Thursday, September 30, 2010

Last Day of September

National Mud Pack Day - No, I will not be celebrating...at least not on purpose, it has been raining a lot around here, I may slip and end up in the mud.

1955 – Actor, James Dean, was killed in a head on car accident at the age of 24. Two others involved in the accident survived.
1902 – Rayon was patented.
1889 – Wyoming approved their constitution which included giving women the right to vote.
1868 – Louisa May Alcott published the first volume of Little Women.  It was an instant hit.

Births on this day:
   Dominique Moceanu (1981), gymnast. In 1996, she became the youngest American gymnast to win a gold medal.
   Jenna Elfman (1971), actress best known as Dharma in the TV series Dharma and Greg.
   Crystal Bernard (1964), actress best know for her role in the TV series Wings, as well as her made for TV movie roles.
   Fran Drescher (1957), actress known for her nasal voice seen in TV series, The Nanny, and the feature film, The Beautician and the Beast.
   Barry Williams (1954), actor best known as the cool BMOC, Greg on The Brady Bunch.
   Johnny Mathis (1935), smooth voiced singer (who even got my mom’s knees) known for the song Chances Are.
   Angie Dickinson (1931), actress known as Pepper in the really old TV series Police Woman.
   Truman Capote (1924), writer who wrote several stories including  novella, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and the non-fiction novel In Cold Blood.
   Deborah Kerr (1921), classy actress seen in movies The King and I and one of my favorite films, An Affair to Remember.
   Buddy Rich (1917), drummer, in his time, he was billed as the “world’s greatest drummer”.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Confucius Say...

Confucius Day – Confucius say….fill in the blank as it suits you. He pretty much said everything.

HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS:
1988 – Stacy Allison (Portland, OR) became the highest woman on Earth. She is the first woman to climb and reach Mount Everest.
1982 – Extra Strength Tylenol Capsules began killing and sickening people in the Chicago, IL area. By October 1st, six had been killed and Tylenol would be pulled from the US’s retail shelves. The poisoner would never be caught but tamper proof packaging would begin to be found EVERYWHERE.
1954 – “The Greatest Catch in Baseball History” happened on this day. Willie Mays caught a would be home run fly ball by Vic Wertz. He caught the ball running to the back wall (his back to home plate), his arm reaching above his head. The ball just seemed to aim to his glove, like a pair of magnets who hadn’t seen each other in years.
1942 – JFK sent a letter to family friend, Clare Booth Luce, to thank her for a “good luck coin”. Tomorrow, Kennedy would leave for WWII duty station in the Pacific Ocean. This could be the only thing that kept Kennedy alive when his ship was attacked in August, 1942. Thanks Clare. I wonder, did he lose that coin in the fall of 1963?
1913 – Rudolf Diesel, inventor of the engine he claimed was the most efficient (of its time) dissappeared from the ship he was traveling on. His body was later found floating in the North Sea. His death was ruled a suicide but many felt he was murdered possibly by the British Government (patent issues) or Big Oil (efficent engine).
1780 –John Andre was hanged on this day as a British spy. His capture revealed the traitor, Benedict Arnold.


Emily Lloyd
1970
Actress
Wish You Were Here; A River Runs Through It; The Conservatory
Bryant Gumbel
1948
TV Journalist
The Today Show; The Early Show
Jerry Lee Lewis
1935
Singer
Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On; Great Balls of Fire; Chantilly Lace (1971)
Trevor Howard
1916
Actor
Odette; The Last Remake of Beau Geste; Superman (1978);  Around the World in Eighty Days; Mutiny on the Bounty; Father Goose; The Unholy
Stanley Kramer
1913
Director; Producer
The Defiant Ones; Inherit the Wind; Judgement at Nuremburg; Ship of Fools; Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner; High Noon; Death of a Salesman
Gene Autry
1907
Actor
Known as the “Singing Cowboy”; Back in the Saddle Again; Tumbling Tumbleweeds; You Are My Sunshine; Have I Told You Lately That I Love You; Also wrote Here Comes Santa Claus and made it a hit Christmas song; also, Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Enrico Fermi
1901
Scientist
Worked on the development of the first nuclear reactor, quantum theory, statistical mechanics and nuclear and particle physics.
Horatio Nelson
1758
British Admiral
The most celebrated naval hero in Britain.
Miguel de Cervantes
1547
Writer
Wrote 12 short stories and 3 (or 4) Novels the story known as Don Quixote was written in two volumes 10 years apart.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Rabbits Like Apples

International Rabbit Day – Have a picnic with your pet rabbit, I don’t recommend having your pet rabbit for your picnic, PETA would frown upon it.
Johnny Appleseed Day – John Chapman was born on this day in 1774. He planted apple trees throughout the west – Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Indiana.

HISTORICAL ANNIVERSARIES:
1914 - The Federal Trade Commission was established to prevent unfair methods of competition in commerce.
2008 – Paul Newman, one of the best loved actors in Hollywood appearing in classics such as The Sting, The Verdict and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Gotta love those blue eyes.
1969 – They came into our homes on a lilting tune, “Here’s the story, of a lovely lady…” you know the rest. The Brady Bunch premiered  on ABC and showed 177 episodes before it was cancelled. It really has never left the airwaves.
1960 – Debates are virtually required for a presidential run, this is the anniversary of the first Kennedy/Nixon Debate.
1957 – West Side Story, composed by Leonard Bernstein, opened on Broadway. With the unfortunate coincidence of forced integration in the south happening at the same time, It received mixed reviews and only two Tony Awards (choreography and set design).
1928 – Galvin Manufacturing Corporation in Chicago officially began work. Using the basis of a previous venture, Paul Galvin began producing Motorola (motor meaning cars in motion and ola to make people think music, like in Victrola) Radios.
1820 – Daniel Boone, frontiersman, died in his sleep at home near Defiance MO at the age of 86.
1580 – Francis Drake, English seaman, became the first person to sail around the globe from Plymouth, England to, yep, Plymouth, England. The voyage took just over 9-1/2 months. I wonder how he proved it, cameras and video recorders hadn’t been invented yet. I guess they took his word for it.

HISTORICAL BIRTHS:
James Caviezel (1968) – His most controversial role of Jesus in The Passion of the Christ, but I really liked him in Frequency.
Linda Hamilton (1956) – Will be known as Sarah Conner from The Terminator series for the rest of her life. One of my favorite films she was in was Dante’s Peak or her role on the TV series, Beauty and the Beast.
Jane Smiley (1949) – Author most known for her fiction novels like Good Faith and A Thousand Acres but also writes non-fiction like Charles Dickens.
Olivia Newton-John (1947) – British singer who has had hits throughout the world with songs like I Honestly Love You, Have You Ever Been Mellow, Please, Mister, Please along with her movie career including Grease, Xanadu and A Mom for Christmas.
Lynn Anderson (1947) – Country music singe whose first #1 hit was (I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden.
Jack LaLanne (1914) – Motivational speaker who has been called the “Godfather of Fitness” . He said, “I can’t afford to die, it will ruin my image.”
George Gershwin (1898) – Composer known for his work for with his brother Ira including Broadway musicals Strike Up the Band, Funny Face and Let ‘em Eat Cake and film scores of Shall We Dance, Delicious and The Goldwyn Follies.
T.S. Eliot (1888) – Poet of such works as The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, The Waste Land and Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, which is the basis of the long running Broadway musical Cats.
Johnny Chapman (1774) – Known as Johnny Appleseed. Was a nurseryman by trade who went on the road planting trees.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Air Crashes, Gangrene, Ethan Allen and an Old Pitcher

National Comic Book Day

1981 – Sandra Day O’Connor became the first female US Supreme Court Justice.
1978 – A Cessna, with a pilot in training, and a Boeing 727 with 144 people aboard collided in mid-air over San Diego. 7 people on the ground were killed along with all Pacific Airwest passengers and crew and the people in the Cessna.
1970 – The Partridge Family starring Shirley Jones and her step-son David Cassidy premiered on ABC.
1965 – Satchel Paige, 59-year old KC Athletics pitcher, pitched 3 innings, with only 1 hit. The oldest  pitcher (at the time) to play a major league game.
1957 -  Little Rock, Arkansas school, Central High School was integrated. 9-black students began school with the help of the US Army’s 101st Airborne Division.
1867 – Oliver Loving died of gangrene. He had been trapped by Commanche braves and, while escaping, was shot. He made it to Fort Sumner, only to develop and infection. The Fort’s doctor had never amputated and declined to start with Loving.
1775 – Ethan Allan was captured by British forces. Once identified, he was shipped to England to be executed, which he was not ‘cause the British were afraid of reprisals.

1969 – Catherine Zeta-Jones, Actress, Bugsy Malone, The Phantom, The Mask of Zorro, Entrapment, The Haunting.
1968 – Will Smith, Actor, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Independence Day, Wild Wild West,  I am Legend, Enemy of the State.
1961 – Heather Locklear, Actress, Dynasty, T.J.Hooker, Melrose Place, Spin City.
1952 – Christopher Reeve, Actor, Somewhere in Time, Superman, Deathtrap, The Aviator, Anna Karenina. (Roles he turned down: American Gigolo, The World According to Garp, Splash, Fatal Attraction, Pretty Woman, Romancing the Stone, Lethal Weapon, Body Heat, The Bounty).
1951 – Mark Hamill, Actor, The Partridge Family (1971 episode), Star Wars, Slipstream, Reeseville, now does lots of voice over work.
1947 – Cheryl Tiegs, Model, Seen on covers of Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, ELLE, Time and Vogue.. Also appeared in The Brown Bunny.
1944 – Michael Douglas, Actor, Hail, Hero!, Coma, Romancing the Stone, The China Syndrome, Wall Street, Wonder Boys,  Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, Liberace.
1931 – Barbara Walters, TV Journalist, 20/20, ABC News, The View.
1917 – Phil Rizzuto, Baseball Player/Sportscaster. Yankee shortstop. As a sportscaster is known for his trademark yell “Holy Cow!”.
1897 – William Faulker, Writer, Soldiers’ Pay, The Sound and the Fury, Absalom, Absalom, As I Lay Dying.

Friday, September 24, 2010

American Cherries

Native American Day
National Cherries Jubilee Day

HAPPY BIRTHDAY…
                Nia Vardalos (1962) actress and screenwriter responsible for My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Connie and Carla and I Hate Valentine’s Day.
                Phil Hartman (1948-1998) comedian know for his 8-year stint on Saturday Night Live and his role on NewsRadio.
                Linda Eastman (1941) fashion designer, heiress to the Lindner Department Store fortune and former wife of The Beatles  singer, Paul McCarney.
                Jim Henson (1936-1990) producer and creator of The Muppets, The Muppet Movie and a leading source behind Sesame Street.
                James McManus (1921-2008) Known to most as Jim McKay. Often recognized voice during ABC’s Wide World of Sports and 12 Olympic Games.
                Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald (1896-1940) St. Paul, MN native author finished four novels of the 1920’s including The Great Gatsby and Tender is the Night. His unfinished, The Love of the Last Tycoon, was publish after his death.
                John Marshall (1775-1835)  Fourth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States of America. He is the Longest serving Chief Justice in the Court’s history serving over 30 years.

HISTORICAL ANNIVERSARIES…
                1996 – Desperation and The Regulators were released today, one by Stephen King and the other, Richard Bachmann. Those of you who don’t know, they are the same man.
                1988 – Canadian, Ben Johnson, won gold at the 1988 Summer Olympics running the 100-yard dash in 9.79 seconds. Three days later he was stripped of the award having tested positive for steroids.
                1971 – Game Warden, Neil LaFeve, was murdered while on the job by repeat poacher, Brian Hussong.
1969 – The “Chicago Seven” went on trial for conspiracy to incite a riot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. The group included Bobby Seale, Abbie Hoffman and Tom Hayden.
                1948 – Soichiro Honda incorporated Honda Motor Company in Japan. Before incorporation the company was famous for its motorcycles.
                1890 – Polygamy was officially renounced by The Mormon Church.
1789 – Article 3 of the US Constitution (Judiciary Act of 1789) established the US Supreme Court. All 6 appointed justices were confirmed with John Jay as Chief Justice. 

Thursday, September 23, 2010

King Me

Checkers Day and Dogs in Politics Day
A great day to play checkers and to remember Richard Nixon’s “Checkers” speech in which Nixon explained some issues with mishandling certain campaign contributions. It Is called the Checkers speech because he mentioned that the girls had received a dog and they named it Checkers.

HISTORIES:
1972 – Mac Davis hit #1 with a “chauvinistic” little ditty (I personally don’t think it is that bad) called Baby Don’t Get Hooked On Me
1964 – Artist, Marc Chagall, revealed his painted ceiling at the Paris Opera House.
1875 – Billy the Kid was arrested for the first time for stealing a basket of laundry.
1846 – The planet Neptune was discovered by German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle.
1806 – Lewis and Clark returned to St Louis, MO after a two and a half year exploration of the western US.

BIRTHDAYS
1959 – Jason Alexander, actor – most known from his role as Jerry’s friend George Costanza in the TV series Seinfeld.
1949 – Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen, singer/songwriter – Is known as “The Boss” who had outstanding success with albums, Born to Run and Born in the USA.
1943 – Julio Jose Iglesias de la Cueva, singer – He has been making music since (at least) 1969 including To All The Girls I’ve Loved Before.
1930 – Ray Charles Robinson, singer/songwriter – Singer from Georgia who sang Georgia On My Mind onto the charts as well as Hit The Road Jack and You Are My Sunshine.
1930 – Joseph Yule, Jr, actor – As famous for marrying 8 times as well as the movies he made under the name Mickey Rooney including the Andy Hardy series, National Velvet, Words and Music and Breakfast at Tiffany’s, just a few of his over 300 credits!!!
1897 – Walter Pidgeon, actor – Made a successful move from silents to talkies for a career spanning 1926 to 1978 with credits in Mrs. Miniver, Forbidden Planet and Funny Girl.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Punch In

National Punch Day

1975 – Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell debuted on NBC featuring a new Scottish band called The Bay City Rollers.
1973 – Battle of the Sexes is played out on the tennis court between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. “Women Won”.
1946 – The First Cannes Film Festival opened in Cannes, France.
1519 – Ferdinand Magellan set sail from Spain in search of the western sea. Two months later, he wept at the sight of the Pacific Ocean.

BIRTHDAYS:
Kristen Johnston (1967), actress known for her role in 3rd Rock from the Sun.
Crispin Glover (1964), actor who is best known as George McFly in Back to the Future.
Gary Cole (1957), actor who brought Mr. Brady to the big screen.
Guy LaFleur (1951), NHL Hockey Player
Sophia Loren (1934), actress. See her in Quo Vadis, Two Women, Houseboat and Grumpier Old Men.
Joyce Bauer (1928), psychologist known as Dr. Joyce Brothers. First brought to the forefront when she won The $64,000 Question in 1955. And has brought psychology out of the closet by appearing in dozens of TV shows.
Upton Sinclair (1878), writer of novels featuring Lanny Budd including World’s End, The Presidential Agent and The Return of Lanny Budd. Oh, yeah, he also wrote The Jungle  and The Gnomobile.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

ARRGGH, Women Love Butterscotch Pudding

International Talk Like a Pirate Day
National Butterscotch Pudding Day
National Women’s Friendship Day

HISTORICALS:
1995 – The Unibomber’s manifesto was published in the Washington Post. David Kaczynski recognized the writing style and turned in his brother, Ted Kaczynski.
 1973 – Previous member of  the bands The Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers, Gram Parsons,  died of a drug overdose. He body was then ‘stolen’ along with a hearse, driven to Joshua Tree National Park and set ablaze.
1957 – The first underground nuclear explosion occurred at the Nevada Test Site.
1955 – Argentinian President Juan Peron was overthrown by a military coup.
1893 – Women were granted the right to vote in New Zealand, the first country in the world to do so.
1881 – Eighty days after being shot, President  Garfield died from blood poisoning. His assassin was caught and hanged in 1882.

BIRTHDAYS
Jimmy Fallon (1974), actor/comedian/talk show host.
Joan Lunden (1951), ex-host of ABC’s Good Morning America.
Leslie Lawson (1946), model/actress who is known by the name Twiggy.
Cass Elliot (1941), member of the folk band Mamas and the Papas.
Paul Williams (1940), singer/songwriter of such ditties as: You and Me Against the World, We’ve Only Just Begun, Rainy Days and Mondays, An Old Fashioned Love Song, Rainbow Connection, Tiptoe Through the Tulips, and MANY more. As an actor you can catch him in Battle for the Planet of the Apes, Smokey and the Bandit and The Muppet Movie, not to mention his many TV series guest starring roles.
David McCallum (1933), actor seen in  The Man From U.N.C.L.E and NCIS.
Rosemary Harris (1930), actress seen in Spider Man, The Boys from Brazil, Is Anybody There?.
Adam West (1929), the original “Batman”.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Beer and Burgers

National Cheeseburger Day
Oktoberfest Begins

BORN ON THIS DAY:
Lance Armstrong (1971), Bicyclist.  Frankie Avalon (1939), Singer of Venus and actor in films with Annette Funicello like Beach Blanket BingoRobert Blake (1933 ), actor most famous for his role in BarettaJohn H Lebzelter (1920), gruff-voiced actor seen in 12 Angry Men, From Here to Eternity and While You Were Sleeping using the name Jack WardenGreta Garbo (1905), Sweedish actress known for her silent films, sound films and the fact that she wanted to be left alone.  Agnes DeMille (1905), dancer/choreographer known for her work in ballet and in films like Paint Your Wagon and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

HAPPENINGS ON THIS DAY:
1975 – Patty Hearst was arrested in San Francisco, CA  for armed robbery. She had been kidnapped 18 months earlier from her home in Berkeley, CA. Was she a captor or conspirator?
1973 – Three years before being elected President of the United States, Jimmy Carter Filed a report with NICAP that he saw a flying saucer (UFO) in October 1969.
1961 – Dag Hammarskjold, the second Secretary-General to the UN, was killed, along with 15 others, in a mysterious plane crash in what is now known as Zambia.
1917 – Aldous Husley was hired by Eton to be a schoolmaster. Nearly blind, Huxley would teach and write the rest of his life. Books include Crome Yellow, Antic Hay and his masterpiece, Brave New World. When he moved to California, he wrote screenplays including Jane Eyre(1944), Pride and Prejudice (1940).
1846 – A group of settlers realize that their trek across the Sierra Nevada and send two men ahead of them to get food and bring back to the group. Apparently, the two men never made it back. We all know what happened to the Donner Party.
1793 – The cornerstone for the US Capitol building was laid on this day by George Washington. It would be nearly 100 years to complete.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Mayflowers Rock Plymouth

Collect Rocks Day – Geologists unite! If you don’t like rocks celebrate with Rocky Road Ice Cream!
Step-Family Day – Families that marry into families, CELEBRATE!
Mayflower Day – Mayflower set sail for America from England on this day.
Mexican Independence Day – Mexicans revolted from their ruling country Spain led by Father Miguel Hidalgo.
National Play Doh Day – Invented by Joseph McVicker for his pre-school teacher sister-in-law.
Working Parents Day – For all you parents that both work and can’t be with your kids 24/7.

BIRTHDAYS:
1964 – Molly Shannon, Saturday Night Live comedian and actress.
1958 – Orel Hershiser, Major League Baseball pitcher who began and ended his career with the LA Dodgers.
1956 – David Copperfield, world class magician.
1949 – Ed Begley, Jr, 6’4” actor seen on screens of many sizes.
1927 – Peter Falk, Columbo actor. He also appeared in over 100 other features.
1926 – John Knowles, writer of A Separate Peace, his breakout novel.
1924 – B.B. King, blues singer and guitarist listed #3 on the Top 100 guitarists of all time behind Jimi Hendrix and Duane Allman.
1924 – Betty Joan Perske, actress seen in many classic films including How to Marry a Millionaire using the name Lauren Bacall.
1832 – George Washington Custis Lee, future General for the Confederate States of America and son of Robert E. and Mary Custis Lee.

HISTORY:
1977 – Maria Callas, the first opera star dubbed “La Divina” or “diva” meaning goddess, died at the age of 53.
1932 – Gandhi began a fast protesting caste separation in the Indian government as proclaimed by the ruling British.
1908 – General Motors was incorporated by William Durant, head of Buick Motor Company.
1893 – An official of the US Government shot a gun into the air opening the land grab in Oklahoma to more than 100,000 possible settlers.
1845 – In an attempt to consolidate command after the killing of Mormon leader Joseph Smith, an alleged Christian spy named Phineas Wilcox was murdered (on order of new leader Brigham Young?) before Young moved his Mormon followers to Utah.
1620 – Heading for Virginia, The Mayflower and it 102 passengers leave Plymouth, England. In case you missed that day in history class, they landed in Massachusetts, Plymouth, Mass. Oops, the navigator should have been fired.

Monday, September 13, 2010

I Found a Positive Superstition in My PeanutButter Fortune Cookie

Defy Superstition Day                    Fortune Cookie Day
National Peanut Day                    Positive Thinking Day

2004 – Oprah Winfrey shocked her audience of 276 people and handed them each keys to a new Pontiac.
1990 – Law and Order, the cop/lawyer drama debuted on NBC. Today, 20 years later, you can see the original or one of its spin-offs somewhere, sometime on television.
1943 – Chaing Kai-Shek was elected president of China.
1936 – 17-year old phenom, “Rapid” Robert Feller struck out 17 batters for the Cleveland Indians. He only allowed 2 hits during the entire game. He also holds the record for ‘winning’ more games than any other Cleveland Indian pitcher. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame the first year he was eligible (1962) one of only two pitchers  to do so.
1814 – The words to the poem which would become the National Anthem of the United States of America, The Defence of Fort McHenry or The Star Spangled Banner, were written by Francis Scott Key on this day after the author watched a battle during The War of 1812.
1788 – The first capitol of the US was announced today…drumroll please…and the winner is….NYC.

1980 – Ben Savage, Little Monsters and  Boy Meets World actor.
1959 – Fred Silverman, producer of television series such as All in the Family; The Waltons,  Charlies Angels; Roots; Shogun and my personal favorite Scooby-Doo.
1944 – Peter Cetera, singer and member of the band Chicago, writing such songs as Where Do We Go From Here?.
1944 – Jacqueline Bisset, British actress seen in such classic films as The Deep; Airport; Bullitt; Casino Royal (she played Miss Goodthighs); Murder on the Orient Express; The Spiral Staircase; Who is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? among others.
1938 – Judith Martin, author better known as “Miss Manners”
1925 – Mel Torme, singer and songwriter known as “The Velvet Fog”. The Christmas Song is one of my favorites by him…”Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose…”
1916 – Roald Dahl, author of children's books including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Gene Wilder rules as Willie Wonka) and James and the Giant Peach. He also wrote the screenplays to his Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Ian Fleming’s stories Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and You Only Live Twice.
1903 – Claudette Colbert, actress who received and Oscar award for It Happened One Night and nominations for Since You Went Away and Private Worlds.
1860 – John J Pershing, Army General during World War I. He is the only person ever to be promoted to General of the Armies (the highest rank held) in his lifetime. (Trivia fact 2: Service number O-1)
1851 – Walter Reed, physician. As a Major in the US Army he confirmed his theory that Yellow Fever was transmitted by mosquitoes. This created new medical fields of epidemiology and biomedicine. Has several hospitals and clinics, a medal and even a song for him.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Grandparent's Day

GRANDPARENT’S DAY
National Pet Memorial Day          Chocolate Milkshake Day

1993 – The Lacey V Murrow Bridge over Lake Washington in Seattle was rebuilt after being destroyed by a flood. Originally built in 1938 and was the first concrete floating bridge in the world. I guess the first one floated away.
1978 – Ruben Studdard, second season American Idol winner, was born in Frankfurt, Germany.
1972 – William Boyd, aka Hopalong Cassidy died at the age of 77.
1957 – Rachel Ward, actress seen in The Thorn Birds, was born in Chipping North, Oxfordshire, England.
1953 – John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Jacqueline Lee Bouvier were married in Newport, Rhode Island.
1951 – Sugar Ray Robinson defeated British native, Randy Turpin to win back his middleweight championship belt.
1944 – Barry White, singer of Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe and songwriter to the unheralded, under appreciated band ,The Banana Splits, was born in Galveston, TX.
1940 – Four unwitting French teens, following their dog, discovered a cave filled with 15,000-17,000-year-old cave drawings. There are 600 painted and 1,500 engravings in the stone wals, mostly of animals. The only ‘human’ figure had a bird head and ‘was a happy boy’.
1942 – Linda Gray, actress known for her role as Sue Ellen Ewing on Dallas, was born Santa Monica, CA.
1913 – Jesse Owens, athlete and Olympic star, was born in Oakville, AL.
1888 – Maurice Chevalier, actor seen in Gigi singing Thank Heaven For Little Girls, was born in Menilmontant, Paris, France.
1846 – Elizabeth Barret and Robert Browning eloped and lived happily for 15 years until her death (of a LONG undiagnosable-for-the-time illness) at the age of 55.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

9/11

Better Breakfast Month
Make Your Bed Day                        No News is Good News Day

2001 – Several planes are hijacked by Muslim extremists. Two aimed for the World Trade Center, each plane hitting one of the skyscrapers. One plane crashed into the Pentagon. The fourth plane was apparently heading toward the White House when passengers hijacked the hijackers and the plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. No one in the US is untouched by this terrorist attack.
1971 – Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev died.
1962 – Love Me Do was recorded by The Beatles, their first.
1921 – Silent screen star, Fatty Arbuckle was arrested for the murder of a young actress named Virginia Rappe. Although acquitted, the accusations killed his career.
1915 – Emily Post, a fledgling writer, published the second in a series of automobile themed essays called By Motor to the Fair, a memoir of her 27-day trip from NYC to San Francisco to visit the Panama-Pacific Exposition.

BIRTHDAYS:
1967 – Harry Connick Jr, singer/actor who appeared in the films Hope Floats, Memphis Belle and Copycat. And, in case you dind’t know, he has killer dimples.
1964 – Kristy McNichol, actress appeared in the TV series’, Family and Empty Nest and films like Little Darlings, Blinded by the Light, The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia, Only When I Laugh and Love, Mary.
1940 – Brian DePalma, filmmaker known for his suspense films including Carrie, and Dressed to Kill as well as blockbusters such as The Untouchables and Mission: Impossible.
1924 – Tom Landry, Dallas Cowboys’ coach.
1913 – Paul “Bear” Bryant, Football coach.
1862 – William S. Porter, short story writer who used the pen name, O Henry. His stories are best remembered with twist endings like The Gift of the Magi, The Ransom of Red Chief and A Retrieved Reformation.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Swap Ideas, Use a Sewing Machine and Improve Yourself

Self Improvement Month
Sewing Machine Day                      Swap Ideas Day

1977 – Damida Djandoubi, a man convicted of murder in France, was the last person executed by guillotine just 185 years after it was first used on a highwayman in revolutionary France.
1897 – George Smith was arrested for drunk driving after slamming his taxi cab into a London building. If he had been fined more than just 25 shillings, maybe there wouldn’t be as big a problem with driving under the influence now.
1845 – Elias Howe patented his sewing machine
1608 – John Smith was elected president of Jamestown, VA, just 9 months after being captured by Chief Wahunsonacock’s tribe and his life spared by the Chief’s daughter, Pocahontas.

DO YOU SHARE A BIRTHDAY WITH:
Ryan Phillippe (1975)? He is a pretty good actor appearing in I Know What You Did Last Summer, Crash and Breach. Not very smart in his personal life he divorced Reese Witherspoon.
Amy Irving (1953)?  She is a good actress who has appeared in Carrie, Crossing Delancy and Yentl. Also may not be a good judge of male companionship divorcing Steven Speilberg (although she received a HUGE settlement).
Jose Feliciano (1945)?  He is a virtuoso guitarist and composer known for Feliz Navidad, Light My Fire and Chico and the Man. Oh, yes, he didn’t let a little thing like blindness stop him!
Roger Maris (1934)? He is known for his 37 year record 61 home runs in 1961 (this broke The Babe’s 60 in 1927).
Charles Kuralt (1934)?  This TV journalist is known for his CBS Eventing News segments known as “On the Road” and hosting CBS Sunday Morning for 15 years.
Arnold Palmer (1929)?  A little golfer generally known as one of the greatest golfers of all time with 94 professional wins.
Fay Wray (1907)?  This actress is best known for being beauty  to King Kong’s beast.
Waldo Semon (1898)? This Alabaman is famous for inventing the second most used plastic, vinyl and 5,000 other synthetic rubber compounds including 116 patents.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Teddy Bears and Honey...Coincidence??

SEPTEMBER 9TH
Honey Month
Teddy Bear Day

1976 – Mao Zedung, long lived leader of China,died.
1971 – Prisoners at Attica prison rioted. Most of the prison was quickly retaken but nearly 1,300 inmates held 39 employees for 4 days. The standoff ended when state officials raided the yard killing 10 of the hostages and 29 inmates.
1956 – Ed Sullivan introduced a new singer to his audience, Elvis Presley sang Don’t Be Cruel, Love Me Tender, Hound Dog, and Little Richard’s Reddy Teddy.
1919 – Boston Police Department went on strike. The strike proved to me more disastrous to unions than the safety of the city.
1893 – First lady, Frances Cleveland gave birth to the first daughter Esther in the White House.
1850 – California was admitted into the union.
1776 – The United States of America was born. Independence was declared in July, we were renamed, previously known as the United Colonies.

BIRTHDAYS:
1966 – Adam Sandler, actor/comedian. I liked him in The Wedding Singer and 50 First Dates.
1960 – Hugh Grant, actor. I didn’t mind him in Music and Lyrics and Love Actually.
1952 – Angela Cartwright, actress. She appeared in the long running sitcom The Danny Thomas Show and 9 other programs before her appearance in The Sound of Music. She transitioned science fiction with Lost in Space.
1951 – Michael Keaton, actor…Night Shift, Mr. Mom, Gung Ho, Pacific Heights, Batman.
1949 – Joe Theisman, athlete. Washington Redskins quarterback.
1941 – Otis Redding, singer of the now classic Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay.
1934 – Sylvia Miles, actress. She received Oscar nominations for her roles in Midnight Cowboy and Farewell, My Lovely.
1925 – Cliff Robertson, actor I remember seeing him for the first time in Charly.
1890 – Harland Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken.
1585 – Cardinal Richelieu, French statesman.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Pardon Me, would you like some Date Nut Bread or a Book?

National Courtesy Month
Pardon Day, National Date Nut Bread, International Literacy Day

1974 – President Ford pardoned former President Richard Nixon for any crimes related to the Watergate scandal.
1966 – Characters James T Kirk, Mr. Spock and Dr. Bones McCoy appeared in US homes for the first time in the science fiction drama Star Trek.
1935 – One time governor of Louisiana at 34, the youngest elected, Senator Huey Long was shot.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY:
1981 – Jonathan Taylor Thomas, actor on the sitcom Home Improvement.
1957 – Heather Thomas, actress seen in the 80’s drama TJ Hooker and The Fall Guy.
1932 – Patsy Cline, singer who died in a plane crash at the age of 31. Known for her singles I Fall to Pieces, Crazy and Sweet Dreams.
1925 – Peter Sellers, actor seen in scores of movies including Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (it’s such a long title you’ll have to go to imdb.com for the rest of them)
1922 – Sid Caesar, comedian/actor, starred in variety shows including Caesar’s Hour and Your Show of Shows and appeared in movies such as Grease and Grease 2.
1900 – Killing between 6,000 and 12,000 people, a category 4 hurricane struck Galveston, TX. Known as the most deadly day in America.
1841 – Antonin Dvorak, composer of such works including New World Symphony and the Slavic Dancers.
1664 – New Amsterdam, New Netherland was surrendered to English rule and its name changed in honor of The Duke of York to New York.
1157 – Richard I, King of England for 10 years beginning in 1189. Richard the Lionheart also was Duke of Normandy, Aquitaine, Gascony; Lord of Ireland and Cyprus; Count of Anjou, Maine and Nantes; and Overlord of Brittany. 

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Submarines, Grandmas and The Mona Lisa

National Blueberry Popsicle Month
Neither Rain Nor Snow Day - Honoring the opening of the NY Post Office building in 1914


HISTORIES:
1996 – Rapper Tupac Shakur was killed. His drive-by shooter was never identified.
1986 – Two years after winning the Nobel Peace Prize, Desmond Tutu became archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, the first black man to hold that position.
1977 – The US agreed to transfer control of the Panama Canal to, surprise, Panama.
1953 – Maureen Connolly won the US Open tennis championship making her the first woman to win the “Grand Slam” of tennis. Two years later, her tennis career would end tragically when her leg was crushed in a horse-riding accident.
1921 – Atlantic City, NU: 50 young women gathered today to compete for a college scholarship in what will be an annual event called The Miss America Beauty Pageant.
1911 – An arrest in the theft of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa from the Louvre in Paris of radical poet Guillaume Apollinaire. He was released 5 days later and  two years later, former Louvre employee, Vincenzo Perggia, was arrested while trying to sell the painting.
1896 – The first auto race in the US was held. An electric car built by Riker Electric Motor Company beat out other vehicles powered by gas, steam and electricity.
1876 – Northfield, MN: Townspeople surround the James-Younger gang after the outlaws attempted to rob their local bank. All but Jesse James was wounded or killed. They escaped to Dakota Territory and then south to Tennessee.
1813 –Uncle Sam was adopted as the US nickname. A meat packer from Troy, NY, Samuel Wilson,  stamped his barrels of packed beef “US..”, meaning to be shipped to US troops. Army soldiers began calling the food Uncle Sam’s. The most accepted rendering of Uncle Sam came decades later by artist James Montgomery Flagg.
1776 – Revolutionary War submarine (yeah, I said submarine) the Turtle was used to attempt to sink the British flagship HMS Eagle, unfortunately the time bomb would not attach to the hull. Each mission the Turtle was used, it failed, due to the complex functions. It was sunk during the Battle of Fort Lee.

BIRTHDAYS:
1954 – Corbin Bernsen, actor who made a mark on the 1980’s drama L.A.Law.
1950 – Julie Kavner, actress who is known as Rhoda’s sister in the 70’s sitcom, Rhoda and as Marge Simpson’s voice in The Simpsons cartoon.
1949 – Gloria Gaynor, singer of such tunes as  I Will Survive.
1947 – Ann Beattie, writer of short stories and novels including Falling in Place, Chilly Scenes of Winter and Walks With Men.
1936 – Charles Hardin “Buddy Holly” Holley, singer of That’ll Be The Day who lost his life in a plane accident in Iowa, just two years after breaking into the music business.
1931 – Al McGuire, coach of Marquette University’s basketball team.
1923 – Peter Lawford, actor,  member of “The Rat Pack” and brother-in-law to President John F Kennedy. You can watch him in Royal Wedding (1951), The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) and Oceans’ Eleven (1960).
1909 – Elia Kazan, director of A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront and East of Eden and known for introducing audience to James Dean, Marlon Brando, Warren Beatty, Julie Harris, Andy Griffith, Lee Remick, Rip Torn, Eli Wallach, Eva Marie Saing, Fred Gwynne, Pat Hingle and Martin Balsam.
1908 – Michael DeBakey, doctor/surgeon. Had a hand in developing the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH), Veteran’s Administration Medical Center Research System. Invented the roller pump, which, 20 years later would become an essential part of someone else’s invention, the heart –lung machine, making open heart surgery possible.
1860 – Anna Mary Robertson, painter known as Grandma Moses. She began painting because arthritis caused her to have to quit her career in embroidery.