On this day (Sept 2nd) in showbiz-related history...
31 BC Cleopatra loses the Battle of Actium to Octavian's troops in the final war of the Roman Republic. Liz is very upset but it turns out Dick is still alive and he leaves his men to drown to catch up with her and work on his thigh tan! Not great, Bob.
Madonna mania, September 1st movie releases and more after the jump...
1973 JRR Tolkien dies at 81 of an ulcer. He didn't live to see the original animated adaptation of his work The Hobbit (1977) but do you think he ever dreamed of The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy? (or had nightmares about its prequel trilogy?)
1985 People Magazine gawked at the Madonna / Sean Penn wedding (which had taken place on Madonna's birthday in August) in their September 2nd issue. It sucked up LOTS of media oxygen in 1985. Just ask anyone who lived through that year. 1985 literally began with Madonna's "Like a Virgin" single at #1 for the entire month of January and the Like a Virgin album climbing to #1 in February.
[She must have done 100s of photoshoots that year.]
She only got bigger from there with Desperately Seeking Susan released in movie theaters in April, a radio only smash ("Into the Groove") and her second #1 in May ("Crazy for You") and then that infamous wedding to Sean in August that paparazzi were so intent on crashing that there were helicopters flying over the nuptials.
1994 A Simple Twist of Fate hits movie theaters
2011 Albert Nobbs and A Dangerous Method hit movie theaters
2016 The Light Between Oceans hits movies theaters
... woe unto movies that are released on September 2nd?
Happy Birthday to Them!
Oscar Nominees: Salma Hayek, Mel Stuart (director)
Creatives: Marge Champion (dancer/choreographer), Mark Ricker (production designer)
Actors: "Nini Legs in the Air" herself Caroline O'Connor (Moulin Rouge!) who is currently on Broadway in Anastasia, "Whoa" and Keanu Reeves. It's not a big day for celebrity birthdays but there's also Eugenio Derbez, Sudeep, Michael Dante, and Michael Lombardi