Fun On this date in history...

If I (behind schedule) may...

ON JANUARY 6th:

In 1540, England's King Henry VIII married his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves. (The marriage lasted about six months.)

In 1759, George Washington and Martha Dandridge Custis were married in New Kent County, VA.

In 1777, after two significant victories over the British in Trenton and Princeton, NJ, General George Washington marched north to Morristown, where he set up winter headquarters for himself and the men of the Continental Army.

In 1838, Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail gave the first successful public demonstration of their telegraph in Morristown, NJ.

In 1847, Samuel Colt obtained his first contract for the sale of revolver pistols to the United States government.

In 1912, New Mexico was admitted to the Union and became the 47th state.

In 1919, Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the U.S., died in Oyster Bay, NY, at age 60.

In 1925, during an appearance at Madison Square Garden, Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi set indoor world records in the Mile and 5,000 meter races.

In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in his State of the Union address, outlined a goal of "Four Freedoms": Freedom of speech and expression; the freedom of people to worship God in their own way; freedom from want; freedom from fear.

In 1945, George Herbert Walker Bush married Barbara Pierce at the First Presbyterian Church in Rye, NY.

In 1950, Britain recognized the Communist government of China.

In 1955, actor/comedian/screenwriter Rowan Atkinson was born in Consett, County Durham, England. Years later, he’d play several Edmund Blackadders, all of them scoundrels.

In 1957, Elvis Presley made his last appearance on the "Ed Sullivan Show." He was on screen for more than 20 minutes, singing "Hound Dog" and "Don't Be Cruel," among other songs.

In 1960, National Airlines Flight 2511 was destroyed in mid-air by a bomb, while en route from New York City to Miami. The identity of the bomber has never been determined.

In 1963, "Mutual of Omaha’s ‘Wild Kingdom’", hosted by Marlin Perkins, premiered on NBC-TV.

In 1963, "Oliver!," Lionel Bart's musical adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel "Oliver Twist," opened on Broadway at the Imperial Theater. The original Broadway cast included future Monkee Davy Jones as the Artful Dodger, and future, retgoned Emperor Clive Revill as Fagin.

In 1974, year-round daylight saving time began in the United States on a trial basis as a fuel-saving measure in response to the OPEC oil embargo.

In 1975, the original version of "Wheel of Fortune," hosted by Chuck Woolery and Susan Stafford, premiered on NBC-TV.

In 1976, the live album "Frampton Comes Alive!" was released.

In 1987, the U.S. Senate voted 88-4 to establish an eleven-member panel to hold public hearings on the Iran-Contra affair.

In 1993, bassist Bill Wyman confirmed he was quitting the Rolling Stones.

In 1994, figure skater Nancy Kerrigan was clubbed on the leg by an assailant at Detroit's Cobo Arena; four men, including the ex-husband of Kerrigan's rival, Tonya Harding, went to prison for their roles in the attack. (Harding denied knowing about plans for the attack.)

In 2001, Congress certified George W. Bush as the winner of the 2000 U.S. Presidential Election.

In 2005, Andrea Yates' murder conviction for drowning her children in the bathtub was overturned by a Texas appeals court. (Yates was found not guilty by reason of insanity in a retrial.)

In 2009, actor John Scott Martin died in Great Maplestead, Essex, England at age 82. In addition to other roles, he was the longest serving Dalek operator for the original “Doctor Who” TV series.

In 2014, The U.S. Supreme Court stayed a decision by a federal judge striking down Utah's ban on same-sex marriage so that the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver could decide the issue. (In June 2014, the Court of Appeals overturned the ban; in October, the U.S Supreme Court turned away appeals from five states seeking to preserve their bans, including Utah.)

In 2020, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck Puerto Rico, causing small landslides, power outages, and damage to several homes.

In 2021, a protest by supporters of President Donald Trump escalated into an attempt to disrupt the certification of the election of Joe Biden to the Presidency. A large group entered the Capitol Building, leading to the building being locked down, lawmakers being evacuated, and Capitol Police responding. A large number of injuries were reported, and at least five deaths were linked to the incident.

In 2022, filmmaker/actor Peter Bogdanovich died in Los Angeles at age 82.

Also in 2022, actor/director/diplomat Sidney Poitier, KBE died in Beverly Hills at age 94.

 

If I may...

ON JANUARY 7th:

In 1610, astronomer Galileo Galilei began observing three of Jupiter's moons. (He spotted a fourth moon almost a week later.)

In 1789, America held its first presidential election as voters chose electors who, a month later, selected George Washington to be the nation's first chief executive.

In 1800, Millard Fillmore, the 13th president of the U.S., was born in Summerhill, NY.

In 1894, one of the earliest motion picture experiments took place at the Thomas Edison studio in West Orange, NJ, as Fred Ott was filmed taking a pinch of snuff and sneezing.

In 1903, actor Alan Napier was born in King’s Norton, Worcestershire, England. He’d later be best-known for playing the faithful butler to some crazy millionaire with a bat fixation.

In 1904, the Marconi International Marine Communication Company of London announced that the telegraphed letters "CQD" would serve as a maritime distress call (it was later replaced with "SOS").

In 1912, cartoonist Charles Addams was born in Westfield, NJ. You’ve probably seen his “Family” on TV.

In 1924, producer/screenwriter Gene L. Coon was born. He’s best remembered for his work on the original “Star Trek” series, rivaling the contributions of the other Gene.

In 1927, commercial transatlantic telephone service was inaugurated between New York and London.

Also in 1927, the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team traveled 48 miles west from Chicago to play their first game in Hinckley, IL.

CREEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAK! In 1941, the horror/suspense radio series “Inner Sanctum Mystery” (usually known simply as “Inner Sanctum”) premiered over the NBC Blue Network.

In 1942, the Japanese siege of Bataan began during World War II. (The fall of Bataan three months later was followed by the notorious Death March.)

In 1945, British General Bernard Montgomery held a press conference in which he claimed credit for victory in the Battle of the Bulge. He was strongly criticized for his statement, which was refuted by General Eisenhower and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

In 1949, George C. Marshall resigned as U.S. Secretary of State; President Harry S. Truman chose Dean Acheson to succeed him.

In 1953, in his final State of the Union address before Congress, President Harry S. Truman told the world that that the U.S. had developed a hydrogen bomb.

In 1955, singer Marian Anderson made her debut with the Metropolitan Opera in New York, in Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera."

Also in 1955, the opening of the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa was televised for the first time.

In addition in 1955, the drama “Bad Day at Black Rock”, starring Spencer Tracy, was released in the U.S.

In 1956, actor/producer David Caruso was born in Queens, NY. And that (sunglasses on) is where it all started. (YEEEEEEAAAAAAAH!)

In 1959, just six days after the fall of the Fulgencio Batista dictatorship in Cuba, U.S. officials recognized the new provisional government of the island nation.

In 1963, the U.S. Post Office raised the cost of a first-class stamp from 4 to 5 cents.

In 1964, actor Nicholas Cage was born in Long Beach, CA.

In 1979, Vietnamese forces captured the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, overthrowing the Khmer Rouge government.

In 1980, President Jimmy Carter authorized legislation giving $1.5 billion in loans to bail out the Chrysler Corporation.

In 1985, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency launched Sakigake, Japan's first interplanetary spacecraft and the first deep space probe to be launched by any country other than the United States or the Soviet Union.

In 1989, Emperor Hirohito of Japan died in Tokyo at age 87; he was succeeded by his son, Crown Prince Akihito.

In 1992, Muppeteer Richard Hunt died in New York City at age 40. His roles included Scooter, Statler, Sweetums, and Beaker.

In 1999, for the second time in history, an impeached American president went on trial before the Senate. President Bill Clinton faced charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. (He would later be acquitted.)

In 2010, Muslim gunmen in Egypt opened fire on a crowd of Coptic Christians, killing eight of them and one Muslim bystander.

In 2014, brutal polar air that hit the Midwest over the previous few days spread to the East and the Deep South, shattering low temperature records that in some cases had stood for more than a century.

Also in 2014, a U.S. Air Force Pave Hawk helicopter crashed in a coastal area of eastern England during a training mission, killing all four crew members aboard.

In 2015, a terrorist attack occurred at the offices of the satirical newspaper “Charlie Hebdo” in Paris, killing twelve people and wounding another eleven.

In 2020, Iran fired as many as 15 ballistic missiles into Iraq, targeting U.S. military and coalition forces in retaliation for the U.S. airstrike that killed Iranian Quds Force Gen. Qassem Soleimani the previous week.

Also in 2020, the day after a 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck Puerto Rico, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake hit the island, killing one person injuring nine others.

In 2021, baseball player/coach/manager Tommy Lasorda, best-known for his tenure with the Los Angeles Dodgers, died in Fullerton, CA at age 93.

Also in 2021, the U.S. Congress certified the 2020 election of Joe Biden as President of the U.S., and Kamala Harris as Vice-President.

In 2023, Rep. Kevin McCarthy was elected Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives after fifteen rounds of voting, the most since 1860.

 

If I may...

ON JANUARY 8th:

In 1642, astronomer Galileo Galilei died in Arcetri, Italy.

In 1776, New Jersey Colonial Governor William Franklin, a loyalist and the illegitimate son of patriot Ben Franklin, was arrested by patriots for opposing the Revolution. (He would be imprisoned until 1778, then fought on the British side until the war’s end.)

In 1790, President George Washington delivered his first State of the Union address to Congress in New York.

In 1815, the last major engagement of the War of 1812 came to an end as U.S. forces led by Maj. Gen. Andrew Jackson defeated the British in the Battle of New Orleans. (Given the slowness of communications at the time, the battle took place even though the United States and Britain had already signed a peace treaty.)

In 1835, The United States’ national debt was $0.00 for the only time in its history.

In 1863, America's First Transcontinental Railroad had its beginnings as California Gov. Leland Stanford broke ground for the Central Pacific Railroad in Sacramento. (The transcontinental railroad was completed in Promontory, Utah, in May 1869.)

In 1908, actor William Hartnell was born in St. Pancras, London. His Doctorate would come later.

In 1912, the African National Congress was founded in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

In 1918, in an address before a joint meeting of Congress, President Woodrow Wilson discussed the aims of the United States in World War I and outlined his "14 Points" for achieving a lasting peace in Europe.

In 1926, comedian Soupy Sales was born in Franklinton, NC. Feel free to commemorate this by the throwing of pies.

In 1935, singer/musician/actor/King of Rock-and-Roll Elvis Aaron Presley was born in Tupelo, MI.

In 1937, singer Dame Shirley Bassey, DBE was born in Tiger Bay, Cardiff, Wales. The great Bond themes would come later.

In 1940, during World War II, Great Britain introduced wartime food rationing.

In 1941, actor/comedian/screenwriter Graham Chapman was born in Leicester, England. He’d later object when things got a bit silly, when he wasn’t being silly, himself.

In 1942, physicist/author Stephen Hawking was born in Oxford, England.

In 1947, singer/songwriter/actor David Bowie was born in Brixton, London.

In 1956, five U.S. missionaries (Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Jim Elliot, Peter Fleming, and Roger Youderian) were killed by the Huaorani of Ecuador shortly after making contact with them.

In 1959, Charles de Gaulle was inaugurated as president of France's Fifth Republic.

In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson, in his State of the Union address, declared an "unconditional war on poverty in America."

In 1965, the Star of India and other gems stolen from the American Museum of Natural History in New York the previous October were recovered from a bus depot locker in Miami.

In 1966, the last episode of ABC-TV's "Shindig" music show was broadcast. The Kinks and The Who were the guest performers.

In 1973, the trial of seven men accused of illegal entry into Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate began.

In 1975, Judge John J. Sirica ordered the early release from prison of Watergate figures John W. Dean III, Herbert W. Kalmbach and Jeb Stuart Magruder.

Also in 1975, Democrat Ella Grasso was sworn in as Connecticut's first female governor.

In 1982, American Telephone and Telegraph settled the Justice Department's antitrust lawsuit against it by agreeing to divest itself of the 22 Bell System companies.

In 1990, a Los Angeles judge ruled that columnist Art Buchwald came up with the idea that inspired the Eddie Murphy movie "Coming to America." Buchwald had sued Paramount Pictures, claiming the studio stole the idea.

In 1993, at a minute after midnight, the Elvis Presley commemorative stamp went on sale at his Graceland mansion in Memphis. People in the rest of the country got to buy them at post offices starting at noon.

In 1994, Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov on Soyuz TM-18 left for the Mir space station. He would stay on board until March 22, 1995, for a record 437 days in space.

In 1998, Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, was sentenced in New York to life imprisonment.

In 2005, the U.S. acknowledged dropping a 500-pound bomb on the wrong house during a search for terror suspects outside the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. (The military said that five people were killed; the house's owner said 14 people died.)

In 2011, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, was shot and critically wounded when a gunman opened fire as the congresswoman met with constituents in Tucson, AZ; six other people were killed and 12 others were also injured. (The gunman was sentenced in Nov. 2012 to seven consecutive life sentences, plus 140 years.)

In 2020, Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was shot down by an Iranian anti-aircraft missile and crashed immediately after takeoff at Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport. All 176 on board were killed.

 

If I may...

ON JANUARY 9th:

In 1776, writer Thomas Paine published his pamphlet Common Sense, setting forth his arguments in favor of American independence.

In 1788, Connecticut became the fifth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

In 1793, Frenchman Jean Pierre Blanchard, using a hot-air balloon, flew between Philadelphia and Woodbury, NJ.

In 1799, British Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger introduced an income tax of two shillings to the pound to raise funds for Great Britain's war effort in the Napoleonic Wars.

In 1806, Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson received a state funeral and was interred in St. Paul’s Cathedral.

In 1861, Mississippi became the second state to secede from the Union, the same day the Star of the West, a merchant vessel bringing reinforcements and supplies to Federal troops at Fort Sumter, SC, retreated because of artillery fire.

In 1901, cartoonist Chic Young, the creator of Blondie, was born in Chicago.

In 1913, Richard M. Nixon, the 37th president of the U.S., was born in Yorba Linda, CA.

In 1914, the County of Los Angeles opened the country's first public defender's office.

In 1916, during World War I, The Battle of Gallipoli concluded with an Ottoman Empire victory when the last Allied forces were evacuated from the peninsula.

In 1925, actor Lee Van Cleef was born in Somerville, NJ. The westerns, both traditional and Spaghetti, would come later.

In 1931, Bobbi Trout and Edna May Cooper broke an endurance record for female aviators as they returned to Mines Field in Los Angeles after flying a Curtiss Robin monoplane continuously for 122 hours and 50 minutes.

Also in 1931, the film noir “Little Caesar”, starring Edward G. Robinson, premiered in New York City.

In 1934, football player/coach Bart Starr, best-known for his career as QB for the Green Bay Packers, was born in Montgomery, AL.

In 1935, actor Bob Denver was born in New Rochelle, NY. He’s best-known for taking a three-hour tour that went significantly off-course.

In 1945, during World War II, American forces began landing on the shores of Lingayen Gulf in the Philippines as the Battle of Luzon got underway, resulting in an Allied victory over Imperial Japanese forces.

In 1957, Anthony Eden resigned as British prime minister for health reasons; he was succeeded by Harold Macmillan.

In 1959, the Western series “Rawhide” premiered on CBS-TV. It starred Eric Fleming, and Clint Eastwood, pre-Leone.

In 1966, two Hammer Horror films were released in the UK. They were “Dracula, Prince of Darkness”, starring Christopher Lee, and “The Plague of the Zombies”, starring Andre Morell and Jacqueline Pearce.

In 1968, the Surveyor 7 space probe made a soft landing on the moon, marking the end of the American series of unmanned explorations of the lunar surface.

In 1969, filming was completed for “Turnabout Intruder”, the last episode of the original series, “Star Trek”.

In 1972, reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes, speaking by telephone from the Bahamas to reporters in Hollywood, said a purported autobiography of him by Clifford Irving was a fake.

In 1980, the sci-fi TV movie “The Lathe of Heaven” was broadcast on PBS. Based on the novel by Ursula K. LeGuin, it starred Bruce Davison, Kevin McCarthy and Margaret Avery.

In 1981, Peter Davison filmed his regeneration scene from the end of part four of the “Doctor Who” serial “Logopolis”, his first scene as the Doctor.

In 1986, the politically-themed BritCom “Yes, Prime Minister” premiered on BBC 2.

In 1987, the White House released a Jan. 1986 memorandum prepared for President Ronald Reagan by Lt. Col. Oliver L. North showing a link between U.S. arms sales to Iran and the release of American hostages in Lebanon.

In 1993, the movie “Monster A-Go-Go”, along with the short “Circus on Ice”, was featured on “Mystery Science Theater 3000” on Comedy Central. It is considered by many of the cast & crew of the series to be the worst movie they ever used (which is saying quite a lot).

In 1995, in New York, the trial of Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman and 11 other defendants accused of conspiring to wage holy war against the United States began. (All the defendants were convicted of seditious conspiracy, except for two who reached plea agreements with the government.)

Also in 1995, actor/comedian Peter Cook died in London at age 57.

In 1997, a Comair commuter plane crashed 18 miles short of the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, killing all 29 people on board.

In 2005, Mahmoud Abbas won the election to replace Yasser Arafat as President of the Palestinian National Authority. He replaced interim president Rawhi Fattouh.

In 2007, Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced the original iPhone at a Macworld keynote in San Francisco.

In 2015, dual standoffs were committed by the perpetrators of the “Charlie Hebdo” shooting and the related shooting of a female police officer. Three perpetrators were killed along with four hostages and several other people were injured.

 

If I may...

ON JANUARY 10th:

In 1861, Florida became the third state to secede from the Union.

In 1863, the London Underground had its beginnings as the Metropolitan, the world's first underground passenger railway, opened to the public with service between Paddington and Farringdon Street.

In 1870, John D. Rockefeller incorporated Standard Oil.

In 1901, the Spindletop oil field in Beaumont, TX, produced the Lucas Gusher, heralding the start of the Texas oil boom.

In 1908, actor Bernard Lee was born. He’d later play the boss of some British secret agent played by Sean Whatshisname.

In 1920, the League of Nations was established as the Treaty of Versailles went into effect.

In 1927, the science fiction film “Metropolis”, directed by Fritz Lang, was released in Germany.

In 1930, studio executive Roy E. Disney was born in Los Angeles.

In 1936, author/historian Stephen E. Ambrose was born in Lovington, IL.

In 1943, singer/songwriter Jim Croce was born in South Philadelphia, PA.

In 1946, the first General Assembly of the United Nations convened in London.

In 1949, boxer/entrepreneur George Foreman was born in Marshall, TX.

In 1952, the Cecil B. DeMille movie “The Greatest Show on Earth” premiered in New York City. It starred Charlton Heston and Betty Hutton, and would later win the Academy Award for Best Picture.

In 1956, Elvis Presley recorded the song “Heartbreak Hotel” as part of his first recording session for RCA.

In 1957, Harold Macmillan became prime minister of Britain, following the resignation of Anthony Eden.

In 1962, NASA announced plans to build the C-5 rocket launch vehicle. It became better known as the Saturn V Moon rocket, which launched every Apollo Moon mission.

In 1964, Vee-Jay Records released "Introducing... The Beatles," an album which ran into immediate legal opposition from Capitol Records, which was about to come out with its own album, "Meet the Beatles!" (After a court battle, the two companies reached a settlement.)

In 1970, cosmonaut Pavel Belyayev, mission commander for Voskhod 2, which included the first space walk, died in Moscow at age 44.

In 1971, "Masterpiece Theatre" premiered on PBS with host Alistair Cooke introducing the drama series "The First Churchills."

In 1984, the United States and the Vatican established full diplomatic relations for the first time in more than a century.

In 1985, Sandinista Daniel Ortega became president of Nicaragua and vowed to continue the transformation to socialism and alliance with the Soviet Union and Cuba; American policy continued to support the Contras in their revolt against the Nicaraguan government.

In 1987, the last episode of the cartoon series “Star Wars: Ewoks” was broadcast on ABC-TV.

In 1990, Time Warner was formed by the merger of Time Inc. and Warner Communications.

In 1996, the BBC announced that Paul McGann had been cast as the Doctor in the upcoming “Doctor Who” TV movie.

In 1999, the drama series “The Sopranos” premiered on HBO.

Also in 1999, the animated series “Batman Beyond” premiered on the WB TV network.

In 2000, America Online announced it was buying Time Warner for $162 billion (the merger, which proved disastrous, ended in Dec. 2009).

In 2005, CBS issued a damning independent review of mistakes related to a "60 Minutes Wednesday" report on President George W. Bush's National Guard service and fired three news executives and a producer for their "myopic zeal" in rushing it to air.

In 2016, singer/songwriter/actor/producer David Bowie died in New York City at age 69.

 

If I may...

ON JANUARY 11th:

In 1569, the first recorded lottery was held in England. It is doubtful that ping pong ball machines were used to select the winning numbers.

In 1755, Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, 1st Secretary of the Treasury of the U.S., was born in Charlestown, Nevis in the British West Indies. It is not recorded if Broadway composers & lyricists were present at the birth.

In 1815, Sir John A. Macdonald, the first prime minister of Canada, was born in Glasgow, Scotland.

In 1861, Alabama became the fourth state to withdraw from the Union.

In 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed the Grand Canyon National Monument (it became a national park in 1919).

In 1913, the first enclosed sedan-type automobile, a Hudson, went on display at the 13th National Automobile Show in New York.

In 1922, insulin was first used to treat diabetes in a human patient.

In 1927, the creation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was proposed during a dinner of Hollywood luminaries at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.

In 1930, actor Rod Taylor was born in Lidcombe, New South Wales, Australia. The time-traveling would come later.

In 1935, aviatrix Amelia Earhart began an 18-hour trip from Honolulu to Oakland, California, that made her the first person to fly solo across any part of the Pacific Ocean.

In 1937, actor Felix Silla was born in Rome, Italy. Best-known for playing Cousin Itt on the TV series “The Addams Family”, he also played Twiki on the TV series “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century” and an Ewok in the film “Return of the Jedi”.

In 1939, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and Lord Halifax, the British foreign secretary, met with Italian leader Benito Mussolini in Rome.

In 1940, the comedy movie “His Girl Friday”, based on the play “The Front Page”, premiered in New York City. It starred Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell and Ralph Bellamy.

In 1942, Japan declared war against the Netherlands, the same day that Imperial Japanese forces invaded the Dutch East Indies.

In 1963, The Beatles made their first national TV appearance in the U.K. They performed the song "Please Please Me" on the show "Thank Your Lucky Stars." (They had previously been featured on the regional program “People and Places”, broadcast in northern England, in October, 1962.)

In 1964, U.S. Surgeon General Luther Terry issued "Smoking and Health," a report which concluded that "cigarette smoking contributes substantially to mortality from certain specific diseases and to the overall death rate."

In 1973, the owners of America's 24 major league baseball teams vote to allow teams in the American League (AL) to use a "designated pinch-hitter" that could bat for the pitcher, while still allowing the pitcher to stay in the game.

Also in 1973, the documentary TV series “An American Family” premiered on PBS. Focusing on the Loud family of Santa Barbara, CA, it is considered the first “reality TV” series on American television.

In 1977, France set off an international uproar by releasing Abu Daoud, a PLO official behind the massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

Also in 1977, actor Mark Hamill suffered facial injuries in a car accident in California.

In 1982, at Elstree Studios, filming began on “Return of the Jedi”, the third and concluding film in the original “Star Wars” trilogy.

In 1986, the Gateway Bridge, Brisbane in Queensland, Austalia was officially opened.

In 1989, nine days before leaving the White House, President Ronald Reagan bade the nation farewell in a prime-time address, saying of his eight years in office: "We meant to change a nation and instead we changed a world."

In 1995, 51 people were killed when a Colombian DC-9 jetliner crashed as it was preparing to land near the Caribbean resort of Cartagena — however, 9-year-old Erika Delgado survived.

Also in 1995, actor/singer Peter Pratt died in London at age 71. Known for his stage work in Gilbert & Sullivan comic operas, his best-known TV role was as the Master in the “Doctor Who” serial “The Deadly Assassin”.

In 2003, Illinois Governor George Ryan commuted the death sentences of 167 prisoners on Illinois’ death row, based on the Jon Burge scandal.

In 2010, Miep Gies, the Dutch office secretary who defied Nazi occupiers to hide Anne Frank and her family for two years and saved the teenager's diary, died in Hoorn, North Holland in the Netherlands at age 100.

In 2014, Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon died in Ramat Gan, Israel at age 85, eight years after a devastating stroke left him in a coma.

Also in 2014, Alex Rodriguez was dealt the most severe punishment in the history of baseball's drug agreement when an arbitrator ruled the New York Yankees third baseman was suspended for the entire 2014 season as the result of a drug investigation.

In 2020, Municipal health officials in Wuhan announced the first recorded death from COVID-19.

 

If I may...

ON JANUARY 12:

In 1773, the first public museum in America was organized in Charleston, SC.

In 1828, the United States and Mexico signed a Treaty of Limits defining the boundary between the two countries to be the same as the one established by an 1819 treaty between the U.S. and Spain.

In 1907, Sergei Korolev, lead rocket engineer and spacecraft designer for the Soviet Union during the 1950’s & 60’s, was born in Zhytomyr, Volhynian Governorate, Russian Empire.

In 1912, textile workers at the Everett Mill in Lawrence, MA, most of them immigrant women, walked off the job to protest wage cuts.

In 1915, the U.S. House of Representatives rejected, 204-174, a proposed constitutional amendment to give women nationwide the right to vote.

Also in 1915, the Rocky Mountain National Park was formed by an act of the U.S. Congress.

In 1921, Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis became the first commissioner of Major League Baseball.

In 1926, the two-man comedy series "Sam 'n' Henry", starring Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll, debuted on Chicago’s WGN radio station. Two years later, the program was retooled and retitled "Amos 'n' Andy," later becoming one of the most popular radio programs in American history.

In 1932, Hattie W. Caraway became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate after initially being appointed to serve out the remainder of the term of her late husband, Thaddeus.

In 1935, mentalist the Amazing Kreskin was born in Montclair, NJ. And he probably knew I’d post this some time ago.

In 1937, actress Shirley Eaton was born in London. The gilding would come later.

In 1944, boxer Joe Frazier, Olympic gold medalist and Heavyweight Champion, was born in Beaufort, SC.

In 1945, during World War II, Soviet forces began a major, successful offensive against the Germans in Eastern Europe.

Also in 1945, aircraft from U.S. Task Force 38 sank about 40 Japanese ships off Indochina.

In 1946, “Live Wires”, the first Bowery Boys movie, was released in the U.S.

In 1951, actress Kirstie Alley was born in Wichita, KS. She’d later start her movie career on board the Enterprise.

Also in 1951, radio host/commentator Rush Limbaugh was born in Cape Girardeau, MO.

In 1954, in a speech at a Council on Foreign Relations dinner in his honor, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles announced that the U.S. would protect its allies through the "deterrent of massive retaliatory power."

Also in 1954, radio personality/host Howard Stern was born in Queens, NY.

In 1955, “Patterns”, a live TV drama starring Richard Kiley, Everett Sloane and Ed Begley, was broadcast on the “Kraft Television Theater” over NBC-TV. It would later win several Emmy Awards, and was the breakthrough production for author Rod Serling.

In 1957, animator/filmmaker John Lasseter, best-known for his work as a senior producer/executive for Pixar, was born in Hollywood, CA.

In 1959, Berry Gordy Jr. founded Motown Records (originally Tamla Records) in Detroit.

In 1965, the music variety show "Hullabaloo" premiered on NBC-TV with host-of-the-week Jack Jones; guests included Joey Heatherton, the New Christy Minstrels and Woody Allen.

In 1966, the TV series “Batman”, starring Adam West and Burt Ward, premiered on ABC-TV.

In 1967, the revived series “Dragnet” (initially titled “Dragnet 1967”), starring Jack Webb and Harry Morgan, premiered on NBC-TV.

In 1968, on “Star Trek”, the comedic episode “A Piece of the Action” was broadcast on NBC-TV. And we’re still waiting for the World Fizzbin Tour to start up.

In 1969, quarterback Joe Namath led the New York Jets to a stunning 16-7 victory over the heavily favored Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III, held in Miami, FL.

In 1971, the sit-com “All in the Family” premiered on CBS-TV.

Also in 1971, Reverend Philip Berrigan and five others were indicted on charges of conspiring to kidnap Henry Kissinger and of plotting to blow up the heating tunnels of federal buildings in Washington, D.C.

In 1975, the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Minnesota Vikings 16-6 to win Super Bowl IX at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans.

In 1976, author Agatha Christie died in Wallingford, Oxfordshire, England at age 85.

In 1984, Peter Davison filmed his last scenes during his regular tenure as the Doctor on “Doctor Who”.

In 1986, the shuttle Columbia blasted off with a crew that included the first Hispanic-American in space, Dr. Franklin R. Chang-Diaz.

In 1991, at the outset of the First Gulf War, an act of the U.S. Congress authorized the use of military force to drive Iraq out of Kuwait.

In 1997, the animated series “King of the Hill” premiered on the Fox TV network.

In 1998, nineteen European nations agreed to forbid human cloning.

In 2000, in a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Illinois v. Wardlow, gave police broad authority to stop and question people who run at the sight of an officer.

In 2005, NASA spacecraft Deep Impact blasted off on a mission to smash a hole in a comet and give scientists a glimpse of the frozen primordial ingredients of the solar system. (The probe crashed into Comet Tempel 1 in July 2005.)

In 2010, Haiti was struck by a magnitude-7 earthquake; the Haitian government says 316,000 people were killed, while a report prepared for the U.S. Agency for International Development suggests the death toll may have been between 46,000 and 85,000.

In 2020, a seven-alarm fire struck Bound Brook, NJ, causing heavy damage to two apartment houses under construction, as well as surrounding buildings.

Finally, on January 12th (year unknown), prop & set designer Jef Maynard, the “Toolmaster” of “Mystery Science Theater 3000” was born.

 

Also sadly, in 2023, singer/actress Lisa Marie Presley, the only daughter of Elvis Presley, died of a massive heart attack at age 54.

 

If I may...

ON JANUARY 13th:

In 1733, James Oglethorpe and some 120 English colonists arrived at Charleston, SC, while en route to settle in present-day Georgia.

In 1794, President George Washington approved a measure adding two stars and two stripes to the American flag, following the admission of Vermont and Kentucky to the Union. (The number of stripes was later reduced to the original 13.)

In 1864, songwriter Stephen Foster died in New York City at age 37.

In 1883, the Henrik Ibsen play "An Enemy of the People" was first performed in Christiania (Oslo), Norway.

In 1888, The National Geographic Society was founded in Washington, D.C.

In 1898, Emile Zola's famous defense of Capt. Alfred Dreyfus, "J'accuse," was published in Paris.

In 1915, a magnitude-7 earthquake centered in Avezzano, Italy, claimed some 30,000 lives.

In 1926, author Michael Bond, creator of Paddington Bear, was born in Newbury, Berkshire, England.

In 1939, the Universal Horror film “Son of Frankenstein” was released in the U.S. It starred Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Basil Rathbone and Lionel Atwill. It was also the last time Karloff played the Monster in a feature film.

In 1941, a new law went into effect granting Puerto Ricans U.S. birthright citizenship.

In 1942, actress Carol Cleveland, the First Lady of Python, was born in East Sheen, London.

In 1962, actor/comedian/TV pioneer Ernie Kovacs died in a car accident in west Los Angeles at age 42.

In 1964, Roman Catholic Bishop Karol Wojtyla, the future Pope John Paul II, was appointed Archbishop of Krakow, Poland, by Pope Paul VI.

In 1966, on “Bewitched”, the episode “And Then There Were Three” was broadcast on ABC-TV. It featured the birth of Sam and Darrin’s daughter, Tabitha.

In 1968, Johnny Cash performed two shows at Folsom State Prison in California. Segments of the performances would be released on a hit album later in the year.

In 1972, the John Wayne western “The Cowboys”, co-starring Bruce Dern and Roscoe Lee Browne, was released in the U.S.

In 1974, the Hammer Horror film “The Satanic Rites of Dracula” released in the UK. It was the last Hammer film to feature Christopher Lee as the Count, and the last Hammer film to co-star Lee and Peter Cushing.

In 1978, Senator/Vice-President Hubert H. Humphrey died in Waverly, MN, at age 66.

In 1982, an Air Florida 737 crashed into Washington, D.C.'s 14th Street Bridge and fell into the Potomac River after taking off during a snowstorm, killing a total of 78 people; four passengers and a flight attendant survived.

In 1990, L. Douglas Wilder of Virginia became the nation's first elected black governor as he took the oath of office in Richmond.

In 2000, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates stepped aside as chief executive and promoted company president Steve Ballmer to the position.

In 2002, "The Fantasticks" closed at the Sullivan Street Playhouse in New York's Greenwich Village. It was the longest-running musical in the world. It had begun production in 1960 and had been performed 17,162 times.

In 2009, actor/writer/director/producer Patrick McGoohan died in Santa Monica at age 80.

In 2012, the passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia sank off the coast of Italy due to the captain's negligence and irresponsibility, with 32 confirmed deaths.

In 2018, a false emergency alert warning of an impending missile strike in Hawaii, including messages via the media and the sounding of civil defense sirens, caused widespread panic in the state. (The incident was later blamed on miscommunication during a drill at the state’s Emergency Management Agency.)

 

If I may...

ON JANUARY 15:

In 1559, England's Queen Elizabeth I was crowned in Westminster Abbey.

In 1777, the people of New Connecticut declared their independence. (The republic later became the state of Vermont.)

In 1782, Superintendent of Finance Robert Morris went before the U.S. Congress to recommend establishment of a national mint and decimal coinage.

In 1862, the U.S. Senate confirmed President Abraham Lincoln's choice of Edwin M. Stanton to be the new Secretary of War, replacing Simon Cameron.

In 1865, during the closing months of the Civil War, the Second Battle of Fort Fisher near Wilmington, NC, ended as Union forces captured the "Gibraltar of the South," depriving the Confederates of their last major seaport.

In 1870, a political cartoon by for the first time symbolized the Democratic Party with a donkey. The cartoon was by Thomas Nast and appeared in “Harper’s Weekly”.

In 1889, the Coca-Cola Company, then known as the Pemberton Medicine Company, was incorporated in Atlanta, GA.

In 1892, Phys-Ed teacher James Naismith published the original rules of basketball, the games he’d developed the previous year.

Also in 1892, actor/director William Beaudine, best-known for his work with the Monogram and PRC film companies, was born in New York City.

In 1908, physicist Edward Teller was born in Budapest, Hungary. A member of the Manhattan Project, he would later be known to some as “the father of the hydrogen bomb”.

In 1913, actor Lloyd Bridges was born in San Leandro, CA. Years later, one of his characters would pick the wrong week to quit smoking. And drinking. And amphetamines. And sniffing glue.

In 1919, in Boston, a tank containing an estimated 2.3 million gallons of molasses burst, flooding the city’s North End, killing 21 people.

In 1920, Roman Catholic prelate John O’Connor was born in Philadelphia. He’d later serve as Bishop of Scranton, PA, and later as Archbishop of New York. He would also develop a friendship with Monsignor Ed Koch.

In 1927, actress Phyllis Coates, who was the first actress to play Lois Lane in “The Adventures of Superman”, was born in Wichita Falls, TX.

In 1929, pastor/civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, GA.

In 1936, actor Richard Franklin, well-known to Whovians for playing Mike Yates on “Doctor Who”, was born in Marylebone, London, England.

In 1943, work was completed on the Pentagon, headquarters of the U.S. Department of War (now Defense).

In 1947, actress/comedienne Andrea Martin was born in Portland, ME. Her tenure at a Melonville-based TV network would come later.

Also in 1947, the dismembered corpse of Elizabeth Short was found in Los Angeles. (Later known as the infamous “Black Dahlia” murder, the case remains unsolved.)

In 1948, singer/songwriter Ronnie Van Zant, lead singer and founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd was born in Jacksonville, FL.

In 1967, the Rolling Stones appeared on the "Ed Sullivan Show" on CBS-TV to sing "Let's Spend the Night Together." To satisfy censors, the lyrics were changed to "Let's Spend Some Time Together."

Also in 1967, the Green Bay Packers of the NFL defeated the Kansas City Chiefs of the AFL 35-10 in the first AFL-NFL World Championship Game, known later as Super Bowl I.

In 1969, the Soviet Union launched Soyuz 5, crewed by Boris Volynov, Aleksei Yeliseyev, and Yevgeny Khrunov. The mission would accomplish the first docking (with Soyuz 4) of two manned spacecraft.

In 1972, the EMS procedural series “Emergency!” premiered on NBC-TV. A semi-spin-off of “Adam-12”, it was also co-created by Jack Webb. It would go on to inspire a whole lot of people to become paramedics.

In 1973, President Richard Nixon announced the suspension of all U.S. offensive action in North Vietnam, citing progress in peace negotiations.

Also in 1973, actor/filmmaker Coleman Francis died in Hollywood, CA.

In 1974, the TV sitcom "Happy Days", starring Ron Howard, premiered on ABC-TV.

In 1976, Sara Jane Moore was sentenced to life in prison for attempting to assassinate President Gerald Ford the previous year. (She was released from prison in 2007.)

In 1981, the crime drama “Hill Street Blues” premiered on NBC-TV.

In 1989, NATO, the Warsaw Pact and 12 other European countries adopted a human rights and security agreement in Vienna, Austria.

In 1991, the United Nations deadline for the withdrawal of Iraqi forces from occupied Kuwait expired, preparing the way for the start of Operation Desert Storm.

In 1993, at a ceremony in Paris, the last of a group of 125 countries signed a treaty banning chemical weapons.

In 1996, location filming began in Vancouver for the “Doctor Who” TV-Movie.

In 2001, Wikipedia, a free Internet-based encyclopedia, went online. It would later be used as one of many sources by your humble correspondent.

In 2009, US Airways Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger ditched his Airbus 320 in the Hudson River after a flock of birds disabled both engines; all 155 people aboard survived.

In 2020, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in Japan.

In 2021, a 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia's Sulawesi Island, killing at least 105 people and injuring over 3,300 others.

 

If I may...

ON JANUARY 16th:

In 27 B.C., Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus was granted the title Augustus by the Roman Senate, marking the beginning of the Roman Empire.

In 1547, Ivan IV of Russia (popularly known as "Ivan the Terrible") was crowned Czar.

In 1707, The Scottish Parliament ratified the Act of Union, paving the way for the creation of Great Britain.

In 1786, Virginia enacted the Statute for Religious Freedom authored by Thomas Jefferson.

In 1862, two hundred and four men and boys were killed in the Hartley Colliery mining disaster in Northumberland, England, prompting a change in UK law which henceforth required all collieries to have at least two independent means of escape.

In 1865, Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman issued Special Field Order No. 15, which decreed that 400,000 acres of land in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida would be confiscated, divided into 40-acre lots and given to former slaves. (The order, which was later revoked by President Andrew Johnson, is believed to have inspired the expression, "Forty acres and a mule.")

In 1883, the U.S. Civil Service Commission was established.

In 1902, missionary/Olympic runner Eric Liddell was born in Tianjin, China.

In 1918, producer/screenwriter Stirling Silliphant was born in Detroit, MI. An Oscar-winner for the screenplay for “In the Heat of the Night”, he’s also known for his work on the TV series “Route 66” and “Naked City”, and for reportedly being one-half of the bet that brought the world “Manos, the Hands of Fate”.

In 1920, Prohibition began in the United States as the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution took effect, one year to the day after its ratification. (It was later repealed by the 21st Amendment.)

In 1935, fugitive gangster Fred Barker and his mother, Kate "Ma" Barker, were killed in a shootout with the FBI at Lake Weir, Florida.

In 1938, “King of Swing” Benny Goodman and his band performed a legendary jazz concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall.

In 1939, the radio adventure series “I Love a Mystery” premiered over the NBC West Coast network.

In 1942, actress Carole Lombard, age 33, her mother and about twenty other people were killed when their plane crashed near Las Vegas. They were returning from a war-bond promotion tour.

In 1944, the radio sit-com “The Life of Riley”, starring William Bendix, premiered on the NBC Blue Network (later known as ABC).

In 1948, filmmaker/composer John Carpenter was born in Carthage, NY.

In 1949, actress/model Caroline Munro was born in Windsor, Berkshire, England. She’d later co-star in “The Golden Voyage of Sinbad”, alongside past-Diabolik John Phillip Law and future-Doctor Tom Baker.

In 1957, three B-52's took off from Castle Air Force Base in California on the first non-stop, round-the-world flight by jet planes, which lasted 45 hours and 19 minutes.

Also in 1957, classical music conductor Arturo Toscanini died in New York at age 89.

In 1963, the Disney comedy “Son of Flubber”, starring Fred MacMurray, was released in the U.S.

In 1964, the musical "Hello, Dolly!" starring Carol Channing, opened on Broadway at the St. James Theater.

In 1966, the spy spoof “Our Man Flint”, starring James Coburn in the title role, was released in the U.S.

In 1971, the TV game show “Celebrity Bowling” premiered in syndication.

In 1973, the last first-run episode of the Western series "Bonanza" aired on NBC-TV.

In 1978, NASA named 35 candidates to fly on the space shuttle, including Sally K. Ride, who became America's first woman in space, and Guion S. Bluford Jr., who became America's first black astronaut in space.

In 1981, actor Bernard Lee, best-known for playing the original M in the James Bond films, died in London at age 73.

In 1989, three days of rioting began in Miami when a police officer fatally shot Clement Lloyd, a black motorcyclist, causing a crash that also claimed the life of Lloyd's passenger, Allan Blanchard. (The officer, William Lozano, was convicted of manslaughter, but then was acquitted in a retrial.)

In 1991, the White House announced the start of Operation Desert Storm to drive Iraqi forces out of Kuwait.

In 1995, “Caretaker”, the premiere episode of the sci-fi spin-off "Star Trek: Voyager" was broadcast on UPN-TV.

In 1997, actor/comedian Bill Cosby's 27-year-old son Ennis Cosby was murdered during the course of a robbery after he stopped to fix a flat tire along California’s Interstate 405 in Los Angeles.

In 2001, President Bill Clinton awarded former President Theodore Roosevelt a posthumous Medal of Honor for his service in the Spanish-American War.

In 2003, the NASA Space Shuttle Columbia took off for mission STS-107, its final mission.

In 2016, during a counter-attack following a hostage situation, 33 out of 126 freed hostages were injured and 23 killed in the city of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso in West Africa. The terrorist attack was carried out on a hotel and a nearby restaurant in the capital.

In 2017, aviator/engineer/astronaut Capt. Gene Cernan died in Houston at age 82. As an astronaut, he served as pilot on Gemini 9, as LM Pilot on Apollo 10, and as Mission Commander on Apollo 17. During the latter, he became the last man (to date) to walk on the Moon.

In 2020, the trial phase of the first impeachment of President Donald Trump formally began with the presentation on the Articles of Impeachment to the U.S. Senate.

 

Bonus:

 

If I may...

ON JANUARY 17th:

In 1562, French Protestants were recognized under the Edict of St. Germain.

In 1706, statesman and inventor Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston.

In 1781, Brigadier General Daniel Morgan and a mixed Patriot force routed British Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton and a group of Redcoats and Loyalists at the Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina.

In 1806, Thomas Jefferson's daughter, Martha, gave birth to James Madison Randolph, the first child born in the White House.

In 1867, producer Carl Laemmle, co-founder of Universal Pictures, was born in Laupheim, Wurttemberg, Germany.

In 1880, actor/director Mack Sennett, founder of Keystone Studios, was born in Danville, Quebec.

In 1893, Hawaii's monarchy was overthrown in a coup led by a group of American sugar planters.

Also in 1893, Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th president of the U.S., died in Fremont, OH, at age 70.

In 1904, Anton Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard” received its premiere performance at the Moscow Art Theatre. The “Gumby Theater” production would come along later.

In 1912, Capt. Robert Falcon Scott’s expedition reached the South Pole, one month after Roald Amundsen’s expedition.

In 1916, The Professional Golfers Association was formed in New York City.

In 1926, attorney and former FCC Chairman Newton Minow was born in Milwaukee, WI. He’s best-known for his 1961 speech referring to television as “a vast wasteland”.

In 1927, actress/singer Eartha Kitt was born in St. Matthews, SC.

In 1929, Popeye the Sailor first appeared in E.C. Segar’s comic strip “Thimble Theater”.

In 1931, actor James Earl Jones was born in Arkabutla, MS. His voice is somewhat familiar to a great many movie fans.

In 1933, actress/puppeteer Shari Lewis was born in the Bronx.

In 1944, during World War II, Allied forces launched the first of four assaults on Monte Cassino with the intention of breaking through the Winter Line and seizing Rome, an effort that would ultimately take four months and cost 105,000 Allied casualties.

In 1945, Soviet and Polish forces liberated Warsaw during World War II.

Also in 1945, Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, credited with saving tens of thousands of Jews during the Holocaust, was taken into Soviet custody in Budapest, Hungary. (His fate has never been determined.)

In 1946, The United Nations Security Council held its first meeting.

In 1949, the TV version of the radio serial “The Goldbergs” premiered on CBS-TV, the first sitcom on American television.

In 1950, 11 men stole more than $2 million from the Brinks Armored Car depot in Boston, MA.

In 1961, in his farewell address, President Dwight D. Eisenhower warned against "the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex."

In 1966, a B-52 bomber collided with a KC-135 jet tanker over Spain's Mediterranean coast, dropping three 70-kiloton hydrogen bombs near the town of Palomares and one in the sea.

In 1970, animator Genndy Tartakovski was born in Moscow, Russia. He’d later create the original animated “Clone Wars” series, and a certain bespectacled Boy Genius.

In 1977, convicted murderer Gary Gilmore was shot by a firing squad at Utah State Prison in the first execution in the U.S. in a decade.

In 1980, actress/singer/songwriter Zooey Deschanel was born in Los Angeles. She’d later appear in a movie about a wholly-remarkable book.

In 1994, a magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Southern California, killing at least 61 people and causing $20 billion worth of damage.

In 1995, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake devastated the city of Kobe, Japan; more than 6,000 people were killed.

In 1997, a court in Ireland granted the first divorce in the Roman Catholic country's history.

In 1998, President Bill Clinton became the first U.S. president to testify as a defendant in a criminal or civil suit when he answered questions from lawyers for Paula Jones, who had accused Clinton of sexual harassment.

In 2002, Mount Nyiragongo erupted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, displacing an estimated 400,000 people.

In 2010, rioting between Muslim and Christian groups in Jos, Nigeria, resulted in at least 200 deaths.