Today in History for 2nd May 2022:
Historical Events
1946 – The “Battle of Alcatraz” takes place, killing two guards and three inmates
1957 – First Hammer color horror film released “The Curse of Frankenstein” starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee
1969 – British liner Queen Elizabeth II leaves Southampton on maiden voyage to NY
1984 – Stephen Sondheim’s musical “Sunday in the Park with George”, a fictionalized version of painter Georges Seurat’s relationship with his grandson, starring Mandy Patinkin, opens at Booth Theater, NYC; runs for 604 performances, wins a Pulitzer Prize for Drama
1999 – John Elway announces his retirement from the NFL
2002 – Marad massacre of eight Hindus near Palakkad in Kerala
Famous Birthdays
1857 – Frederic Cliffe, English composer, born in Bradford, Yorkshire (d. 1931)
1859 – Eugène d’Harcourt, French composer, born in Paris (d. 1918)
1924 – Theodore Bikel, Austrian-American stage and screen singer and actor (The Sound of Music; Fiddler On The Roof; The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming; 200 Motels), folk singer (co-founder Newport Folk Festival), and political activist, born in Vienna, Austria (d. 2015)
1942 – Jacques Rogge, Belgian sports administrator, (8th President International Olympic Committee 2001-13), born in Ghent, Belgium (d. 2021)
1945 – Goldy McJohn [John Goadsby], Canadian rock keyboard and Hammond B3 organ player (Steppenwolf – “Magic Carpet ride”; ‘Born To Be Wild”), born in Toronto, Ontario (d. 2017)
1975 – David Beckham, English soccer midfielder (115 caps [58 as captain]; Man Utd, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Paris SG, LA Galaxy) and owner (Inter Miami CF, Salford City), born in London, England
Famous Deaths
1845 – August Pauly, German writer (Real Encyclopedia), dies at 48
1918 – Ernie Parker, Australian tennis player (Australasian C’ship 1913), dies in action WWI at 34
1954 – Pauline Manifarges, Dutch contralto singer, dies at 82
1985 – Bridget D’Oyly Carte, British theater and hotel director, dies of lung cancer at 77
1998 – Hide [Hideto Matsumoto], Japanese rock guitarist, singer-songwriter and record producer (X Japan; Zilch), takes his own life at 33
2018 – Tony Cucchiara, Italian folk singer and songwriter (“Cain and Abel”), dies at 80