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January 4th
1643 - Sir Isaac Newton, scientist, discovered the laws of gravity. 1717 - In the Seven Years War, England declared war on Spain and Naples. 1785 - Born this day, Jakob Ludwig Carl Grimm, librarian, fairy tale author [with brother, Wilhelm]. (Hansel and Grethel, Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White). Died in 1863. 1790 - US President George Washington delivered the first State of the Union address. 1797 - Born this day, Wilhelm Beer, first to map Mars. 1809 - Born this day, Louis Braille, French educator who developed a system of printing and writing widely used by the blind and known by his name. He became blind at the age four, from an accident playing with an awl. In 1821, while Braille was at a school for the blind, a soldier named Charles Barbier visited him and 'showed' him a code system he had invented. The system, called 'night writing' had been designed for soldiers in war trenches to allow them silently pass instructions using combinations of twelve raised dots. The young Braille realised how useful this system of raised dots could be and he developed a simpler scheme using only six dots. In 1827 the first book in braille was published. Now the blind could also write it for themselves using a simple stylus to make the dots. Died 6 January 1852. 1829 - Born this day, Charles (Carl) G. Steinweg, the first Steinway family member to arrive in America. 1838 - Born this day, General Tom Thumb (Charles Stratton), entertainer, world’s most famous midget. Died 15 July 1883. 1850 - The first American ice skating club was organized in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 1861 - The Confederate States of America were formed, consisting of South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana. 1863 - The four-wheeled roller skate was patented by James Plimpton of New York. 1884 - The socialist Fabian Society was founded in London. 1885 - Dr. William Grant of Davenport, Iowa, performed the first successful appendectomy. The operation was performed on Mary Gartside. (Another source says it was Dr Graves of Ontario). 1896 - Born this day, Everett (McKinley) Dirksen, US politician, elected to US Senate in 1950, Republican minority leader [1959], most noted for his sudden, dramatic shifts from opposition to support of various measures. Died 7 September 1969. 1896 - Utah became the 45th US state. Capital - Salt Lake City; bird - seagull; flower - sego lily; nickname - Beehive State. 1905 - Born this day, Sterling Holloway, actor, (Thunder and Lightning, Super Seal, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, A Walk in the Sun, Death Valley, Twilight on the Rio Grande, The Merry Widow, International House, Willy, The Life of Riley, The Baileys of Balboa), character voices, (Winnie the Pooh, Alice in Wonderland [Cheshire Cat], The Aristocats, The Jungle Book). Died 22 November 1992. 1908 - Mulai Hafid was proclaimed sultan of Morocco at Fez. 1914 - Born this day, Jane Wyman (Sarah Jane Fulks), Academy Award-winning actress, (Johnny Belinda [1948]; How to Commit Marriage, Pollyanna, Magnificent Obsession, The Yearling, The Lost Weekend, My Favorite Spy, Falcon Crest, The Incredible Journey of Dr. Meg Laurel; TV hostess: Summer Playhouse, Fireside Theatre; former Mrs. Ronald Reagan. 1919 - Vilna (now Vilnius), which had been proclaimed capital of independent Lithuania, was captured by Soviet troops. The occupation lasted only until April. 1924 - The first Labour government, headed by Ramsay MacDonald was formed. 1927 - Born this day, Barbara Rush, actress, (Web of Deceit, The Seekers, Superdad, Hombre, Robin and the 7 Hoods, Come Blow Your Horn, The Young Philadelphians, The Young Lions, Magnificent Obsession, When Worlds Collide, Peyton Place, Saints and Sinners, The New Dick Van Dyke Show, Flamingo Road). 1928 - NBC Radio debuted one of radio’s first variety shows. The Dodge Victory Hour starred Will Rogers, Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra, and singer Al Jolson. The cost to produce this one show was $67,600. 1929 - Australian cricketer Don Bradman made his first Test century, playing against England in Melbourne. 1930 - Born this day, Iain Cuthbertson, actor. 1932 - NBC Red presented The Carnation Contented Hour. The show continued on network radio for 19 years as a showcase for top singers and musicians. 1932 - The British Indian government was granted emergency powers to deal with a campaign of nationalist civil disobedience. The National Congress party was declared illegal and Mahatma Gandhi was arrested. 1933 - Born this day, Ray Starling, musician, arranger for Stan Kenton. 1934 - Born this day, Jean Chretien, prime minister of Canada. 1935 - Bert Ambrose and his Orchestra recorded the song that became the group’s theme song. It was titled, Hors d’oeuvres and was cut in London for Decca Records. 1935 - Bob Hope was first heard on network radio as part of The Intimate Revue with Jane Froman, James Melton and the Al Goodman Orchestra. 1935 - Born this day, Floyd Patterson, heavyweight boxing champion [1956-59]). 1936 - The first pop music chart based on national sales was published by Billboard magazine. Joe Venuti, big band jazz violinist, was at the top of the chart with a song called, Stop! Look! Listen!. 1937 - Born this day, Dyan Cannon (Samile Diane Friesen), in Tacoma, Washington, actress, (The Pickle, Christmas in Connecticut, Caddyshack 2, Author! Author!, Revenge of the Pink Panther, Heaven Can Wait, The Anderson Tapes, Doctors’ Wives, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969)). In 1965 she married screen legend Cary Grant, who was over thirty years her senior (the marriage lasted until 1968). (This is the year most commonly given for her birth). 1937 - Born this day, John Gorman, The Scaffold, 1968 Christmas UK No.1 single Lily The Pink. 1940 - Born this day, Alexander Chancellor, journalist. 1940 - John Steinbeck's novel, The Grapes of Wrath, came to the screen on this date, in the film version starring Henry Fonda. 1942 - Born this day, John McLaughlin, guitarist, Mahavishnu Orchestra, 1973 UK No.7 album with Carlos Santana Love Devotion Surrender. 1943 - Joseph Stalin was named Time magazine's 'Man Of The Year'. 1944 - The attack on the Monte Cassino was launched by the British Fifth Army in Italy. 1944 - Born this day, Arthur Conley, singer, (Sweet Soul Music). 1947 - Born this day, Rick Stein, chef, broadcaster. 1948 - The British governor of Burma formerly handed over power, and the Union of Burma was proclaimed as an independent republic with Thakin Nu as first prime minister. Now a National Day. 1950 - RCA Victor announced that it would manufacture long-playing (LP) records. This news came two years after Columbia Records debuted the ‘album’. 1951 - In the Korean War, the North Koreans and Chinese communists captured the Southern capital of Seoul. 1951 - Born this day, Barbara Ann Cochran, skier, Olympic Gold Medalist: slalom [1972]. 1953 - Tufted plastic carpeting was introduced by Barwick Mills. The new carpet was said to be mothproof and stain resistant. 1954 - Young truck driver Elvis Presley recorded a ten-inch acetate demo at the Memphis Recording Service, an open-to-the-public business run by Sun Records owner Sam Phillips. The two songs Presley recorded were Casual Love Affair and I'll Never Stand in Your Way. It was Presley's second visit, and the first time he met Phillips, his future producer. The previous summer he had recorded another demo, My Happiness and That's When Your Heartaches Begin, only one copy of which now exists. According to reports, Presley recorded it for his mother. The two songs so impressed Phillips that he had Elvis record his first professional sides for Sun Records the following August. 1955 - Born this day, Clive Gregson, singer, songwriter, leader of late 70's band Any Trouble, on Stiff Records, one half of Gregson and Collister folk duo. 1956 - Born this day, Bernard Sumner aka Bernie Albrecht (Dicken), musician, guitar, singer, Warsaw, Joy Division - Transmission, 1980 UK No.13 single, Love Will Tear Us Apart, New Order - 1983 UK No.9 single Blue Monday, Confusion, Shellshock, Electronic - 1991 UK No.8 single Get The Message). 1956 - Born this day, Ann Magnuson, actress, (Before and After, Cabin Boy, Tequila Sunrise, Desperately Seeking Susan, Perfect Strangers, Anything But Love). 1957 - Collier’s magazine was published for the last time. The periodical had been published for 69 years. 1957 - Elvis Presley had his pre-induction medical check up at Kennedy Veterans Hospital, a preliminary to his call up from the US Army. 1958 - Sputnik I, the world's first artificial satellite launched in October 1957 by the Soviet Union, fell to Earth being destroyed in the process. 1958 - Born this day, Macel King, Sweet Sensation, 1974 UK No.1 single with Sad Sweet Dreamer. 1958 - Born this day, Matt Frewer, actor, (Kissinger and Nixon, National Lampoon’s Senior Trip, Stephen King’s The Stand, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Speed Zone, Supergirl, Max Headroom, Shaky Ground, Doctor, Doctor; cartoon voice: The Exterminator in Itsy Bitsy Spider). 1960 - Born this day, Michael Stipe, Grammy Award-winning singer, (Out of Time [1991]; group: R.E.M.: Losing My Religion [1991], Radio Free Europe, Talk About the Passion, So Central Rain, [Don’t Go Back to] Rockville, Seven Chinese Brothers). R.E.M. over 20 top 40 UK singles, 1992 UK No.1 album Automatic For The People, 1993 UK No.7 single with Everybody Hurts. 1960 - Died this day, Albert Camus, American existentialist writer, when his Facel-Vega car ran off the road and struck a tree, in France. (The Stranger). 1960 - Marty Robbins started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with El Paso. It made No.19 in the UK. 1961 - Born this day, Patrick Cassidy, actor, (How the West was Fun, Longtime Companion, Love at Stake, Dress Gray, Fever Pitch, Just the Way You Are, Off the Wall, Something in Common, The Bay City Blues, Dirty Dancing). 1962 - New York City introduced a train that operated without conductors and drivers. 1962 - Liverpool's Mersey Beat published it's first popularity poll, with The Beatles coming first and Gerry And The Pacemakers in second place. 1962 - Born this day, Martin Mcaloon, bass, Prefab Sprout, 1988 UK No.7 single The King Of Rock 'N' Roll. 1962 - Born this day, Robin Guthrie, guitar, keyboards, programming, Cocteau Twins, 1984 UK No.29 single Pearly-dewdrops' Drops. 1962 - Gene McDaniels recorded Point Of No Return. 1963 - Born this day, Dave Foley, actor. 1964 - Bobby Vinton started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with There I've Said It Again. It made No.34 in the UK chart. 1965 - Died this day, [Thomas Stearns] T. S. Eliot, poet. 1965 - The Fender Guitar Company was sold to CBS for $13 million. 1965 - Born this day, Julia Ormond, actress. 1965 - Born this day, Beth Gibbons, vocals, Portishead, 1995 UK No.13 single Glory Box. 1965 - Born this day, Cait O'Riordan, bass, The Pogues, 1987 UK No.8 single The Irish Rover. 1965 - Born this day, David Glasper, Breath, 1988 US No.2 and UK No.4 single Hands To Heaven. 1967 - Donald Campbell, British car and speedboat racer, was killed on Coniston Water in England during an attempt to break the world water speed record. 1967 - The Jimi Hendrix Experience played the first of what would be over 240 gigs in this year when they appeared at the Bromel Club, Bromley. Many of the concerts were 2 shows per night. 1967 - Born this day, Ben Darvill, harmonica, Crash Test Dummies, 1994 UK No.2 and US No.4 single MMM MMM MMM MMM. 1970 - Television history was made when super dog Lassie was hit by a car while pushing a child away from danger. Lassie was seen on TV, for the next month, suffering from amnesia. 1970 - Chauffeur Neil Boland was accidentally killed when Keith Moon ran over him when trying to escape from a Gang of skinheads after a fight broke out at a pub in Hatfield, England. Moon had never passed his driving test. 1970 - The Beatles had their last recording session at EMI studios. 1971 - Dr. Melvin H. Evans became the first elected governor of the Virgin Islands. 1974 - Burma inaugurated a new constitution providing for a Peoples Assembly. 1975 - Elton John started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with his version of The Beatles song Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds. His 3rd US No.1, the song featured John Lennon on guitar. 1976 - Appearing at The Cardiff Capitol, England, were Procol Harum. 1976 - Former Beatles roadie Mal Evans was shot dead by police at his Los Angeles apartment. Police were called by his girlfriend when she found Evans upset with a rifle in his hand, he pointed the gun at the police who opened fire. 1977 - The Sex Pistols shocked passengers and airline staff at Heathrow Airport when they spat and vomited boarding a plane to Amsterdam. 1977 - Born this day, Timothy Wheeler, Ash, 1995 UK No.11 single Girl From Mars. 1978 - Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac, married Jane Samuel in Los Angeles. 1979 - With a new interest in Beatles music, the Star Club reopened in Hamburg, Germany. None of the Beatles returned to their beginnings to attend the gala opening. 1980 - President Jimmy Carter announced curtailment of US grain sales to the Soviet Union because of the invasion of Afghanistan. 1981 - The Boomtown Rats kicked off a UK tour at The Gaumount Theatre in Southampton. 1986 - Died this day, Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy, of heart failure and pneumonia after being in a coma for 8 days following a drugs overdose. 1992 - Simply Red went back to No.1 on the UK album chart for a five week run with Stars, making it the 3rd time it had been at the top of the charts. 1993 - Paul Simon became a father when his wife Edie Brickell gave birth to a son. 1994 - Nine people were killed and at least 48 wounded as the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo shuddered under heavy shelling from its Serb besiegers. 1995 - Bosnian government troops began a belated withdrawal from a demilitarized mountain zone overlooking Sarajevo in keeping with a four-month truce accord. 1995 - Republican Newt Gingrich of Georgia was formally elected speaker of the US House of Representatives, the first Republican to hold the post in 40 years. 1996 - Pro-wrestler and sometime-actor Hulk Hogan sued Kate Kennedy in federal court in Minneapolis on this date, claiming she and her lawyer threatened to file sexual assault charges against him unless Hogan paid her off. Kennedy's attorney said she was the victim of a 'very serious sexual assault' over the Labor Day weekend in 1995 when she was involved in a promotional event featuring Hogan. He gave no details of the alleged attack. Hogan said the woman was attempting to extort money from him with the false accusation, and so he countered her claim. 1996 - Poland's counter-intelligence chief, Colonel Konstanty Miodowicz, announced his resignation in an apparent protest against allegations that the secret services had stepped out of line in accusing Prime Minister Jozef Oleksy of spying. 1996 - On this day in 1996, AT&T scrapped its plans for a proprietary online service akin to America Online. One of several major companies in the mid-'90s seduced by the early success of high-profile companies like AOL, Prodigy, and CompuServe, AT&T believed that the Internet would remain too confusing, technical, and forbidding to the average user, who would prefer safe, easy proprietary systems. Rupert Murdoch's Delphi system, Microsoft's original MSN, and General Electric's Genie all jumped on the proprietary system bandwagon. But with the development of the Web in the early '90s, consumers became less interested in proprietary online services. By early 1997, many proprietary systems had either been abandoned by large companies or transformed into Internet provider services or Web sites. 1996 - The Seinfeld episode, The Rye, where George tries to replace a rye bread that his father took back from his fiancee's parents after their dinner, aired on NBC for the first time. 2001 - Courtney Love filed a lawsuit against her alleged stalker claiming that Lesley Barber, the ex-wife of her current flame Jim Barber, drove over her foot, forcing her to forfeit her role in the film and the £200,000 fee that went with it. 2001 - Madame Tussaud's waxworks in London revealed that Oasis singer Liam Gallagher had come third in 'The Most Hated Characters' list of exhibits, behind Adolf Hitler and Slobodan Milosevic. 2001 - US rapper Vanilla Ice spent the night in jail after allegedly 'ripping out some of his wife's hair' during a row. 2002 - Five people died when a private executive jet crashed in a fireball during take-off at Birmingham International Airport. |
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.