Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Celebrity Birthdays for Dec. 22: Actor Hector Elizondo is 87. Country singer Red Steagall is 85. Former Quebec premier Lucien Bouchard is 85. Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Steve Carlton is 79. Barry Jenkins, drummer with The Animals, is 79.

Celebrity Birthdays for Dec. 23: Actor Ronnie Schell ("Gomer Pyle, USMC") is 92. Emperor Akihito of Japan is 90. Guitarist Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna) is 83. Actor-comedian Harry Shearer ("This Is Spinal Tap", "The Simpsons") is 80.

Celebrity Birthdays for Dec. 20: Actor Tommy Cole ("The Mickey Mouse Club") is 82. Drummer Bobby Colomby of Blood, Sweat and Tears is 79. Former KISS drummer Peter Criss is 78. Producer Dick Wolf ("Law & Order") is 77.

Celebrity Birthdays for Dec. 18: Bram Morrison, of the children's music group Sharon, Lois and Bram, 83. Guitarist Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones is 80. Writer-director Alan Rudolph is 80. Director Steven Spielberg is 77.

Celebrity Birthdays for Dec. 17: Actor Armin Mueller-Stahl is 93. Pope Francis is 87. Singer-actor Tommy Steele is 87. Actor Bernard Hill is 79. Actor Ernie Hudson ("Ghostbusters") is 78. Political commentator host Chris Matthews is 78.

Today in History for Dec. 26: On this date: In 1776, the British suffered a major defeat in the "Battle of Trenton" during the Revolutionary War. In 1791, British legislation creating Upper and Lower Canada (now Ontario and Quebec) came into effect.

Today in Music History for Dec. 30: In 1672, the first public concert was held in London. The musicians performed behind a curtain while patrons ate cakes and drank ale.

Today in Music History for Dec. 28: In 1842, Calixa Lavallee, the composer of "O Canada," was born in Vercheres, Lower Canada (now Quebec). The song, with words by Judge A.B.

Today in Music History for Dec. 27: In 1927, "Show Boat," one of the most influential works in the history of the American musical theatre, premiered in New York.

Today in History for Dec. 30: On this date: In 1384, the English religious reformer John Wycliffe died of a stroke. He was a bold critic of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church and believed the Church should return to the Scriptures.