Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Today in History for Jan. 16: In 1543, the British Parliament prohibited any ``women or artificer's prentices, journeymen, servingmen of the degree of yeoman, or under, husbandmen or labourers to read the New Testament in English.

Celebrity Birthdays for Jan. 15: Actress Margaret O'Brien ("Meet Me In St. Louis") is 87. TV and radio personality Dini Petty is 79. Retired ballerina Veronica Tennant is 78. Actress Andrea Martin is 77.

Today in History for Jan. 15: In AD 345, Paul of Thebes, traditionally considered the first Christian hermit and an inspiration for Antony of Egypt and later Christian monasticism, died.

Today in Music History for Jan. 15: In 1882, tenor Henry Burr (born Harry McClaskey), the most prolific recording artist of his era, was born in St. Stephen, N.B. He recorded an estimated 12,000 titles from 1902 to about 1930.

Today in Music History for Jan. 14: In 1790, the first operatic work to be performed in Canada, "Colas et Colinette ou le Bailli Dupe," premiered in Montreal. In 1900, Puccini's opera "Tosca" had its world premiere in Rome.

Celebrity Birthdays for Jan. 14: Singer Caterina Valente is 93. Olympic alpine skier Lucille Wheeler is 89. Blues singer Clarence Carter is 88. Singer Jack Jones is 86. Actress Faye Dunaway is 83.

Today in History for Jan. 14: In 1529, Spanish diplomat and writer Juan de Valdes published his Dialogue on Christian Doctrine. It paved the way for Protestant ideas in Spain.

Celebrity Birthdays for Jan. 13: TV personality Nick Clooney is 90. Actor Charlie Brill is 86. Actor Billy Gray (``Father Knows Best'') is 86. John Lees, lead guitarist with Barclay James Harvest, is 77. Guitarist Trevor Rabin of Yes is 70.

Today in Music History for Jan. 13: In 1501, Christianity's first vernacular hymnal was printed in Prague, capital of the present-day Czech Republic. It contained 89 hymns in the Czech language.

Today in History for Jan. 13: In 1691, Englishman George Fox, founder of the Society of Friends, or Quakers, died. In 1695, satirist Jonathan Swift, author of "Gulliver's Travels," was ordained an Anglican priest in Ireland.