Today in History

Today is Friday, October 2, the 275th day of 2015. There are 90 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On October 2, 1985, actor Rock Hudson, 59, died at his home in Beverly Hills, California, after battling AIDS.

On this date:

In 1780, British spy John Andre was hanged in Tappan, New York, during the Revolutionary War.

In 1835, the first battle of the Texas Revolution took place as American settlers fought Mexican soldiers near the Guadalupe River; the Mexicans ended up withdrawing.

In 1890, comedian Groucho Marx was born Julius Marx in New York.

In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson suffered a serious stroke at the White House that left him paralyzed on his left side.

In 1939, the Benny Goodman Sextet (which included Lionel Hampton) made their first recording, "Flying Home," for Columbia.

In 1944, German troops crushed the two-month-old Warsaw Uprising, during which a quarter of a million people had been killed.

In 1955, the suspense anthology "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" premiered on CBS-TV.

In 1967, Thurgood Marshall was sworn as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court as the court opened its new term.

In 1975, President Gerald R. Ford formally welcomed Japan's Emperor Hirohito to the United States during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House.

In 1990, the Senate voted 90-9 to confirm the nomination of Judge David H. Souter to the Supreme Court.

In 2002, the Washington D.C.-area sniper attacks began, setting off a frantic manhunt lasting three weeks. (John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo were finally arrested for 10 killings and three woundings; Muhammad was executed in 2009; Malvo was sentenced to life in prison.)

In 2009, the International Olympic Committee, meeting in Copenhagen, chose Rio de Janeiro to be the site of the 2016 Summer Olympics; Chicago was eliminated in the first round, despite a last-minute in-person appeal by President Barack Obama.

Ten years ago: A tour boat, the Ethan allen, capsized on New York's Lake George, killing 20 elderly passengers. Playwright August Wilson died in Seattle at age 60. Actor-comedian Nipsey Russell died in New York at age 87.

Five years ago: A coalition of progressive and civil rights groups marched by the thousands on the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., pledging to support Democrats struggling to keep power on Capitol Hill.

One year ago: President Barack Obama acknowledged his pivotal role in the midterm political campaign, arguing in a speech at Northwestern University that the November congressional elections were a referendum on his economic policies and blaming Republicans for blocking his efforts to boost wages and create more jobs. Hong Kong's embattled leader, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, refused demands by pro-democracy protesters to step down.

Today's Birthdays: Country singer-musician Leon Rausch (Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys) is 88. Retired MLB All-Star Maury Wills is 83. Movie critic Rex Reed is 77. Singer-songwriter Don McLean is 70. Cajun/country singer Jo-el Sonnier is 69. Actor Avery Brooks is 67. Fashion designer Donna Karan is 67. Photographer Annie Leibovitz is 66. Rock musician Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike & the Mechanics) is 65. Singer-actor Sting is 64. Actress Lorraine Bracco is 61. Country musician Greg Jennings (Restless Heart) is 61. Rock singer Phil Oakey (The Human League) is 60. Rhythm-and-blues singer Freddie Jackson is 57. Singer-producer Robbie Nevil is 57. Retro-soul singer James Hunter is 53. Former NFL quarterback Mark Rypien is 53. Rock musician Bud Gaugh (Sublime, Eyes Adrift) is 48. Folk-country singer Gillian Welch is 48. Country singer Kelly Willis is 47. Actor Joey Slotnick is 47. Rhythm-and-blues singer Dion Allen (Az Yet) is 45. Actress-talk show host Kelly Ripa (TV: "Live with Kelly and Michael") is 45. Singer Tiffany is 44. Rock singer Lene Nystrom is 42. Actor Efren Ramirez is 42. Rhythm-and-blues singer LaTocha Scott (Xscape) is 42. Gospel singer Mandisa (TV: "American Idol") is 39. Actress Brianna Brown is 36. Rock musician Mike Rodden (Hinder) is 33. Tennis player Marion Bartoli is 31. Actor Christopher Larkin is 28. Rock singer Brittany Howard (Alabama Shakes) is 27. Actress Samantha Barks is 25. Actress Elizabeth McLaughlin is 22.

Thought for Today: "There's one way to find out if a man is honest -- ask him. If he says 'yes' you know he is a crook." -- Groucho Marx (1890-1977).

Copyright 2015, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.