My special day...

Just thought I'd jump on the current meme bandwagon. Of course, I didn't quite stick to the rule of 3's; but I only did it so I could feel like a rebel.

Events...

1431 - In Rouen, France, 19-year-old Joan of Arc is burned at the stake. May 30 is now her feast day as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church.

That gets it off to a happy start.

1806 - Andrew Jackson kills a man in a duel after the man had accused Jackson's wife of bigamy.

That's more like it.

1868 - Memorial Day (then known as "Decoration Day") is observed in the United States for the first time (it was proclaimed on May 5 by General John Logan).

Hey, it's my birthday! Let's all go to the graveyard!

1911 - At the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the first Indianapolis 500 ends with Ray Harroun becoming the first winner of the 500-mile auto race in his Marmon Wasp.

I didn't care then either.

Births...

1672 (O.S.) - Peter the Great, Tsar of Russia (d. 1725)

Thought I'd start out with someone great...He must've been great; it's in his name.

1896 - Howard Hawks, American film director (d. 1977)

An underrated genius...

Bringing up Baby (1938), His Girl Friday (1940), To Have and Have Not (1944), The Big Sleep (1946), The Thing from Another World (1951) (uncredited), Man's Favorite Sport? (1964). Plus, some really good John Wayne movies...If You like John Wayne.

1908 - Mel Blanc, American voice actor (d. 1989)

The many voices of my childhood.

1909 - Benny Goodman, American clarinetist and bandleader (d. 1986)

Hey, I'm not ashamed to admit that I like the Big Bands! Better than boy bands.

1936 - Keir Dullea, American actor

My God, its full of stars.

Deaths


1431 - Joan of Arc, French peasant girl that joined the French royal army, heroine and saint (burned at the stake) (b. 1412

I bet you saw that coming.

1778 - Voltaire, French philosopher and author (b. 1694)

Yes, I read Candide in high school. I might have been the only one in class who enjoyed it.

1953 - Dooley Wilson, American musician and actor (b. 1886)

No one sings As Time Goes By better than Dooley.

1967 - Claude Rains, English actor (b. 1889)

A great actor. He had many great roles, but his portrayal of Capt. Louis Renault is one of the greatest characters in cinema history.

Wow. Not a good day for the cast of Casablanca

There you go. Now it's your turn...C'mon, everybody's doing it.

Blogger peer pressure is an incredible force.