On This Day: April 21

Updated April 20, 2012, 2:28 pm

On April 21, 1910, author Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, died in Redding, Conn.
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On April 21, 1838, John Muir, the Scottish-born naturalist considered the father of the environmental movement, was born. Following his death on Dec. 24, 1914, his obituary appeared in The Times.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

On This Date

By The Associated Press

1649 The Maryland Toleration Act, which provided for freedom of worship for all Christians, was passed by the Maryland assembly.

1789 John Adams was sworn in as the first vice president of the United States.

1816 Charlotte Bronte, author of “Jane Eyre,” was born in Thornton, England.

1836 Texans led by Sam Houston defeated the Mexicans at San Jacinto, assuring Texas’ independence.

1910 Author Mark Twain died at age 74.

1960 Brazil inaugurated its new capital, Brasilia, transferring the seat of national government from Rio de Janeiro.

1977 The musical “Annie,” based on the comic strip “Little Orphan Annie,” opened on Broadway.

1980 Rosie Ruiz, the first woman to cross the finish line at the Boston Marathon, was disqualified when officials discovered she had jumped into the race about a mile from the finish.

1992 Robert Alton Harris became the first person executed by the state of California in 25 years as he was put to death in the gas chamber for the 1978 murder of two teenage boys.

2004 Five suicide attackers detonated car bombs against police buildings in Basra, Iraq, killing at least 74 people.

2011 Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., announced he would step down amid a developing ethics probe while insisting he’d done nothing wrong.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II turns 86 years old today

AP Photo/Sang Tan

Actor James McAvoy turns 33 years old today

AP Photo/Dan Steinberg

1932 Elaine May, Actress, writer, turns 80

1935 Charles Grodin, Actor, turns 77

1941 David Boren, Former U.S. senator, D-Okla., turns 71

1947 Iggy Pop, Rock musician, turns 65

1949 Patti LuPone, Actress, singer, turns 63

1951 Tony Danza, Actor (“Taxi,” “Who’s the Boss?”), turns 61

1958 Andie MacDowell, Actress, turns 54

1959 Robert Smith, Rock musician (The Cure), turns 53

1963 John Cameron Mitchell, Actor, director (“Hedwig and the Angry Inch”), turns 49

1970 Nicole Sullivan, Actress, comedian (“MadTV,” “King of Queens”), turns 42

1980 Tony Romo, Football player, turns 32

1982 Cadillac Williams, Football player, turns 30

Historic Birthdays

John Muir 4/21/1838 – 12/24/1914 Scottish-born American naturalist and conservationist.Go to obituary »

64 Lodovico Carracci 4/21/1555 – 11/13/1619
Italian painter and printmaker

70 Friedrich Froebel 4/21/1782 – 6/21/1852
German educator and founder of the kindergarten

39 Charlotte Bronte 4/21/1816 – 3/31/1855
English novelist; wrote “Jane Eyre”

67 Josh Billings 4/21/1818 – 10/14/1885
American humorist and writer; popular after the Civil War

56 Max Weber 4/21/1864 – 6/14/1920
German sociologist and economist

70 Billy Bitzer 4/21/1874 – 4/29/1944
American motion-picture cameraman

67 G. Donald Harrison 4/21/1889 – 6/14/1956
English-born American organ designer and builder

85 Randall Thompson 4/21/1899 – 7/9/1984
American composer of choral music

49 Leonard Warren 4/21/1911 – 3/4/1960
American operatic baritone

70 Marcel Camus 4/21/1912 – 1/13/1982
French film director

1649	The Maryland Toleration Act, which provided for freedom of worship for all Christians, was passed by the Maryland assembly.
1789	John Adams was sworn in as the first vice president of the United States.
1816	Charlotte Bronte, author of “Jane Eyre,” was born in Thornton, England.
1836	Texans led by Sam Houston defeated the Mexicans at San Jacinto, assuring Texas’ independence.
1910	Author Mark Twain died at age 74.
1960	Brazil inaugurated its new capital, Brasilia, transferring the seat of national government from Rio de Janeiro.
1977	The musical “Annie,” based on the comic strip “Little Orphan Annie,” opened on Broadway.
1980	Rosie Ruiz, the first woman to cross the finish line at the Boston Marathon, was disqualified when officials discovered she had jumped into the race about a mile from the finish.
1992	Robert Alton Harris became the first person executed by the state of California in 25 years as he was put to death in the gas chamber for the 1978 murder of two teenage boys.
2004	Five suicide attackers detonated car bombs against police buildings in Basra, Iraq, killing at least 74 people.
2011	Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., announced he would step down amid a developing ethics probe while insisting he’d done nothing wrong.

1932	Elaine May, Actress, writer, turns 80
1935	Charles Grodin, Actor, turns 77
1941	David Boren, Former U.S. senator, D-Okla., turns 71
1947	Iggy Pop, Rock musician, turns 65
1949	Patti LuPone, Actress, singer, turns 63
1951	Tony Danza, Actor (“Taxi,” “Who’s the Boss?”), turns 61
1958	Andie MacDowell, Actress, turns 54
1959	Robert Smith, Rock musician (The Cure), turns 53
1963	John Cameron Mitchell, Actor, director (“Hedwig and the Angry Inch”), turns 49
1970	Nicole Sullivan, Actress, comedian (“MadTV,” “King of Queens”), turns 42
1980	Tony Romo, Football player, turns 32
1982	Cadillac Williams, Football player, turns 30

64	Lodovico Carracci 4/21/1555 – 11/13/1619 Italian painter and printmaker
70	Friedrich Froebel 4/21/1782 – 6/21/1852 German educator and founder of the kindergarten
39	Charlotte Bronte 4/21/1816 – 3/31/1855 English novelist; wrote “Jane Eyre”
67	Josh Billings 4/21/1818 – 10/14/1885 American humorist and writer; popular after the Civil War
56	Max Weber 4/21/1864 – 6/14/1920 German sociologist and economist
70	Billy Bitzer 4/21/1874 – 4/29/1944 American motion-picture cameraman
67	G. Donald Harrison 4/21/1889 – 6/14/1956 English-born American organ designer and builder
85	Randall Thompson 4/21/1899 – 7/9/1984 American composer of choral music
49	Leonard Warren 4/21/1911 – 3/4/1960 American operatic baritone
70	Marcel Camus 4/21/1912 – 1/13/1982 French film director