Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Celebrity Birthdays for Nov. 20: Actress Estelle Parsons is 96. Author Don DeLillo is 87. Comedian Dick Smothers is 85. Tony Butala of the pop vocal group The Lettermen is 85. Singer Norman Greenbaum is 81. US President Joe Biden is 81.

Celebrity Birthdays for Nov. 19: Talk show host Dick Cavett is 87. Media mogul Ted Turner is 85. Songwriter and producer Jerry Fuller is 85. Fashion designer Calvin Klein is 81.

Today in History for Nov. 26: On this date: In 1539, in England, the monastery at the Fountains Abbey was surrendered to the Crown.

Today in History for Dec. 2: On this date: In 1552, St. Francis Xavier, the founder of the Jesuits, died while on a missionary journey to China. In 1804, Napoleon crowned himself Emperor of the French.

Today in Music History for Dec. 2: In 1923, soprano Maria Callas, renowned for her dramatic intensity and versatility, was born in New York City. She moved to Greece at the age of 13, studying at the Royal Conservatory in Athens.

Today in Music History for Nov. 26: In 1933, singer-actor Robert Goulet was born in Lawrence, Mass. He moved to Edmonton while in his teens, and was a semifinalist on CBC TV's "Pick the Stars" in 1952.

Today in Music History for Nov. 28: In 1902, the Quebec Symphony Orchestra gave its first concert at Tara Hall with violinist J. Alexandre Gilbert as soloist. The Quebec Symphony is Canada's oldest surviving major orchestra.

Today in History for Nov. 29 On this date: In 1530, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, adviser to King Henry VIII of England, died.

Today in Music History for Nov. 27: In 1941, country-pop singer Eddie Rabbitt was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. Rabbitt's big break came in 1971, when Elvis Presley recorded his "Kentucky Rain." It turned out to be Presley's 50th million seller.

Today in History for Nov. 27 On this date: In 1095, in France, Pope Urban II solemnly proclaimed the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont.