In 1930 "You're Driving Me Crazy!" by Guy Lombardo was #1 on the charts. In 1957 Elvis Presley received his draft notice from the U.S. Army. He was ordered to report on January 20, but the date would later be deferred until March 24 to finish his latest movie, "Kid Creole." In 1962 The Osmond Brothers debuted on NBC-TV's "The Andy Williams Show." In 1966 Johnny Horton's "The Battle Of New Orleans" is certified gold. In 1967 Jethro Tull was formed by Ian Anderson and Glenn Gornick. In 1969 "No Time" by the Guess Who and "He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother" by the Hollies entered the U.S. Top 40 chart. In 1969 "Leaving On A Jet Plane" by Peter, Paul & Mary was #1 on the U.S. Top 40 chart. In 1971 George Harrison's album "The Concert For Bangladesh" was released. In 1973 Bobby Darin ("Splish Splash") died of heart failure while undergoing a second heart operation in a Los Ange...

In 1699 Peter the Great ordered the Russian New Year to be changed from September 1 to January 1. In 1790 The first successful U.S. cotton mill opened in Pawtucket, RI. In 1803 The Louisiana Purchase is completed as ownership of the territory is formally transferred from France to the United States during ceremonies in New Orleans. The U.S. paid the French $15 million for the land, doubling the size of the country. In 1820 Missouri imposed a $1 bachelor's tax on unmarried men between the ages of 21 and 50. In 1860 South Carolina became the first state to secede from the union. In 1864 Confederate forces evacuated Savannah, Georgia, as Union General William T. Sherman continued his "March to the Sea." In 1879 Thomas A. Edison privately demonstrated the incandescent light at Menlo Park, New Jersey. In 1922 The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) is formed. In 1945 The Office of Price Administration announced the end of tire rationing. In 1963 The Berlin Wall opened f...

In 1805 Chemist, Thomas Graham (father of colloid chemistry) In 1833 Dr. Samuel A. Mudd (convicted of giving medical aid to J.W. Booth) In 1841 Educator, Ferdinand-Edouard Buisson (Nobel-1927) In 1868 Manufacturer, Harvey S. Firestone (Firestone Tire Company) In 1869 Actor, Charley Grapewin (Uncle Henry-The Wizard Of Oz) In 1876 Astronomer, Walter Sydney Adams (director of Mount Wilson) In 1881 Baseball Hall-of-Famer, Branch Rickey (minor league farm system) In 1886 Tennis Hall-of-Famer, Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman (50 national titles) In 1894 Australian statesman Robert Gordon Menzies In 1895 U.S. Philosopher Susanne Langer (Philosophy in a New Key) In 1896 Engineer Leonard Hobbs (J-57 turbojet aircraft engine) In 1899 Norweigan explorer Finn Ronne (explored 3600 miles of Antarctica) In 1901 Actress, Irene Dunne (I Remember Mama, My Favorite Wife) [d: 9-4-90] In 1902 Columnist, Max Lerner (New York Post) [d: 6-5-92] In 1909 Composer, Vagn Holmboe [d: 9-1-96] In 1912 Actor, Ernie Morrison...

In 1957 KEX/Portland disc jockey Al Priddy is fired for playing Elvis Presley's version of "White Christmas." In 1960 Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" appeared on the charts. In 1962 The Beatles' producer George Martin went to Liverpool to see Brian Epstein's new act, Gerry & The Pacemakers, at the Cavern Club. At the door, he met Cilla Black, who was working as the cloakroom attendant. In 1963 The Beatles' "She Loves You" pushed "I Want To Hold Your Hand" out of the #1 spot on the UK chart. The group held the #1 spot for seven weeks. In 1964 "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" by the Righteous Brothers entered the U.S. Top 40 chart. In 1964 "Mr. Lonely" by Bobby Vinton was #1, and "She's Not There" by the Zombies is #2 on the U.S. top 40 chart. In 1965 The Beatles played their last UK concert at Cardiff's Capitol Cinema. In 1965 Tom Jones performed on CBS-TV'...

In 1787 Pennsylvania became the second U.S. state. In 1870 Joseph H. Rainey of South Carolina became the first black lawmaker sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1871 Jules Janssen discovers dark lines in the solar corona spectrum. In 1899 George F. Grant patented the golf tee. In 1901 The first radio signal to cross the Atlantic is picked up near St. John's, Newfoundland, by inventor Guglielmo Marconi. (The signal was transmitted from a point some 2,000 miles away.) In 1913 Authorities in Florence, Italy, announced that the "Mona Lisa" stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris in 1911 had been recovered. In 1917 Father Edward Flanagan founded "Boys Town" outside Omaha, Nebraska. In 1925 The first motel, the "Motel Inn," opened in San Luis Obispo, CA. In 1937 Japanese aircraft sank the U.S. gunboat "Panay" on China's Yangtze River. (Japan apologized for the attack and paid $2.2 million.) In 1946 A United Nations committee accept...

In 1745 John Jay, first chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1789-95) In 1775 English physician/chemist, William Henry (Henry's law) In 1786 Politician, William Learned Marcy ("spoils of the enemy") In 1805 American anti-slavery leader, William Lloyd Garrison In 1805 Businessman, Henry Wells (founded Wells Fargo) In 1821 Novelist, Gustave Flaubert (Madame Bovary) In 1863 Norwegian painter, Edvard Munch In 1864 Editor, Arthur Brisbane (master of the big, blaring headline) In 1879 Actress, Laura Hope Crews (Aunt Pittypat-Gone With The Wind) In 1881 Film executive, Harry Warner (one of Warner Brothers) In 1893 Actor, Edward G. Robinson (Little Caesar, The 10 Commandments) In 1894 Engineer, Philip Drinker (invented the Iron Lung) In 1901 Screen/scriptwriter, Howard Koch (Casablanca) [d: 8-17-95] In 1906 Cartoonist, Zack Mosley (Buck Rogers) [d: 9-2-93] In 1913 Broadcast journalist, Winston Burdett (CBS News) [d: 5-19-93] In 1914 British novelist, Patrick O'Brian [d: 1...

In 1957 In a move that almost ruined his career, Jerry Lee Lewis married his 13-year-old cousin Myra. In 1958 The Coasters recorded "Charlie Brown." In 1960 Aretha Franklin made her New York singing debut at the Village Vanguard. In 1961 "Please Mr. Postman" by the Marvelettes was #1 on the U.S. top 40 chart. In 1964 Sam Cooke is shot to death in Los Angeles by a woman who alleged he was trying to rape her. Later, a court agrees on self-defense. In 1965 "Crying Time" by Ray Charles and "She's Just My Style" by Gary Lewis & The Playboys both entered the U.S. top 40 chart. In 1967 Nancy Sinatra's TV special "Movin' With Nancy Sinatra" airs on NBC. In 1967 Grapefruit is the first band to sign with the Beatles' Apple label. In 1968 The Rolling Stones' film "Rock 'N Roll Circus" airs on BBC-TV. In 1969 "Take A Letter Maria" by R.B. Greaves is certified gold. In 1970 John Lennon's first albu...

In 1719 The first recorded sighting of the Aurora Borealis occurred in New England. In 1792 France's King Louis XVI goes on trial accused of treason. (Convicted and condemned, Louis was sent to the guillotine.) In 1816 Indiana became the 19th U.S. state. In 1872 America's first black governor takes office as Pickney Benton Stewart Pinchback becomes acting governor of Louisiana. In 1892 The first public basketball game is played in Springfield, MA. In 1928 Police in Buenos Aires prevented an attempt to kill President-elect Herbert Hoover. In 1936 King Edward VIII of England abdicated the throne to marry 2-time American divorcee Wallis Warfield Simpson. In 1937 Italy withdrew from the League of Nations. In 1941 Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. In 1946 The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is established. In 1950 The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that people can not be forced to testify against themselves in criminal cases (5th Amen...

In 1475 Pope Leo X (1513-21) In 1781 Physicist/inventor, Sir David Brewster (Kaleidoscope) In 1803 Composer, Hector Berlioz In 1830 King Kamehameha V of Hawaii (1863-1872) In 1843 Physician, Robert Koch (discovered TB bacillus) (Nobel-1905) In 1854 Baseball Hall-of-Famer, Charles Gardner "Old Hoss" Radbourn In 1863 American astronomer, Annie Jump Cannon In 1874 Inventor, James Kraft (pasteurizing process for cheese) In 1882 Fiorello La Guardia, mayor of New York City (1933-45) In 1882 German physicist, Max Born (quantum mechanics) (Nobel-1954) In 1889 Businessman, Walter Knott (Knotts Berry Farm) In 1904 Cartoonist, Marjorie Buell (Little Lulu) [d: 5-30-93] In 1905 Actor, Gilbert Roland (Cisco Kid) [d: 5-15-94] In 1918 Author, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (Cancer Ward) (Nobel-1970) [d: 8-3-08] In 1919 Actress, Marie Windsor [d: 12-10-00] In 1923 Actress, Betsy Blair (Marcus Welby MD, Scarlett) [d: 5-13-09] In 1924 College football player, Felix 'Doc' Blanchard (Heisman, 194...