A rising star in Hollywood, James Dean’s death on September 30, 1955 sent shockwaves across America. Dean’s career consisted of three major films produced in just 17 months – only one of which was released before his death.
Baseball player Ty Cobb got his 4,000th hit, a first in the sport’s history, on July 18, 1927. In all, he set about 90 records during his career, some of which still stand today.
James Francis Cagney was born on July 17, 1899, in New York City, New York. Best known for playing gangsters, he was also a talented dancer and had excellent comic timing.
Nancy Reagan was born Anne Frances Robbins on July 6, 1921, in New York City. As first lady from 1981-89, she renovated the White House and spearheaded the “Just Say No” to drugs campaign.
Showman Phineas Taylor “P.T.” Barnum was born on July 5, 1810, in Bethel, Connecticut. Barnum became known as the “Shakespeare of Advertising” because of his many innovative ideas for the time.
John Wayne was born Marion Robert Morrison in Winterset, Iowa, on May 26, 1907. Starring in over 200 movies, Wayne became an American icon, whose name and image were synonymous with the rugged Wild West.
Douglas Elton Thomas Ullman was born on May 23, 1883 in Denver, Colorado. Better known as Douglas Fairbanks, he was one of Hollywood’s top stars of the 1920s, known as “Everybody’s Hero.”
On May 19, 1883, the first Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show opened in Omaha, Nebraska. The show ran under a few different names for 30 years.
James Matthew Barrie was born on May 9, 1860, in Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland. His most famous work was Peter Pan, which was turned into an animated film in 1953.