1476
Apr 26, Simonetta Vespucci (b.~1453), nicknamed la bella Simonetta, died. She was an Italian Renaissance noblewoman from Genoa, the wife of Marco Vespucci of Florence. She also is alleged to have been the mistress of Giuliano de' Medici, Lorenzo the Magnificent's younger brother. She was renowned for being the greatest beauty of her age - certainly of the city of Florence.

1573
Apr 26, Marie de'Medici, Queen of France, was born.

1721
Apr 26, The smallpox vaccination was 1st administrated. Lady Mary Wortley Montegu had returned to England following a stay in Turkey with her ambassador husband. She had learned of a procedure to inoculate against smallpox and began a campaign to have the procedure established.

1886
Apr 26, Ma Rainey, [Gertrude Pridgett], "Mother of the Blues", US blues singer, was born.

1893
Apr 26, Anita Loos, author and playwright, was born. Her work included: "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," "I Married an Angel," "San Francisco," "Saratoga," and "The Women."

1906
Apr 26, Gracie Allen (Mrs. George Burns), comedienne (George Burns Show), was born.

1923
Apr 26, English prince Albert (George VI) married lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon

1936
Apr 26, Carol Burnett, actress, was born

1970
Apr 26, Gypsy Rose Lee (b.1911), stripper and actress, died. Her 1957 memoir, written as a monument to her mother, was made into the stage musical and film Gypsy. In 2009 Rachel Shteir authored “Gypsy: The Art of the Tease."

1989
Apr 26, Lucille Ball (b.1911), Actress-comedian and star of I Love Lucy, died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles at age 77. She left behind a manuscript that was published in 1996 titled "Love, Lucy." "The tremendous drive and dedication necessary to succeed in any field... often seems to be rooted in a disturbed childhood." In 1993 Tom Gilbert wrote: "The Story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz." Lucille Ball was married to Gary Morton

2000
Apr 26, Sparkle Rai (22), a black woman, was found dead in her Georgia apartment. She had recently married Ricky Rai (20), the manager of a grocery store in which she worked. In 2008 Chiman Rai (68) was convicted of felony murder. Prosecutors charged that Rai teamed up with Willie Fred Evans and Herbert Green to serve as middlemen. The two men passed along $10,000 to brothers Cleveland and Carl Clark. Carl Clark allegedly drove the car and Cleveland Clark, a 300-pound ex-con who also faces the death penalty, carried out the killing.

2003
Apr 26, In Washington state Crystal Brame (35), the wife of Tacoma Police Chief David Brame (44), was in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head after being shot by her husband, who then turned the gun on himself.

2005
Apr 26, Actress Maria Schell died in Preitenegg, Austria, at age 79.

2008
Apr 26, In Austria police found a woman (42), missing since

1984, in the town of Amstetten following a tip. Elisabeth said her father, Josef Fritzl, had kept her captive in a cellar for almost 24 years, that he had repeatedly raped her, and that she gave birth to 7 children, one of whom later died. In November Fritzl (73) was charged with murder as well as rape, incest, false imprisonment and slavery. On March 18, 2009, Fritzl pleaded guilty to all charges against him, including homicide, after his daughter appeared unexpectedly in the courtroom. On March 19 Fritzl was convicted of homicide and sentenced him to life imprisonment in a secure psychiatric facility.

2011
Apr 26, Phoebe Snow (b.1950), pop singer, died in New York. Her songs included “Poetry Man" (1975).