Post by Rhonda on Dec 19, 2007 3:45:57 GMT -5
December 15, 2007
About this Date
1874
The first reigning king to visit the United States, King David Kalakaua of the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii), was received by President Ulysses Grant.
1939
The epic film "Gone with the Wind" had its world premiere in Atlanta, introduced by its producer David O. Selznick.
1941
On Victor Records, Lena Horne recorded the classic torch song that became her signature: "Stormy Weather".
1942
The first plastic license plate tabs were issued by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities.
1944
World War II raged as news spread of that an airplane was lost somewhere over the English Channel between England and Paris. On the ill-fated aircraft was Major Glenn Miller, who was on his way to conduct his Air Force Band in a Christmas concert.
1949
After ten years on radio, "Captain Midnight" was heard for the last time.
1954
An audience of forty million watched television's Disneyland and, on this date saw the charming, lanky Fess Parker first portray the character of Davy Crockett. The United States' youth were entranced with Crockett (and his coon-skin cap), and there was a sudden and manic obsession for a man who had died almost 120 years earlier.
1961
In Israel, Adolf Eichmann, a Nazi SS colonel in World War II, was sentenced to death in Jerusalem for organizing the deportation of Jews to concentration camps.
1962
The Boston Celtics' Bob Cousy set a National Basketball Association record as he scored his 5,926th field goal. His career highlights included the NBA’s 1957 MVP Award, and the record set on March 21, 1953 for 30 free throws in one game when the Celtics played the Syracuse Nationals. Four of the free throws were made in overtime.
1965
United States spacecraft Gemini 6 and Gemini 7 achieved the first space rendezvous, flying side by side for two orbits.
1966
The world mourned the loss of animation genius Walt Disney, who died from acute circulatory collapse one month after having lung surgery. Disney would be best-remembered for his animation contributions, such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Bambi, Cinderella, Fantasia, and Pinocchio, for his wild-life documentaries, for his family-oriented motion pictures, such as Mary Poppins, Treasure Island, The Parent Trap, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and for his revolutionary fantasy-amusement park in California, Disneyland, with Disney World in Florida underway.
1970
The unmanned Soviet spacecraft Venera 7 landed on Venus.
1978
United States President Jimmy Carter announced he would establish diplomatic relations with China from January 1, 1979, and break off relations with Taiwan.
1980
Dave Winfield signed a ten-year contract with the New York Yankees for a paycheck between $1.3 and $1.5 million, making him the wealthiest player in United States team sport history. It was said the total package for the outfielder was worth over $22 million.
1983
The remaining 80 United States combat soldiers in Grenada withdrew. -- just over seven weeks after the United States-led invasion of the Caribbean island.
1986
In New York City, violinist Isaac Stern arrived in a horse-drawn carriage to cut the ribbon on the renovated Carnegie Hall.
1993
Delegations from 117 countries approved by consensus a GATT trade treaty aimed at opening up international markets.
1995
The United Nations Security Council authorized NATO to take over peacekeeping operations in Bosnia in a resolution spelling the end of one of the United Nations' toughest field missions.
1995
European Union leaders christened their planned new single currency the "Euro."
1998
A stagehand filed a $3 million lawsuit against the pop group Backstreet Boys, contending he was injured by a 50-pound cannon that fell on his head. Michael Barrett, 22, was seeking damages from the five-member group for injuries and emotional distress. Barrett, of Alexandria, was working backstage at Nissan Pavilion after a concert July 16. A line suspending the cannon - a stage prop that fires confetti - was untied after the show, "causing it to descend to the stage below at great speed," according to the lawsuit.
Birthdays
1892
J. [Jean] Paul Getty
oil magnate d: 1976
1904
Kermit Bloomgarden
Tony Award-winning producer d: 1976
1916
Buddy [Edwin] Cole
pianist d: 1964
1918
Jeff Chandler [Ira Grossel]
actor d: 1961
1920
Eddie Robinson
baseball
1922
Alan Freed
disc jockey d: 1965
1928
Ernest Ashworth
Country Music Hall of Famer
1928
Friedrich Hundertwasser
artist, printer, painter, ecologist d: 2000
1928
Jimmy Nelson
ventriloquist
1928
Jerry Wallace
singer
1931
Edna O’Brien
author
1933
Tim Conway
actor, comedian
1939
Cindy Birdsong
singer
1940
Nick Buoniconti
football
1942
Dave Clark
musician, drummer
1943
Pete Duranko
football
1944
Stan Bahnsen
baseball
1946
Carmine Appice
composer, drummer
1948
Doug Rau
baseball
1948
Charlie Scott
basketball
1949
Don Johnson [Wayne]
actor
1955
Paul Simonon
musician, bassist
1963
Helen Slater
actress
1968
Garrett Wang
actor
Music
1955
Sixteen Tons - Tennessee Ernie Ford
I Hear You Knocking - Gale Storm
Memories are Made of This - Dean Martin
That Do Make It Nice - Eddy Arnold
1963
Dominique - The Singing Nun
Louie Louie - The Kingsmen
You Don't Have to be a Baby to Cry - The Caravelles
Love's Gonna Live Here - Buck Owens
1971
Family Affair - Sly and the Family Stone
Have You Seen Her - Chi-Lites
Got to be There - Michael Jackson
Kiss an Angel Good Mornin' - Charley Pride
1980
Babe - Styx
Still - Commodores
Please Don't Go - KC & The Sunshine Band
Happy Birthday Darlin' - Conway Twitty
Today's Quote
Reach high, for the stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.
— Pamela Vaull Starr
About this Date
1874
The first reigning king to visit the United States, King David Kalakaua of the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii), was received by President Ulysses Grant.
1939
The epic film "Gone with the Wind" had its world premiere in Atlanta, introduced by its producer David O. Selznick.
1941
On Victor Records, Lena Horne recorded the classic torch song that became her signature: "Stormy Weather".
1942
The first plastic license plate tabs were issued by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities.
1944
World War II raged as news spread of that an airplane was lost somewhere over the English Channel between England and Paris. On the ill-fated aircraft was Major Glenn Miller, who was on his way to conduct his Air Force Band in a Christmas concert.
1949
After ten years on radio, "Captain Midnight" was heard for the last time.
1954
An audience of forty million watched television's Disneyland and, on this date saw the charming, lanky Fess Parker first portray the character of Davy Crockett. The United States' youth were entranced with Crockett (and his coon-skin cap), and there was a sudden and manic obsession for a man who had died almost 120 years earlier.
1961
In Israel, Adolf Eichmann, a Nazi SS colonel in World War II, was sentenced to death in Jerusalem for organizing the deportation of Jews to concentration camps.
1962
The Boston Celtics' Bob Cousy set a National Basketball Association record as he scored his 5,926th field goal. His career highlights included the NBA’s 1957 MVP Award, and the record set on March 21, 1953 for 30 free throws in one game when the Celtics played the Syracuse Nationals. Four of the free throws were made in overtime.
1965
United States spacecraft Gemini 6 and Gemini 7 achieved the first space rendezvous, flying side by side for two orbits.
1966
The world mourned the loss of animation genius Walt Disney, who died from acute circulatory collapse one month after having lung surgery. Disney would be best-remembered for his animation contributions, such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Bambi, Cinderella, Fantasia, and Pinocchio, for his wild-life documentaries, for his family-oriented motion pictures, such as Mary Poppins, Treasure Island, The Parent Trap, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and for his revolutionary fantasy-amusement park in California, Disneyland, with Disney World in Florida underway.
1970
The unmanned Soviet spacecraft Venera 7 landed on Venus.
1978
United States President Jimmy Carter announced he would establish diplomatic relations with China from January 1, 1979, and break off relations with Taiwan.
1980
Dave Winfield signed a ten-year contract with the New York Yankees for a paycheck between $1.3 and $1.5 million, making him the wealthiest player in United States team sport history. It was said the total package for the outfielder was worth over $22 million.
1983
The remaining 80 United States combat soldiers in Grenada withdrew. -- just over seven weeks after the United States-led invasion of the Caribbean island.
1986
In New York City, violinist Isaac Stern arrived in a horse-drawn carriage to cut the ribbon on the renovated Carnegie Hall.
1993
Delegations from 117 countries approved by consensus a GATT trade treaty aimed at opening up international markets.
1995
The United Nations Security Council authorized NATO to take over peacekeeping operations in Bosnia in a resolution spelling the end of one of the United Nations' toughest field missions.
1995
European Union leaders christened their planned new single currency the "Euro."
1998
A stagehand filed a $3 million lawsuit against the pop group Backstreet Boys, contending he was injured by a 50-pound cannon that fell on his head. Michael Barrett, 22, was seeking damages from the five-member group for injuries and emotional distress. Barrett, of Alexandria, was working backstage at Nissan Pavilion after a concert July 16. A line suspending the cannon - a stage prop that fires confetti - was untied after the show, "causing it to descend to the stage below at great speed," according to the lawsuit.
Birthdays
1892
J. [Jean] Paul Getty
oil magnate d: 1976
1904
Kermit Bloomgarden
Tony Award-winning producer d: 1976
1916
Buddy [Edwin] Cole
pianist d: 1964
1918
Jeff Chandler [Ira Grossel]
actor d: 1961
1920
Eddie Robinson
baseball
1922
Alan Freed
disc jockey d: 1965
1928
Ernest Ashworth
Country Music Hall of Famer
1928
Friedrich Hundertwasser
artist, printer, painter, ecologist d: 2000
1928
Jimmy Nelson
ventriloquist
1928
Jerry Wallace
singer
1931
Edna O’Brien
author
1933
Tim Conway
actor, comedian
1939
Cindy Birdsong
singer
1940
Nick Buoniconti
football
1942
Dave Clark
musician, drummer
1943
Pete Duranko
football
1944
Stan Bahnsen
baseball
1946
Carmine Appice
composer, drummer
1948
Doug Rau
baseball
1948
Charlie Scott
basketball
1949
Don Johnson [Wayne]
actor
1955
Paul Simonon
musician, bassist
1963
Helen Slater
actress
1968
Garrett Wang
actor
Music
1955
Sixteen Tons - Tennessee Ernie Ford
I Hear You Knocking - Gale Storm
Memories are Made of This - Dean Martin
That Do Make It Nice - Eddy Arnold
1963
Dominique - The Singing Nun
Louie Louie - The Kingsmen
You Don't Have to be a Baby to Cry - The Caravelles
Love's Gonna Live Here - Buck Owens
1971
Family Affair - Sly and the Family Stone
Have You Seen Her - Chi-Lites
Got to be There - Michael Jackson
Kiss an Angel Good Mornin' - Charley Pride
1980
Babe - Styx
Still - Commodores
Please Don't Go - KC & The Sunshine Band
Happy Birthday Darlin' - Conway Twitty
Today's Quote
Reach high, for the stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.
— Pamela Vaull Starr