Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Today in Music History for Feb. 2: In 1594, Giovanni da Palestrina, one of the most gifted composers of Renaissance church music, died. In 1901, violinist Jascha Heifetz was born in Vilna, Russia.

Celebrity Birthdays for Feb. 1: Actor-comedian Garrett Morris is 88. Arranger and jazz tenor saxophonist Rick Wilkins is 88. Bluegrass singer Del McCoury is 86. TV personality-singer Joy Philbin is 84.

Today in Music History for Feb. 1: In 1896, the opera ``La Boheme,'' by Giacomo Puccini, premiered in Turin, Italy. In 1909, gospel singer George Beverly Shea was born in Ottawa.

Today in History for Feb. 1: In 1516, Desiderius Erasmus dedicated his ``amendment'' of Jerome's Latin (Vulgate) translation of the Bible to Pope Leo X. Martin Luther and other Protestants based their vernacular versions on the translations.

Celebrity Birthdays for Feb. 4: Actor Jerry Adler ("The Good Wife," ''The Sopranos") is 96. Actor Gary Conway ("Burke's Law") is 89. Actor John Schuck is 85. Drummer John Steel of The Animals is 84. Singer Florence LaRue of the Fifth Dimension is 82.

Celebrity Birthdays for Feb. 5: Hockey commentator Don Cherry is 91. Tony-winning playwright John Guare is 87. Financial writer Jane Bryant Quinn is 86. Actor David Selby (``Dark Shadows,'' ''Falcon Crest``) is 84.

Celebrity Birthdays for Feb. 3: Jazz saxophonist John Handy is 92. Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton is 85. Angelo D'Aleo of the '50s and '60s pop group The Belmonts, is 85. Actress Blythe Danner is 82.

Celebrity Birthdays for Feb. 2: Singer Graham Nash is 83. Television executive Barry Diller is 83. Singer Howard Bellamy of the Bellamy Brothers is 79. TV chef Ina Garten (``Barefoot Contessa'') is 77.

Celebrity Birthdays for Feb. 6: Actress Mamie Van Doren is 94. Actor Mike Farrell is 86. Former NBC news anchorman Tom Brokaw is 85. Singer Fabian is 82. Actor Michael Tucker (``L.A. Law'') is 80. Producer-director-writer Jim Sheridan is 76.

Celebrity Birthdays for Feb. 7: Author Gay Talese is 93. Soprano Lois McDonall is 86. Classical pianist Arthur Ozolins is 79. Comedian Robert Smigel (SNL, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog) is 65. Actor James Spader is 65.