Thank f*ck it’s Friday. This week has felt a month long.
Happy Birthday if it’s your birthday today. A very special Happy Happy to Noo and Rew – lots of love to you both, and Rew I am kinda sorry about the whole religious persecution thing. Anyway hope you have a blessed day (mwahahahaha!).
Also born on the 16th of January are:
- 1878 – Pamela Colman Smith was an artist, illustrator, and writer. She is best known for designing the Rider-Waite-Smith deck of divinatory tarot cards used by weirdo cat ladies everywhere.
- 1884 – Robert J. Flaherty was an American filmmaker who directed and produced the first commercially successful feature length documentary film, Nanook of the North, in 1922. I was subjected to Nanook of the North in history of film classes at varsity – it was fairly amusing.
- 1906 – Vera Menchik was a British-Czech chess player who gained renown as the world’s first women’s chess champion.
- 1909 – Richard McDonald was an American fast food pioneer and established the first McDonald’s (obviously) restaurant in San Bernardino, California in 1940.
- 1935 – Sonny Bono was an American record producer, singer, actor, and politician (US Congressman) whose career spanned over three decades. He was also married to flamboyant Sher.
- 1942 – Kim Jong-il is the leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. He is a self-proclaimed Internet expert (although he allows no-one else in North Korea internet access on pain of death) and commands the fifth largest standing army in the world. The people of North Korea officially refer to him as the “Great Leader” or “Dear Leader”. Quite a scary fellow if you ask me – plenty of “potential” there.
- 1954 – Michael Holding is a former West Indian fast bowler. One of the quickest bowlers ever to play Test cricket, he was nicknamed ‘Whispering Death’ by umpires due to his quiet approach to the bowling crease. He is now a commentator on Sky Sports.
- 1954 – Margaux Hemingway was beautiful American supermodel, actress, and granddaughter of the more famous Ernest. Her tragic life was marked by psychological and eating disorders, and drug and alcohol abuse. She finally killed herself with an overdose of Phenobarbital in 1996. He grandfather Ernest also had huge problems with substance abuse and committed suicide. Craziness was in their DNA fo sho.
- 1964 – Christopher Eccleston is an award-winning English stage, film and television actor. He is well known for his roles in such high-profile films as Shallow Grave, Elizabeth, 28 Days Later and Gone in Sixty Seconds, and in 2005 totally rocked the ninth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who.
- 1979 – Valentino Rossi is one of the most successful motorcycle racers of all time, with 8 Grand Prix World Championships to his name. According to Sports Illustrated, Valentino Rossi is one of the highest earning sports personalities in the world, having earned an estimated $34 million in 2007.
Thanks for the info Wikipedia.
Let me know if you’d like me to add a friend, family member or little ol’ you to our daily birthday lists of (famous) people. Mail me names, years of birth, and what makes you or them famous.