Birthdays
1781 - Sir Thomas Stamford Bingley Raffles, FRS, founder of Singapore, British statesman, Lieutenant-Governor of the Dutch East Indies (1811–1816) and Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen (1818–1824), best known for his founding of modern Singapore and the Straits Settlements. He was heavily involved in the capture of the Indonesian island of Java from the Dutch during the Napoleonic Wars and the running of day-to-day operations on Singapore. He also wrote The History of Java (1817).
1865 - Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, Austrian-Swiss composer, creator of a system of rhythmic movements. This system, 'eurythmics,' contributed to modern ballet development
1898 - Hanns Eisler, Austrian composer, became Hollywood assistant to Charlie Chaplin. (Eisler's father was Austrian, and Eisler fought in a Hungarian regiment in World War I). He is best known for composing the national anthem of East Germany, for his long artistic association with Bertolt Brecht, and for the scores he wrote for films. The Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler" is named after him.
1907 - Frida Kahlo (born Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón), Surrealist Mexican painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Inspired by the country's popular culture, she employed a naïve folk art style to explore questions of identity, post-colonialism, gender, class, and race in Mexican society. Her paintings had strong autobiographical elements and mixed realism with fantasy. In addition to belonging to the post-revolutionary Mexicayotl movement, which sought to define a Mexican identity, Kahlo has been described as a surrealist or magical realist. (F. Kahlo (film) Soundtrack)
1927 - Janet Leigh (born Jeanette Helen Morrison), American actress, singer, dancer, and author. She was discovered at 18 by actress Norma Shearer, who helped her secure a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Leigh had her first formal foray into acting, appearing in radio programs before making her film debut in the drama The Romance of Rosy Ridge (1947). She also wrote four books between 1984 and 2002, two of which were novels.
1935 - 14th Dalai Lama, Spiritual Leader of Tibet, His Holiness, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama. Awarded the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize; born Lhamo Dhondrub, renamed Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso (Holy Lord, Gentle Glory, Compassionate, Defender of the Faith, Ocean of Wisdom) upon being officially recognized as the Dalai Lama. Tibetans often refer to him as Yeshe Norbu, the "Wishfulfilling Gem" or just Kundun - "The Presence."
1937 - Vladimir Ashkenazy, Russian pianist and conductor, internationally recognized solo pianist, chamber music performer, and conductor. He has held Icelandic citizenship since 1972 and lived in Switzerland since 1978. Aside from collaboring with well-known orchestras and soloists, he has recorded classical and romantic works. His recordings have earned him five Grammy awards plus Iceland's Order of the Falcon. (Vladimir Ashkenazy: Chopin - Two Nocturnes Opus No. 1 & 3 / Polonaise. Uploaded by allegrofilms. Accessed July 6, 2019. Ashkenazy Observed (Documentary of 1987 about Vladimir Ashkenazy). Uploaded by AllegroFilms. Accessed April 2, 2020.)
1946 - George W. Bush, 43rd U.S. President from 2001 to 2009. American politician and businessman, George Walker Bush is a member of the Republican Party and had previously served as the 46th governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000. He is the second president to have been the son of a former president, the first having been John Quincy Adams.
1951 - Geoffrey Rush, AC (born Geoffrey Roy Rush), Australian actor. He is amongst 24 people who have won the Triple Crown of Acting: an Academy Award for film, a Primetime Emmy Award for television, and a Tony Award for theatre. In film, he won an Academy Award for Shine, and was nominated for his performances in Shakespeare in Love, Quills, and The King's Speech. He is particularly known for his role as Captain Barbossa in the Pirates of the Caribbean films, and has appeared in films including Elizabeth, Les Miserables, Frida, Munich, and The Book Thief.
1958 - Jennifer Jane Saunders, English comedian, screenwriter, actress, screenwriter and singer. She first found attention in the 1980s when she became a member of The Comic Strip after graduating from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama with her best friend and comedy partner, Dawn French. With French, she co-wrote and starred in their eponymous sketch show, French and Saunders, for which they jointly received a BAFTA Fellowship in 2009. Saunders later received acclaim in the 1990s for writing and playing her character Edina Monsoon in her sitcom Absolutely Fabulous.
Lefties:
Jennifer Saunders, actress
Historical Events
1535 - Sir Thomas More, advisor to King Henry VIII of England, is beheaded in the Tower of London for treason. He had refused to accept Henry VIII as the head of the Church of England or the King's marriage to Anne Boleyn. More was made a saint in 1886, and later canonised in 1935 on the 400th anniversary of his martyrdom. A play A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt is a great examination of the characters and arguments involved in Thomas More's political and religious convictions.
1885 - Louis Pasteur tests his vaccine for rabies on Joseph Meister, a nine year old boy who had been beaten by a rabid dog. Joseph is saved and later becomes the director of the Pasteur Institute.
1942 - Anne Frank and her family go into hiding.
Anne's father, Otto Frank, took his family from Germany to live in Amsterdam, Holland in the 1930s. In October, of 1940, the Nazis occupied Holland. On July 5, 1942, Margot, 16 years old, was "called up." Anne, Margot's 13 year-old sister, entered her thoughts in her diary and wrote, "everyone knows what this means. I picture concentration camps and lonely cells." But Otto and his friends had other plans. Early next morning, the family piled as many clothes they could and set out. They headed for the Secret Annex, a part of he warehouse building Otto's business owned. There was a hidden flight of stairs leading to rooms that Otto had spent months filling for provisions for them to hide. It was here that the Franks and another family hid from the Nazis for the next two years. Anne was given a diary for her 13th birthday. In this now famous diary, The Diary of Anne Frank, she wrote about her thoughts and feelings to Kitty, an imaginary friend.
1957 - John Lennon (16) is playing with his band the Quarrymen at the Woolton Parish Church Garden Fete, Liverpool, when between sets Paul McCartney (15) introduces himself and demonstrates his guitar-playing abilities. Later, Lennon asks McCartney to join the former's band.
Resources:
1. Asiado, Tel. The World's Movers and Shapers. New
Hampshire: Ore Mountain Publishing House (2005)
2. Britannica. www.britannica.com
3. Chambers Biographical Dictionary, 19th Ed. London:
Chambers Harrap, 2011
4. Dateline. Sydney: Millennium House, (2006)
5. Grun, Bernard. The Timetables of History, New 3rd
Revised Ed. Simon & Schuster/Touchstone (1991)
6. Wikipedia. en.wikpedia.org
(c) June 2007. Updated July 6, 2023. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.
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