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Scroll down for events & birthdays that happened on this date and a list of celebrities who died recently.
July 8 What Happened On This Day
1996 “INDEPENDENCE DAY” hit $100 million in ticket sales faster than any film in history. (Released 7/2/196)
1996 Lowest TV ratings for an All-Star game: NL beat the AL. (Earlier, Cal Ripken’s nose was broken when the back-row riser collapsed at the AL team photo)
1995 Philadelphia police arrested RUFUS LAWSON during his wedding ceremony at Zion Baptist Church. Lawson had been convicted in absentia of jewelry theft. (He did not even get to kiss the bride!)
1976 RICHARD NIXON was disbarred in New York.
1970 The EVERLY BROTHERS starred in a 13 week summer replacement TV show.
1967 BILLIE JEAN KING swept 3 titles at Wimbledon. (singles, doubles, & mixed doubles)
1947 UFO buffs believe a spaceship crashed near Roswell, NM, and alien life forms were taken to a secret government facility.
1941 ALL-STAR GAME: AL 7 NL 5 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit. (Ted Williams hit a game-winning 3 run homer with 2 outs in the 9th)
1907 FLORENZ ZIEGFELD’s first Follies was staged in New York.
1889 The Wall Street Journal was first published.
1889 Final bare-knuckles boxing match: JOHN SULLIVAN beat Jake Kilrain in the 75th round to win the U.S. heavyweight championship. (Richburg, MS)
1860 The Lady Elgin collided with a lumber schooner near Wilmette, IL. (279 Irish-Americans returning to Milwaukee died)
1835 The Liberty Bell cracked.
Birthdays in History July 8
1951 Actress ANJELICA HUSTON
1948 Actress KIM DARBY
1942 Politician PHIL GRAMM
1935Singer STEVE LAWRENCE
1933 Actor MARTY FELDMAN
1931SingerJERRY VALE
1931TV pioneer ROONE ARLEDGE
1914 Bandleader/baritone BILLY ECKSTINE
1908 LOUIE JORDAN
1907 Former HUD secretary GEORGE ROMNEY
1838 German general and inventor FERDINAND VON ZEPPELIN
1831 Dr. JOHN PEMBERTON
July 9 On This Date
1997 Miss Canada International, DANIELLE HOUSE, was convicted of assaulting her ex-boyfriend’s girlfriend in a bar brawl. (The woman sustained 2 black eyes & a broken nose 10/18/96)
1996 Shortest lockout in NBA history: 8 minutes. (TV money was the snag)
1995 The Grateful Dead played their final concert at Soldier Field in Chicago. (“BOX OF RAIN” was the final encore)
1991 The AL beat the NL 4-2 in the first All-Star game played outside the U.S.
1991 Mgr. TONY LARUSSA won a record 3rd consecutive All-Star game; DENNIS ECKERSLEY became the 1st to get 3 saves; CARLTON FISK, the oldest player (43) to get a hit.
1990 First G-7 economic meeting of the post-cold war era. (Houston, TX)
1988 U.S. unemployment hit a 15 year low of 5.2%
1982 DIET COKE was introduced.
1975 CHER filed for divorce from Greg Allman just nine days after they married.
1974 CROSBY, STILLS, NASH, & YOUNG began their reunion tour.
1972 PAUL MCCARTNEY & WINGS began their first European tour. (McCartney’s first tour since the Beatles)
1968 DAVID RUFFIN left the TEMPTATIONS.
1956 DICK CLARK debuted on BANDSTAND in Philadelphia. (Show was later called “AMERICAN BANDSTAND” on ABC)
1955 “ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK” by BILL HALEY & THE COMETS hit #1. (8 weeks at #1) (Knocked off the chart by Mitch Miller’s “THE YELLOW ROSE OF TEXAS”)
1933 The Frankford Yellowjackets became the Philadelphia Eagles.
1932 The Washington Redskins were formed.
1893 1st heart operation. (Chicago)
1872 The donut making machine was patented.
Born on This Date July 9
1976 American actor and director FRED SAVAGE He’s best known for his role as Kevin Arnold in the sitcom “The Wonder Years.” (1988-1993)
1957 Actress KELLY MCGILLIS “TOP GUN” (1986), “THE ACCUSED”, “THE BABE”, “WITNESS”
1956 Actor TOM HANKS “APOLLO-13” (1995), “FORREST GUMP,” “SPLASH,” “DRAGNET” and “BIG.”
1955 Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor JIMMY SMITS Attorney Victor Sifuentes on the 1980s drama “L.A. Law.” (1986-1994) Detective Bobby Simone on “NYPD Blue.” (993–2005)
1952 Musician/TV host JOHN TESH Winne r of 6 Emmys. He has sold 6 million+ albums. “ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT” (1986-1996) Worked as a sportscaster for CBS and NBC covering the Tour de France, the U.S. Open and the Summer Olympics. (1992, 1996)
1947 Former football player & actor O.J. SIMPSON Orenthal James Simpson played in the National Football League for 11 seasons, primarily with the Buffalo Bills.
1938 Actor BRIAN DENNEHY The two-time Tony Award winner was known for his roles in “Tommy Boy” (1995). Sheriff Will Teasle in “First Blood” (1982), Cocoon” and Detectuve Leo McCarthy in “F/X.” (1986)
1936 Actor/screenwriter?director JAMES HAMPTON Best-known for his TV roles such as Private Hannibal Shirley Dobbs on “F-Troop,” Leroy B. Simpson on “The Doris Day Show” (1968–1969), “Love, American Style.” (1969–1974).
1927 Singer & actor ED AMES Edmund Dantes Uric played Mingo on “Daniel Boone.”
1916 Former prime minister Sir EDWARD HEATH Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1970- 197)4 and Leader of the Conservative Party. (1965-1975) One of three former Prime Ministers to have declined a peerage, which would have given him a seat in the House of Lords. The other two were Sir Winston Churchill and Sir John Major.
Celebrity Deaths This Month
Recent Celebrity Obituaries
7/1/2025 Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart died in Baton Rouge, LA at age 90. He had suffered a cardiac arrest on June 15. Swaggart pioneered TV evangelism and had a following of millions from around the world. He authored more than 100 books and as a musician, he sold 17 million gospel albums. His career was rocked in the 1980s when Swaggart got involved in several prostitution scandals leading to his suspension. He would later deliver his famous “I Have sinned!” speech on live TV in 1988. Trivia: According to Swaggart’s family, his cousins included rock-and-roll icon Jerry Lee Lewis and country music star Mickey Gilley. (Born 3/15/1935)
6/28/2025 Cincinnati Reds Hall of Famer Dave Parker died at 74. He played 19 seasons in the majors and for the Reds from 1984-1987. He was a lifetime .290 hitter, a 7-time All Star, a National League MVP (1978), and two-time World Series Champion. He lead the National League in RBIs in 1985. He also played for the Angels, Blue Jays, Brewers, Athletics and Pirates. (1973-1983) MLB Hall of Fame (2025)
6/26/2025 Prolific composer Lalo Schifrin died at 93. Argentine arranger and conductor was best-known for the ” Mission: Impossible ” theme (film and TV) and his list of movies, “Cool Hand Luke” (1967), “Bullitt” (1968), “Dirty Harry” (1971), “The Amityville Horror” and TV (“Mannix,” “Starsky & Hutch,” “Petrocelli.” (Born: 6/21/1932)
6/26/2025 Actor Rick Hurst died at 79 Best-known for his role as Deputy Cletus Hogg, Boss Hogg’s cousin, on “TheDukes of Hazzard.” (1979-1982) He claimed in a recent interview to have been cast in 146 national commercials in 2 years. He claimed to have been in 146 national TV commercials in two years. (Born 1/1/1946 in Houston, TX)
6/26/2025 Former White House press secretary and acclaimed TV journalist, Bill Moyers, died at 91. He was respected for his work on PBS; “Frontline,” “Wide Angle” and “Bill Moyers Journal.” He also worked for CBS and NBC. (Born Billy Don Moyers 6/5/1934)
6/21/2025 DoorDash executive Josh Pickles, age 37, and his parents died in a boating accident during a severe storm on Lake Tahoe. In addition to the Pickles family members, 4 other attendees died when the boat capsized. 2 people survived.
6/24/2025 Singer & teen idol Bobby Sherman died at 81, after battling cancer. He got his start on “Shindig!” (ABC) after being discovered at a Hollywood party by Jane Fonda, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo. Known for the songs “Little Woman,” which won a gold record in 1959, “Easy Come, Easy Go” (1970) and “Julie, Do Ya Love Me” He starred ina couple of TV series; “Here Come the Brides” (1968-1970) and “Getting Together” (1971). Sherman announced early in 2025 that he had Stage 4 cancer. TV Guide once listed him on their list of “TV’s 25 Greatest Teen Idols.”
6/23/2025 English guitarist and singer Mick Ralphs died at 81. He was the co-founder of the legendary rock bands Bad Company and Mott the Hoople. Bad Company will enter the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later this year.
6/21/2025 Federal Express founder Fred Smith died at age 80. The Vietnam War veteran started the company in Little Rock, AR in 1973 and soon developed a hub in Memphis with 389 employees that served 25 cities in the U.S. FedEx now has more than 500,000 employees and 700+ airplanes around the world. Smith once admitted that many of the tools he used to run FedEx came from his time in the Marines, not from his Ivy League education. Smith retired as CEO in 2022.
6/19/2025 Southern character actor and illustrator Gailard Sartain died at 78 after a long illness. Best-known for his work on “Hee Haw,” “Mississippi Burning” (1988), “Fried Green Tomatoes” and three ‘Ernest’ movies. (Born 9/18/1943 in Tulsa, OK)
6/19/2025 Actor Jack Betts died in his sleep at age 96.. Known for his roles on “The Young and the Restless” and “One Life to Live” villain Ivan Kipling. He also played Dr. Ken Martin on “General Hospital.” His last soap appearance came in 2002. (TYATR) Other credits include “Spider Man” (2002), “Friends” and “Seinfeld.”
6/19/2025 Singer/songwriter Cavin Yarbrough, who partnered with Alisa Peoples in the R&B group Yarbrough & Peoples died at 72. They debuted with a song that hit #1, “Don’t Stop The Music.” They also had success with “Don’t Waste Your Time.” (1984) The couple met as children at piano lessons in Dallas. They married in 1987. (Born 1/22/1954)
6/19/2025 Actress Lynn Hamilton,best-known for her role as Fred’s girlfriend Donna Harris on “Sanford and Son” and Verde Grant Foster on “The Waltons’” died at her home in Chicago at 95. Other credits include “Roots: The Next Generation,” “The Jesse Owens Story” and “Lady Sings the Blues.” 4/25/1930
6/18/2025 Singer/songwriter Lou Christie died at age 82. Best-known for “Lightnin’ Strikes” (1966), which soared to #1 in the U.S. and “Rhapsody in the Rain.” (1966) (Born 2/19/1943 Alfredo Giovanni Sacco in Glenwillard, PA)
6/17/2025 Celebrity chef Anne Burrell died at her home in Brooklyn, NY at age 55. She was known for her work on Food Network and “Worst Cooks in America” and “House of Knives.” She was inspired by Julia Child. (Born 9/21/1969)
6/17/2025 Alfred Brendel, pianist renowned for refined playing of Beethoven, died at his home in London at age 94. He was praised for his interpretations of Mozart, Schubert, Liszt and Haydn. His final concert was with the Vienna Philharmonic at the Musikverein on Dec. 18, 2008. (Born 1/5/1931)
6/13/2025 Famed yodeler and former “Our Gang” child star Betsy Day died at 96. She joined the “Our Gang” (later “The Little Rascals”) franchise in 1937. The actress appeared on radio shows, TV and movies. She won the California State Yodeling Championship in 1945 and 1946. (Born Elizabeth Ann Gunst 2/2/1929 in Waterford, CT)
6/11/2025 Brian Wilson, a founding member of the Beach Boys (1961-2025) died at 82. The cause of death was not disclosed, but he had been diagnosed with a neurocognitive disorder similar to dementia. He wrote many of the hits of the Beach Boys; “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” (1966), “Surfin’ USA” (1963), “Good Vibrations” (1967, “Little Deuce Coupe” (1963) and “Help Me Rhonda.” (Born June 20, 1942)
6/11/2025 Former Buffalo Bills left tackle Stew Barber died at age 85. AFL champion (1964, 1965) Played college football at Penn State.
6/9/2025 Musician and songwriter Sly Stone died at age 82. He created the band Sly and the Family Stone in 1966. They topped the charts with hits like “Dance to the Music” (1967), “Everyday People,” “Family Affair” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again).” (1970) The Family Stone’s sound was fusion before fusion was a genre.
6/8/2025 Former Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Steve Wright, who was the model for what is now the “Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year” trophy, died at 82. He won two Super Bowls with the Packers (1966, 1967) before playing with the Giants, Redskins, Bears and Rams.
6/3/2025 Dallas Coyboy offensive lineman Tom Rafferty died from the effects of a stroke. He blocked for both Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach while playing in 203 games, 2 Super Bowls, including Super Bowl XII, which the Cowboys won.
5/30/2025 Actress Loretta Swit died at her home in NYC at 87 from apparently natural causes. She is best-known for her role as Major ‘Hot Lips’ Houlihan on “M*A*S*H”, (1972-1983)
5/30/2025 Emmy-winning actress Valerie Mahaffey died at age 71 after battling cancer. Best-known for her work on “Northern Exposure” (1991-1994) “Desperate Housewives” (2006-2007) and ‘Young Sheldon. You may remember her from “Seinfeld,” as the former accountant who helps George with his taxes. (Born 6/16/1953 in Indonesia)
5/29/2025 “The Simpsons” Emmy-winning composer Alf Clausen, died at 84. He worked on the show for 27 years, and earned two Emmys on the beloved show. In addition to “The Simpsons,” Clausen’s work appeared in “Moonlighting” (1985-1989) and “ALF.” (Born 3/28/1941)
5/21/2025 Oscar winning cinematographer Billy Williams died at 96. He worked on “Sunday Bloody Sunday” (1971), “The Exorcist” (1973), “On Golden Pond” (1981), “The Manhattan Project” (1986) and “Gandhi (1982)
5/27/2025 Ed Gale, the actor who played horror icon ‘Chucky’ died in hospice at 61. Known for “Child’s Play” (1988), “Howard the Duck” (1986) and “Chopper Chicks in Zombie Town.”
May 25, 2025 Reality TV star Phil Robertson died at 79. The “Duck Dynasty’” patriarch The American hunter and businessman had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s sisease in late 2024. The series ended in 2017 after 11 seasons. His last words were “full speed ahead.”
5/26/2025 American musician and producer Rick Derringer The McCoys had a #1 hit in 1965 with their debut single “HANG ON SLOOPY,” which is now considered a classic from the garage rock era. “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo” (1973) As a session player, he played on several Steely Dan favorites “Show Biz Kids,” “Chain Lightning” and “My Rival.” Johnny and Edgar Winter, Todd Rundgren and contributed to Donald Fagen’s 1982 solo album, The Nightfly. He was 5’4″ (Born Ricky Zehringer 8/5/1947)
Come back daily to find out what happened on this date in history, including which celebrities were born on this date and who recently died! #BOTD
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