Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Celebrity Birthdays for April 17: Actor David Bradley ("Game of Thrones") is 83. Singer and actress Michele Richard is 79. Musician Jan Hammer is 77. Actor Clarke Peters ("Treme") is 73. Rock singer/guitarist/producer Michael Sembello is 71.

Today in History for April 17: In 1492, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain granted Christopher Columbus a commission to seek a westward ocean passage to Asia.

Today in Music History for April 17: In 1943, Canadian pop singer Bobby Curtola was born in Port Arthur, Ont. (now Thunder Bay).

Celebrity Birthdays for April 16: Singer Bobby Vinton is 90. Denmark's Queen Margrethe II is 85. Blues singer and guitarist Stefan Grossman is 80. Basketball Hall of Fame centre Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is 78. Hall of Fame jockey Sandy Hawley is 76.

Today in Music History for April 16: In 1924, pianist, composer and orchestra leader Henry Mancini was born in Cleveland.

Today in History for April 16: In 556, Roman-born Pope Pelagius I became the 60th successor of St. Peter. He built the Church of the Twelve Apostles. In 1189, St. Drogo, also called Druon, a Flemish saint who became a hermit in Sebourg, France, died.

Celebrity Birthdays for April 15: Actress Claudia Cardinale ("Son of the Pink Panther") is 87. British singer-songwriter Marty Wilde (born Reginald Smith) is 86. Author and politician Jeffrey Archer is 85. Singer-guitarist Dave Edmunds is 81.

Today in Music History for April 15: In 1729, composer J.S. Bach conducted the premiere performance of his ``St. Matthew Passion'' at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, Germany.

Today in History for April 15: On this date: In 1452, Leonardo da Vinci was born in Vinci, Italy. He would go on to paint some historic religious scenes, most specifically ``The Last Supper,'' as well as the iconic ``Mona Lisa.

Celebrity Birthdays for April 14: Actress Julie Christie is 85. Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore is 80. Actor John Shea ("Gossip Girl," ''Lois and Clark") is 76. Country music songwriter Kostas is 76.