10 random things that happened on this day in history (Aug 15th) as it relates to showbiz...
I am a collage of unaccounted for brush strokes...
1483 The Sistine Chapel is consecrated and holds its first mass at the Vatican. Remember that "anecdote" in Six Degrees of Separation (1993) about slapping the hand of god? What a fantastic play/film. Stockard Channing's nomination that year was so well-earned. In many years that performance would have been my gold medalist, but what a stellar Best Actress year 1993 was. Hunter, Bassett, Channing, etc...
1879 Future Oscar winner Ethel Barrymore (None but the Lonely Heart) born in Philadephia. She is one of only nine women to have ever been nominated for 4 Supporting Actress Oscars. We're discussing that list right now actually ...
1912 Amazing actress Wendy Hiller born in England on this day. She would go on to 3 Oscar nominations and a win (Separate Tables, 1958). On the same day in Pasadena...
Future famous chef Julia Child is born. She'll be played by Meryl Streep in Julie & Julia (2009) resulting in yet another Oscar nomination.
1936 Pro football player Mike Henry born in Los Angeles. He'd eventually forge a non spectacular screen career, getting his big break while looking spectacular in Tarzan and the Valley of Gold.
1941 Life Begins for Andy Hardy, the 11th film in Mickey Rooney's hit Andy Hardy franchise (and the last featuring Judy Garland) opens in movie theaters. Did people complain back in the 30s and 40s when their favorite franchises like this one, The Thin Man, and Tarzan weren't nominated for Oscars?
1945 Japan surrenders ending World War II (though it wasn't quite "official" until September 2nd), but World War II movies continue forever thereafter. We used to bemoan this fact. So foolish we were to think we'd heard the stories enough and what more could be learned from all the war movies and Holocaust movies? Clearly mankind didn't learn enough!
1967 Super sexy Peter Hermann born on this day in NYC. He currently stars as Charles Brooks on Younger with Sutton Foster. Did you know he was married to Mariska Hargitay and speaks four languages?!? I just learned these two trivia bits today!
1986 David Cronenberg's spectacular remake of The Fly opens in movie theaters starring Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis, both in great form. The hit movie wins the Oscar for Best Makeup but clearly deserved more than just that one nomination.
1990 Happy 28th birthday to movie star Jennifer Lawrence. Born on this day in Kentucky. Any readers here from Kentucky? Do you have other movie stars besides Johnny Depp and JLaw?
2008 Vicky Cristina Barcelona opens in theaters. The summer Woody Allen film will win Penélope Cruz the Oscar for being so "gee-nee-uss"
More Celebs and Actors Born On This Day: Ben Affleck, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Lucille Soong, Tess Harper, Joe Jonas, Natasha Henstridge, Debra Messing, Anthony Anderson, Princess Anne, Zelko Ivanek, Quinton Aaron, Jim Dale, Lee Sang-yoon, and hunky Broadway dancer / occasional screen actor Michael Berresse.