April 23: Births and Deaths

Birthdays are a wonderful daily occurrence in our lives. It is rare to weave through one's day without becoming privy to an announcement or celebration of a birthday or two, whether they belong to family, friends, or other eminent figures. Remembering those who have passed each day is, perhaps, just as noteworthy an endeavor, for if their memories are kept alive, one might argue, so too are their spirits.

Here is a sampling of April 23 honorees:

Birthdays

Dev Patel - His moving portrayal of Jamal Malik in the Academy Award winning "Slumdog Millionaire," was this British film and television actor's first huge starring role. Patel won the Critics' Choice Award and Screen Actors Guild Award, and was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Interestingly, he is also a gifted martial artist. Patel is 19 years old today.

Valerie Bertinelli - Ms. Bertinelli, 49 years old today, has had quite a career on episodic television. She is still beloved by her fans for her work on "One Day at a Time," which ran for 207 episodes from 1975 to 1984. She was only 15 years old when she began playing Barbara Cooper. More recently, she appeared in 59 episodes of "Touched by an Angel." She is recently, and famously, divorced from guitarist and rock star Eddie Van Halen, whom she married in 1981.

George Lopez - Mr. Lopez is one of the most prominent Mexican-Americans from within the Latino community to be recognized in mainstream North American popular culture. Born in 1961, he is perhaps best known as the co-creator, writer, producer, and star of his own television sitcom entitled "George Lopez" which ran from 2002 through 2007.

Deaths

Boris Yeltsin - He was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving for eight years from 1991 to 1999. He was elected president Republic with 57% of the vote, becoming the first popularly elected president. Yeltsin quickly fell out of favor, however after economic and political crises in Russia in the 1990s. There was widespread corruption and economic collapse. Ultimately, he resigned, leaving the presidency in the hands of Vladimir Putin. He passed away on this day in 2007.

James Earl Ray - One of this country's most famous assassins, James Earl Ray murdered civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. Ray died in prison at the age of 70 from complications related to kidney disease caused by hepatitis C, contracted as a result of a blood transfusion given after a stabbing while at Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary.