November 21 is the birthday of American actress and dancer ELEANOR POWELL (1912-1982). She was an American dancer and actress. Best remembered for her tap dance numbers in musical films in the 1930s and 1940s, she was one of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's top dancing stars during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Powell appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and most prominently, in a series of movie musical vehicles tailored especially to showcase her dance talents

November 21 is the birthday of Belgian painter RENÉ MAGRITTE (1898-1967). Popular interest in Magritte's work rose considerably in the 1960s, and his imagery has influenced pop, minimalist, and conceptual art. In 2005 he was 9th in the Walloon version of De Grootste Belg (The Greatest Belgian); in the Flemish version he was 18th. To see samples of his work, CLICK HERE.

November 21 is the birthday of jazz saxophone great and St. Joseph, MO native COLEMAN HAWKINS (1904-1969).

Given his love of Bach and Pablo Casals and his own unquenchable thirst for self-expression, it was inevitable that Hawkins would move towards solo performances. During his European tour, he began surrounding his songs with unaccompanied introductions and codas. In January 1945 he recorded Solo Sessions. Harry Lim, a Javanese jazz lover who came to America in 1939, first produced jam sessions in Chicago and New York and then founded Keynote Records, a premier small jazz label. In an article for Metronome magazine in May, 1944, Lim dubbed Hawkins 'the Picasso of Jazz.'

THIS DAY IN HISTORY: On November 21, 1964 -- 60 years ago today! -- the Verrazano Narrows Bridge in New York City opened to traffic. It's the world's seventh largest suspension bridge.

November 21 is the birthday of French Enlightenment writer, philosopher, satirist and historian VOLTAIRE (1694-1778).

"God made Man in his own image, and we have returned him the favor."

"Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities."

"Life is bristling with thorns, and I know no other remedy than to cultivate one's garden."

"Paradise on earth is where I am."

"The English have only one sauce, melted butter."

"A witty saying proves nothing."

THIS DAY IN HISTORY: On November 21, 1905, Albert Einstein's paper that leads to the mass–energy equivalence formula, E = mc², is published in the journal Annalen der Physik.