ON THIS DAY
February 27, 2024
FEBRUARY 27, 1914
WE REGRET to record the death of Sir John Tenniel, the great cartoonist of Punch for 50 years, which occurred on Wednesday night. Sir John, who would have been 94 on Saturday, was among the most distinguished artists of the 19th century.
FEBRUARY 27, 2001
FRIENDS star Matthew Perry has entered a rehabilitation clinic in Los Angeles, it was revealed last night. No reason was given. Four years ago he admitted being addicted to painkillers — a habit he said he kicked last year. The actor, who plays Chandler Bing in the hit series, went into the clinic on the advice of his doctor, his publicist said last night.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
TIMOTHY SPALL, 67. The London-born actor, who did a two-year art foundation course before playing J. M. W. Turner (in Mr. Turner), now sells his landscapes for £4,500 apiece. He said last year he was aware ‘that people may think I’m just a poncey actor who’s got a hobby’.
KATE MARA, 41. The U.S. actress who played Kevin Spacey’s lover in House of Cards is the sister of The Girl With The dragon Tattoo’s Rooney Mara. But she says she has no idea if they’ve ever been up for the same role: ‘our agents would never tell us.’ Her mother said Kate started campaigning to be an actor at nine, and her first film role was in Random Hearts with Harrison Ford, when she was 16.
BORN ON THIS DAY
DAME ELIZABETH TAYLOR (1932-2011). The London-born actress won oscars for Butterfield 8 and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, one of 11 films made with Richard Burton, whom she married and divorced twice. He bought her a diamond ring reportedly worth £500,000 and she joked that she became ‘ very left-handed’ for a time.
LORD (PADDY) ASHDOWN (1941-2018). The Indian-born politician served in the Royal Marines and as an MI6 spy before becoming Liberal democrat leader for 11 years. He said he always refused to vote for himself in general elections, instead crossing the box of the rival he most respected. A five-month affair with his secretary resulted in the notorious tabloid headline ‘It’s Paddy Pantsdown’.
ON FEBRUARY 27 . . .
IN 1892, French designer Louis Vuitton died, aged 70.
IN 1900, The British Labour Party was founded in London.
WORD WIZARDRY
GUESS THE DEFINITION:
Fremescence (coined 1837)
A) Act of disappearing then reappearing.
B) Incipient roaring.
C) Set of the head as a bull does when intending to toss it. Answer below.
PHRASE EXPLAINED
Jack the Lad: A brash, cocky young man. May relate to thief Jack Sheppard, born in Spitalfields, London, in 1702, who was often arrested and imprisoned but escaped from jail four times. His ingenuity captured the public imagination.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
I have seldom heard a train go by and not wished I was on it.
Paul Theroux, U.S. travel writer
JOKE OF THE DAY
WHAT’S the best train one-liner? a monorail.
Guess The Definition answer: B.