Born on this day – Paulette Jiles:

 

Paulette Jiles

Writer

Actress

April 4, 1943 – July 9, 2025

Credits:

Books:

Blackwater (1988); Celestial Navigation / poems (1984); Chenneville (2023); Cousins (1992); Enemy Women (2002); Flying Lesson / poems 1995); Lighthouse Island (2013); News of the World (2016); North Spirit (1995); Simon the Fiddler (2020); Sitting in the Club Car Drinking Rum and Karma Kola (1986); Song to the Rising Sun (1989); Stormy Weather (2007); The Color of Lightning (2009); The Golden Hawks (1978); The Jesse James poems / poems (1988); The Late Great Human Road Show (1986); Waterloo Express / poems (1973).

Movies and television:

News of the World (2020); Rose's House (1977).

Born on this day – Dan Simmons:

Dan Simmons

Writer

April 4, 1948 – February 21, 2026 

Credits:

Books:

A Winter Haunting (2002); Adventures of the Batman (1995); Angels of Darkness (1995); Banished Dreams (1990); Between Time and Terror (1990); Black Hills (2010); Blood Is Not Enough (1989); Bloodsuckers (2010); Carrion Comfort (1989); Children of the Night (1992); Dark Visions (1989); Darker Masques (2002); Darkness (2010); Darwin's Blade (2000); Drood (2009); Endymion (1996); Entropy's Bed at Midnight (1990); Far Horizons (1999); Fires of Eden (1994); Flashback (2011); Flesh Creepers (1990); Flight or Fright (2018); Freak Show (1992); Going After The Rubber Chicken (1991); Hard as Nails (2003); Hard Freeze (2002); Hardcase (2001); High Fantastic (1987); Horrorscape 2 (2005); Hyperion (1989); Ilium (2003); LoveDeath (1993); Masques III (1989); Masques IV (1991); Midnight Graffiti (1992); Muse of Fire (2008); Night Visions 5 (1988); Obsessions (1991); Olympos (2005); Omni Visions Two (1994); Phases of Gravity (1989); Prayers to Broken Stones (1990); Redshift (2001); Rivals of Dracula (1996); Science Fiction: The Best of 2001 (2002); Song of Kali (1985); Songs of the Dying Earth (2009); Southern Blood (1997); Speaking of the Fantastic (2005); Still Dead (1992); Summer of Night (1991); Summer Sketches (1992); The Abominable (2013); The Crook Factory (1999); The Earth Strikes Back (1994); The Fall of Hyperion (1990); The Fifth Heart (2015); The Further Adventures of the Joker (1990); The Guiding Nose of Ulfant Banderoz (2013); The Hollow Man (1992); The Living Dead (2008); The New Space Opera (2007); The Orbit Science Fiction Yearbook 1 (1989); The Rise of Endymion (1997); The Second Omni Book of Science Fiction (1984); The Space Opera Renaissance (2006); The Terror (2007); The Ultimate Dracula (1991); The Vampire Archives (2009); The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror Seventh Annual Collection (1994); The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror Third Annual Collection (1990); The Year's Best Fantasy Second Annual Collection (1989); The Year's Best Science Fiction Eleventh Annual Collection (1993); The Year's Best Science Fiction First Annual Collection (1984); The Year's Best Science Fiction Nineteenth Annual Collection (2002); The Year's Best Science Fiction Thirteenth Annual Collection (1996); This Year's Class Picture (1992); Vampires: The Greatest Stories (1991); Worlds Enough and Time (2002); Year's Best SF 6 (2001).

Television & video game:

Dreams with Sharp Teeth (2008); Monsters (1990); Prisoners of Gravity (1991–1994); Star Control / Video Game (1990); The Terror (2018).

Born on this day – Gary Moore:

 

Gary Moore

Musician

Songwriter

April 4, 1952 – February 6, 2011

Born on this day – Heath Ledger:

Heath Ledger

Actor

Music video director

Photographer

April 4, 1979 – January 22, 2008

Credits:

10 Things I Hate About You (1999); 10 Things I Hate About You: Outtakes (1999); 10th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2004); 12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2006); 2000 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards (2000); 2000 MTV Movie Awards (2000); 2002 MTV Video Music Awards (2002); 2006 Independent Spirit Awards (2006); A Knight's Tale (2001); A.J. After Hours (2001); ABC TGIF (1999); Ben Harper: Morning Yearning (2006); Blackrock (1997); Brokeback Mountain (2005); Candy (2006); Candy: Behind the Scenes (2006); Candy: Deleted Scenes (2006); Candy: Interview Featurette with Director and Writer (2006); Candy: The Path to Wild Abandon (2006); Cartaz Cultural (2003); Casanova (2005); Charlie Rose (2005); Clowning Around (1992); Corazón de... (2005–2006); Enough Rope with Andrew Denton (2003); Entertainment Tonight (2007); Film '72 (2005); Film Independent's 2007 Spirit Awards (2007); Grace Woodroofe: Quicksand (2009); HBO First Look (2000–2001); Heath Ledger Profile (2001); Home and Away (1997); I'm Not There (2007); Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2004); Late Night with Conan O'Brien (2005); Late Show with David Letterman (2000–2001); Live with Kelly and Mark (2005); Logo Movie Special: 'Brokeback Mountain' (2005); Lords of Dogtown (2005); Los Angeles (2004); Magacine (2005); Modest Mouse: King Rat (2009); Monster's Ball (2001); Ned Kelly (2003); Ned Kelly in Popular Culture (2003); N'fa: Cause an Effect (2009); N'fa: Seduction Is Evil (She's Hot) (2005); Nick Drake: Black Eyed Dog (2007); On Being a Cowboy (2005); Paws (1997); Roar (1997); Roar: The Making of (1997); Rove Live (2001); Sexy Armor and a Rock Band on Tour (2001); Ship to Shore (1993–1994); Sweat (1996); Terryho dotocná (2004); The 2006 Australian Film Institute Awards (2006); The 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2003); The 63rd Annual Golden Globe Awards 2006 (2006); The 76th Annual Academy Awards (2004); The 78th Annual Academy Awards (2006); The Art of War (2000); The Brothers Grimm (2005); The Daily Show (2001); The Dark Knight (2008); The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2004–2006); The Four Feathers (2002); The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009); The Insider (2007); The Making of 'A Knight's Tale' (2001); The Making of 'Lords of Dogtown' (2005); The Marquee Event (2001); The Oprah Winfrey Show (2006); The Orange British Academy Film Awards (2006); The Order (2003); The Panel (1999–2001); The Patriot (2000); The Ray Martin Show (2001); The Reichen Show (2006); The Rock Music Scene in 1370 (2001); The Rules of Love (2001); The Teen Choice Awards 1999 (1999); The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (2000–2006); The View (2005); Today (2005); Two Hands (1999); Up Close with Carrie Keagan (2007); V Graham Norton (2002); Venecia 2005: Crónica de Carlos Boyero (2005).

On this day in movie history - The Woman Condemned (1934)

The Woman Condemned

directed by Dorothy Davenport,

written by Willis Kent,

was released in the United States on April 4, 1934.

Music by Lee Zahler.

Cast:

Claudia Dell, Lola Lane, Richard Hemingway, Jason Robards Sr., Paul Ellis, Douglas Cosgrove, Mischa Auer, Sheila Bromley, Louise Beavers, Tom O'Brien, Neal Pratt, Charles Doherty, Mary Gordon, Julia Griffith, Lindsay McHarrie, Eva McKenzie, Fletcher Norton, Hal Price, Charles Sullivan.

On this day in movie history - The Black Cat (1981)

The Black Cat

directed by Lucio Fulci,

written by Biagio Proietti, Lucio Fulci and Biagio Proie

based on the short story by Edgar Allan Poe,

was released in Italy on April 4, 1981.

Music by Pino Donaggio.

Cast:

Patrick Magee, Mimsy Farmer, David Warbeck, Al Cliver, Dagmar Lassander, Bruno Corazzari, Geoffrey Copleston, Daniela Doria, Lucio Fulci, Vito Passeri.

On this day in television history - M Squad (1958)

M Squad
Season 1. Episode 28.

Episode entitled: Shot in the Dark.

Released April 4, 1958.

Directed by James Neilson.

Written by Merwin Gerard and Leonard Lee.

Music by Stanley Wilson.

 
Cast:

Lee Marvin, Karin Booth, Raymond Greenleaf, Clarke Gordon, Paul Newlan, John Beradino, Bartlett Robinson, Jeanne Baird, Ken Lynch, John Zaremba, David McMahon.