2009: Day 204
This Date In Disgrace: (1942) The Treblinka extermination camp opens, beginning to receive freight car shipments of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto. (1967) The Detroit/12th Street riot breaks out, leading to 43 deaths, 467 injured and over 7,200 arrests over the following five days. (1968) In Cleveland, Ohio the Glenville Shootout begins with snipers ambushing and killing two tow truck drivers whose uniforms, apparently, looked similar to those of police officers. Five days of rioting and looting ensued. (1984) Vanessa Williams formally resigns her Miss America crown in the wake of nude photos of her appearing in Penthouse. (1992) A Vatican commission, led by future Pope Joseph Ratzinger affirms that it is necessary to limit the rights of homosexuals.
Born Today:
(1865) Christian occultist, astrologer and mystic Max Heindel.
(1886) German physicist and electronics whiz Walter H. Shottky.
(1888) Author Raymond Chandler - creator of Philip Marlowe.
(1892) Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I.
(1894) Brighton-born actor Arthur Treacher.
(1914) Pulp fantasy, schice fiction and horror illustrator Virgil Finlay.
(1921) Calvert DeForest (aka David Letterman sidekick/catspaw Larry "Bud" Melman.)
(1923) Science fiction writer Cyril M. Kornbluth. Best remembered for "The Little Black Bag" (which was adapted for television three times) and "The Marching Morons."
(1933) Game show host Bert Convy.
(1938) Character actor, singer/songwriter and guitarist Ronny Cox.
(1940) Radio host Don Imus.
(1942) English serial killer Myra Hindley.
(1947) English actor and singer David Essex.
(1950) Bachman Turner Overdrive guitarist and songwriter Blair Thornton.
(1951) Character actress Edie McClurg - another one of those faces and voices you almost certainly know, but likely didn't know the name.
(1938 & 1961) An odd case of father and son sharing the same birthdate, as father and convicted hitman Charles Harrelson and son & actor Woody Harrelson were each born on July 23.
(1962) Actor Eriq La Salle.
(1964) Marijuana activist (has the feel of an oxymoron, doesn't it?) Edward Forchion.
(1965) Guns N' Roses/Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash.
(1967) Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman.
(1968) Megadeth drummer Nick Menza.
(1970) Cordelia Chase -- no, wait... Charisma Carpenter!
(1973) Suddenly craving a cigar? Sick bastard. It's Monica Lewinsky's birthday. Ah, how much better so much would be if she could only have kept her mouth shut. Yeah, I went there.
(1989) "Harry Potter" actor Daniel Radcliffe.
Last Gasps:
(2007) Songwriter Ron Miller (best known for Stevie Wonder's "For Once In My Life," which Ron wrote the night his daughter, Angel, was born.)
(2002) Author and rabbi Chaim Potok.
(2002) Quintessential Number Two -- and Rumpole of the Bailey star - Leo McKern.
(2001) Author Eudora Welty. Im trying to recall if I once knew and then forgot that the Eudora email program had been named for her.
(1982) Vic Morrow. Remember, if they ask you to do a scene where a helicopter is chasing you, especially if there are explosive pyrotechnic charges involved, ask for a stunt double or green screen.
(1948) Silent era film director D.W. Griffith.
(1885) Ulysses S. Grant. Nearly penniless, having been swindled by an investment banker, and suffering from throat cancer, he spent his final days completing his memoirs.
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