Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Celebrity Birthdays for June 19: Actress Gena Rowlands is 94. Bass-baritone Donald Bell is 90. Hall of Fame race car driver Shirley Muldowney is 84. Singer Spanky McFarlane of Spanky and Our Gang is 82. Burmese politician Aung San Suu Kyi is 79.

Today in History for June 19: In 325, the month-long Council of Nicea closed. Known as the first ecumenical council in the history of the Church, it formulated the "Nicene Creed" and established the method for calculating when Easter falls.

Today in Music History for June 19: In 1902, band leader Guy Lombardo, whose orchestra played "The Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven," was born in London, Ont.

Celebrity Birthdays for June 18: Philosopher Jurgen Habermas is 95. Tommy Hunt of the doo-wop group the Flamingos is 91. Musician Sir Paul McCartney is 82. Actress Constance McCashin ("Knots Landing") is 77.

Today in History for June 18: In 1464, Roman Catholic Pope Pius II organized a crusade against the Turks, but died before he could meet up with his allies. Soon after, the crusading mentality died out. In 1812, the U.S.

Today in Music History for June 18: In 1830, Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane, an orphaned Scottish poet, was born. Two of her most notable hymns were "Beneath the Cross of Jesus" and “The Ninety and Nine.

Celebrity Birthdays for June 17: Actor Peter Lupus (TV's "Mission: Impossible") is 92. Movie director Ken Loach is 88. Singer Barry Manilow is 81. Rock singer and keyboardist Gregg Rolie (Santana, Journey) is 77. Comedian Joe Piscopo is 73.

Today in History for June 17: In 1616, Sir William Vaughan bought the Avalon Peninsula, which forms Newfoundland's southeastern corner, from the London and Bristol Company.

Today in Music History for June 17: In 1872, composer Johann Strauss conducted a 987-piece orchestra and a 20,000-member choir in a performance of "The Blue Danube" in Boston.

Celebrity Birthdays for June 16: Actress Eileen Atkins ("The Crown," ''Doc Martin") is 90. Actor Bill Cobbs is 90. Country singer Billy "Crash" Craddock is 86. Author Joyce Carol Oates is 86. Singer Eddie Levert of The O'Jays is 82.