Today In Entertainment History—October 16, 2008

On October 16th, 1957, “You Send Me” by Sam Cooke was released. It was his first million-seller.

In 1967, Joan Baez and about 120 other anti-draft demonstrators were arrested for blocking the entrance to a military center in Oakland, California. They were jailed for ten days.

In 1968, the New Yardbirds played their first concert at a club in London. They later changed their name to Led Zeppelin.

In 1969, Leonard Chess died of a heart attack. He founded Chess Records with his brother Phil in the early 1950s.

In 1972, the members of Creedence Clearwater Revival announced they were breaking up.

In 1976, Stevie Wonder’s album “Songs In The Key Of Life” was released.

In 1992, singer Sinead O’Connor was booed off the stage at a Madison Square Garden show honoring Bob Dylan’s 30 years of music. The crowd was still reacting to O’Connor’s appearance on Saturday Night Live” two weeks earlier, when she had torn up a picture of the pope.

In 2003, Simon and Garfunkel reunited for their first concert tour in two decades, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

In 2007, Ellen DeGeneres opened her talk show in tears after she had adopted a dog and given it to her hairdressers’ daughters. The dog had been taken away by the adoption agency and DeGeneres felt bad for the girls.

Today’s Birthdays:

Actress Angela Lansbury is 83. Actor-producer Tony Anthony is 71. Actor Barry Corbin (“One Tree Hill,“ “Northern Exposure”) is 68. Bassist C.F. Turner of Bachman-Turner Overdrive is 65. Actress Suzanne Somers is 62. Guitarist Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead is 61. Producer-director David Zucker is 61. Actor-director Tim Robbins is 50. Guitarist Gary Kemp (Spandau Ballet) is 49. Singer Bob Mould (Husker Du) is 48. Actor Randy Vasquez (“JAG”) is 47. Bassist Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers is 46. Actress Terri J. Vaughn (“All of Us,“ “The Steve Harvey Show”) is 39. Singer Wendy Wilson (Wilson Phillips) is 39. Rapper B-Rock of B-Rock and the Bizz is 37. Singer Chad Gray of Mudvayne is 37. Actress Kellie Martin (“Christy,“ “Life Goes On”) is 33. Singer-songwriter John Mayer is 31. Actor Jeremy Jackson (“Baywatch”) is 28. Actress Brea Grant (“Heroes”) is 27.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)