On This Day October 13 Click each item below to learn more! Celebrity Birthdays 1925 – Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, known as the “Iron Lady” (d. 2013) 1941 – Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Paul Simon, formerly of the folk-rock duo Simon & Garfunkel (“The Sound of Silence”, “Mrs. Robinson,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “My Little Town”) 1959 – Entertainer Marie Osmond, who started out as half of the Donnie & Marie singing-dancing family act. 1962 – Actress Kelly Preston (“Twins,” “Mischief,” “Jerry Maguire,” “Jack Frost,” “For Love of the Game”) (d. 2020) 1971 – Comedic actor Sacha Baron Cohen, best known for his portrayal of unorthodox fictional film characters Ali G, Borat and Brüno. History Highlights 1792 – The cornerstone is laid for a presidential residence in the newly designated capital city of Washington. Eight years later, John Adams becomes the first U.S. president to reside in the executive mansion, which is referred to as the White House beginning in 1812 because of its white-gray sandstone exterior. 1943 – With World War II raging, the government of Italy declares war on Nazi Germany, its former Axis partner, and joins the battle on the side of the Allies. 1967 – The Anaheim Amigos lose to the Oakland Oaks, 134-129, in the inaugural game of the American Basketball Association (ABA). In its first season, the ABA consists of 11 teams. In 1976, the ABA merges with the National Basketball Association (NBA), with only four teams remaining intact: the Americans (later renamed the New Jersey Nets), the Spurs, the Nuggets and the Pacers. 1974 – TV host Ed Sullivan, who introduced American viewers to Elvis Presley and The Beatles, among other up-and-coming entertainers, dies of cancer at the age of 73. 1977 – Four Palestinians hijack a Lufthansa passenger jet and demand the release of 11 imprisoned members of Germany’s Baader-Meinhof terrorist group, also known as the Red Army Faction. 1999 – A Colorado grand jury investigating the highly publicized case of murdered child beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey is dismissed, and the Boulder County district attorney announces no indictments will be made due to insufficient evidence. 2010 – Thirty-three miners are rescued after being trapped half a mile below ground for more than two months in a northern Chile mine collapse. The miners survive longer than anyone else trapped underground in recorded history. Their rescue is described in one media account as “a feat of engineering and a triumph of faith.” Musical Milestones 1963 – The term “Beatlemania” is coined after the Fab Four’s first appearance on the “Sunday Night at The London Palladium” TV show, which is broadcast live to more than 15 million viewers. 1970 – The ashes of rock legend Janis Joplin are scattered at Stinson Beach in Marin County, California. The singer died of an accidental drug overdose at a Hollywood hotel nine days earlier. She was 27. 1973 – Cher begins her second and final week on top of the pop chart with “Half-Breed.” The track is her second chart-topper as a solo performer. 1979 – Michael Jackson reaches the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough,” from his “Off The Wall” album. The song garners MJ his first solo Grammy Award. 1984 – Stevie Wonder scores his seventh No. 1 single with “I Just Called To Say I Love You,” from “The Woman in Red” soundtrack. The track holds the top spot for three weeks and garners Wonder a Golden Globe Award and an Oscar for Best Original Song. 1990 – George Michael rules the Billboard singles chart with “Praying For Time,” the final solo No. 1 of his career. 2008 – Beatles drummer Ringo Starr announces through a video on his website that he no longer has time to sign autographs and asks fans not to send him any mail at all. READ MORE
On this Day May 22 Click each item below to learn more! Celebrity Birthdays 1813 – German classical music composer Richard Wagner (d. 1883) 1859 – Sherlock Holmes author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (d. 1930) 1907 – Oscar and Golden Globe-winning actor Sir Laurence Olivier (“Wuthering Heights,” “Hamlet,” “Marathon Man”) (d. 1989) 1938 – Golden Globe-winning actor Richard Benjamin (“Goodbye, Columbus,” “Westworld,” “The Sunshine Boys”) 1950 – Pop music lyricist and longtime Elton John collaborator Bernie Taupin 1959 – Singer-songwriter and former The Smiths frontman Morrissey, born Stephen Patrick Morrissey (“This Charming Man,” “How Soon Is Now?” “Bigmouth Strikes Again,” “Girlfriend in a Coma”) 1970 – British supermodel and actress Naomi Campbell 1979 – Model-turned-actress Maggie Q, born Margaret Quigley (“Mission: Impossible III,” “Live Free or Die Hard,” “Nikita,” “Divergent,” “Designated Survivor”) History Highlights 1947 – The Truman Doctrine takes effect, providing U.S. aid to Greece and Turkey in an effort to combat Communism after World War II. 1960 – The most powerful earthquake ever recorded (9.5 magnitude) strikes southern Chile, killing 2,000 people and leaving two million people homeless. 1966 – Bill Cosby, the first African American actor to star in a regular dramatic series, wins the Best Actor Emmy for his role in “I Spy.” 1967 – The educational children’s series “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” hosted by creator Fred Rogers donning his famous cardigan sweater, premieres on Pittsburgh public television station WQED. Less than a year later, it airs coast to coast on National Education Television (NET), which later becomes Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). 1980 – Gaming is revolutionized with the release of PAC-MAN. The iconic video game features a maze filled with dots and prizes and menacing bright-colored ghosts that players must gobble up or avoid in order to win. It becomes one of the highest-grossing video games of all time. 1992 – After nearly 30 years as the king of late-night television, Johnny Carson makes his final appearance as host of NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.” Musical Milestones 1961 – “Mother-in-Law,” by New Orleans native Ernie K-Doe, is the No. 1 single. The song was written and produced by Allen Toussaint, who also played the piano solo. 1965 – The Beatles have a ticket to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard singles chart with “Ticket to Ride,” from the “Help!” soundtrack. 1971 – “Sticky Fingers,” by The Rolling Stones, begins a four-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart, spawning the hits “Brown Sugar” and “Wild Horses.” The iconic album features a cover photo of tight-fitting jeans with an actual working zipper, conceived by celebrated pop artist Andy Warhol. And the sleeve features the first use of the now-legendary “tongue and lips” logo designed by John Pasche. 1976 – “Silly Love Songs,” by Wings featuring Paul McCartney, begins a five-week run as the hottest single in the U.S. 1982 – The Paul McCartney-Stevie Wonder duet, “Ebony and Ivory,” is in its second of seven weeks as a chart-topper 1999 – Grammy-winning pop vocalist Ricky Martin is midway through a five-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Livin’ La Vida Loca.” 2004 – Usher sears his way into the top of the pop chart with “Burn,” which stays at No. 1 for eight weeks. READ MORE