Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Celebrity Birthdays for April 23: Actor Alan Oppenheimer is 94. Actor Lee Majors ("Six Million Dollar Man") is 85. Actress Blair Brown is 78. Actress Joyce DeWitt ("Three's Company") is 75. Writer-director Paul Brickman is 75.

Today in Music History for May 4: In 1905, honky tonk singer Al Dexter was born in Jacksonville, Texas. He perfected his style in the oil-boom dance halls of East Texas.

Today in Music History for May 2: In 1908, the original version of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," with music by Albert Von Tilzer and lyrics by Jack Norworth, was copyrighted by Von Tilzer's York Music Company.

Today in Music History for May 3: In 1903, singer and actor Bing Crosby was born in Tacoma, Wash. He sang with dance bands from 1925-30, and in 1931 began work in radio and films.

Today in Music History for April 29: In 1899, jazz musician, composer and bandleader Edward Kennedy (Duke) Ellington was born in Washington, D.C.

Today in Music History for May 1: In 1786, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's comic opera "The Marriage of Figaro" had its world premiere in Vienna.

Today in Music History for April 30: In 1925, country singer Johnny Horton was born in Tyler, Texas. His "Battle of New Orleans" sold one million copies in 1959, as did his 1960 "North to Alaska," the title song from a John Wayne movie.

Today in Music History for April 28: In 1932, violinist Steven Staryk, considered the leading Canadian-born virtuoso of his generation, was born in Toronto.

Today in History for May 4: On this date: In 1493, Spanish-born Pope Alexander VI divided the non-Christian world between Spain and Portugal.

Today in History for May 3: On this date: In 495, Pope St. Gelasius I decreed that his spiritual power as supreme pontiff was superior to the temporal power of Emperor Anastasius. It was called the Gelasian Decree. In 1074, St.