Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Celebrity Birthdays for Dec. 7: Academic and activist Noam Chomsky is 95. Actress Ellen Burstyn is 91. Soprano Heather Thomson is 83. Hockey Hall of Fame goalie Gerry Cheevers is 83. Broadcast journalist Carole Simpson is 82.

Today in History for Dec. 7: In AD 374, Ambrose, an early church father, was consecrated Bishop of Milan, Italy.

Today in Music History for Dec. 7: In 1877, the first successful gramophone was demonstrated. It was invented by Thomas Edison and built by his mechanic, John Kruesi. In 1916, French-Canadian fiddler Ti-Jean Carignan was born in Levis, Que.

Celebrity Birthdays for Dec. 6: Comedy performer David Ossman is 87. Actor Patrick Bauchau is 85. '60s pop singer Steve Alaimo is 84. Country singer Helen Cornelius is 82. Actor James Naughton is 78. Singer Frankie Beverly of Maze is 77.

Today in History for Dec. 6: In 1752, a government pamphlet in Halifax became the first book published in Canada. In 1780, Jean-Antoine Aide-Crequy, the first Canadian-born painter, died in Quebec City.

Today in Music History for Dec. 6: (Editors: Some reference books give Dec. 6th or 7th, 1877, as the date Thomas Edison made the first recording on his newly-invented phonograph. Others say the historic recording was made Aug.

Celebrity Birthdays for Dec. 5: Author Calvin Trillin is 88. Actor Jeroen Krabbe ("The Fugitive") is 79. Opera singer Jose Carreras is 77. Singer-songwriter Andy Kim (born Andrew Youakim, also known as Baron Longfellow) is 77.

Today in History for Dec. 5: In 1484, Pope Innocent VIII issued his Witch Bull, ordering an inquisition to systematically discover, torture and execute witches throughout Europe.

Today in Music History for Dec. 5: In 1791, composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died at age 35. He was buried in an unmarked grave in Vienna’s St. Marx Cemetery. Mozart’s final resting place has remained undiscovered to this day.

Celebrity Birthdays for Dec. 4: Hockey Hall of Fame centre Alex Delvecchio is 92. Game show host Wink Martindale is 90. Singer Freddy (Boom Boom) Cannon is 87. Actor-producer-director Max Baer Jr. ("The Beverly Hillbillies") is 86.