Illustrator and writer Rose Cecil O’Neill was born on June 25, 1874, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. O’Neill was the highest-paid female illustrator of her time, most famous for creating Kewpie, the most well-known cartoon character until Mickey Mouse.
On June 23, 2004, the USPS issued the first stamps in its Art of Disney Series. The USPS worked with Disney artists to create this whimsical series of stamps, with each year featuring a different theme.
Composer Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky was born on June 17, 1882 (or June 5 in the Old Style), in Oranienbaum, Russia (present-day Lomonosov). He is considered one of the most influential composers of the 20th century.
Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jeane Dougherty on June 1, 1926, in Los Angeles, California. Dubbed the “Blonde Bombshell,” she was one of the most popular actresses of the 1950s and early 1960s.
Composer Erich Wolfgang Korngold was born on May 29, 1897, in Brünn, Moravia, Austria-Hungary. A child prodigy, his technical skills and understanding of music combined to make him one of the most talented, yet underrated, musical figures of the 20th century.
Musician Miles Dewey Davis III was born on May 26, 1926, in Alton, Illinois. By continually reinventing his technique, Davis became one of the most influential jazz musicians of all time. In a career spanning 50 years, he left his fingerprint on every major development in jazz since the 1940s.
Acclaimed poet Theodore Huebner Roethke was born on May 25, 1908, in Saginaw, Michigan. Considered one of the most influential poets of his time, he won the 1954 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry and two National Book Awards for Poetry.
On May 18, 1968, Hot Wheels released its first toy cars, dubbed “The Sweet 16.” Since then, they’ve become one of the world’s most popular toy car makers, with the company estimating that they sell eight Hot Wheels every second.
Dimitri Zinovievich Tiomkin on born on May 10, 1894, in Kremenchuk, Poltava Governorate, Russian Empire (present0day Ukraine). Tiomkin was a celebrated composer, producing more than 100 film scores including those for It’s a Wonderful Life, High Noon, and many more.