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January 27th
1186 - Henry VI of Germany married Constance of Sicily and was crowned King of Burgundy, Germany and Italy. 1756 - Born this day, (Johann Chrysostom) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Austrian composer, born in Salzburg. He went on to compose 20 operas and 17 masses. Died 5 December 1791. 1778 - Joseph Bramah patented the valved flush toilet. 1822 - Greece proclaimed its independence from Turkey. 1832 - Born this day, Lewis Carroll (Charles Dodgson), mathematician, writer. Died 14 January 1898. 1850 - Born this day, Samuel Gompers, US labour union leader, 1st president of the American Federation of Labour [AFL]. Died 13 December 1924. 1851 - Died this day, John James Audobon, wildlife artist, at the age of 62, after living for several years in the shadow of senility. 1859 - Born this day, Kaiser Wilhelm II, the third German emperor and grandson of Queen Victoria. 1868 - Henry Morton Stanley uttered the immortal words, 'Dr Livingstone I presume'. 1870 - Kappa Alpha Theta, the first women’s Greek letter society, or sorority, was founded at Indiana Asbury University, now the DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. 1880 - Thomas A. Edison of Menlo Park, New Jersey, patented the electric incandescent lamp. 1885 - Born this day, Jerome Kern, the father of the American musical, composer, (Show Boat, Ol’ Man River, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, Lovely to Look At, The Way You Look Tonight, The Last Time I Saw Paris). Died 11 November 1945. 1888 - The National Geographic Society was founded in Washington, DC. 1895 - Born this day, Harry Ruby (Rubinstein), musician, composer, (Duck Soup). Died 23 February 1974. 1900 - Born this day, Hyman Rickover, Father of the Nuclear Navy, US Navy Admiral, directed development of the Nautilus, the first nuclear reactor-powered submarine. Died 8 July 1986. 1908 - Born this day, William Randolph Hearst, Jr., publishing and broadcasting mogul, (newspapers: San Francisco Examiner, magazines: Cosmopolitan; Hearst Broadcasting, A&E Television Networks, The History Channel). 1916 - Born this day, [Milton W.] Milt Raskin, pianist, composer, (Twenty Mule Train [Death Valley Days], Exotic Percussion [Kapu], Look Out Up There [w/Pete Rugolo], I Never Wanna Look Into Those Eyes [w/Johnny Mercer], Mileka; arranger: Naked City, The Fugitive, The Agony and the Ecstacy, Lawrence of Arabia). Died 16 October 1977. 1916 - The Spartacus League, forerunner of the German Communist Party, was formed in Berlin. 1918 - Born this day, Elmore James, US blues guitarist, singer. Wrote Shake Your Money Maker, covered by Fleetwood Mac in 1968. Influenced Jimi Hendrix, BB King, Keith Richards. Died 24 May 1963. 1918 - Born this day, [Lyle] Skitch Henderson, bandleader, (musical director of NBC-TV’s The Tonight Show with Steve Allen, Johnny Carson; conductor: Tulsa Symphony Orchestra). 1919 - Born this day, David Seville (Ross Bagdasarian), in Fresno, California, singer, The Chipmunks, 1958 US No.1 single The Chipmunk Song, 1959 UK No.11 single Ragtime Cowboy Joe, 1958 Witch Doctor. Died 16 January 1972. 1921 - Born this day, Donna Reed [Donna Belle Mullenger], in Denison, Iowa, actress, (From Here to Eternity, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Benny Goodman Story, The Donna Reed Show). Died 14 January 1986. 1924 - Born this day, Sabu [Dastagir], actor, (A Tiger Walks, The Treasure of Bengal, The Jungle Book, Arabian Nights, The Thief of Bagdad, The Elephant Boy). Died 2 December 1963. 1926 - The earliest public demonstration of television was given by John Logie Baird of Scotland, using a development of the mechanical scanning system suggested by Paul Nipkov in 1884. 1930 - Born this day, Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland [Robert Calvin Brooks], Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer, 1963 US R&B No.1 single That's The Way Love Is, Call on Me, Turn on Your Love Light, Ain’t Nothin’ You Can Do. Original group was The Beale Streeters with Johnny Ace. 1931 - NBC radio introduced listeners to Clara, Lu ’n’ Em on its Blue network (later, ABC radio). The show became the first daytime radio serial when it was moved from its original nighttime slot. 1931 - Born this day, Mordecai Richler, author. 1933 - Born this day, Mohamed Al-Fayed, Harrods boss. 1934 - Born this day, George Follmer, auto racer, (Spanish Grand Prix [3rd place: 1973]; Trans-Am season win [tied w/Hurley Haywood, Carl Shafer: 1976]). 1936 - Born this day, Troy Donahue [Merle Johnson], actor, (A Summer Place, Assault of the Party Nerds, The Godfather: Part 2, The Chilling). 1942 - Born this day, James Cromwell, actor. 1943 - The US Eighth Air Force made the first all-American bombing raid on Germany with a daylight raid on Wilhelmshaven. 1944 - Russian General Govorov announced the complete lifting of the siege of Leningrad. 1944 - Born this day, Mairead Corrigan, pacifist, Nobel Peace Prize winner. 1945 - The Russians liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp, where the Nazis had murdered 1.5 million men, women and children, including more than one million Jews. 1945 - Born this day, Nick Mason, musician, drums, (group: Pink Floyd: Arnold Lane, Let There be More Light, Atom Heart Mother, Echoes, Wish You Were Here, Shine on You Crazy Diamond; LP: 1973 US No.1 & UK No.2 album The Dark Side Of The Moon, spent a record breaking 741 weeks on the US chart., The Wall). 1947 - Born this day, Nedra Talley, singer, The Ronettes, 1963 UK No.4 single Be My Baby. 1948 - Born this day, Kim Gardner, Ashton, Gardner & Dyke, 1971 UK No.3 single The Resurrection Shuffle. Died 24 October 2001. 1948 - Wire Recording Corporation of America announced the first magnetic tape recorder. The ‘Wireway’ machine with a built-in oscillator sold for $149.50. 1948 - Born this day, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Bolshoi ballet dancer. 1950 - Ed Wynn took home the Emmy for Most Outstanding Live Personality and his show, "The Ed Wynn Show", received the award for Best Live Show. Coincidentally, this same night, Wynn’s comedian friend, Milton Berle, was awarded the Emmys for Most Outstanding Kinescope Personality for his performance on The Best Kinescope Show, "The Texaco Star Theater", on NBC television. 1951 - Born this day, Brian Downey, musician, drums, Thin Lizzy, 1973 UK No.6 single Whisky In The Jar, Still in Love with You, Killer on the Loose, The Rocker, Little Girl in Bloom. 1951 - Born this day, Seth Justman, musician, keyboard, singer, composer, The J. Geils Band, Give It to Me, Must Have Got Lost, One Last Kiss, Freeze-Frame, 1982 US No.1 and UK No.3 single Centrefold, Angel in Blue, Land of 1000 Dances. 1952 - After serious rioting in Cairo the previous day, Egyptian Prime Minister Nahhas Pasha was dismissed and replaced with Aly maher Pasha. 1952 - Born this day, Brian Gottfried, tennis player, (Trinity University [Division I National Championship: 1972]; French Open [1975, 1977], Wimbledon [w/Raul Ramirez: 1976]; 25 singles titles, 54 doubles crowns; singles ranking No. 3 in world: 1977). 1956 - Born this day, Mimi Rogers, actress, (Full Body Massage, Monkey Trouble, Dark Horse, The Rousters, Desperate Hours, The Mighty Quinn, Someone To Watch Over Me, Blue Skies Again). 1957 - The CBS Radio Workshop was heard for the first time. This first broadcast featured Aldous Huxley narrating his classic, Brave New World. 1958 - Born this day, Alan Milburn, Health Secretary, Labour MP. 1958 - Little Richard entered The Oakwood Theological College in Huntsville, where he was ordained as a seventh day Adventist Minister. 1960 - The TV show Be Our Guest debuted on US television; this variety show showcased the singing talents of Mary Ann Mobley, who was Miss America from 1959-1960. 1961 - The Sing Along with Mitch show starring Mitch Miller debuted on NBC. 1961 - Leontyne Price made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. She sang in the role of Leonora in Il Trovatore. Price was only the seventh black singer to make a debut at the Metropolitan. Marian Anderson was the first in 1955. 1961 - Born this day, Gillian Gilbert, musician, keyboard, The Inadequates, New Order, 1983 UK No.9 single Blue Monday, The Other Two, 1991 UK No.41 single Tasty Fish, Shellshock, Confusion. 1961 - Born this day, Martin Deguille, vocals, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, 1986 UK No.3 single Love Missile F1-11. 1962 - Elvis Presley received his 29th gold record for Can't Help Falling in Love, just weeks after receiving one for the soundtrack to his seventh movie, Blue Hawaii. 1962 - The Soviet government changed the names of all places honouring Molotov, Kaganovich and Malenkov, participants in an attempt to oust Nikita Khrushchev in 1957. 1962 - Joey and the Starlighters started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with Peppermint Twist, part 1. The single reached No.33 on the UK chart. 1964 - Born this day, Migi Drummond, Curiosity Killed The Cat, 1989 UK No.14 single Name And Number. 1964 - France established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. 1964 - Born this day, Bridget Fonda, actress, (Point of No Return, The Godfather, Part 3, Aria, 21 Jump Street; daughter of actor, Peter Fonda and actress, Susan Brewer, granddaughter of actor, Henry Fonda, niece of actress, Jane Fonda). 1965 - Born this day, Alan Cumming, actor. 1966 - The Overlanders had an UK No.1 with The Beatles song Michelle. 1967 - The Queen knighted Francis Chichester with a sword which belonged to Sir Francis Drake. 1967 - 60 nations signed a United Nations (UN) treaty on the peaceful uses of outer space and the banning of weapons of mass destruction there. 1967 - Tragedy struck on the launch pad of Apollo 204, scheduled to be the first Apollo manned mission. A flash fire in the command module during a preflight test, killed astronauts Virgil Grissom, Edward White and Roger Chaffee. After the disaster, the mission was officially designated Apollo 1. 1968 - The Bee Gees played their first American concert, as a group. They earned $50,000 to entertain at the Anaheim Convention Center in California. This is identical to what the Beatles were paid to perform at the Hollywood Bowl a few years earlier. They then headed immediately back to England. 1968 - Otis Redding’s (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay was released on this day, seven weeks after the singer’s death. It became No.1 on 16 March 1968 and remained at the top spot for a month. Redding began his recording career in 1960 with Johnny Jenkins and The Pinetoppers (on Confederate Records). He sang duet with Carla Thomas and had 11 chart hits. Redding of Dawson, Georgia was killed in a plane crash at Lake Monona near Madison, Wisconsin. Four members of the Bar-Kays were also killed in the crash. The Dock of the Bay, his only number one song, was recorded just three days before his death. 1968 - Born this day, Mike Patton, singer, Faith No More, 1993 UK No.3 and US No.4 single I'm Easy 1968 - Born this day, Adrian Thawes, Tricky, 1996 UK No.10 single Milk. 1969 - 14 men, nine of them Jews, were executed in Baghdad for spying for Israel. 1971 - David Bowie arrived in the US for the first time, he couldn't play live because of work permit restrictions, but attracted publicity when he wore a dress at a promotion event. 1972 - The New Seekers received a gold record for I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing on this date. The song was an effective campaign tool for Coca-Cola TV commercials. 1972 - Died this day, American gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, aged 60. 1972 - Born this day, Mark Owen, vocals, Take That, 1995 UK No.1 single Back For Good, plus seven other UK No.1 singles, and solo 1996 UK No.3 single Child. 1973 - The movie Last Tango in Paris was released in the UK and in the USA in New York City. Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, it starred Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider. It received Academy Awards nominations for Best Actor (Marlon Brando) and Directing (Bernardo Bertolucci). 1973 - A cease-fire agreement signed in Paris brought an end to the US military role in Vietnam. 1973 - Roxy Music won 'the most promising new name', section in the New Musical Express (NME) readers poll. 1973 - Superstition gave Stevie Wonder had his second No.1 single in the US, 10 years after his first No.1. 1973 - Sweet started a five week run at the top of the UK charts with their only No.1 single Blockbuster. 1974 - 8,000 people were evacuated from their homes as floodwaters flowed through the main streets of Brisbane. 1976 - David Bowie filed a $2 ($2 or $2m) suit against attorney Michael Lippman claiming that he had taken a 15% agents fee instead of the customary 10%. 1976 - The situation comedy, Laverne & Shirley, starring Penny Marshall as Laverne De Fazio and Cindy Williams as Shirley Feeney, debuted on ABC. While critics hated it, calling it 'TV junk food', the public loved it, and during the 1977-1978 season, it was the No.1 program on US television. 1977 - The Clash signed to CBS Records. 1978 - Appearing at The Foxes, Brighton, were Wire supported by Adam And The Ants. 1979 - Ian Dury And The Blockheads had their only UK No.1 single with Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick. 1980 - Born this day, Marat Safin, tennis player. 1980 - Def Leppard played the first of two nights at The Marquee, London, tickets were £2. 1980 - Dexy’s Midnight Runners kicked off a 26 date UK tour at London’s Music Machine. 1981 - In Indonesia, 500 people died when the motor ferry Tampomas II sank in the Java Sea, following a fire. 1982 - In Ireland, the minority government of Garret Fitzgerald was defeated over the budget. 1984 - Madonna made her first appearance in the UK on the TV music programme The Tube performing Holiday. The show was broadcast live from the Hacienda Club in Manchester. 1984 - Carl Lewis bettered his own two-year-old record by 9-1/4 inches when he set a new, world indoor record with a long-jump mark of 28 feet, 10-1/4 inches. The track event was held in New York City. 1984 - Michael Jackson’s hair caught on fire during the filming of a Pepsi commercial in Los Angeles. Pyrotechnics did not operate on cue, injuring the singer. Jackson was hospitalised for a few days and fans from around the world sent messages of concern and sympathy. 1985 - The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia announced plans to sell its soft drinks in the Soviet Union. Pepsico, makers of Pepsi, had been selling its products there for 12 years prior to Coke’s plan to join in the Soviet cola wars. 1990 - Kylie Minogue had her third UK No.1 single with Tears On My Pillow, originally a US hit for Little Anthony and The Imperials in 1958. 1991 - Somalian President Mohamed Siad Barre fled after rebels overrun his palace and captured the capital. 1992 - In Indianapolis, former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson lost the first round of his rape trial when the judge rejected a defense complaint that there was potential racial bias in the jury-selection process. Tyson faced up to 63 years in prison. 1993 - On this day, Mrs Thatcher told journalist Woodrow Wilson, that she thought most of the members of the House of Lords were so useless they deserved to be reformed. 1994 - The Mexican government and eight political parties signed an agreement calling for electoral change in a bid to end a peasant uprising in the southern state of Chiapas. 1994 - Former Prime Minister Bettino Craxi became the highest-ranking politician committed for trial in Italy's graft scandal. 1994 - Oasis made their London live debut when they played at King's Cross Water Rats. The gig was by invite only. 1996 - Babylon Zoo started a five week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with Spaceman, the fastest selling non charity single, (420,000 copies in 6 days), the song was used as the backing for a Levi Jeans TV commercial. 1996 - The military seized power in Niger, ousting the country's first elected president. 1996 - The Daily Star ran an exclusive story stating that UK boy band Take That were about to split up. 1998 - The Spice Girls' Girl Power: Live in Istanbul video was released by Virgin Music Video, and was later certified platinum. 1998 - James Brown was charged with possession of marijuana and unlawful use of a firearm after police were called to his South Carolina home. Brown later clamed the drugs were used to help his 'eyesight'. 2000 - Noel Gallagher of Oasis became a dad when Meg Matthew's gave birth to a girl, Anais at Portland Hospital, London. 2002 - Brian Wilson played the first of four sold-out nights at The Royal Festival Hall, London. 2002 - Enrique Iglesias scored his first UK No.1 single with Hero. 2002 - Friends and relatives of a British terror suspect held at a US camp in Cuba reacted with shocked disbelief at news of his capture. 2003 - Former S Club 7 singer Rachel Stevens, signed a £1m solo deal with Polydor records. 2003 - Hans Blix paved the way for a second Gulf War with a damning critique of Saddam Hussein's weapons programme. |
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.