Entertainment History
On February 24, 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 Dominic Chianese (kee-uh-NAY'-see) ("Boardwalk Empire," 'The
Sopranos") is 86. Movie composer Michel Legrand is 85. Singer Joanie
Sommers is 76. Actor Barry Bostwick is 72. Singer-producer Rupert
Holmes is 70. Actor Edward James Olmos is 70. Musician George Thorogood
is 67. Actress Debra Jo Rupp ("That '70s Show") is 66. Actress Helen
Shaver ("The Color of Money") is 66. News correspondent Paula Zahn is
61. Country singer Sammy Kershaw is 59. Actor Mark Moses ("Desperate
Housewives") is 59. Actress Beth Broderick ("Sabrina, The Teenage
Witch") is 58. Singer Michelle Shocked is 55. Actor Billy Zane is 51.
Actress Bonnie Somerville ("NYPD Blue") is 43. Jazz saxophonist Jimmy
Greene is 42. Singer Brandon Brown of Mista is 34. Drummer Matt
McGinley of Gym Class Heroes is 34. Actor Wilson Bethel ("Hart of
Dixie") is 33. Actor Alexander Koch ("Under the Dome") is 29.
Rapper-actor O'Shea Jackson Junior ("Straight Outta Compton") is 26.
