Entertainment History
On March 12, 1955, saxophone player Charlie "Bird" Parker died in New
York of heart failure. He was 34. He's known as the inventor of bebop.
In 1958, singer Billie Holiday was given a year's probation on a
narcotics possession charge. She died the next year of alcohol and drug
abuse. In 1969, Paul McCartney and Linda Eastman were married in a
civil ceremony in London. Also in 1969, "Mrs. Robinson" by Simon and
Garfunkel was named Song and Record of the Year at the Grammy Awards,
beating out "Hey Jude" by The Beatles. In 1974, John Lennon got into a
fight with a photographer outside a club in Los Angeles. Lennon and
Harry Nilsson had been heckling comedian Tommy Smothers and had been
thrown out of the club. In 1998, Cathay Pacific airline banned Liam
Gallagher of Oasis from its flights after he threatened to stab a
pilot. Today's birthdays: Actress Barbara Feldon ("Get Smart") is 84.
Actress-singer Liza Minnelli is 71. Singer-songwriter James Taylor is
69. Singer Bill Payne of Little Feat is 68. Actor Jon Provost (TV:
"Lassie") is 67. Bassist Steve Harris of Iron Maiden is 61. Singer
Marlon Jackson of The Jackson Five is 60. Actor Courtney B. Vance is
57. Actor Titus Welliver ("Deadwood") is 56. Actress Julia Campbell
("Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion") is 54. Actor Aaron Eckhart
("The Dark Knight") is 49. Guitarist Graham Coxon of Blur is 48.
Drummer Tommy Bales of Flynnville Train) is 44. Actor Rhys Coiro
("Hostages," 'Entourage") is 38. Country singer Holly Williams is 36.
Actor Samm Levine ("Freaks and Geeks") is 35. Actor Jaimie Alexander
(TV: "Blindspot") is 33. Actor Tyler Patrick Jones ("Ghost Whisperer")
is 23. Actress Kendall Applegate ("Desperate Housewives") is 18.
