History Brooklyn Boro

February 2, birthdays for Shakira, Ina Garten, Zosia Mamet

Brooklyn Today

February 2, 2017 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Singer and pop superstar Shakira celebrates her birthday today. Photo by John Salangsang/Invision/AP

Share this:

Greetings, Brooklyn. Today is the 33rd day of the year.

Notable people born on this day include Graham Nash and Tom Smothers, among others.

For more of Brooklyn Today, please turn to page 3.

****

ON THIS DAY IN 1949, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle published an article titled “Truck is Stolen With Television Set and Piano Aboard.”

The article focused on a thief who stole a truck, TV set and piano from a piano delivery man.

“The haul amounted to $4,700 authorities stated, declaring that the piano was worth $1,000, the TV set $700 and the truck $3,000,” the Eagle reported.

****

NOTABLE PEOPLE born on this day include model CHRISTIE BRINKLEY, who was born in 1953; U.S. Sen. JOHN CORNYN, who was born in 1952; chef, cookbook author and TV personality INA GARTEN, who was born in 1948; actor BO HOPKINS, who was born in 1942; actress ZOSIA MAMET, who was born in 1988; actor Robert Mandan, who was born in 1932; musician and singer Graham Nash, who was born in 1942; singer Shakira, who was born in 1977; journalist and author Liz Smith, who was born in 1923; comedian Tom Smothers, who was born on Governor’s Island in 1937; and actor Michael T. Weiss, who was born in 1962.

****

AYN RAND WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1905. The writer is known for her novels “The Fountainhead” and “Atlas Shrugged.” She founded the Objectivism school of philosophy. She died in New York in 1982.

****

TODAY IS GROUNDHOG DAY. It is believed that if the groundhog sees his shadow today, six more weeks of winter will ensue. It was inspired by the ancient Roman tradition “Hedgehog Day,” in which Romans observed whether a hedgehog emerging from hibernation could see its shadow in the moonlight — if it could, then six more weeks of winter were expected.

****

FARRAH FAWCETT WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1947. The actress and ’70s pop-culture icon is as famous for her feathered hairstyle as for her acting. She was the star of TV’s “Charlie’s Angels” and later earned several Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for her dramatic roles in made-for-television movies such as “The Burning Bed” and “Small Sacrifices.” Fawcett’s 1976 swimsuit poster is the bestselling pinup of all time. She died in California in 2009.

****

JAMES JOYCE WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1882. The Irish novelist and poet is the author of “Dubliners,” “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man,” “Ulysses” and “Finnegans Wake.” Joyce died in 1941 in Switzerland.

****

GEORGE HALAS WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1895. After playing football at the University of Illinois and baseball with the New York Yankees, the Pro Football Hall of Fame coach and team owner helped to found the National Football League and the Chicago Bears in 1920. As coach of the Bears for 40 years, he compiled a record of 324 wins, 151 losses and 31 ties. He was also a charter member of the Hall of Fame in 1963. Hallas died in Chicago in 1983.

****

THE BROOKLYN HISTORICAL SOCIETY (BHS) WILL HOST “CAPOTE ON SCREEN: ‘Capote’” tonight at 7:00 p.m. The four-part series on the writer will conclude with the Truman Capote biopic that earned Philip Seymour Hoffman an Academy Award for his portrayal of the author as he struggled to write what would become his seminal work of nonfiction, “In Cold Blood.” Newsday’s Rafer Guzman will introduce the film. For more information, visit brooklynhistory.org.

****

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

****

“The actions of men are the best interpreters of their thoughts.” — writer James Joyce, who was born on this day in 1882