A number of noted people passed away on this date February 5, 1969 and a couple new arrivals of note also.

• Actress Thelma Ritter died at the age of 66 a few days after suffering a heart attack.  Ritter who played mostly working class characters in her film career- received six Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actress- without winning. She was the record holder until Glenn Close passed her with 7 without a win. Her first movie was Miracle On 34th Street- in 1947- at the age of 45. Her Oscar nominations were for  All About Eve- 1950, The Mating Season 1951, With A Song In My Heart 1952, Pick Up On South Street 1953, Pillow Talk 1959 [my mother’s all time favorite movie} and Bird Man From Alcatraz 1962. Her final film was What’s So Bad About Feeling Good- in 1968.

• Conrad Hilton Jr- known as Nicky- died at the age of 42. He had a somewhat interesting but short life- he was the first husband of Elizabeth Taylor. He supposedly had an affair with his step-mother Zsa Zsa Gabor. His father Conrad Hilton was the founder of Hilton Hotels. He is the great-uncle of Paris and Nicky Hilton. He died of an alcohol related heart attack in Los Angeles.

• Actress Elsa Janssen best known for playing Lou Gehrig’s mother in Pride Of The Yankees died at the age of 85 of heart failure  in Los Angeles. Born in Germany- she appeared in 25 movies.

Born on this day February 5, 1969- turning 50 today-

• Bobby Brown- singer- for New Edition and then had some solo success and probably most famous for marrying Whitney Houston. They were married from 1992 to 2007. Getting involved with Bobby Brown was not a good life move for Whitney. His big album musically was 1988’s Don’t Be Cruel -which had four Top 10 hits- Don’t Be Cruel #8, My Prerogative #1, Roni #3 Every Little Step #3. Addictions, mental illness and legal issues have pretty much marked the fall of his once promising career. Sadly, it looks like he will be remembered more for tabloid fodder than his career. Looking at recent pictures of him he looks more like 70 than 50.

• British actor Michael Sheen turns 50 today- he started out acting on stage but in the past two decades is known mostly for his film work. He played former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in three films. He played David Frost in the highly acclaimed Frost/ Nixon. My favorite work of his – starring as football [soccer } coach Brian Clough in Damned United. Sheen has also been involved in high profile relationships with Kate Beckinsale and Sarah Silverman.