On This Day for February 8 - Mary, Queen of Scots, beheaded, Il Guercino is featured, and more

This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, click here to view. February 08 FEATURED BIOGRAPHY Il Guercino READ MORE   FEATURED EVENT 1587 Mary, Queen of Scots, beheaded READ MORE   Advertisement Advertisement   MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY 2016: French ballerina and dance director Violette Verdy, who was known for her eloquent and buoyant dancing, died in Bloomington, Indiana. [Sort fact from fiction in our ballet quiz.] 1999: British novelist and philosopher Dame Iris Murdoch—who wrote more than 25 novels that were distinguished by a mixture of vivid storytelling, cultural allusions, and complex philosophical inquiry—died in Oxford, England. [ Take our quiz about the lives of famous writer.] 1976: The American film classic Taxi Driver, directed by Martin Scorsese, had its world premiere; the drama was especially known for the performance of Robert De Niro as a mentally unstable Vietnam War veteran. [ Test your knowledge of famous movie quotes.] 1931: American actor James Dean, who became a symbol of the confused, restless, and idealistic youth of the 1950s, was born. [Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about A-list actors.] 1920/21: American actress Lana Turner, a sultry Hollywood glamour queen with a tumultuous private life, was born. [Test your knowledge of the women in classic cinema.] 1820: American Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman—who was a major architect of modern warfare, especially known for leading Union forces in crushing campaigns through the South—was born. [Test your knowledge of military history.] SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY 1932 John Williams American composer and conductor 1931 James Dean American actor 1941 Nick Nolte American actor 1960 Benigno Aquino III president of Philippines 1959 Mauricio Macri president of Argentina 1828 Jules Verne French author SEE ALL BIOS ON THIS DAY   Advertisement   FOLLOW: To unsubscribe from Britannica e-mails, click here. Encyclopædia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Chicago, Illinois 60654 United States © 2021 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Privacy Policy • Help