January 19 Dateline

Birthdays

1807 - Robert Edward Lee, American Confederate general best known as a commander of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He commanded the Army of Northern Virginia from 1862 until its surrender in 1865 and earned a reputation as a skilled tactician.

1809 - Edgar Allan Poe, American writer, editor, poet, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. Most people recognize him by his famous poem, "The Raven" or "Annabel Lee." Others may have read one of his more popular dark and creepy tales like, "The Fall of the House of Usher" or "The Tell-tale Heart". Poe invented the detective story with tales like "Murders in the Rue Morgue" and "The Purloined Letter." ("The Raven" read by actor Christopher Lee, uploaded by ChristopherLeeFan. Accessed January 19, 2014, and my personal favourite, "Annabel Lee", uploaded by Stephanie Swan Quills. Accessed January 19, 2017.)

1839 - Paul Cézanne, French artist and Post-Impressionist painter whose work laid the foundations of the transition from the 19th-century conception of artistic endeavor to a new and radically different world of art in the 20th century. Cézanne is said to have formed the bridge between late 19th-century Impressionism and the early 20th century's new line of artistic enquiry, Cubism. Cézanne's often repetitive, exploratory brushstrokes are highly characteristic and clearly recognizable. He used planes of colour and small brushstrokes that build up to form complex fields. Both Matisse and Picasso are said to have remarked that Cézanne "is the father of us all". (PBS Cezanne in Provence. Uploaded by Karin Ek. Accessed January 19, 2018.)

1921 - Patricia Highsmith, American novelist and short story writer best known for her psychological thrillers. She wrote 22 novels and numerous short stories, and her work has led to more than two dozen film adaptations. Her writing derived influence from existentialist literature, and questioned notions of identity and popular morality. She was dubbed "the poet of apprehension" by novelist Graham Greene. Her first novel, Strangers on a Train, has been adapted for stage and screen numerous times, notably by Alfred Hitchcock in 1951. Her 1955 novel The Talented Mr. Ripley has been adapted numerous times for film, theatre, and radio. Writing under the pseudonym "Claire Morgan", Highsmith published the first lesbian novel with a happy ending, The Price of Salt, in 1952, republished 38 years later as Carol under her own name and later adapted into a 2015 film.

1931 - Tippi Hedren, (born Nathalie Kay Hedren), American actress, animal rights activist, and former fashion model who appeared on the front covers of Life and Glamour magazines, among others. She became an actress after she was discovered by director Alfred Hitchcock while appearing on a television commercial in 1961. She received world recognition for her work in two of his films: the suspense-thriller The Birds, for which she won a Golden Globe, and the psychological drama Marnie. She has appeared in over 80 films and television shows. Among other honors, her contributions to world cinema have been recognized with the Jules Verne Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 

1939 - Phil Everly (Phillip Jason Everly), American Musician, famous as the "Everly Brothers" with brother Don, the duo was raised in a musical family, first appearing on radio singing along with their father Ike Everly and mother Margaret Everly as "The Everly Family" in the 1940s. When the brothers were still in high school, they gained the attention of prominent Nashville musicians like Chet Atkins, who began to groom them for national attention.

1942 - Michael Crawford, CBE (born Michael Patrick Smith), English actor, comedian and singer. He has received international critical acclaim and won numerous awards during his career, which has included many film and television performances as well as stage-work on both London's West End and on Broadway in New York City. He is famous playing the title role in the musical The Phantom of the Opera, his performance earning him both the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical and Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical.

1943 - Janis Lyn Joplin, American singer-songwriter who sang rock, soul and blues music. One of the most successful and widely known rock stars of her era, she was noted for her powerful mezzo-soprano vocals and "electric" stage presence.

1946 - Dolly Rebecca Parton, American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actress, author, businesswoman, and humanitarian, known for her work in country music. Parton made her album debut in 1967 with Hello, I'm Dolly. She achieved commercial success again and has released albums on various independent labels, including her own label, Dolly Records. She has sold more than 100 million records worldwide.

Lefties:
Actor Michael Crawford
Singer Phil Everly
Actress Tippi Hedren

More birthdays and historical events, January 19 - On This Day

Historical Events

1853 - G. Verdi's opera Il Trovatore is first produced at the Teatro Apollo, in Rome.

Here's 'Anvil Chorus' from Verdi's  Il Trovatore, performed in the Emmy Award winning series, conducted  by James Levine, Metropolitan Opera Live in HD. Youtube, uploaded by Johnathan Stiglitz. Accessed January 19, 2018.  



1883 - The first electric lighting system employing overhead wires, built by Thomas Alva Edison, begins service at Roselle, New Jersey.

1884 - J. Massenet's opera Manon is first performed at the Opera Comique in Paris.

1915 - George Claude patents the neon discharge tube for use in advertising.

1966 - Indira Gandhi is elected Prime Minister of India.

1981 - The U.S. and Iranian government officials sign an agreement to release 52 American hostages after 14 months of captivity.

1983 - Apple Computer, Inc. releases Apple Lisa, the first commercial personal computer to have a graphical user interface (GUI) and a computer mouse. 

Old Apple Computer Lisa

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.wikipedia.org



(c) June 2007. Updated January 19, 2023. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.