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December 15th
0037 - Born this day, Nero Claudius Augustus Germanicus, 5th emperor of Rome, (54-68). 0687 - St Sergius I begins his reign as Catholic Pope succeeding Conon. 1025 - Died this day, Basilius II the Bulgarendoder, Byzantine emperor (976-1025). 1124 - Chancellor Haimeric selects pope - Lamberto becomes Honorius II. 1230 - Died this day, Ottokar I, king of Bohemia (1197-1230). 1488 - Bartholomeus Diaz returned to Portugal after sailing round Cape of Good Hope. 1515 - Died this day, Alfonso de Albuquerque, viceroy of Portuguese Indies. 1534 - Born this day, Lucas Osiander, composer. 1558 - Dutch Anabaptist reformer Menno Simons wrote in a letter: 'Wherever there is a pulverized and penitent heart, there grace also is, and wherever there is a voluntary confession not gained by pressure, there love covereth a multitude of sins.' 1567 - Born this day, Christoph Demantius, composer. 1569 - Westmoreland fled to Scotland. 1574 - Born this day, Samuel Besler, composer. 1576 - Died this day, Joachim Hopperus [Hoppers], Frisian lawyer, politician, aged 53. 1582 - Leidse University named Rembert Dodoens professor of botany, medicine. 1582 - Spanish Netherlands/Denmark/Norway adopt Gregorian calendar. 1586 - Laevinus Torrentius, became bishop of Antwerp. 1593 - State of Holland grants patent on windmill with crankshaft. 1598 - Died this day, Philip van Marnix, Flemish ruler of St Aldegonde/poet, aged 58. 1610 - Born this day, David Teniers II, Flemish court painter, (Theatrum Pictorium). 1612 - Simon Marius, became the first to observe the Andromeda galaxy through a telescope. 1621 - Died this day, Charles d'albert, Duke of Luynes/PM of France, at the age of 43. 1626 - Died this day, Adriaen de Vries, Dutch sculptor/painter, aged about 70. 1629 - In England, proto-Baptist minister and founder of Rhode Island, 26 year old Roger Williams married Mary Barnard, daughter of a Puritan clergyman. Two years later, he and his wife sailed from Bristol to Massachusetts. 1640 - The Duke of Bragança was crowned King Johan IV of Portugal. 1648 - Born this day, Gregory King, English statistician, (Natural & Political Observations). 1657 - Born this day, Michel-Richard Delalande, composer. 1660 - In the Philippines - Andres Malongs rebels plundered Bagnotan. 1664 - The English began colonizing Connecticut. 1667 - Brandenburg declared himself neutral in the Devolutie War. 1667 - Born this day, Ludwig Ernst, composer. 1675 - Died this day, John Vermeer, Dutch painter (Love Letter), aged 43. 1680 - Tax revolt on Terschelling due to tax on cereal. (West Frisian Islands are part of the Netherlands - group of islands, north-western Europe, in the North Sea, off the coasts of the Netherlands and Germany, and extending north from the mouth of the Elbe River along the Jutland Peninsula to Denmark.) 1688 - Lord Delamere sided with King James II. 1688 - Died this day, Gaspar Fagel, lawyer/Netherlands grand pensionary (1672-88), aged 54. 1699 - Died this day, Henrik A van Reede tot Drakenstein, Dutch botanist, aged about 63. 1712 - Died this day, Sidney, 1st Earl of Godolphine, English minister of Finance, aged 67. 1715 - Died this day, George Hickes, English linguist (Old German Philology), aged 73. 1720 - Born this day, J.F. Beck, writer. 1734 - Born this day, George Romney, English portrait painter. 1735 - Born this day, Cesare Beccaria-Bonesana, Italian lawyer. 1739 - English revivalist George Whitefield wrote in a letter: 'My brother, entreat the Lord that I may grow in grace, and pick up the fragments of my time, that not a moment of it may be lost.' 1745 - At the Battle at Kesseldorf, Prussia beat Saksen and Austria. 1765 - Born this day, Philippe-Jacques Pfeffinger, composer. 1778 - Born this day, Godert AGP baron van der Capellen, Dutch Governor-General, (Dutch-Indies). 1779 - Died this day, Manuel Jeronimo Romero de Avila, composer, at the age of 62. 1787 - Born this day, Charles Cowden Clarke, English editor, Shakespearean critic. 1791 - The first US law school was established at the University of Pennsylvania. 1791 - The Bill of Rights was ratified this day in Virginia. The Bill of Rights is comprised of the first ten amendments to the US Constitution. 1792 - Died this day, Joseph Martin Kraus, composer, aged 36. 1792 - The first life insurance policy was issued in the US in Philadelphia. 1793 - Born this day, Henry Charles Carey, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, economist, (Principles of Poli Economy). 1794 - In the War of Austrian Succession, the Prussians under Leopold I of Anhalt-Dessau heavily defeated the Saxons under Rutowski at the battle of Kesseldorf near Dresden. (Other sources say this battle took place in 1745 - see above). 1794 - The Revolutionary Tribunal was abolished in France. 1802 - Born this day, János Bolyai, in Romania, mathematician, (non-Euclidean geometry). 1803 - Born this day, August Freyer, composer. 1806 - In the Napoleonic Wars, French forces under Napoleon Bonaparte entered Warsaw. 1810 - The first Irish magazine to be published in the US, The Shamrock, was published today. 1811 - An earthquake hit New Madrid, Missouri. 1812 - Born this day, Isidor Dannstrom, composer. 1815 - Rossini got the assignment for Il barbiere di Siviglia (Barber of Seville). 1816 - Died this day, Joseph Franz Maximilian Lobkowitz, composer, aged 44. 1817 - Died this day, Maria Walewska [Leszczinska], lover of emperor Napoleon I. 1820 - The first general pharmacopoeia in the US was published in Boston. 1821 - Born this day, Auguste Emmanuel Vaucorbeil, composer. 1822 - Born this day, Edward Stephen, composer. 1822 - Died this day, Ferenc Verseghy, composer, aged 65. 1823 - Born this day, Friedrich Gottlieb Schwencke, composer. 1826 - Died this day, William Browser, revolting slave, executed in New York, New York. 1830 - Born this day, Francesco D'Arcais, composer. 1831 - Died this day, Paul R. Cantzlaar, Governor of Saba/Curaçao/Dutch-West Indies, aged 60. 1832 - Born this day, Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel, French engineer, born in Djion. Designer of many notable bridges and viaducts and the Eiffel tower in Paris, France. At 985ft high, it was the highest building in the world until 1930. It was erected in 1887-89 on the Champs-de-Mars at a cost of £260,000 for the World Exhibition of 1889. In 1893 he was condemned to two years' imprisonment and fined for breach of trust in connection with the abortive French Panama Canal scheme. Helped to design Statue of Liberty. Died 27 December 1923. 1836 - The Patent Office in Washington DC burned down. 1836 - Born this day, Edmond Picard, French/Belgian lawyer/writer, (La forge Roussel). 1839 - Died this day, Matthijs I. van Bree, Flemish court-painter, aged 66. 1840 - Napoleon Bonaparte's remains were interred in Les Invalides in Paris, having been brought from St Helena where he died. 1842 - Born this day, Henry Gadsby, composer. 1848 - Born this day, Edwin Howland Blashfield, decorated the dome of Library of Congress. 1852 - Born this day, Tewfik Pasja, khedive (viceroy) of Egypt. 1852 - Born this day, Antoine Henri Becquerel, discovered radioactivity with Marie and Pierre Curie. Was awarded the Nobel prize for physics in 1903 jointly with Marie and Pierre Curie. 1853 - Born this day, Jean B.A. Kessler, director of oil on Dutch Indies. 1854 - Philadelphia residents were amazed as the first street cleaning machine was put into operation. A series of brooms attached to a cyclinder mounted on a cart was turned by a chain driven by the turning of the cart’s wheels. 1857 - Born this day, Eugeniusz Pankiewicz, composer. 1859 - Born this day, Lazarus Ludwig Zamenhof, Russian-Polish inventor, linguist, (invented Esperanto). Died in 1917. 1859 - G.R. Kirchoff described the chemical composition of the Sun. 1860 - Born this day, Niels Ryberg Finsen, in Denmark, physician/phototherapist, (Nobel 1903). 1861 - Born this day, Charles Edgar Duryea, inventor, first automobile built and operated in the US. 1861 - Died this day, Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband. 1861 - Died this day, Gualtiero Sanelli, composer, aged 45. 1863 - Born this day, Arthur D. Little, US chemist, (patented rayon). 1863 - Born this day, Paul [Prudent] Painlevé, French mathematician/minister/premier. 1863 - A skirmish took place at Bean's Station, Tennessee during the Knoxville Campaign. 1864 - Franklin and Nashville Campaign. General Stoneman's raiders again struck the enemy at Abingdon and Glade Springs, Virginia. 1870 - Born this day, Josef Hoffmann, Austrian architect. 1873 - Born this day, Pongrac Kacsoh, composer. 1874 - The first reigning king to visit the United States, King David Kalakaua of the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii), was received by President Ulysses Grant. 1875 - Born this day, Friedrich Niggli, composer. 1876 - Born this day, Ferdinand Hardekopf, writer. 1877 - Thomas A. Edison patented the phonograph. 1878 - Born this day, Hans Carossa, writer. 1879 - Born this day, Hugo W.C. Bordewijk, Dutch lawyer. 1879 - Born this day, Rudolf von Laban, Czechoslovakian-German choreographer (modern dance). 1880 - Died this day, Carlo Boncompagni di Mombello, Italian minister of Justice, died at the age of 76. 1881 - Born this day, James Schneider, in New York, actor, (Keystone Kops). 1882 - Born this day, Helena Rubinstein, US cosmetic manufacturer. 1887 - Born this day, Pieter C.A. Geyl, historian (History of the Dutch Tribe). 1888 - Born this day, Maxwell Anderson, US dramatist, (Winter Set, High Tor). 1888 - Born this day, Artturi A. Leinonen, Finnish journalist/writer, (Kati)/politician. 1888 - Born this day, Jan Greshoff, Dutch poet, author, journalist, (Bric à Brac). 1889 - Died this day, Ferdinand II, king of Portugal, aged 73. 1890 - Died this day, 'Sitting Bull' (Tatanka Iyotake), Hunkpapa-Sioux Indian chief, was killed while resisting arrest by Native American police in South Dakota. 1891 - On this day, the teaching staff of Springfield College in Massachusetts presented Canadian James E. Naismith, a physical education instructor, with a challenge: devised a game able to keep a group of incorrigible students busy during the winter. A year later, thanks to Naismith's imagination, the first formal basketball game was played, and sports history was made. 1892 - Died this day, Charles Balmer, composer, aged 75. 1892 - Born this day, [Jean] J. Paul Getty, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, oil magnate, (Getty Oil), once the richest man in the world, art collector [his art formed the nucleus of the J. Paul Getty Museum, in Malibu, California]. Died 6 June 1976. 1892 - Born this day, David Guion, composer. 1892 - Born this day, Jose Maria Castro, composer. 1893 - Dvoráks From the New World premiered at Carnegie Hall, New York City. 1894 - Cricket day 2 in the first Test. Australia vs England, Australia 586 (Gregory 201), England 3-130. 1896 - Died this day, John Acquoy, Dutch theologist, church historian, aged 67. 1896 - Born this day, Carl Ferdinand Cori, US bio-chemist. 1896 - Born this day, George B. Cressey, US geographer, (Asia's Lands & Peoples). 1896 - Born this day, Margaret Bannerman, in Toronto, Ontario, actress (Elopement). 1896 - Born this day, Paul R. Citroen, Dutch sculptor. 1898 - Born this day, Fernando Remacha, composer. 1899 - Born this day, Frank Vosper, in London, England, actor (Man Who Knew Too Much). 1899 - In the second Boer War, the British under General Redvers Buller made a frontal attack in the battle of Colenso aimed at relieving the besieged town of Ladysmith. The action failed and the British lost over 1,100 men. 1900 - Born this day, Francesco Messina, sculptor. 1901 - Died this day, Elias Alvares Lobo, composer, aged 67. 1904 - Born this day, William Hitzig, in Austria, Maxwell physician. 1904 - Born this day, Kermit Bloomgarden, Tony Award-winning producer. (Diary of Anne Frank [1956], Death of a Salesman, The Music Man, Equus). Died 20 September 1976. 1905 - Born this day, Ferenc Farkas, composer. 1906 - The Piccadilly branch of the London Underground system was opened. 1906 - Born this day, Betty Smith, novelist. (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn). 1907 - Born this day, Oscar Niemeyer, Brazilian architect (Brasilia). 1909 - Died this day, Francisco Tarrega y Eixea, composer, at the age of 57. 1909 - Thomas J. Lynch became president of baseball's National League. 1911 - Born this day, (Stanley Newcomb) Stan Kenton, songwriter, (No Longer a Prisoner), Grammy Award-winning bandleader, West Side Story [1961], Adventures in Jazz [1962], theme, Artistry In Rhythm; How High the Moon, September Song, Laura. Died 25 August 1979. 1913 - Born this day, Muriel Rukeyser, US poet, (1977 Shelley Memorial Award). 1913 - Born this day, Rik Jacobs, Flemish stage manager. 1914 - Born this day, Ernie Toshack, cricket pace bowler, (Aussie left-arm post-WWII). 1914 - During World War I (WWI), the Battle of Lódz ended. The Russians retreated toward Moscow. 1914 - During World War I (WWI), the British fleet forfeited the chance to destroy the German fleet in the North Sea. 1914 - During World War I (WWI), Swedish troops overran Belgrade in Austria-Hungary. 1915 - Born this day, Jose Toribio Merino Castro, admiral. 1916 - Born this day, Maurice Wilkins, in England, physicist, worked with DNA, (Nobel 1962). 1916 - The French defeated the Germans in World War I (WWI) at the Battle of Verdun. There were losses of 364,000 Allied and 338,000 German soldiers during the battle. 1916 - Born this day, [Edwin] Buddy Cole, pianist, The Buddy Cole Trio, sang with Rosemary Clooney, album Swing Around Rosie. Died 5 November 1964. 1917 - The Moldavian Republic declared its independence from Russia. 1918 - The American Jewish Congress held its first meeting. 1918 - Born this day, Jeff Chandler [Ira Grossel], in Brooklyn, New York, actor (Merrill’s Marauders, Return to Peyton Place, Broken Arrow, Away All Boats). Died 17 June 1961. 1919 - Born this day, Ake Seyffarth, 10K speed skater, (Olympics gold in 1948). 1919 - Born this day, Max Yasgur, owner of the farm where the 1969 Woodstock festival was held. Died of a heart attack 8 February 1973 aged 53. 1919 - Edna St. Vincent Millay's Aria da Capo premiered in New York, NY. 1919 - Fiume (Rijeka) declared its independence. 1920 - Born this day, (William Edward) Eddie Robinson, baseball, Cleveland Indians [World Series: 1948], Washington Nationals [all-star: 1949], Chicago White Sox [all-star: 1951, 1952], Philadelphia Athletics [all-star: 1953], NY Yankees [World Series: 1955], KC Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers. 1921 - Born this day, Bobby Todd, US comic, actor, (Original Sin). 1922 - Born this day, Alan Freed, disc jockey (WJW, Cleveland, WINS & WABC, New York: The Moondoggy Show; fired on air at WABC for alleged involvement in the payola scandal of the late 1950s). Born in Pennsylvania. Introduced the term "rock-n-roll". Died 20 January 1965. 1924 - Born this day, Ida Haendel, Polish violinist, author (Woman with Violin). 1925 - The first hockey game at Madison Square Garden was held. The result was Montréal Canadiens 3, New York Americans 1. 1927 - William Edward Hickman kidnapped twelve-year-old Marian Parker in Los Angeles, he later murdered her and dismembered her body, disposing of the body parts in Los Angeles' Elysian Park, by scattering them along the roadside. 1928 - Born this day, Jimmy Nelson, in Chicago, Illinois, ventriloquist, (Danny O’Day, Nestles, Farfel the Dog), LP: Jimmy Nelson’s Instant Ventriloquism. 1928 - Born this day, Ernest Ashworth, Country Music Hall of Famer (Talk Back Trembling Lips; Member of Grand Ole Opry). 1928 - Born this day, Friedrich Hundertwasser, artist, printer, painter, ecologist. Died in 2000. 1928 - Born this day, Jerry Wallace, singer (Primrose Lane, Shutters and Boards, A Touch of Pink, If You Leave Me I’ll Cry), actor (Hec Ramsey). 1929 - Walter Mittelholzer became the first person to fly over Mt. Kilimanjaro. 1929 - Born this day, Keith Andrew, cricketer (England wicket-keeper in 2 Tests 1954-63). 1930 - Born this day, Edna O'Brien, Irish novelist, playwright and writer of short stories. Born in Twamgraney, County Clare, Ireland. Educated at the Pharmaceutical College of Dublin, she practised pharmacy briefly before becoming a writer. Her dominant themes are loneliness, guilt and loss, articulated in musical prose. "My aim", she has written, "is to write books that in some way celebrate life and do justice to my emotions". Among her celebrated books are The Country Girls (1960), The Lonely Girl (1962), Girls in their Married Bliss (1964), August is a Wicked Month (1965), and A Pagan Place (1970). The Collected Edna O'Brien, containing nine novels, was published in 1978. Also Fanatic of Heart and Casualties of Peace. (See also Wikipedia) 1930 - Don Bradman took his first Test Cricket wicket, (Ivan Barrow, West Indies, lbw). 1930 - Born this day, Alim-ud-Din, cricketer (Pakistani batsman in 25 Tests 1954-62). 1931 - Born this day, Evald Schorm, in Prague, Czechoslovakia, director (Courage for Every Day). 1932 - Born this day, Elaine Barkin, composer. 1932 - Born this day, Igor Stuhec, composer. 1932 - Born this day, Jesse Belvin, in San Antonio, Arkansas, singer, (Mr Easy, Goodnight My Love). Co-wrote Earth Angel while in the US Army, which was recorded by the Penguins. He recorded with fellow songwriter Marvin Phillips as Jesse and Marvin, achieving a Top 10 R&B hit in 1953 with Dream Girl. In 1958 he formed a vocal quintet, the Shields, to record for Dot Records, scoring a US Top 20 hit You Cheated. In the same year he was signed to RCA Records. Further hits, included Funny and Guess Who, which was written by his wife and manager Jo Ann. Died 6 February 1960, along with his wife and his driver, in a car crash. 1933 - Born this day, Tim Conway, in Willoughby, Ohio, actor, comedian, (McHale’s Navy, The Tim Conway Show, The Carol Burnett Show, various Dorf videos). 1933 - Baseball owners agreed to ban Sunday doubleheaders until after 15 June. 1934 - A Fokker F18 Snip flew to Netherland West Indies. 1934 - Died this day, Maggis Lena Walker, first US black woman to head a bank, aged 69. 1935 - Max Euwe became the world champion chess by beating Alexander Aljechin. 1935 - The Detroit Lions won the NFL championship. 1936 - KVL-AM in Seattle Wash changed call letters to KEEN (now KING). 1937 - Born this day, Karen Morrow, in Chicago, Illinois, actress, (Aunt Minerva-Tabitha, Jim Nabors Hour). 1937 - Born this day, [Thomas] John Sladek, US sci-fi author, (Tik-Tok, Bugs). 1938 - Born this day, Dennis Madide, South African Internal minister of Transkei. 1938 - The first sods of earth were turned for the Jefferson Memorial in Washington DC. 1939 - Born this day, Cindy Birdsong, in Camden, New Jersey, rock vocalist, The Supremes, joined in 1967, 1969 UK No.3 single I'm gonna make you love me, with Labelle 1975 US No.1 and UK No.17 single Lady Marmalade. 1939 - Born this day, Nicolaus A. Huber, composer. 1939 - Died this day, Tom McKibbin, cricketer, (5 Tests for Australia 1895-1898, 17 wickets). 
1939 - The cinema spectacular Gone With the Wind, premiered at Loew’s Grand Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. The governor of Georgia proclaimed the day a state holiday in commemoration of the event and the holiday celebrations continued for three days. Earlier the same year on 27 June, a 'wrap' party was held to celebrate the completion of the major cinematography of GWTW. David O. Selznick had paid author Margaret Mitchell $50,000 for the movie, and ultimately, the TV rights to her novel. MGM then paid out $1.25 million to help finance the film, to convince Clark Gable to play the role of Rhett Butler, and to receive a fifty percent share of the movie’s profits. Two versions of the film were produced. One contains Rhett Butler’s famous farewell to Scarlett, Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn. For including the word 'damn', Selznick was fined $5,000. The other version had Gable’s Butler saying, Frankly my dear, I just don’t care. Among the many actresses considered for the role of Scarlett O’Hara before Vivien Leigh was chosen were, Katharine Hepburn, Tallulah Bankhead, Miriam Hopkins, Susan Hayward, Paulette Goddard, Norma Shearer, Lana Turner, Jean Arthur, and Joan Bennett. Vivien Leigh earned $30,000 for the role. 1939 - Nylon yarn was sold to hosiery mills to make women's stockings; marking the first use of commercial yarn for apparel. The DuPont product enabled a record number of ladies' hose to go on sale for the first time in May 1940. (Nylon’s hometown: Wilmington, Delaware.) (Other sources say - 1939 In Seaford, Delaware, Nylon was commercially produced for the first time.) 1940 - Born this day, Nick Buoniconti, Pro Football Hall of Famer, Miami Dolphins LB: Super Bowl VI, VII, VIII; TV football analyst: HBO: Inside the NFL, sportscaster (NBC). 1941 - USS Swordfish became the first US submarine to sink a Japanese ship. 1941 - Gas and electricity use was restricted in Holland. 1941 - The German submarine U-127 sank. 1941 - A musical standard was recorded this day on Victor Records. Lena Horne sang the torch classic that became her signature: Stormy Weather. "Don't know why there's no sun up in the sky. Stormy weather..." 1941 - Born this day, Austin Savage, Welsh hockey player. 1941 - Born this day, Geoffrey Davies, English actor, (Doctor at Sea, Doctor on the Go). 1942 - Born this day, Dave Clark, in Tottenham, London, England, rock musician, drummer, singer, Dave Clark Five, 1963 UK No.30 single Do You Love Me, 1964 UK No.1 single Glad All Over, 1965 US No.1 and UK No.45 single Over And Over, 1964 UK No.2 single Bits And Pieces, 1965 UK No.16 single Catch Us If You Can, 1965 UK No.37 single Everybody Knows, 1969 UK No.7 single Good Old Rock and Roll, 1970 UK No.8 single Everybody Get Together; LPs: A session with the Dave Clark Five (1964), Catch Us If You Can (1965), 25 Thumping Great Hits (1978)), TV producer: Hold On It’s the Dave Clark Five, Ready Steady Go!, actor (Time), stunt man 1942 - The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities issued the first plastic, license-plate tabs. 1943 - Died this day, famed composer, blues singer, jazz pianist, piano and pipe organ player, (Thomas Wright) Fats Waller, in Kansas City, Missouri at the age of 39 from pneumonia. He was born 21 May 1904 in New York. He began playing piano at the age of six, recording songs by the age of 16. In the early years, some of his songs became smash hits, unfortunately after he had sold them outright. Songs like "On the Sunny Side of the Street" and "I Can't Give You Anything But Love". Waller was such a prolific composer of shows and hit songs that it would take pages to name them all. Some of the titles you may be familiar with are: Ain't Misbehavin', I've Got a Feeling I'm Fallin', Honeysuckle Rose, I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter, It's a Sin to Tell a Lie and Your Feets Too Big. 1943 - Born this day, Mihaly Hesz, in Hungary, 1K kayak, (Olympics gold in 1968). 1943 - Born this day, Pete Duranko, American football, Notre Dame All-American DE-LB, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos. 1944 - Died this day, Glenn Miller, US band leader, jazz composer, aged 40. As World War II (WWII) raged, news spread of the loss of an airplane somewhere over the English Channel between England and Paris. On board the ill-fated aircraft was Major Glenn Miller on his way to lead his Air Force Band in a Christmas concert. 1944 - Born this day, (Stanley Raymond) Stan Bahnsen, baseball pitcher, New York Yankees [Rookie of the Year: 1968], Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Montreal Expos, California Angels, Philadelphia Phillies. 1944 - Hizbu'allah (Arm forces for Allah) was formed. 1944 - The US Congress gave General Eisenhower his fifth star. 1944 - Hank Williams married Audrey Guy. (the ceremony took place at a filling station). 1944 - US troops landed on Mindoro. 1945 - Born this day, Thaao Penghlis, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, actor, (Mission Impossible, Tony-Days of our Life). 1945 - John J. 'Cardinal' O'Connor was ordained as a priest. 1946 - Born this day, Carmine Appice, composer, drummer, musician, Vanilla Fudge, 1968 US No.6 single You Keep Me Hangin’ On, also with Cactus, KGB, King Kobra and Beck, Bogart and Appice, co-wrote with Rod Stewart - Da Ya Think I’m Sexy. 1946 - Born this day, Harry Ray, in Hackensack, New Jersey, rock vocalist, Moments, 1970 US No.3 single Love On A Two-Way Street, 1975 UK No.3 single Girls. (Ray, Goodman, Brown). 1946 - Chicago Bears beat New York Giants 24-14 in an NFL championship game. 1946 - New York Giants Filchock and Hapes were suspended by the NFL, they didn't report a bribe attempt. 1946 - Died this day, Conrad Haebler, historian (Hundert Kalenderinkunabeln), aged 89. 1946 - Died this day, Gordon Frederic Norton, composer, aged 77. 1948 - Born this day, David Gwillim, in Plymouth, England, (RADA), actor, (Island at Top of the World). 1948 - Born this day, (Douglas James) Doug Rau, baseball pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers [World Series: 1977, 1978], California Angels. 1948 - Born this day, Charlie Scott, basketball, University of North Carolina, Boston Celtics, 3-time NBA all-star. 1948 - Former US State Department official Alger Hiss, was indicted in New York City for perjury. 1949 - Born this day, Don Johnson [Donnie Wayne Johnson], in Flatt Creek, Missouri, actor, (Nash Bridges, Miami Vice, Harrad Experiment, A Boy and His Dog, The Long Hot Summer, Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man, Revenge of the Stepford Wives), singer, 1986 US No.5 and UK No.46 single Heartbeat. 1949 - Albert Camus' Les Justes premiered in Paris. 1949 - Born this day, [Teunis] Ton Sijbrands, Dutch world checkers champion. 1949 - After a decade on radio, Captain Midnight was heard for the final time. Put your secret decoder rings away now, kids. 1950 - Born this day, Ernst Hirsch Ballin, Dutch minister of Justice (198?-94). 1950 - Ezzard Charles knocked out Nick Barone to retain the heavyweight boxing title. 1950 - New York City's Port Authority opened. 1950 - Died this day, Robert Muller-Hartmann, composer, aged 66. 1951 - Died this day, Eric Drummond, first Secretary-General of the League of Nations (1919-33), aged 75. 1951 - Born this day, Joe Jordan, former Scottish footballer. 1951 - Born this day, Ken Knox, rock vocalist, (Chairmen of the Board). 1952 - Two's Company opened at the Alvin Theatre in New York City for 90 performances. 
1952 - Christine Jorgenson became the first person to undergo a sex-change operation. Former fashion photographer George Jorgenson had the operation in Denmark and emerged in New York as cabaret actress Christine Jorgenson.
1952 - KHON TV channel 2 in Honolulu, Hawaii (NBC), began broadcasting. 1952 - Pope Pius XII published the encyclical Orientales Ecclesias. 1953 - WJHG TV channel 7 in Panama City, Florida (NBC/ABC), began broadcasting. 1953 - Died this day, Kishio Hirao, composer, aged 46. 1954 - Fordham University scrapped football teams for financial reasons. 1954 - Born this day, Mike Ratledge, author (2DAY & NEWDAY). 1954 - Born this day, Felicity LaFortune, in Oak Park, Illinia, actress, (Ryan's Hope). 1954 - Born this day, Alex Cox, director, (Repo Man). 1954 - The Netherlands Antilles became a co-equal part of the Kingdom of Netherlands. 1954 - Born this day, Justin Ross, in Brooklyn, New York, actor, (Sinatra, Chorus Line, Fan, Quick Change). 1954 - An audience of forty million watched TV's Disneyland and, on this date, saw the charming, lanky Fess Parker first portray the character of Davy Crockett. America's youth were entranced with Crockett (and his coon-skin cap), and there was a sudden and manic obsession for a man who had died almost 120 years earlier. It wasn’t long before the Davy Crockett craze brought a new number one song to the US pop music charts. Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier. 1955 - Born this day, Melanie Chartoff, in West Haven, Connecticut, actress, (Fridays, Parker Lewis). 1955 - Born this day, Paul Simonon, rock musician, bassist, 1979 UK No.11 single London Calling, 1982 US No.8 single Rock The Casbah, 1991 UK No.1 single Should I Stay Or Should I Go, this was first released 1982, plus 15 other UK Top 40 singles). (Clash: White Riot, Tommy Gun, Bankrobber, I Fought The Law, Havana 3 AM, Capital Radio, Career Opportunities, I’m So Bored with the USA, Police and Thieves, Complete Control, [White Man] in Hammersmith Palais, English Civil War, Stay Free, Brand New Cadillac, Death or Glory, Jimmy Jazz, Train in Vain [Stand by Me]). 1956 - KGW TV channel 8 in Portland, Oregon (NBC), began broadcasting. 1956 - WRAL TV channel 5 in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina (CBS), began broadcasting. 1956 - An emergency crisis in North Ireland was proclaimed after IRA strikes. 1957 - British apologist C.S. Lewis wrote in a letter: 'May it please the Lord that...faith unimpaired may strengthen us, contrition soften us and peace make us joyful.' 1959 - Born this day, Heidi Bohay, in Somerset, New Jersey, actress, (Megan-Hotel). 1959 - Born this day, Greg Matthews, cricketer, (New South Wales & Australia off-spin all rounder). 1959 - The Everly Brothers recorded Let It Be Me. 1959 - Born this day, Rashid Khan, cricketer, (4 Tests for Pakistan 1982-85). 1960 - Born this day, Don Franklin, in Chicago, Illinois, actor, (Seaquest 2032, Noah Dixon-The Young Riders). 1960 - King Boudouin of Belgium married doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragon. 1960 - Born this day, Doug Phelps, Leachville, Arkansas, singer, (Kentucky Headhunters: Davy Crockett). 1961 - Died this day, William 'Dummy' Hoy, professional baseball player, aged 99. 1961 - In the USA, the equal access rule came into effect, giving political parties equal TV broadcasting time. 1961 - Born this day, Nick Beggs, bass, Kajagoogoo, 1983 UK No.1 single Too Shy, Howard Jones Band. 1961 - Born this day, Annie Pujol Perpignan, French TV hostess, (Roue de la Fortune). 1961 - Born this day, Reginald Hudlin, director, The Great White Hype, Cosmic Stop, Boomerang, writer, Bebe’s Kids, writer-director, House Party. Brother of producer, director Warrington Hudlin. 1961 - Born this day, Daryl Turner, American football, Michigan State, Seattle Seahawks. 1961 - In Israel, Adolf Eichmann, a Nazi SS colonel in World War II (WWII), was sentenced to death in Jerusalem for organizing the deportation of Jews to concentration camps. Eichmann had been arrested in Argentina and smuggled to Israel the previous year. 1961 - John F. Kennedy visited Puerto Rico. 1961 - The United Nations (UN) General Assembly voted against a Soviet proposal to admit Communist China as a member. 1961 - L.J. Suenens was appointed archbishop of Mechelen, Brussels. 1962 - Bill Wyman made his live debut with The Rolling Stones at the Putney Youth Club, London. 1962 - The first record album to poke fun at a US President became the No.1 LP in America. Vaughn Meader's The First Family made the humourist a household word. The album stayed at No.1 for three months. 1962 - Bob Cousy, of the Boston Celtics, set a National Basketball Association record as he made his 5,926th field goal. His sterling career included the NBA's MVP Award in 1957, and the record of 30 free throws in one game on 21 March 1953 when the Celtics played the Syracuse Nationals. Four of those free throws were made in overtime. 1962 - Died this day, Charles Laughton, English actor, (Hunchback of Notre Dame), aged 63. 1963 - Born this day, Helen Slater, in New York, New York, actress, (Parallel Lives, Lassie, Chantilly Lace, City Slickers, Ruthless People, Legend of Billie Jean, Supergirl, Capital News). 1963 - Born this day, Asif Karim, cricketer, (slow left-arm bowler for Kenya 1996 World Cup). 1964 - Born this day, Carlton Bailey, NFL linebacker (Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers). 1964 - Born this day, Jerry Ball, NFL defensive tackle (Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings). 1964 - Canada's parliament adopted a new national flag with a red maple leaf on a white background. 1964 - This was the first time four people had been in space at the same time. 1964 - Glenn Yarbrough recorded Baby The Rain Must Fall. 1965 - William Eckert replaced Ford Frick as the fourth commissioner of baseball. 1965 - US spacecraft Gemini 6 and Gemini 7 achieved the first space rendezvous, flying side by side for two orbits. 1965 - The third cyclone of the year killed another 10,000 people at the mouth of the Ganges River, in Bangladesh. 1965 - Born this day, Walter Reeves, NFL tight end (Cleveland Browns). 1965 - Born this day, Kimberly Donley, in Aurora, Illinois, playmate for March 1993. 1965 - D. Heneker and J. Taylor's musical Charlie Girl premiered in London. 1965 - Queen Juliana opened the Zeeland Bridge to Oosterschelde. 1966 - John W. Mecom Jr became the first owner of New Orlean Saints. 1966 - Joyful Noise opened at the Mark Hellinger Theater, New York City for 12 performances. 1966 - Born this day, Carl Hooper, cricketer, (West Indies off-spin all-rounder). 1966 - Audouin Dollfus discovered the tenth satellite of Saturn. It was named Janus. 1966 - Died this day, [Walter Elias] Walt Disney, the world mourned the loss of the animation genius, who died in Burbank, California, from acute circulatory collapse one month after having lung surgery. He was 65. He won a record 17 Oscars, some posthumously. Disney would be best-remembered for his animation contributions, such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Bambi, Cinderella, Fantasia, and Pinocchio, for his wild-life documentaries, for his family-oriented motion pictures, such as Mary Poppins, Treasure Island, The Parent Trap, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and for his revolutionary fantasy-amusement park in California, Disneyland, with Disney World in Florida underway and also Disney Europe. 1967 - Joe Garagiola joined the Today Show panel. 1967 - The film Valley of the Dolls was released. 1967 - Born this day, Christine Larsen, in New Westminster, British Columbia, synchronised swimmer, (Olympics silver in 1996). 1967 - Born this day, Chris Gioskos, CFL tackle (Toronto Argonauts). 1967 - Born this day, Frank Hartley, NFL tight end (Cleveland Browns, San Diego Chargers). 1967 - Born this day, Keith Askins, NBA guard-forward (Miami Heat). 1967 - Born this day, Mo Vaughn, in Norwalk, Connecticut, infielder (Boston Red Sox, MVP-1995). 1967 - The Beatles released Christmas Time is Here Again. 1967 - The Beach Boys met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Paris and learned transcendental meditation. 1967 - The Silver Bridge, on US 35 between Point Pleasant, West Virginia and Gallipolis, Ohio, collapsed during afternoon rush hour. 46 people died. Although many states (including California and New York) had instituted bridge inspection programs, it was not until this tragedy that the issue of bridge safety was brought sharply into focus. The failure of this 39-year-old eye bar suspension bridge across the Ohio River prompted US Congress to pass national bridge inspection standards in 1968. 1968 - Born this day, Garrett Wang, actor, (Star Trek Voyager). 1968 - Died this day, Jess Willard, heavyweight boxing champion, (1915-19), at the age of 86. 'The Pottawatomie Giant'.O 1968 - Grace Slick appeared in blackface as the Jefferson Airplane guested on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour on CBS-TV. 1969 - John Lennon made what would be his final ever gig in the UK. The Peace For Christmas charity concert for UNICEF at The Lyceum Ballroom in London, featured John Lennon, George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Keith Moon. 1969 - Born this day, Sean Briscombe, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, diver, (Olympics 1996). 1969 - Born this day, Dan Williams, NFL defensive end (Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs). 1969 - Born this day, Sean Briscombe, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, diver (Olympics 1996). 1969 - Born this day, Wayne Simmons, linebacker (Kansas City Chiefs). 1969 - San Francisco Fire Department replaced its leather helmets with plastic ones. 1969 - The Plastic Ono Band played their only concert at London's Lyceum Ballroom. 1970 - The movie There's a Girl in My Soup was released, directed by Roy Boulting, it starred Peter Sellers, Goldie Hawn and Diana Dors. 1970 - The unmanned Soviet spacecraft Venera 7 became the first spacecraft to land on another planet. It landed on Venus. 1970 - A South Korean ferry, the Namyong-Ho, sank in the Strait of Korea. 308 people were killed. 1970 - Born this day, Frankie Dettori, jockey. 1970 - Born this day, Damon Thomas, NFL wide receiver (Buffalo Bills). 1970 - Born this day, Lawrence Funderburke, NBA forward (Sacramento Kings). 1970 - Born this day, Mitchell Butler, NBA guard (Washington Bullets, Cleveland Cavaliers). 1970 - Born this day, Michael Shanks, actor (Stargate SG-1, The Call of the Wild: Dog of the Yukon, Escape from Mars, Suspicious River, Mr. Fortune’s Smile, The Artist's Circle). 1971 - USSR performed a nuclear test at Eastern Kazakhstan/Semipalitinsk USSR. 1971 - Born this day, Boudewijk Pahlplatz, soccer player (FC Twente, PSV). 1971 - Born this day, Chris Maumalanga, NFL defensive tackle (Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals). 1971 - Born this day, Eric Bjornson, NFL tight end (Dallas Cowboys). 1971 - Born this day, Ken Alexander, WLAF linebacker (Barcelona Dragons). 1972 - Appearing at Cardiff High School, Wales, were Supertramp. 1972 - Born this day, Stuart Townsend, actor (About Adam, Shooting Fish, Venice Project, The Queen of the Damned, 24 Hours). 1972 - Born this day, Rodney Harrison, NFL safety (San Diego Chargers). 1972 - Born this day, Stanislav Jasecko, Spisska Nova Ves, hockey defenseman (Team Slovakia). 1972 - Died this day, Edward Earle, actor, (Charlie Chan-Meeting at Midnight), aged 90. 1972 - Died this day, Herbert Eimert, German composer, (Glockenspiel), at the age of 75. 1973 - Golf resort, Disney Inn, opened. 1973 - Died this day, Orest Alexandrovich Evlahkov, composer, aged 61. 1973 - Born this day, Mike Cherry, quarterback (New York Giants). 1973 - Born this day, Mirko Ludemann, in Weiwasser, GER, NHL defenseman (Team Germany, Colorado). 1973 - Born this day, Tammy Melinda Pearman, in Brooklyn, New York, soccer forward, defender (Olympics 1996). 1973 - Born this day, Geoff Stewart, Australian rower, (Olympics 1996). 1973 - Born this day, James Stewart, Australian rower, (Olympics 1996). 1973 - Sandy Hawley became the first jockey to win 500 races in 1 year. With this victory in the third race at Laurel racetrack on Charlie Jr., he broke the legendary Bill Shoemaker’s 20-year-old record. Hawley recorded his 6,000th career victory in 1992 aboard Summer Commander at Greenwood racetrack. 1973 - Jermaine Jackson married Hazel Gordy, the daughter of Berry Gordy, the boss of Motown Records. 1973 - Charlie Rich started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with The Most Beautiful Girl, the singer's only No.1 single, it made No.2 in the UK. 1973 - David Cassidy went to No.1 on the UK album chart with his third solo album Dreams Are Nothing More Than Wishes. 1973 - J. Paul Getty III was found in southern Italy after being held to ransom for five months. 1973 - Tennessee beat Temple 11-6 in a low scoring NCAA basketball game. 1973 - The American Psychiatric Association declared homosexuality was not a mental illness. 1973 - The Pirates of Caribbean ride opened at Disneyland. 1973 - Merry Xmas Everybody started a five week run at No.1 in the UK and gave Slade their sixth chart topper. The song has re-entered the UK charts on eight other occasions. It was the Christmas No.1 for 1973. 1974 - Oakland A's Catfish Hunter was ruled a free agent (he later signed with the Yankees). 1974 - Died this day, Harry Hershfield, cartoonist, (Can You Top This?), st the age of 89. 1974 - Died this day, Erich Walter Sternberg, composer, aged 83. 1974 - The movie Emmanuelle was released, directed by Just Jaeckin, it starred Sylvia Kristel and Alain Cuny. 1974 - Born this day, Jeffrey van der Stone, soccer player (RKC). 1974 - Bert Jones, quarterback of the Baltimore Colts, set an NFL record by completing seventeen consecutive passes in a game against the New York Jets. 1975 - The movie Young Frankenstein was released, directed by Mel Brooks, it starred Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Teri Garr, Cloris Leachman, Richard Haydn and Kenneth Mars. It received Academy Awards nominations for Writing (Best Screenplay adapted from other material; Gene Wilder, Mel Brooks) and for Sound (Richard Portman, Gene Cantamessa). 1975 - Died this day, Mukhtar Ashrafi, composer, aged 63.  
1975 - Appearing live, Cat Stevens at London's Royal Albert Hall, tickets were £2.50. 1976 - The Argo Merchant ran aground on Fishing Rip (Nantucket Shoals) southeast of Nantucket Island, in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. It spilled it entire cargo of 7.7 million gallons of No.6 fuel oil when it broke up on 21 December. 1976 - Jamaican premier Manley won the elections. 1976 - The movie The Pink Panther Strikes Again was released, directed by Blake Edwards, it starred Peter Sellers, Herbert Lom, Catherine Schell, Herbert Lom, Burt Kwouk, Peter Arne, Gregoire Aslan, Andre Maranne and Victor Spinetti. 1976 - The movie F for Fake was released, directed by Orson Welles, it starred Orson Welles, Oja Kodar and Joseph Cotton. 1977 - Born this day, Catherine Fox, 400 metre freestyle relay, (Olympics gold in 1996). 1977 - The Sex Pistols were refused entry into the USA two days before a scheduled NBC-TV appearance. Johnny Rotten because of a drugs conviction, Paul Cook and Sid Vicious because of 'moral turpitude' and Steve Jones because of his criminal record. 1977 - Born this day, Larissa Fontaine, in Chicago, Illinois, gymnast, (alternate Olympics 1996). 1978 - Saint Maarten Patriotic Movement (SPM) was formed under W. James (Netherlands Antilles). 1978 - Died this day, Chill Wills, actor, (Frontier Circus, Rounders), aged 75. 1978 - The movie The Deer Hunter was released, directed by Michael Cimino, it starred Robert De Niro, John Cazale, John Savage, Meryl Streep, Christopher Walken and George Dzundza. It received Academy Awards for Best Picture (Barry Spikings - Producer, Michael Deeley - Producer, Michael Cimino - Producer, John Peverall - Producer), Supporting Actor (Christopher Walken), Directing (Michael Cimino), Film Editing (Peter Zinner), and Sound (Richard Portman, William McCaughey, Aaron Rochin, Darin Knight). It also received Academy Awards nominations for Actor (Robert De Niro), Supporting Actress (Meryl Streep), Writing (Best Screenplay written directly for the screen; Michael Cimino, Deric Washburn, Louis Garfinkle, Quinn K. Redeker), and Cinematography (Vilmos Zsigmond). 1978 - Today marked the Test Cricket debut of Malcolm Marshall, vs India at Bangalore. 1978 - The movie Superman: The Movie was released, directed by Richard Donner, it starred Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, Marlon Brando, Ned Beatty, Jackie Cooper, Glenn Ford, Trevor Howard and Larry Hagman. It received an Academy Award for Special Achievement Awards (Les Bowie - Visual Effects, Colin Chilvers - Visual Effects, Denys Coop - Visual Effects, Roy Field - Visual Effects, Derek Meddings - Visual Effects, Zoran Perisic - Visual Effects). It also received Academy Awards nominations for Film Editing (Stuart Baird), Music Scoring Awards (Best Original Score; John Williams), and Sound (Gordon K. McCallum, Graham Hartstone, Nicolas LeMessurier, Roy Charman). 1978 - Born this day, Henrietta Nagyova, in Nove Zamky, Slovakia, tennis player. 1978 - US President Jimmy Carter announced he would establish diplomatic relations with China from 1 January 1979, and break off relations with Taiwan. 1978 - The movie California Suite was released, directed by Herbert Ross, it starred Jane Fonda, Alan Alda, Maggie Smith, Michael Caine, Walter Matthau, Bill Cosby, Elaine May and Richard Pryor. It received an Academy Award for Supporting Actress (Dame Maggie Smith). It also received Academy Awards nominations for Writing (Best Screenplay based on material from another medium; Neil Simon) and for Art Direction/Set Decoration (Albert Brenner - Art Direction, Marvin March - Set Decoration). 1979 - Died this day, Bern Hoffman, actor, (Major Dell Conway), aged 66. 1979 - The deposed Shah of Iran left the US for Panama. 1979 - The World Court in the Hague ruled that Iran should release all US hostages. 1979 - Appearing at the Windsor Castle Pub, Harrow Road, London, were U2, admission was free. 1979 - Pink Floyd started a five week run at No.1 in the UK with the single Another Brick In The Wall, eventually becoming the Christmas No.1 for 1979. 1979 - Released on the Anti-Pop label, a 28-minute mini-album priced at £2.50 by Wavis O'Shave, titled Anna Ford's Bum. 1979 - Two Canadians, Chris Haney and Scott Abbott, both aged 30, came up with the idea for a game called Trivial Pursuit. 1979 - Born this day, Edele Lynch, and Keavy Lynch, B*Witched, 1998 UK No.1 single C'est La Vie. 1979 - Died this day, Jackie Brenston, singer, (Rocket 88). 1980 - Dave Winfield signed a ten-year contract with the New York Yankees this day for somewhere between $1.3 and $1.5 million. He become the wealthiest player in the history of US team sports. The total package for the outfielder was said to be worth over $22 million. 1980 - Premier Queddei's troops conquered Chad capital N'djamena. 1980 - ZBZ Sangha (now ZBZ Bodhidharma) was registered after 5 years of administrative hassles in Warsaw (Zen Buddhism). 1981 - NASA launched Intelsat V. 1981 - The 4th Emmy Sports Award presentations were held. 1982 - Reputed to be 'Robin Hoods' tree, the 'Major Oak' in Sherwood forest, was fitted with a fire alarm. 1982 - Bill Parcells became the 12th head coach of New York Giants. 1982 - Roy Williams, Teamsters president, and 4 others were convicted of bribery. 1982 - Spain reopened the border with Gibraltar. 1982 - The movie Honkytonk Man was released, directed by Clint Eastwood, it starred Clint Eastwood, Kyle Eastwood, John McIntire, Alexa Kenin, Verna Bloom, Matt Clark and Barry Corbin. 1982 - The Sao Tome and Principe constitution was approved. 1982 - Paul 'Bear' Bryant announced that he was retiring as head football coach at the University of Alabama. Bryant had 232 victories and only 46 losses while coach of the Crimson Tide. 1983 - The remaining 80 US combat soldiers in Grenada withdrew, just over seven weeks after the US-led invasion of the Caribbean island. 1983 - Columbia flew to the Kennedy Space Center via El Paso, Kelly Air Force Base. 1983 - Wendy Wasserstein's Isn't It Romantic premiered in New York, NY. 1983 - Three Kansas City Royals were suspended due to cocaine usage. 1984 - The USSR launched Vega 1 for rendezvous with Halley's Comet. 1984 - Died this day, Avon Long, actor, (Roots: Next Generation), aged 74. 1984 - Died this day, Jan Peerce [Perelmuth], operatic tenor, aged 80 following a stroke. 1984 - Do They Know It's Christmas by Band Aid entered the chart at No.1 and stayed at the top for 5 weeks, becoming the biggest selling single of all time in the UK (at this time), with sales of over 3 and a half million (since surpassed by Elton John in 1997). Band Aid was masterminded by former Boomtown Rats singer Bob Geldof, who had been moved by a TV news story of famine in Ethiopia. Geldof had the idea of raising funds with a one-off charity single featuring the cream of the current pop world. 1985 - Born this day, Sheeba Reiter, in Florida, illegitimate daughter of Jackie Mason. 1985 - Sylvester Stallone and Brigitte Nielson were married. 1986 - Kenny Rogers cut himself a deal with the Dole Food Company. The singer became the highest-paid celebrity pitchman for 17 million dollars. 1986 - The Carnegie Hall reopened after a $50 million facelift. Violinist Isaac Stern arrived in a horse-drawn carriage to cut the ribbon for the renovated Carnegie Hall in New York City. 1986 - CIA director William Casey suffered a cerebral seizure. 1986 - 150 people were killed during a race riot in Karachi, Pakistan. 1987 - Les Miserables opened at the Shubert Theatre, Boston. 1988 - Lori Davis of Long Island, New York, sued Mike Tyson for grabbing her buttocks. 1988 - James Brown, charged with numerous offences, including illegal possession of drugs and firearms, aggravated assault and failure to stop for the police was sentenced to six years in prison after an interstate car chase with police (he served more than two years). He was released from the South Carolina prison in 1991, having reportedly written new material while locked up. 1988 - Appearing at The Borderline, London, were The Sugarcubes, tickets were £6. 1989 - The man that masterminded a campaign of horror against the Colombian people, cartel leader Gonzalo Rodriguez Gacha, 'El Mexicano', was killed by police in a shootout. Gacha had bombed an Avianca plane midflight, killing all 101 passengers, and truckbombed the National Police Headquarters in Bogota. 1989 - The movie Family Business was released, directed by Sidney Lumet, it starred Sean Connery, Dustin Hoffman and Matthew Broderick. 1989 - Panama, in central America, declared war on the United States. 1989 - Appearing at Winnington Rec, Northwich, Cheshire, were The Charlatans, tickets were £3.00. 1989 - The movie Glory was released, directed by Edward Zwick, it starred Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes and Morgan Freeman. It received Academy Awards for Best Performance By an Actor in a Supporting Role (Denzel Washington), Best Achievement in Cinematography (Freddie Francis) and Best Achievement in Sound (Donald O. Mitchell, Gregg C. Rudloff, Elliot Tyson, Russell Williams II). It alsoreceived Academy Awards nominations for Best Achievement in Film Editing (Steven Rosenblum) and for Best Achievement in Art Direction (Norman Garwood - Art Direction, Garrett Lewis - Set Decorator). 1989 - Died this day, Arnold Moss, actor, (Gambit), at the age of 79. 1989 - The movie Wizard was released, directed by Todd Holland, it starred Luke Edwards, Fred Savage, Jenny Lewis, Beau Bridges, Wendy Phillips and Christian Slater. 1990 - Rock singer Rod Stewart married New Zealand super model Rachel Hunter in Beverly Hills, he was quoted saying 'I found the girl that I want, I won't be putting my banana in anybody's fruit bowl from now on'. They split in 1999. 1990 - Died this day, Betty Warren, actress, (Passport to Pimlico). 1990 - More than 400 American Roman Catholic theologians charged that the Vatican had been throttling church reforms and imposing 'an excessive Roman centralisation'. They contended that the Vatican had undercut a greater role for women, slowed the ecumenical drive for Christian unity and undermined the collegial functioning of national conferences of bishops. 1990 - Agnetha Faltskog from Abba married Swedish surgeon Tomas Sonnenfeld. 1990 - Died this day, Jean Paige, actress, (Captain Blood, Black Beauty). 1991 - Died this day, Horatio Luro, US horse trainer, (Northern Dancer), aged 90. 1991 - Died this day, Ray Smith, British actor, (And Then You Die), aged 55. 1991 - Nick & Nora closed at the Marquis Theatre New York City after 9 performances. 1991 - Deb Richard won the JBP Cup LPGA Match Play Golf Championship. 1991 - More than 470 people drowned when a ferry carrying mainly Egyptian pilgrims sank in the Red Sea. 1992 - Died this day, [Frederik] Fré Meis, Dutch MP (CPN), at the age of 71. 1992 - Arthur Ashe was named Sports Illustrated's Sportman of Year. 1992 - El Salvador's government and leftist guerrilla leaders formally declared the end of a 12-year civil war. 1992 - WNew AM (1130) in New York City resigned its airwaves, it was replaced by WBBR. 1993 - British Prime Minister John Major and Irish premier Reynolds, signed a Downing Street Declaration concerning Northern Ireland self determination. 1993 - A C-130 transport plane crashed into a Philippines hill and exploded killing 16 people. 1993 - Haitian premier Robert Malval resigned. 1993 - Died this day, Kakuei Tanaka, Prime Minister of Japan (1972-74). 1993 - John Williams made his final appearance as the conductor of the Boston Pops. 1993 - Lee Aspen resigned as the US Secretary of Defense. 1993 - A Y-12 crashed at Phonesavanh, Laos. 18 people were killed. 1993 - Delegations from 117 countries approved by consensus a GATT trade treaty aimed at opening up international markets. Took place in Uruguay. 1993 - Called "a beautiful film about the holocaust horror", Steven Speilberg's haunting black-and-white film Schindler's List opened in US theatres. Starring Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, and Caroline Goodall, the film won many awards, including Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director. 1994 - Died this day, Hans de Jong, musician, conductor, (Amsterdams Vrouwenkoor), aged 86. 1994 - Died this day, Harry Tobias, songwriter, aged 99. 1994 - Diane Modahl was banned from athletics for unauthorised drug use, in the UK. 1994 - Tuna Christmas opened at Booth Theatre in New York City for 20 performances. 1994 - John Bruton became Ireland's premier. 1994 - Died this day, Henry Phelps Brown, historian, economist, at the age of 88. 1994 - Liberian militia killed 48 inhabitants of Monrovia. 1994 - Died this day, Mollie Doreen Phillips, British figure skater, (Eur-bronze-33), aged 87. 1994 - Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora married actress Heather Locklear. 1995 - Died this day, James Geoffrey Cutcliffe Hepburn, tap-dancer/socialist, aged 88. 1995 - Died this day, Manuel Gutierrez Mellado, Prime Minister of Defense of Spain (1977-81), aged 83. 1995 - The United Nations (UN) Security Council authorised NATO to take over peacekeeping operations in Bosnia in a resolution spelling the end of one of the United Nations (UN) toughest field missions. 1995 - Southeast Asian nations signed a treaty banning the possession, manufacture and acquisition of nuclear weapons and created a nuclear arms-free zone from Burma and Vietnam in the north to Indonesia in the south. 1995 - European Union leaders, gathered in Madrid to discuss the shape of a single European currency, christened their planned new single currency the Euro. 1995 - Playboy went back on sale after 36 year ban in Ireland. 1996 - Dottie Pepper and Juli Inkster won the LPGA Diner's Club Golf Matches. 1996 - Died this day, Gerald Moverley, priest, died at the age of 74. 1996 - Died this day, Guiseppe Dossetti, politician, priest, at the age of 83. 1996 - Jim Colbert and Bob Murphy won the Diner's Club Senior PGA Golf Matches. 1996 - Tom Lehman and Duffy Waldoff won the Diner's Club PGA Golf Matches. 1996 - Died this day, Laurens jan van der Post, explorer, conservationist, aged 90. 1996 - Boeing Corporation out flew the aerospace world with a $13.3 billion deal to buy McDonnell Douglas Corp. The merger formed the world’s largest aerospace company. 1997 - San Francisco 49ers retired Joe Montana's #16. 1997 - Thailand began the mass cremation of some 21,347 dead, all unclaimed from the Poh Tek Tung cemetary in Bangkok. It was a new record. 1997 - Spice World The Movie premiered at The Empire, Leicester Square, London. The following year it was nominated for the 'worst film' at the Golden Raspberry Awards. 1997 - Died this day, Pananayiotis Taki Vatikiotis, middle east scholar, aged 69. 1997 - Died this day, Lillian Disney, widow of Walt Disney, at the age of 98. 1998 - A stagehand filed a $3 million lawsuit against the pop group Backstreet Boys, contending he was injured by a 50-pound cannon that fell on his head. Michael Barrett, 22, was seeking damages from the five-member group for injuries and emotional distress. Barrett, of Alexandria, was working backstage at Nissan Pavilion after a concert on 16 July. A line suspending the cannon - a stage prop that fires confetti - was untied after the show, 'causing it to descend to the stage below at great speed', according to the lawsuit. 1999 - Venezuelans voted for a new constitution, endorsing President Hugo Chavez's plans to overhaul the political and economic system. 1999 - Boy George was knocked unconscious when a mirror ball fell on his head during a show in Dorset. 1999 - Malcolm McLaren announced that he was running for the Mayor of London. He said he would be campaigning for brothels, pot shops and boozing in libraries. 'I changed London with the Sex Pistols, I can change London as Mayor'. 1999 - Posh Spice Victoria Beckham knocked a crazed fan to the ground after he tried to grab her baby son Brooklyn as she left Harrods in London. 2000 - TV and radio star Zoe Ball gave birth to an eight-and-a-half pound baby boy named Woody. Her husband Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim was present at the birth. 2000 - Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma ordered the closure of the Chernobyl nuclear power station, site of the world's worst nuclear accident in 1986. 2000 - Movies that premiered in the US this day include, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which won Academy Awards for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration [Timmy Yip], Best Cinematography [Peter Pau], Best Foreign Language Film [Taiwan] and Best Music, Original Score [Tan Dun], it starred Chow Yun Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen, Cheng Pei Pei and Lung Sihung. Walt Disney Pictures’ animated The Emperor’s New Groove, with the voices of David Spade, John Goodman, Eartha Kitt, Patrick Warburton and Wendie Malick. Dude, Where’s My Car?, with Ashton Kutcher, Seann William Scott, Jennifer Garner, Marla Sokoloff, Kristy Swanson and Hal Sparks. What Women Want, starring Mel Gibson, Helen Hunt, Marisa Tomei, Mark Feuerstein, Lauren Holly, Ashley Johnson, Delta Burke, Valerie Perrine and Alan Alda. 2000 - An intruder who broke into the home of George Harrison and stabbed the ex-Beatle, was found not guilty by reason of insanity. 2001 - Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa opened to the public for the first time in almost 12 years after work to reduce its tilt. 2001 - Died this day, Rufus Thomas, 1963 US No.10 single Walking The Dog, 1970 UK No.18 and US No.28 single Do The Funky Chicken. 2001 - The 12 British plane-spotters held in a Greek jail on spying charges came home to an emotional reunion with their families, vowing to clear their names. 2001 - Joe Walsh was given an honourary Doctorate of Music from Kent State University in Ohio. 2002 - Blue featuring Elton John went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word. It had previously been a No.11 hit for Elton in 1976. 2003 - Michael Jackson was out on police bail of $3 million after being arrested following allegations of child abuse. The 45-year-old singer strenuously denied the allegations, calling them a big lie. Following allegations of child abuse a special information web site was set up by the District Attorney's office because of the level of media interest in the case. Mr Jackson, who was arrested, cited and released after surrendering to police on 20 November, was due to appear in court on 9 January. |
Trivia
Trivia - petty details or considerations, matters or things that are very unimportant, inconsequential, or nonessential; trifles; trivialities.
Trivial - of very little importance or value; insignificant: "Don't bother me with trivial matters." Trivially - unimportant, nugatory, slight, immaterial, inconsequential, frivolous, trifling.