Born on this day 1910 impossibly difficult actress Luise Rainer.

On this day in 1934 soprano Lotte Lehmann made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Sieglinde.

Born on this day in 1939 actor Sal Mineo.

On this dayin 1956 an encore live TV presentation of Peter Pan starred Mary Martin.

Born on this day in 1911 ecdysiast Gypsy Rose Lee.

Born on this day in 1913 actress and clothes horse Loretta Young.

Also on this day in 1977 soprano Edita Gruberova made her Met debut as the Queen of the Night.

Happy 85th birthday soprano/mezzo-soprano Grace Bumbry.

Born on this day in 1897 actress Marion Davies.

Born on this day ballerina and actress Vera Zorina.

Born on this day in 1923 the ineffable Valentina Cortese.

Born on this day in 1902 the one and only Tallulah Bankhead.

Happy 64th birthday to actress, singer, author and activist Cheryl Lee Ralph.

Born on this day in 1936 actress and producer Mary Tyler Moore.

On this day in 1944 the Leonard Bernstein / Betty Comden / Adolph Green musical On the Town premiered on Broadway.

Born on this day in 1901 actress and diseuse Marlene Dietrich.

On this day in 1830 Donizetti’s Anna Bolena premiered in Milan.

On this day in 1940, the wholesome family musical Pal Joey opened on Broadway.

Born on this day in 1922 actress Ava Gardner.

On this day in 1893 Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel premiered in Weimar.

Born on this day in 1858 composer Giacomo Puccini.

Happy 84th birthday to actress, political activist, environmentalist, and former fashion model Jane Fonda.

Born on this day in 1898 actress and singer Irene Dunne.

Born on this day in 1946 actor, director and screenwriter Eugene Levy.