Headlines & Tidbits from the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s & 80s
World News & the American Experience:
1943 – The Casablanca Conference took place in Morocco, where the leaders of the Allies put together a strategy that would call for surrender of the Axis powers.
1943 – The world’s largest office building, the Pentagon, was completed.
1948 – Mohandas Mahatma Gandhi began his final fast.
1979 – Los Angeles’ Hillside Strangler, Kenneth Bianchi, arrested.
Movies & TV:
1949 – “Arthur Godfrey and His Friends” premiered on CBS-TV.
1949 – “Kukla, Fran and Ollie”, made its national debut on NBC-TV.
1952 – The very first “Today” show was broadcast on NBC-TV with Dave Garroway and Jack Lescoulie.
1966 – “Batman” with Adam West and Burt Ward debuted on ABC-TV.
1971 – “All In the Family” debuted on CBS-TV.
1972 – The first showing of “Sanford and Son” was broadcast on NBC-TV.
1973 – Elvis Presley’s “Aloha From Hawaii” broke the record for the largest audience for one television show, with one billion viewers in 40 countries.
1973 – NBC broadcasted the 440th and final showing of “Bonanza.”
1976 – The “Donny & Marie” musical variety show premiered on ABC TV.
1980 – “Blues Brothers” movie with Dan Akroyd and John Belushi opened.
1981 – “Dynasty” premiered on ABC-TV.
Music & Radio:
1945 – CBS radio debuted “House Party” with Art Linkletter. The show lasted for 22 years, between its radio and television shows.
1962 – Chubby Checker’s “The Twist” went to #1 for the second time in two years.
1965 – The Who released their first album “I Can’t Explain.”
1966 – David Bowie released “Can’t Help Thinking About Me,” his first record.
1967 – Sonny & Cher released “Beat Goes On.”
1969 – “Lady Samantha,” one of the very first recordings by Elton John, was released by Philips records.
1974 – “Happy Days” premiered on ABC and lasted for 11 years.
1984 – Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” became the all-time best- selling LP with ten million copies sold. It was at #1 on the Billboard charts for a record breaking 37 weeks, and produced 7 top-10 singles.
1985 – Prince’s “Purple Rain” spent 24 weeks at the # 1 spot.
1988 – George Michael’s “Faith” climbed to #1 and stayed there for 16 weeks.
Arts & Entertainment:
1963 – The Whisky-A-Go-Go opened on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles.
1964 – “Hello Dolly!” opened at the St. James Theatre in New York City. It ran for 2,844 performances.
Celebrity Headlines:
1954 – Marilyn Monroe married Joe DiMaggio.
1957 – Humphrey Bogart died from cancer at 57 years of age.
1985 – Leonard Nimoy, Dr. Spock from “Star Trek,” got his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
1986 – Donna Reed died of cancer at 64 years of age.
Sports:
1960 – Lamar Clark set professional boxing record of 44 consecutive knockouts.
1966 – Red Auerbach won his 1,000th game as coach of NBA Boston Celtics.
Technology & Inventions:
1957 – The Wham-O Company introduced America to the Frisbee. Originally it was called the “Pluto Platter,” invented by Walter “Fred” Morrison.
Automobile News:
1942 – Henry Ford patented the plastic automobile.
Famous Birthdays:
1929 – Martin Luther King Jr.
1931 – James Earl Jones
1933 – Shari Lewis (Hurwitz), puppeteer
1936 – Ron Harper, actor
1939 – Maury Povich
1941 – (Dorothy) Faye Dunaway, actress
1942 – Muhammad Ali
1944 – Joe Frazier, World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, 1970 – 1973
1948 – Ronnie Van Zant, Lynyrd Skynyrd
1951 – Rush Limbaugh
1954 – Howard Stern
1960 – Oliver Platt, actor
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