Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Today in History for June 9: On this date: In 68 AD, the brutal and paranoid Roman emperor Nero committed suicide at age 31.

Celebrity Birthdays for May 30: Actress Ruta Lee is 90. Actor Keir Dullea ("2001: A Space Odyssey") is 89. Guitarist Lenny Davidson of The Dave Clark Five is 81. Actor-comedian Don Ferguson (Royal Canadian Air Farce) is 79.

Today in History for May 30: In 339, Eusebius, the father of early church history, died at age 74.

Today in Music History for May 30: In 1903, songwriter Alex Kramer was born in Montreal. With his wife, Joan Whitney, Kramer was among the first songwriters to join BMI when the ban on broadcasting the music of ASCAP composers began in 1941.

Celebrity Birthdays for May 29: Actor Anthony Geary ("General Hospital") is 78. Actor Cotter Smith is 76. Singer Rebbie Jackson is 75. Movie composer/musician Danny Elfman is 72. Singer LaToya Jackson is 69.

Today in Music History for May 29: In 1837, Charles W. Fry, the English musician who, along with his three sons, formed the first Salvation Army brass band, was born. Fry also authored the hymn, "Lily of the Valley.

Today in History for May 29: In 526, Antioch, in present-day Turkey, was struck by an earthquake, killing about 250,000 people. In 1453, the Turks captured Constantinople, bringing the Eastern Roman Empire to an end.

Celebrity Birthdays for May 28: Producer-director Irwin Winkler is 95. Actress Carroll Baker is 94. Annette and Cecile of the Dionne quintuplets are 91. Singer Gladys Knight is 81. Singer Billy Vera is 81. Actor Jean-Pierre Leaud is 81.

Today in History for May 28: In 1089, Lanfranc, the first Norman Archbishop of Canterbury, died. During his time as archbishop, he rebuilt the cathedral, based on the design of his former abbey in Caen, in northern France.

Today in Music History for May 28: In 1878, Canadian soprano Louise Edvina was born in Montreal. She spent much of her career in London, and became one of the city's favourite artists in the early 1900s.