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On This Day
Discover events that happened On This Day including famous birthdays and notable deaths. Each day we highlight famous people, past and present, who have impacted our world. Browse sections by selecting the links below or click the calendar to view events on another day.
December 8
Events on This Day
-
1863
150 years ago
President Abraham Lincoln announces his plan for rebuilding the country after the Civil War with his Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction.
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1902
111 years ago
Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. starts his service as a Supreme Court justice.
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1949
64 years ago
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, starring Carol Channing, opens on Broadway and runs for 740 performances. The film version released in 1953 stars Marilyn Monroe.
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1980
33 years ago
Former Beatle John Lennon is shot to death outside his New York City apartment building by obsessed fan Mark David Chapman.
December 8
Born on This Day
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Jim Morrison
- In these groups:
- The 27 Club
- Celebrity Bookings
- The Ed Sullivan Show Guests
Jim Morrison
Songwriter, Singer, Poet / 1943 - 1971
Jim Morrison was the charismatic singer and songwriter for the 1960 rock group the Doors until his death in a Paris bathtub at age 27.
Born: December 8, 1943
Birthplace: Melbourne, Florida, United States
Occupation: Songwriter, Singer, Poet -
Sam Kinison
Sam Kinison
Comedian / 1953 - 1992
Sam Kinison was an American comedian best known for his crass humor and trademark scream. The Grammy-nominated comedian received his first break from fellow comedian Rodney Dangerfield.
1953 | 38 years old
Comedian -
Teri Hatcher
- In these groups:
- Primetime Soap Stars
- Famous Sagittarians
- Famous Actresses
Teri Hatcher
Actress / 1964 -
Teri Hatcher is an American Actress best known for her role on the hit television series Desperate Housewives.
1964 | 48 years old
Actress -
Diego Rivera
- In these groups:
- Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera
- Famous Hispanic Artists
- Famous Sagittarians
Diego Rivera
Painter / 1886 - 1957
Painter and muralist Diego Rivera sought to make art that reflected the lives of the working class and native peoples of Mexico.
Born: December 8, 1886
Birthplace: Guanajuato, Mexico
Occupation: Painter -
Kim Basinger
Kim Basinger
Animal Rights Activist, Film Actress / 1953 -
Film actress Kim Basinger won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in L.A. Confidential. She married actor Alec Baldwin in 1993.
1953 | 59 years old
Animal Rights Activist, Film Actress -
Sammy Davis Jr.
- In these groups:
- Apollo Legends
- The Rat Pack
- Famous Harlem Residents
Sammy Davis Jr.
Film Actor, Television Actor, Comedian, Dancer, Singer / 1925 - 1990
Sammy Davis Jr. was an actor, comedian, singer and dancer, and part of the Rat Pack with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, with whom he starred in several films.
1925 | 64 years old
Film Actor, Television Actor, ...
December 8
Died on This Day
-
John Lennon
- In these groups:
- John Lennon and Yoko Ono
- The Beatles
- Famous Celebrity Couples
John Lennon
Songwriter, Singer / 1940 - 1980
John Lennon, pop star, composer, songwriter and recording artist, founded the Beatles, a band that impacted the music scene like no other before or since.
Died: December 8, 1980
Age: 40 years old
Place: New York, New York , United States
Occupation: Songwriter -
Golda Meir
- In these groups:
- Notable Female Leaders
- Famous Taureans
- Famous Prime Ministers
Golda Meir
Diplomat, Prime Minister / 1898 - 1978
Golda Meir was best known as the fourth Prime Minister of Israel and the world’s third woman to hold the title.
1978 | 80 years old
Diplomat, Prime Minister -
Rubén González
- In these groups:
- Hispanic Musicians and Singers
- Famous Geminis
- Famous Pianists
Rubén González
Pianist / 1919 - 2003
Rubén González was an acclaimed Afro-Cuban pianist and Buena Vista Social Club member who released his debut album as a lead player at the age of 78.
2003 | 84 years old
Pianist
Email Updates
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Play Nowprofile name: Jim Morrison profile occupation: Songwriter, Singer, Poet
profile id: 424006
profile name: Sam Kinison profile occupation: Comedian
profile id: 222481
profile name: Teri Hatcher profile occupation: Actress
profile id: 9459446
profile name: Diego Rivera profile occupation: Painter
profile id: 9201351
profile name: Kim Basinger profile occupation: Animal Rights Activist, Film Actress
profile id: 9268223
profile name: Sammy Davis Jr. profile occupation: Film Actor, Television Actor, ...
profile id: 9379045
profile name: John Lennon profile occupation: Songwriter
profile id: 9404859
profile name: Golda Meir profile occupation: Diplomat, Prime Minister
profile id: 189358
profile name: Rubén González profile occupation: Pianist
profile id: 9382540
profile name: Abraham Lincoln profile occupation: U.S. Representative
profile id: 9342405
profile name: Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. profile occupation: Supreme Court Justice
profile id: 9542563
profile name: Carol Channing profile occupation: Theater Actress
profile id: 9412123
profile name: Marilyn Monroe profile occupation: Pin-up
profile id: 9244472
profile name: Mark David Chapman profile occupation: Assassin
profile id: 40442
profile name: Roy Campanella profile occupation: Baseball Player
profile id: 9484810
profile name: Frank Sinatra profile occupation: Singer
profile id: 9344818
profile name: Whitney Houston profile occupation: Singer
profile id: 9306297
profile name: Jerry Garcia profile occupation: Musician
profile id: 20878671
profile name: Bob Weir profile occupation: Guitarist
profile id: 20682817
profile name: Phil Lesh profile occupation: Bassist
profile id: 40654
profile name: Dolores Ibárruri profile occupation: Political Leader
profile id: 36954
profile name: Nikolay Danilevsky profile occupation: Journalist
profile id: 40355
profile name: Big Mama Thornton profile occupation: Songwriter
profile id: 38511
profile name: John Osborne profile occupation: Playwright
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Upcoming Birthdays
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Dolores IbárruriDolores Ibárruri
Political Leader / 1895 - 1989
Dolores Ibárruri was Spanish Communist leader who earned a legendary reputation as an impassioned orator during the Spanish Civil War.December 9, 1895
Political Leader -
Nikolay Danilevsky
- In these groups:
- Famous Academics
- Famous Sagittarians
- Famous Philosophers
Nikolay Danilevsky
Philosopher, Academic Author, Journalist / 1822 - 1885
Russian historical philosopher and naturalist Nikolay Danilevsky wanted Russia to establish a cultural identity independent of the West.December 10, 1822
Journalist -
Big Mama Thornton
- In these groups:
- Famous Sagittarians
- Famous Singers
- Famous Songwriters and Composers
Big Mama Thornton
Songwriter, Singer / 1926 - 1984
Big Mama Thorton was a classic blues singer and songwriter whose influential work has been covered by artists including Elvis and Janis Joplin.
December 11, 1926
Songwriter -
John Osborne
- In these groups:
- Best Screenplay Oscar Winners
- Famous Sagittarians
- Famous Actors
John Osborne
Theater Actor, Producer, Playwright / 1929 - 1994
British playwright John Osborne's Look Back in Anger ushered in a new movement in British drama and made him known as the first of the "Angry Young Men."
December 12, 1929
Playwright
Famous Sagittarians
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Kara Walker
- In these groups:
- Famous Black Artists
- Famous Sagittarians
- Famous Painters
Kara Walker
Painter / 1969 -
Kara Walker is an African-American artist who rose to fame for her use of large paper silhouettes to explore social issues surrounding gender, race and black history.
November 26, 1969
Painter -
Noam Chomsky
- In these groups:
- Famous Academics
- Famous Linguists
- Famous Sagittarians
Noam Chomsky
Linguist, Anti-War Activist, Academic Author, Journalist / 1928 -
Famed scholar Noam Chomsky is known for both his groundbreaking contributions to linguistics and his penetrating critiques of political systems.
December 7, 1928
Linguist, Anti-War Activist, Academic Author, Journalist
