On This Day: October 4

Updated October 3, 2012, 2:28 pm

On Oct. 4, 1957, the Space Age began as the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first man-made satellite, into orbit.

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On Oct. 4, 1895, Buster Keaton, the American comic actor of silent films, was born. Following his death on Feb. 1, 1966, his obituary appeared in The Times.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

On This Date

By The Associated Press

1822 Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th president of the United States, was born in Delaware, Ohio.

1895 The first U.S. Open golf tournament was held, at the Newport Country Club in Rhode Island.

1923 Actor Charlton Heston was born John Charles Carter in Evanston, Ill.

1931 The comic strip “Dick Tracy” by Chester Gould made its debut.

1957 Jimmy Hoffa was elected president of the Teamsters Union.

1957 “Leave It to Beaver” premiered on CBS.

1970 Rock singer Janis Joplin, 27, was found dead of an accidental heroin overdose.

1990 German lawmakers held the first meeting of the reunified country’s parliament in the Reichstag in Berlin.

1993 Dozens of cheering, dancing Somalis dragged the body of an American soldier through the streets of Mogadishu.

2001 Authorities said a man in Boca Raton, Fla., had contracted the inhaled form of anthrax; he died the following day.

2002 John Walker Lindh, the so-called “American Taliban,” was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a federal judge in Alexandria, Va.

2002 Richard Reid pleaded guilty in a federal court to trying to blow up a trans-Atlantic flight with explosives hidden in his shoes.

2010 The Supreme Court began a new era with three women serving together for the first time as Elena Kagan took her place at the end of the bench.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Actress Susan Sarandon turns 66 years old today.

AP Photo/Peter Kramer

Music producer Russell Simmons turns 55 years old today.

AP Photo/Evan Agostini

1934 Sam Huff, Football Hall of Famer, turns 78

1935 Eddie Applegate, Actor (“The Patty Duke Show”), turns 77

1937 Jackie Collins, Author, turns 75

1941 Roy Blount Jr., Author, turns 71

1941 Anne Rice, Author, turns 71

1945 Clifton Davis, Actor, turns 67

1946 Chuck Hagel, Former U.S. senator, R-Neb., turns 66

1946 Mike Mullen, Former joint chiefs of staff chairman, turns 66

1949 Lee Blessing, Playwright, turns 63

1949 Armand Assante, Actor, turns 63

1956 Christoph Waltz, Actor, turns 56

1961 David W. Harper, Actor (“The Waltons”), turns 51

1961 Jon Secada, Singer, turns 51

1967 Liev Schreiber, Actor, turns 45

1976 Alicia Silverstone, Actress (“Clueless”), turns 36

1979 Rachael Leigh Cook, Actress, turns 33

1982 Jered Weaver, Baseball player, turns 30

Historic Birthdays

Buster Keaton 10/4/1895 – 2/1/1966 American actor.Go to obituary »

26 Louis X 10/4/1289 – 6/5/1316
King of Navarre (1305-14) and king of France (1314-16)

61 Charles IX 10/4/1550 – 10/30/1611
King of Sweden (1604-11)

85 Lord Richard Cromwell 10/4/1626 – 7/12/1712
English lord protector (1658-9)

60 Jean Francois Millet 10/4/1814 – 1/20/1875
French painter

70 Rutherford Birchard Hayes 10/4/1822 – 1/17/1893
19th president of the United States (1877-81)

48 Frederic Remington 10/4/1861 – 12/26/1909
American artist; specialized in western themes

67 Edward L. Stratemeyer 10/4/1862 – 5/10/1930
American writer

62 Damon Runyon 10/4/1884 – 12/10/1946
American writer

69 John Kelly 10/4/1890 – 6/20/1960
American oarsman

1822	Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th president of the United States, was born in Delaware, Ohio.
1895	The first U.S. Open golf tournament was held, at the Newport Country Club in Rhode Island.
1923	Actor Charlton Heston was born John Charles Carter in Evanston, Ill.
1931	The comic strip “Dick Tracy” by Chester Gould made its debut.
1957	Jimmy Hoffa was elected president of the Teamsters Union.
1957	“Leave It to Beaver” premiered on CBS.
1970	Rock singer Janis Joplin, 27, was found dead of an accidental heroin overdose.
1990	German lawmakers held the first meeting of the reunified country’s parliament in the Reichstag in Berlin.
1993	Dozens of cheering, dancing Somalis dragged the body of an American soldier through the streets of Mogadishu.
2001	Authorities said a man in Boca Raton, Fla., had contracted the inhaled form of anthrax; he died the following day.
2002	John Walker Lindh, the so-called “American Taliban,” was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a federal judge in Alexandria, Va.
2002	Richard Reid pleaded guilty in a federal court to trying to blow up a trans-Atlantic flight with explosives hidden in his shoes.
2010	The Supreme Court began a new era with three women serving together for the first time as Elena Kagan took her place at the end of the bench.

1934	Sam Huff, Football Hall of Famer, turns 78
1935	Eddie Applegate, Actor (“The Patty Duke Show”), turns 77
1937	Jackie Collins, Author, turns 75
1941	Roy Blount Jr., Author, turns 71
1941	Anne Rice, Author, turns 71
1945	Clifton Davis, Actor, turns 67
1946	Chuck Hagel, Former U.S. senator, R-Neb., turns 66
1946	Mike Mullen, Former joint chiefs of staff chairman, turns 66
1949	Lee Blessing, Playwright, turns 63
1949	Armand Assante, Actor, turns 63
1956	Christoph Waltz, Actor, turns 56
1961	David W. Harper, Actor (“The Waltons”), turns 51
1961	Jon Secada, Singer, turns 51
1967	Liev Schreiber, Actor, turns 45
1976	Alicia Silverstone, Actress (“Clueless”), turns 36
1979	Rachael Leigh Cook, Actress, turns 33
1982	Jered Weaver, Baseball player, turns 30

26	Louis X 10/4/1289 – 6/5/1316 King of Navarre (1305-14) and king of France (1314-16)
61	Charles IX 10/4/1550 – 10/30/1611 King of Sweden (1604-11)
85	Lord Richard Cromwell 10/4/1626 – 7/12/1712 English lord protector (1658-9)
60	Jean Francois Millet 10/4/1814 – 1/20/1875 French painter
70	Rutherford Birchard Hayes 10/4/1822 – 1/17/1893 19th president of the United States (1877-81)
48	Frederic Remington 10/4/1861 – 12/26/1909 American artist; specialized in western themes
67	Edward L. Stratemeyer 10/4/1862 – 5/10/1930 American writer
62	Damon Runyon 10/4/1884 – 12/10/1946 American writer
69	John Kelly 10/4/1890 – 6/20/1960 American oarsman