Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Celebrity Birthdays for March 19: Actress Renee Taylor (``The Nanny'') is 92. Actress Ursula Andress (``Dr. No,'' ''Casino Royale``) is 89. Singer Clarence ``Frogman'' Henry is 88. Singer Ruth Pointer of the Pointer Sisters is 79.

Celebrity Birthdays for March 16: Country singer Ray Walker (The Jordanaires) is 91. Actor Victor Garber (``Alias'') is 76. Actor Erik Estrada is 76. Actress Kate Nelligan is 75. Country singer Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel is 74.

Celebrity Birthdays for March 18: Composer John Kander (``Chicago'') is 98. Novelist Joy Fielding is 80. Hockey Hall of Fame defenceman Guy Lapointe is 77. Actor Brad Dourif (``Lord of the Rings,'' ''Chucky`` movies) is 75.

Celebrity Birthdays for March 20: Actor Hal Linden is 94. Canadian country singer Tommy Hunter is 88. Vito Picone, lead singer with The Elegants, is 84. Basketball Hall of Fame coach Pat Riley is 80. Canadian author and broadcaster Dr.

Celebrity Birthdays for March 21: Actress Kathleen Widdoes (``As the World Turns'') is 86. Songwriter Chip Taylor (``Wild Thing'') is 85. Singer-guitarist Keith Potger of The Seekers is 84. Actress Marie-Christine Barrault is 81.

Celebrity Birthdays for March 17: Singer-songwriter John Sebastian of the Lovin' Spoonful is 81. Former Toronto Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston is 81. Percussionist Harold Ray Brown of War is 79. Rock singer Ian Gomm is 78. Actor Patrick Duffy is 76.

Celebrity Birthdays for March 22: Actor William Shatner is 94. Hockey Hall of Fame centre Dave Keon is 85. Singer Jeremy Clyde of Chad and Jeremy is 84. Singer-guitarist George Benson is 82.

Today in History for March 28: On this date: In 1380, gunpowder was first used in Europe in a battle between the Genoese and the Venetians. In 1515, Spanish mystic St. Teresa of Avila, founder of a reformed Carmelite order, was born.

Today in History for March 29: On this date: In 1139, Pope Innocent II made the Templars an independent unit within the Catholic Church. The order of knights had been created to protect pilgrims from bandits in the Holy Land.

Today in History for March 23: In 752, Pope Stephen II was elected to succeed Pope Zacharias. Stephen died just two days later.