| July 20 |
1938 -- Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg is born today in Yorkshire, England. Diana spent her early childhood in India where her father, a railway engineer, was based. Always considering herself a stage actress, Diana joined the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford-on-Avon when she was 21, appearing in 'MacBeth,' 'King Lear' and 'The Taming of the Shrew.' Her big-screen debut came in 1962's 'Our Man in the Caribbean' (later, she also memorably married James Bond -- briefly -- in George Lazenby's 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service') but it was in 1965 that she gained American attention when she joined 'The Avengers' as Mrs. Emma Peel. Replacing Honor Blackman (Catherine Gale) could have been a disaster but tv fans on both sides of The Pond took to the lithe, reserved, mysterious Mrs. Peel. With the exception of the brief NBC sitcom 'Diana,' Dame Rigg (she was named Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in June, 1994, for her contributions to film and theater) has kept her television appearances to mostly BBC fare, yet she's still active on the British stage as well. Happy Birthday, Diana! 1950 -- Put on your dancing shoes; 'The Arthur Murray Dance Party' premieres on ABC. 1954 -- Elvis Presley, Scotty Moore and Bill Black perform in public for the first time at the opening of a new drugstore in Memphis. They bill themselves as the Blue Moon Boys. 1968 -- Jane Asher announces to a national television audience in England that her engagement to Paul McCartney was off -- reportedly, to the surprise of Paul. 1969 -- Apollo 11 lands on the moon. Remember where you were when it happened? 1975 -- Steven Van Zandt, Sil Dante of 'The Sopranos,' performs in concert for the first time as a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. Rumor has it that he's tried to quit the band several times but each time he tries to get out they pull him back in!!! 1991 -- Kirk Cameron marries his 'Growing Pains' co-star Chelsea Noble in upstate New York. 2005 -- Vancouver-born actor James Doohan, best known as Scotty on 'Star Trek,' dies of pneumonia and Alzheimer's at his home in Redmond, Washington. He was 85 years old. Thanks for givin' it all ya' had, sirrr. |
| From L - R: Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin. Credit: NASA Kids -- and adults -- can learn more about the landing at this NASA site. |
| Since the cancellation of 'Growing Pains,' Kirk has become more outspoken about faith and family. Keep in touch with Kirk and his projects at his website, kirkcameron.com |
