Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Celebrity Birthdays for Dec. 29: Former ABC newscaster Tom Jarriel is 89. Actress Barbara Steele is 86. Actor Jon Voight is 85. Singer-commedienne Dinah Christie is 81. Singer Marianne Faithfull is 77. Hall of Fame Jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. is 77.

Celebrity Birthdays for Dec. 27: Actor John Amos ("Men In Trees," ''The West Wing") is 84. Mike Pinder, keyboard player and vocalist with the Moody Blues, is 81. Guitarist Mick Jones of Foreigner is 79. Singer Tracy Nelson is 79.

Celebrity Birthdays for Dec. 30: Actor Russ Tamblyn is 89. Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax is 88. Singer Noel Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul and Mary is 86. Director James Burrows ("Cheers," ''Taxi") is 83.

Today in History for Jan. 6: On this date: In A.D. 548, the Jerusalem church observed Christmas on this date for the last time as the Western church moved to celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ on Dec. 25. In 1412, St.

Today in History for Jan. 4: On this date: In 1493, Columbus sailed for Spain from the New World on his ship, the "Nina.' In 1581, James Ussher, archbishop of Armagh, was born in Dublin, Ireland.

Today in History for Jan. 1: On this date: In 1622, the Roman Catholic church adopted Jan. 1 as the beginning of the year, rather than March 25. In 1653, Newfoundland's Coat of Arms was granted by King Charles I.

Today in History for Jan. 2: On this date: In 1492, King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile ended Muslim rule in Spain by conquering Granada, the last Muslim stronghold in the country.

Today in History for Jan. 3: On this date: In 1661, female actors appeared on an English stage for the first time. In 1777, the United States adopted the Stars and Stripes as its official flag.

Today in History for Jan. 5: On this date: In A.D. 459, St. Simeon Stylites, who, according to legend, lived at the top of an 18-metre pillar in the Syrian desert non-stop for 36 years, died on it.

Today in History for Dec. 31: On this date: In 1600, Queen Elizabeth I granted the British East India Co. a monopoly on all trade to the East Indies.