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“Thriller” by Michael Jackson is Released
On this date in 1982, Epic Records released Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” Here are some things you may not have known about the best-selling album of all time. Jackson was unhappy with the reception his previous album, “Off the Wall” received in 1979. He believed it should have won the Grammy for Record of the Year…
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Joe DiMaggio: From a Fishing Boat to the New York Yankees
Today is the 101st anniversary of the birth of baseball Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio. Here are a few things you may not have known about the Yankee Clipper. DiMaggio was born Giuseppe Paolo DiMaggio in Martinez, California, in 1914. He was the eighth of nine children. His father was a fisherman, who moved from…
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D.B. Cooper Jumps into History
On this date in 1971, a man using the alias Dan Cooper hijacked a Northwest Orient Airlines flight between Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington. Here are some things you may not have known about D.B. Cooper. On November 24, 1971, the day before Thanksgiving, a man identifying himself as Dan Cooper purchased a one-way ticket…
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220: It’s the Birthday of Harpo Marx
Today is the 127th anniversary of the birth of Harpo Marx, the second-oldest of the Marx Brothers comedy troupe. Here are some things you may not have known about Harpo and his brothers. Adolph Marx was born in New York, and grew up on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. He was the third son…
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Alan Freed and the Early Days of Rock and Roll
On this date in 1959, disc jockey Alan Freed, who popularized the term “rock and roll,” was fired by New York’s WABC for his part in what came to be known as the payola scandal. Here are some things you may not have known about Freed, payola and the early days of rock and roll.…
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Milli Vanilli and the Case of the Vanishing Grammy
On this date in 1990, Milli Vanilli was stripped of its Grammy Award after it was revealed that the duo did not sing on the album it won the award for. Here are some things you may not have known about the group and the charade. Milli Vanilli was created by West German music producer…
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“Steamboat Willie” and the Debut of Mickey Mouse
[wpdevart_youtube]BBgghnQF6E4[/wpdevart_youtube] “Steamboat Willie” was the first Disney cartoon with synchronized sound and the first cartoon with a fully post-produced soundtrack. All of the voices in the film were performed by Walt Disney. It was actually the third cartoon produced by Disney featuring Mickey Mouse. The first two, “Plane Crazy” and “The Gallopin’ Gaucho” were reworked…
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The Suez Canal Opens
On this date in 1869, the Suez Canal opened. Here are some things you may not have known about it. The Suez Canal links the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, and cuts 4,300 miles off the shipping distance from Europe to South Asia. It’s a sea level canal, so unlike the Panama Canal there…
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The Mad Bomber Strikes New York
Today is the 75th anniversary of the first in a string of bomb-related incidents that terrorized New York City for 16 years. Here are some things you may not have known about “The Mad Bomber.” The first bomb was found on a window sill of a Consolidated Edison power plant before it went off. Inside…
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214: Edwin Booth, America’s Greatest Actor of the 19th Century
Today is the birthday of the man, considered by some to be the greatest American actor of the 19th century, Edwin Booth. Here are some things you may not have known about him. Edwin Booth was born in Bel Air, Maryland in 1833. He was the illegitimate son of Junius Brutus Booth, who was also…