Entertainment History .
On February 24th, 1969, the Jimi Hendrix Experience performed its last
British concert at London's Royal Albert Hall before breaking up. In
1976, The Eagles' "Greatest Hits" album became the first album in the
U.S. to be certified platinum, for at least one million copies sold.
The new award was conceived because high sales meant too many artists
were winning gold records. In 1979, the Sex Pistols release the album
"The Great Rock N' Roll Swindle. In 1988, Alice Cooper announced he was
running for governor of Arizona. In 1990, singer Johnny Ray died at a
Los Angeles hospital of liver failure. He was 63. He's known for his
double-sided hit "Cry" and "The Little White Cloud That Cried. In 1991,
country star Webb Pierce died. He was 65. On that same day, comedian
George Gobel died at a southern California hospital at the age of 71.
Gobel is probably best known as a regular on the "Hollywood Squares"
game show. In 1992, actress Tracy Gold went back to work on the set of
the TV sitcom "Growing Pains. She had left the show to battle anorexia.
Also in 1992, singer Kurt Cobain of Nirvana married singer Courtney
Love of Hole in Hawaii. In 1993, Eric Clapton won six Grammy Awards,
including song and record of the year for "Tears In Heaven," the song
inspired by his late son. In 1994, comedian Garrett Morris was shot and
critically wounded during a robbery attempt in Los Angeles. In 1998,
drummer Tommy Lee of Motley Crue was arrested for kicking his wife,
actress Pamela Anderson Lee. She filed for divorce. He eventually
served four months in prison. Also in 1998, comedian Henny Youngman
died of complications from the flu. He was 91. He was known as the king
of the one-liners, including "Take my wife, please. Also in 1998, Elton
John was knighted. Today's Birthdays: Actor Steven Hill ("Law and
Order") is 94. Actor Dominic Chianese (kee-uh-NAY'-see) ("Boardwalk
Empire," 'The Sopranos") is 85. Movie composer Michel Legrand is 84.
Singer Joanie Sommers is 75. Actor Barry Bostwick is 71.
Singer-producer Rupert Holmes is 69. Actor Edward James Olmos is 69.
Musician George Thorogood is 66. Actress Debra Jo Rupp ("That '70s
Show") is 65. Actress Helen Shaver ("The Color of Money") is 65. News
correspondent Paula Zahn is 60. Country singer Sammy Kershaw is 58.
Actor Mark Moses ("Desperate Housewives") is 58. Actress Beth Broderick
("Sabrina, The Teenage Witch") is 57. Singer Michelle Shocked is 54.
Actor Billy Zane is 50. Actress Bonnie Somerville ("NYPD Blue") is 42.
Jazz saxophonist Jimmy Greene is 41. Singer Brandon Brown of Mista is
33. Drummer Matt McGinley of Gym Class Heroes is 33. Actor Wilson
Bethel ("Hart of Dixie") is 32. Actor Alexander Koch ("Under the Dome")
is 28. Rapper-actor O'Shea Jackson Junior ("Straight Outta Compton") is
25.
