1963: The CBS Evening News With Walter Cronkite expands from 15 to 30 minutes, becoming network television's first half-hour nightly newscast.

1964: Gilligan's Island premieres on CBS.

1977: Blondie signs with Chrysalis Records.

1987: The album Bad by Michael Jackson is released in North America. It's the long-awaited follow-up to Thriller.

1988: Kevin Bacon marries actress Kyra Sedgwick.

1989: The Rolling Stones' "Steel Wheels" tour kicks off in Philadelphia.

1991: Garth Brooks releases the album Ropin' the Wind.

2002: Sarah Michelle Gellar marries Freddie Prinze Jr. in Mexico.

2002: Kelly Clarkson is named the winner on American Idol, beating out Justin Guarini and winning a recording contract. Nearly 22.5 million people tune in to watch.

2005: Kanye West goes off script during an NBC telethon to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina. He says, among other things, "George Bush doesn't care about black people."

Van Morrison, 63 ... Gina Schock (the Go-Go's), 51 ... Deborah Gibson, 38 ... Chris Tucker (Rush Hour), 36 ... Sara Ramirez (Grey's Anatomy), 33 CONTRIBUTORS: news services