Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Celebrity birthdays for Aug. 17: Actor Robert De Niro is 82. Movie director Martha Coolidge is 79. Guitarist Gary Talley of The Box Tops is 78. Actor/screenwriter/producer Julian Fellowes is 76. Actor Robert Joy ("CSI: NY") is 74.

Today in History for Aug. 17: On this date: In 1502, Christopher Columbus took possession of what is now Honduras in the name of Spain. In 1761, William Carey, pioneer English missionary to India, was born.

Today in Music History for Aug.

Celebrity birthdays for Aug. 16: Actress Ann Blyth is 97. Actor Gary Clarke ("Hondo," ''The Virginian") is 92. Actress Julie Newmar is 92 Actor John Standing is 91. '60s pop singer and actress Ketty Lester is 91. Actress Anita Gillette is 90.

Today in History for Aug. 16: On this date: In 1750, 300 German settlers arrived at Lunenburg, N.S. In 1784, New Brunswick was established as a separate colony from Nova Scotia with a nominated council and elected assembly.

Today in Music History for Aug. 16: In 1935, Patsy Montana recorded "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart," which turned out be the first million-selling country record by a female singer.

Today in Music History for Feb. 20: In 1941, Quebec singer and songwriter La Bolduc died in Montreal. She was 46.

Today in Music History for March 9: In 1942, Mark Lindsay, lead singer with "Paul Revere and the Raiders," was born in Cambridge, Idaho.

Celebrity birthdays for Aug. 21: Guitarist James Burton (with Elvis Presley) is 86. Singer Jackie DeShannon is 84. Movie director Peter Weir is 81. Actress Patty McCormack ("The Ropers") is 80. Pro Football Hall-of-Famer Willie Lanier is 80.

Celebrity birthdays for Aug. 18: Movie director Roman Polanski is 92. Actor Robert Redford is 89. Actor Henry G. Sanders ("Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman") is 83. Rock musician Dennis Elliott is 75. Comedian Elayne Boosler is 73.