Today In History

Today is Friday, June 1, the 153rd day of 2012. There are 213 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

1912: Paramount Pictures had its beginnings as Adolph Zukor incorporated the Famous Players Film Co., which later merged with the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co.

ON THIS DATE

1792: Kentucky became the 15th state of the union.

1796: Tennessee became the 16th state.

1813: The mortally wounded commander of the USS Chesapeake, Capt. James Lawrence, gave the order, “Don’t give up the ship” during a losing battle with the British frigate HMS Shannon in the War of 1812.

1862: Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee assumed command of the Army of Northern Virginia during the Civil War.

1942: Mexican President Manuel Avila Camacho issued a decree stating that a state of war had existed with Germany, Italy and Japan as of May 22.

1958: Charles de Gaulle became premier of France, marking the beginning of the end of the Fourth Republic.

1967: The Beatles album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” was released.

1979: The state of Zimbabwe Rhodesia, which lasted only six months, came into existence. TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Actor Andy Griffith is 86. Singer Pat Boone is 78. Actor Morgan Freeman is 75. Opera singer Frederica von Stade is 67. Actor Brian Cox is 66. Rock musician Ronnie Wood is 65. Actor Jonathan Pryce is 65. Actor Powers Boothe is 64. Actress Gemma Craven is 62. Blues-rock musician Tom Principato is 60. Country singer Ronnie Dunn is 59. Actress Lisa Hartman Black is 56. Singer-musician Alan Wilder is 53. Rock musician Simon Gallup is 52. Country musician Richard Comeaux is 51. Actor-comedian Mark Curry is 51. Actor-singer Jason Donovan is 44. Basketball player-turned-coach Tony Bennett is 43. Actor Rick Gomez is 40. Modelactress Heidi Klum is 39. Singer Alanis Morissette is 38. Actress Sarah Wayne Callies is 35. Pop singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile is 31. Tennis player Justine Henin is 30. Actor Taylor Handley is 28.