Sue Grafton is the Last Big Death of 2017
Now we’ll never know what “Z” is for. Mystery author Sue Grafton has died of cancer at age 77. Her long-running “alphabet” series of mysteries began with A Is for …..
Yearly Archive: 2017
The Five Biggest Deaths of 2017
Who was the most significant death of 2017? The year is drawing to a close, and so far 29 people have died who were famous enough to have biographies in Who2. …..
How Ed Sheeran Created ‘Shape of You,’ the Smash Song of 2017
How do you keep an impatient music star in the room while you write hit songs? Try a suitcase full of Legos. That’s just one of the fascinatin’ facts in this truly …..
How Old is Michael Flynn? Nobody Knows for Sure
Lt. General Michael Flynn celebrates his 59th birthday sometime this month. The trick is, nobody seems to know when. Oh, presumably his mother knows. But we looked pretty hard for the exact …..
Jim Nabors Didn’t Quite Make it to Margaret Thatcher
Jim Nabors has died at age 87 after a long career that was really known for one thing: Gomer Pyle, USMC. Nabors was 87 years and 171 days old when …..
Meghan Markle Biography – New!
Our new Meghan Markle biography is now live — in anticipation of her (maybe) marrying Britain’s Prince Harry. [ November 27 update: They’re officially engaged. ] Meghan Markle has already worn …..
David Cassidy Sings ‘I Think I Love You’
David Cassidy has died at age 67, and if you’re not old enough to weep nostalgic tears at news of his passing, you may instead be saying “Who is David …..
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip Met on a Tennis Court Nearly 80 Years Ago
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip have been married 70 years as of November 20, 2017. (Wow!) They’ve just released this 70th anniversary portrait in a rather interesting setting: The …..
Abraham Lincoln is a founding father of the American funeral industry
Abraham Lincoln embraced embalming, starting a uniquely American tradition in funerals.
Marie Curie and Her Incredible WWI X-Ray Wagon
Physicist and Nobel prize-winner Marie Curie organized pioneering mobile x-ray units to go to the front during World War I.
Yes, Tom Petty is Dead, His Family Confirms
Full statement: pic.twitter.com/FGCVI5yIaa — Tom Petty (@tompetty) October 3, 2017 Tom Petty is dead. His family confirmed the news late Monday night on Twitter. The full announcement read: On behalf …..
Hugh Hefner Has Died At The Playboy Mansion, Naturally
“Much of my life has been like an adolescent dream of an adult life. If you were still a boy, in almost a Peter Pan kind of way, and could …..
Look at This Spot-On Portrait of Kurt Vonnegut
Just because we like it, we’re re-upping this portrait of author Kurt Vonnegut by our own Mr. Paul Hehn. This sketch was originally done for a post about Kurt Vonnegut’s marital contract …..
How Walt Rostow’s Economic Theory Helped Mire the United States in the Vietnam War
Ken Burns’s PBS series doesn’t dwell on the economic theory that got America into Vietnam and staying there: Walt Rostow’s theory that Communism held back development.
Walter Becker, Steely Dan Co-Conspirator, Is Dead at Age 67
Walter Becker — guitarist, composer, prankster, cynic and co-founder with Donald Fagen of the group Steely Dan — has died at age 67. No cause of death was announced, but Fagen …..
The Death of Princess Diana Was the Birth of Who2
Who2 was born on this day 20 years ago, when the untimely death of Princess Diana made us wish for a simple online page with details about her life and death. The day was …..
Jerry Lewis Dances in ‘Cinderfella’
Comedian Jerry Lewis has died at age 91. And if you don’t know who Jerry Lewis was, you are not alone. We had 25-year-old guests at our home tonight who …..
‘Bambi’ at 75: How It Paved the Way for Both ‘Fallout 4’ and ‘Angry Birds’
Walt Disney’s Bambi was a return to abstraction – pioneering a trajectory later taken by CGI animation and video games.
Apollo 11: It Was 48 Years Ago Today
Yes, the brave lads of Apollo 11 took those first big steps on the moon on July 20, 1969: 48 years ago today. Here’s NASA’s video of the big moment: #OTD in …..
Martin Landau: Three Solid Scenes
Actor Martin Landau has died at the grand age of 89. He was, remarkably, a professional cartoonist for The New York Daily News before chucking it all to become an actor …..
George Romero made humans of violent brain-devouring zombies
George Romero leaves behind a key legacy as a modern creator of zombie movies.
Who Hated Jane Austen So Much?
Was it Rudyard Kipling? Or Mark Twain? Which popular author hated Jane Austen so much? Jane Austen’s 200th deathday is July 18th, and The New York Times is celebrating with a Jane Austen quiz. …..
James A. Logan: Pilot, War Hero and Somerville Worthy
Just in time for the Fourth of July, let us salute pilot and patriot James A. Logan of Somerville, Massachusetts. Winner of the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Flying Cross …..
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Japanese influences and education
Guest post by Kevin Nute, University of Oregon To mark Frank Lloyd Wright’s 150th birthday on June 8, many will pay tribute to the architect’s unique gifts and contributions to …..
Roger Moore: The Last Gentleman Hero
A remembrance of the career of Roger Moore.
Born 100 Years Ago: JFK, Ella and So Many More
What a year for being born was 1917! Actor Dean Martin, Secretary of State Cyrus Vance and jazz star Thelonius Monk all hit their 100th birthdays this year… and they can’t even crack the top …..
Emmanuel Macron Biography: New!
Our new biography of French politician Emmanuel Macron is now live. He and Marine Le Pen face each other in a runoff on May 7; the winner will replace Francois …..
Princess Charlotte Photos, Old and New
A new photo of two-year-old Princess Charlotte has just been released by Kensington Palace, official home to her parents Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge. The caption on the …..
Ella Fitzgerald’s flirtation with reefer songs
It’s Ella Fitzgerald’s 100th birthday this week. Just as Fitzgerald’s career was taking off, jazz was under attack for its purported connection to drug culture. If she wanted to become a mainstream superstar, she needed to make a choice.
Queen Elizabeth II Hits 65 Years and 75 Days in Office
Queen Elizabeth II turns 91 today, April 21st. That means she’s been ruling the United Kingdom for 65 years and 75 days. With many more days to come, it seems, …..
Chuck Berry and Johnnie Johnson: Who Really Wrote ‘Roll Over Beethoven’?
By Tim McFarlin, Elon University In the days following Chuck Berry’s death, commentators have trampled over each other in a race to honor him as the “Father of Rock and Roll,” …..
Aaron Hernandez Hangs Himself in Prison
Aaron Hernandez — convicted murderer, acquitted double-murder suspect, and former million-dollar NFL star — is dead. Hernandez hanged himself in his prison cell at the Souza-Baranowski Correction Center, a maximum-security prison about …..
Chuck Barris Dead at 87; Created ‘Dating Game’ and ‘Gong Show’
Producer, creator and professional imp Chuck Barris has died of natural causes at his home in Palisades, New York. The Hollywood Reporter has a full obituary. Barris created and hosted The …..
Read Jimmy Breslin’s Famous Column on JFK’s Funeral
Newspaper columnist Jimmy Breslin died on Sunday at age 88. He was “the biggest, the baddest, the brashest, the best columnist in New York City.” If you never heard of …..
Chuck Berry Was Still Alive, Yes, But Now He’s Dead
Chuck Berry, the groundbreaking guitarist who’s on nearly everyone’s Mount Rushmore of rock ‘n roll, died today. If your first thought is, “Chuck Berry was still alive?”, you’re not alone. That was our …..
Bill Paxton Biography: From JFK to ‘Big Love’
Actor Bill Paxton has died, quite suddenly, at age 61. His family said in a statement that “It is with heavy hearts we share the news that Bill Paxton has passed …..
Abraham Lincoln’s Bromance with Joshua Speed
Joshua Speed and Abraham Lincoln had a very close friendship, sharing their anxieties. Speed was able to calm Lincoln’s depression.
Black History Month: Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, America’s first black singing superstar
In the 19th century, critics and audiences thought blacks were incapable of singing as well as their white, European counterparts. Greenfield forced them to reconcile their ears with their racism.
Black History Month: Allison Davis, pioneering scholar of racism
His landmark contributions to anthropology have faded from memory, despite real-world policy impact during the mid-20th century. He was the first African-American full-time professor at a predominantly-white university, and his research was cited in Brown v. Board of Education.
Punxsutawney Phil Says ‘Six More Weeks of Winter’; Promptly Called Out by Washington Post
Famous groundhog Punxsutawney Phil has predicted six more weeks of winter. The Washington Post says “Nyuh-uh.” Who’s right?
Donald Trump’s Children: An Easy Guide
President Donald Trump has five children by his three wives, and with his inauguration as president on January 20th, we’ve been seeing more questions about the Trump kids. Here’s a guide …..
Joe Biden Given Presidential Medal of Freedom in Surprise Ceremony
Vice President Joe Biden was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom today by President Barack Obama in a surprise White House ceremony. Always emotional, Joe Biden cried openly during much of …..