Updated November 3, 2012, 2:28 pm
On Nov. 4, 2008, Barack Hussein Obama was elected the 44th president of the United States, as the country chose him as its first black chief executive.
On Nov. 4, 1879, Will Rogers, the American actor and comedian, was born. Following his death on Aug. 15, 1935, his obituary appeared in The Times.
Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »
On This Date
By The Associated Press
1842 Abraham Lincoln married Mary Todd in Springfield, Ill. 1879 Humorist Will Rogers was born in Oologah, Okla. 1880 The first cash register was patented by James and John Ritty of Dayton, Ohio. 1922 The entrance to King Tutankhamen’s tomb was discovered in Egypt. 1924 Nellie T. Ross of Wyoming was elected the nation’s first woman governor. 1939 The United States modified its neutrality stance in World War II to allow “cash and carry” purchases of arms by belligerents, a policy favoring Britain and France. 1942 During World War II, Axis forces retreated from El Alamein in North Africa in a major victory for British forces commanded by Lt. Gen. Bernard Montgomery. 1952 Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected president, defeating Democrat Adlai Stevenson. 1955 Baseball Hall of Famer Cy Young died at age 88. 1956 Soviet troops moved in to crush a revolt in Hungary. 1979 The Iranian hostage crisis began as militants stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. 1980 Ronald Reagan won the White House, defeating President Jimmy Carter. 1995 Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by a Jewish extremist after speaking at a peace rally in Tel Aviv. 2001 The first movie based on the best-selling “Harry Potter” books by J.K. Rowling has its world premiere in London. 2008 California voters approved Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage. 2010 . Hall of Fame baseball manager Sparky Anderson died at age 76. Current Birthdays
By The Associated Press
Actor Matthew McConaughey turns 43 years old today.
AP Photo/Dan Steinberg
Comedian Kathy Griffin turns 52 years old today.
AP Photo/Evan Agostini
1930 Doris Roberts, Actress (“Everybody Loves Raymond”), turns 82 1937 Loretta Swit, Actress (“M.A.S.H.”), turns 75 1940 Delbert McClinton, Blues singer, turns 72 1946 Laura Bush, Former first lady, turns 66 1950 Markie Post, Actress (“Night Court”), turns 62 1954 Chris Difford, Rock singer, musician (Squeeze), turns 58 1961 Ralph Macchio, Actor (The “Karate Kid” movies), turns 51 1961 Jeff Probst, TV personality (“Survivor”), turns 51 1969 Diddy, Rapper, producer, turns 43 1975 Heather Tom, Actress (“The Bold and the Beautiful”), turns 37 Historic Birthdays
Will Rogers 11/4/1879 – 8/15/1935 American humorist.Go to obituary »
66 Guido Reni 11/4/1575 – 8/18/1642
Italian painter86 Thomas Johnson 11/4/1732 – 10/26/1819
American Revolutionary War leader; governor of Maryland (1777-9); associate justice (1792-93) of U.S. Supreme Court68 Gaspard Gourgaud 11/4/1783 – 7/25/1852
French historian80 James Douglas 11/4/1837 – 6/25/1918
Canadian industrialist84 George Edward Moore 11/4/1873 – 10/24/1958
British philosoher71 Charles Despiau 11/4/1874 – 10/30/1946
French sculptor75 Harry George Ferguson 11/4/1884 – 10/25/1960
British designer74 Carlos Garcia 11/4/1896 – 6/14/1971
Philippine president (1957-61)
