Fun On this date in history...

Beware the Ides of March.

 

*stabs Jello*

Wait, am I in the wrong thread?

 

Ann Francis... Le sigh...

 

If I may...

ON MARCH 16th:

In 1751, James Madison, 4th President of the U.S., was born in Port Conway, VA.

In 1906, comedian Henny Youngman, “The King of the One Liners”, was born in Liverpool.

In 1915, the Federal Trade Commission, created in 1914, began operations.

In 1920, actor Leo McKern was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Years later, he’d face off against Patrick McGoohan in the Village, then face off against prosecutors at the Old Bailey.

In 1926, rocketry pioneer Robert H. Goddard launched the first liquid-fueled rocket, at Auburn, MA.

Also in 1926, comedian/actor/filmmaker Jerry Lewis was born in Newark, NJ.

In 1932, astronaut/pilot/physicist Walter Cunningham, LM pilot for Apollo 7, was born in Creston IA.

In 1945, the Sherlock Holmes movie “The House of Fear”, starring Basil Rathbone was Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Watson, was released in the U.S. It was loosely based on the Arthur Conan Doyle story, “The Adventure of the Five Orange Pips” and it was one of my Dad’s favorites.

In 1964, Paul Hornung and Alex Karras were reinstated to the NFL after an 11-month suspension for betting on football games.

In 1965, peace activist Alice Herz, age 82, set herself ablaze on a Detroit street corner to protest the Vietnam War; she died 10 days later.

In 1965, the theatrical cut of the Western “Major Dundee” premiered in New York City. It starred Charlton Heston and Richard Harris, and was directed by Sam Peckinpah.

In 1966, the flight of Gemini 8, crewed by Neil Armstrong and David R. Scott, took place. It featured the first space docking (with an Agena target vehicle), but had to make an emergency landing following a serious thruster malfunction.

In 1968, in the My Lai Massacre, between 347 and 500 Vietnamese villagers were killed by American troops.

In 1968, on “Doctor Who”, part one of “Fury from the Deep” was broadcast over BBC 1. It featured the first appearance of the original model of the sonic screwdriver, back when all it did was turn screws.

In 1969, the musical "1776," opened on Broadway at the 46th Street Theater.

In 1970, singer/songwriter Tammi Terrell died of a brain tumor in Philadelphia at age 24. The tumor was diagnosed three years earlier when she collapsed during a concert.

In 1971, Simon and Garfunkel were the first winners of the so-called "Triple Crown" of the Grammys. "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was named song and record of the year, and the album by the same name won album of the year. It was also the first year the Grammys were televised live.

In 1973, the Amicus horror movie “Vault of Horror”, featuring Terry-Thomas, Curt Jurgens and Tom Baker, was released in the U.S.

In 1973, the suspense/black comedy movie “Theater of Blood”, starring Vincent Price and Diana Rigg, was released in Toronto, Canada.

In 1974, the Grand Ole Opry moved from the Ryman Auditorium to a new facility at the Opryland complex.

In 1976, British Prime Minister Harold Wilson resigned, citing personal reasons.

In 1979, the drama “The China Syndrome”, starring Jack Lemmon, Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas, was released in the U.S.

In 1982, on “Doctor Who”, part four of “Earthshock” was broadcast on BBC 1. It featured the last regular appearance of Matthew Waterhouse as Adric.

In 1983, on “Doctor Who”, part two of “The King’s Demons” was broadcast on BBC 1. It featured the first appearance of short-lived companion Kamelien.

In 1984, on “Doctor Who”, part four of “The Caves of Androzani” was broadcast on BBC 1. It featured the last regular appearance of Peter Davison as the Doctor, and introduced Colin Baker in the role.

Also in 1984, William Buckley, the CIA station chief in Beirut, Lebanon, was kidnapped by Islamic terrorists. (He’d later die in captivity.)

In 1985, Associated Press newsman Terry Anderson was taken hostage in Beirut. (He was released on December 4, 1991.)

In 1988, the Kurdish town of Halabja in Iraq was attacked with a mix of poison gas and nerve agents on the orders of Saddam Hussein, killing 5000 people and injuring about 10000 people.

Also in 1988, in connection with the Iran-Contra affair, Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North and Vice Admiral John Poindexter were indicted on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States.

In 1991, seven members of Reba McEntire's band and her road manager were killed when their plane crashed after taking off from an airport in San Diego.

In 1995, Mississippi formally ratified the Thirteenth Amendment, becoming the last state to approve the abolition of slavery. The Thirteenth Amendment was officially ratified in 1865.

In 2005, actor Robert Blake was acquitted of murdering his wife, Bonny Lee Bakley. He was later found liable in a civil court and ordered to pay her children $30 million.

 

If I may...

ON MARCH 17th:

In 1762, New York held its first St. Patrick's Day parade.

In 1776, British forces evacuated Boston during the Revolutionary War.

In 1861, Victor Emmanuel II was proclaimed the first king of a united Italy.

In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt first likened crusading journalists to a man with "the muckrake in his hand" in a speech to the Gridiron Club in Washington.

Also in 1906, actress Brigitte Helm, best-known for playing Maria and her robot double in “Metropolis”, was born in Berlin, Germany.

In 1912, the Camp Fire Girls organization was incorporated in Washington, D.C., two years to the day after it was founded in Thetford, Vermont. (The group is now known as Camp Fire USA.)

In 1919, singer/musician Nat King Cole was born in Montgomery, AL.

In 1930, astronaut James Irwin, LM pilot for Apollo 15, was born in Pittsburgh, PA.

In 1936, astronaut Ken Mattingly, CSM pilot for Apollo 16 and commander of two Space Shuttle missions, was born in Chicago, IL.

In 1945, the Ludendorff Bridge in Remagen, Germany, collapsed, ten days after its capture.

In 1950, scientists at the University of California at Berkeley announced they had created a new radioactive element, "californium."

In 1951, actor Kurt Russell was born in Springfield, MA. His escape from New York would happen later on.

In 1955, actor/director/musician Gary Sinise was born in Blue Island, IL. Years later, in “Apollo 13”, he’d play astronaut Ken Mattingly, also born on March 17th and also from Illinois. You can’t make this stuff up, folks.

In 1956, actor/comedian Fred Allen died in Manhattan at age 61.

In 1958, The United States launched the Vanguard 1 satellite. This should not be confused with the Vanguard TV-3 event, which was the spectacularly-failed attempt to launch the satellite in December, 1957.

In 1959, the Dalai Lama fled Tibet for India in the wake of a failed uprising by Tibetans against Chinese rule.

In 1966, a U.S. midget submarine located a missing hydrogen bomb which had fallen from an American bomber into the Mediterranean off Spain.

In 1968, the Bee Gees made their U.S. television debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show." The brothers sang "To Love Somebody" and "Words."

In 1969, Golda Meir became prime minister of Israel.

In 1970, the United States cast its first veto in the U.N. Security Council. (The U.S. killed a resolution that would have condemned Britain for failure to use force to overthrow the white-ruled government of Rhodesia.)

In 1988, Avianca Flight 410, a Boeing 727, crashed after takeoff into a mountain in Colombia, killing all 143 people on board.

In 1992, actor John Boyega was born in Peckham, London, England. He’d later be a something of a big deal with the Resistance.

In 1994, the movie “Tangents”, later featured on “Mystery Science Theater 3000” under the title “Time Chasers”, premiered in the U.S.

In 1998, the United States beat Canada 3-1 to win the first gold medal for women's hockey.

In 2005, several major league baseball players spoke about steroid use with the House Government Reform Committee. Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro participated. The hearing lasted 11 hours.

 

- some believe this to be the unofficial beginning of WWE's (then WWF) Attitude Era.

 

Hah! An Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley. RAF crews called it the "Flying Barn Door", and I doubt it was in reference to the eagle.

 

If I may...

ON MARCH 18th:

In 1766, Britain repealed the Stamp Act of 1765.

In 1837, Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th President of the U.S., was born in Caldwell, NJ.

In 1850, American Express was founded by Henry Wells and William Fargo.

In 1869, politician Neville Chamberlain was born in Edgbaston, Birmingham, England. Later, as Prime Minister of Great Britain, he’d seriously misjudge Adolf Hitler.

In 1892, Frederick Arthur, Lord Stanley of Preston, announced that he had purchased a trophy to be presented to the hockey champion of Canada.

In 1913, King George I of Greece was assassinated in Thessaloniki.

In 1915, during World War I, three battleships were sunk during a failed British and French naval attack on the Dardanelles during the Battle of Gallipoli.

In 1925, the Tri-State Tornado struck southeastern Missouri, southern Illinois and southwestern Indiana, resulting in some 700 deaths.

In 1926, actor Peter Graves was born in Minneapolis, MN. Supposedly, he was later connected with the IMF, but the Secretary has disavowed all knowledge of this.

In 1931, author/costume designer John Mollo was born in London. He’d later win an Oscar for his work on “Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope”.

In 1937, some 300 people, mostly children, were killed in a gas explosion at a school in New London, Texas.

In 1940, Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini met at the Brenner Pass, where the Italian dictator agreed to join Germany's war against France and Britain.

In 1941, singer/songwriter Wilson Pickett was born in Prattville, AL.

In 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Hawaii statehood bill. (Hawaii became a state on Aug. 21, 1959.)

Also in 1959, the Western “Rio Bravo” premiered in the U.S. It starred John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Angie Dickinson and Walter Brennan, and was produced & directed by Howard Hawks.

In 1960, actor Richard Biggs, best-known for playing Dr. Stephen Franklin on “Babylon 5” was born in Columbus, OH.

In 1962, France and Algerian rebels signed the Evian Accords, a cease-fire agreement which took effect the next day, ending the Algerian War.

In 1964, “The 7 Faces of Dr. Lao” premiered in Denver, CO. Nearly 30 years later, the film’s closing lines would be immortalized as Joel’s send-off to his robot pals on the S.O.L.

In 1965, the first spacewalk took place as Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov went outside his Voskhod 2 capsule, secured by a tether.

Also in 1965, the spy thriller “The IPCRESS File”, starring Michael Caine as Harry Palmer, was released in the UK.

In 1968, The U.S. Congress repealed the requirement for a gold reserve to back U.S. currency.

In 1974, most of the Arab oil-producing nations ended their 5-month-old embargo against the United States that had been sparked by American support for Israel in the Yom Kippur War.

In 1978, author/screenwriter Leigh Brackett died in Lancaster, CA at age 62. Shortly before her death, she’d worked on the screenplay for “Star Wars: Episode V- The Empire Strikes Back”.

In 1981, the series “The Greatest American Hero”, starring William Katt, Connie Sellecca and Robert Culp, premiered on ABC-TV.

In 1990, Germans in the German Democratic Republic voted in the first democratic elections in the former communist dictatorship.

Also in 1990, in the largest art theft in US history, 12 paintings, collectively worth around $500 million, were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.

In 1994, Bosnia’s Bosniaks and Croats signed the Washington Agreement, ending war between the Croation Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia and the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and establishing the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Also in 1994, the comedy “The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult” was released in the U.S.

In 2009, actress Natasha Richardson died in New York City at age 45.

In 2015, The Bardo National Museum in Tunisia was attacked by gunmen. 23 people, almost all tourists, were killed, and at least 50 other people were wounded.

In 2017, singer/songwriter/musician Chuck Berry died in St. Charles, MO at age 90.

 

Well, it existed this past weekend, and it was John Belushi's SNL editorial on "The Luck of the Irish". Blasted rights issues!

 

@Kenneth Morgan

You missed one yesterday. In 1995, David Falk fax a press release to all major news organizations on behalf of his client, Michael Jordan. The statement only had two words...”I’m back”.

 

If I may...

ON MARCH 19th:

In 1813, missionary/explorer Dr. David Livingstone was born in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, Scotland.

In 1863, the Confederate cruiser Georgiana, on its maiden voyage, was scuttled off Charleston, SC, to prevent it from falling into Union hands.

In 1918, Congress approved daylight saving time.

In 1920, the Senate rejected, for a second time, the Treaty of Versailles by a vote of 49 in favor, 35 against, falling short of the two-thirds majority needed for approval.

In 1928, actor/writer/director Patrick McGoohan was born in Astoria, Queens, NY. It was later that they’d give him a number and take away his name.

In 1928, the radio serial “Amos ‘n’ Andy” debuted over Chicago station WMAQ.

In 1931, Nevada Gov. Fred B. Balzar signed a measure legalizing casino gambling.

In 1936, actress Ursula Andress was born in Ostermundigen, Switzerland.

In 1941, the 99th Pursuit Squadron, also known as the Tuskegee Airmen, the first all-black unit of the U.S. Army Air Corps, was activated.

In 1945, during World War II, 724 people were killed when a Japanese dive bomber attacked the carrier USS Franklin off Japan; the ship, however, was saved.

Also in 1945, Adolf Hitler ordered the destruction of German facilities that could fall into Allied hands in his so-called "Nero Decree," which was largely disregarded.

In 1953, the Academy Awards were televised for the first time. "The Greatest Show on Earth" was named best picture. Gary Cooper won the best actor award for "High Noon." Shirley Booth won best actress for her role in "Come Back, Little Sheba."

In 1955, the inner-city school drama "Blackboard Jungle," starring Glenn Ford, premiered in New York City. It co-starred Sidney Poitier, and featured the song “Rock Around the Clock”, the first rock ‘n roll song used in a Hollywood movie.

In 1956, writer/producer/director/actor/puppeteer Jim Mallon was born in Rochester, MN. His tenure with the Brains would come later.

In 1957, Elvis Presley bought the Graceland mansion from Mrs. Ruth Brown-Moore for $102,500.

In 1959, “The Shaggy Dog”, starring Fred MacMurray and Tommy Kirk, was released in the U.S. It was the first live-action comedy from Disney.

Also in 1959, the two-part movie serial “Yusei oji” was released in Japan. Re-edited and retitled “Prince of Space”, it would reach the U.S. in 1962, and the S.O.L. in 1997.

In 1965, the wreck of the Confederate cruiser Georgiana was discovered by E. Lee Spence, 102 years to the day after it had been scuttled.

In 1976, Buckingham Palace announced the separation of Princess Margaret and her husband, the Earl of Snowdon, after 16 years of marriage.

In 1977, the final episode of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” was broadcast on CBS-TV.

In 1979, the U.S. House of Representatives began televising its floor proceedings; the live feed was carried by C-SPAN (Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network), which was making its debut.

In 1982, Argentinian forces landed on South Georgia Island, precipitating the Falklands War with the United Kingdom.

In 1987, televangelist Jim Bakker resigned as chairman of his PTL ministry organization amid a sex and money scandal involving Jessica Hahn, a former church secretary.

In 1993, Supreme Court Justice Byron R. White announced plans to retire. (White's departure paved the way for Ruth Bader Ginsburg to become the court's second female justice.)

In 2000, a batch of Oscars were found in a trash can in Los Angeles, a week after they had been stolen from a loading dock.

In 2003, President George W. Bush ordered the start of war against Iraq. (Because of the time difference, it was early March 20 in Iraq.)

In 2008, author/futurist Sir Arthur C. Clarke, CBE, FRAS died in Colombo, Sri Lanka at age 90.

In 2014, Toyota agreed to pay $1.2 billion to settle an investigation by the U.S. government, admitting that it had hidden information about defects that caused Toyota and Lexus vehicles to accelerate unexpectedly, resulting in injuries and deaths.

In 2016, Flydubai Flight 981 crashed while attempting to land at Rostov-on-Don international airport, killing all 62 on board.

 

If I may...

ON MARCH 20th:

In 1616, Sir Walter Raleigh was freed from the Tower of London after 13 years of imprisonment.

In 1727, physicist, mathematician and astronomer Sir Isaac Newton died in London.

In 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte returned to Paris after escaping his exile on Elba, beginning his "Hundred Days" rule.

In 1852, Harriet Beecher Stowe's influential novel about slavery, "Uncle Tom's Cabin," was first published in book form after being serialized.

In 1899, Martha M. Place of Brooklyn became the first woman to be executed in the electric chair as she was put to death at Sing Sing for the murder of her stepdaughter.

In 1916, Albert Einstein published his general theory of relativity.

In 1922, the decommissioned USS Jupiter, converted into the first U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, was recommissioned as the USS Langley.

Also in 1922, actor/comedian Ray Goulding, of Bob & Ray, was born in Lowell, MA.

In addition in 1922, actor/writer/producer/director Carl Reiner was born in the Bronx, NY.

In 1928, educator/minister/author Fred Rogers, host of “Mr. Rogers Neighborhood”, was born in Latrobe, PA.

In 1933, the state of Florida electrocuted Giuseppe Zangara for shooting to death Chicago Mayor Anton J. Cermak at a Miami event attended by President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt, the presumed target, the previous February.

In 1936, comedian Vaughn Meader was born in Waterville, ME. He’s best-known for his impression of President Kennedy in the “First Family” comedy albums.

In 1937, singer/songwriter/actor Jerry Reed was born in Atlanta, GA.

In 1942, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, at Terowie, South Australia, made his famous speech regarding the fall of the Philippines, in which he said: "I came out of Bataan and I shall return".

In 1943, “Dumb Hounded”, the first cartoon featuring Droopy, was released.

In 1948, James Baskett received an Honorary Academy Award for his role in the Disney film “Song of the South”. He was the first African-American man to receive an Oscar, and the first actor to receive one for a Disney film.

Also in 1948, with a Musicians Union ban lifted, the first telecasts of classical music in the U.S., under, respectively, Eugene Ormandy and Arturo Toscanini, were given on, respectively, CBS-TV and NBC-TV.

In addition in 1948, actor John de Lancie was born in Philadelphia, PA. His omnipotent role in “Star Trek” would come later.

In 1952, the U.S. Senate ratified, 66-10, the Treaty of Peace with Japan.

In 1963, actress/model Kathy Ireland was born in Glendale, CA.

In 1964, the movie “The Pink Panther” went into wide release in the U.S. It actually starred David Niven, but he was upstaged by Peter Sellers and that cartoon cat.

In 1969, John Lennon married Yoko Ono in Gibraltar.

In 1974, Britain's Princess Anne was the target of a kidnapping attempt near Buckingham Palace; the would-be abductor, Ian Ball, was captured.

In 1979, actress Freema Agyeman, well-known for playing Martha Jones on “Doctor Who” and “Torchwood”, was born in London.

In 1985, Libby Riddles of Teller, Alaska, became the first woman to win the Iditarod Trail Dog Sled Race.

In 1990, singer Gloria Estefan suffered a broken back when a truck rear-ended her tour bus on a snow-covered highway in Pennsylvania. (Surgeons implanted titanium rods to stabilize her spine, and Estefan was able to make a comeback after months of intensive physical therapy.)

Also in 1990, The Los Angeles Lakers retired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's #33.

In 1995, in Tokyo, twelve people were killed, more than 5,500 others sickened when packages containing the deadly chemical sarin were leaked on five separate subway trains by Aum Shinrikyo cult members.

In 2004, the BBC made a formal announcement that Christopher Eccleston had been cast as the Doctor in the “Doctor Who” revival. (The same day, the Daily Mail erroneously reported that Bill Nighy had been cast in the role.)

In 2012, the Muppets were honored with their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

 

- include this in today's batch because, as has been said, the time difference.

 

If I may...

ON MARCH 21st:

In 1413, Henry V became King of England.

In 1556, Thomas Cranmer, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, was burned at the stake for heresy.

In 1788, a fire in New Orleans left most of the town in ruins.

In 1800, with the church leadership driven out of Rome during an armed conflict, Pius VII was crowned Pope in Venice with a temporary papal tiara made of papier-mache.

In 1804, the French civil code, or the "Code Napoleon" as it was later called, was adopted.

In 1871, Otto von Bismarck was appointed Chancellor of the German Empire.

Also in 1871, journalist Henry Morton Stanley began his trek to find the missionary and explorer David Livingstone.

In 1923, actor/singer Peter Pratt was born in Eastbourne, England. He’d later play a less-than-handsome incarnation of the Master.

In 1925, Tennessee Gov. Austin Peay signed the Butler Act, which prohibited the teaching of the Theory of Evolution in public schools. (Tennessee repealed the law in 1967.)

In 1931, cartoonist/illustrator Al Williamson, well-known for his work on the “Star Wars” comic book and comic strip, was born in New York City.

In 1935, Persia officially changed its name to Iran.

In 1945, during World War II, Allied bombers began four days of raids over Germany.

In 1946, actor Timothy Dalton was born in Colwyn Bay, Denbighshire, Wales. He’d be assigned 00 status years later, followed later on by leadership of the Time Lords.

Also in 1946, The Los Angeles Rams signed Kenny Washington. Washington was the first black player to join a National Football League team since 1933.

In 1952, the Moondog Coronation Ball, organized by Alan Freed and considered the first rock and roll concert, took place at Cleveland Arena.

In 1960, about 70 people were killed in Sharpeville, South Africa, when police fired on black protesters.

In 1961, The Beatles made their first appearance at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. The band would play more than 300 dates there.

In 1963, the Alcatraz federal prison island in San Francisco Bay was emptied of its last inmates and closed at the order of Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy.

In 1965, civil rights demonstrators led by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. began their third, successful march from Selma to Montgomery, AL.

Also in 1965, NASA launched Ranger 9, the last of the Ranger series of spacecraft sent to explore the moon.

In 1969, the movie “Gamera tai daiakaju Guiron” was released in Japan. It would later be re-titled “Gamera vs. Guiron” when it was released in the U.S., and later riffed on by Joel & the ‘bots.

In 1980, on the TV show “Dallas”, the episode “A House Divided”, climaxing with the shooting of J.R. Ewing, was broadcast on CBS-TV.

Also in 1980, President Jimmy Carter announced a U.S. boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow to protest the Soviet war in Afghanistan.

In 1981, on “Doctor Who”, part four of “Logopolis” was broadcast on BBC 1. It featured the last regular appearance of Tom Baker as the Doctor, and the introduction of Peter Davison in the role.

In 1985, police in Langa, South Africa, opened fire on blacks marching to mark the 25th anniversary of Sharpeville; the reported death toll varied between 29 and 43.

In 1989, Dick Clark announced he was stepping down as host of "American Bandstand" after 33 years.

In 1990, Namibia became an independent nation as the former colony marked the end of 75 years of South African rule.

In 1995, as if the Garden State wasn’t enough of a laughing stock, the "Howard Stern Rest Stop" opened along Route 295 in New Jersey.

Also in 1995, the first episode of "NewsRadio" aired on NBC.

In 2000, Pope John Paul II made his first ever pontifical visit to Israel.

In 2006, the social media site Twitter was founded.