On This Day for April 2 - Death of Pope John Paul II, Charlemagne is featured, and more

This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, click here to view. April 02 FEATURED BIOGRAPHY Charlemagne READ MORE   FEATURED EVENT 2005 Death of Pope John Paul II READ MORE   Advertisement Advertisement   MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY 2015: Portuguese filmmaker Manoel de Oliveira, who was known for richly meditative and often self-reflexive films that were frequently inspired by literary and theatrical works, died at age 106. [Test your knowledge of cinema.] 1992: American organized-crime boss John Gotti was convicted on 13 criminal counts—including the murder of Paul Castellano and others, racketeering, and obstruction of justice—and was sentenced to life in prison. [Take our mobster name quiz.] 1982: Argentine troops seized the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), precipitating the Falkland Islands War with Britain. [ Discover how much you know about warfare.] 1968: Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey had its world premiere in Washington, D.C.; it became a classic, setting the benchmark for sci-fi films. [ Take our Stanley Kubrick quiz.] 1914: British actor Alec Guinness, who was known for the variety and excellence of his stage and screen characterizations, was born. [Take our actors and acting quiz.] 1891: German sculptor and painter Max Ernst, who was a leading advocate of irrationality in art, was born. [Test your knowledge of sculptors and sculpture.] SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY 1914 Alec Guinness British actor 747 Charlemagne Holy Roman emperor [747?–814] 1939 Marvin Gaye American singer and composer 1805 Hans Christian Andersen Danish author 1965 Rodney King American construction worker 1947 Camille Paglia American academic 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