Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" published in 1845

One of Edgar Allan Poe's best known poems, "The Raven" was published January 29, 1845 in the New York Evening Mirror.  It tells a story of a young man, mourning the loss of his love Lenore, receiving a visit from a raven on a lonely December night.  The raven watches the young man's descent into madness.  When published, it made Poe a house-hold name but did not bring him much monetary success.

Happy birthday, Angela Lansbury!

Angela Lansbury, one of my favorite actresses, turns 90 today!  She came to the United States in 1940 and began studying acting.  She moved to LA and got roles in "Gaslight" and "The Picture of Dorian Gray" based on the novel by Oscar Wilde, who was also born on this day in 1845.

Dame Angela has won five Tony awards and six Golden Globes.  She's been nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar three times. 

Although I loved her in "Murder, She Wrote", her performance in "The Manchurian Candidate" is one of the best in all filmdom.