March 13

March 12, 2026

On this day in 1781 – William Herschel discovers Uranus.
He called the new planet the "Georgian star" (Georgium sidus) after King George III, the name did not stick. In France, where reference to the British king was to be avoided if possible, the planet was known as "Herschel" until the name "Uranus" was universally adopted.

In 1845 – Felix Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto receives its première performance.

In 1930 – The news of the discovery of Pluto is announced by Lowell Observatory.

In 1989 - Depeche Mode release documentary film and live album "101"

In 1992 - Bad Religion release "Generator".

In 1964 - Kitty Genovese is murdered in New York City, prompting research into the bystander effect due to the false story that neighbors witnessed the killing and did nothing to help her.

In 1969 – Apollo 9 returns safely to Earth after testing the Lunar Module.

In 1989 – Space Shuttle Discovery launches carrying the TDRS-4 satellite.

In 1993 - Snow's "Informer" reaches #1

“Everyone I listen to, fake patois. . .”

In 2003 – An article in Nature identifies the Ciampate del Diavolo as 350,000-year-old hominid footprints.

Birthdays:

Common

Adina Porter
as Cheryl in "About Sunny"

Annabeth Gish
on Tubi
Despite persistent reports, Gish is not related to the early silent film actress sisters Lillian and Dorothy Gish. When Gish first became interested in acting, she wrote a letter to Lillian Gish, who replied by encouraging Annabeth to stay away from the business. Lillian wrote, "There's too much talent and not enough work in the movies!"

Tim Story
Dana Delaney
on Tubi

Glenne Headly
as Vivian in "Bartleby"

on Tubi

Robin Duke
as Sandra Baker in "Blue Monkey"

Deborah Raffin
as Anna Medley in "Killing at Hell's Gate
as Jennifer in "The Sentinel"

Tim Sebastian
"The Spy in Question"

William H. Macy
In March 2019, it was reported that Macy and (Felicity) Huffman had agreed to pay someone $15,000 to take a college entrance exam for their daughter Sophia. Huffman was indicted on fraud and conspiracy charges as part of a wider federal investigation of college admissions bribery. For undisclosed reasons, no charges were filed against Macy. Attorneys uninvolved in the case speculated that Macy may not have been charged because he cooperated with agents or because the government lacked sufficient evidence of his involvement.
on Tubi
as Tim Sullivan in "Homocide"

as Little Bill Thompson in "Boogie Nights"

Scatman John

Mahmoud Darwish
"I Do Not Know the Stranger"

I do not know the stranger
I do not know the stranger, nor his accomplishments…
I saw a funeral, so I walked behind the coffin,
like the others, bowing my head in respect.
I found no reason to ask: who is this stranger?
Where did he live, and how did he die,
because the causes of death are many,
one of which is the pain of life.
I asked myself: does he see us,
or does he see nothingness and regrets the end?
I knew he would not open the coffin that’s covered
with lavender
to bid us farewell and thank us and mutter the truth.
What is the truth?
Perhaps he is like us in these moments,
folding his shadow.
But he is the only one who did not cry this morning,
and did not see the death that is
flying over us like a hawk…
The living are the cousins of death,
and the dead are sleeping
quietly and quietly and quietly.
And I found no reason to ask:
Who is this stranger and what is his name.
No sparkles shine in his name.
The march behind him was 20 people,
except me.
And I became lost in my heart in front of the
church doors:
Perhaps he is a writer, or a laborer, or a refugee
or a thief or a murderer… No difference,
we are all equal in front of death…
They don’t talk,
and perhaps, they don’t dream.
This stranger’s funeral could be mine,
but a divine matter is postponing it
for many reasons,
one of which is: a big mistake in the poem!

Neil Sedaka

David Nobbs
"The Fall and Rise of Reginald Parin"

Diane Dillon
"Stargate"