Entertainment History
On February second, 1956, Atlantic Records signed The Coasters. In
1959, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper made what ended up
being their last public appearances at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake,
Iowa. They died in a plane crash the next day. In 1973, the NBC rock
show "Midnight Special" made its debut, with Helen Reddy as the host.
In 1974, Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake and Palmer sustained minor cuts
when a rigged piano exploded prematurely during a concert in San
Francisco. In 1979, former Sex Pistols member Sid Vicious died of a
heroin overdose at age 21. The death was ruled accidental. In 1993, a
judge in New York dropped gun charges against singer Harry Connick
Junior. He had been arrested when he tried to bring a pistol on board a
flight at Kennedy Airport. Also in 1993, Willie Nelson and the Internal
Revenue Service reached a settlement on his estimated $17 million tax
debt. In 1996, entertainer Gene Kelly died of complications from
strokes at his home in Los Angeles. He was 83. In 2011, The White
Stripes announced their breakup. Today's birthdays: Actor Robert Mandan
("Soap," 'Three's A Crowd") is 84. Comedian Tom Smothers is 79. Singer
Graham Nash is 74. Actor Bo Hopkins is 72. Singer Howard Bellamy of the
Bellamy Brothers is 70. TV chef Ina (EE'-nah) Garten ("Barefoot
Contessa") is 68. Actor Brent Spiner ("Star Trek: The Next Generation")
is 67. Bassist Ross Valory of Journey is 67. Model Christie Brinkley is
62. Actor Michael Talbott ("Miami Vice") is 61. Actress Kim Zimmer
("Guiding Light") is 61. Actor Michael T. Weiss ("The Pretender") is
54. Comedian Adam Ferrara ("Rescue Me") is 50. Bassist Robert DeLeo of
Stone Temple Pilots is 50. Actress Jennifer Westfeldt ("Kissing Jessica
Stein") is 46. Rapper T-Mo (Goodie Mob) is 44. Actress Marissa Jaret
Winokur is 43. Singer Shakira is 39. Actor Rich Sommer ("Mad Men" Film:
"The Devil Wears Prada") is 38. Actress Zosia Mamet ("Girls") is 28.
