On This Day: February 16

Updated February 15, 2012, 1:28 pm

On Feb. 16, 1923, the burial chamber of King Tutankhamen’s recently unearthed tomb was unsealed in Egypt.

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On Feb. 16, 1893, Katharine Cornell, the American stage actress who was called “the first lady of the American theater”, was born. Following her death on June 9, 1974, her obituary appeared in The Times.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

On This Date

By The Associated Press

1804 Lt. Stephen Decatur led a successful raid into Tripoli harbor to burn the U.S. Navy frigate Philadelphia, which had fallen into the hands of pirates.

1862 Some 14,000 Confederate soldiers surrendered at Fort Donelson, Tenn., to Union forces led by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant.

1868 The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks was organized in New York City.

1918 Lithuania proclaimed its independence.

1923 The burial chamber of King Tutankhamen’s recently unearthed tomb was unsealed in Egypt.

1937 Wallace H. Carothers, a research chemist for Du Pont, received a patent for nylon.

1945 American troops landed on the island of Corregidor in the Philippines during World War II.

1948 NBC-TV aired the first nightly newscast, “The Camel Newsreel Theatre,” which consisted of Fox Movietone newsreels.

1968 The nation’s first 911 emergency telephone system was inaugurated in Haleyville, Ala.

2005 The Kyoto global warming pact, which the U.S. never ratified, went into effect.

2005 The NHL canceled what was left of its season after a round of last-gasp negotiations failed to resolve differences over a salary cap – the issue that led to a lockout.

2009 A 200-pound chimpanzee severely mauled its owner’s friend before being shot dead by police in Stamford, Conn.

2011 Bookstore chain Borders filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Actor-rapper Ice-T (“Law and Order: Special Victims Unit”) turns 54 years old today.

AP Photo/Jessica Rinaldi

Actress Elizabeth Olsen (“Martha Marcy May Marlene”) turns 23 years old today.

AP Photo/Evan Agostini

1918 Patty Andrews, Singer (The Andrews Sisters), turns 94

1952 James Ingram, R&B singer, turns 60

1957 LeVar Burton, Actor, turns 55

1959 John McEnroe, Tennis Hall of Famer, turns 53

1961 Andy Taylor, Rock musician (Duran Duran), turns 51

1971 Sarah Clarke, Actress (“Twilight,” “24”), turns 41

1972 Jerome Bettis, Football player, turns 40

Historic Birthdays

Katharine Cornell 2/16/1893 – 6/9/1974 American stage actress.Go to obituary »

68 Frederick William 2/16/1620 – 5/9/1688
Elector of Brandenburg (1640-88)

73 Giambattista Bodoni 2/16/1740 – 11/29/1813
Italian printer who designed several typefaces

63 Henry Wilson 2/16/1812 – 11/22/1875
Vice President of the United States (1873-75)

64 Nikolay Semyonovich Leskov 2/16/1831 – 3/5/1895
Russian novelist and short-story writer

80 Henry Adams 2/16/1838 – 3/27/1918
American historian and author

89 Henry Martyn Leland 2/16/1843 – 3/26/1932
American engineer and manufacturer

85 Wilhelm Schmidt 2/16/1868 – 2/10/1954
German anthropologist and Roman Catholic priest

67 Robert Flaherty 2/16/1884 – 7/23/1951
American explorer and filmmaker

75 Edgar Bergen 2/16/1903 – 9/30/1978
American ventriloquist and comedian

1804	Lt. Stephen Decatur led a successful raid into Tripoli harbor to burn the U.S. Navy frigate Philadelphia, which had fallen into the hands of pirates.
1862	Some 14,000 Confederate soldiers surrendered at Fort Donelson, Tenn., to Union forces led by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant.
1868	The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks was organized in New York City.
1918	Lithuania proclaimed its independence.
1923	The burial chamber of King Tutankhamen’s recently unearthed tomb was unsealed in Egypt.
1937	Wallace H. Carothers, a research chemist for Du Pont, received a patent for nylon.
1945	American troops landed on the island of Corregidor in the Philippines during World War II.
1948	NBC-TV aired the first nightly newscast, “The Camel Newsreel Theatre,” which consisted of Fox Movietone newsreels.
1968	The nation’s first 911 emergency telephone system was inaugurated in Haleyville, Ala.
2005	The Kyoto global warming pact, which the U.S. never ratified, went into effect.
2005	The NHL canceled what was left of its season after a round of last-gasp negotiations failed to resolve differences over a salary cap – the issue that led to a lockout.
2009	A 200-pound chimpanzee severely mauled its owner’s friend before being shot dead by police in Stamford, Conn.
2011	Bookstore chain Borders filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

1918	Patty Andrews, Singer (The Andrews Sisters), turns 94
1952	James Ingram, R&B singer, turns 60
1957	LeVar Burton, Actor, turns 55
1959	John McEnroe, Tennis Hall of Famer, turns 53
1961	Andy Taylor, Rock musician (Duran Duran), turns 51
1971	Sarah Clarke, Actress (“Twilight,” “24”), turns 41
1972	Jerome Bettis, Football player, turns 40

68	Frederick William 2/16/1620 – 5/9/1688 Elector of Brandenburg (1640-88)
73	Giambattista Bodoni 2/16/1740 – 11/29/1813 Italian printer who designed several typefaces
63	Henry Wilson 2/16/1812 – 11/22/1875 Vice President of the United States (1873-75)
64	Nikolay Semyonovich Leskov 2/16/1831 – 3/5/1895 Russian novelist and short-story writer
80	Henry Adams 2/16/1838 – 3/27/1918 American historian and author
89	Henry Martyn Leland 2/16/1843 – 3/26/1932 American engineer and manufacturer
85	Wilhelm Schmidt 2/16/1868 – 2/10/1954 German anthropologist and Roman Catholic priest
67	Robert Flaherty 2/16/1884 – 7/23/1951 American explorer and filmmaker
75	Edgar Bergen 2/16/1903 – 9/30/1978 American ventriloquist and comedian