^{Glass lantern slide of the Arc de Triomphe, Paris (Courtesy State Library of Victoria, H2011.35/191)}

Today in History

• Mary, Queen of Scots, marries Lord Darnley (1565)
• The Arc de Triomphe in Paris is inaugurated (1835)
• American Civil War: Confederate spy Belle Boyd is arrested by Union troops (1864)
• Adolf Hitler becomes leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party (1921)
• The first post-World War II Summer Olympic Games are held (1948)
• NASA is created (1958)
• The first “Son of Sam” attack in New York takes place (1976)
• Charles, Prince of Wales, and Lady Diana Spencer wed (1981)
• The dwarf planet Eris is discovered (2005)

Birthdays

• Alexis de Tocqueville, historian (1805)
• Booth Tarkington, author (1869)
• Maria Ouspenskaya, actress and educator (1876)
• Don Marquis, creator of Archy and Mehitabel (1878)
• Benito Mussolini, Italian fascist leader (1883)
• Theda Bara, actress (1885)
• William Powell, actor (1892)
• J. R. D. Tata, founded Tata Motors (1904)
• Clara Bow, actress (1905)
• Dag Hammarskjöld, UN secretary-general (1905)
• Melvin Belli, lawyer (1909)
• “Professor” Irwin Corey, comedian (1914)
• Richard Egan, actor 91921)
• Lou Albano, wrestler (1933)
• Elizabeth Dole, politician (1936)
• Peter Jennings, television news anchor (1938)
• David Warner, actor (1941)
• Ken Burns, documentary filmmaker (1953)
• Patti Scialfa, singer-songwriter (1953)
• Dave Stevens, illustrator (1955)
• Wil Wheaton, actor (1972)
• Danger Mouse, musician (1977)

Deaths

• Robert Schumann, composer (1856)
• Vincent Van Gogh, painter (1890)
• Mama Cass Elliot, singer (1974)
• Herbert Marcuse, sociologist and philosopher (1979)
• Bill Todman, game show producer with Goodson and Todman (1979)
• Robert Moses, urban planner, subject of Robert Caro’s The Power Broker (1981)
• Luis Buñuel, filmmaker (1983)
• Raymond Massey, actor (1983)
• David Niven, actor (1983)
• Fred Waring, bandleader (1984)
• Jerome Robbins, choreographer and producer (1998)
• Tom Snyder, talk show host (2007)

Holidays and Celebrations

• International Tiger Day
• Mohun Bagan Day (India)
• National Anthem Day (Romania)
• Thai Language Day (Thailand)
• Olavsoka, opening of the Logting session (Faroe Islands and Nordic countries)

July 29 is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years). There are 155 days remaining until the end of the year.