Fun On this date in history...

If I may...

ON DECEMBER 13th:

In 1642, Dutch navigator Abel Tasman sighted present-day New Zealand.

In 1769, Dartmouth College in New Hampshire received its charter.

In 1862, Union forces led by Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside launched futile attacks against entrenched Confederate soldiers during the Civil War Battle of Fredericksburg; the soundly defeated Northern troops withdrew two days later.

In 1887, Medal of Honor recipient Alvin C. York was born in Pall Mall, TN.

In 1918, President Woodrow Wilson arrived in France, becoming the first chief executive to visit Europe while in office.

In 1925, actor/comedian Dick Van Dyke was born in West Plains, MO. Please refrain from using an awful Cockney accent when wishing him a Happy Birthday.

In 1928, George Gershwin's "An American in Paris" had its premiere at Carnegie Hall in New York.

In 1929, actor Christopher Plummer was born in Toronto. His Shakespearean attack on the U.S.S. Enterprise would come later.

In 1937, the Chinese city of Nanjing fell to Japanese forces; what followed was a massacre of war prisoners, soldiers and citizens. (China maintains as many as 300,000 people died; Japan says the toll was far less.)

In 1944, during World War II, the light cruiser USS Nashville was badly damaged in a Japanese kamikaze attack off Negros Island in the Philippines that claimed 133 lives.

In 1949, the Knesset voted to move the capital of Israel to Jerusalem.

In 1962, the United States launched Relay 1, the first communications satellite for the retransmission of television, telephone and digital signals.

In 1966, on “Star Trek”, the episode “Balance of Terror” was broadcast on NBC-TV. It featured the introduction of the Romulans, and the first appearance of actor Mark Lenard in the franchise.

In 1974, Malta became a republic.

Also in 1974, singer/musician/Beatle George Harrison visited the White House, where he met President Gerald Ford.

In 1975, on “Doctor Who”, part four of “The Android Invasion” was broadcast on BBC 1. It included the last series appearances of Ian Marter as Harry Sullivan, and John Levene as RSM Benton.

Also in 1975, Richard Pryor hosted “Saturday Night Live” (then known as “NBC’s Saturday Night”) on NBC-TV. Accounts differ on whether the program was broadcast with a seven-second delay.

In 1977, a DC-3 aircraft chartered from the Indianapolis-based National Jet crashed near Evansville Regional Airport, killing 29, including the University of Evansville basketball team, support staff and boosters of the team.

In 1981, authorities in Poland imposed martial law in a crackdown on the Solidarity labor movement. (Martial law formally ended in 1983.)

In 1994, an American Eagle commuter plane crashed short of Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina, killing 15 of the 20 people on board.

In 2003, Saddam Hussein was captured by U.S. forces while hiding in a hole under a farmhouse in Adwar, Iraq, near his hometown of Tikrit.

In 2004, a Chilean judge indicted former dictator General Augusto Pinochet on charges of kidnapping nine political dissidents and killing one of them during his 17-year military regime. (However, Pinochet never faced trial, and died in 2006 at age 91.)

In 2016, actor/songwriter/TV host Alan Thicke died in Burbank at age 69.

 

If I may...

ON DECEMBER 14th:

In 1782, the Montgolfier brothers’' first balloon lifted off on its first test flight.

In 1799, George Washington, 1st President of the U.S., died at his Mount Vernon, VA, home at age 67.

In 1819, Alabama joined the Union as the 22nd state.

In 1896, aviator/Medal of Honor recipient Gen. Jimmy Doolittle was born in Alameda, CA.

In 1911, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and his team became the first men to reach the South Pole, beating out a British expedition led by Robert F. Scott.

Also in 1911, musician/bandleader Spike Jones was born in Long Beach, CA. Feitlebaum!

In 1930, producer/executive Herbert F. Solow was born. He’s best-known for his work with Desilu in the mid-1960’s, as the executive who handled “Star Trek”, “Mannix” and “Mission: Impossible”.

In 1939, the Soviet Union was expelled from the League of Nations for invading Finland.

In 1944, the drama “National Velvet”, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Mickey Rooney, premiered in New York City.

In 1946, the United Nations General Assembly voted to establish the U.N.'s headquarters in New York.

In 1961, the drama “Judgement at Nuremburg”, starring Spencer Tracy, premiered in Berlin.

In 1962, the U.S. space probe Mariner 2 passed Venus at a distance of just over 21,000 miles, transmitting information about the planet.

In 1963, the dam containing the Baldwin Hills reservoir burst, killing five people and damaging hundreds of homes in Los Angeles.

In 1964, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States, ruled that Congress was within its authority to enforce the Civil Rights Act of 1964 against racial discrimination by private businesses (in this case, a motel that refused to cater to blacks).

In 1972, Apollo 17 astronauts Harrison Schmitt and Eugene Cernan concluded their third and final moonwalk and blasted off in the LM Challenger for their rendezvous with the CM America.

In 1977, the movie “Saturday Night Fever” premiered in New York City.

In 1981, Israel annexed the Golan Heights, which it had seized from Syria in 1967.

Also in 1984, the sci-fi movie “Dune”, written & directed by David Lynch, and based on Frank Herbert’s novel, was released in the U.S., the UK, Ireland, Australia and West Germany.

In 1989, Nobel Peace laureate Andrei D. Sakharov died in Moscow at age 68.

In 1999, torrential rains caused flash floods in Vargas, Venezuela, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths, the destruction of thousands of homes, and the complete collapse of the state's infrastructure.

In 2012, a gunman with a semi-automatic rifle killed 20 first-graders and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, then committed suicide as police arrived; the gunman had fatally shot his mother at their home before carrying out the attack on the school.

In 2013, China carried out the world's first soft landing of a space probe on the Moon in nearly four decades as the unmanned Chang'e 3 lander touched down on the lunar surface.

Also in 2013, actor Peter O’Toole died in London at age 81.

In 2015, the sequel “Star Wars: Episode VII- The Force Awakens” premiered in Los Angeles. The fan debates started before the Lucasfilm logo had left the screen.

In 2017, theologian/religious broadcaster R.C. Sproul died in Altamonte Springs, FL at age 78.

In 2020, the U.S. Electoral College met and elected Joe Biden as President of the United States, pending Congressional certification. However, President Donald Trump continued to dispute the general election results.

 

If I may...

ON DECEMBER 15th:

In 1791, the U.S. Bill of Rights became law when it was ratified by the Virginia General assembly.

In 1890, Hunkpapa Lakota leader Sitting Bull was killed on Standing Rock Indian Reservation, leading to the Wounded Knee Massacre.

In 1921, disc jockey Alan Freed, commonly regarded as “the Father of Rock ‘n’ Roll”, was born in Windber, PA.

In 1933, the Twenty-First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution officially became effective, repealing the Eighteenth Amendment that prohibited the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol.

Also in 1933, actor/comedian Tim Conway was born in Willoughby, OH.

In 1938, the groundbreaking for the Jefferson Memorial took place in Washington, D.C. with President Franklin D. Roosevelt taking part in the ceremony.

In 1939, the epic movie “Gone with the Wind” premiered at Loew’s Grand Theatre in Atlanta, GA.

In 1943, the World War II submarine drama “Destination Tokyo”, starring Cary Grant, premiered in Pittsburgh.

In 1944, the U.S. Senate approved the promotions of Henry H. Arnold, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur and George C. Marshall to the five-star rank of General of the Army and the nominations of William D. Leahy, Ernest J. King and Chester W. Nimitz as Admirals of the Fleet.

Also in 1944, a single-engine plane carrying bandleader Glenn Miller, a major in the U.S. Army Air Forces, disappeared over the English Channel while en route to Paris.

In 1954, on “Disneyland”, the episode “Davy Crocket, Indian Fighter” was broadcast on ABC. It starred Fess Parker in the title role.

In 1960, Richard Pavlick was arrested for plotting to assassinate U.S. President-Elect John F. Kennedy.

In 1961, Adolf Eichmann was sentenced to death after being found guilty by an Israeli court of 15 criminal charges, including charges of crimes against humanity, crimes against the Jewish people, and membership of an outlawed organization.

In 1965, spacecraft Gemini 6A, crewed by Walter M. Schirra and Thomas P. Stafford, was launched from Cape Kennedy in Florida. Four orbits later, it achieved the first space rendezvous with Gemini 7, manned by Frank Borman and James A. Lovell.

In 1966, a re-edited version of “Daikaiju Gamera”, the first Gamera movie, was released in the U.S. under the title “Gammera the Invincible”. The Sandy Frank version, which was closer to the original and was later used on “Mystery Science Theater 3000”, would arrive in 1985.

In 1966, filmmaker/studio executive/TV host Walt Disney died in Burbank at age 65.

Also in 1966, the Supermarionation movie “Thunderbirds are GO”, based on the TV series, was released in the UK.

In 1970, on “Monty Python’s Flying Circus”, the episode “Spam” was broadcast on BBC1. The titular sketch was the closing bit from the episode.

In 1970, the Soviet spacecraft Venera 7 successfully landed on Venus. It was the first successful soft landing on another planet.

In 1973, on “Doctor Who”, part one of “The Time Warrior” was broadcast on BBC 1. It marked the first appearance of the Sontarans, and introduced Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith.

In 1974, the Mel Brooks comedy “Young Frankenstein” was released in the U.S.

In 1976, the comedy sequel “The Pink Panther Strikes Again”, starring Peter Sellers as Clouseau, was released in the U.S.

In 1978, President Jimmy Carter announced that the U.S. would recognize the People’s Republic of China and sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

In 1981, a suicide car bombing targeting the Iraqi embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, levelled the embassy and killed 61 people, including Iraq's ambassador to Lebanon. The attack is considered the first modern suicide bombing.

In 1984, the movie “The Return of Godzilla” was released in Japan. It would be released in the U.S. the following year, re-edited and re-titled “Godzilla 1985”.

In 1989, a popular uprising began in Romania that resulted in the downfall of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.

In 2001, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy, was reopened to the public after a $27 million realignment that had dragged on for over a decade.

In 2014, a gunman took 18 hostages inside the Martin Place Lindt Café for 16 hours in Sydney. He was killed, along with two hostages, when police raided the café the following morning.

 

If I may...

ON DECEMBER 16th:

In 1653, Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland.

In 1770, composer Ludwig Van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany.

In 1773, the Boston Tea Party took place as American colonists boarded a British ship and dumped more than 300 chests of tea into Boston Harbor to protest tea taxes.

In 1809, the French Senate granted a divorce decree to Emperor Napoleon I and Empress Josephine (the dissolution was made final the following month).

In 1811, the first of the powerful New Madrid earthquakes struck the central Mississippi Valley with an estimated magnitude of 7.7.

In 1907, 16 U.S. Navy battleships, which came to be known as the "Great White Fleet," set sail on a 14-month round-the-world voyage to demonstrate American sea power.

In 1917, author Arthur C. Clarke was born in Minehead, Somerset, England. He’d later co-write a movie with Stanley Kubrick with a finish that still confuses people.

In 1928, author Phillip K. Dick was born in Chicago. His works would later be the basis of a number of movies and TV shows.

In 1929, actor Nicholas Courtney was born in Cairo. He’d later play one of the Doctor’s closest and most trusted allies on Earth.

In 1930, golfer Bobby Jones became the first recipient of the James E. Sullivan Award honoring outstanding amateur athletes.

In 1944, the World War II Battle of the Bulge began as German forces launched a surprise attack against Allied forces through the Ardennes Forest in Belgium and Luxembourg. (The Allies were eventually able to turn the Germans back.)

In 1951, NBC-TV debuted "Dragnet" in a special preview on "Chesterfield Sound Off Time". The show began officially on January 3, 1952.

In 1960, 134 people were killed when a United Air Lines DC-8 and a TWA Super Constellation collided over New York City.

In 1965, the drama “The Spy Who Came in from the Cold” was released in the U.S. Based on the novel by John Le Carre, it starred Richard Burton in the title role as Alec Lemas.

In 1968, the children’s fantasy “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”, starring Dick Van Dyke and based on the book by Ian Fleming, premiered in London.

In 1972, after defeating the Baltimore Colts 16-0, the Miami Dolphins became the first NFL team to go unbeaten and untied in a 14-game regular season. (They’d remain unbeaten in the post-season, culminating in a win at Super Bowl VII.)

In 1982, Environmental Protection Agency head Anne M. Gorsuch became the first Cabinet-level officer to be cited for contempt of Congress for refusing to submit documents requested by a congressional committee.

In 1985, mobsters Paul Castellano and Thomas Bilotti were shot dead on the orders of John Gotti, who assumed leadership of New York's Gambino crime family.

In 1991, the U.N. General Assembly rescinded its 1975 resolution equating Zionism with racism by a vote of 111-25.

Also in 1991, Kazakhstan declared independence from the Soviet Union.

In 2009, Roy E. Disney, KCSG, died in Newport Beach, CA at age 79. He was a longtime senior executive at the Walt Disney Company, which was founded by his father and uncle.

In 2013, in the first ruling of its kind, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon declared that the National Security Agency's bulk collection of Americans' telephone records likely violated the Constitution's ban on unreasonable search.

In 2014, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan militants attacked an Army Public School in Peshawar, Pakistan, killing 145 people, mostly schoolchildren.

 

If I may...

ON DECEMBER 17th:

In 1777, France recognized American independence.

In 1843, Charles Dickens' classic story "A Christmas Carol" was published.

In 1865, Franz Schubert's Symphony No. 8, known as the "Unfinished" (because only two movements had been completed) was first performed publicly in Vienna, 37 years after the composer's death.

In 1894, conductor Arthur Fiedler, best-known for leading the Boston Pops, was born in Boston, MA.

In 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright conducted the first successful manned powered-airplane flights near Kitty Hawk, NC, using their experimental craft, the Wright Flyer.

In 1914, during World War I, Britain declared Egypt an official protectorate.

In 1925, Col. William "Billy" Mitchell was convicted at his court-martial in Washington of insubordination for accusing senior military officials of incompetence and criminal negligence; he was suspended from active duty.

In 1929, actress Jacqueline Hill was born in Birmingham, England. One of her characters would later teach history to a certain unearthly child.

In 1938, Otto Hahn discovered the nuclear fission of the heavy element uranium, the scientific and technological basis of nuclear energy.

In 1939, the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee was scuttled by its crew, ending the World War II Battle of the River Plate off Uruguay.

In 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge, American 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion POWs were shot by Waffen-SS Kampfgruppe Peiper. It was one of a series of incidents later known as the Malmedy Massacre.

Also in 1944, the U.S. War Department announced it was ending its policy of excluding people of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast.

In 1945, actor Ernie Hudson was born in Benton Harbor, MI. He’s best-known for playing Ghostbuster Winston Zeddemore. Reports of a later appearance in a “Torchwood” serial have been questioned by those who believe that serial doesn’t actually exist.

In 1946, actor/comedian/writer/director Eugene Levy was born in Hamilton, Ontario. His appearances on a certain Melonville-based TV station would lead to much bigger things.

In 1953, actor Bill Pullman was born in Hornell, NY. His inspiring July 4th speech would come years later. Reports of a later appearance in a “Torchwood” serial have been questioned by those who believe that serial doesn’t actually exist.

In 1957, the United States successfully test-fired the Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time.

In 1957, the Agatha Christie mystery “Witness for the Prosecution” was released in the U.S. It starred Charles Laughton, Tyrone Power and Marlene Dietrich. And the spoiler restrictions are still in place.

In 1962, the Beatles made their first TV appearance in Manchester, England on the local Granada Television program “People & Places”.

In 1965, principal photography began on “2001: A Space Odyessy” with scenes shot by the second unit. (Main unit photography would begin at Shepperton Studios on December 30th.)

In 1966, on “Doctor Who”, part one of “The Highlanders” was broadcast on BBC 1. It featured the first appearance of Frazier Hines as Jamie MacCrimmon.

In 1969, an estimated 50 million TV viewers watched as singer Tiny Tim married Miss Vicki on NBC-TV's "Tonight Show." The event earned the show its highest ratings to that date.

Also in 1969, The United States Air Force officially closed Project Blue Book, its study of UFOs.

In 1971, the James Bond movie “Diamonds are Forever”, starring Sean Connery as 007, was released in the U.S.

In 1975, a federal jury in Sacramento, CA sentenced Lynette Alice “Squeaky” Fromme to life in prison for her attempted assassination of President Gerald R. Ford.

In 1976, Atlanta-based WTCG-TV became the first commercial “superstation” when its programming was beamed via satellite to cable systems across the U.S. The station would change its call letters to WTBS in 1979.

In 1982, the Jim Henson fantasy movie “The Dark Crystal” was released in the U.S, the UK and Canada.

In 1983, Provisional IRA members detonated a car bomb at Harrods Department Store in London. Three police officers and three civilians were killed.

In 1989, the animated TV series "The Simpsons" premiered on Fox with the Christmas-themed episode, “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire”.

In 1994, North Korea shot down a U.S. Army helicopter which had strayed north of the demilitarized zone. The co-pilot, Chief Warrant Officer David Hilemon, was killed; the pilot, Chief Warrant Officer Bobby Hall, was captured and held for nearly two weeks.

In 1999, the Disney animated movie “Fantasia 2000” premiered in New York City.

In 2003, SpaceShipOne, piloted by Brian Binnie, made its first powered and first supersonic flight.

In 2011, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il died after more than a decade of iron rule; he was 69, according to official records, but some reports indicated he was 70.

In 2014, the U.S. and Cuba re-established diplomatic relations after severing them 55 years earlier.

In 2020, actor Jeremy Bulloch, well-known to “Star Wars” fans for playing Boba Fett in the Original Trilogy, died in Tooting, London, England at age 75.

 

If I may...

ON DECEMBER 18th:

In 1666, the township of Piscataway, NJ was founded.

In 1777, The United States celebrated its first Thanksgiving, marking the recent victory by the American rebels over British General John Burgoyne at Saratoga in October.

In 1787, New Jersey became the third state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

In 1865, the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, abolishing slavery, was declared in effect by Secretary of State William H. Seward.

In 1892, the ballet “The Nutcracker” by Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky had its premiere at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia.

In 1912, fossil collector Charles Dawson reported to the Geological Society of London his discovery of supposed early human remains at a gravel pit in Piltdown. (More than four decades later, “Piltdown Man” was exposed as a hoax.)

In 1916, during World War I, the Battle of Verdun ended when German forces under Chief of Staff Erich von Falkenhayn were defeated by the French, and suffered 337,000 casualties.

In 1932, The Chicago Bears defeated the Portsmouth Spartans in the first NFL Championship Game.

In 1943, singer/musician/songwriter Keith Richards was born in Dartford, Kent, England. The secret of his continued survival remains unclear.

In 1944, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the government's wartime evacuation of people of Japanese descent from the West Coast while at the same time unanimously agreeing that "concededly loyal" Americans of Japanese ancestry could not continue to be detained.

In 1946, filmmaker Steven Spielberg was born in Cincinnati, OH.

In 1950, film critic Leonard Maltin was born in New York City. The “two-and-a-half stars” controversy would come later.

In 1958, the world's first communications satellite, SCORE (Signal Communication by Orbiting Relay Equipment), nicknamed "Chatterbox," was launched by the United States aboard an Atlas rocket.

In 1964, first unit filming for “The Cage”, the original pilot for “Star Trek”, wrapped.

In 1965, Gemini 7, crewed by Frank Borman and Jim Lovell, splashed down after 14 days in orbit.

In 1965, the spaghetti western “For a Few Dollars More” was released in Italy. Directed by Sergio Leone, it starred Clint Eastwood as the Man with No Name, and co-starred Lee Van Cleef. It would be released in the U.S. nearly 18 months later.

In 1966, the animated special “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, featuring the voice of Boris Karloff, was first broadcast on CBS-TV.

In 1969, Britain's House of Lords joined the House of Commons in making permanent a 1965 ban on the death penalty for murder.

In 1969, the James Bond movie “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”, starring George Lazenby as 007, premiered in London.

In 1972, the United States began heavy bombing of North Vietnamese targets during the Vietnam War. (The bombardment ended 11 days later.)

In 1979, the Disney sci-fi movie “The Black Hole” premiered in London.

In 1980, actor/comedian Baron Vaughn was born in Portales, New Mexico. He’d later provide the voice for one of the more recent victims of a bizarre movie-watching experiment.

In 1991, actor Deforest Kelley got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 1996, teacher/journalist/farmer Thelma Monington passed away in Lake Ariel, PA at age 91. Her family and friends still miss her.

In 1997, actor/comedian Chris Farley was found dead in his apartment in Chicago of a cocaine and morphine overdose. He was 33.

In 2008, actress/producer Majel Barrett died in Los Angeles at age 76.

In 2015, Kellingley Colliery, the last deep coal mine in Great Britain, closed.

In 2016, actress/socialite Zsa Zsa Gabor died in Los Angeles at age 99.

In 2017, Amtrak Cascades passenger train 501, derailed near DuPont, WA killing six people, and injuring 70 others.

In 2018, actress/producer/director Penny Marshall died in Los Angeles at age 75.

In 2020, on “The Mandalorian”, episode 16 (“The Rescue”) was released over Disney+. Fan reaction to the episode’s last ten minutes was…somewhat enthusiastic.

 

If I may...

ON DECEMBER 19th:

In 1777, Gen. George Washington led his army of about 11,000 men to Valley Forge, PA, to camp for the winter.

In 1813, British forces captured Fort Niagara during the War of 1812.

In 1907, 239 workers died in a coal mine explosion in Jacobs Creek, PA.

In 1916, producer/director Roy Ward Baker was born in London. He’s best-known for his work in TV and many British horror and sci-fi movies, as well as the acclaimed “A Night to Remember”, about the Titanic sinking.

In 1917, four teams of the National Hockey League played in the league’s first two games. The Montreal Canadiens beat the Ottawa Senators 7-4, and the Montreal Wanderers beat the Toronto Arenas 10-9.

In 1924, the last Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost was sold in London, England.

In 1932, the British Broadcasting Corp. began transmitting overseas with its Empire Service (later known as the BBC World Service) to Australia.

In 1935, the swashbuckling adventure “Captain Blood” premiered in the U.S. It starred Errol Flynn in the title role, along with Olivia de Haviland and Basil Rathbone.

In 1946, war broke out in Indochina as troops under Ho Chi Minh launched widespread attacks against the French.

In 1950, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower was named commander of the military forces of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

In 1955, Carl Perkins recorded “Blue Suede Shoes” in Memphis, TN.

In 1957, “The Music Man”, starring Robert Preston, opened on Broadway at the Majestic Theater.

In 1961, former U.S. Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., 73, suffered a debilitating stroke while in Palm Beach, Florida.

Also in 1961, actor/author Matthew Waterhouse, best-known for playing ill-fated Companion Adric on “Doctor Who”, was born in Hertford, Hertfordshire, England.

In 1965, “Kaiju Daisenso”, later titled “Monster Zero”, was released in Japan. It starred Godzilla, Rodan and Ghidora.

In 1972, Apollo 17 splashed down in the Pacific, winding up the Apollo program of manned lunar landings.

In 1974, Nelson A. Rockefeller was sworn in as the 41st vice president of the United States in the U.S. Senate chamber by Chief Justice Warren Burger with President Gerald R. Ford looking on (in a first for the Senate, the proceeding was televised live).

Also in 1974, the James Bond movie “The Man with the Golden Gun”, starring Roger Moore as 007, premiered in London.

In 1984, a coal fire at the Wilberg Mine near Orangeville, UT, killed 27 people.

Also in 1984, Britain and China signed an accord returning Hong Kong to Chinese sovereignty on July 1, 1997.

In 1986, Lawrence E. Walsh was appointed independent counsel to investigate the Iran-Contra affair.

In 1998, President Bill Clinton was impeached by the Republican-controlled House for perjury and obstruction of justice (he was subsequently acquitted by the Senate).

In 1999, actor Desmond Llewelyn, best-known for playing Q in the James Bond movies, died in Firle, East Sussex, England at age 85.

In 2013, Discount retailer Target announced that data connected to about 40 million credit and debit card accounts had been stolen as part of a breach that began over the Thanksgiving weekend.

In 2016, the Russian ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov was assassinated while at an art exhibition in Ankara. The accused assassin was shot and killed by Turkish guards.

Also in 2016, a truck drove through a Christmas market at Breitscheidplatz in Berlin, killing twelve people and injuring 48 others.

In addition in 2016, more than 270 electors of the Electoral College voted for Donald Trump, confirming his status as President-Elect of the United States.

 

If I may...

ON DECEMBER 20th:

In 1606, the Virginia Company loaded three ships with settlers and set sail to establish Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in the Americas.

In 1790, the first successful cotton mill in the United States began operating at Pawtucket, RI.

In 1803, the Louisiana Purchase was completed as ownership of the territory was formally transferred from France to the United States.

In 1812, German authors Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm published the first volume of the first edition of their collection of folk stories, "Children's and Household Tales."

In 1860, South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union as all 169 delegates to a special convention in Charleston voted in favor of separation.

In 1864, Confederate forces evacuated Savannah, GA, as Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman nearly completed his "March to the Sea."

In 1924, Adolf Hitler was released from prison after serving nine months for his role in the Beer Hall Putsch; during his time behind bars, he'd written his autobiographical screed, "Mein Kampf."

In 1941, during World War II, the American Volunteer Group, better known as the “Flying Tigers” fought their first battle in Kunming, China.

In 1943, actress Jacqueline Pearce, best-known as Servalan on “Blake’s 7”, was born in Woking, Surrey, England.

In 1945, the Office of Price Administration announced the end of tire rationing, effective Jan. 1, 1946.

In 1946, the popular Christmas film “It’s a Wonderful Life” was first released in New York City. Decades later, “Saturday Night Live” would discover the “lost” ending to the film.

In 1955, Cardiff was proclaimed the capital city of Wales.

In 1957, while spending the Christmas holidays at Graceland, his newly purchased Tennessee mansion, rock-and-roll star Elvis Presley received his draft notice for the U.S. Army.

In 1963, the Berlin Wall was opened for the first time to West Berliners, who were allowed one-day visits to relatives in the Eastern sector for the holidays.

In 1964, the Toho kaiju movie “San daikaiju: Chikyu saidai no kessen” was released in Japan. The following September, it would be released in the U.S. as “Ghidora, the Three-Headed Monster”. It starred Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra and introduced Ghidora.

In 1966, the spy spoof “Murderers’ Row”, starring Dean Martin as Matt Helm, was released in the U.S.

In 1967, the thriller “Billion Dollar Brain” premiered in Los Angeles. It starred Michael Caine in his third film as Harry Palmer.

In 1968, the Disney cartoon “Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day”, the second Winnie the Pooh theatrical short, was released in the U.S. It was part of a double-bill with the Disney comedy “The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit”.

In 1971, businessman Roy O. Disney, co-founder of the Walt Disney Productions, died in Burbank at age 78.

Also in 1971, the international aid organization Doctors Without Borders was founded by Bernard Kouchner and a group of journalists in Paris, France.

In 1973, the fantasy adventure “The Golden Voyage of Sinbad” premiered in London. It starred John Phillip Law, Caroline Munro, and Tom Baker in the role that would help him earn his Doctorate.

In 1974, the Disney cartoon “Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too”, the third Winnie the Pooh theatrical short, was released in the U.S. It was part of a double-bill with the Disney adventure “The Island at the Top of the World”.

In 1987, more than 4,300 people were killed when the Dona Paz, a Philippine passenger ship, collided with the tanker Vector off Mindoro Island.

In 1989, the United States launched Operation Just Cause, sending troops into Panama to topple the government of Gen. Manuel Noriega.

In 1991, Oliver Stone’s controversial movie “JFK” was released.

In 2004, a gang of thieves stole £26.5 million worth of currency from the Donegall Square West headquarters of Northern Bank in Belfast, Northern Ireland, one of the largest bank robberies in British history.

In 2007, Elizabeth II became the oldest monarch of the United Kingdom, surpassing Queen Victoria, who lived for 81 years, 7 months and 29 days.

In 2014, NYPD officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos were shot and killed, allegedly in retaliation against the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown. (The gunman committed suicide shortly afterwards.)

In 2018, Irish President Michael D. Higgins signed a bill making abortion legal in the Republic of Ireland for the first time.

 

If I may...

ON DECEMBER 21st:

In 1620, Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower went ashore for the first time at present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts.

In 1804, politician/author Benjamin Disraeli, who would twice serve as British Prime Minister, was born in London.

In 1864, during the Civil War, Union forces led by Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman concluded their "March to the Sea," which had begun in Atlanta on Nov. 15 and ended with the capture of Savannah, Georgia.

In 1879, the Henrik Ibsen play "A Doll's House" premiered at the Royal Theater in Copenhagen. “Cinematic Titanic” would later riff on a scene from this play as part of the pre-show during their (supposed) farewell tour.

In 1910, an underground explosion at the Hulton Bank Colliery No. 3 Pit in Over Hulton, Westhoughton, England, killed 344 miners.

In 1913, the first newspaper crossword puzzle, billed as a "Word-Cross Puzzle," was published in the New York World.

In 1914, the first feature-length silent film comedy, Mack Sennett's "Tillie's Punctured Romance," starring Marie Dressler, Mabel Normand and Charlie Chaplin, premiered.

In 1922, ventriloquist/actor/comedian Paul Winchell was born in New York City. In addition to his show biz career, he would later design and patent a mechanical artificial heart.

In 1927, producer/director/executive Michael Carreras, best-known for his work with Hammer Films, was born in London.

In 1933, five-year-old Shirley Temple signed a movie contract with Fox. Her age was later changed to make her appear a year younger.

In 1937, Walt Disney's first animated feature, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," had its world premiere in Los Angeles.

In 1940, musician/songwriter/composer Frank Zappa was born in Baltimore, MD.

In 1942, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Williams v. North Carolina, ruled 6-2 that all states had to recognize divorces granted in Nevada.

In 1944, the Disney cartoon “The Three Caballeros” premiered in Mexico City. It starred Donald Duck, Jose Carioca and Panchito as the titular trio.

In 1945, Gen. George S. Patton died in Heidelberg, Germany, of injuries from a car accident, at age 60.

In 1948, actor Samuel L. Jackson was born in Washington, D.C. Years later, he’d be granted a Jedi Knighthood, and would later say he’d had it with…you know the rest.

In 1958, Charles de Gaulle was elected to a seven-year term as the first president of the Fifth Republic of France.

In 1963, on “Doctor Who”, the episode “The Dead Planet” was broadcast on BBC 1. It was the first appearance of the Daleks, and they’ve been EX-TER-MIN-A-TING ever since.

In 1966, the auto racing drama “Grand Prix” was released in the U.S.

In 1968, Apollo 8, crewed by Frank Borman, James A. Lovell and William Anders, was launched on a mission to orbit the moon.

In 1969, Vince Lombardi coached his last game. His Washington Redskins lost to the Dallas Cowboys 20-10. The Redskins ended that season at 7-5-2, which was the first winning season for the team in 14 years.

In 1976, the Liberian-registered tanker Argo Merchant broke apart near Nantucket Island, off Massachusetts, almost a week after running aground, spilling 7.5 million gallons of oil into the North Atlantic.

In 1981, “Blake”, the series finale of “Blake’s 7”, was broadcast over BBC1. And, to this day, fans have been debating who survived.

In 1988, 270 people were killed when a terrorist bomb exploded aboard a Pam Am Boeing 747 over Lockerbie, Scotland, sending wreckage crashing to the ground.

In 1991, in a final step signifying the dismemberment of the Soviet Union, 11 of the 12 Soviet republics declared that they were forming the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

In 1991, the movie “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” was shown on “Mystery Science Theater 3000” over Comedy Central. The episode also saw the introduction of the Christmas song, “Let’s Have a Patrick Swayze Christmas”.

In 2004, a suicide bombing at a mess hall tent near Mosul, Iraq, killed 22 people, including 14 U.S. service members and three American contractors.

In 2012, the Walt Disney Company completed its acquisition of Lucasfilm, Ltd. and of the “Star Wars” franchise.

In 2017, sportscaster Dick Enberg died in La Jolla, CA at age 82.

 

If I may...

ON DECEMBER 21st:

In 1775, the Continental Congress created a Continental Navy, naming Esek Hopkins, Esq., as commander in chief of the fleet.

In 1808, Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67—the "Fifth Symphony"—received its world premiere.

In 1864, during the Civil War, Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman said in a message to President Abraham Lincoln: "I beg to present you as a Christmas-gift the city of Savannah."

In 1894, French army officer Alfred Dreyfus was convicted of treason in a court-martial that triggered worldwide charges of anti-Semitism. (Dreyfus was eventually vindicated.)

In 1910, a fire lasting more than 26 hours broke out at the Chicago Union Stock Yards; 21 firefighters were killed in the collapse of a burning building.

In 1915, actress Barbara Billingsley was born in Los Angeles. Year later, she’d demonstrate her fluency in Jive.

In 1917, cinematographer/director Freddie Francis, director of many British horror & sci-fi movies and winner of two Oscars for his camera work, was born in Islington, London.

Also in 1917, radio/TV host Gene Rayburn was born in Christopher, IL.

In 1932, the Universal Horror movie “The Mummy”, starring Boris Karloff, was released in the U.S.

In 1937, the first, center tube of the Lincoln Tunnel connecting New York City and New Jersey beneath the Hudson River was opened to traffic. (The second tube opened in 1945, the third in 1957.)

In 1941, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrived in Washington, D.C. for a series of meetings with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on a unified Anglo-American war strategy and a future peace.

In 1944, during the World War II Battle of the Bulge, U.S. Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe rejected a German demand for surrender, writing "Nuts!" in his official reply.

In 1947, author Brian Daley, one of the pioneering authors of the “Star Wars” Expanded Universe, was born in Englewood, NJ.

In 1949, singer/songwriters Maurice and Robin Gibb, who’d later join with brother Barry in the Bee Gees, were born in Douglas on the Isle of Man.

In 1954, actor Hugh Quarshie, who played Capt. Panaka in “Star Wars: Episode I- The Phantom Menace”, was born in Accra, Ghana.

In 1962, actor/director/producer Ralph Finnes was born in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. He’d end up running MI-6 later on.

In 1966, the spy thriller “Funeral in Berlin” premiered in New York City. Starring Michael Caine, it was the second movie in the Harry Palmer series.

In 1977, three dozen people were killed when a 250-foot-high grain elevator at the Continental Grain Company plant in Westwego, Louisiana, exploded.

In 1984, New York City resident Bernhard Goetz shot and wounded four youths on a Manhattan subway, claiming they were about to rob him.

In 1989, the Romanian army defected to the cause of anti-communist demonstrators, and the government of Nicolae Ceausescu was overthrown.

Also in 1989, Berlin's Brandenburg Gate re-opened after nearly 30 years, effectively ending the division of East and West Germany.

In 1990, Lech Walesa, well-known Polish labor leader and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, was sworn in as the first noncommunist president of Poland since the end of World War II.

In 2001, Richard C. Reid, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami, tried to ignite explosives in his shoes, but was subdued by flight attendants and fellow passengers. (Reid is serving a life sentence in federal prison.)

In 2010, the repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, the 17-year-old policy banning homosexuals serving openly in the United States military, was signed into law by President Barack Obama.

In 2015, SpaceX landed a first stage Falcon 9 rocket on the ground, after reaching Low Earth orbit for the first time in history.

In 2017, The U.N. Security Council voted 15–0 in favor of additional sanctions on North Korea, including measures to slash the country's petroleum imports by up to 90%.

In 2018, a tsunami caused by an eruption of Krakatoa killed at nearly 400 people and injured nearly a thousand more.

 

Psst... I think you meant the 22nd.

 

Okay, early New Year's Resolution: I stick to the schedule here.

ON DECEMBER 23rd:

In 1620, one week after the Mayflower arrived at Plymouth harbor in present-day Massachusetts, construction of the first permanent European settlement in New England began.

In 1783, following the signing of the Treaty of Paris, General George Washington resigned as commander in chief of the Continental Army and retired to his home at Mount Vernon, VA.

In 1788, Maryland passed an act to cede an area "not exceeding ten miles square" for the seat of the national government; about 2/3 of the area became the District of Columbia.

In 1823, the poem "Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas" was published anonymously in the Troy (N.Y.) Sentinel; the verse, more popularly known as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," was later attributed to Clement C. Moore.

In 1893, the Engelbert Humperdinck opera "Haensel und Gretel" was first performed, in Weimar, Germany.

In 1913, the Federal Reserve System was created as President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act.

In 1928, the National Broadcasting Company set up a permanent, coast-to-coast network.

In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt restored the civil rights of about 1,500 people who'd been jailed for opposing the (First) World War.

In 1941, during World War II, American forces on Wake Island surrendered to the Japanese.

In 1943, actor/writer/producer/director Harry Shearer was born in Los Angeles. He’d later provide the voices of a good number of Springfield’s population.

In 1947, the transistor was first demonstrated at Bell Laboratories.

In 1948, former Japanese premier Hideki Tojo and six other Japanese war leaders were executed in Tokyo.

In 1953, the Soviet Union announced the execution of Lavrentiy Beria, former head of the secret police, for treason.

In 1954, the first successful human kidney transplant took place at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston as a surgical team led by Dr. Joseph Murray removed a kidney from 23-year-old Ronald Herrick and implanted it in Herrick's twin brother, Richard, who was dying of chronic nephritis.

Also in 1954, the Disney version of Jules Verne’s “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, starring James Mason as Capt. Nemo, was released in the U.S.

In 1957, the fantasy movie “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad”, featuring VFX by Ray Harryhausen, was released in the U.S.

In 1966, the spaghetti western “The Good, The Bad and the Ugly” was released in Italy. Directed by Sergio Leone, it starred Clint Eastwood as the Man with No Name, and co-starred Lee Van Cleef and Eli Wallach.

In 1968, 82 crew members of the U.S. intelligence ship Pueblo were released by North Korea, 11 months after they had been captured.

In 1970, The North Tower of the World Trade Center in Manhattan was topped out at 1,368 feet (417 m), making it, at the time, the tallest building in the world.

In 1972, in football's "Immaculate Reception," Franco Harris of the Pittsburgh Steelers caught a pass thrown by Terry Bradshaw and scored a touchdown after the ball was deflected during a collision between Jack Tatum of the Oakland Raiders and the Steelers' John Fuqua; the Steelers won, 13-7.

In 1976, as part of the anthology series “Visions”, the TV-movie “The Phantom of the Open Hearth” premiered on PBS. Written, hosted and narrated by Jean Shepherd, it was based on several of his short stories. And it featured the original dramatization of the “leg lamp” story.

In 1982, actor/producer/writer/director Jack Webb died in West Hollywood, CA at age 62.

In 1986, the experimental airplane Voyager, piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, completed the first non-stop, non-refueled round-the-world flight as it returned safely to Edwards Air Force Base in California.

In 1994, actor/director/author Sebastian Shaw, well-known to “Star Wars” fans as Anakin Skywalker in “Return of the Jedi”, died in Brighton, Sussex, England at age 89.

In 2007, an agreement was made for the Kingdom of Nepal to be abolished and the country to become a federal republic with the Prime Minister becoming head of state.

In 2016, The U.N. Security Council adopted Resolution 2334, condemning "Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories occupied since 1967".

 

If I may...

ALSO ON DECEMBER 24th:

In 1814, the United States and Britain signed the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the War of 1812 following ratification by both the British Parliament and the U.S. Senate.

In 1818, the first performance of “Silent Night” took place in the church of St. Nikolaus in Oberndorf, Austria.

In 1851, fire devastated the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., destroying about 35,000 volumes.

In 1871, Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Aida" had its world premiere in Cairo, Egypt.

In 1906, composer/conductor Franz Waxman was born in the Province of Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia.

In 1914, during World War I, impromptu Christmas truces began to take hold along parts of the Western Front between British and German soldiers who, in some cases, exchanged gifts and even played soccer with each other.

In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge touched a button and lit up the first national Christmas tree to grace the White House grounds.

In 1937, the Disney cartoon “Lonesome Ghosts” was released in the U.S. It featured the original Ghostbusters: Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy.

In 1939, Pope Pius XII delivered a Christmas Eve address in which he offered a five-point program for peace and denounced "premeditated aggressions."

In 1941, actor John Levene, best-known for playing Sgt. Benton on “Doctor Who”, was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.

In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower supreme commander of Allied forces in Europe as part of Operation Overlord.

In 1945, writer/director Nicholas Meyer was born in New York City. One of his films would later help perpetuate the odd/even theory of “Star Trek” movies.

In 1948, the Western comedy “The Paleface”, starring Bob Hope and Jane Russell, was released in the U.S.

In 1951, Gian Carlo Menotti's "Amahl and the Night Visitors," the first opera written specifically for television, was first broadcast by NBC-TV.

In 1968, the Apollo 8 astronauts, orbiting the moon, read passages from the Old Testament Book of Genesis during a Christmas Eve telecast.

In 1969, the Disney comedy “The Love Bug” opened in limited release in the U.S.

In 1973, the District of Columbia Home Rule Act was passed, allowing residents of Washington, D.C. to elect their own local government.

Also in 1973, author/producer Stephanie Meyer was born in Hartford, CT. She’d later write a series of vampire books that I’d spend a lot of time re-shelving.

In 1974, Cyclone Tracy began battering the Australian city of Darwin, resulting in widespread damage and causing some 65 deaths.

In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, under the pretext of upholding the Soviet-Afghan Friendship Treaty of 1978.

In 1981, the sci-fi/action movie “Mad Max 2”, starring Mel Gibson, was released in Australia. Retitled “The Road Warrior”, it would reach the U.S. the following May.

In 1993, the movie “Santa Claus” was shown on “Mystery Science Theater 3000” over Comedy Central. It also featured two new Christmas songs, “Whispering Christmas Warrior” and “Merry Christmas…If That’s OK”.

 

If I may...

ON DECEMBER 25th:

In A.D. 336, the first known commemoration of Christmas on Dec. 25 took place in Rome.

In 1066, William the Conqueror was crowned king of England.

In 1492, the carrack Santa Maria, captained by Christopher Columbus ran onto reefs off Haiti due to a proper watch not being kept. Local natives helped to save food, armory and ammunition, but not the ship.

In 1776, George Washington and the Continental Army crossed the Delaware River at night to attack Hessian forces serving Great Britain at Trenton, NJ, the next day.

In 1868, U.S. President Andrew Johnson granted unconditional pardons to all Civil War Confederate soldiers.

In 1899, Humphrey Bogart was born in New York City. As far as audiences were concerned, it was the start of a beautiful friendship.

In 1906, Lord Lew Grade was born in Tokmak in the Ukraine. As a media executive, he’d be instrumental in the creation and distribution of programs like “The Prisoner”, “The Muppet Show” and productions from Gerry & Sylvia Anderson.

In 1907, singer/bandleader Cab Calloway was born in Rochester, NY.

Submitted for your approval: in 1924, producer/screenwriter/program host Rod Serling was born in Syracuse, NY.

In 1926, Hirohito became emperor of Japan, succeeding his father, Emperor Yoshihito.

In 1941, during World War II, Japan announced the surrender of the British-Canadian garrison at Hong Kong.

Also in 1941, "White Christmas," written by Irving Berlin, received its world premiere on Bing Crosby's weekly NBC radio program, “The Kraft Music Hall”.

In 1942, the mystery movie “Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon” premiered in Los Angeles. It starred Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Holmes & Watson, and Lionel Atwill as Professor Moriarty.

In 1946, actor/comedian W.C. Fields died in Pasadena, CA at age 66.

In 1961, Pope John XXIII formally announced the upcoming convocation of the Second Vatican Council, which opened in Oct. 1962.

In 1962, the film “To Kill a Mockingbird”, based on the 1960 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Harper Lee, and starring Gregory Peck, premiered in Los Angeles.

In 1963, on the Western series “The Virginian”, the episode “Man of Violence” was broadcast on NBC-TV. The guest cast included DeForest Kelley (as a disgraced doctor) and Leonard Nimoy (as an outlaw).

In 1968, Apollo 8 performed the very first successful Trans-Earth Injection (TEI) maneuver, sending the crew and spacecraft on a trajectory back to Earth from Lunar orbit.

In 1973, the film "The Sting," starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, premiered in Los Angeles and New York.

In 1977, actor/filmmaker Charlie Chaplin died in Corsier-sur-Vevey, Vaud, Switzerland at age 88.

Also in 1977, the Mel Brooks spoof “High Anxiety” was released in the U.S.

In 1989, deposed Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife, First-Deputy Prime-Minister Elena Ceausescu were condemned to death and executed after a summary trial.

In 1991, Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev went on television to announce his resignation as the eighth and final leader of a communist superpower that had already gone out of existence.

In 1993, the animated film “Batman: Mask of the Phantasm” was released in the U.S.

In 1995, actor/singer Dean Martin died in Beverly Hills at age 78.

In 2003, the Beagle 2 probe, released from the Mars Express spacecraft on December 19th, disappeared shortly before its scheduled landing. Allegations that it was destroyed by an Illudium Pu-36 Explosive Space Modulator have not been proven.

In 2004, The Cassini orbiter released the Huygens probe, which successfully landed on Saturn’s's moon Titan on January 14, 2005.

In 2005, on “Doctor Who”, “The Christmas Invasion” was broadcast on BBC 1. It featured the first regular appearance of David Tennant as the Doctor.

In 2006, singer James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, died in Atlanta, GA at age 73.

Also in 2006, on “Doctor Who”, “The Runaway Bride” was broadcast on BBC 1. It featured the first full appearance of Catherine Tate as Donna Noble; she’d become a series regular the following year.

In 2008, singer/actress Eartha Kitt died in Weston, CT at age 81.

In 2013, “The Time of the Doctor”, featuring the last regular appearance of Matt Smith as the Doctor, was broadcast on BBC 1.

In 2014, on “Doctor Who”, “Last Christmas” was broadcast on BBC 1. It featured the last appearance (to date) of Samuel Anderson as Danny Pink.

In 2015, on “Doctor Who”, “The Husbands of River Song” was broadcast on BBC 1. It featured the last appearance (to date) of Alex Kingston as River Song.

In 2017, on “Doctor Who”, “Twice Upon a Time” was broadcast on BBC 1. It featured the last regular appearance of Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor, the first official appearance of David Bradley as the First Doctor, and the introduction of Jodie Whitaker as the Thirteenth Doctor.

 

If I may...

ON DECEMBER 26th:

In 1776, the British suffered a major defeat in the Battle of Trenton during the Revolutionary War.

In 1799, former President George Washington was eulogized by Col. Henry Lee as "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen."

In 1898, Marie and Pierre Curie announced the isolation of radium.

In 1900, a relief crew arrived at the lighthouse on the Flannan Isles of Scotland, UK, only to find the previous crew had disappeared without a trace. The incident would later be a basis for, and be mentioned in, the “Doctor Who” serial “The Horror of Fang Rock”.

In 1908, Jack Johnson became the first African-American boxer to win the world heavyweight championship as he defeated Canadian Tommy Burns in Sydney, Australia.

In 1914, actor Richard Widmark was born in Sunrise Township, MN.

In 1919, Babe Ruth of the Boston Red Sox was sold to the New York Yankees by owner Harry Frazee, allegedly establishing the Curse of the Bambino superstition.

In 1921, writer/comedian Steve Allen was born in New York City.

In 1933, Nissan Motor Co. was founded in Yokohama, Japan, as the Automobile Manufacturing Co.

Also in 1933, Muppeteer Caroll Spinney was born in Waltham, MA.

In 1940, the comedy “The Philadelphia Story” was released in the U.S. It starred Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn and James Stewart, and would later win two Oscars.

In 1944, during the World War II Battle of the Bulge, the embattled U.S. 101st Airborne Division in Bastogne, Belgium, was relieved by units of the 4th Armored Division.

In 1952, the adventure movie “The African Queen”, starring Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn, premiered in Los Angeles.

In 1956, the kaiju movie “Sora no daikaiju Radon” was released in Japan. The following August, dubbed in English and re-titled “Rodan”, it would reach the U.S.

In 1957, Elvis Presley got a temporary draft deferment so he could finish the movie "King Creole."

In 1960, actor Temuera Morrison was born in Rotorua, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. He’d later play a simple man trying to make his way in the universe, and his clones.

In 1963, Capitol Records released the single "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles, which became the band's first number one hit in the U.S. The B-side was “I Saw Her Standing There”.

In 1966, Kwanzaa was first celebrated.

In 1967, the Beatles film "Magical Mystery Tour" premiered on BBC 1.

In 1972, Harry S. Truman, 33rd President of the U.S., died in Kansas City, MO, at age 88.

In 1973, the horror film "The Exorcist" was released in the U.S.

In 1974, actor/comedian/musician Jack Benny died in Los Angeles at age 39.

In 1994, French commandos stormed a hijacked Air France jetliner on the ground in Marseille, killing four Algerian hijackers and freeing 170 hostages.

In 1996, 6-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey was found beaten and strangled in the basement of her family's home in Boulder, Colorado. (To date, the slaying remains unsolved.)

In 1999, musician Curtis Mayfield died outside Atlanta at the age of 57.

In 2004, Following a 9.1-9.3 Mw Indian Ocean Earthquake that affected northern Sumatra, one of the largest observed tsunamis affected the coastal areas of Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Indonesia. The resulting death toll was between 230,000–280,000.

In 2006, Gerald R. Ford, 38th President of the U.S., died in Rancho Mirage, California, at age 93.

In 2012, producer/director/screenwriter Gerry Anderson died in Oxfordshire at age 83.

 

If I may...

ON DECEMBER 27th:

In 1814, the American schooner USS Carolina was destroyed. It was the last of Commodore Daniel Patterson’s makeshift fleet that fought a series of delaying actions that contributed to Andrew Jackson’s victory at the Battle of New Orleans.

In 1831, naturalist Charles Darwin set out on a round-the-world voyage aboard the HMS Beagle.

In 1879, actor Sydney Greenstreet was born in Sandwich, Kent, England. His search for a certain black bird would come later.

In 1904, James Barrie's play "Peter Pan: The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up" opened at the Duke of York's Theater in London.

In 1927, the musical play "Show Boat," with music by Jerome Kern and libretto by Oscar Hammerstein II, opened at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York.

In 1932, New York City's Radio City Music Hall first opened.

In 1945, 28 nations signed an agreement creating the World Bank.

In 1947, the original version of the puppet character Howdy Doody made its TV debut on NBC's "Puppet Playhouse."

In 1949, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands signed an act recognizing Indonesia's sovereignty after more than three centuries of Dutch rule.

In 1964, the Cleveland Browns defeated the Baltimore Colts 27-0 to win the NFL Championship Game played at Cleveland Municipal Stadium.

In 1968, Apollo 8 and its three astronauts made a safe, nighttime splashdown in the Pacific.

In 1978, Spain became a democracy after 40 years of fascist dictatorship.

In 1979, Soviet forces seized control of Afghanistan. President Hafizullah Amin, who was overthrown and executed, was replaced by Babrak Karmal.

In 1982, astronaut Jack Swigert, CSM pilot for Apollo 13, died in Washington, DC at age 51.

In 1983, Pope John Paul II visited Mehmet Ali Agca in Rebibbia’s's prison and personally forgave him for the 1981 attack on him in St. Peter’s Square.

In 1985, Palestinian guerrillas opened fire inside the Rome and Vienna airports; 19 victims were killed, plus four attackers who were slain by police and security personnel.

Also in 1985, American naturalist Dian Fossey, age 53, who had studied gorillas in the wild in Rwanda, was found hacked to death.

In 1994, four Roman Catholic priests — three French and a Belgian — were shot to death in their rectory in Algiers, a day after French commandos killed four radicals who'd hijacked an Air France jet from Algiers to Marseille.

In 2001, China was granted permanent normal trade relations with the United States.

In 2007, opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated during a suicide bomb attack in Pakistan following a campaign rally.

In 2016, actress/author/screenwriter Carrie Fisher died in Los Angeles at age 60.

Also in 2016, author Richard Adams, best-known for his book Watership Down, died in Whitchurch, Hampshire, England at age 96.