Fun On this date in history...

If I may...

ON MAY 17th:

In 1875, the first Kentucky Derby was run; the winner was Aristides, ridden by Oliver Lewis.

In 1792, the New York Stock Exchange had its origins as a group of brokers met under a tree on Wall Street.

In 1814, Norway's constitution was signed, providing for a limited monarchy.

In 1886, inventor/entrepreneur John Deere died in Moline, IL at age 82.

In 1912, the Socialist Party of America nominated Eugene V. Debs for president at its convention in Indianapolis.

In 1939, Britain's King George VI and his wife, Queen Elizabeth, arrived in Quebec on the first visit to Canada by a reigning British monarch.

Also in 1939, the Columbia Lions and the Princeton Tigers played in the United States' first televised sporting event, a college baseball game in New York City.

In 1940, the Nazis occupied Brussels, Belgium, during World War II.

In 1943, the Dambuster Raids by RAF No. 617 Squadron on German dams were executed.

In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, unanimously struck down racially segregated public schools.

In 1955, actor/director Bill Paxton was born in Ft. Worth, TX. In his later career, his characters wouldn’t fare well against Aliens or a Predator, but would have better luck with the Apollo program and the RMS Titanic.

In 1961, Cuban leader Fidel Castro offered to release prisoners captured in the Bay of Pigs invasion in exchange for 500 bulldozers. (The prisoners were eventually freed in exchange for medical supplies.)

In 1973, a special committee convened by the U.S. Senate began its televised hearings into the Watergate scandal.

In 1974, thirty-three civilians were killed and 300 injured when the Ulster Volunteer Force detonated four car bombs in Dublin and Monaghan, Republic of Ireland. It was the deadliest terrorist attack in the Republic's history.

In 1975, Elton John was awarded a platinum record for sales of a million copies of his album, "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy." It was the first album to sell a million copies on its first day of release.

In 1980, rioting that claimed 18 lives erupted in Miami's Liberty City after an all-white jury in Tampa acquitted four former Miami police officers of fatally beating black insurance executive Arthur McDuffie.

In 1985, on “Dallas”, the episode “Swan Song” was broadcast on CBS-TV. It concluded with the death of Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy), but it didn’t take.

In 1987, 37 American sailors were killed when an Iraqi warplane attacked the U.S. Navy frigate Stark in the Persian Gulf. (Iraq apologized for the attack, calling it a mistake, and paid more than $27 million in compensation.)

In 1995, Jacques Chirac was sworn in as president of France, ending the 14-year tenure of Socialist Francois Mitterrand.

In 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to allow legal same-sex marriages.

Also in 2004, actor/producer/director Tony Randall died in New York City at age 84.

In 2015, at least nine people were killed and 18 injured, some by law enforcement and others in gunfire exchanges, in a shootout between rival biker gangs in Waco, TX.

 

If I may...

ON MAY 18th:

In 1152, King Henry II of England married Eleanor of Aquitaine.

In 1642, the Canadian city of Montreal was founded by French colonists.

In 1765, about one-fourth of Montreal was destroyed by a fire.

In 1863, during the Civil War, the Siege of Vicksburg began.

In 1896, the Supreme Court, in Plessy v. Ferguson, endorsed "separate but equal" racial segregation, a concept renounced 58 years later in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka.

In 1897, producer/director/screenwriter Frank Capra was born in Bisacquino, Sicily, Kingdom of Italy.

In 1910, Halley's Comet passed by earth, brushing it with its tail.

In 1926, evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson vanished while visiting a beach in Venice, California. (McPherson reappeared more than a month later, saying she'd escaped after being kidnapped and held for ransom.)

In 1927, Grauman’s Chinese Theater opened in Hollywood, CA.

In 1931, cartoonist Don Martin, best-known for his work on “MAD Magazine”, was born in Paterson, NJ.

In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a measure creating the Tennessee Valley Authority.

In 1934, Congress approved, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed, the so-called "Lindbergh Act," providing for the death penalty in cases of interstate kidnapping.

In 1944, during World War II, Allied forces finally occupied Monte Cassino in Italy after a four-month struggle with Axis troops.

In 1946, actor Andreas Katsulas, well-known for playing G’Kar on “Babylon 5” and Sykes, the One-Armed Man, in the movie version of “The Fugitive”, was born in St. Louis, MO.

In 1953, Jacqueline Cochran became the first woman to break the sound barrier as she piloted a Canadair F-86 Sabre jet over Rogers Dry Lake, CA.

In 1955, “Kiss Me Deadly”, the movie version of Mickey Spillane’s novel, was released in the U.S.

In 1963, The Beatles began their first tour of the UK as headliners.

In 1969, astronauts Eugene A. Cernan, Thomas P. Stafford and John W. Young blasted off aboard Apollo 10 on a mission to orbit the Moon.

In 1971, the horror film “The Abominable Dr. Phibes”, starring Vincent Price in the title role, was released in the U.S.

In 1973, Harvard law professor Archibald Cox was appointed Watergate special prosecutor by U.S. Attorney General Elliot Richardson.

In 1979, the theatrical version of the original “Battlestar Galactica” pilot film was released in the U.S. IN SENSURROUND!

In 1980,the Mount St. Helens volcano in the state of Washington exploded, leaving 57 people dead or missing and causing over $1 billion in damages.

In 1996, on “Mystery Science Theater 3000”, the episode featuring the movie “Laserblast” was broadcast on Comedy Central. At the time, it was intended as the last episode of the series, unless it was picked up by another network (which it was). The episode was followed by the premiere of the special “The TV Wheel”, from MST3K creator Joel Hodgson.

In 2003, the Disney Pixar animated movie “Finding Nemo” premiered in Hollywood, CA.

In 2013, on “Doctor Who”, the episode “The Name of the Doctor” was broadcast on BBC 1. The final episode of the 7th season, it featured the first appearance of John Hurt as the War Doctor.

In 2015, the Disney Pixar movie “Inside Out” premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.

 

If I may...

ON MAY 19th:

In 1536, Anne Boleyn, the second wife of England's King Henry VIII, was beheaded after being convicted of adultery.

In 1780, a combination of thick smoke and heavy cloud cover caused complete darkness to fall on Eastern Canada and the New England area of the United States at 10:30 A.M.

In 1913, California Gov. Hiram Johnson signed the Webb-Hartley Law prohibiting "aliens ineligible to citizenship" from owning farm land, a measure targeting Asian immigrants, particularly Japanese.

In 1924, the Marx Brothers made their Broadway debut in the revue "I'll Say She Is."

In 1927, the war drama “Wings” premiered in San Antonio, TX. It starred Charles “Buddy” Rogers, Richard Arlen and Clara Bow, and was directed by William Wellman.

In 1935, actor Michael Wisher, best-known for playing Davros on “Doctor Who”, was born in London.

In 1943, in his second wartime address to the U.S. Congress, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill pledged his country's full support in the fight against Japan.

In 1944, actor Peter Mayhew was born in Barnes, Surrey, England. Years later, there’d be considerable debate over why one of his characters didn’t get a medal from Princess Leia.

In 1945, musician/singer/songwriter Pete Townshend was born in Chiswick, Greater London.

In 1950, a barge containing munitions destined for Pakistan exploded in the harbor at South Amboy, NJ, devastating the city.

In 1951, the Looney Tunes cartoon “Rabbit Fire”, featuring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd, was released in the U.S. It was the first in director Chuck Jones’ “hunting trilogy” of cartoons.

In 1962, actress Marilyn Monroe sang "Happy Birthday to You" to President John F. Kennedy during a Democratic fundraiser at New York's Madison Square Garden.

In 1973, Secretariat won the Preakness Stakes, the second of his Triple Crown victories.

In 1981, five British soldiers were killed by an Irish Republican Army landmine in County Armagh, Northern Ireland.

In 1984, as part of the Armed Forces Day celebrations in Torrence, CA, Sgt. Donald Fauntleroy Duck was formally discharged from the U.S. Army, 43 years after being drafted.

In 1989, the action movie “Road House”, starring Patrick Swayze, was released in the U.S.

In 1992, in a case that drew much notoriety, Mary Jo Buttafuoco of Massapequa, NY, was shot and seriously wounded by her husband Joey's teenage lover, Amy Fisher.

In 2016, EgyptAir Flight 804 crashed into the Mediterranean Sea en route from Paris to Cairo. There were no survivors.

 

If I may...

ON MAY 20th:

In 1861, the state of Kentucky proclaimed its neutrality in the Civil War, which would last until September 3rd, when Confederate forces entered the state. Meanwhile, the state of North Carolina seceded from the Union.

In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act, which was intended to encourage settlements west of the Mississippi River by making federal land available for farming.

In 1873, Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis received a U.S. patent for blue jeans with copper rivets.

In 1884, producer Leon Schlesinger, best-known for founding what would become the Warner Bros. Cartoons studio, was born in Philadelphia, PA.

In 1902, the United States ended a three-year military presence in Cuba as the Republic of Cuba was established under its first elected president, Tomas Estrada Palma.

In 1908, actor/USAF Maj. General James Stewart was born in Indiana, PA.

In 1925, the newly built headquarters of the United States Chamber of Commerce was formally dedicated in Washington D.C.

In 1942, during World War II, the Office of Civilian Defense was established.

In 1948, Chiang Kai-shek was elected as the first President of the Republic of China.

In 1949, actor/writer/comedian Dave Thomas was born in St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada. He’d later be connected with a certain Melonville-based TV station.

In 1954, the song “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley & His Comets released on Decca Records.

In 1956, in Operation Redwing, the first United States airborne hydrogen bomb was dropped over Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.

In 1959, nearly 5,000 Japanese-Americans had their U.S. citizenships restored after choosing to renounce them during World War II.

In 1961, a white mob attacked a busload of Freedom Riders in Montgomery, AL, prompting the federal government to send in U.S. marshals to restore order.

In 1970, some 100,000 people demonstrated in New York's Wall Street district in support of U.S. policy in Vietnam and Cambodia.

In 1975, “Star Trek: The Animated Series” won a Daytime Emmy award for Best Children’s Program.

In 1982, principal photography was completed on “Star Wars: Episode VI- Return of the Jedi”.

In 1985, Radio Marti, operated by the U.S. government, began broadcasting; Cuba responded by attempting to jam its signal.

In 1988, the fantasy movie “Willow”, starring Warwick Davis and Val Kilmer, was released in the U.S.

In 1989, actress/comedienne Gilda Radner died in Los Angeles at age 42.

In 1995, President Bill Clinton announced that the two-block stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House would be permanently closed to motor vehicles as a security measure.

In 1996, actor Jon Pertwee died in Sherman, CT at age 76.

In 2008, it was announced that Russell T. Davies would be leaving his position as Executive Producer of “Doctor Who” and would be replaced by Stephen Moffat.

In 2015, David Letterman made his last appearance on “The Late Show”.

 

If I may...

ON MAY 21st:

In 1881, Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross.

In 1892, the opera "Pagliacci," by Ruggero Leoncavallo, premiered in Milan, Italy.

In 1917, actor Raymond Burr was born in New Westminster, British Colombia, Canada. His long career in radio, movies & TV ran the gamut from facing Godzilla in Tokyo to facing Hamilton Burger in an L.A. courtroom.

In 1918, actor/singer/comedian Dennis Day was born in New York City.

In 1924, in a case that drew much notoriety, 14-year-old Bobby Franks was murdered in a "thrill killing" carried out by University of Chicago students Nathan Leopold Jr. and Richard Loeb (Bobby's cousin).

In 1927, Charles Lindbergh touched down at Le Bourget Field in Paris, completing the world's first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean.

In 1932, bad weather forced Amelia Earhart to land in a pasture in Derry, Northern Ireland, and she thereby becomes the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

In 1941, a German U-boat sank the American merchant steamship SS Robin Moor in the South Atlantic after the ship's passengers and crew were allowed to board lifeboats.

In 1943, the White Sox and the Senators played the fastest 9-inning night game in American League history. The game was finished in 89 minutes.

Also in 1943, the western film “The Ox-Bow Incident”, starring Henry Fonda, went into wide release in the U.S.

In 1945, actors Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall were married at Malabar Farm in Lucas, OH. It was his fourth marriage, her first, and would last until Bogart's death in 1957.

In 1952, the Brooklyn Dodgers scored 15 runs in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds. The final score was 19-1.

In 1955, Chuck Berry recorded his first single, "Maybellene," at Universal Recording Studios in Chicago for Chess Records.

Also in 1955, “Godzilla Raids Again”, the American version of the kaiju movie “Gojira no gyakushu”, was released in the U.S. under the title “Gigantis, the Fire Monster”.

In addition in 1955, Johnny Cash released his first single, "Hey, Porter."

In 1963, Stevie Wonder’s song "Fingertips”, recorded live in Chicago during a "Motown Revue" in June, 1962, was released on the Tamla label. The B-side, featuring the second half of the song, became his first number one hit, at age 13.

In 1966, Nichelle Nichols was hired to play Lt. Uhura on the original series “Star Trek”, only three days before filming began on the series’ first regular episode, “The Corbomite Maneuver”.

Also in 1969, Jon Pertwee was formally hired to replace Patrick Troughton as the Doctor on “Doctor Who”.

In 1971, the sci-fi movie “Escape from the Planet of the Apes” was released in the U.S.

Also in 1971, actor/singer/writer/comedian/puppeteer Josh “J. Elvis” Weinstein was born. One of the Cinematic Titans, he’d also play, as he described it, “the Tom Servo you don’t like as much”. Many MSTies respectfully disagree with that statement.

In 1972, Michelangelo's Pieta, on display at the Vatican, was damaged by a hammer-wielding man who shouted he was Jesus Christ.

In 1975, the comedy movie “The Return of the Pink Panther”, starring Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau, was released in the U.S.

In 1980, “Star Wars: Episode V- The Empire Strikes Back” was released in the U.S.

In 1982, during the Falklands War, British amphibious forces landed on the beach at San Carlos Bay.

In 1990, CBS aired the final episode of the sitcom "Newhart"

In 1993, the comedy spoof “Hot Shots! Part Deux” was released in the U.S.

In 2005, on “Doctor Who”, “The Empty Child” was broadcast on BBC 1. It featured the first appearance of John Barrowman as Jack Harkness.

In 2011, radio evangelist/ broadcaster Harold Camping predicted that the world would end on this date. He was incorrect, as he was with other similar predictions.

In 2014, the National September 11 Museum opened to the public in New York City, following its May 15th dedication.

 

If I may...

ON MAY 22nd:


In 1377, Pope Gregory XI issued five papal bulls to denounce the doctrines of English theologian John Wycliffe.

In 1455, during the Wars of the Roses, at the First Battle of St. Albins, Richard, Duke of York, defeated and captured King Henry VI of England.

In 1807, a grand jury indicted former U.S. Vice-President Aaron Burr on a charge of treason.

In 1856, Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina beat Senator Charles Sumner with a cane in the hall of the U.S. Senate for a speech Sumner had made attacking Southerners who sympathized with the pro-slavery violence in Kansas.

In 1859, author/physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He’s best-known for creating that guy Basil Rathbone played in a bunch of movies my Dad liked.

In 1860, the United States and Japan exchanged ratifications of the Treaty of Amity and Commerce during a ceremony in Washington.

In 1907, actor/producer/director Sir Laurence Olivier, Kt, OM, was born in Dorking, Surrey, England.

In 1913, the American Cancer Society was founded in New York under its original name, the American Society for the Control of Cancer.

In 1915, the Lassen Peak volcano in Northern California exploded, devastating nearby areas but causing no deaths.

In 1922, producer Quinn Martin was born in New York City. Those of us of a certain age remember his many, many TV productions.

In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appeared before Congress to explain his decision to veto a bill that would have allowed World War I veterans to cash in bonus certificates before their 1945 due date.

In 1939, the foreign ministers of Germany and Italy, Joachim von Ribbentrop and Galeazzo Ciano, signed a "Pact of Steel" committing the two countries to a military alliance.

In 1947, the Truman Doctrine was enacted as Congress appropriated military and economic aid for Greece and Turkey.

In 1955, the last live program of the radio series “The Jack Benny Program” was broadcast on CBS.

In 1958, reporters at a London airport asked Jerry Lee Lewis about his marriage, and he revealed his wife was his 13-year-old cousin. The ensuing controversy forced Lewis to cancel most of his British tour.

In 1960, an earthquake of magnitude 9.5, the strongest ever measured, struck southern Chile, claiming some 1,655 lives.

In 1966, “The Case of the Final Fade-Out”, the last episode of “Perry Mason”, was broadcast on CBS-TV.

In 1967, the album “Headquarters” by the Monkees was released. It was the first album where the group played their own instruments and had greater creative control than before.

Also in 1967, "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" made its premiere on PBS.

In 1968, the nuclear-powered submarine USS Scorpion, with 99 men aboard, sank in the Atlantic Ocean. (The remains of the sub were later found on the ocean floor 400 miles southwest of the Azores.)

In 1969, during the Apollo 10 mission, the lunar module Snoopy, with Thomas P. Stafford and Eugene Cernan aboard, flew to within nine miles of the moon's surface in a dress rehearsal for the first lunar landing, while John W. Young orbited in the command module Charlie Brown.

In 1969, the Hammer Horror movie “Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed”, starring Peter Cushing, was released in the UK.

In 1972, President Richard Nixon began a visit to the Soviet Union, during which he and Kremlin leaders signed the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.

Also in 1972, the island nation of Ceylon became the republic of Sri Lanka.

In 1977, Janet Guthrie set the fastest time of the second weekend of qualifying, becoming the first woman to earn a starting spot in the Indianapolis 500 since its inception in 1911.

In 1980, Namco released the arcade game “Pac-Man”.

In 1981 "Yorkshire Ripper" Peter Sutcliffe was convicted in London of murdering 13 women and was sentenced to life in prison.

Also in 1981, the sci-fi movie “Outland”, starring Sean Connery, was released in the U.S.

In 1985, the action movie “Rambo: First Blood, Part 2”, starring Sylvester Stallone and Richard Crenna, was released in the U.S.

In 1990, after years of conflict, pro-Western North Yemen and pro-Soviet South Yemen merged to form a single nation, the Republic of Yemen.

In 1992, after a reign lasting nearly 30 years, Johnny Carson hosted NBC's "Tonight Show" for the last time.

In 2004, actor Richard Biggs, best-known for playing Dr. Stephen Franklin on “Babylon 5”, died in Los Angeles at age 44.

In 2008, the sequel “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” was released in the U.S.

In 2015, The Republic of Ireland became the first nation in the world to legalize gay marriage in a public referendum.

 

Yeah, on this day in 2011, most of us were Leftovers.

 

If I may...

ON MAY 23rd:

In 1430, Joan of Arc was captured by the Burgundians, who sold her to the English.

In 1533, the marriage of England's King Henry VIII to Catherine of Aragon was declared null and void.

In 1701, after being convicted of piracy and of murdering William Moore, Captain William Kidd was hanged in London, England.

In 1788, South Carolina became the eighth state to ratify the United States Constitution.

In 1829, a patent for the Accordion was granted to Cyrill Demian in Vienna. Its use by Lawrence Welk and Weird Al Yankovick would come later.

In 1883, actor/filmmaker Douglas Fairbanks was born in Denver, CO.

In 1911, the New York Public Library was dedicated.

In 1915, Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary during World War I.

In 1921, author James Blish, known to sci-fi fans for his novelizations of episodes from the original series “Star Trek”, was born in East Orange, NJ.

In 1933, actress/author Joan Collins was born in Paddington, London. She’s best known either for playing Alexis Carrington on “Dynasty”, or playing the woman Jim Kirk might’ve changed history for.

In 1934, electronic music pioneer Robert Moog was born in New York City.

In 1934, bank robbers Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker were shot to death in a police ambush in Bienville Parish, Louisiana.

In 1939, the Navy submarine USS Squalus sank during a test dive off the New England coast. Thirty-two crew members and one civilian were rescued, but 26 others died; the sub was salvaged and recommissioned the USS Sailfish.

In 1945, Nazi official Heinrich Himmler committed suicide by biting into a cyanide capsule while in British custody in Luneburg, Germany.

In 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) was established.

In 1967, Egypt closed the Straits of Tiran to Israeli ships, an action which precipitated war between Israel and its Arab neighbors the following month.

In 1969, “Destroy All Monsters”, the English-dubbed version of the kaiju movie “Kaiju soshingeki”, was released in the U.S. It starred Godzilla and nearly every other Toho monster.

In 1980, the horror movie “The Shining”, starring Jack Nicholson and directed by Stanley Kubrick, was released in the U.S.

In 1984, Surgeon General C. Everett Koop issued a report saying there was "very solid" evidence linking cigarette smoke to lung disease in non-smokers.

Also in 1984, the sequel “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” was released in the U.S.

In 1988, the novelty single “Doctorin’ the Tardis” by the Timelords was released.

In 1994, “All Good Things…”, the series finale of “Star Trek: The Next Generation”, was broadcast in syndication.

In 1995, the computer programming language Java was publicly released at the Sun World Conference in San Francisco.

In 2001, “Endgame”, the last episode of “Star Trek: Voyager”, was broadcast in syndication.

In 2012, the ashes of actor James Doohan were released into Earth's orbit by SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket.

In 2013, the Rifftrax version of “Doctor Who and the Daleks” was released on-line.

In 2014, a 22-year-old armed with knives and a gun went on a rampage near the Univesity of California, Santa Barbara, killing six students and wounding 13 other people before taking his own life.

 

If I may...

ON MAY 24th:

In 1775, John Hancock was elected President of the Continental Congress, succeeding Peyton Randolph.

In 1844, Samuel F.B. Morse transmitted the message "What hath God wrought" from Washington to Baltimore as he formally opened America's first telegraph line.

In 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge, linking Brooklyn and Manhattan, was dedicated by President Chester Alan Arthur and New York Gov. Grover Cleveland. It is not currently for sale.

In 1889, Germany's Reichstag passed a mandatory disability and old-age insurance law.

In 1913, artist/SPFX designer Peter Ellenshaw, best-known for his work for Walt Disney Productions, was born in London, England.

In 1935, the first major league baseball game to be played at night took place at Cincinnati's Crosley Field as the Reds beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 2-1.

In 1937, in a set of rulings, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Social Security Act of 1935.

In 1938, actor/comedian Tommy Chong, well-known for his work as half of the comedy team Cheech & Chong, was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

In 1941, the German battleship Bismarck sank the British battle cruiser HMS Hood in the North Atlantic, killing all but three of the 1,418 men on board.

Also in 1941, singer/songwriter Bob Dylan was born in Duluth, MN.

In 1945, script editor/producer Graham Williams, best-known for his time as producer of “Doctor Who” during Tom Baker’s tenure, was born.

In 1956, the first Eurovision Song Contest was held in Lugano, Switzerland.

In 1962, astronaut Scott Carpenter became the second American to orbit the Earth as he flew aboard Aurora 7.

In 1966, filming began on “The Corbomite Maneuver”, the first regular episode of the original series “Star Trek”.

In 1969, on “Doctor Who”, part six of “The War Games” was broadcast on BBC 1. It included the first mention of the Time Lords, later identified as the Doctor’s people.

In 1976, Britain and France opened trans-Atlantic Concorde supersonic transport service to Washington.

In 1980, Iran rejected a call by the World Court in The Hague to release the American hostages.

In 1989, the sequel “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”, starring Harrison Ford and Sean Connery, was released in the U.S.

In 1994, four men convicted of bombing the World Trade Center in New York City in 1993 were each sentenced to 240 years in prison.

In 1999, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague, Netherlands indicted Slobodan Milosevic and four others for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Kosovo.

In 2001, 23 people were killed when the floor of a Jerusalem wedding hall collapsed beneath dancing guests, sending them plunging several stories into the basement.

In 2007, Star Wars Celebration IV officially began at the Los Angeles Convention Center, though the first event was a marathon showing (attended by your humble correspondent) of Episodes I-VI the previous day.

In 2016, actor Herbert W. “Burt” Kwouk, OBE, best-known for playing Cato in the “Pink Panther” series, died at age 85.

 

If I may...

ON MAY 25th:

In 1521, the Diet of Worms ended when Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, issued the Edict of Worms, declaring Martin Luther an outlaw.

In 1787, the Constitutional Convention began at the Pennsylvania State House (later called Independence Hall) in Philadelphia after enough delegates had shown up for a quorum.

In 1810, Argentina began its revolt against Spanish rule with the forming of the Primera Junta in Buenos Aires.

In 1895, playwright Oscar Wilde was convicted of a morals charge in London; he was sentenced to two years in prison.

Also in 1934, the comedy mystery “The Thin Man”, starring William Powell and Myrna Loy was released in the U.S.

In 1935, Babe Ruth hit his final homerun, his 714th, for the Boston Braves in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, and set a record that would stand for 39 years. (The Pirates won the game, 11-7.)

In 1944, actor/director/Muppeteer Frank Oz was born in Hereford, Herefordshire, England.

In 1946, the thriller “The Stranger” directed by and starring Orson Welles, and featuring Edward G. Robinson and Loretta Young, was released in the U.S.

In 1953, the first public television station in the United States officially began broadcasting as KUHT from the campus of the University of Houston.

In 1959, the U.S. Supreme Court, in State Athletic Commission v. Dorsey, struck down a Louisiana law prohibiting interracial boxing matches. (The case had been brought by Joseph Dorsey Jr., a black professional boxer.)

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy told a joint session of Congress: "I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth."

In 1965, Muhammad Ali knocked out Sonny Liston in the first round of their world heavyweight title rematch in Lewiston, ME.

In 1968, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis was dedicated by Vice President Hubert Humphrey and Interior Secretary Stewart Udall.

In 1972, the Hitchcock thriller “Frenzy” premiered in London.

In 1973, Carole King gave a free concert in New York's Central Park for what was, at the time, the largest music audience ever to gather there: 100,000 people.

In 1977, “Star Wars” (later known as “Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope”) was released in the U.S. It was somewhat successful.

In 1979, 273 people died when an American Airlines DC-10 crashed just after takeoff from Chicago's O'Hare Airport.

Also in 1979, six-year-old Etan Patz disappeared while on his way to a school bus stop in lower Manhattan.

In addition in 1979, the sci-fi/horror movie “Alien” was released in the U.S.

In 1983, “Star Wars: Episode VI- Return of the Jedi” was released in the U.S. It was also somewhat successful.

In 1985, more than 11,000 people were killed as a cyclone and tidal surge devastated Bangladesh.

In 1992, Jay Leno took over the "Tonight Show," replacing Johnny Carson. Leno's first guest was Billy Crystal.

In 2007, the United States Postal Service released souvenir sheets of stamps commemorating the 30th anniversary of the release of “Star Wars”. Your humble correspondent received one at Celebration IV, and still has it.

In 2012, the unmanned SpaceX craft Dragon became the first commercial spacecraft to successfully rendezvous with the International Space Station.

 

If I may...

ON MAY 26th:

In 1865, Confederate forces west of the Mississippi surrendered in New Orleans.

In 1868, the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson ended with his acquittal on the remaining charges.

In 1886, actor/singer/entertainer Al Jolson was born in Seredzius, Kovno Governorate in what is now Lithuania.

In 1897, the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker was published by Archibald Constable & Company.

In 1907, actor/producer/director John Wayne was born in Winterset, IA.

In 1912, actor Jay Silverheels, best-known for playing Tonto on “The Lone Ranger” TV series, was born in Brantford, Ontario, Canada.

In 1913, Actors' Equity Association was organized by a group of actors at the Pabst Grand Circle Hotel in New York.

Also in 1913, actor Peter Cushing, OBE was born in Kenley, Surrey, England.

In 1923, actor James Arness was born in Minneapolis, MN. His career would later include facing giant ants beneath Los Angeles, and facing scores of outlaws in Dodge City.

In 1938, the House Un-American Activities Committee was established by Congress.

In 1940, Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of some 338,000 Allied troops from Dunkirk, France, began during World War II.

In 1942, the U.S. War Department formally established the Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS).

Also in 1942, the Tule Lake Segregation Center for Japanese-American wartime internees opened in northern California.

In 1944, the Sherlock Holmes movie “The Scarlet Claw”, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, was released in the U.S.

In 1950, the sci-fi movie “Rocketship X-M” premiered in New York City.

In 1951, astronaut/physicist Sally Ride was born in Los Angeles.

In 1954, explosions rocked the aircraft carrier USS Bennington off Rhode Island, killing 103 sailors. (The initial blast was blamed on leaking catapult fluid ignited by the flames of a jet.)

In 1960, U.N. Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge accused the Soviets of hiding a microphone inside a wood carving of the Great Seal of the United States that had been presented to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.

In 1969, the Apollo 10 astronauts returned to Earth after a successful eight-day dress rehearsal for the first manned moon landing.

In 1970, the sequel “Beneath the Planet of the Apes” was released in the U.S.

In 1971, the Western spoof “Support Your Local Gunfighter” premiered in New York Cuty,

In 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev signed the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in Moscow. (The U.S. withdrew from the treaty in 2002.)

In 1981, 14 people were killed when a Marine jet crashed onto the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz off Florida.

In 1995, producer/director/animator Friz Freling, best-known for his work with the Warner Bros. Cartoon unit, died in Los Angeles at age 88.

In 1998, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Ellis Island, the historic gateway for millions of immigrants, was mainly in the state of New Jersey, not New York.

 

If I may...

ON MAY 27th:

In 1896, 255 people were killed when a tornado struck St. Louis, MO, and East St. Louis, IL.

In 1911, actor/author Vincent Price was born in St. Louis, MO.

In 1922, actor/author/singer Sir Christopher Lee, CBE, CStJ was born in Belgravia, London, England.

In 1927, the Ford Motor Company ceased manufacture of the Ford Model T and began to retool plants to make the Ford Model A.

In 1929, Charles A. Lindbergh Jr. married Anne Morrow in Englewood, NJ.

In 1930, the 1,046 foot-tall (319 m) Chrysler Building in New York City, the tallest man-made structure at the time, opened to the public.

In 1933, the Chicago World's Fair, celebrating "A Century of Progress," officially opened.

Also in 1933, Walt Disney's Academy Award-winning animated short "The Three Little Pigs" was released.

In 1934, author/screenwriter Harlan Ellison was born in Cleveland, OH.

In 1935, the U.S. Supreme Court, in “Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States”, unanimously struck down the National Industrial Recovery Act, a key component of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "New Deal" legislative program.

Also in 1935, actress/model Lee Meriwether was born in Los Angeles.

In 1936, the Cunard liner RMS Queen Mary left England on its maiden voyage to New York.

In 1937, the newly completed Golden Gate Bridge connecting San Francisco and Marin County, CA, was opened to pedestrian traffic (vehicles began crossing the next day).

In 1940, in “The Le Paradis Massacre”, 99 soldiers from a Royal Norfolk Regiment unit were shot after surrendering to German troops; two survived.

In 1941, the British Royal Navy sank the German battleship Bismarck off France, with a loss of some 2,000 lives, three days after the Bismarck sank the HMS Hood.

In 1942, Navy Cook 3rd Class Doris "Dorie" Miller became the first African-American to receive the Navy Cross for his "extraordinary courage and disregard for his own personal safety" during Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor.

In 1954, the disaster drama “The High and the Mighty”, starring John Wayne, premiered in Los Angeles.

In 1957, the Crickets' first record "That'll Be the Day," with lead singer Buddy Holly, was released by Brunswick records. It was the group's first and only chart-topper.

In 1962, a dump fire in Centralia, PA, ignited a blaze in underground coal deposits that continues to burn this day.

In 1964, independent India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, died in New Delhi at age 74.

In 1967, on “Doctor Who”, part two of “Evil of the Daleks” was broadcast on BBC 1. It featured the first appearance of Deborah Watling as Victoria Waterfield.

In 1968, after 48 years as coach of the Chicago Bears, George Halas retired.

In 1969, actor/producer Jeffrey Hunter died in Los Angeles at age 42.

In 1977, the action comedy “Smokey and the Bandit”, starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jerry Reed and Jackie Gleason, was released in the U.S.

In 1981, scientist/parapsychologist/author Kit Pedler, co-creator of the Cybermen, died in Kent, England at age 53.

In 1985, in Beijing, representatives of Britain and China exchanged instruments of ratification for an accord returning Hong Kong to Chinese control in 1997.

In 1995, actor Christopher Reeve was left paralyzed when he was thrown from his horse during a jumping event in Charlottesville, VA.

In 1996, the “Doctor Who” TV-movie starring Paul McGann was broadcast on BBC 1. It included a dedication to the recently-deceased Jon Pertwee.

 

Almost one year after the opening of the Chicago World's Fair, the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad sent its brand new streamlined train, the Pioneer Zephyr, on a dawn-to-dusk run from Denver to Chicago. Covering 1,015 miles in 13 hours, 5 minutes, the Pioneer Zephyr finished its run by rolling right onto the stage of the Wings of Century pageant on specially laid tracks. Members of the audience were so moved by the futuristic looking streamliner that they left their seats and swarmed the the train's stainless steel form.