On this day in 1955 the legendary flop musical Ankles Aweigh opened at the Mark Hellinger Theater, inspiring Walter Kerr to write in the New York Herald Tribune, “Some of us have been campaigning lately for a return to the old fashioned, slam-bang, gags-and-girls musical comedy. Some of us ought to be shot.”

Born on this day in 1819 composer Franz von Suppé

Born on this day in 1882 conductor Leopold Stokowski

Born on this day in 1899 conductor Zdenek Chalabala

Born on this day in 1910 soprano Sylvia Fisher

Happy 83rd birthday soprano Nadezda Kniplova

Happy 81st birthday tenor George Shirley

Happy 69th birthday tenor Robin Leggate

Happy 67th birthday soprano Catherine Malfitano