Entertainment

On Dec. 20, 1958, George Harrison, Paul McCartney and John Lennon performed as The Quarrymen at the wedding reception of Harrison’s brother, Harry.

In 1967, singer Ian Anderson and bassist Glenn Cornick formed Jethro Tull.

In 1968, author John Steinbeck died in New York at age 66.

In 1973, singer Bobby Darin died during open heart surgery. He was 37.

In 1975, former James Gang member Joe Walsh joined The Eagles. He replaced Bernie Leadon, who left The Eagles for a solo career.

In 1981, the musical “Dreamgirls” premiered on Broadway.

In 1986, Randy Travis joined the Grand Ole Opry.

In 1995, the members of The Drifters were forbidden to leave Guyana after a series of concerts. They owed about $4,000 in entertainment taxes.

In 2006, Eminem and Kim Mathers were divorced for a second time. They had first married in 1999 and divorced in 2001. They remarried in January 2006 and he filed for divorce again that April.

In 2007, musician Eddie Van Halen and actor Valerie Bertinelli settled their divorce, six years after they had separated. They had been married 26 years.

Today’s birthdays: Actor Tommy Cole (“The Mickey Mouse Club”) is 83. Drummer-producer Bobby Colomby (Blood, Sweat and Tears) is 80. Former Kiss drummer Peter Criss is 79. Illusionist Uri Geller is 78. Musician Alan Parsons is 76. Actor Jenny Agutter (“Call the Midwife”) is 72. Actor Michael Badalucco (“The Practice”) is 70. Actor Blanche Baker (“Shakedown,” ″Holocaust”) is 68. Singer Billy Bragg is 67. Singer-bassist Mike Watt (The Minutemen, fIREHOSE) is 67. Actor Joel Gretsch (“The Vampire Diaries,” “V″) is 61. Country singer Kris Tyler is 60. Singer Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes is 58. Actor Nicole deBoer (“The Dead Zone”) is 54. Director Todd Phillips (“The Hangover,” “Joker”) is 54. Singer David Cook (“American Idol”) is 42. Actor Jonah Hill is 41. Actor Bob Morley (“The 100”) is 40. Singer JoJo is 34.

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On Dec. 13, 1928, George Gershwin’s “An American in Paris” premiered in New York.

In 1974, former Beatle George Harrison visited the White House at the invitation of Jack Ford, the president’s son. Harrison was the first rock musician to be invited to the White House.

In 1985, singer Phil Collins made his TV acting debut in the U.S. with an episode of “Miami Vice.”

In 1988, singer Bruce Springsteen and model-actor Julianne Phillips divorced after three years of marriage.

In 1992, an estimated 150,000 people showed up for a free Scorpions concert in Frankfurt, Germany. The concert was aimed at protesting violence by radical rightists.

In 2022, singer Jin became the first member of BTS to report for mandatory military duty in South Korea.

Today’s birthdays: Actor Dick Van Dyke is 99. Country singer Buck White of The Whites is 94. Actor-singer John Davidson is 83. Actor Kathy Garver (“Family Affair”) is 79. Guitarist Jeff “Skunk” Baxter (The Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan) is 76. Singer Ted Nugent is 76. Country singer-guitarist Randy Owen of Alabama is 75. Actor Wendie Malick (“Hot in Cleveland,” ″Just Shoot Me”) is 74. Country singer John Anderson is 70. Singer Steve Forbert is 70. Singer Morris Day of The Time is 68. Actor Steve Buscemi is 67. Actor Johnny Whitaker (“Family Affair”) is 65. Bassist John Munson of Semisonic is 62. Reality TV star NeNe Leakes (“The New Normal,” ″The Real Housewives of Atlanta”) is 58. Actor-comedian Jamie Foxx is 57. Actor Lusia Strus (“50 First Dates”) is 57. TV personality Debbie Matenopoulos is 50. Singer-guitarist Tom Delonge of Blink-182 (and Angels and Airwaves) is 49. Actor James Kyson Lee (“Heroes”) is 49. Actor Kimee Balmilero (“Hawaii Five-0″) is 45. Actor Chelsea Hertford (“Major Dad”) is 43. Singer Amy Lee of Evanescence is 43. Trumpeter Wesley Watkins of Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats is 37. Actor Marcel Spears (“The Mayor”) is 36. Singer Taylor Swift is 35. Actor Maisy Stella (“Nashville”) is 21.

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On Dec. 12, 1967, Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones successfully appealed his nine-month jail sentence for a drug conviction. He was placed on probation instead.

In 1968, “The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus” was filmed in London, featuring the Stones, Eric Clapton, John Lennon and The Who. It remained unreleased for 28 years.

In 1974, the Rolling Stones announced guitarist Mick Taylor had left the band. That same day, the band began work on the “Black and Blue” album.

In 1975, singer-guitarist Tommy Shaw joined Styx, replacing guitarist John Curulewski. Shaw’s first concert with the band was four days later in Zanesville, Ohio.

In 1990, comedian Robin Williams got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 1991, actor Richard Gere and model Cindy Crawford eloped in Las Vegas. They have since divorced.

In 1997, Autumn Jackson, who tried to blackmail Bill Cosby by claiming he was her father, was sentenced to two years in prison.

In 2001, actor Winona Ryder was arrested for shoplifting more than $5,000 worth of merchandise from a department store in Beverly Hills, California.

Also in 2001, actor Ashley Judd married racing driver Dario Franchitti in Scotland.

In 2003, Mick Jagger was knighted by then-Prince Charles.

In 2020, country singer Charley Pride died of COVID-19 in Dallas. He was 86.

Today’s birthdays: Singer Connie Francis is 87. Singer Dionne Warwick is 84. Actor Wings Hauser is 77. Actor Bill Nighy (NY) (“Pirates of the Caribbean”) is 75. Actor Duane Chase (“The Sound of Music”) is 74. Country singer La Costa is 74. Gymnast-turned-actor Cathy Rigby is 72. Singer-percussionist Sheila E. is 67. Actor Sheree J. Wilson (“Walker, Texas Ranger,” ″Dallas”) is 66. Guitarist Eric Schenkman of Spin Doctors is 61. Bassist Nicholas Dimichino of Nine Days is 57. Actor Madchen Amick (“My Own Worst Enemy,” ″Twin Peaks”) is 54. Actor Jennifer Connelly is 54. Actor Regina Hall is 54. Actor Mayim Bialik (“Jeopardy,” “The Big Bang Theory”) is 49. Actor Lucas Hedges (“Boy Erased,” ″Manchester By The Sea”) is 28. Actor Sky Katz (“Raven’s Home”) is 20.

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On Dec. 11, 1946, country singer Hank Williams made his first recordings.

In 1957, Jerry Lee Lewis secretly married his 13-year-old cousin, Myra Gale Brown, in Hernando, Tennessee. The marriage lasted 13 years.

In 1964, singer Sam Cooke was shot and killed at a Los Angeles motel.

In 1972, Genesis performed its first U.S. concert at Brandeis University in Massachusetts.

Also in 1972, police in Knoxville, Tennessee, arrested singer James Brown for disorderly conduct. The charge was dropped after Brown threatened to sue the city.

In 1992, former talk show host Johnny Carson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

In 2015, Motorhead played their last show, in Berlin. Frontman Lemmy died 17 days later.

Also in 2015, actor Pamela Anderson was featured on the cover of the final Playboy magazine to feature nudity.

Today’s birthdays: Actor Rita Moreno is 93. Singer David Gates of Bread is 84. Actor Donna Mills (“Knots Landing”) is 84. Actor Lynda Day George (TV’s “Mission: Impossible”) is 80. Singer Brenda Lee is 80. Actor Bess Armstrong is 71. Singer Jermaine Jackson is 70. Bassist Mike Mesaros of The Smithereens is 67. Bassist Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue is 66. Actor Ben Browder (“Stargate SG-1”) is 62. Singer-bassist Justin Currie of Del Amitri is 60. Bassist David Schools of Widespread Panic is 60. Actor Gary Dourdan (“C.S.I.”) is 58. Actor-comedian Mo’Nique is 57. Actor Max Martini (“The Unit”) is 55. Rapper-actor Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) is 51. Actor Rider Strong (“Boy Meets World”) is 45. Actor Xosha Roquemore (“The Mindy Project,” “Precious”) is 40. Actor Karla Souza (“How To Get Away With Murder”) is 38. Actor-singer Hailee Steinfeld is 28.

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On Dec. 10, 1959, the four male members of The Platters were acquitted of charges of aiding and abetting prostitution. They had been arrested four months earlier.

In 1962, “Lawrence of Arabia” had its royal premiere in London. Peter O’Toole starred as English officer T.E. Lawrence.

In 1967, singer Otis Redding and four members of the Bar-Kays died in the crash of his private plane in Wisconsin. Redding was 26.

Also in 1967, singer Steve Miller signed a precedent-setting contract with Capitol Records. He received a large advance on his band’s first album and a sizeable royalty rate.

In 1971, Frank Zappa broke a leg and ankle and fractured his skull when he was pushed from a London stage by the jealous boyfriend of a Zappa fan. Zappa spent months in a wheelchair recovering.

In 1972, singer Roberta Flack and two members of her backup band were injured in a car accident while driving into New York.

In 1995, rapper Darren Robinson of the Fat Boys died of cardiac arrest after a bout with the flu. He was working on a comeback album at the time. Robinson was 28.

In 1996, country singer Faron Young died in a hospital in Nashville, a day after he shot himself in the head. He was 64.

In 1997, bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee of Motley Crue were arrested for allegedly knocking over a security guard at a concert in Phoenix.

Also in 1997, bass singer Jacob Carey of The Flamingos died of a heart attack in his home in Lanham, Maryland. He was 74. The Flamingos were best known for their hit “I Only Have Eyes For You.”

In 1999, bassist Rick Danko of The Band died in Woodstock, New York. He was 56.

In 2005, comedian Richard Pryor died of a heart attack at a hospital outside Los Angeles. He was 65.

Also in 2005, Garth Brooks married Trisha Yearwood in a private ceremony at their home in Oklahoma.

In 2007, Led Zeppelin reunited for the first time in 30 years, for a tribute concert in London for Atlantic Records co-founder Ahmet Ertegun.

Today’s birthdays: Actor Fionnula Flanagan (“Waking Ned Devine”) is 83. Actor-singer Gloria Loring is 78. Drummer Walter “Clyde” Orange of The Commodores is 78. Country singer Johnny Rodriguez is 73. Actor Susan Dey is 72. Musician Paul Hardcastle is 67. Actor John J. York (“General Hospital”) is 66. Actor-director Kenneth Branagh is 64. Actor Nia Peeples is 63. TV chef Bobby Flay is 60. Singer-guitarist J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. is 59. Bassist Scot Alexander of Dishwalla is 53. Drummer Meg White of The White Stripes is 50. Actor Emmanuelle Chriqui (“Superman and Lois,” “Entourage”) is 49. Rapper Kuniva of D12 is 49. Actor Gavin Houston (“The Haves and the Have Nots,” “Guiding Light”) is 47. Bassist Noah Harmon of Airborne Toxic Event is 43. Actor Patrick John Flueger (“Chicago P.D.”) is 41. Country singer Meghan Linsey is 39. Actor Raven-Symone (“That’s So Raven,” ″The Cosby Show”) is 39. Actor-singer Teyana Taylor is 34. Actor Kiki Layne (“Coming 2 America,” “If Beale Street Could Talk”) is 33.

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On Dec. 9, 1965, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” premiered on CBS.

1967, police in New Haven, Connecticut, arrested Doors singer Jim Morrison for breach of peace and resisting arrest. Morrison had been sprayed with mace at a concert, and police hauled him off stage.

In 1972, an all-star orchestral stage version of The Who’s “Tommy” was performed in London. Members of the cast included Richie Havens, Peter Sellers and Steve Winwood.

In 1978, actors John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd recorded a version of “Soul Man” and released it under the name The Blues Brothers.

In 1981, singer Sonny Til of The Orioles died of a heart attack in Washington. He was 56.

In 1984, The Jacksons’ “Victory Tour” ended in Los Angeles. It was the last time Michael Jackson toured with his brothers.

In 1995, The Beatles “Anthology One,” with their first new song in 25 years, hit the top of the Billboard 200 album chart.

In 2019, singer Marie Fredriksson of Roxette died after a 17-year battle with cancer. She was 61.

In 2022, SZA released her “SOS” album.

Today’s birthdays: Actor Judi Dench is 90. Actor Beau Bridges is 83. Actor Michael Nouri is 79. Singer Joan Armatrading is 74. Actor Michael Dorn (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”) is 72. Actor John Malkovich is 71. Country singer Sylvia is 68. Singer Donny Osmond is 67. Bassist Nick Seymour of Crowded House is 66. Comedian Mario Cantone (“Sex and the City”) is 65. Actor David Anthony Higgins (“Mike and Molly,” “Malcolm in the Middle”) is 63. Actor Joe Lando (“Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”) is 63. Actor Felicity Huffman (“Desperate Housewives,” ″Sports Night”) is 62. Keyboardist Jerry Hughes of Yankee Grey is 59. Singer-guitarist Thomas Flowers of Oleander is 57. Guitarist Brian Bell of Weezer is 56. Singer-guitarist Jakob Dylan of The Wallflowers is 55. Businesswoman and TV personality Lori Greiner (“Shark Tank”) is 55. Actor Allison Smith (“The West Wing,” ″Kate and Allie”) is 55. Former “American Idol” judge Kara DioGuardi (dee-oh-GWAHR’-dee) is 54. Country singer David Kersh is 54. Actor Reiko Aylesworth (“24″) is 52. Drummer Tre Cool of Green Day is 52. Rapper Canibus is 50. Singer Imogen Heap is 47. Actor Jesse Metcalfe (“Desperate Housewives”) is 46. Actor Simon Helberg (“The Big Bang Theory”) is 44. Actor Jolene Purdy (“Under the Dome,” ″Donnie Darko”) is 41. Actor Ashleigh Brewer (“The Bold and the Beautiful”) is 34.

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