Entertainment History
On June 28, 1978, members of the band Kansas became the first rock musicians to be named Deputy Ambassadors of Goodwill by UNICEF during a ceremony at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
In 1986, Wham! played their farewell concert, for 72,000 fans at London’s Wembley Stadium.
In 1989, actor Amy Irving filed for divorce from director Steven Spielberg in Los Angeles.
In 1990, Joan Rivers won her first Daytime Emmy Award as a talk show host.
In 1991, Paul McCartney made his debut as a classical composer when his “Liverpool Oratorio” was performed in Liverpool, England.
In 1992, the first National Music Day was celebrated in England. The day was the brainchild of Mick Jagger and included hundreds of events nationwide.
In 1994, the Rolling Stones’ “Voodoo Lounge” album made its debut at Houston’s Astrodome following an Astros-Reds game.
In 2006, Barbara Walters banned Star Jones from the set of “The View” after Jones made a surprise announcement the day before that she was leaving the show in July.
Also in 2006, Charles Gibson appeared for the last time on “Good Morning America.”
Today’s Birthdays: Comedian-director Mel Brooks is 98. Comedian John Byner is 87. Bassist Dave Knights of Procol Harum is 79. Actor Bruce Davison (“X-Men”) is 78 Actor Kathy Bates is 76. Actor Alice Krige (KREE’-geh) is 70. Jazz singer Tierney Sutton is 61. Guitarist-violinist Saul Davies of James is 59. Actor Jessica Hecht (“Friends,” ″The Single Guy”) is 59. Actor John Cusack is 58. Actor Mary Stuart Masterson is 58. Actor Gil Bellows (“The Agency,” “Ally McBeal”) is 57. Actor Tichina Arnold (“The Neighborhood,” “Everybody Hates Chris”) is 55. Actor-songwriter Danielle Brisebois (“All in the Family”) is 55. Jazz saxophonist Jimmy Sommers is 55. Actor Steve Burton (“The Young and the Restless”) is 54. Bassist Tim Nordwind of OK Go is 48. Bassist Mark Stoermer of The Killers is 47. Singer and former “American Idol” contestant Kellie Pickler is 38.
