On This Day: November 23

On This Day November 23

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Celebrity Birthdays
Celebrity Birthdays

1804 – Franklin Pierce, the 14th U.S. president (d. 1869)

1859 – Outlaw Billy the Kid (d. 1881)

1887 – Actor Boris Karloff, born William Henry Pratt, best known for his portrayal of the monster in the “Frankenstein” movies and narrator/voice of The Grinch in the 1966 animated special, “Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas!” (d. 1969)

1888 – Comedian-actor Harpo Marx of the legendary comedy troupe the Marx Brothers (d. 1964)

1925 – Grammy and Oscar-winning composer-arranger Johnny Mandel, most famous for “Suicide Is Painless,” the theme from the movie and TV series “M*A*S*H”

1954 – Grammy-winning singer-pianist Bruce Hornsby (“The Way It Is,” “Mandolin Rain,” “Every Little Kiss”)

1960 – “Good Morning America” (GMA) co-host Robin Roberts

1992 – Singer-songwriter and actress Miley Cyrus, born Destiny Hope Cyrus (“Hannah Montana,” “Party in the U.S.A.,” “Can’t Be Tamed”, “We Can’t Stop,” “Wrecking Ball”)

History Highlights
History Highlights

1889 – The first jukebox goes into operation at the Palais Royale Saloon in San Francisco. Built by the Pacific Phonograph Company, the device is called a “nickel-in-the-slot player.” A record would play for a nickel and up to four people could listen using using stethoscope-like tubes.

1936 – The illustrated magazine LIFE premieres. The first issue features a black and white photo of the Fort Peck Dam in Montana, taken by Margaret Bourke-White.

1981 – President Ronald Reagan secretly grants the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) the power to recruit and support a 500-man force of Nicaraguan rebels (“Contras”) to conduct covert actions against the leftist Sandinista regime in Nicaragua. The move eventually leads to what became the Iran-Contra scandal.

1984 – It’s the “Miracle in Miami,” as Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie leads BC past Miami 47-45 at the Orange Bowl. Flutie throws a Hail Mary pass to win the game.

2012 – Actor Larry Hagman, who starred in TV’s “I Dream of Jeannie” and years later “Dallas,” dies of complications from cancer at the age of 81.

Musical Milestones
Musical Milestones

1936 – Delta blues legend Robert Johnson lays down his first-ever musical recordings — eight songs in a single session at the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio, Texas. The tracks include “I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom,” “Sweet Home Chicago” and his biggest hit, “Terraplane Blues.” 

1963 – “I’m Leaving It Up to You,” by Dale & Grace, is the hottest song on the radio.

1974 – Billy Swan is on top of the singles chart for two weeks with the only hit of his singing career: “I Can Help.”

1974 – The Rolling Stones score their fifth No. 1 album with “It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll” — the last Stones album for guitarist Mick Taylor, who was replaced by Ronnie Wood. 

1976 – Rocker Jerry Lee Lewis is arrested for the second time in as many days. First it was drunk driving, but on this day he’s busted for brandishing a pistol outside Graceland while demanding to see Elvis.

1985 – Starship begin their second and final week orbiting around the top spot on the pop chart with “We Built This City.”

1991 – Michael Bolton’s cover of Percy Sledge’s 1966 classic, “When a Man Loves a Woman,” reaches No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and later goes on to capture a Grammy Award.

1995 – Soul singer and saxophonist Junior Walker, best known for the hits “How Sweet It Is” and “What Does It Take, To Win Your Love, dies of cancer at the age of 64. Walker also played sax on Foreigner’s 1981 hit “Urgent.”

2002 – Eminem rules the Billboard singles chart with “Lose Yourself,” from the “8 Mile” movie soundtrack. The song holds at No. 1 for 12 weeks.

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On This Day: October 23

On This Day October 23

Click each item below to learn more!

Celebrity Birthdays
Celebrity Birthdays

1925 – NBC “The Tonight Show” host Johnny Carson (d. 2005)

1940 – Brazilian soccer legend Pelé, born Edson Arantes do Nascimento (d. 2022)

1942 – Doctor-turned-author and producer Michael Crichton (“The Andromeda Strain,” “Jurassic Park,” “ER”) (d. 2008)

1954 – Oscar-winning director Ang Lee (“Crouching Tiger,” “Hidden Dragon,” “Brokeback Mountain,” “Life of Pi”)

1956 – Grammy-winning country music singer-songwriter and actor Dwight Yoakam

1959 – The Grammy-winning master of the musical parody, “Weird Al” Yankovic

1962 – Former NFL and Canadian Football League star quarterback Doug Flutie

1976 – Actor Ryan Reynolds (“X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” “The Proposal,” “Buried,” “The Green Lantern,” “The Change-Up,” “Mississippi Grind,” “Deadpool”)

History Highlights
History Highlights

1973 – President Richard Nixon agrees to turn over subpoenaed audio tapes of his Oval Office conversations about the Watergate scandal.

1983 – A suicide bomber drives a truck into the U.S. Marine Corps barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, killing 241 military personnel.

1989 – Thunderous explosions rock the Phillips 66 refinery in Pasadena, Texas, outside Houston, killing 23 employees and injuring more than 130 others. The blasts pack the force of a 3.5-magnitude earthquake. The ensuing fires take nearly 10 hours to extinguish.

1998 – Dr. Barnett Slepian is shot to death inside his home near Buffalo, New York by an anti-abortion radical, marking the fifth straight year that a doctor who was willing to perform abortions in upstate New York and Canada was targeted by a sniper.

2002 – Chechen rebels storm a Moscow theater and take close to a thousand people hostage during the sold-out performance of a popular musical. By the time the siege ends, the attackers and 130 hostages are dead.

Musical Milestones
Musical Milestones

1961 – Dion kicks off a two-week run atop the pop chart with “Runaround Sue.”

1962 – Little Stevie Wonder is 12 years old when he records his first single for Motown: “Thank You (For Loving Me All the Way).”

1965 – The Beatles are midway through a four-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Yesterday,” off the “Help!” album.

1971 – “Maggie May,” by Rod Stewart, is in the middle of of five weeks as a  No. 1 single.

1976 – Chicago scores its first No. 1 single with “If You Leave Me Now,” off the band’s “Chicago X” album.” The track remains a chart-topper for two weeks and goes on to capture two Grammy Awards.

1982 – Performing under the name “John Cougar” because of a contractual agreement with his record label, John Mellencamp enters his fourth and final week on top of the singles chart with “Jack & Diane.”

1987 – Madonna lands on the big screen, as the comedy “Who’s That Girl” opens in London.

1999 – “Smooth,” by Santana featuring Rob Thomas, begins 12 weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100. The single goes on to capture Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals Grammys.

2006 – Amy Winehouse releases her autobiographical song, “Rehab,” from her second and final studio album, “Back to Black.” The track wins Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

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