In her later years, Smith was impaired by diabetes. In 1976, she suffered brain damage after slipping into a diabetic coma. In January 1986, Kate’s right leg was amputated due to poor circulation caused by diabetes. Five months later, she underwent a mastectomy. On June 17, 1986, Smith died of respiratory arrest at Raleigh Community Hospital in Raleigh at the age of 79.
On this day in 1934, the Dionne quintuplets were born near Callender, Ontario, to Olivia and Elzire Dionne. The babies were the first quint’s to survive infancy. Mother Elzire Dionne with her quintuplets (above).
Annette and Cecile Dionne are 84 today and are the two surviving members of the Dionne Quintuplets.
Ian Lancaster Fleming(May 28, 1908 – August 12, 1964)
Horace Stoneham, left, owner of the New York Giants congratulates Walter O’Malley owner of the Dodgers.
On this day in 1957, National League club owners voted to allow the Brooklyn Dodgers to move to Los Angeles and that the New York Giants could move to San Francisco.
Edward VIII(Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David)
On this day in 1972, The Duke of Windsor, who gave up the British throne in 1936 to marry an American divorcee, died at 77 in his home near Paris. He was a smoker from an early age, was diagnosed with throat cancer and underwent cobalt therapy.
Philip Edward Hartmann(September 24, 1948 – May 28, 1998)
Canadian born actor/comedian Phil Hartman garnered fame in 1986 when he joined the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live. He won fame for his impressions, particularly of President Bill Clinton, and he stayed on the show for eight seasons. Given the moniker "The Glue" for his ability to hold the show together and help other cast members, Hartman won a Primetime Emmy Award for his SNL work in 1989.
Charles A. Lindberg completed the first solo nonstop airplane flight across the Atlantic Ocean on this day in 1927. The trip began May 20.
The American branch of the Red Cross was founded by Clara Barton on this day in 1881.
Clarissa "Clara" Harlowe Barton(December 25, 1821 – April 12, 1912)
Fourteen-year-old Bobby Franks (above) was murdered in a "thrill killing" committed by Nathan Leopold Jr. and Richard Loeb (below) on this day in 1924. The killers were students at the University of Chicago.
On this day in 1959, the musical "Gypsy" opened on Broadway and played 702 performances, closing on March 25, 1961 at the Imperial Theatre.
From left: Sandra Church as Louise, Ethel Merman starred as Rose, and Jack Klugman as Herbie.
On this day in 2001, former president of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan Milošević surrenders to police special forces, to be tried on charges of war crimes.
On this day in 1945, American forces invaded Okinawa during WW II.
Nazi Germany begins persecution of Jews by boycotting Jewish businesses on this day in 1933.
Nazis affix a sign to Jewish store urging shoppers not to patronize it.
On this day in 1984, Marvin Gaye, the Grammy-winning singer who topped the soul charts with such classics as “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” was shot twice in the chest and killed by his minister father. The Rev. Marvin Gaye Sr. picked up a handgun during a family dispute over an “insurance matter”. The singers death was one day short of his 45th birthday.
Jessica Dawn Lynch is a former U.S. Army soldier who was serving as a unit supply specialist with the 507th Maintenance Company when her convoy was ambushed by Iraqi forces during the Battle of Nasiriyah. Lynch was seriously injured. Her subsequent recovery by U.S. Special Operations Forces on April 1, 2003 received considerable media coverage; it was the first successful rescue of an American prisoner of war since World War II and the first ever of a woman.
The above photo is from combat video footage of Jessica Lynch on a stretcher during her rescue in Iraq.
The 22-month-old son of Charles and Anne Lindbergh was kidnapped on this day in 1932. The child was found dead in May.
Bruno Richard Hauptmann was convicted and executed for the kidnapping and murder of baby Lindbergh.
Khalid Shaikh Mohammed was captured by CIA and Pakistani agents near Islamabad on this day in 2003. He was the suspected mastermind behind the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001 (below).
On this day in 1981, Bobby Sands (above) who was a member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army began a hunger strike while imprisoned at HM Prison Maze after being sentenced for firearmspossession. He eventually died May 5, 1981 at age 27.
The Peace Corps was established on this day in 1961 by President Kennedy (pictured signing the act).
Ronald William Howard is 64 years old today.
Director, producer, and actor Ron Howard first became known as Andy Griffith‘s son Opie on The Andy Griffith Show on CBS from 1960-1968 and also played teenager Richie Cunningham on Happy Days on ABC from 1974-1984. His 2001 filmA Beautiful Mind received the Academy Award for Best Picture and earned Howard the Academy Award for Best Director. He also directed the 1995 film Apollo 13.