Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Celebrity Birthdays for Feb. 15: Actress Claire Bloom is 93. Author Susan Brownmiller is 89. Songwriter Brian Holland (Holland-Dozier-Holland) is 83. Drummer Mick Avory of The Kinks is 80. Jazz saxophonist Henry Threadgill is 80.

Today in History for Feb. 15: In 399 B.C., Socrates, the Greek philosopher, is thought to have been sentenced to death. In 1386, Lithuanian king Jagiello was baptized.

Today in Music History for Feb. 14: In 1879, ``La Marseillaise'' became the national anthem of France. In 1935, Canadian trombonist Rob McConnell was born in London, Ont.

Celebrity Birthdays for Feb. 14: Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is 82. Jazz saxophonist Maceo Parker is 81. Folk singer and songwriter Eric Andersen is 81. Journalist Carl Bernstein is 80.

Today in History for Feb. 14: In AD 270 (traditional), Valentine, a priest in Rome during the reign of Claudius II, was beheaded.

Celebrity Birthdays for Feb. 13: Actress Kim Novak is 91. Actor Bo Svenson (``Walking Tall'') is 83. Actress Stockard Channing is 80. U.S. College basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski is 77. Singer Peter Gabriel is 74. Actor David Naughton is 73.

Today in History for Feb. 13: In 1542, the fifth wife of England's King Henry VIII, Catherine Howard, was executed for adultery. In 1633, Galileo Galilei arrived in Rome for trial before the Inquisition.

Today in Music History for Feb. 13: In 1867, Johann Strauss first conducted his ``Blue Danube Waltz,'' in Vienna. It is the most famous of the more than 400 waltzes that he composed.

Celebrity Birthdays for Feb. 12: Movie director Costa-Gavras is 91. Actor Joe Don Baker is 88. Author Judy Blume is 86. Country singer Moe Bandy is 80. Actress Maud Adams (``Octopussy'') is 79. Actor Cliff DeYoung is 79. Actor Michael Ironside is 74.

Today in History for Feb. 12: In 1554, Lady Jane Grey, who had been queen of England for nine days, was beheaded after being charged with high treason. In 1793, Spain agreed to pay compensation for the seizure of British ships at Nootka, B.C.