Entertainment History
On Oct. 23, 1941, the Disney film “Dumbo” was released.
In 1950, actor-singer Al Jolson died in San Francisco at the age of 64. He’s probably best known for starring in “The Jazz Singer,” the first talking film.
In 1962, a 12-year-old named Little Stevie Wonder recorded his first single for Motown Records. It was called “Thank You For Loving Me All The Way.”
In 1978, Maybelle Carter, the matriarch of the musical Carter family, died at the age of 69.
In 1984, musician Bob Geldof watched a documentary on the BBC about Ethiopia’s famine. He was so moved he called his friend, Midge Ure, and together they wrote the charity song “Do They Know It’s Christmas.”
In 1991, Rodney Crowell announced he and fellow singer Rosanne Cash were getting divorced. They had married in 1979.
In 1992, country singer George Strait made his movie debut in “Pure Country,” in which he starred as a country western singer.
In 1995, a Houston jury found Yolanda Saldivar guilty of murdering Tejano (tay-HAH’-no) singing star Selena. She was sentenced to spend at least 30 years in prison.
In 2004, singer Ashlee Simpson walked off stage after the wrong vocal track was played during her performance on “Saturday Night Live,” which revealed she was lip-synching.
In 2010, singer Katy Perry married comedian Russell Brand at a tiger sanctuary in India. They divorced in 2012.
In 2015, Carrie Underwood released her “Storyteller” album.
Today’s Birthdays: Director Philip Kaufman (“The Right Stuff”) is 88. Singer Barbara Ann Hawkins of The Dixie Cups is 81. Director Ang Lee (“Brokeback Mountain,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”) is 70. Jazz singer Dianne Reeves is 68. Singer Dwight Yoakam is 68. Director-actor Sam Raimi (“Spider-Man” films) is 65. Singer “Weird Al” Yankovic is 65. Bassist Robert Trujillo of Metallica is 60. Drummer Brian Nevin of Big Head Todd and The Monsters is 58. Singer David Thomas of Take 6 is 58. Singer Junior Bryant of Ricochet is 56. Actor John Huertas (“This is Us,” “Castle”) is 55. Director Chris Weitz (”About a Boy,” “American Pie”) is 55. Country singer Jimmy Wayne is 52. Bassist Eric Bass of Shinedown is 50. “So You Think You Can Dance” host Cat Deeley is 48. Actor Ryan Reynolds is 48. Actor Saycon Sengbloh (TV’s “In The Dark”) is 47. Singer Matthew Shultz of Cage The Elephant is 41. Former TV host Meghan McCain (“The View”) is 40. Actor Masiela Lusha (“George Lopez”) is 39. Singer Miguel is 39. Actor Emilia Clarke (“Game of Thrones”) is 38. Actor Inbar Lavi (“Imposters,” “Prison Break”) is 38. Actor Jessica Stroup (”Iron Fist,” “90210”) is 38. Trumpeter Allen Branstetter of St. Paul and the Broken Bones is 34. Actor Taylor Spreitler (“Kevin Can Wait,” “Melissa and Joey”) is 31. Actor Margaret Qualley (“Poor Things,” “Fosse/Verdon”) is 30. Actor Amandla Stenberg (“The Acolyte,” “The Hunger Games”) is 26.
