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August 18th Today in History
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Famous People & Celebrities Born on August 18th:
- Shelly Winters
(1922) - Her real name is Shirley Schrift. Played Roseanne's grandmother -- "Nana-Mary" -- on Roseanne. The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Bloody Mama (1970).
- Rosalynn Carter
(1927) - Wife of Jimmy Carter, 39th president of the United States.
- Roman Polanski
(1933) - In 1978 the film director fled California after he was accused of having sex with a 13-year-old girl. Polanski's first wife, actress Sharon Tate, was murdered in 1969 by members of the Charles Manson cult. She was eight months pregnant with their first child. Polanski flicks: Frantic (1988), Pirates (1986), Chinatown (1974), Rosemary's Baby (1968).
- Vincent Bugliosi
(1934) - Bugliosi is the former Los Angeles district attorney who put Charles Manson behind bars. After the O.J. Simpson criminal trial, Bugliosi claimed Simpson's words and actions conclusively proved he was guilty of murdering Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
- Robert Redford
(1937) - In the late 1960s studio press kits described Redford as being 6 feet tall -- although he's only 5-foot-9. During the filming of The Way We Were, Redford was so excited about filming a love scene with Barbra Streisand that he reportedly wore two athletic supporters to restrain any erections. Redford was once stalked by a weirdo who regularly went through his garbage, packaged the trash in small containers and then sold the celebrity rubbish to Redford fans. Redford flicks: The Clearing (2004), The Last Castle (2001), Spy Game (2001), New York in the 50's (2001), The Horse Whisperer (1998), A River Runs Through It (1992), The Natural (1984), All The President's Men (1976), The Way We Were (1975), Three Days of the Condor (1975), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969).
- Martin Mull
(1943) - The actor is also a top notch artist who frequently gets raves for his surrealistic paintings of children floating in playgrounds. He was host of the TV talk show satire Fernwood 2-Night.
- Patrick Swayze
(1952) - Swayze, who played a transvestite in To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar, says he's had a great deal of personal experience with drag queens: "I've known drag queens all my life, being raised in the theater in Texas and then living in New York." A 1996 survey by McCall's magazine revealed 45 percent of its readers thought Swayze had the cutest butt in Hollywood. In second place was Kevin Costner. When it comes to horses, Swayze doesn't horse around -- he once invited 2500 people to a tea party for his Arabian horse. Every year Auckland, New Zealand, radio station 91ZM, celebrates St. Patrick's Day as "St. Patrick Swayze's Day." Thousands of Aucklanders cram into Irish pubs to booze it up and watch Swayze films. Although Swayze wasn't available for comment, his mother, Patsy, says: "I'm sure Patrick would be honored -- but nothing will ever replace the original St. Patrick." Swayze flicks: George and the Dragon (2003), 11:14 (2003), One Last Dance (2003), Waking Up in Reno (2002), Forever Lulu (2000), To Wong Foo: Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar (1995), Ghost (1990), Dirty Dancing (1987). Mr. Swayze states he was born in 1952 not 1954 as incorrectly reported by some sources.
- Elayne Boosler
(1952) - Comedian.
- Denis Leary
(1957) - Comedian. Leary says he knew he made it big when Sting called him a four-letter word that rhymes with "grunt." However, Leary is also proud that one of his routines made Eagle Don Henley so angry that he wrote a letter to MTV demanding Leary be taken off the air. After Henley sent his poison-pen letter, Leary claims fellow Eagle Joe Walsh sent him a letter saying, "Congratulations for pissing off Don Henley."
- Madeleine Stowe
(1958) - Actress. Octane (2003), Avenging Angelo (2002), We Were Soldiers (2002), Impostor (2002), 12 Monkeys (1995).
- Christian Slater
(1969) - Slater's former girlfriend, actress Samantha Mathis, once said kissing Slater was "...like kissing your brother." Slater told Rolling Stone magazine that the main reason he abused drugs and booze was to escape a voice in his head which constantly told him, "I suck!" Slater claims the voices nearly drove him to attempt suicide in 1998 by jumping off the balcony of a 14th floor apartment. He's doing much better these days thanks to a stint in rehab, but he still fights with the "I suck" voice. In 1997 Los Angeles cops arrested Slater on charges of assault with a deadly weapon after he got into an argument with his girlfriend and bit the stomach of a man who tried to intervene. Police say Slater's blood alcohol content was .24 when he was arrested. In 1994 he was arrested after he tried to smuggle a Baretta semiautomatic pistol aboard a jet. Slater is a huge fan of Star Trek. As a child, he shaved his eyebrows to appear more like Mr. Spock for a Halloween costume. His eyebrows never grow back properly. Slater flicks: Mindhunters (2004), Masked & Anonymous (2003), Naked Movie (2002), Windtalkers (2002), Run for the Money (2002), Cletis Tout (2001), In God We Trust (2001), 3000 Miles to Graceland (2001), The Contender (2000), Broken Arrow (1996), Interview with the Vampire (1994), True Romance (1993), Heathers (1989).
- Edward Norton
(1969) - Norton is a Yale graduate with a major in history. Norton did all his own stunt skating for the Robin Williams comedy, Death To Smoochy. While Williams needed Olympic skater Elvis Stojko to do his actual stunt moves, Norton was able to glide effortlessly through figure 8s. He turned down the role of Private Ryan in Saving Private Ryan. Norton flicks: Fear Itself (2004), The Italian Job (2003), The 25th Hour (2002), Frida (2002), Red Dragon (2002), Death to Smoochy (2002), The Score (2001), Keeping the Faith (2000), The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996), Primal Fear (1996).
- Malcolm-Jamal Warner
(1970) - Played Theodore Huxtable on The Cosby Show. Voice of the producer on The Magic School Bus animated TV series.
- Frances Cobain
(1992) - Daughter of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love.
Famous and Noteworthy Events on August 18th:
(1587) - A baby girl named Virginia Dare became the first baby of English parents to be born in North America. Mr. and Mrs. Dare were members of Sir Walter Raleigh's colony at Roanoke Island.
(1920) - The 19th Amendment to the constitution was ratified, giving women the right to vote.
(1930) - The cartoon character Pluto the Dog made his first appearance in the Disney 'toon, "The Chain Gang."
(1977) - More than 75,000 people gathered outside Elvis Presley's Graceland estate where funeral services were held for the superstar who had died two days earlier. After the funeral, 16 white limousines and a white hearse rode through the streets of Memphis to a mausoleum where Presley was entombed.
(1986) - John Tesh made his first appearance on Entertainment Tonight.
MORE HISTORIC BIRTHS & EVENTS IN AUGUST :
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