Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Celebrity Birthdays for June 25: Actress June Lockhart is 100. Singer Eddie Floyd is 88. Actress Barbara Montgomery ("Amen," ''The Women of Brewster Place") is 86. Actress Mary Beth Peil ("The Good Wife," ''Dawson's Creek") is 85.

Celebrity Birthdays for June 28: Comedian-movie director Mel Brooks is 99. Comedian-impressionist John Byner is 87. Actor Bruce Davison is 79. Actress Kathy Bates is 77. Actress Alice Krige is 71. Playwright Brad Fraser is 66.

Celebrity Birthdays for June 23: Singer Diana Trask is 85. Pianist and harpsichordist Ralph Grierson is 83. Actor Ted Shackelford ("Knots Landing") is 79. Actor Bryan Brown ("The Thorn Birds") is 78. Two-time world curling champion Ed Werenich is 78.

Celebrity Birthdays for June 22: Actress Prunella Scales (TV: "Fawlty Towers") is 93. Actor Klaus Maria Brandauer is 82. Journalist Brit Hume is 82. Singer Peter Asher of Peter and Gordon is 81. Singer Howard "Eddie" Kaylan of The Turtles is 78.

Celebrity Birthdays for June 27: Businessman Charles Bronfman is 94. Singer Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys is 83. Composer-arranger-pianist Frank Mills is 83. Fashion designer Vera Wang is 76. Actress Julia Duffy ("Newhart") is 74.

Today in History for July 5: In 1810, one of the greatest showmen of all time, Phineas T. Barnum, was born in Bethel, Conn. In 1811, Venezuela became the first South American country to declare independence from Spain.

Today in Music History for July 4: In 1900, jazz trumpeter and singer Louis (Satchmo) Armstrong was reputed to have been born in New Orleans. But in 1988, a music historian discovered a baptismal certificate that indicated Armstrong was born on Aug.

Today in Music History for July 2: In 1925, country singer Marvin Rainwater was born in Wichita, Kan. He became a star in the 1950s with several of his records becoming million-sellers.

Today in History for June 30: In 1859, French acrobat Blondin crossed the Niagara gorge on a tightrope. Before reaching the Canadian side, he stopped to drink champagne and perform other feats. A crowd of 25,000 watched.

Today in History for July 1: In 1643, the Westminster Assembly first convened in England. From this emerged the Westminster longer and shorter catechisms, still used as doctrinal standards by many Presbyterian churches.