Summer Olympics – Time Rewind

On This Day March 21

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On This Day September 5

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Celebrity Birthdays

1847 – Outlaw Jesse James (d. 1882)

1929 – Comedian-actor Bob Newhart (“The Bob Newhart Show,” “Newhart”)

1939 – Actor William Devane (“The Missiles of October,” “Knot’s Landing,” “Space Cowboys,” “24”)

1940 – Actress and 1960s-70s sex symbol Raquel Welch (d. 2023)

1945 – Singer-songwriter Al Stewart, best known for his 70s hits “Year of the Cat” and “Time Passages”

1946 – Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury, born Farrokh Bulsara (d. 1991)

1951 – Golden Globe-winning actor Michael Keaton, born Michael John Douglas (“Mr. Mom,” “Beetlejuice,” “Batman Returns,” “Pacific Heights,” “My Life,” “The Paper,” “Birdman, “Spotlight”)

History Highlights

1836 – Sam Houston is elected president of the Republic of Texas, which earned its independence from Mexico in a successful military rebellion. He serves as president until 1838, then again from 1841 to 1844. Despite plans for retirement, Houston helps Texas win admission to the United States in 1845 and is elected as one of the state’s first two senators.

1958 – Boris Pasternak’s romantic novel, “Doctor Zhivago,” is published in the United States. The book was banned in the Soviet Union, but goes on to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1958 and is the basis of the Oscar-winning 1965 movie starring Omar Sharif and Julie Christie.

1966 – The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Telethon debuts. The live fundraiser was hosted every Labor Day weekend through 2011 by comedian Jerry Lewis.

1972 – The world watches in horror as news unfolds about a massacre at the Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany, where Palestinian terrorists murder 11 Israeli athletes. Many cite this tragedy as ushering in the modern age of terrorism.

1975 – An assassination attempt against President Gerald Ford in Sacramento, California is thwarted by a Secret Service agent who wrests a semi-automatic .45-caliber pistol from Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, a follower of cult leader Charles Manson. Fromme is paroled in 2009 after 34 years in prison.

1986 – A Pan Am flight from Bombay, India to New York (Pan Am Flight 73) is hijacked by four armed Palestinian men during a scheduled stop in Karachi, Pakistan. Twenty people are killed aboard the 747 jumbo jet — among them, flight attendant Neerja Bhanot, who is posthumously honored with India’s highest peacetime award for bravery for protecting many of the 360 survivors.

2006 – Katie Couric debuts as the first female solo anchor of a weekday network evening news broadcast, the “CBS Evening News with Katie Couric,” and draws an audience of 13.6 million viewers. Couric, who served as co-host of NBC’s “Today” show from 1991 to 2006, succeeded longtime anchor Dan Rather.

Musical Milestones

1956 – Elvis Presley surprises his mother with a gift of a pink Cadillac. The car remains in the Presley family for years, and eventually goes on display at Graceland.

1964 – The Animals begin a three-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “House of the Rising Sun.” The track also soars to the top of the U.K. singles chart.

1966 – Taking a break from nearly four years of touring with The Beatles, John Lennon begins acting duties as Private Gripweed in the movie “How I Won The War.” The black comedy, directed by Richard Lester (director of The Beatles’ movies “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Help!”), was filmed in Germany and Spain.

1981 – Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks finds solo success, soaring to No. 1 on the Billboard album chart with “Bella Donna.” The album features the tracks “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” (the Tom Petty duet), “Leather and Lace” (a duet with Don Henley) and “Edge of Seventeen.”

1992 – Boyz II Men is in the midst of a 13-week domination of the Billboard Hot 100 with “End of the Road.”

1998 – Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” from the movie “Armageddon,” debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and holds there for four weeks. It is band’s only chart-topping single to date.

2009 – The Black Eyed Peas continue their domination of the singles chart with “I Gotta Feeling,” which is in the midst of 14 weeks at No. 1.

On this Day August 4

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Celebrity Birthdays

1821 – Fashion designer Louis Vuitton (d. 1892)

1901 – Legendary jazz trumpeter and singer Louis Armstrong, also known as “Satchmo” (d. 1971)

1920 – Helen Thomas, known as the “First Lady of the Press” for her more than 60-year career as a White House correspondent (d. 2013)

1944 – Actor, comedian and author Richard Belzer (“Homicide: Life on the Street,” “Law & Order: SVU”)

1955 – Actor-director Billy Bob Thornton (“Monster’s Ball,” “Sling Blade,” “Armageddon,” “Primary Colors,” “Bad Santa,” “The Judge”)

1961 – 44th U.S. President Barack Obama

1962 – Retired MLB All-Star pitcher Roger Clemens (a.k.a. “Rocket”), the first pitcher to win the Cy Young Award seven times

1968 – Actor Daniel Dae Kim (“The Jackal,” “The Adjustment Bureau,” “Lost,” “Hawaii Five-O”)

1971 – Champion NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon

History Highlights

1790 – The U.S. Congress authorizes creation of a maritime service to enforce customs laws. We know that service today as the U.S. Coast Guard.

1936 – American track and field star Jesse Owens embarrasses German Fuhrer Adolf Hitler when he captures the gold medal in the long jump at the Summer Olympics in Berlin. The win discredits Hitler’s notion of a superior Aryan “master race” in front of an international audience.

1944 – Officers of the Nazi Gestapo (secret police) arrest eight Jews, including 15-year-old schoolgirl Anne Frank and her parents and sister, found hiding inside the secret annex of an Amsterdam warehouse. The Franks had taken shelter there two years earlier to avoid deportation to a concentration camp.

1955 – The romantic thriller “To Catch a Thief,” starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly and directed by Alfred Hitchcock, opens in U.S. theaters.

1964 – The remains of three civil rights workers whose disappearance six weeks earlier garnered national attention are found buried in an earthen dam near Philadelphia, Mississippi.

1977 – President Jimmy Carter signs legislation creating the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Musical Milestones

1958 – Billboard magazine introduces its Hot 100 chart, a list of the 100 best-selling pop singles in the U.S. The very first No. 1 is Ricky Nelson’s “Poor Little Fool,” which holds the top spot for two weeks.

1962 – Bobby Vinton’s “Roses Are Red (My Love)” wraps up four weeks as a Billboard No. 1.

1973 – Maureen McGovern sails to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart with “The Morning After,” the Academy Award-winning love theme from the cruise ship disaster movie “The Poseidon Adventure.”

1980 – John Lennon begins recording what becomes his final album, “Double Fantasy,” at The Hit Factory in New York. On December 8, 1980, Lennon is shot to death outside his Manhattan apartment building.

1990 – “Vision of Love,” by Mariah Carey, kicks off four weeks on top of the pop chart.

2001 – Destiny’s Child rules the Billboard Hot 100 with “Bootylicious,” off the trio’s “Survivor” album. The song contains a prominent sample from the Stevie Nicks song, “Edge of Seventeen.”

2007 – The Plain White T’s mark their second and final week as chart-toppers with “Hey There Delilah.”

2012 – Carly Rae Jepsen is in the middle of a nine-week reign over the pop chart with “Call Me Maybe,” which earns Grammy nominations for Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.

On this Day August 1

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Celebrity Birthdays

1779 – Attorney and poet Francis Scott Key, who wrote the lyrics to what became America’s national anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner” (d. 1843)

1819 – Novelist and poet Herman Melville, best known for the literary classic “Moby-Dick” (d. 1891)

1933 – Actor, comedian and chef Dom DeLuise (“Blazing Saddles,” “Silent Movie,” “History of the World: Part I”) (d. 2009)

1942 – Grateful Dead founder and frontman Jerry Garcia (d. 1995)

1953 – Grammy-winning blues guitarist and singer Robert Cray

1963 – Rapper-actor Coolio, born Artis Leon Ivey, Jr.

1965 – Oscar and Golden Globe-winning director Sam Mendes (“American Beauty,” “Road to Perdition,” “Jarhead,” “Skyfall”)

1973 – Actress Tempestt Bledsoe, best known as Vanessa Huxtable from “The Cosby Show”

1979 – Actor Jason Momoa (“Baywatch Hawaii,” “Stargate: Atlantis,” “Game of Thrones”)

History Highlights

1941 – The first Jeep is manufactured for the U.S. Army to use in World War II. Known as the Willys MA, the rugged vehicle features a gearshift on the steering column, low side body cutouts, two circular instrument clusters on the dashboard and a hand-brake on the left side.

1957 – The U.S. and Canada establish the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) to provide early detection and warning of air attacks on North America.

1961 – The first Six Flags amusement park opens in Arlington, Texas becoming the first theme park to feature log flume and mine train rides.

1966 – Carnage on the University of Texas campus in Austin, as ex-Marine Charles Whitman opens fire on passersby from the observation deck of the UT tower. Seventeen people, including Whitman, are killed, and 31 others are injured. The attack introduces a stunned nation to the term “mass shooting.”

1996 – American sprinter Michael Johnson breaks the world record in the 200 meters to win gold at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta. This came three days after winning the 400 meters, making him the first man in history to win both events at the Olympics.

Musical Milestones

1964 – The Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night” is No. 1 on the singles chart and stays there for two weeks.

1970 – “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” by the Carpenters, tops the Billboard Hot 100.

1971 – “The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour” premieres on CBS. The variety show, hosted by husband and wife pop duo Sonny & Cher, runs for three seasons. It returns in 1976 as “The Sonny & Cher Show” following the couple’s divorce.

1981 – Rick Springfield kicks off two weeks as a chart-topper with “Jessie’s Girl.”

1981 – MTV (Music Television) launches with five VJs, or video jockeys, hosting: J.J. Jackson, Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Martha Quinn and Alan Hunter. The channel introduces the world to the music video. The first music video played is “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles.

1987 – Bob Seger owns the top spot on the singles chart with “Shakedown,” from the “Beverly Hills Cop II” soundtrack.

1992 – “Baby Got Back,” by Sir Mix-a-Lot, begins its fifth and final week as a Billboard No. 1.

1998 – Brandy & Monica are No. 1 on the singles chart with “The Boy Is Mine.” The song holds the top spot for 13 weeks.

2009 – The Black Eyed Peas are in the midst of a 14-week domination of the Billboard Hot 100 with “I Gotta Feeling.”

On this Day July 23

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Celebrity Birthdays

1918 – Major League Baseball All-Star shortstop Pee Wee Reese, born Harold Henry Reese (d. 1999)

1933 – Emmy-winning actor and game show host Bert Convy (d. 1991)

1940 – Radio talk show host Don Imus (d. 2019)

1961 – Emmy-winning actor Woody Harrelson (“Cheers,” “Indecent Proposal,” “Natural Born Killers,” “Kingpin,” “The Thin Red Line,” “True Detective”)

1965 – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist and songwriter Slash, born Saul Hudson, formerly with Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver

1967 – Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman (“The Talented Mr. Ripley,” “Capote,” “Scent of a Woman,” “Boogie Nights,” “Mission: Impossible III,” “Doubt,” “The Hunger Games”) (d. 2014)

1973 – Former White House intern-turned-designer Monica Lewinsky

1987 – Actor Daniel Radcliffe, best known for his portrayal of Harry Potter in the movie series

History Highlights

1885 – Shortly after completing his memoirs, Civil War hero and former president Ulysses S. Grant dies of throat cancer.

1967 – A police raid on an illegal Detroit bar triggers the 12th Street Riot, with days of firebombing, violence and looting, as African Americans lash out over police brutality, housing discrimination and unemployment.

1982 – Actor Vic Morrow and two child actors are killed in an accident involving a helicopter while filming a Vietnam combat scene for “Twilight Zone: The Movie” — director John Landis’ film adaptation of Rod Serling’s TV series. The deaths lead to tighter on-set safety measures by the film industry.

1984 – Vanessa Williams gives up her Miss America title — the first resignation in the pageant’s history — after Penthouse magazine announces plans to publish nude photos of her. At 21, Williams was the first African American woman to win the Miss America crown. Despite the scandal, she goes on to enjoy a successful singing and acting career that continues today.

1985 – A revolution in gaming takes place as Commodore releases the Amiga 1000, the home computer that played host to everything from Speedball to Rainbow Islands.

1996 – At the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, the U.S. women’s gymnastics team, nicknamed the “Mag 7” or “Magnificent 7,” captures its first-ever team gold.

Musical Milestones

1966 – Tommy James and the Shondells have the No. 1 single in the U.S. for a second straight week: “Hanky Panky.”

1977 – Barry Manilow’s “Looks Like We Made It” makes it to the No. 1 spot on the singles chart.

1983 – “Synchronicity,” by The Police, kicks off 17 weeks on top of the Billboard album chart. It is the band’s fifth and final studio album and goes on to capture three Grammy Awards. In 2009, it is inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

1988 – The first single from Richard Marx, “Hold On to the Nights,” is the hottest song on the radio.

1988 – Guns N’ Roses scores a huge popular breakthrough when their first hit single, “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” enters the Billboard Top 40. It climbs to No. 1 that September.

1994 – “I Swear,” by All-4-One, is in the middle of an 11-week domination of the Billboard Hot 100.

2005 – Mariah Carey claims the top spot on the pop chart with “We Belong Together.”

2011 – Grammy-winning British singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse (“Stronger Than Me,” “Rehab”) dies of alcohol poisoning in her London townhouse at the age of 27.

On this Day May 8

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Celebrity Birthdays

1844 – 33rd U.S. President Harry S. Truman (d. 1072)

1926 – Stand-up comedian-actor Don Rickles, known for his insult style of humor and as a frequent guest on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” and “Late Show (d. 2017)

1932 – Former World Heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston (d. 1970)

1940 – Vocalist Toni Tennille of the Grammy-winning 70s duo Captain & Tennille (“Love Will Keep Us Together,” “Do That To Me One More Time,” “Muskrat Love”)

1940 – Actor-singer Ricky Nelson (“The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet,” “Hello Mary Lou,” “Travelin’ Man”) (d. 1985)

1964 – Actress-writer-producer Melissa Gilbert, best known as Laura Ingalls from NBC’s “Little House on the Prairie”

1975 – Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Enrique Iglesias, known as the “King of Latin Pop” (“Hero,” “Be With You,” “Escape”)

History Highlights

1945 – Millions of people in cities across Great Britain and the U.S. celebrate Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day) one day after Germany ‘s unconditional surrender to Allied forces. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill takes to the radio airwaves at 3 p.m. local time to announce that World War II in Europe had ended.

1963 – The first James Bond 007 movie, “Dr. No,” starring Sean Connery as the British secret agent, opens in U.S. theaters.

1973 – A 10-week standoff between federal authorities and American Indian Movement members occupying the Pine Ridge Reservation at Wounded Knee, South

1984 – The Soviet Union announces that it will boycott the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. In 1980, the U.S. and more than 60 other countries boycotted the Moscow Olympics to protest the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

2010 – Actress Betty White, known for her former roles on “The Golden Girls” and “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” becomes the oldest person to host “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) at age 88. White’s hosting gig came about, in part, after fans rallied for her in a Facebook campaign.

Musical Milestones

1961 – “Runaway,” by Del Shannon, is midway through a four-week run at No. 1 on the pop chart. Co-written by Shannon and keyboardist Max Crook, the track becomes a major international hit. It ranks 472 on Rolling Stone‘s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

1970 – Almost a month after the band’s breakup, The Beatles release their 12th and final studio album, “Let It Be,” in Britain. It reaches the top of the Billboard album chart five weeks later.

1976 – The theme from the ABC sitcom “Welcome Back, Kotter” (starring Gabe Kaplan and a virtually unknown John Travolta) sits on top of the singles chart. It’s “Welcome Back” by former Lovin’ Spoonful front man John Sebastian.

1982 – Vangelis’ instrumental theme from the motion picture “Chariots of Fire” is the No. 1 single in the U.S. Vangelis later wins an Oscar for Best Original Score.

1993 – Aerosmith lands on top of the Billboard album chart with “Get A Grip,” which spawns two Grammy-winning singles: “Livin’ On the Edge” and “Crazy.”

1999 – Ricky Martin kicks off five weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100 with “Livin’ la Vida Loca.”

2004 – “Yeah!,” by Usher featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris, continues its 12-week reign over the singles chart.