On March 4, 1974, actress Mia Farrow from The Great Gatsby
graced the cover of the inaugural issue of People, a weekly
celebrity and human interest magazine spotlighting the
personal lives of notable and intriguing people. People
remains one of America’s best-selling weeklies.

The Signing of the Constitution of the United States, with
George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas
Jefferson at the Constitutional Convention of 1787.

The first session of the U.S. Congress was held in New York City
as the U.S. Constitution took effect. However, of the 22 senators
and 59 representatives called to represent the 11 states who had
ratified the document, only nine senators and 13 representatives
showed up to begin negotiations for its amendment.

John Franklin Candy (October 31, 1950 – March 4, 1994)

The comedic star John Candy died suddenly of a heart attack
on March 4, 1994, at the age of 43. At the time of his death, he
was living near Durango, Mexico, while filming Wagons East,
a Western comedy co-starring the comedian Richard Lewis.

1987

Morgan Freeman opened the annual In Memoriam segment at the
2025 Oscars by sharing kind words about his former co-star, Gene Hackman, who died last week.

Freeman addressed the Dolby Theatre audience in Hollywood by
saying, “This week, our community lost a giant — and I lost a dear
friend, Gene Hackman.”

Freeman continued, “I had the pleasure of working alongside Gene
on two films, Unforgiven and Under Suspicion, and like everyone
who ever shared a scene with him, I learned he was a generous performer and a man whose gifts elevated everyone’s work.

He received two Oscars, but more importantly, he won the hearts
of film lovers all over the world.”

1992

2000