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December 19, birthdays for Alyssa Milano, Alexis Sanchez, Ronan Farrow

Brooklyn Today

December 19, 2016 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Brooklyn-born actress Alyssa Milano celebrates her birthday today. Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

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Greetings, Brooklyn. Today is the 354th day of the year.

Notable people born on this day include Jake Gyllenhaal and Kevin McHale, among others.

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ON THIS DAY IN 1947, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle published an article titled “341 New Policemen Receive Badges From Wallander.”

The article focused on a ceremony held at Police Headquarters for the swearing-in of over 300 policemen.

“By July 1, 1948, he stated after the ceremony, 1,200 more officers will be added to the force, in accordance with a plan worked out by him and Mayor O’Dwyer,” the Eagle reported.

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NOTABLE PEOPLE born on this day include actress JENNIFER BEALS, who was born in 1963; TV personality, human rights advocate and journalist RONAN FARROW, who was born in 1987; country singer JANIE FRICKE, who was born in 1952; actor JAKE GYLLENHAAL, who was born in 1980; TV personality RICHARD HAMMOND, who was born in 1969; anthropologist RICHARD E. LEAKEY, who was born in 1944; Hall of Fame basketball player KEVIN EDWARD MCHALE, who was born in 1957; actress ALYSSA MILANO, who was born in Brooklyn in 1972; U.S. Sen. ROB PORTMAN, who was born in 1955; actor TIM REID, who was born in 1944; soccer star ALEXIS SANCHEZ, who was born in 1988; and actress KRISTY SWANSON, who was born in 1969.

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THE FIRST RADIO BROADCAST WAS TRANSMITTED FROM SPACE on this day in 1958. U.S. Earth satellite Atlas transmitted the first radio voice broadcast from space, a 58-word recorded Christmas greeting from President Dwight D. Eisenhower that included this message: “To all mankind America’s wish for peace on Earth and goodwill toward men everywhere.”

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CARTER GODWIN WOODSON WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1875. The historian is known for introducing black studies to colleges and universities. Known as the father of black history, he inaugurated Negro History Week. Woodson was working on a six-volume Encyclopaedia Africana when he died in Washington, D.C. in 1950.

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“TITANIC” WAS RELEASED ON THIS DAY IN 1997. It was the most expensive film made (up to that time) at $200 million. The film was written and directed by James Cameron, featured the drama of star-crossed lovers (Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet), paired with the special-effects re-creation of the 1912 ocean liner’s first and last voyage. It won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

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ROBERT B. SHERMAN WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1925. With his brother Richard, Brooklyn-born Robert Sherman formed a successful songwriting partnership that created such classics as “It’s a Small World (After All),” as well as “Chim Chim Cheree” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” both from “Mary Poppins.” An expressive writer and thinker, Sherman said that his combat experience in World War II influenced his later songwriting work, which often explored themes of joy, happiness and a generally hopeful outlook for society. He died in London in 2012.

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TODAY IS THE MEETING OF THE ELECTORS. On the Monday following the second Wednesday in December in presidential election years, members of the Electoral College formally cast their ballots for president and vice president of the U.S., meeting in their respective state capitals. At 1 p.m. on Jan. 6 following the election, the ballots are officially counted and the result is announced.

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WILLIAM PARRY WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1790. The British explorer is remembered for his Arctic expeditions and for his search for the Northwest Passage. He died in Germany in 1855.

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Special thanks to “Chase’s Calendar of Events” and Brooklyn Public Library.

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“When you control a man’s thinking you do not have to worry about his actions.” — historian Carter G. Woodson, who was born on this day in 1875