437 years ago, Italian traveler, author, and musician Pietro Della Valle, was born. Brought up in Rome among noble families, he devoted his early life to music until he began to have suicidal thoughts. A professor of medicine suggested he travel to the Holy Land (a heck of a prescription) which he did—and much more besides, including the Fertile Cresent, Iran, the Arabian Peninsula, and India, writing as he went. READ some of what he saw… (1586)

First on his itinerary were Constantinople, Alexandria, Cairo, Mount Sinai, and finally Jerusalem, which he reached in time for Easter celebrations. Next up he visited Aleppo and Damascus, during which time he paid a visit to Babylon, Nineveh, and Ur, making a detailed written account of their states of preservation at the time, and even sending back to Rome some tablets with cuneiform writing—among the first seen in Europe.

Pietro then got it into his head that he wanted to visit India, which he did, and stayed mostly in Goa and Surat. He gained an audience with King Vekatappa Nayaka of Keladi, South India, and his accounts of that kingdom remain among its most important from the time period. This was 8 years after arriving in Jerusalem.

In the year of his return, he passed through Muscat, Basra, Alexandretta, and finally Cyprus, after which he arrived back home in the Eternal City to great honors. He enjoyed a largely unnoticeable life ever after, collecting books, and returning to his work as a musician.

By 1665 the portion of his “Travels” dealing with India and with his return had been translated into English. They contain accounts of his discussions with “Hindoo” Brahmans about whether the Egyptians or Indians first came up with the concept of reincarnation, a dialogue with a woman who invited him to her upcoming sati, a description of the barefoot ‘Queen of Olaza’, who was out on the embankments giving directions to her engineers—and many other bits of first-rate ethnography.

MORE Good News on this Date:

• Ludwig van Beethoven‘s Symphony #1 in C was first performed as part of a public benefit concert at the Burgtheater, although reviews were decidedly cool (1800)
• Hans Christian Andersen, the children’s author, was born in Denmark (1805)
• American inventor Joseph Dixon of Salem, Massachusetts began manufacturing his now widespread lead pencils (1827)
• The first Easter Egg Hunt for kids was held on the White House lawn (1878)
• The first full-time movie theater in the United States opened in Los Angeles, California, with the name “Electric Theatre” (1902)
• Jeannette Rankin (R-Montana) began her term as the first woman member of the US House of Representatives in Congress (1917)
• Rakesh Sharma is launched aboard Soyuz T-11, and becomes the first Indian in space (1984)
• The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are air pollutants under the Clean Air Act (2007)
• Today is the 15th annual World Autism Awareness Day, which encourage tolerance for those with the neural development disorder that affects approximately 1 out of every 150 children around the world who have an inability often to socialize normally (2007)

109 years ago today, Sir Alex Guinness was born, an English actor that would become one of the greatest in a generation who transitioned from theater to film following the Second World War. During the 50s and 60s he experienced great success as Col. Nicholson in The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), for which he won both the Academy and BAFTA awards for Best Actor, Prince Faisal in Lawrence of Arabia (1962), General Yevgraf Zhivago in Doctor Zhivago (1965).

Then there was Star Wars; a film which he truly did not like, as well as his character of Obi-Wan Kenobi. He has made numerous public statements about his dislike for the film, even allegedly convincing George Lucas to kill off Obi-Wan in the script, for what he said would be a better story, but which in reality was his attempt to escape from future film commitments.

“It’s a pretty staggering film as spectacle and technically brilliant,” Guinness wrote in his diary about the sci-fi classic. “Exciting, very noisy, and warm-hearted. The battle scenes at the end go on for five minutes too long, I feel, and some of the dialogue is excruciating and much of it is lost in noise, but it remains a vivid experience.”

Although Guinness disliked the fame that followed work he did not hold in high esteem, Lucas and fellow cast members Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Kenny Baker, and Anthony Daniels have spoken highly of his courtesy and professionalism, on and off the set. Lucas credited him with inspiring the cast and crew to work harder, saying that Guinness contributed significantly to achieving the completion of the filming.

He later said he had “no complaints; let me leave it by saying I can live for the rest of my life in the reasonably modest way I am now used to, that I have no debts and I can afford to refuse work that doesn’t appeal to me.” READ More about the Star Wars filming, and WATCH a monologue… (1914)

42 years ago today, Rita Johnston became the first female Premier of a Canadian province in history when she took office.

The Canadian politician who had managed a trailer park for much of her early life became the 29th Premier of British Columbia at age 56. She began as a city councillor in Surrey and served in the Legislative Assembly of BC until the province’s premier appointed Johnston deputy premier before resigning the following year and Rita was named leader of the party, which made her Canada’s first female premier.

Retired from politics since losing her election later that same year—she now lives in Vernon, BC, and turns 87 years old this month. (1991)

And, 49 years ago today, the egg-rolling race, famous to all modern White House Easter celebrations, was first introduced. With spoons borrowed from the White House kitchen and hard-boiled eggs (prepared and dyed by the White House chefs), children push and roll the eggs on their way to the finish line. (1974)

And, 55 years ago today, 2001 A Space Odyssey directed by Stanley Kubrick made its world premiere in Washington, DC. Considered by critics and directors to be one of the top 10 best films of all time, the adapted screenplay, which features an AI computer named “Hal”, was co-authored by the writer and futurist Arthur C. Clarke. Lauded for its pioneering special effects, philosophic themes, memorable music, and scientifically accurate depiction of spaceflight, the film was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Screenplay—and it won for visual effects. (1968)

And 84 years ago today, the soul singer-songwriter and musician Marvin Gaye was born in Washington, DC. ‘The Prince of Motown’ helped to shape the sound of the 1960s with a string of hits, like I Heard It Through the Grapevine (the best selling Motown hit ever). The pianist’s 1970 composition What’s Going On, written about an act of police brutality at an anti-war rally, was called “too political” for radio by Motown founder Berry Gordy who refused to release it. Gaye responded by going on strike from recording until the label released the song. It reached No. 1 and sold over two million copies. It was the title track of the LP that Rolling Stone hailed as ‘Album of the Year’, which also yielded two more top 10 singles, including Mercy Mercy Me. But, Marvin Gaye’s epic career was far from over, even though he was killed at age 45 by his preacher father.

Gaye’s next LP, Let’s Get It On, stayed on the charts for two years and sold over three million copies. His following albums contained, I Want You and Got to Give It Up, two more No. 1 hits. After a nasty break-up with Motown records, Gaye recorded “Sexual Healing” with CBS – one of his biggest hits ever and a double Grammy winner. Unfortunately, a relapse of cocaine addiction spurred him to move in with his parents in Los Angeles, where, in 1984, his dad fatally shot him after Marvin tried to intervene in a family fight. (1939)

On this day 103 years ago, Jack Webb was born. The actor, screenwriter, and director-producer created the iconic police franchise Dragnet, and starred as the Los Angeles detective Sgt. Joe Friday. The series was based on real cases from LAPD police files and featured authentic depictions of cops and their daily work in the 50s and 60—which were portrayed like the working-class heroes they were. Webb also wrote The Badge: True and Terrifying Crime Stories that Could Not Be Presented on TV, from the Creator and Star of “Dragnet”. He also launched a spin-off called Adam-12, which ran for seven successful seasons, and later Emergency!, which ran for six.

After dying of a heart attack at age 62, he was given a funeral with full LA police honors and the city retired badge number 714 in honor of Joe Friday. Mayor Bradley ordered all city flags lowered to half-staff and Webb was buried with a replica LAPD badge (714) with the rank of sergeant.

Webb also loved playing jazz on his cornet, and had a collection of more than 6,000 jazz recordings.

“The story you are about to see is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent,” is how each Dragnet episode would begin. The one below featured a very young Kent McCord who would one day co-star in Adam-12. And, if you keep watching the next video, Jack Webb is joined by actor Harry Morgan playing Officer Bill Gannon talking to hippies in the late 60s about disliking America. WATCH the precision of his acting in ‘What is a Cop?’, his famous speech from ‘The Big Interrogation’… (1920–1982)

SHARE the Milestones, Memories, and Music…