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September 21st Today in History
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Famous People & Celebrities Born on September 21st:
- H.G. Wells
(1866) - He's best known for The War of the Worlds, The Time Machine and The Invisible Man. Wells died on August 13, 1946.
- Larry Hagman
(1931) - Actor best known as J.R. on Dallas and Tony Nelson on I Dream of Jeannie. Hagman still wears his Stetson cowboy hats from his Dallas days all these years after the steamy soap went off the air. The actor is a nut for collecting hats, and held on to around 30 of his Dallas lids. Hagman started collecting hats 40 years ago and estimates he has thousands, ranging from British bobbies' caps to fire helmets to toppers made from buffalo skin. He reportedly once urinated on the set of I Dream of Jeannie to protest the kooky plots. Hagman, who underwent a liver transplant in 1995, is convinced his liver cancer was caused by a weather tower near his home which transmits microwave radiation. The National Weather Service insists the tower poses no risk, but Hagman says other people are getting sick, too. After the liver transplant, he gave an artist pal a remnant from the surgery -- a gall stone to be turned into something artistic.
- Fannie Flagg
(1944) - Actress, comedian, writer. Wrote Fried Green Tomatoes. Appeared on Candid Camera.
- Stephen King
(1947) - On June 19, 1999, a mini-van plowed into King as he was walking along a Maine highway. He suffered a broken leg, a bruised lung and head lacerations. The driver of the van claimed he was distracted by his dog. A Los Angeles pet psychic claims it was foul play on the part of the pooch, who intentionally forced its owner to swerve into King to seek revenge for his involvement in writing the book Cujo. King trivia: As a college student, King received $35 for his first published story entitled "I Was a Teenage Grave Robber." Halloween is one of King's biggest fears. He reportedly even hires guards to keep trick-or-treaters away from his house every October 31. He's a member of the Rock Bottom Remainders, a just-for-fun celebrity band that includes Dave Barry and Simpsons creator Matt Groening. King has been bothered for years by a crackpot who claims King and former presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan murdered John Lennon. King says he's not worried because the "...guy also claims the Food and Drug Administration killed River Phoenix because he was a vegetarian." Jean-Claude Van Damme originally used the stage name of "Frank Cujo" but he dropped it in 1983 after King's "Cujo" became a bestseller. As a child, King's hometown of Durham, Maine, was so financially strapped that students were driven to school in an old converted hearse instead of a school bus. The most valuable piece of King memorabilia is a rare asbestos-covered version of his 1980 novel "Firestarter." It's worth more than $9000. King best-sellers: Carrie, The Stand, The Tommyknockers, The Shining, Pet Sematary.
- Bill Murray
(1950) - Before he hit it big, the actor and comedian worked at a deli where he would stand outdoors in the freezing cold and sell chestnuts. Murray was so obnoxious to customers that the owner of the deli gave him a job inside just to keep an eye on him. As a kid, he was booted out of the Little League and Boy Scouts. Murray has an odd habit: he refuses to eat watermelon unless all the seeds are meticulously removed. Flicks: The Life Aquatic (2004), playing the voice of Garfield in Garfield (2004), Lost in Translation (2003), Press Your Luck (2001), Ocean's Eleven (2001), Speaking of Sex (2001), Osmosis Jones (2001), Charlie's Angels (2000), Groundhog Day (1993), Ghostbusters (1984), Stripes (1981).
- Ethan Coen
(1957) - Film producer and writer (along with his brother Joel). Cohen flicks: Intolerable Cruelty (2002), To the White Sea (2002), The Barber Project (2001), O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), The Big Lebowski (1998), Fargo (1996), The Hudsucker Proxy (1994), Barton Fink (1991), Raising Arizona (1987).
- Dave Coulier
(1959) - Played Joey Gladstone on Full House. The rumor that the Alanis Morissette tune "You Ought to Know" was written about Coulier is a myth.
- David James Elliott
(1960) - Lt. Cmdr. Harmon Rabb Jr. on JAG.
- Nancy Travis
(1961) - Voice of Bernice on Duckman. Almost Perfect.
- Rob Morrow
(1962) - Played Joel Fleischman on Northern Exposure. Rob, who co-starred with Sharon Stone in the movie Last Dance, admits he tried like heck to get her to do a nude scene in the film. Rob says he told Sharon, "Come on...Let's just have a little fun, even if it doesn't make it into the film." But Sharon didn't buy Rob's line and didn't expose herself. However, Rob DID strip for the cameras but it's not in the film.
- Faith Hill
(1967) - The country singer is married to country star Tim McGraw. Brooks and Dunn once tried to get even with Faith while touring after she dumped salt into Wade Hayes' drinking water bottle as a practical joke. To get even, Brooks and Dunn purchased a handful of eels from a bait shop and placed them in Faith's hotel room bed.
- Ricki Lake
(1968) - The talk show host and actress once weighed 250 lbs. Lake's parents -- who are born-again Christians -- appeared on an evangelical TV show to ask viewers to pray for their daughter. Ricki says she respects her parent's religious beliefs, but admits she feels uncomfortable discussing their differences publicly. And even though the Lake family squabble would be a perfect topic for her own show, she says she has no plans to invite her parents to appear as guests. Lake flicks: Cecil B. DeMented (2000), Serial Mom (1994), Cry-Baby (1990), Hairspray (1988).
- Alfonso Ribeiro
(1971) - Actor. In The House, Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
- Liam Gallagher
(1972) - Lead singer with Oasis. His real name is William John Paul Gallagher. Liam's first appearance on-stage was playing a lamb in a Christmas play -- but he's no goody two shoes: His brother, Noel, claims the two of them have gotten high off of everything from mushrooms to sniffing cans of gas. Liam is a big supporter of former tennis pro John McEnroe's fledgling music career. He often sings a McEnroe song which starts with the lyrics You cannot be serious/Double faults hurt my head. Born on September 21 not September 22 or September 12 as reported by some sources.
- Joseph Mazzello
(1983) - Actor. Jurassic Park.
Famous and Noteworthy Events on September 21st:
(1897) - The New York Sun published its famous editorial that began with the words, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus." The editorial was in response to a letter from 8-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon. Her question and response as published in the paper: I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, 'If you see it in "The Sun," it's so.' Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus? The newspaper's editor, Frank Church, wrote: Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age...Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist...Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! Thank God! He lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
(1948) - The Milton Berle Show/Texaco Star Theater debuted on NBC-TV.
(1955) - Rocky Marciano defended his world heavyweight title when he KO'ed Archie Moore. Marciano was the first boxing champ to win every fight of his pro career, which lasted from 1947 to 1956. Marciano KO'ed almost all of his opponents.
(1957) - Raymond Burr made his debut as TV's Perry Mason.
(1970) - ABC-TV broadcast its first NFL Monday Night Football. The hosts were Howard Cosell, Keith Jackson and Don Meredith. Frank Gifford didn't join the Monday Night Football team until 1971. In the first Monday night game, the Cleveland Browns stomped the New York Jets 31-21.
(1971) - Baseball fans were told the Washington Senators would move to Texas for the 1972 season and be renamed the Texas Rangers. One reporter described the Washington Senators as "First in war, first in peace -- and last in the American League."
(1981) - The U.S. Senate, in a 99-0 vote, confirmed Sandra Day O'Connor as the first, female Justice in the history of the U.S. Supreme Court. She was sworn in on September 25.
(1983) - U.S. Secretary of Interior James Watt put his foot into his mouth during a speech about the diversity of his advisory committee. He said, "We have every kind of mixture you can have. I have a black, I have a woman, two Jews and a cripple..." Watt later apologized for what he said was an "...unfortunate choice of words."
(1985) - "Money For Nothing" by Dire Straits was the No. 1 song.
(1989) - Hurricane Hugo hit America. The killer storm ravaged South Carolina, causing $8 billion in damage.
(1992) - TV's Murphy Brown blasted former vice president Dan Quayle in an episode which addressed the concerns of single mothers. The episode was a response to Quayle's earlier comments in which he accused the TV character of mocking the importance of fathers.
(1996) - John F. Kennedy, Jr. married Carolyn Bessette in a secret ceremony on Cumberland Island, Georgia.
MORE HISTORIC BIRTHS & EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER :
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