REMEMBERING
May 12 birthdays
1820 FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE British nurse
Nightingale was the founder of modern nursing. She came to prominence serving as the manager and trainer of nurses in the Crimean War. In 1860, she established the world’s first secular nursing school.
1889 OTTO FRANK German businessman
The father of Anne Frank, Otto was the only member of his family to survive the Holocaust. He inherited Anne’s manuscripts after her death and arranged the publication of her diary in 1947.
1907 KATHARINE HEPBURN American actor
Hepburn won the first of four Best Actress Oscars in her third film, 1933’s Morning Glory. The others were for Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1968), The Lion in Winter (1969) and On Golden Pond (1982).
1918 JULIUS ROSENBERG American spy
Rosenberg – along with his wife Ethel – was the first US civilian to be executed for espionage in peacetime. He was convicted of supplying top-secret information about radar, sonar, jet propulsion, and engines to the Soviets.
1939 REG GASNIER Australian rugby league player
Gasnier played centre for the St George Dragons from 1959 until 1967 and represented Australia in a then record 36 Tests and three World Cup games. He was captain of the national team eight times between 1962 and 1967.
1956 HOMER SIMPSON American fictional character
Homer was created and designed by cartoonist Matt Groening, who named him after his father. After appearing on The Tracey Ullman Show in shorts for three seasons, Homer and his family debuted in their own series in 1989. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta.
1975 JONAH LOMU New Zealand rugby player
Lomu became the youngest ever All Black when he made his international debut in 1994 at the age of 19 years and 45 days. He finished his international career with 37 tries from his 63 matches.