According to the AP, these events happened on October 4:
- In 1931, the comic strip "Dick Tracy," created by Chester Gould, made its debut.
- In 1957, "Leave It To Beaver" made its debut on CBS. After a year, the show switched to ABC and ran until 1963.
- In 1961, Bob Dylan made his concert hall debut in New York. About 50 people attended, mostly his friends, and he earned $20.
- In 1970, singer Janis Joplin was found dead of a heroin overdose at a hotel in Hollywood. She was 27. She had just finished recording the album "Pearl."
- In 1980, singer Carly Simon collapsed due to exhaustion on stage in Pittsburgh. She ended up canceling her tour.
- In 1989, comedian Graham Chapman of Monty Python's Flying Circus died. He was 48.
- In 1990, "Beverly Hills 90210" premiered on Fox.
- In 1992, singer Sinead O'Connor ripped up a picture of the pope during an after-midnight appearance on "Saturday Night Live." NBC's switchboard in New York was flooded with calls, most of them criticizing O'Connor's actions.
Today's Birthdays:
- Country singer Leroy Van Dyke is 83.
- Actor Eddie Applegate ("The Patty Duke Show") is 77.
- Author Jackie Collins is 75.
- Author Anne Rice is 71.
- Actress Lori Saunders ("Petticoat Junction") is 71.
- Actor Clifton Davis ("Amen") is 67.
- Actress Susan Sarandon is 66.
- Actor Armand Assante is 63.
- Actor Alan Rosenberg is 62.
- Actor Bill Fagerbakke ("Coach," ''Spongebob Squarepants") is 55.
- Rap producer Russell Simmons is 55.
- Keyboardist Chris Lowe of The Pet Shop Boys is 53.
- Keyboardist Gregg "Hobie" Hubbard of Sawyer Brown is 52.
- Singer Jon Secada is 51.
- Actor Liev Schreiber ("The Manchurian Candidate," ''Scream 2") is 45.
- Actor Abraham Benrubi ("Men In Trees," ''ER") is 43.
- Country singer-guitarist Heidi Newfield (Trick Pony) is 42.
- Actress Alicia Silverstone is 36.
- Singer-guitarist Marc Roberge of O.A.R. is 34.
- Actress Rachel Leigh Cook ("Josie and the Pussycats," ''She's All That") is 33.
- Singer Jessica Benson of 3LW is 25.
- Actor Michael Charles Roman is 25.
