Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Celebrity Birthdays for Jan. 27: Actor James Cromwell (``Murder in the First,'' ''Babe``) is 84. Drummer Nick Mason of Pink Floyd is 80. Singer Nedra Talley of The Ronettes is 78.

Today in History for Jan. 27: In AD 398, John Chrysostom, the greatest preacher of his age, was consecrated bishop of Constantinople.

Today in Music History for Jan. 27: In 1731, Italian harpsichord manufacturer Bartolomeo Cristofori died. He is generally credited with inventing the piano.

Celebrity Birthdays for Feb. 3: Jazz saxophonist John Handy is 91. Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton is 84. Angelo D'Aleo of the '50s and '60s pop group The Belmonts, is 84. Actress Blythe Danner is 81.

Celebrity Birthdays for Feb. 1: Actor-comedian Garrett Morris is 87. Arranger and jazz tenor saxophonist Rick Wilkins is 87. Bluegrass singer Del McCoury is 85. TV personality-singer Joy Philbin is 83.

Celebrity Birthdays for Jan. 31: Composer Philip Glass is 87. Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands, the former queen regent, is 86. Quebec singer-songwriter Claude Gauthier is 85. Bluesman Charlie Musselwhite is 80.

Celebrity Birthdays for Jan. 28: Bluegrass musician Vic Mullen is 91. Actor Nicholas Pryor (``Risky Business'') is 89. Actor Alan Alda is 88. Actress Susan Howard (``Dallas'') is 82. Former NHL player and 1972 Summit Series star Paul Henderson is 81.

Celebrity Birthdays for Jan. 30: Actor Gene Hackman is 94. Actress Vanessa Redgrave is 87. Country singer Jeanne Pruett is 87. Chess grandmaster Boris Spassky is 87. Country singer Norma Jean is 86. Horn player William King of The Commodores is 75.

Celebrity Birthdays for Jan. 29: Feminist author Germaine Greer is 85. Actress Katharine Ross is 84. Feminist author Robin Morgan is 83. Actor Tom Selleck is 79. Singer Bettye LaVette is 78. Actor Marc Singer is 76. Actress Ann Jillian is 74.

Celebrity Birthdays for Feb. 2: Singer Graham Nash is 82. Television executive Barry Diller is 82. Singer Howard Bellamy of the Bellamy Brothers is 78. TV chef Ina Garten (``Barefoot Contessa'') is 76.