9 random things that happened on this day, November 12th, in showbiz history...
1880 Lew Wallace's novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ is published. It was the best-selling American novel of all time (for awhile). The film adaptation in 1959 won 11 Oscars, a feat that's never been bested though Titanic and Return of the King later tied its haul.
1946 Disney's Song of the South has its world premiere in Atlanta, Georgia. Disney has long since hidden it from view though it was celebrated in its time, winning one competitive and one Honorary Oscar
More after the jump including Penelope Pussycat, Julie Andrews, and Ryan Gosling...
1949 Pepe Le Peu meets his match in Penelope Pussycat in the Oscar winning short For Scent-imental Reasons which was released on this day.
The new couple while filming "Darling Lili"
1969 Superstar Julie Andrews marries Director Blake Edwards (with whom she had just filmed the motion picture Darling Lili). They remain together until his death in 2010.
1982 Robert Altman's Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean starring Sandy Dennis, Karen Black, Kathy Bates, and "new" actress Cher begins its run in movie theaters. Cher is later Golden Globe nominated for her performance, the first taste of acting awards glory for the diva.
1992 The first episode of British sitcom Absolutely Fabulous airs.
1993 Jane Campion's The Piano begins its very slow rollout debuting in just 4 theaters on its way to three eventual Oscar wins and an impressive US gross of $40 million)
2016 The annual Governors Awards are held. Movie star Jackie Chan, Casting Director Lynn Stalmaster, Editor Anne V Coates, and Documentarian Frederick Wiseman were honored with Honorary Oscars - remember those speeches?
2019 Disney launched Disney+. Little did they know COVID-19 was around the corner and it was going to be a great year for streaming content providers, Quibi aside.
Today's Birthday Suit
Happy 40th today to Ryan Gosling, pictured here in all his "photoshopped" beauty in Crazy Stupid Love
Other actors celebrating birthdays today: Yael Eitan (37), Anne Hathaway (38), Gustaf Skarsgård (40), Cote de Pablo (41), Ashley Williams (42), Alexandra Maria Lara (42), Truong Ngoc Anh (44), Ben Aldridge (45), Radha Mitchelle (47), Craig Parker (50), Megan Mullally (62), Karen Ziemba (63), Wallace Shawn (77) and Mary Louise Wilson (89)
Other showbiz types celebrating birthdays today: Awesome writer/director Céline Sciamma (40), Oscar winning short filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (42), Ice skater Tonya Harding (50), Musician Omarion (36), Gymnast Nadia Comaneci (59), Director Patrice Leconte (73), Musician Neil Young (75), and Oscar-winning Production Designer Peter Lamont (91)
Gone but not forgotten: Director Jacques Tourneur (Cat People, Out of the Past) born on this day in 1904, Actor Richard Ney (aka Mr Greer Garson) born on this day in 1916, Oscar winner Kim Hunter (A Streetcar Named Desire) born on this day in 1922, Oscar winner Grace Kelly (The Country Girl) born on this day in 1929, and Ina Balin (From the Terrace) born on this day in 1937