Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Celebrity Birthdays for March 2: Actor John Cullum ("Northern Exposure") is 94. Actress Barbara Luna is 87. Author John Irving is 82. Canadian Songwriters Hall-of-famer Luc Plamondon is 82. Actress Cassie Yates is 73.

Today in Music History for March 2: In 1942, Charlie Christian, the man responsible for making the guitar a lead instrument rather than just a part of the rhythm section, died in New York of tuberculosis. He was only 25.

Today in History for March 2: In 1492, 800,000 Jews were banished from Spain by King Ferdinand V. In 1699, French explorer Sieur d'Iberville located the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Celebrity Birthdays for March 9: Actress Joyce Van Patten is 90. Canadian and World Gold Hall-of-Famer Marlene Stewart Streit is 90. NHL colour commentator Harry Neale is 87. Actress Trish Van Devere is 83.

Celebrity Birthdays for March 6: Dancer-actress Carmen de Lavallade is 93. Actress-writer Joanna Miles is 84. Actor Ben Murphy is 82. Jazz singer Flora Purim is 82. Opera singer Dame Kiri Te Kanawa is 80. Drummer Hugh Grundy of The Zombies is 79.

Celebrity Birthdays for March 4: Actress Paula Prentiss (1975's "The Stepford Wives") is 86. Movie director Adrian Lyne ("Fatal Attraction") is 83. Singer Dieter Meier (Yello) is 79. Saxophonist Jan Garbarek is 77.

Celebrity Birthdays for March 8: Composer, conductor, pianist and arranger Dick Hyman is 97. Actress Sue Ane Langdon is 88. Actress Susan Clark is 81. Songwriter Carole Bayer Sager is 80. Actor-director Micky Dolenz of The Monkees is 79.

Celebrity Birthdays for March 5: Actor Paul Sand ("St. Elsewhere") is 92. Actor James B. Sikking ("Hill Street Blues," ''Doogie Howser, M.D.") is 90. Football player-turned-actor Fred Williamson is 86.

Celebrity Birthdays for March 3: Singer-guitarist Mike Pender of The Searchers is 83. Movie producer-director George Miller ("Mad Max") is 79. Actress Hattie Winston ("Becker") is 79. Singer Jennifer Warnes is 77.

Celebrity Birthdays for March 7: Architect Douglas Cardinal is 90. International Motorsports Hall-of-Famer Janet Guthrie is 86. Actor Daniel J. Travanti (``Hill Street Blues'') is 84. Entertainment executive Michael Eisner is 82.