabria, which were plundered by the Visigoths.

535–Pope John II dies in Rome, Byzantine Empire, at age 65.

589–Reccared I summons the Third Council of Toledo.

685–Pope Benedict II dies in Rome, Byzantine Empire, at age 50.

997–Emperor Taizong of Song dies in Kaifeng, Henan, China, at age 57.

1220–Richeza of Denmark, Queen of Sweden, dies in Denmark, at age 30.

1278–Emperor Duanzong of Song dies in Gangzhou (present-day Lantau Island, Hong Kong), at age 8.

1319–Haakon V of Norway dies in Oslo, Norway, at age 49.

1326–Joanna I of Auvergne, Queen of France, is born in France. She was Queen of France by her marriage to King John II. She inherited the counties of Auvergne and Boulogne after the death of her father.

1429–Joan of Arc lifts the Siege of Orléans, turning the tide of the Hundred Years' War.

1450–In the Jack Cade's Rebellion, Kentishmen revolt against King Henry VI.

1460–Frederick I, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach is born in Ansbach, in the German state of Bavaria.

1521–The Parliament of Worms installs an edict against Martin Luther.

1541–Hernando de Soto reaches the Mississippi River and names it Río de Espíritu Santo.

1668–Nurse and Saint, Catherine of St. Augustine, dies in Quebec City, New France, French Colonial Empire, at age 36. She founded the Hôtel-Dieu de Québec.

1720–Politician, William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, is born. He was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

1773–Egyptian sultan, Ali Bey al-Kabir, dies in Cairo, Egypt, at age 41.

1785–General and politician, Etienne François de Choiseul, dies in Paris, France, at age 65. He was Foreign Minister of France (1758-1761 and 1766-1770).

1788–The French Parlement is suspended to be replaced by the creation of 47 new courts.

1794–Branded a traitor during the Reign of Terror by revolutionists, French chemist, Antoine Lavoisier (who was also a tax collector with the Ferme générale), is tried, convicted, and guillotined all on the same day in Paris, France.

1819–Kamehameha I, King of Hawaii (1782-1819), dies in Kamakahonu, Kailua-Kona, Kona, Hawaii Island, at age 82.

1821–In the Greek War of Independence, the Greeks defeat the Turks at the Battle of Gravia Inn.

1821–Businessman and philanthropist, William Henry Vanderbilt, is born in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He was the eldest son of railroad mogul, Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, and a prominent member of the Vanderbilt family. He inherited nearly $100 million from his father. Vanderbilt was an active philanthropist, giving extensively to a number of charitable causes, including the YMCA, funding to help establish the Metropolitan Opera, and an endowment for the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University. He was also an avid art enthusiast, and his collection included some of the most valuable works of the Old Masters: over his lifetime he acquired more than 200 paintings, which he housed in his lavish and palatial Fifth Avenue mansion.

1830–Photographer, Eadweard James Muybridge, dies of prostate cancer at Kingston upon Thames, England, at age 74. His groundbreaking work in photographic studies of motion forever changed our understanding of the world. His influence can be seen in the work of pioneers in all fields, from Marcel Duchamp's painting, "Nude Descending a Staircase," and countless works by Francis Bacon to the blockbuster film, The Matrix, and Philip Glass' opera The Photographer. Muybridge was cremated, and his ashes were interred at Woking in Surrey, England.

1840–Alexander Wolcott patents the photographic process.

1842–A train derails and catches fire in Paris, France, killing between 52 and 200 people.

1846–In the Battle of Palo Alto, Zachary Taylor defeats a Mexican force north of the Rio Grande in the first major battle of the war.

1846–Businessman and theater impresario, Oscar Hammerstein I, is born in Stettin, Kingdom of Prussia (present-day Szczecin, Poland). He was the grandfather of American lyricist, Oscar Hammerstein II.

1847–Robert Thompson patents the rubber tire.

1861–Richmond, Virginia, is named the capital of the Confederate States of America.

1877–The first Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show opens at Gilmore's Gardens in New York City.

1880–Novelist, Gustave Flaubert, dies of a cerebral hemorrhage in Croisset, Rouen, France, at age 58. His most famous novel is Madame Bovary.

1884–Harry S. Truman, 33rd U.S. President (1945-1953), is born in Lamar, Missouri. He succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was President during the final months of World War II, making the decision to drop the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Truman was elected President in his own right in 1948. He presided over an uncertain domestic scene as America sought its path after the war, and tensions with the Soviet Union increased, marking the start of the Cold War.

1886–Atlanta pharmacist, John Styth Pemberton, invents Coca-Cola. He hit on the now world famous formula when he was formulating a headache and hangover remedy. The syrup ingredients included dried leaves from the South American coca shrub, an extract of kola nuts from Africa, plus fruit syrup.

1887–Olympic Park opens in Newark, New Jersey, with a nine-pin skittle bowling alley, rifle range, swings for the youngsters, a dancing pavilion, and a saloon. It was one of the few amusement parks without mechanical rides. The public flocked to the park for its beautiful woods, grassy fields, soothing music, delicatessen, and foamy steins of beer. In 1904, the park was remodeled to feature a 20-foot-high Helter-Skelter spiral slide, a Moorish palace style fun house, swings, gypsy fortune tellers, and camel and pony rides for the children. Over several decades, it was expanded into a first class modern amusement park. After 78 years of operation, the park closed in 1965.

1891–Theosophist, Helena Petrovina Blavatsky, dies of influenza in London, England, at age 59. She died at the home of her disciple and successor, Annie Besant. Blavatsky’s most famous works are Isis Unveiled and The Secret Doctrine.

1895–Bishop, Fulton J. Sheen, is born Peter John Sheen in El Paso, Illinois. He was a bishop (later archbishop) of the Catholic Church known for his preaching and especially his work on television and radio. His cause for canonization as a Saint was officially opened in 2002. In June 2012, Pope Benedict XVI officially recognized a decree from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, stating that he lived a life of "heroic virtues," which was a major step towards beatification. He is now referred to as "Venerable." He wrote the book Life Is Worth Living.

1898–The first games of the Italian football league system are played.

1899–With police present to protect the players, the Irish Literary Theatre is inaugurated in Dublin, Ireland, with the performance of W B. Yeats's The Countess Cathleen.

1899–Friedrich Hayek, is born in Friedrich August von Hayek Vienna, Cisleithania, Austria-Hungary. He wrote the book, The Road to Serfdom, and was the co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 1974. Reader's Digest also published an abridged version of his book in April 1945, enabling The Road to Serfdom to reach a far wider audience than academics. The book is widely popular among those advocating individualism and classical liberalism. Hayek was a major social theorist and political philosopher of the 20th century, and his account of how changing prices communicate information that enables individuals to co-ordinate their plans is widely regarded as an important achievement in economics.

1900–A hurricane hits Galveston, Texas, killing 6,000 people.

1901–The Australian Labour Party is established.

1902–Mount Pele erupts, destroying the town of Saint-Pierre in Martinique, killing over 30,000 people. Only a handful of residents survive the blast.

1903–Post Impressionist painter and French expatriate, Paul Gaugin, dies of an overdose of morphine (and possibly a heart attack) in French Polynesia, at age 54. Gaugin was also a printmaker, sculptor, and ceramicist. He had been sick and in pain for some years. Gauguin was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Atuona, Hiva‘Oa, Tahiti, the following day.

1905–Musician, Red Nichols, is born Ernest Loring Nichols in Ogden, Utah. He was an American jazz cornettist, composer, and bandleader. His story is told in the film The Five Pennies, starring Danny Kaye.

1906–Film director, Roberto Rossellini, is born Roberto Gastone Zeffiro Rossellini in Rome, Kingdom of Italy. His films include The White Ship, A Pilot Returns, The Man with a Cross, Desiderio, Europa ‘51, and Viva l'Italia! He was married to actress, Ingrid Bergman, and their daughter is actress, Isabella Rossellini.

1907–Edmund G. Ross, 13th Governor of New Mexico Territory, dies in Albuquerque, New Mexico Territory, at age 80.

1911–Blues guitarist, Robert Johnson, is born in Hazelhurst, Mississippi. He met musicians Son House and Willie Brown and watched them play guitar at Delta picnics and parties. He started to play guitar himself, but was not very good. When he saw Son House again years later, his guitar playing had improved considerably. That's when the legend began: that Johnson had traded his soul to the devil in exchange for his newly acquired ability to play the guitar. Johnson recorded only twice: once in a San Antonio hotel room in 1936, and once in 1937, in a warehouse in Dallas, Texas.

1912–Paramount Pictures Corporation is founded.

1915–The 41st Kentucky Derby: Joe Notter, riding Regret, wins in 2:05.

1916–Indian spiritualist, Swami Chinmayananda Saraswati, is born Balakrishna Menon in Ernakulam, British India. Chinmayananda is known for teaching Bhagavad gita, the Upanishads, and other ancient Hindu scriptures. From 1951 onward, he spearheaded a global Hindu spiritual and cultural renaissance that popularized the religion's esoteric scriptural texts, teaching them in English all across India and abroad.

1919–LaMarcus Adna Thompson, developer of the roller coaster, dies in Glen Cove, Long Island, at age 71. He has been called the "Father of the Gravity Ride."

1920–The 46th Kentucky Derby: Ted Rice, riding Paul Jones, wins in 2:09.

1920–Graphic designer, Saul Bass, is born in New York, New York. During his 40-year career, Bass worked for some of Hollywood's most prominent filmmakers, including Alfred Hitchcock, Otto Preminger, Billy Wilder, Stanley Kubrick, and Martin Scorsese. Among his most famous title sequences are the animated paper cut-out of a heroin addict's arm for Preminger's The Man with the Golden Arm; the credits racing up and down what eventually becomes a high-angle shot of a skyscraper in Hitchcock's North by Northwest; and the disjointed text that races together and apart in Psycho.

1923–Liseberg Amusement Parks opens in Gothenburg, Sweden. Attractions include the fun slides and the 980-foot-long wooden Kanneworffska Funicular, designed by the Danish amusement builder, Waldemar Lebech. There are five trains with three cars each that accommodate 10 people in each car, with the ride lasting 2.5 minutes. Today, Lisseberg is one of the most visited amusement parks in Scandinavia, attracting about three million visitors annually.

1926–David (Frederick) Attenborough, is born in Isleworth, London, England. He was an environmentalist, zoologist, and TV host for the BBC. He is best known for writing and presenting the nine Life series, in conjunction with the BBC Natural History Unit, which collectively form a comprehensive survey of animal and plant life on the planet.

1926–Comedian, Don Rickles, is born Donald Jay Rickles in Queens, New York. Best known as an insult comic, he is also an actor, playing both comedic and dramatic roles on film. He received widespread exposure as a frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and Late Show with David Letterman. he appeared in the films Run Silent Run Deep, the Rabbit Trap, The Rat Race, Muscle Beach Party, Bikini Beach, Pajama Party, Beach Blanket Bingo, Enter Laughing, Kelly’s Heros, and Casino.

1927–Attempting to make the first non-stop transatlantic flight from Paris to New York, French war heroes, Charles Nungesser and François Coli, disappear after taking off aboard The White Bird biplane.

1929–Psychic and author, (Dorothy) Jane Roberts, is born in Saratoga Springs, New York. She was a spirit medium, who claimed to channel an energy personality who called himself "Seth." Her publication of the Seth texts, known as the "Seth Material," established her as one of the preeminent figures in the world of paranormal phenomena. Seth's effect upon New Age thinkers has been profound. Testimonials from some of the most notable thinkers and writers within the movement (Marianne Williamson, Deepak Chopra, Shakti Gawain, Dan Millman, Louise Hay, Richard Bach, and others), express the effect the Seth Material had upon their own awakening. Jane Roberts brought forth one of the most widespread set of spiritual teachings during the 1970s. Her books include The Seth Material, Seth Speaks: The Eternal Validity of the Soul, The Nature of Personal Reality, and Adventures in Consciousness: An Introduction to Aspect Psychology.

1929–Actress, Miyoshi Umeki, is born in Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan. She is best known for the roles of Katsumi in the film Sayonara; Mei Li in the Broadway musical and film Flower Drum Song; and Mrs. Livingston on the TV series The Courtship of Eddie's Father.

1930–Poet, Gary Snyder, is born in San Francisco, California. He met and befriended the Beat poets, Kenneth Rexroth, Allen Ginsberg, and Jack Kerouac, then left for Kyoto, Japan, for 12 years. His book, Turtle Island, won the Pulitzer Prize in 1974.

1933–Mohandas Gandhi begins a 21-day fast of self-purification and launches a one-year campaign to help the Harijan movement.

1937–The 63rd Kentucky Derby: Charley Kurtsinger, riding War Admiral, wins 2:03.

1937–Novelist and short-story writer Thomas Pynchon, is born in Glen Cove, New York. Pynchon is one of the most reclusive writers in history. He's most famous for his novel Gravity's Rainbow, a book which defies plot summary.

1938–Sheila (Babs) Michaels, who played a key role in bringing the title "Ms." from obscurity into mainstream use, is born in St. Louis, Missouri . Ms. is a default form of address for women regardless of their marital status (being neither Miss or Mrs). Michaels caught the attention of feminist, Gloria Steinem, who named her magazine Ms. in 1972.

1940–Novelist, Peter (Bradford) Benchley, is born in New York, New York. He is best known for his best-selling novel, Jaws, which was made into a blockbuster film by director Steven Spielberg in 1976.

1940–Singer, Rick Nelson, is born Eric Hilliard Nelson in Teaneck, New Jersey. A rock and roll idol who gave Elvis Presley a run for his money, Ricky Nelson had numerous hits, including Believe What You Say, Hello Mary Lou, It's Late, Stood Up, Waitin' in School, Be-Bop Baby, Travelin' Man, Poor Little Fool, Lonesome Town, Never Be Anyone Else But You, It's Up to You, and Teen Age Idol. He was the son of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, and got his start as a child actor on the family’s TV show The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. His brother was actor, David Nelson. He was married to Sharon Kristin Harmon: their daughter is Tracy Nelson and their sons are Gunnar and Matthew Nelson.

1941–The German Luftwaffe launches a bombing raid on Nottingham and Derby, England.

1941–Singer, John Fred, is born John Fred Gourrier in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He had a #1 hit with an “answer” song to Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds: Judy In Disguise (With Glasses).

1941–Actor, James Mitchum, is born James Robin Spence Mitchum in Los Angeles, California. He appeared in the films Colorado Territory, Thunder Road, The Beat Generation, Girls Town, Young Guns of Texas, Ride the Wild Surf, In Harm’s Way, The Money Trap, Two-Lane Blacktop, Moonrunners, Blackout, and Leathernecks. His father was actor, Robert Mitchum.

1942–Gunners of the Ceylon Garrison Artillery on Horsburgh Island in the Cocos Islands, rebel in the Cocos Islands Mutiny. The mutiny is crushed and three of them are executed, the only British Commonwealth soldiers to be executed for mutiny during the World War II.

1942–Jim “Motorhead” Sherwood, of The Mothers of Invention, is born Euclid James Sherwood in Arkansas City, Kansas. He is known for playing soprano, tenor, and baritone saxophone, tambourine, as well as providing vocals and vocal sound effects for Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention. He appeared on all the albums of the original Mothers line-up and the releases Burnt Weeny Sandwich and Weasels Ripped My Flesh. He also appeared in the films 200 Motels, Video from Hell, and Uncle Meat.

1943–Paul Samwell-Smith, of The Yardbirds, is born Paul Smith in Richmond, Surrey, England.

1943–Singer, Toni Tennille, is born Cathryn Antoinette Tennille in Montgomery, Alabama. She was part of the duo, The Captain & Tennille, with her husband, Darrel Dragon. Their biggest hit was Love Will Keep Us Together, written by Neil Sedaka

1944–Glam rocker, Gary Glitter, is born Paul Gadd in Banbury, Oxfordshire, England.

1945–Hundreds of Algerian civilians are killed by French Army soldiers in the Sétif massacre.

1945–British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, broadcasts to the nation as part of the VE (Victory in Europe) Day celebrations and President Truman broadcasts to the American people: World War II is over.

1945–In Berlin, Germany, the unconditional surrender is ratified, marking an end to over 12 years of the Nazi Third Reich.

1945–Pianist, Keith Jarrett, is born in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Since the early 1970s, he has enjoyed a great deal of success as a group leader and a solo performer in jazz, jazz fusion, and classical music.

1948–A chart topper: Nature Boy by Nat King Cole.

1950–Chef, Marc Veyrat, is born in Annecy, Haute-Savoie, France. He specialized in molecular gastronomy, and would become a proponent of using fresh mountain herbs and plants in his cuisine. He was the first chef to earn a perfect score in the Gault-Millau guide. While virtually unknown in America, he is regarded by many in the industry as the best chef in the world.

1951–The world's first thermonuclear test is conducted by U.S. nuclear scientists, headed by Edward Teller, at the mid-Pacific atoll Enwetak.

1952–Mad magazine begins publication.

1952–Playwright, Beth Henley, is born Elizabeth Becker Henley in Jackson, Mississippi. She is best known for her play and screenplay Crimes of the Heart.

1952–Film executive, William Fox, dies in New York, New York, at age 73. He founded the Fox Film Corporation in 1915, which later became 20th Century Fox.

1953–Alex Van Halen, drummer for Van Halen, is born Alexander Arthur van Halen in Nijmegen, Netherlands. His brother is Eddie Van Halen, guitar player for the band.

1954–The BBC bans Johnnie Ray's latest single, Such a Night, from airplay due to its somewhat suggestive lyrics. It would later become a hit for Elvis Presley: and Elvis’ version was extremely sexy.

1954–Actor, Stephen Furst, is born Stephen Nelson Feuerstein in Norfolk, Virginia. He appeared in the films National Lampoon's Animal House, Scavenger Hunt, Midnight Madness, National Lampoon's Class Reunion, The Day After, Up the Creek, The Dream Team, and Sorority Boys.

1954–Actor, David (Lemuel) Keith, is born in Knoxville, Tennessee. He appeared in the films Friendly Fire, The Great Santini, The Rose, Brubaker, Back Roads, An Officer and a Gentleman, The Lords of Discipline, Independence Day, Heartbreak Hotel, The Two Jakes, Major Leasue II, Texas, and The Indian in the Cupboard.

1956–John Osborne's Look Back in Anger premieres in London, England.

1956–Ann Bassett dies in Leeds, Washington County, Utah, at age 77. She was also known as Queen Ann Bassett and was a prominent female rancher of the Old West with her sister, Josie Bassett, who was an associate of a number of outlaws, particularly Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch. It has been thought that “Ann Bassett” was also Etta Place, the girlfriend of the Sundance Kid.

1958–Vice President, Richard Nixon, is shoved, stoned, booed, and spat upon by anti-American protesters in Lima, Peru.

1961–Teen idol, Ricky Nelson, turns 21, and, eager to shed his teenybop image, changes his professional first name to "Rick."

1961–Politician, Bill de Blasio, is born Warren Wilhelm, Jr. in Manhattan, New York. He was the 109th Mayor of New York City. He adopted his mother's family name of de Blasio because his father was "largely absent," and he wanted to embrace his Italian heritage. In 1983, he changed his legal name to Warren de Blasio-Wilhelm.

1962–The Rabindra Bharati University is founded in India.

1962–Trolley buses officially go out of service in London, England.

1962–At a London HMV record store, engineer Ted Huntly, suggests that The Beatles' manager, Brian Epstein, should send the band's demo to an EMI producer named George Martin.

1963–South Vietnamese soldiers of Catholic President Ngo Dinh Diem open fire on Buddhists, defying a ban on the flying of the Buddhist flag on Vesak. Nine people are killed, sparking the Buddhist crisis.

1963–John Lennon and Brian Epstein return from a 12-day holiday in Spain.

1964–Actress, Melissa (Ellen) Gilbert, is born in Los Angeles, California. She is best known for the role of Laura Ingalls on the TV series Little House on the Prairie. She was married to actors, Bo Brinkman, Bruce Boxleitner, and Timothy Busfield.

1965–The British Invasion reaches its zenith as nine of the songs in the Billboard “Top 10” are by British artists.

1965–Bob Dylan films his “flashcard style” promotional film for Subterranean Homesick Blues outside the Savoy Hotel in London, England, with Allen Ginsberg and Bob Neuwirth.

1966–A plane crash at Connellsville, Pennsylvania, kills Pennsylvania Attorney General, Walter E. Alessandroni, his wife, and other state officials.

1967–The Philippine province of Davao is split into three: Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, and Davao Oriental.

1967–LaVerne Andrews, of The Andrews Sisters, dies in Los Angeles, California, at age 55.

1968–In America, John Lennon and Paul McCartney are interviewed by Larry Kane. The two Beatles are in the U.S. promoting their new business venture, Apple Corps.

1968–The Pulitzer Prizes are awarded. Reporting: Nathan K. Kotz, of The Des Moines Register and Minneapolis Tribune, for his reporting of unsanitary conditions in many meat packing plants, which helped insure the passage of the Federal Wholesome Meat Act of 1967; Fiction: The Confessions of Nat Turner by William Styron (Random); Drama: No award given; Non-Fiction: Rousseau And Revolution, The Tenth and Concluding Volume of the Story of Civilization by Will Durant and Ariel Durant (Simon & Schuster); History: The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution by Bernard Bailyn (Harvard University Press); Biography or Autobiography: Memoirs by George F. Kennan (Little); Poetry: The Hard Hours by Anthony Hecht (Atheneum); Photography: Toshio Sakai, of United Press International, for his Vietnam War combat photograph “Dreams of Better Times”; Music: Echoes of Time and the River by George Crumb (Belwin-Mills).

1969–Alistair Taylor is fired as Apple's director.

1969–Naturalist, Remington Kellogg, dies of a heart attack in Washington, D.C., at age 76. He was a director of the United States National Museum.

1970–The Hard Hat Riot occurs in the Wall Street area of New York City, as blue-collar construction workers clash with demonstrators protesting the Vietnam War.

1970–The Beatles album, Let It Be, is released in the U.K. in a deluxe boxed edition which includes a "Get Back" book. It will reissued on November 6th as a regular album. This is The Beatles 12th and final album.

1972–President Richard Nixon announces his order to place mines in major North Vietnamese ports in order to stem the flow of weapons and other goods to that nation.

1973–Militant American Indians, who had held the South Dakota hamlet of Wounded Knee for 10 weeks, surrender.

1975–Singer, Enrique Iglesias, is born in Madrid, Spain. He is known as the ”King of Latin Pop.” His father is singer, Julio Iglesias.

1976–The Revolution, the first steel rollercoaster with a vertical flip, opens at Six Flags Magic Mountain.

1976–Musician and songwriter, Martha Wainwright, is born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She is the sister of singer-songwriter, Rufus Wainwright, and the daughter of singer, Loudon Wainwright III, and singer, Kate McGarrigle.

1977–David Berkowitz pleads guilty in the “Son of Sam” shootings.

1978–The first ascent of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen is made by Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler.

1980–The World Health Organization announces that smallpox has been eradicated.

1982–Record executive, Neil Bogart, dies of cancer in Los Angeles, California, at age 39. He is best known for founding Casablanca Records in 1973.

1984–France conducts a nuclear test at Muruora Island.

1984–The Soviet Union announces that it will boycott the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California.

1984–Corporal Denis Lortie enters the Quebec National Assembly and opens fire, killing three people and wounding 13 others. René Jalbert, Sergeant-at-Arms of the assembly, succeeds in calming him, for which he will later receive the Cross of Valour.

1984–The Thames Barrier is officially opened in England. Its purpose is to prevent the floodplain of all but the easternmost boroughs of Greater London from being flooded by exceptionally high tides and storm surges moving up from the North Sea.

1984–”The Art of The Beatles” exhibition opens in London, England. The show includes three decades of the group in the form of cartoons, paintings, photographs, album covers, lithographs, and sculptures.

1985–France conducts a nuclear test at Muruora Island.

1987–The SAS kills eight Provisional Irish Republican Army volunteers and a civilian during an ambush in Loughgall, Northern Ireland.

1988–Francois Mitterrand is elected President of France.

1988–A fire at Illinois Bell's Hinsdale Central Office triggers an extended 1AESS network outage, once considered the "worst telecommunications disaster in U.S. telephone industry history."

1988–Writer, Robert A. Heinlein, dies in his sleep from emphysema and heart failure in Carmel, California, at age 80. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers," he was an influential and controversial author of the genre in his time. His works include Stranger in a Strange Land and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.

1991–Classical pianist, Rudolf Serkin, dies of cancer in Guilford, Vermont, at age 88. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Beethoven interpreters of the 20th century.

1994–Actor, Steven Keats, dies of an apparent suicide in Manhattan, New York, at age 49. He appeared in the films The Friends of Eddie Coyle, Death Wish, The Gambler, Hester Street, The Gumball Rally, Black Sunday, The American Success Company, and Turk 182!

1994–Actor, George Peppard, dies of pneumonia in Los Angeles, California, at age 65. He starred in the TV action series The A-Team. He appeared in the films Pork Chop Hill, Home from the Hill, The Subterraneans, Breakfast at Tiffany's, How the West Was Won, The Carpetbaggers, and Rough Night in Jericho.

1997–China Southern Airlines Flight 3456 crashes on approach into Bao'an International Airport, killing 35 people.

1998–A court in England issues an injunction to stop sales of yet another release of the “Star-Club Tapes.” The judge orders that all copies of the new recording be delivered to The Beatles' lawyers, that the original tape be handed over, and that The Beatles be paid legal costs and damages.

1999–The Sun newspaper reports that Yoko Ono has for the first time met John Lennon’s lost sister, 53-year-old hospital clerk, Ingrid Petersen.

1999–Actor, Dirk Bogarde, dies in Chelsea, London, England, at age 78. He appeared in the films Blackmailed, Hunted, They Who Dare, Doctor in the House, The Sleeping Tiger, Simba, Cast a Dark Shadow, A Tale of Two Cities, Libel, Song Without End, Victim, The Mind Benders, I Could Go On Singing, The Servant, Darling, Modesty Blaise, Accident, Oh! What a Lovely War, Justine, and A Bridge Too Far.

1999–Child actress, Dana Plato, dies from an overdose of prescription drugs in Moore, Oklahoma, at age 34. She co-starred in the TV sitcom Diff’rent Strokes.

2003–Moulay Hassan, Crown Prince of Morocco, is born Hassan ibn Mohammed Al-Alaoui at Royal Palace in Rabat, Morocco.

2006–Apple Computers wins a long legal battle over rights to sell music over the Internet without violating the trademark of the Beatles' Apple label.

2006–Photographer, Iain Macmillan, dies of lung cancer in Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland, at age 68. He took the famous photos of The Beatles crossing Abbey Road, for the cover of their final studio album Abbey Road.

2008–Country singer, Eddy Arnold, dies of natural causes in Nashville, Tennessee, at age 89. His hits include It’s a Sin, Anytime, I Really Don’t Want to Know, The Cattle Call, You Don’t Know Me, and Make the World Go Away.

2012–Author, Maurice Sendak, dies from complications of a stroke in Danbury, Connecticut, at age 83. He was an illustrator and writer of children's books. He became widely known for his book Where the Wild Things Are, first published in 1963.

2016–At least 73 people are killed in a collision between two buses and a fuel tanker in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan.

2016–North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, rules out a nuclear first strike, unless North Korea's sovereignty is violated.

2016–Character actor, William Schallert, dies at his home in Pacific Palisades, California, at age 93. He is best known for the role of Martin Lane on the TV series The Patty Duke Show. He also was one of the most visible actor on televison, appearing on Leave It to Beaver, The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, Father Knows Best, Wanted Dead or Alive, The Twilight Zone, Sea Hunt, One Step Beyond, The Rifleman, Perry Mason, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Rawhide, Star Trek, The Wild Wild West, That Girl, Get Smart, and The Waltons. He appeared in the films The Man from Planet X, Singin’ in the Rain, Invasion USA, The Jazz Singer, The High and the Mighty, Them!, Gunslinger, Written on the Wind, The Incredible Shrinking Man, The Monolith Monsters, Cry Terror!, Blue Denim, Pillow Talk, Lonely Are the Brave, In the Heat of the Night, Speedway, and The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes.

2017–Scientists discover why hair turns grey and goes bald in mice after researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center accidentally make the connection while studying an unrelated rare genetic disease.

2018–President Donald Trump announces that the United States will withdraw from the Iran Nuclear Deal.

2018–Politician, George Deukmejian, dies in Long Beach, California, at age 89. He was Governor of California (1983-1991).


PHOTOS TOP TO BOTTOM: Benedict II, Italian Pope; William Cavendish; Oscar Hammerstein; Helena Petrovina Blavatsky; Paul Gauguin; Paramount Studios; rollercoaster at Liseberg Amusement Parks in Gothenburg, Sweden; Jane Roberts; Rick Nelson; Toni Tennille; Nature Boy by Nat King Cole; David Keith; Melissa Gilbert; The Confessions of Nat Turner by William Styron; Enrique Iglesias; poster for ”The Art of The Beatles” exhibition in London, England; George Peppard; Dirk Bogarde; and William Schallert.
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