Apollo - Time Rewind

On This Day February 20

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On This Day January 10

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Celebrity Birthdays

1904 – Actor Ray Bolger, who played the scarecrow in the classic film “The Wizard of Oz” (d. 1987)

1943 – Singer-songwriter Jim Croce (“Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” “Time in a Bottle”) (d. 1973)

1945 – Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Rod Stewart (“Maggie May,” “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright),” “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?”)

1948 – Grammy-winning Steely Dan lead singer and songwriter Donald Fagen

1949 – Two-time World Heavyweight Boxing champion and Olympic gold medalist George Foreman (d. 2025)

1953 – Grammy-winning rock singer-songwriter Pat Benatar (“Hit Me with Your Best Shot,” “Love Is a Battlefield,” “We Belong,” “Invincible,” “Heartbreaker”)

History Highlights

1901 – Crude oil gushes from a drilling derrick at Spindletop Hill near Beaumont, Texas, coating the landscape in “black gold” and ultimately launching the U.S. petroleum industry.

1920 – The League of Nations is formed (without the United States) to ratify the Treaty of Versailles, ending World War I. The body is officially dissolved exactly 26 years later with the establishment of the United Nations.

1946 – The first General Assembly of the United Nations opens in London with 51 nations represented.

1962 – NASA announces plans to build the C-5 rocket booster, later known as the Saturn V rocket, which propelled every Apollo mission and Skylab (space station) into space.

1971 – The long-running dramatic series “Masterpiece Theatre” premieres on Public Television (PBS).

1990 – Time Warner forms as a result of the merger of Time Inc. and Warner Communications Inc.

Musical Milestones

1953 – “Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes,” by Perry Como, begins a five-week run at No. 1 on the pop chart.

1964 – The first U.S. Beatles album, “Introducing…The Beatles,” is released on Vee-Jay records, ten days ten days before Capitol Records issues “Meet the Beatles!”

1970 – B.J. Thomas is in the middle of a four-week ride at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head.”

1976 – The Citizens Band (CB) radio craze is in full swing when one-hit-wonder C.W. McCall tops the singles chart for a week with “Convoy.” The song also becomes a No. 1 country hit and inspires the 1978 movie of the same name.

1984 – Cyndi Lauper becomes the first female recording artist since Bobbie Gentry in 1967 to be nominated for five Grammy Awards: Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal Performance (Female), Record of the Year and Song of the Year. She wins Best New Artist.

1987 – The Bangles enjoy a fourth and final week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Walk Like an Egyptian.” The song is the group’s first chart-topper.

1997 – Elton John’s tribute to Princess Diana, “Candle in the Wind 1997,” wraps up 14 weeks atop the Billboard singles chart.

2004 – OutKast is in the midst of nine weeks on top of the pop chart with “Hey Ya!”

On This Day December 19

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Celebrity Birthdays

1915 – Internationally acclaimed French cabaret singer-songwriter and actress Edith Piaf, who became widely regarded as France’s national chanteuse (d. 1963)

1924 – Emmy and Tony-winning actress Cicely Tyson (“Sounder,” “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman,” “The Help”)

1944 – Paleoanthropologist-conservationist Richard Leakey

1957 – Basketball Hall of Famer Kevin McHale

1963 – Actress Jennifer Beals (“Flashdance,” “Devil in a Blue Dress,” “Four Rooms,” “The Chicago Code”)

1972 – Actress Alyssa Milano (“Who’s the Boss?” “Melrose Place,” “Charmed,” “Mistresses”)

1980 – Actor Jake Gyllenhaal (“October Sky,” “Donnie Darko,” “The Day After Tomorrow,” “Jarhead,” “Brokeback Mountain,” “Zodiac,” “Nightcrawler,” “Southpaw”)

History Highlights

1732 – Benjamin Franklin begins publishing “Poor Richard’s Almanack.” The book, filled with proverbs preaching industry and prudence, is published continuously for 25 years and becomes one of the most popular publications in colonial America, selling an average of 10,000 copies a year.

1843 – Charles Dickens publishes his Christmas classic, “A Christmas Carol.” Originally titled “A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas,” the first edition sells out by Christmas Eve. By the end of 1844, 13 editions had been released. The work continues to be printed and sold nearly 200 years later and has been adapted countless times for film, stage, opera and other media, including a video game.

1903 – New Yorkers celebrate the opening of the Williamsburg Bridge, the second and largest of three steel-frame suspension bridges crossing the East River.

1917 – The National Hockey League (NHL) opens its first season with two games. At the time, the league consists of five franchises: the Canadiens and the Wanderers (both of Montreal), the Ottawa Senators, the Quebec Bulldogs and the Toronto Arenas (known at the time as the Toronto Hockey Club).

1972 – NASA’S Apollo manned lunar-landing program ends as the last three astronauts to travel to the moon safely splash down in the Pacific Ocean. Apollo 17 had blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, 10 days earlier.

1984 – The British government signs an agreement to return Hong Kong to China in 1997.

1997 – Director James Cameron’s epic drama “Titanic” opens in U.S. theaters, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. The film becomes a box office smash and goes on to capture 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.

1998 – President Bill Clinton is impeached on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice by a divided House of Representatives, which recommends virtually along party lines that the Senate remove the nation’s 42d president from office. Clinton vows to finish his term.

Musical Milestones

1964 – Diana Ross & The Supremes score their third No. 1 single of 1964 with “Come See About Me,” which holds the top spot for a week.

1970 – Elton John’s first U.S. hit, “Your Song,” from the “Elton John” album, enters the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it eventually climbs to No. 8.

1979 – Elvis Presley’s personal physician, George Nichopoulos, is charged with ‘illegally and indiscriminately’ prescribing more than 12,000 uppers, downers and painkillers for the star during the 20 months preceding his untimely death.

1981 – Olivia Newton-John is in the middle of a 10-week ride atop the Billboard Hot 100 with “Physical.”

1987 – George Michael is in the middle of a four-week domination of the pop chart with “Faith.”

1992 – “I Will Always Love You,” by Whitney Houston, starts its fourth week as a No. 1 single. It holds the top spot for a total of 14 weeks.

2000 – Roebuck “Pops” Staples, gospel singer, songwriter, guitarist and founding member of the Staple Singers, dies at age 85. The group had hits including “I’ll Take You There,” “Respect Yourself” and “Let’s Do It Again” in the 1970s.

2009 – “Empire State of Mind,” by Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys, rules the singles chart.

On This Day November 16

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Celebrity Birthdays

1907 – Emmy-winning actor Burgess Meredith (“Of Mice and Men,” the 1960s “Batman” TV series, “Rocky,” “Grumpy Old Men”) (d. 1997)

1964 – Grammy-winning jazz pianist-singer Diana Krall

1967 – Actress Lisa Bonet (“The Cosby Show,” “Angel Heart”)

1972 – Actress Missi Pyle, born Andrea Kay Pyle (“Galaxy Quest,” “The Artist,” “Big Fish,” “50 First Dates,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Gone Girl”)

1977 – Ukrainian figure skater Oksana Baiul, who captured gold at the 1994 Olympic Games

1977 – Golden Globe-winning actress Maggie Gyllenhaal (“Donnie Darko,” “Secretary,” Adaptation,” “World Trade Center,” “The Dark Knight,” “Crazy Heart”)

History Highlights

1907 – Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory collectively enter the United States as Oklahoma, the 46th state.

1915 – The patent for the iconic curved glass Coca-Cola bottle is awarded to the Root Glass Company of Terre Haute, Indiana. Coca-Cola and Root Glass enter into an agreement to have six glass companies across the U.S. use the bottle shape. The contract called for the bottles to be colored with “German Green” which was later renamed “Georgia Green” in honor of Coke’s home state.

1945 – The United States implements “Operation Paperclip,” a top secret program that brings 88 German scientists to America to help develop rocket technology. The moves stirs controversy because many of the scientists, including Apollo program pioneer Wernher von Braun, had served under the Nazi regime.

1973 – President Richard Nixon authorizes construction of the Alaska Pipeline to meet America’s growing energy demands while reducing the nation’s reliance on foreign oil.

1977 – After terrifying audiences with “Jaws” two years earlier, director Steven Spielberg dazzles moviegoers with visitors from other worlds as “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” opens in movie theaters.

1981 – Sixteen million TV viewers tune in to “General Hospital” on ABC for the much-anticipated Luke and Laura wedding.

2001 – “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” opens in U.S. movie theaters kicking off one of the most successful movie franchises of all time based on novels written by J. K. Rowling.

Musical Milestones

1959 – “The Sound of Music” premieres on Broadway.

1963 – Siblings Nino Tempo and April Stevens have the No 1 single with “Deep Purple,” which goes on to capture a Best Rock and Roll Record Grammy Award.

1968 – “Hey Jude,” by The Beatles, is in the middle of a nine-week domination of the singles chart.

1974 – John Lennon rules the Billboard Hot 100 with “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night.” The song features backup vocals and piano by Elton John.

1985 – Starship starts a two-week run at No.1 on the Billboard singles chart with “We Built This City.” The track, which music critics have panned over the years, is from the band’s “Knee Deep in the Hoopla” album, which spawns another chart-topping single, “Sara.”

1996 – “No Diggity” by Blackstreet, featuring Dr. Dre and Queen Pen, is in the midst of a four-week ride on top of the Billboard Hot 100.

2002 – Eminem begins his second week on top of the Billboard Hot 100 with “Lose Yourself,” from the movie “8 Mile,” in which the rapper stars. The track holds at No. 1 for 12 weeks.

On this Day July 17

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Celebrity Birthdays

1899 – Oscar-winning actor James Cagney (“Yankee Doodle Dandy,” “Angels With Dirty Faces,” “Love Me or Leave Me”) (d. 1986)

1912 – Radio and TV host Art Linkletter (“House Party,” “People Are Funny”) (d. 2010)

1917 – Comedian-actress-author Phyllis Diller (d. 2012)

1935 – Actress-singer Diahann Carroll (“Julia,” “Claudine,” “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” “Dynasty”) (d. 2019)

1935 – Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor Donald Sutherland (“M*A*S*H,” “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” “Ordinary People,” “Backdraft,” “Space Cowboys,” “The Hunger Games” movie series)

1950 – Singer-songwriter Phoebe Snow, best known for her 1975 chart-topping hit “Poetry Man” (d. 2011)

1951 – Actress-singer-dancer Lucie Arnaz (“Here’s Lucy,” “The Jazz Singer,” “Down to You”)

1952 – Actor David Hasselhoff (“Knight Rider,” “Baywatch,” “Click,” “Dodgeball,” “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie,” “Hop”)

1976 – Country music singer Luke Bryan (“All My Friends Say,” “Rain Is a Good Thing,” “Someone Else Calling You Baby,” “I Don’t Want This Night to End”)

History Highlights

1955 – Disneyland, America’s first theme park, opens in Anaheim, California. The Walt Disney Company built the $17 million complex on 160 acres of former orange groves and it quickly became a cash cow. Each year, Disneyland hosts over 14 million visitors who spend close to $3 billion.

1975 – Two Cold War adversaries meet in space for the docking of the U.S. spacecraft Apollo 18 and the Soviet’s Soyuz 19. It is the final Apollo mission.

1980 – Ronald Reagan, an actor who went on to become governor of California, accepts the Republican nomination for the U.S. presidency at the party’s national convention in Detroit.

1981 – A walkway at the Hyatt Regency in Kansas City, Missouri collapses during a dance party, killing 114 people and injuring more than 200.

1996 – Minutes after takeoff from New York’s JFK International Airport, a TWA 747 jetliner bound for Paris explodes over the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 230 people aboard. A lengthy and extensive investigation concludes that the flight was brought down by a fuel tank explosion, but others dispute the findings citing eyewitness accounts of missile-like objects that allegedly flew toward the plane.

Musical Milestones

1959 – Billie Holiday, widely regarded as the greatest jazz vocalist of all time, dies at the age of 44 of heart and liver disease following years of alcohol and drug abuse.

1961 – “Tossin’ and Turnin’,” by Bobby Lewis, is No. 1 on both the Billboard singles and R&B charts. It remains atop the singles chart for seven weeks and the R&B chart for 10.

1967 – Iconic jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer John Coltrane dies of liver cancer at age 40.

1968 – The Beatles’ psychedelic cinematic adventure, “Yellow Submarine,” premieres in London, introducing fans to Blue Meanies and a host of new hits. The animated movie musical opens in the U.S. four months later.

1971 – Carole King enters her fifth and final week on top of the Billboard pop chart with “It’s Too Late,” off her Grammy-winning “Tapestry” album.

1982 – “Don’t You Want Me,” by The Human League, begins its third and final week as a No. 1 single.

1999 – Destiny’s Child is No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Bills, Bills, Bills.”

On This Day February 20

Celebrity Birthdays

History Highlights

Musical Milestones

On This Day January 10

Celebrity Birthdays

History Highlights

Musical Milestones

On This Day December 19

Celebrity Birthdays

History Highlights

Musical Milestones

On This Day November 16

Celebrity Birthdays

History Highlights

Musical Milestones

On this Day July 17

Celebrity Birthdays

History Highlights

Musical Milestones

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