1792 – The United States Mint was established via the Coinage Act.
1878 – The first White House Easter Egg Roll took place.
1917 – The Great War: US President Woodrow Wilson asked the American Congress for a declaration of war on Germany.
1982 – April 2 – June 15: The Faulkland Islands War.
2006 – Over 60 tornadoes break out in the United States.
If you were born on April 2nd, You were likely conceived the week of… July 10th (prior year)
April 2 is…
Burrito Day Children’s Book Day Ferret Day Peanut Butter And Jelly Day Reconciliation Day World Autism Awareness Day
April 2 Birthday Quotes
“If the populace knew with what idiocy they were ruled, they would revolt.” – Charlemagne
“I’ve succeeded at everything except my life.” – Serge Gainsbourg
“If you ask me what I came into this life to do, I will tell you: I came to live out loud.” – Emile Zola
“Be the flame, not the moth.” – Casanova Girolama
I love you in a place where there’s no space or time I love you for my life ’cause you’re a friend of mine – Leon Russell
“The whole world is a series of miracles, but we’re so used to them we call them ordinary things.” – Hans Christian Andersen
April 2 Birthdays
747 – Charlemagne, Frankish king (died in 814) 1725 – Casanova Giovaani Giacomo Girolama, Italian adventurer (died in 1798) 1805 – Hans Christian Andersen, Danish novelist, short story writer, and poet (died in 1875) 1840 – Emile Zola, French naturalist (died in 1902) 1891 – Max Ernst, German painter, sculptor, and poet (died in 1976) 1908 – Buddy Ebsen, American actor and dancer (died in 2003) 1914 – Sir Alec Guinness, English actor (died in 2000) 1918 – Charles White, African-American artist (died in 1979) 1920 – Jack Webb, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (died in 1982) 1928 – Serge Gainsbourg, French singer-songwriter, actor, and director (died in 1991) 1939 – Marvin Gaye, American singer-songwriter (died in 1984) 1941 – Dr. Demento, American radio host 1942 – Leon Russell, American singer-songwriter and pianist (died in 2016) 1945 – Linda Hunt, American actress 1947 – Emmylou Harris, American singer-songwriter 1961 – Christopher Meloni, American actor 1962 – Clark Gregg, American actor, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D
April 2 History
1513 – Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon landed near what is now called St. Augustine, Florida and declared the land for Spain.
1792 – The Coinage Act was passed, establishing the United States Mint.
1827 – Lead pencils were began being manufactured by Joseph Dixon, who built his factory in Salem, Massachusetts
April 2, 19** Birthday (fictional) Sgt. Joe Friday, Dragnet, TV
1902 – “Electric Theatre”, the first full-time movie theater in the United States, opened in Los Angeles.
1917 – The first woman ever elected to the U.S. Congress, Jeannette Rankin, takes her seat as a representative from Montana.
1953 – The journal Nature published a paper with this date from Francis Crick and James Watson, titled Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids: A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid, in which they described a double helix structure for DNA.
1956 – As the World Turns and The Edge of Night first aired on the CBS network in the United States, as the first half-hour serial dramas.
1956 – Elvis Presley sang Heartbreak Hotel on the Milton Berle Show, with an estimated 25% of the United States population viewing.
1972 – Charlie Chaplin returned to the United States for the first time since being labeled a communist during the Red Scare in the early 1950s.
1973 – The first portable cell phone call was placed in New York City.
1973 – Launch of the LexisNexis legal research service.
1978 – Dallas premiered on CBS.
1978 – Velcro, the hook-and-loop fastener patent, expired. Velcro comes from “vel” or velvet and “cro” from the French word crochet which means hook.
1982 – Cat People was released in theaters.
1992 – In New York, Mafia boss John Gotti is convicted of murder and racketeering and is later sentenced to life in prison.
1992 – Pope John Paul II died.
1996 – Suspected ‘Unabomber’ Theodore Kaczynski was arrested at his Montana cabin.
2004 – Hellboy and Walking Tall debuted in theaters.
2010 – Clash of the Titans was released in theaters (along with The Kraken)
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
“Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster by your side, kid.” – Han Solo (Harrison Ford) #moviequotes
Ursula the Sea Witch from ‘The Little Mermaid’ was inspired by drag queen Divine.
TV Quotes… “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!” (Jan Brady) on The Brady Bunch
“I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.” – Blanche DuBois (Vivien Leigh) in A Streetcar Named Desire, 1951
In Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Ben Stein’s economics lecture scene was completely improvised and done in one take.
The only domestic animal not mentioned in the Bible is the cat.
Twitter is just like a whole bunch of haiku’s written by people who don’t understand how haiku’s are supposed to work.
The difference between a Million and a Billion is almost a Billion.
Aren’t all galaxies ‘far far’ away?
“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” – Mae West
US President #41 George Herbert Walker (Bush 1989-1993) 2nd most known quote: “I’m President of the United States, and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli!” Most known: “No New Taxes”.
1891 – The Wrigley (Chewing Gum) Company was founded in Chicago, Illinois.
April 1 is known as April Fools Day or All Fools’ Day in many countries.
April 1, **** Birthday (fictional) Mr. Mxyzptlk Superman, DC Comics
1976 – Apple Inc. was formed by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in Cupertino, California 12 days later, Ronald sold his 10% share of the new company back to Jobs and Wozniak for $800. “What can I say? You make a decision based on your understanding of the circumstances, and you live with it.” – Ronald Wayne
April 1, 1978 Birthday (fictional) Fred and George Weasley, Harry Potter
1997 – Comet Hale-Bopp was seen passing at perihelion.
If you were born on April 1st, You were likely conceived the week of… July 9th (prior year)
April Fools Day
Nobody’s sure when the whole April Fools Day thing started. April Fools’ Day has been celebrated for centuries, but the origin of this day is still shrouded in mystery. Some historians believe it dates back to 1582 when France changed from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. Those who forgot or refused to accept the new calendar system were considered “fools” and sent on “errands,” such as visiting nonexistent locations with playful imitation scrolls and other paper novelty items that declared them April Fools.
Other scholars contend that April Fools’ Day began around 536 AD when Pope Gregory III designated April 1st as a day of celebration called “All Fool’s Day.” This allowed people to laugh and make jokes instead of observing religious holidays during this time.
In 1392, in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, there was a reference to March 32, which could be APRIL 1st.
On April Fools’ Day 1957, on a BBC show called Panorama – they showed a family in Switzerland harvesting spaghetti from the family “spaghetti tree” at a SWISS HARVEST FESTIVAL, documentary style. At the time, spaghetti wasn’t really a thing in England, and people many people thought it was true. But not all hoaxes are limited to April 1st, one of the earliest documented purposeful hoaxes was in 1835, when The New York Sun Newspaper ran stories for six days about life on the moon – goats, unicorns, walking beavers, and bat-like winged humanoids. It increased sales, but they never printed a retraction.
April 1 is…
April Fools’ Day Fun at Work Day Sourdough Bread Day
April 1 Birthday Quotes
“My whole career has been devoted to keeping people from knowing me.” – Lon Chaney
“Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others.” – Otto von Bismarck
“I’m learning how to live in the present and be grateful for what’s working rather than looking for the ‘what’s not working’ piece.” – Ali MacGraw
“I can’t change the world. I have to fix me.” – Bijou Phillips
“The First Amendment, I think, is the jewel of our Constitution.” – Samuel Alito
April 1 Birthdays
1815 – Otto von Bismarck, German lawyer and politician, 1st Chancellor of the German Empire (died in 1898) 1883 – Lon Chaney, American actor, director, and screenwriter (died in 1930) 1929 – Jane Powell, American actress, singer, and dancer 1939 – Ali MacGraw, American actress 1948 – Jimmy Cliff, Jamaican singer and musician 1949 – Gil Scott-Heron, American singer-songwriter and author (died in 2011) 1950 – Samuel Alito, American lawyer and Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court 1952 – Annette O’Toole, American actress 1961 – Susan Boyle, Scottish singer 1966 – Chris Evans, English radio and television host 1973 – Rachel Maddow, American journalist and author 1980 – Bijou Phillips, American actress and model 1995 – Logan Paul, American Youtuber
April 1 History
33 – Estimated date of Jesus Christ’s Last Supper
1789 – Pennsylvania Representative Frederick Augustus Conrad Muhlenberg was elected as the first US Speaker of the House of Representatives.
1853 – The first professional, full-time US fire department with salaried firemen was established in Cincinnati, Ohio.
1875 – Sir Francis Galton published the first newspaper weather map, in The Times in London, England
1877 – Edward Schieffelin founded Tombstone, Arizona, best known as the place where Doc Holliday and the Earp brothers had their shoot-out with the Clantons and McLaurys at the O.K. Corral in 1881
1934 – Bonnie and Clyde kill two young highway patrolmen near Grapevine, Texas.
1938 – The first panda to live in captivity outside China, Su Lin, died after a twig lodged in his throat at the Brookfield Zoo, Chicago.
1957 – The BBC broadcast the ‘spaghetti-tree hoax’ on its current affairs program Panorama, showing spaghetti being harvested from trees.
1960 – The first weather observation satellite, Tiros I, was launched from Cape Kennedy, Florida, and made the first television picture from space.
1960 – Dr. Martens released its first boots, the model 1460.
1963 – ABC premiered General Hospital, the daytime drama that eventually became the network’s longest-running (soap opera) serial program produced in Hollywood. On the same day, NBC debuted The Doctors.
1965 – On April 1, 1965, Michael O’Mahony claimed on BBC TV to have invented Smell-O-Vision. Numerous viewers called in and reported having experienced coffee and onion aromas through their TV sets. #dontbeleiveanythingaprilfirst
1970 – President Richard Nixon signed legislation officially banning cigarette ads on television and radio.
1976 – Apple Computer Company was formed by Steve Jobs Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne.
1977 (Tornado) Madaripur and Shibchar, Bangladesh
April 1, 1977 – The Apple II was released.
April 1, 1978 Birthday (fictional) Fred and George Weasley, Harry Potter
1979 – Nickelodeon kid’s cable channel was launched.
April 1, 1979, 19** Birthday (fictional) Bart Simpson, The Simpsons, TV
1983 – Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life and Screwballs were released in theaters.
1984 – Singer Marvin Gaye was shot three times and killed by his father during a domestic dispute.
1988 – Beetlejuice, The Seventh Sign, and Bright Lights, Big City debuted in theaters.
1989 – #1 Hit April 1, 1989 – April 7, 1989: The Bangles – Eternal Flame
April 1 19** The Joker and Dr. Harlees Quinzel escaped the asylum, DC Comics
1993 – Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is founded in Los Angeles, California, USA.
1994 – Major League II and Thumbelina were released in theaters.
1997 – As part of a crossover April Fools joke, Pat Sajak hosted Jeopardy and Alex Trebek hosted Wheel of Fortune.
2001 – Same-sex marriage became legal in the Netherlands, the first contemporary country allowing it.
2004 – Gmail was launched on April 1 and was widely assumed to be an April Fools’ Day prank. They offered 1GB free storage in 2004 while other webmail services typically provided between 5MB – 50MB.
2005 – Sin City debuted in theaters.
2006 – #1 Hit April 1, 2006 – April 7, 2006: Sean Paul – Temperature
2007 – Google sent an email to all of its employees warning that a python was loose inside of their New York office. It was not a joke.
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
“Cogito ergo est. I think, therefore you is.” – The King of the Moon #moviequotes
“U + Me = Us (Calculus)” #songlyrics
I see the Google logo every day, but I don’t know which letter is in which color.
Notice the big letter on the face of the dollar bill? Each letter represents which Federal Reserve Bank printed it! “A” is for Boston
Useless Pronunciation: E as in entirely
The biggest film of 1936: How to Become a Detective earned ~ $6,000,000
“Ask not what your country can do for you …” – John F. Kennedy
“As Mr. Sloan always says, there is no “I” in team, but there is an “I” in pie. And there’s an “I” in meat pie. Anagram of meat is team… I don’t know what he’s talking about.” – Shaun
The only answer to the question, “Is today opposite day?” is “No”.
TV Quotes… “Mom always liked you best” (Tommy Smothers) on “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour”
A group of Monkeys is called a Troop or Barrel or Carload or Cartload or Tribe.
When going to the casino take out the money you are comfortable losing and then keep your credit cards and debit cards locked in your vehicle. Bonus points if you park far away as well. #LifeProTip
“If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I have known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons.” – James Thurber
1492 – Queen Isabella of Castile issued The Alhambra Decree, ordering her 150,000 Jewish and Muslim subjects to convert to Christianity or face expulsion.
1889 – Eiffel Tower was dedicated, opening later that year.
1918 – Daylight saving time goes into effect in the United States for the first time.
1992 – The USS Missouri, the last active United States Navy battleship, was decommissioned in Long Beach, California.
If you were born on March 31st, You were likely conceived the week of… July 8th (prior year)
Facts About The Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower was the centerpiece for the Paris World’s Fair in 1889.
The four corners are pointed North, South, East and West
It is the most photographed object on Instagram
They discovered Cosmic Rays at the Eiffel Tower.
Today it has 8 elevators and two restaurants
They still have a post office, near the gift shop, with its own special postmark!
They paint it every few years, in 2018, they used 60 Tons of paint.
At 986 feet, the Eiffel Tower was nearly double the height of the world’s previous tallest structure, the 555-foot Washington Monument. It held the title until the 1,046-foot Chrysler Building was built in New York in 1930.
The lights on the tower were put up in 1985, and they are copyrighted. Under European Copyright Law, people can’t sell or publish photographs of the tower, or even post them on social media without permission.
March 31 is…
Bunsen Burner Day Clams on the Half Shell Day Oranges and Lemons Day Tater Day World Backup Day
March 31 Birthday Quotes
“We do not describe the world we see, we see the world we can describe.” – Rene Descartes
“Prior to capitalism, the way people amassed great wealth was by looting, plundering and enslaving their fellow man. Capitalism made it possible to become wealthy by serving your fellow man.” – Walter E. Williams
“When the man who feeds the world by toiling in the fields is himself deprived of the basic rights of feeding, sheltering, and caring for his own family, the whole community of man is sick.” – Cesar Chavez
“I got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell.” – Christopher Walken
“The best AC/DC cover I’ve heard? There was an all-girl cover band in America, the Hell’s Belles.” Angus Young, co-founder and lead guitarist for AC/DC
March 31 Birthdays
1596 – René Descartes, French mathematician and philosopher (died in 1650) 1732 – Joseph Haydn, Austrian pianist and composer (died in 1809) 1878 – Jack Johnson, American boxer (died in 1946) 1908 – Red Norvo, American vibraphone player and composer (died in 1999) 1927 – Cesar Chavez, American labor union leader and activist (died in 1993) 1928 – Gordie Howe, Canadian ice hockey player (died in 2016) 1929 – Liz Claiborne, Belgian-American fashion designer, founded Liz Claiborne Inc. (died in 2007) 1934 – Richard Chamberlain, American actor 1934 – Shirley Jones, American actress and singer 1935 – Herb Alpert, American singer-songwriter, trumpet player, and producer 1936 – Walter E. Williams, American economist and academic (died in 2020) 1943 – Christopher Walken, American actor 1948 – Al Gore, American politician, 45th Vice President of the United States and Nobel Prize laureate 1948 – Rhea Perlman, American actress 1955 – Angus Young, Scottish-Australian guitarist and songwriter, AC/DC
March 31 History
1492 – Queen Isabella of Castille issued the Alhambra Decree, ordering her 150,000 Jewish and Muslim subjects to convert to Christianity or face expulsion.
1822 – The massacre of tens of thousands of people living on the Greek island of Chios by soldiers of the Ottoman Empire following an attempted rebellion,.
1836 – The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, by Charles Dickens, was published under his pseudonym, Boz.
1889 – The Eiffel Tower, 986 feet tall, in Paris, France, was inaugurated
1918 – The US began daylight saving time (DST) on Easter Sunday when clocks were set ahead by one hour.
1930 – The Motion Picture Production Code was instituted, imposing strict guidelines on the treatment of sex, crime, religion, and violence in film, in the US. It was in place until 1968.
1943 – Broadway Show – Oklahoma! (Musical) March 31, 1943 * Formally called ‘Away We Go’ in the initial tryout runs
March 31, 1957 – Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, starring Julie Andrews aired Live on CBS
1959 – The Dalai Lama, fled the Chinese suppression of a national uprising in Tibet and crossed the border into India, where he is granted political asylum.
1963 – #1 Hit March 31, 1962 – April 6, 1962: Connie Francis – Don’t Break the Heart That Loves You
1981 – A new single-cell genetically engineered life form patent (#4,259,444) was issued to Ananda Chakrabarty. The Pseudomonas bacterium (now called Burkholderia cepacia) could be used to clean up toxic spills because it can break down crude oil into simpler substances that can potentially become food for aquatic life.
1984 – #1 Hit March 31, 1984 – April 20, 1984: Kenny Loggins – Footloose
1985 – The first WrestleMania, the biggest wrestling event from the WWE (WWF), took place in Madison Square Garden in New York.
1987 – Max Headroom premiered on ABC
1994- Madonna appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman and stirred up controversy by going on a profanity-laden tirade. It marked the most censored event in television talk show history with 13 swear words being censored.
1995- Latina singer Selena was murdered and the live coverage of the crime drew in over 3.2 million views to CBS.
1998 – Netscape released Mozilla source code under an open-source license.
2001 – #1 Hit March 31, 2001 – April 13, 2001: Shaggy featuring Rayvon – Angel
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
The band playing most of the songs on Michael Jackson’s Thriller album was Toto.
Giant Pandas poop up to 40 times per day.
The word Chortle was made by the author of Alice in Wonderland in his poem Jabberwocky, as a nonsense word and blend of the words chuckle and snort
The Who’s “You Better You Bet” was the fourth-ever music video played on MTV, it was also the 54th, being the first to be repeated.
The law of urination… states that all mammals take roughly 21 seconds to empty their bladders regardless of size.
After Disney acquired Miramax in 1993, the first film given the green-light was Quentin Tarantino’s R-rated Pulp Fiction.
Gary Larson, the creator of “The Far Side” comics, coined a term that is used by paleontologists – The Thagomizer.
The Beatles had a specific clause in their contract that stated that they would not ever have to play for a segregated audience.
The term ‘dead ringer’ comes from the practice of substituting a thoroughbred horse with a look-a-like to trick bookies.
For the first 40 million years that woody trees were around, wood was not biodegradable…until a fungus figured out how to rot it
Disney’s Ursula The Sea Witch is inspired, in both appearance and demeanor, by drag legend and John Waters’ muse Divine.
The blob of toothpaste they show in toothpaste ads is called a “Nurdle”.
George Washington had his own personal recipe for egg nog that he would serve to guests, which included one-pint brandy, 1/2 pint rye whiskey, 1/2 pint Jamaica rum, and 1/4 pint sherry wine.
Dogs develop bite inhibition, the ability to control the strength of a bite as puppies, learning that harsh bites often interrupt playtime.
The origin of April’s name is uncertain. It likely derives from the Latin word Aprilis, derived from the Latin verb aperire, meaning “to open,” referring to the opening of flowers and plants in the springtime. April was the ancient Roman month dedicated to Venus, the goddess of beauty, whose festival occurred on April 1st. This April Festival is believed to be the source of many modern April Fool’s Day customs. April also coincided with Ovid’s celebration of the rites of Venus and traditional Roman festivals such as Veneralia (April 1) and Robigalia (April 25). The Anglo-Saxons called April Eosturmonath or Ostara after their goddess Ostara or Eostre.April is also traditionally associated with April showers, bringing May flowers.
Keep America Beautiful Month
America is a beautiful country, and there’s no better time to celebrate than Keep America Beautiful Month. Every April since 2000, millions of people across the United States come together to help protect their local environment by volunteering in cleanups, organizing donation drives, and other activities promoting sustainability.During this month-long celebration, everyone can participate in making a difference. Here are just some of the ideas: Plant a tree or garden in your yard; Collect litter around your neighborhood; Donate reusable items like clothes or furniture; Recycle cans and bottles to reduce waste; Buy products made from recycled materials whenever possible; Educate yourself about environmental issues and share what you learn with others.Participating in Keep America Beautiful Month is easy, and the rewards are worth it. When everyone works together, we can make the world a little brighter and our environment a little healthier. So let’s get out there and show our appreciation for Mother Nature during Keep America Beautiful Month!
April’s Moons
Ashes Moon, Awakening Moon, Big Spring Moon, Big Summer Moon, Black Oaks Tassel Moon, Broken Snowshoe Moon, Budding Time Moon, Budding Trees Moon, Bullhead Moon, Cherry Blossom Moon, Daisy Moon, Moon, Egg Moon, Moon, Fish Moon, Flower Moon, Frog Moon, Glittering Snow on Lake Moon, Grass Moon, Gray Goose Moon, Great Sand Storm Moon, Green Grass Moon,, Growing Moon, Half Spring Moon, Hare Moon, Ice Breaking in the River Moon, Leaf Split Moon, Loon Moon, Maple Moon, Maple Sugar Moon, Maple Sap Boiling Moon, Moon of Greening Grass, Moon of Red Grass Appearing, Moon of the Big Leaves, Moon of the Red Grass Appearing, Moon of Windbreak, Moon When Geese Return in Scattered Formation, Moon When Nothing Happens, Moon When the Geese Lay Eggs, Moon When They Set Indian Corn, Peony Moon, Pink Moon, Planter’s Moon, Planting Corn Moon, Planting Moon, Poinciana Moon, Red Grass Appearing Moon, Ring Finger Moon, Snowshoe Breaking Moon, Spring Moon, Sprouting Grass Moon, Strawberry Moon, Strong Moon, Sugar Maker Moon, Summer Moon, Sweet Pea Moon, Tulip Moon, White Lady Moon, Wildcat Moon, Willow Moon, Wind Moon, Wisteria Moon and Yellow Moon.
April is…
Alcohol Awareness Month Arab American Heritage Month Autism Awareness Month BLT Sandwich Month Child Abuse Prevention Month Confederate History Month Customer Loyalty Month Defeat Diabetes Month Distracted Driving Awareness Month DIY Decorating Month Financial Literacy Month Florida Tomato Month Grilled Cheese Month Garlic Month Grange Month Keep America Beautiful Month Lawn & Garden Month Mathematics & Statistics Month National Humor Month Jazz Appreciation Month Occupational Therapy (OT) Month Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month Pecan Month Pet First Aid Awareness Month Poetry Writing Month Rape Awareness Month School Library Month Sexual Assault Awareness Month Soft Pretzel Month Soyfoods Month Stress Awareness Month Workplace Conflict Awareness Month
Taurus is the second astrological sign in the Zodiac, represented by the Bull. It is associated with the element of earth, and is considered a fixed sign. Those born under this sign are said to be dependable, practical, and determined. The planet Venus rules Taurus, and its corresponding astrological period is typically considered to be from April 20 to May 20. Taurus is known for being strong-willed and determined with a love for material comforts and pleasures. They are also known to be reliable and trustworthy.
April Quotes
“It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want – oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heartache, you want it so!” – Mark Twain
“Sweet April showers do spring May flowers.” – Thomas Tusser 1557, (A Hundred Good Points of Husbandry)
“If Spring came but once in a century, instead of once a year, or burst forth with the sound of an earthquake, and not in silence, what wonder and expectation there would be in all hearts to behold the miraculous change! But now the silent succession suggests nothing but necessity. To most men, only the cessation of the miracle would be miraculous and the perpetual exercise of God’s power seems less wonderful than its withdrawal would be.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
“The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year.” – Mark Twain
“April hath put a spirit of youth in everything.” – William Shakespeare
“April is the cruelest month, breeding lilacs out of the dead land, mixing memory and desire, stirring dull roots with spring rain.” – T. S. Eliot, The Waste Land, 1922
April History
Trivia for April 1 April 1 is known as April Fools Day or All Fools’ Day in many countries.1789 – Pennsylvania Representative Frederick Augustus Conrad Muhlenberg was elected as the first US Speaker of the House of Representatives.1877 – Edward Schieffelin founded Tombstone, Arizona, best known as the place where Doc Holliday and the Earp brothers had their shoot-out with the Clantons and McLaurys at the O.K. Corral in 1881
1934 – Bonnie and Clyde kill two young highway patrolmen near Grapevine, Texas.
1963 – ABC premiered General Hospital, the daytime drama that eventually became the network’s longest-running (soap opera) serial program produced in Hollywood. On the same day, NBC debuted The Doctors.
1970 – President Richard Nixon signed legislation officially banning cigarette ads on television and radio.
1976 – Apple Computer Company was formed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.
1977 (Tornado) Madaripur and Shibchar, Bangladesh
1979 – Nickelodeon kid’s cable channel was launched
1984 – Singer Marvin Gaye was shot three times and killed by his father during a domestic dispute.
1997 – As part of a crossover April Fools joke, Pat Sajak hosted Jeopardy and Alex Trebek hosted Wheel of Fortune. Trivia for April 2
Trivia for April 2 1513 – Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon landed near what is now called St. Augustine, Florida and declared the land for Spain.
1860 – Pony Express mail, traveling by horse and rider relay teams, simultaneously left St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California. They used horses, not ponies.
1882 – Tombstone reads, “Jesse W. James, Died April 3, 1882, Aged 34 years, 6 months, 28 days, Murdered by a traitor and a coward whose name is not worthy to appear here.” Jesse James was shot and killed by frenemy Robert Ford for the reward money. There was a $5,000 bounty on the bank-robber, but they gave Ford $500 and then arrested him.
1917 – The first woman ever elected to the U.S. Congress, Jeannette Rankin, takes her seat as a representative from Montana.
1953 – TV Guide debuted.
1956 – As the World Turns and The Edge of Night first aired on the CBS network in the United States, as the first half-hour serial dramas.
1956 – Elvis Presley sang “Heartbreak Hotel” on the Milton Berle Show, with an estimated 25% of the United States population viewing.
1973 – The first portable cell phone call was placed in New York City.
1978 – Dallas premiered on CBS
1992 – In New York, Mafia boss John Gotti is convicted of murder and racketeering and is later sentenced to life in prison.
1992 – Pope John Paul II died.
1996 – Suspected “Unabomber” Theodore Kaczynski was arrested at his Montana cabin.
Trivia for April 3 1860 – The Pony Express began service, between St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California.
1885 – Gottlieb Daimler was granted a German patent for his engine design.
1953 – TV Guide published its first issue
1955 – The American Civil Liberties Union announced it would defend Allen Ginsberg’s book, Howl, against obscenity charges.
1956 – Elvis Presley appeared on The Milton Berle Show
1968 – Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech.
1978 – At the 50th annual Academy Awards, held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, Woody Allen’s Annie Hall won the Oscar for Best Picture of 1977.
1981 – The Osborne 1, the first successful portable computer, was unveiled at the West Coast Computer Faire in San Francisco.
1986 – Merv Griffin sold Merv Griffin Enterprises, to The Coca-Cola Company, for $250,000,000.
Trivia for April 4 1561 – UFOs were reported flying over Nuremberg, German
1841 – US President Harrison died of pneumonia after one month in office
1850 – Los Angeles, California was incorporated as a city.
1933 – Akron, a dirigible, crashed in New Jersey, killing 73 people.
1949 – Twelve nations signed the North Atlantic Treaty, creating the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
1964 – The Beatles occupied all of the top five positions on the Billboard singles chart in the United States, with Can’t Buy Me Love, Twist and Shout, She Loves You, I Want to Hold Your Hand, and Please Please Me.
1968 – Martin Luther King, Jr was assassinated by James Earl Ray in Memphis Tennessee.
1969 – CBS abruptly canceled The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, and replaced it with Hee Haw, they announced. Hee Haw episodes were ready to premiere in mid-June.
1973 – The World Trade Center in New York is officially dedicated.
1975 – Microsoft was founded as a partnership between Bill Gates and Paul Allen in Albuquerque, New Mexico
1983 – Space Shuttle Challenger made its maiden voyage into space (STS-6).
2013 – Famed movie critic Roger Ebert died
Trivia for April 5 1614 – In Virginia, Native American Pocahontas married English colonist John Rolfe.
1922 – The American Birth Control League, the forerunner of Planned Parenthood, is incorporated.
1936 (Tornado) Tupelo, Mississippi
1949 – Fireside Theater debuted on NBC.
1987 – FOX debuted two shows, Married… with Children and The Tracey Ullman Show
1991 – Katie Couric was designated a co-host of the Today Show.
1994 – Lead Singer of Nirvana, Kurt Cobain committed suicide, and was found three days later.
1997 – The Crocodile Hunter premiered on Animal Planet
2006 – The first case of H5N1 avian flu was confirmed in the UK after tests on a dead swan found in Cellardyke, Fife.
2012 – Scandal premiered on ABC
Trivia for April 6 648 BC – Earliest solar eclipse recorded by the Ancient Greeks.
1830 – The Mormon Church was founded in Fayette Township, New York, by Joseph Smith
1895 – Oscar Wilde was arrested, and later found guilty of being a homosexual, and sentenced to two years of hard labor.
1896 – In Athens, the opening of the first modern Olympic Games 1,500 years after being banned by Roman Emperor Theodosius I.
1931 – Little Orphan Annie debuted on the Blue Network of NBC.
1936 (Tornado) Gainesville, Georgia
1966 – Hundred of children and their teachers reported seeing a UFO over Melbourne, Australia
1974 – “Waterloo” won the Eurovision Song Contest for Sweden. ABBA went on to pop music success for much of the 1970s.
Trivia for April 7 1906 (Volcano) Mount Vesuvius erupted and devastated Naples.
1933 – Prohibition in the United States was repealed for beer of no more than 3.2% alcohol by weight.
1940 – Booker T. Washington becomes the first African American to be depicted on a United States postage stamp.
1945 – Japanese battleship Yamato was sunk by Allied forces off the coast of Okinawa.
1967 – Film critic Roger Ebert published his first film review in the Chicago Sun-Times.
1970 – John Wayne won the Best Actor Oscar for his role in 1969’s True Grit.
1970 – Midnight Cowboy won in the Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay Oscars.
Trivia for April 8 1730 – Shearith Israel, the first synagogue in New York City, was dedicated.
1820 – The Venus de Milo statue was discovered on the Aegean island of Melos.
1838 (Tornado) Calcutta, India
1952 – US President Harry Truman announced the seizure of all domestic steel mills to prevent a nationwide strike.
1964 – Gemini 1, an unmanned test flight, was launched.
1990 – Twin Peaks premiered on ABC
1994 – Lead Singer of Nirvana, Kurt Cobain was found dead, having committed suicide three days earlier.
2005 – Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph agreed to plead guilty. A security guard named Richard Jewell was initially considered the prime suspect in the case.
Trivia for April 9 1865 – At Appomattox, Virginia, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrenders his 28,000 troops to Union General Ulysses S. Grant, ending the US Civil War.
1867 – The Alaska Purchase – the United States bought Alaska from the Russian Empire for $7.2 million, in a treaty ratified by the U.S. Senate.
1945 – 1945 – The United States Atomic Energy Commission was formed.
1947 (Tornado) Higgins, Texas and Woodward, Oklahoma
1962 – Sophia Loren won Best Actress Oscar for Two Women
1967 – The first Boeing 737 made its maiden flight.
1998 – The Price Is Right aired their milestone 5,000th episode. Every prize given away on that episode was a car.
Trivia for April 10 1815 (Volcano Eruption) Mount Tambora (Year Without A Summer). The eruption lasted 3 months.
1866 – The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was founded in New York City.
1906 – O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi was published.
1953 – The House of Wax, in 3-D and starring Vincent Price, opened at New York’s Paramount Theater.
1963 – USS Thresher, an atomic submarine, sank in the Atlantic Ocean, killing the entire crew of 129.
1970 – Paul McCartney announced the breakup of the Beatles
1971 – In an attempt to thaw relations with the United States, the People’s Republic of China hosted the US table tennis team for a week-long visit.
2009 – Parks and Recreation premiered on NBC
2010 – Matt Smith debuted as the eleventh Doctor on Doctor Who on BBC America
2014 – Kathleen Sebelius resigned as Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, after the faulty rollout of HealthCare.gov.
Trivia for April 11 1876 – The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks was organized in New York City.
1909 – The city of Tel Aviv was founded.
1919 – The International Labor Organization was founded.
1945 – The American Third Army liberated the Buchenwald concentration camp, near Weimar, Germany.
1964 (Tornado) Bhabanipur, Bangladesh
1970 – Apollo 13 was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying astronauts James A. Lovell, John L. Swigert, and Fred W. Haise. The difficult trip back home was the topic of the film, Apollo 13.
1981 – Van Halen’s lead guitarist Eddie Van Halen married One Day at a Time actress Valerie Bertinelli
1988 – Cher (Cherilyn Sarkisian) won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in 1987’s Moonstruck.
2006 – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that Iran had successfully enriched uranium.
Trivia for April 12 1633 – Galileo was convicted of heresy, for announcing that the Earth revolved around the Sun.
1914 – Mark Strand Theatre opened in New York City. It was the first official “movie theater.”
1934 – The strongest surface wind gust ever recorded on Earth, at 231 mph, was measured on the summit of Mount Washington, New Hampshire.
1961 – Aboard the spacecraft Vostok 1, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin became the first human being to travel into space.
1981 – The first launch of a Space Shuttle (Columbia), named the STS-1 mission.
1987 – 21 Jump Street premiered on FOX
1995 – Drew Barrymore appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman and because it was his birthday she famously danced on his desk and flashed him on the air.
Trivia for April 13 1204 – Constantinople fell to the Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade.
1742 – Handel’s Messiah premiered in Dublin, Ireland.
1829 – The Roman Catholic Relief Act gave Roman Catholics in the United Kingdom the right to vote and to sit in the UK’s Parliament.
1870 – The New York City Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded.
1902 – James C. Penney opened his first store in Kemmerer, Wyoming.
1943 – The Jefferson Memorial was dedicated in Washington, DC.
1970 – An Oxygen tank exploded on Apollo13, but everyone survived. It was also the major plot for the 1995 film, Apollo 13.
1974 – Western Union, with NASA and Hughes Aircraft, launched the US’ first commercial geosynchronous communications satellite, Westar 1.
1976 – The United States Treasury Department reintroduced the two-dollar bill as a Federal Reserve Note
Trivia for April 14 1775 – The Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage was organized in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Rush.
1818 – Noah Webster published his American Dictionary of the English Language.
1865 – John Wilkes Booth fatally shot President Abraham Lincoln at a play (Our American Cousin) at Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C.
1912 – RMS Titanic hit an iceberg, killing 1514 people that evening, and into the next day.
1933 – Jack Mackay and his wife reported seeing the Loch Ness Monster, “Nessie”, although the earliest report was in 565 AD, when St. Columba turned away a giant beast that was threatening a man in the Ness River, which flows into the lake.
1935 – “Black Sunday Storm” – the worst dust storm of the US Dust Bowl, hit from the Oklahoma Panhandle and Northwestern Oklahoma to the Texas Panhandles.
1953 – The CIA started to give unwitting subjects LSD in a search for a mind-controlling drug.
1969 (Tornado) East Pakistan, Pakistan
1969 – Katharine Hepburn (The Lion in Winter) and Barbra Streisand (Funny Girl) tied for Best Actress Oscar
1984 – My Little Pony premiered, in syndication
1990 – In Living Color premiered on FOX
1994 – The 24-hour movie channel Turner Classic Movies made its debut.
2003 – The Human Genome Project was completed with 99% of the human genome sequenced to an accuracy of 99.99%.
Trivia for April 15 1755 – Samuel Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language was published in London.
1892 – The General Electric Company was formed.
1912 – Titanic sank in the North Atlantic Ocean, near Newfoundland & Nova Scotia, Canada, after hitting an iceberg the night before.
1923 – Insulin became available for use by people with diabetes.
1927 – The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 began.
1947 – Jackie Robinson, became the first African-American player in Major League Baseball when he played at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
1955 – McDonald’s opened its first franchised restaurant by Ray Kroc, in Des Plaines, Illinois.
1984 – The inaugural World Youth Day was held in Saint Peter’s Square, Vatican City.
2013 – At approximately 2:50 PM (EDT), in a terrorist attack, two explosions around Copley Square were caught live on camera during the telecast of the Boston Marathon, killing three and injuring 260.
Trivia for April 16 73 AD – Masada, a Jewish fortress, fell to the Romans after several months of siege.
1881 – In Dodge City, Kansas, gunslinger Bat Masterson fought his last gun battle. He paid an $8 fine and retired.
1943 – Albert Hoffmann accidentally discovered the psychedelic effects of Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)
1947 – Bernard Baruch, in a speech given during the unveiling of his portrait in the South Carolina House of Representatives, coined the term “Cold War” to describe relations between the United States and the Soviet Union.
1962 – Walter Cronkite became the news anchor for the CBS network.
1990 – Doctor Death, Jack Kevorkian, participated in his first assisted suicide. Janet Adkins was the patient, in Detroit, Michigan.
1995 – Governor George W. Bush named April 16 as Selena Day in Texas, after the singer was killed two weeks earlier.
2007 – Virginia Tech massacre: Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people and injured 17 before committing suicide.
Trivia for April 17 1397 – Geoffrey Chaucer told The Canterbury Tales for the first time at the court of Richard II.
1815 (Volcano) Tambora volcano in Indonesia killed almost 100,000 people
1897 – A UFO supposedly crashed into a farm owned by J.S. Proctor in Aurora, Texas.
1907 – The Ellis Island immigration center in New York processed 11,747 people, more than on any other day.
1937 – Daffy Duck’s first appearance was in Porky’s Duck Hunt.
1960 – Singer Eddie Cochran died, and Gene Vincent was injured in a UK car accident.
1961 – The unsuccessful Bay of Pigs invasion began.
1964 – The Ford Mustang was introduced to the North American market.
1966 – Policemen Dale Spaur and Wilbur Neff reported chasing a UFO at 5:00 AM in Portage County, Ohio
1973 (Tornado) Balurchar, Bangladesh
2011 – Game of Thrones premiered on HBO
2014 – NASA’s Kepler confirmed the discovery of the first Earth-size planet in the habitable zone of another star.
Trivia for April 18 1506 – The cornerstone of the current St. Peter’s Basilica was laid.
1902 – Quetzaltenango, the second largest city of Guatemala, is destroyed by an earthquake.
1906 (Earthquake) At 5:13 AM, an earthquake estimated at close to 8.0 on the Richter scale strikes San Francisco, California.
1923 – Yankee Stadium, “The House that Ruth Built”, opened.
1924 – Simon & Schuster published the first crossword puzzle book.
1930 – BBC reported there was no news, and then played out with piano music.
1983 – The Disney Channel began as a cable channel
1983 – A suicide bomber destroyed the United States embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, killing 63 people.
1989 – In the People’s Republic of China (PRC), student protests grew until the Chinese government eventually suppressed them in June, during what came to be known as the Tiananmen Square Massacre.
1995 – Rox became the first television show distributed via the internet
2012 – Dick Clark, host of “American Bandstand” and “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” died.
2014 – 16 people were killed in an avalanche on Mount Everest.
Trivia for April 19 1775 – The American Revolution began in Lexington, Massachusetts.
1897 – The first Boston Marathon was held.
1919 – Leslie Irvin made the first successful voluntary free-fall parachute jump using a self-contained parachute.
1956 – American actress Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier of Monaco.
1963 (Tornado) Cooch Behar, India
1977 – The Amazing Spider-Man debuted on CBS
1987 – The Tracey Ullman Show featured a short with “The Simpsons”
1993 – At Mount Carmel in Waco, Texas, the FBI launched a tear-gas assault on the Branch Davidian compound, ending with a fire that killed 80 members, including 22 children.
1995 – A massive truck bomb exploded outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, killing 168 people.
2009 – Cake Boss premiered on TLC
Trivia for April 20 1657 – Freedom of religion is granted to the Jews of New Amsterdam (New York City).
1841 – The Murders in the Rue Morgue, by Edgar Allen Poe, was published in Graham’s Lady’s and Gentleman’s Magazine. It is considered the first detective story.
1871 – The Third Force Act, popularly known as the Ku Klux Act, Congress authorized President Ulysses S. Grant to declare martial law in stopping the Ku Klux Klan.
1912 – Opening day for baseball’s Tiger Stadium in Detroit, Michigan, and Fenway Park in Boston.
1926 – Western Electric and the Warner Brothers film studio officially introduced Vitaphone, a new process that would enable the addition of sound to film.
1999 – At Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, students Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris killed 13 people and wounded 23 more before killing themselves.
2008 – Danica Patrick became the first woman to win an Indy Car race
2010 – The Deepwater Horizon, run by British Petroleum (BP) drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, killing eleven workers.
Trivia for April 21 753 BC – Romulus and his twin brother Remus founded Rome.
1895 – Woodville Latham and his sons, Otway and Gray, demonstrate the “Panopticon” – the first movie projector developed in the United States.
1918 – Above the Somme River in France, Baron Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron, was killed by Allied fire, either by an air fight or from the ground.
1930 – 320 people were dead and another 130 were seriously injured in a prison fire at the Ohio State Penitentiary.
1981 – “Weird Al” Yankovic made his first national television appearance on The Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder
1986 – Geraldo Rivera hosted a live, highly promoted two-hour syndicated special The Mystery of Al Capone’s Vault. They found nothing
1990 – Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue aired, a special program that warned children about the dangers of drugs and featured characters from several Saturday morning children’s shows, was simulcast by ABC, BET, CBS, Fox, NBC, USA Network, and Nickelodeon.
1992 – The first discoveries of planets outside of our solar system (two planets orbiting the pulsar PSR 1257+12) were announced by astronomers Alexander Wolszczan and Dale Frail.
Trivia for April 22 1519 – Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés established a settlement at Veracruz, Mexico.
1864 – The U.S. Congress passed the Coinage Act of 1864 that mandated that the inscription ‘In God We Trust’ would be placed on all coins minted as United States currency.
1876 – The first-ever National League baseball game is played in Philadelphia. Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Stockings. Boston won the game 6-5.
1912 – Pravda, the “voice” of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, begins publication in Saint Petersburg.
1970 – Earth Day was the brainchild of Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, and this year initiated the annual event.
1978 – The Blues Brothers (John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd) made their first appearance on Saturday Night Live.
1998 – Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened at Walt Disney World.
2000 – US Federal Agents seized six-year-old Elián González from his relatives’ home in Miami, and sent him back to Cuba.
Trivia for April 23 1564 – William Shakespeare was born. He went on to write 38 plays and invent dozens of English words.
1635 – The first public school in the Americas, the Boston Latin School, was founded in Boston.
1940 – Rhythm Club Fire (or The Natchez Dance Hall Holocaust) Natchez, Mississippi killed 198 people.
1961 – Judy Garland performed at Carnegie Hall, the performance is often called “the greatest night in showbiz history.”
2005 – First YouTube video was uploaded, titled “Me at the zoo”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNQXAC9IVRw
Trivia for April 24 1184 BC – The fall of Troy (with the Trojan Horse) took place, according to tradition.
1704 – The first regular newspaper in British Colonial America, the News-Letter, was published in Boston, Massachusetts.
1800 – The Library of Congress was established.
1885 – American sharpshooter Annie Oakley joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.
1895 – Joshua Slocum, the first person to sail single-handedly around the world, set sail from Boston, Massachusetts aboard the sloop “Spray”.
1908 (Tornado) Amite, Louisiana and Purvis Missouri
1982 – Jane Fonda’s first Workout video was released.
1990 – STS-31 – The Hubble Space Telescope was launched from the Space Shuttle Discovery.
Trivia for April 25 1644 – The Chongzhen Emperor, the last Emperor of Ming Dynasty China, committed suicide during a peasant rebellion.
1719 – Daniel Defoe’s The Life and Strange Adventures of Robinson Crusoe was published.
1792 – Highwayman (thief) Nicolas J. Pelletier becomes the first person executed by guillotine.
1859 – Ground was broken for opened the Suez Canal by British and French engineers. The 100-mile canal opened ten years later.
1901 – New York became the first US state to require automobile license plates.
1944 – The United Negro College Fund was incorporated.
1947 – President Harry Truman opened the two-lane White House bowling alley.
1953 – Francis Crick and James D. Watson published “Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids: A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid” describing the double helix structure of DNA.
1954 – The first practical solar cell was demonstrated by Bell Telephone Laboratories.
1982 – Israel completed the withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula per the Camp David Accords.
1983 – Pioneer 10 traveled beyond Pluto’s orbit.
1992- Growing Pains and Who’s The Boss aired their final episodes
Trivia for April 26 662 (Earthquake) Iran
1278 – Imprisoned for murder, John le F*cker sent a letter asking for bail, the earliest recorded instance of the English swear word “f*ck”.
1564 – Playwright William Shakespeare was baptized in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. Traditionally baptized three days after birth, this is how we know his birthday was April 23.
1721 (Earthquake) Tabriz, Iran
1933 – The Gestapo, the official secret police force of Nazi Germany, was established.
1954 – Polio vaccine trials began.
1977 – Studio 54 opened at 254 West 54th Street in New York City.
1986 – Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster, Ukraine
1989 (Tornado) Daulatpur-Salturia Tornado, Bangladesh killed 1300 people and injured 12,000.
1978 – Ringo Starr’s, Ringo, a musical version of The Prince and the Pauper, airs on NBC, with George Harrison narrating.
2010 – Boobquake was envisioned by Jennifer McCreight. An estimated 200,000 people participated worldwide, and the epicenter was considered the Purdue Bell Tower in West Lafayette, Indiana.
2011 – The Voice premiered on NBC
Trivia for April 27 4977 BC – The Universe was created, according to Johannes Kepler.
1667 – Blind writer John Milton sold his copyright to ‘Paradise Lost’ for 10 pounds. He needed the money because he was penniless at the time.
1865 – SS Sultana explosion, Mississippi River, near Memphis, Tennessee.
1936 – The United Auto Workers (UAW) gains autonomy from the American Federation of Labor.
1956 – Rocky Marciano retired as world heavyweight boxing champion.
1992 – Betty Boothroyd became the first woman to be elected Speaker of the British House of Commons in its 700-year history.
2002 – The last successful telemetry from the NASA space probe Pioneer 10, launched in 1972.
2014 – Popes John XXIII and John Paul II were declared saints.
Trivia for April 28 1789 – The HMS Bounty was taken over in a mutiny led by Fletcher Christian, the first mate. Captain William Bligh and 18 of his loyal supporters were set adrift in a small boat.
1965 – My Name Is Barbra, Barbra Streisand’s first TV special, aired on CBS.
1967 – World boxing champion Muhammad Ali (Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr.) refused to be inducted into the US Army and was immediately stripped of his heavyweight title.
1975 – Tom Snyder interviewed ex-Beatle John Lennon on The Tomorrow Show
1988 – Over Maui, Hawaii, flight attendant Clarabelle “C.B.” Lansing was blown out of Aloha Airlines Flight 243, a Boeing 737, and fell to her death when part of the plane’s fuselage ripped open in mid-flight.
1994- The Simpsons aired its 100th episode
2001 – Millionaire Dennis Tito became the world’s first space tourist.
Trivia for April 29 1962 – ABC’s Wide World of Sports premiered.
1945 – The US Seventh Army’s 45th Infantry Division liberated the Dachau concentration camp.
1968 – The musical, Hair, opened at the Biltmore Theatre on Broadway,
1991 (Cyclone) Bangladesh Cyclone, in Bangladesh, killed 135,000 people.
1993 – A cartoon version of Barry White appeared on the fourth season finale of The Simpsons.
1992 – Rodney King trial verdict announced. Four police officers who had been charged with using excessive force in arresting black motorist Rodney King a year earlier were acquitted. Rioting ensued – over the next three days 53 people were killed and hundreds of buildings were destroyed.
1996 – TV Land network made its debut.
2011 – The Wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Kate Middleton.
Trivia for April 30 1789 – In New York City, George Washington was inaugurated as the first president of the United States.
1803 – The Louisiana Purchase from France, for 15 million dollars, also included much (if not all of) of Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
1812 – The Territory of Orleans became the 18th U.S. state under the name Louisiana.
1900 – Casey Jones died in a train wreck in Vaughan, Mississippi, while trying to make up time on the Cannonball Express.
1927 – Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford were the first celebrities to leave their footprints in concrete at Grauman’s Chinese Theater, in Hollywood.
1939 – The New York World’s Fair opened at Flushing Meadow Park in Queens.
1948 – The Land Rover, a British-made all-terrain vehicle, debuted at an auto show in Amsterdam.
1966 – The Church of Satan was established at the Black House in San Francisco.
1989 – CNBC, the first NBC cable channel and the first financial cable channel, began transmitting.
1992 – The finale for The Cosby Show aired on NBC
1992- The Nickelodeon time capsule was buried at Nickelodeon Studios in Orlando, FL.
1993 – Tennis star Monica Seles was stabbed by Gunter Parchein in Hamburg, Germany.
1997 – During the “Puppy” episode of “Ellen” it was revealed that the main/title character (Ellen) was gay
6. What NBC show was about the fictional couple Paul and Jamie Buchman?
7. Who played the roles of Paul and Jamie Buckman?
8. Which actor portrays the Penguin’s father in Batman Returns?
9. Name the actress who portrays Sister Mary Patrick in Sister Act.
10. What was the name of The Golden Girls‘ spin-off, that lasted just one season? Hint: It featured Betty White, Rue McClanahan, Estelle Getty and Cheech Marin
11. An A-list singer/actress appears surprisedly during a “Coffee Talk” sketch with Mike Myers, Madonna, and Roseanne Barr on NBC’s Saturday Night Live. Name that performer.
12. What is the name of Barney’s green triceratops friend?
13. Who plays the Rockford Peaches manager, Jimmy Dugan?
14. What nickname is given to Madonna’s character, Mae, in A League of Their Own?
15. Who was the biggest musical artist or group of 1992?
16. Name the Presidential candidate who appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show, playing a saxophone.
17. In the pilot episode, Which character moves into the Melrose Place apartment complex?
18. Which character is the town’s sheriff and a central figure in Picket Fences?
19. Name the actor who played the role of Sheriff Jimmy Brock.
20. In “A Streetcar Named Marge,” which musical does Marge star in on The Simpsons?
21. What network broadcasts the Kids’ Choice Awards live for the first time?
22. Movie question. Which actor portrays Sergeant Joseph “Joe” Bomowski?
23. Who plays Joe’s meddlesome mother, Tutti Bomowski?
24. Who was the 3rd-party US Presidential candidate who received over 19 million votes?
25. What unusual trait does Murder She Wrote’s Jessica Fletcher have regarding transportation?
26. One of the most expensive videos ever, a Guns N’ Roses’ power ballad premiered on MTV’s 1992 Headbangers Ball. Name that tune.
27. What book series is R.L. Stine best known for?
28. What is the title of the first book in the Goosebumps series?
29. Movie question. Who played the role of pop star Rachel Marron?
30. Who was People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1992?
31. Full Moon Over Miami was a one-off programming block of a three-way, two-hour crossover event airs on NBC. It involved three television sitcoms created by Susan Harris. You get one point for each show you can name.
32. This character is best known for appearing in the supermarket tabloid Weekly World News. HINT: He had an off-Broadway Musical in 1997.
33. When it opened, this was the largest mall in the United States. What is it called? HINT: About 40 million people visit the mall annually, mostly from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, the Dakotas, Illinois and Ohio.
34. What animal is associated with Oswald Cobblepot’s character?
35. What team won the Super Bowl in 1992?
36. In 2009, TV Guide named what episode of Seinfeld as the greatest television episode of all time?
37. What song do Wayne and his friends sing along to in the car in Wayne’s World?
38. Which Wayne’s World actor did not know the words to Bohemian Rhapsody?
39. What was the best-selling movie soundtrack of all time?
40. Who was People Magazine’s 100 Most Beautiful People cover star in 1992?
41. This video game featured the introduction of Sonic’s sidekick, Miles “Tails” Prower. Name the game.
42. The National Livestock and Meat Board launched this ad campaign in 1992, and it had a five-word catchphrase. Say the phrase. HINT: They still use it.
43. What do the numbers 210, 726, 909, 840, and 917 have in common in American technology? HINT: It’s not your ZIP code, but it helps people reach you!
44. Who is the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles‘ mentor and father figure?
45. What species is Splinter?
46. Which two future pop stars appeared on Barney & Friends as children? You get one point for each you can name.
47. What was the theme song’s title for The Heights, and what notable achievement did it reach?
48. “Al” Simmons is better known as what comic book and film character?
49. Name the comic book artist/writer who created Spawn.
50. What is the name of the school that the main characters attend in Tiny Toon Adventures?
51. On April 25, 1992, ABC broadcast the series finales of three popular shows. You get one point for each, which you can name.
52. In “Joker’s Favor,” which character makes her first appearance in Batman: The Animated Series, becoming a significant figure in the Batman universe?
53. Which city serves as the primary setting for Aladdin?
54. Robert Atkins wrote a very popular book in 1992. What is it called?
55. According to the Chinese zodiac cycle, What animal is associated with 1992?
56. On the Seinfeld episode “The Bubble Boy,” what game causes a dispute?
57. Who was the President in 1992?
58. On Saved By The Bell, who is the principal of Bayside High?
59. Who were the Stanley Cup Champions in 1992?
60. This American media franchise is centered on a series of fighting video games originally developed by Midway Games in 1992. HINT: It features finishing moves known as “Fatalities.”
61. Cartoon Question. Who is Doug Funnie’s best friend, known for his distinctive honking laugh?
62. Name the character who is Doug’s primary love interest throughout the series.
63. What subject does Mark Cooper teach in Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper?
64. Where is the McCallister family planning to spend Christmas vacation in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York?
65. Who ripped up a photo of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live?
66. This controversial show ran from show ran for twenty-seven seasons from September 30, 1991, to July 26, 2018, in which it broadcast 3,891 episodes. HINT: “Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!”
67. Who is the hip-hop guest star as Jazz’s wife in “The Butler Did It” on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?
68. How many days does Murtaugh have left before retirement at the film start of Lethal Weapon 3?
69. Who was the first African American woman to travel into space aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour?
70. What holiday is featured in Batman Returns?
71. What is the name of the television show that Roseanne and Jackie appear on after winning the lottery on Roseanne?
72. Who was the Pope in 1992?
73. Which episode features The Rugrats searching for Reptar at a movie theater?
74. Who was the original voice actor cast for the Joker for most of Batman: The Animated Series?
75. Who was the original voice actor cast for the Joker on Batman: The Animated Series?
77. You get one point for each of the five original Wiggles members you can name.
78. What was the name of Carla’s ex-husband on Cheers, who made several appearances throughout the series?
79. Who retired from NBC’s The Tonight Show after 30 years as host?
80. In Full House, what was Joey Gladstone’s profession?
81. Reservoir Dogs featured six “Mr” characters with associated colors. You get one point for each, which you can name. HINT: There was no Mr. Black.
82. What Simpsons character is a parody of Arnold Schwarzenegger?
83. What brand of beer did the Swedish Bikini Team represent?
84. Ren and Stimpy Question. What is the name of the superhero alter ego that Stimpy becomes in “The Boy Who Cried Rat!”?
85. Anime question. Makoto Kino, Rei Hino, and Ami Mizuno are a trio in what popular anime franchise?
86. What are the trio’s better-known names? You get one point for each.
88. Name the band who said, “Here we are now, entertain us!”.
89. Who were the NBA Champions in 1992?
90. Who was the Vice-President in 1992?
91. It took 202 years, 7 months, and 10 days, but this Amendment to the US Constitution became law in 1992. Which Amendment was it|?
92. On what syndicated TV show did Pamela Anderson become a star
Trivia Team Bonus Questions
1. What was Pam Anderson’s character named on Baywatch?
2. What is Simpsons’ Principal W. Seymour Skinner’s real (birth) name?
3. What is the name of Princess Jasmine’s pet tiger in Aladdin?
4. Who played the role of “Newman” on Seinfeld?
5. What famous department store inspired Duncan’s Toy Chest in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York?
6. Who was the wife of Luke Skywalker and the mother of Ben Skywalker?
7. What is the best-selling Pinball Machine of all time?
8. George Bush, Bill Clinton, and Ross Perot participated in the first 1992 presidential debate. Name the host/moderator.
10. Which character is revealed to be Professor Xavier’s stepbrother in X-Men: The Animated Series?
Super Bonus Question. It’s worth 10 points.
Based on The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, what is Indiana Jones’s full birth name and birthdate?
1. Disney movie question. What is the name of Aladdin‘s pet monkey? Aladdin’s pet monkey is named Abu.
2. What is the primary function of the Sentinels introduced in X-Men: The Animated Series? The Sentinels are giant robots designed to hunt and capture mutants.
3. Which actor portrays Lt. Daniel Kaffee? HINT: In A Few Good Men Tom Cruise
4. Who vomited into the lap of Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa at a state dinner? US President George H. W. Bush
5. Who won the World Series in 1992? Toronto Blue Jays
6. What NBC show was about the fictional couple Paul and Jamie Buchman? Mad About You
7. Who played the roles of Paul and Jamie Buckman? Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt, respectively.
8. Which actor portrays the Penguin’s father in Batman Returns? Paul Reubens
9. Name the actress who portrays Sister Mary Patrick in Sister Act. Kathy Najimy
10. What was the name of The Golden Girls‘ spin-off, that lasted just one season? Hint: It featured Betty White, Rue McClanahan, Estelle Getty and Cheech Marin The Golden Palace
11. An A-list singer/actress appears surprisedly during a “Coffee Talk” sketch with Mike Myers, Madonna, and Roseanne Barr on NBC’s Saturday Night Live. Name that performer. Barbra Streisand
12. What is the name of Barney’s green triceratops friend? Baby Bop
13. Who plays the Rockford Peaches manager, Jimmy Dugan? Tom Hanks, in A League of Their Own
14. What nickname is given to Madonna’s character, Mae, in A League of Their Own? “All the Way” Mae
15. Who was the biggest musical artist or group of 1992? Boys II Men
16. Name the Presidential candidate who appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show, playing a saxophone. Bill Clinton
17. In the pilot episode, Which character moves into the Melrose Place apartment complex? Alison Parker
18. Which character is the town’s sheriff and a central figure in Picket Fences? Sheriff Jimmy Brock
19. Name the actor who played the role of Sheriff Jimmy Brock. Tom Skerritt
20. In “A Streetcar Named Marge,” which musical does Marge star in on The Simpsons? A musical version of A Streetcar Named Desire.
21. What network broadcasts the Kids’ Choice Awards live for the first time? Nickelodeon
22. Movie question. Which actor portrays Sergeant Joseph “Joe” Bomowski? Sylvester Stallone, in Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot
23. Who plays Joe’s meddlesome mother, Tutti Bomowski? Estelle Getty
24. Who was the 3rd-party US Presidential candidate who received over 19 million votes? Ross Pero received 18.9% of the popular vote, approximately 19.7 million votes.
25. What unusual trait does Murder She Wrote’s Jessica Fletcher have regarding transportation? Jessica does not drive; she relies on bicycles, taxis, or rides from friends.
26. One of the most expensive videos ever, a Guns N’ Roses’ power ballad premiered on MTV’s 1992 Headbangers Ball. Name that tune. November Rain
27. What book series is R.L. Stine best known for? Goosebumps
28. What is the title of the first book in the Goosebumps series? Welcome to Dead House
29. Movie question. Who played the role of pop star Rachel Marron? Whitney Houston, in The Bodyguard
30. Who was People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1992? Nick Nolte
31. Full Moon Over Miami was a one-off programming block of a three-way, two-hour crossover event airs on NBC. It involves three television sitcoms created by Susan Harris. You get one point for each show you can name. The Golden Girls, Empty Nest and Nurses
32. This character is best known for appearing in the supermarket tabloid Weekly World News. HINT: He had an off-Broadway Musical in 1997. Bat Boy
33. When it opened, this was the largest mall in the United States. What is it called? HINT: About 40 million people visit the mall annually, mostly from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, the Dakotas, Illinois and Ohio. The Mall of America
34. What animal is associated with Oswald Cobblepot’s character? Penguins (in Batman Returns)
35. What team won the Super Bowl in 1992? Washington Redskins
36. In 2009, TV Guide named what episode of Seinfeld as the greatest television episode of all time? “The Contest”
37. What song do Wayne and his friends sing along to in the car in Wayne’s World? Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
38. Which Wayne’s World actor did not know the words to Bohemian Rhapsody? Dana Carvey, who portrays Garth, did not know the lyrics beforehand.
39. What was the best-selling movie soundtrack of all time? The Bodyguard
40. Who was People Magazine’s 100 Most Beautiful People cover star in 1992? Jodie Foster
41. This video game featured the introduction of Sonic’s sidekick, Miles “Tails” Prower. Name the game. Sonic the Hedgehog 2
42. The National Livestock and Meat Board launched this ad campaign in 1992, and it had a five-word catchphrase. Say the phrase. HINT: They still use it. “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner”
43. What do the numbers 210, 726, 909, 840, and 917 have in common in American technology? HINT: It’s not your ZIP code, but it still helps people reach you! These numbers are area codes introduced in 1992.
44. Who is the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles‘ mentor and father figure? Splinter
45. What species is Splinter? Rat
46. Which two future pop stars appeared on Barney & Friends as children? You get one point for each you can name. Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato
47. What was the theme song’s title for The Heights, and what notable achievement did it reach? How Do You Talk to an Angel, performed by Jamie Walters, reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
48. “Al” Simmons is better known as what comic book and film character? Spawn
49. Name the comic book artist/writer who created Spawn. Todd McFarlane
50. What is the name of the school that the main characters attend in Tiny Toon Adventures? Acme Looniversity
51. On April 25, 1992, ABC broadcast the series finales of three popular shows. You get one point for each, which you can name. Who’s the Boss?, Growing Pains, and MacGyver
52. In “Joker’s Favor,” which character makes her first appearance in Batman: The Animated Series, becoming a significant figure in the Batman universe? Harley Quinn
53. Which city serves as the primary setting for Aladdin? The primary setting is the fictional city of Agrabah.
54. Robert Atkins wrote a very popular book in 1992. What is it called? Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution
55. According to the Chinese zodiac cycle, What animal is associated with 1992? The Monkey
56. On the Seinfeld episode “The Bubble Boy,” what game causes a dispute? Trivial Pursuit
57. Who was the President in 1992? George H. W. Bush (January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993)
58. On Saved By The Bell, who is the principal of Bayside High? Mr. Richard Belding
59. Who were the Stanley Cup Champions in 1992? Pittsburgh Penguins
60. This American media franchise is centered on a series of fighting video games originally developed by Midway Games in 1992. HINT: It features finishing moves known as “Fatalities.” Mortal Kombat
61. Cartoon Question. Who is Doug Funnie’s best friend, known for his distinctive honking laugh? Skeeter Valentine
62. Name the character who is Doug’s primary love interest throughout the series. Patti Mayonnaise
63. What subject does Mark Cooper teach in Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper? Phys Ed. (Physical education)
64. Where is the McCallister family planning to spend Christmas vacation in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York? Florida
65. Who ripped up a photo of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live? Sinéad O’Connor
66. This controversial show ran from show ran for twenty-seven seasons from September 30, 1991, to July 26, 2018, in which it broadcast 3,891 episodes. HINT: “Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!” The Jerry Springer Show
67. Who is the hip-hop guest star as Jazz’s wife in “The Butler Did It” on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air? Queen Latifah
68. How many days does Murtaugh have left before retirement at the film start of Lethal Weapon 3? 8 days
69. Who was the first African American woman to travel into space aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour? Dr. Mae Jemison
70. What holiday is featured in Batman Returns? Christmas
71. What is the name of the television show that Roseanne and Jackie appear on after winning the lottery on Roseanne? “The Jerry Springer Show.”
72. Who was the Pope in 1992? John Paul II (October 16, 1978 – April 2, 2005)
73. Which episode features The Rugrats searching for Reptar at a movie theater? Reptar on Ice
74. Who was the original voice actor cast for the Joker for most of Batman: The Animated Series? Mark Hamill
75. Who was the original voice actor cast for the Joker on Batman: The Animated Series? Tim Curry (4 episodes)
77. You get one point for each of the five original Wiggles members you can name. Anthony (Field), Murray (Cook), Jeff (Fatt), Greg (Page) and Phillip (Wilcher).
78. What was the name of Carla’s ex-husband on Cheers, who made several appearances throughout the series? Nick Tortelli, played by Dan Hedaya
79. Who retired from NBC’s The Tonight Show after 30 years as host? Johnny Carson
80. In Full House, what was Joey Gladstone’s profession? Stand-up comedian.
81. Reservoir Dogs featured six “Mr” characters with associated colors. You get one point for each, which you can name. HINT: There was no Mr. Black. Mr. Brown, Mr. White, Mr. Blonde, Mr. Blue, Mr. Orange, and Mr. Pink
82. What Simpsons character is a parody of Arnold Schwarzenegger? Rainier Wolfcastle
83. What brand of beer did the Swedish Bikini Team represent? Old Milwaukee Beer
84. Ren and Stimpy Question. What is the name of the superhero alter ego that Stimpy becomes in “The Boy Who Cried Rat!”? Mouse Boy
85. Anime question. Makoto Kino, Rei Hino, and Ami Mizuno are a trio in what popular anime franchise? Sailor Moon
86. What are the trio’s better-known names? You get one point for each. Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Mars, and Sailor Mercury, respectively.
88. Name the band who said, “Here we are now, entertain us!”. Nirvana
89. Who were the NBA Champions in 1992? Chicago Bulls
90. Who was the Vice-President in 1992? Dan Quayle (January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993)
91. It took 202 years, 7 months, and 10 days, but this Amendment to the US Constitution became law in 1992. Which Amendment was it|? The Twenty-seventh Amendment (Amendment XXVII, also known as the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789). It put limits as to when congress could change their salaries.
92. On what syndicated TV show did Pamela Anderson become a star? Baywatch
Trivia Team Bonus Answers
1. What was Pam Anderson’s character named on Baywatch? C.J. Parker (Casey Jean Parker)
2. What is Simpsons’ Principal W. Seymour Skinner’s real (birth) name? Armin Tamzarian
3. What is the name of Princess Jasmine’s pet tiger in Aladdin? Princess Jasmine’s pet tiger is named Rajah.
4. Who played the role of “Newman” on Seinfeld? Wayne Knight
5. What famous department store inspired Duncan’s Toy Chest in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York? FAO Schwarz
6. Who was the wife of Luke Skywalker and the mother of Ben Skywalker? Mara Jade Skywalker
7. What is the best-selling Pinball Machine of all time? The Addam’s Family
8. George Bush, Bill Clinton, and Ross Perot participated in the first 1992 presidential debate. Name the host/moderator. Jim Lehrer of PBS.
10. Which character is revealed to be Professor Xavier’s stepbrother in X-Men: The Animated Series? The Juggernaut, also known as Cain Marko
Super Bonus Question. It’s worth 10 points.
Based on The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, what is Indiana Jones’s full birth name and birthdate? Henry Jones Jr. (Indiana) was born on July 1, 1899.
1822 – The Florida Territory was created in the United States.
1856 – The Treaty of Paris was signed, ending the Crimean War.
1981 – President Ronald Reagan was shot in the chest outside a Washington, DC hotel by John Hinckley Jr. He later told his wife, Nancy, ”Honey, I forgot to duck.”
2017 – SpaceX conducted the world’s first re-flight of an orbital class rocket.
If you were born on March 30th, You were likely conceived the week of… July 7th (prior year)
Ronal Reagan Assassination Attempt
On March 30, 1981, United States President Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded by John Hinckley Jr. in Washington, BC. while returning to his limousine after a speaking engagement at the Washington Hilton Hotel.
After addressing a labor meeting at the Washington Hilton Hotel, the President was walking with his entourage to his limousine when Hinckley, who was standing among a group of reporters, fired six shots at the him, hitting Reagan and three of his attendants. White House Press Secretary James Brady was shot in the head and critically wounded, Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy was shot in the side, and District of Columbia policeman Thomas Delahanty was shot in the neck.
March 30 is…
I am in Control Day Doctors’ Day Take a Walk in the Park Day Turkey Neck Soup Day World Bipolar Day
March 30 Birthday Quotes
“It’s funny how you realize what’s important, and it’s not fame and money, even though it can be really nice. It’s happiness and whatever it takes to make you feel happy.” – Norah Jones
“Every time you pick up your guitar to play, play as if it’s the last time.” – Eric Clapton
“The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore.” – Vincent Van Gogh
“You’ve achieved success in your field when you don’t know whether what you’re doing is work or play.” – Warren Beatty
“I did all the usual things. I think I did everything that everybody else does. I did auditions. I went to see people. I went to see the right people in some instances, the wrong people in others. The wrong time in others. The right time in others. Nothing seemed to make any difference. I quit 5 times! I always went back to try again when circumstances came around to it.” – Frankie Laine
March 30 Birthdays
1632 – John Proctor, farmer hanged for witchcraft in the Salem witch trials (died in 1692) 1820 – Anna Sewell, English author, Black Beauty (died in 1878) 1853 – Vincent van Gogh, Dutch-French painter and illustrator (died in 1890) 1888 – J.R. Williams, Canadian-born cartoonist (died in 1957) 1913 – Frankie Laine, American singer-songwriter (died in 2007) 1930 – John Astin, American actor 1930 – Rolf Harris, Australian singer-songwriter 1937 – Warren Beatty, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter 1945 – Eric Clapton, English guitarist and singer-songwriter 1950 – Robbie Coltrane, Scottish actor 1957 – Paul Reiser, American actor 1962 – MC Hammer, American rapper 1964 – Tracy Chapman, American singer-songwriter 1965 – Piers Morgan, English journalist and talk show host 1968 – Celine Dion, Canadian singer-songwriter 1979 – Norah Jones, American singer-songwriter 1993 – Anitta, Brazilian singer and entertainer
March 30 History
1842 – Ether anesthesia was used for the first time, in an operation by the American surgeon, Dr. Crawford Long.
1867 – Alaska is purchased from Russia for $7.2 million (‘Seward’s Folly’), by United States Secretary of State William H. Seward.
1910 – The Mississippi Legislature founded the University of Southern Mississippi.
1939 – Detective Comics #27 was released, introducing Batman.
1957 – #1 Hit March 30, 1957 – April 5, 1957: Buddy Knox – Party Doll
1963 – #1 Hit March 30, 1963 – April 26, 1963: The Chiffons – He’s So Fine
1964 – Jeopardy!, hosted by Art Fleming, debuted.
1966 – The special Color Me Barbra, with Barbra Streisand, aired on CBS.
1974 – #1 Hit March 30, 1974 – April 5, 1974: John Denver – Sunshine on My Shoulders
1977 – Broadway Show – Mummenschanz (Poetic Art) March 30, 1977
1985 – March 30, 1985 – April 12, 1985: Phil Collins – One More Night
1990 – In Belgium, several UFOs were seen on radar and were chased by two Belgian Air Force F-16’s.
1991 – #1 Hit March 30, 1991 – April 12, 1991: Gloria Estefan – Coming Out Of The Dark
2000 – Broadway Show – Contact (Dance Musical) March 30, 2000
2001 – The Fairly Odd Parents and Invader Zim premiered on Nickelodeon.
2008 – Broadway Show – In the Heights (Musical) March 30, 2008
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
“It’s a low neighborhood, full of rumpots. They’re used to curious sights, which they attribute to alcoholic delusions.” – Batman ’66 #moviequotes
The Capital of Nigeria is Abuja
Biggest film of 1960: Swiss Family Robinson earned ~ $40,400,000
“Don’t Run! We are your friends!” – The Martians #moviequotes
Where do people who actually live on farms tell their children they’re sending old dying pets?
Our universe actually exists in the Marvel multiverse. Our Earth is Earth-1218.
A Jester’s hat is a satirical symbol of a King’s crown.
Running away from the police after committing a crime is kind of like Double or Nothing.
In the film ‘Forest Gump’, the part where Forest claimed it rained for 5 months while he was enlisted was a nod to Operation Popeye, a highly classified weather modification program that took place during the Vietnam War.
The biggest film of 1934: It Happened One Night (RomCom) earned ~ $2,500,000
Every night it’s a race between falling asleep and thinking of that one really awkward moment from ten years ago.
The Scary Statistic: Dog Attack odds: 1-in-147,717
After a certain depth underwater, your lungs are compressed to a point where you are no longer buoyant and will sink to the bottom unless you have something to hold on to.
What to do: Don’t approach dogs you do not know. Having a well-trained and well-fed dog for yourself offers reasonable protection. Make sure he/she likes you, however.
TV Quotes… “Hey hey HEY!” (Fat Albert) on “Fat Albert”
845 – Paris was sacked by Viking raiders, possibly under Ragnar Lodbrok.
1848 – Large blocks of ice blocked Niagra Falls until April 1.
1951 – Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage with the Soviet Union.
1999 – The Dow Jones Index topped 10,000 for the first time.
If you were born on March 29th, You were likely conceived the week of… July 6th (prior year)
Smoke and Mirrors Day
Based on magicians’ illusions, Smoke & Mirrors Day is celebrated on March 29th of each year. Magicians are known for making people and objects appear or disappear, often through the use of mirrors, along with a cloud of smoke.
“Smoke and Mirrors” can refer to any type of show or production in which the audience is intended to be deceived. The term was first used in the 1770s after its use by Johann Georg Schröpfer, who claimed the apparitions to be conjured spirits.
March 29 is…
Lemon Chiffon Cake Day Mom and Pop Business Owners Day Smoke and Mirrors Day Vietnam War Veteran’s Day
March 29 Birthday Quotes
“Before you can give of yourself to others you must know what of yourself you have to give. Every person is special. In all the land there is only one you, possibly two, but seldom more than sixteen.” – Amy Sedaris
“People see God every day, they just don’t recognize him.” – Pearl Bailey
“A lot has been said about politics; some of it complimentary, but most of it accurate.” – Eric Idle
“I was originally cast to be the brains of the Enterprise. Somehow I became The Chick. There’s a little ugly girl inside of me going ‘Yay! I’m a sex symbol!’” – Marina Sirtis
“There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.” – Sam Walton
“Happiness is a choice. You grieve, you stomp your feet, you pick yourself up and choose to be happy.” – Lucy Lawless
March 29 Birthdays
1790 – John Tyler, American lawyer and politician, 10th President of the United States (died in 1862) 1816 – 10th Dalai Lama (died in 1837) 1867 – Cy Young, American baseball player and manager (died in 1955) 1889 – Warner Baxter, American character actor (died in 1951) 1918 – Pearl Bailey, American actress and singer (died in 1990) 1918 – Sam Walton, American businessman, founded Walmart and Sam’s Club (died in 1992) 1940 – Astrud Gilberto, Brazilian singer-songwriter 1943 – Vangelis, Greek keyboard player and songwriter 1943 – Eric Idle, English comedic actor 1948 – Bud Cort, American actor 1955 – Marina Sirtis, British-American actress 1958 – Marc Silvestri, American comic book publisher, founded Top Cow Productions 1961 – Amy Sedaris, American actress 1964 – Elle Macpherson, Australian model 1968 – Lucy Lawless, New Zealand actress
March 29 History
1638 – Swedish colonists established the first European settlement in Delaware, naming it New Sweden.
1867 – Queen Victoria gave Royal Assent to the British North America Act which established the Dominion of Canada, effective on July 1.
1871 – The Royal Albert Hall was opened by Queen Victoria.
1882 – The ‘Knights of Columbus’ was established.
1886 – John Pemberton brewed the first batch of Coca-Cola in Atlanta.
1908 – Long-running comic strip Mutt and Jeff debuted.
1951 – Broadway Show – The King and I (Musical) March 29, 1951
1951 – Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage.
1986 – #1 Hit March 29, 1986 – April 18, 1986: Falco – Rock Me Amadeus
1998 – BBC America made its debut on digital cable.
2009 – In a very unusual political/business situation, Rick Wagoner, the chairman, and chief executive of General Motors, resigned at the request of President Obama’s administration.
2006 – Queen Elizabeth II pronounced the singer ‘Sir’ Tom Jones a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.
2010 – Fox Reality Channel was replaced with Nat Geo Wild on cable television.
2012 – Broadway Show – Newsies (Musical) March 29, 2012
2017 – Prime Minister Theresa May invoked Article 50 of the Treaty on the European Union, beginning the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union.
March 29, 2336 Birthday (fictional) Deanna Troy, Star Trek: The Next Generation, TV
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
“Hey, hey, hey, hey-now. Don’t be mean; we don’t have to be mean, cuz, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.” – Buckaroo Banzai #moviequotes
Fist bumps have been scientifically proven to be a safer and more hygienic greeting than handshakes and high-fives.
The biggest film of 1961: 101 Dalmatians (Action/Adventure) earned ~ $153,000,000
You know… I’ll bet those golden tickets make the chocolate taste terrible.” – Charlie Bucket #moviequotes
In 100 years, people will probably still use the term ‘MacGyver it’ for using ingenuity in order to fix a problem using only the tools at hand, but they will have no idea where the term comes from.
Bok’s Law: If you think education is expensive – try ignorance.
In the original “Dracula” movie from 1931, Dracula and Van Helsing are played by Bela Lugosi and Edward Van Sloan. So their names are…”Bela” and “Edward”.
The Capital of Turkey is Ankara
A healthy cat’s normal body temperature is between 100°F (37.7°C) and 102.5°F (39.1°C).
Daniel Radcliffe went through 160 pairs of prop glasses by the end of the Harry Potter series.
People say taking selfies nowadays shows we are the vainest generation, but back in the day, people posed for days for their selfies to be painted.
A group of Goldfish is called a Glint or Troubling.
A prime number (or a prime) is a natural number greater than 1 that has no positive divisors other than 1 and itself. Prime Days include: March: 3/2 ,3/3 ,3/5 ,3/7 ,3/11 ,3/13 ,3/17 ,3/19 ,3/23 ,3/29 ,3/31
1842 – The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra debuted, conducted by Otto Nicolai.
1881 – ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’ Barnum and Baily Brothers Circus debuted.
1979 – The Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant accident occurred.
If you were born on March 28th, You were likely conceived the week of… July 5th (prior year)
Three Mile Island Accident
On the morning of March 28, 1979, operators at Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station (TMI) began to see indications that their Unit 2 reactor had problems. They maneuvered to shut the plant down and investigate what was happening. The problem worsened as they tried different strategies for shutting down the reactor. By 11:00 a.m., it became clear that things were not under control and an evacuation order was issued for people living within five miles of TMI-2.
At 1:05 p.m., after many unsuccessful attempts at stopping the reaction in one of the two reactors by using traditional methods, workers injected massive quantities of boric acid into both reactors in order to cool them down with extreme prejudice by depriving them of water. The reactors finally shut down later that day, at about 11:00 p.m., after the insertion of over a million gallons of boric acid into each reactor.
The accident had begun some eighteen hours earlier and it was not until eleven hours later that the plant was brought under control. In the meantime, radiation had been released and the accident had resulted in a partial core meltdown.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were named after the most famous Italian artists from the Renaissance
Leonardo da Vinci (Born April 15th, 1452, died May 2nd, 1519)
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni. (Born March 6th, 1475, died February 18th, 1564)
Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino (Born spring 1483, died April 6th, 1520)
Donatello di Niccolò di Betto Bardi(Born ~ 1386, died December 13th, 1466)
(and Shredder was named after a trapezoidal cheese grater)
March 28 is…
Black Forest Cake Day Respect Your Cat Day Something On A Stick Day
March 28 Birthday Quotes
“When one is painting one does not think.” – Raphael
“I love working. I feel guilty about doing nothing; I get bored.” – Nick Frost
“Jazz came to America three hundred years ago in chains.” – Paul Whiteman
“I realize that life isn’t perfect – it can’t be perfect. I can drive myself nuts trying to make it perfect, or I can just have a lot of fun with the kids.” – Kate Gosselin
“Fight and push harder for what you believe in, you’d be surprised, you are much stronger than you think.” – Lady Gaga
March 28 Birthdays
1483 – Raphael, Italian painter and architect (died in 1520) 1760 – Thomas Clarkson, English activist (died in 1846) 1836 – Frederick Pabst, German-American brewer, founded the Pabst Brewing Company (died in 1904) 1890 – Paul Whiteman, American composer and bandleader (died in 1967) 1905 – Marlin Perkins, American zoologist and television host (died in 1986) 1910 – Jimmie Dodd, American actor and singer-songwriter (died in 1964) 1925 – Dorothy ‘Darla’ DeBorba, American child actress (died in 2010) 1944 – Ken Howard, American actor (died in 2016) 1948 – Dianne Wiest, American character actress 1955 – Reba McEntire, American singer-songwriter and actress 1969 – Brett Ratner, American director and producer 1970 – Vince Vaughn, American actor 1972 – Nick Frost, English actor and screenwriter 1975 – Kate Gosselin, American television personality 1975 – Shanna Moakler, American model 1981 – Julia Stiles, American actress 1986 – Lady Gaga, American singer-songwriter and actress
March 28 History
1783 (Earthquake) Calabria, Italy
1920 – Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford got married; it was the first high profile celebrity wedding.
1949 – Fred Hoyle coined the term “Big Bang” in a radio interview.
1960 – Stanley Kramer was the first to get his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
1964 (Earthquake) Alaska – the 8.4 on the Richter scale quake killed 125 people.
1979 – Three Mile Island Nuclear Disaster happened when a pressure valve in the Unit-2 reactor at Three Mile Island failed to close.
1981 – #1 Hit March 28, 1981 – April 10, 1981: Blondie – Rapture
1990 – President George H. W. Bush posthumously awarded Olympic athlete Jesse Owens the Congressional Gold Medal.
2005 (Earthquake) Nothern Sumatra, Indonesia
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
TV Quotes… “You’re fired!” (Donald Trump) on “The Apprentice”
To put on a hat you ‘don’ it. To take it off you ‘doff’ it.
English words like “matter” and “material” come from the Latin word mater, meaning mother, since they believed all things and organisms were spontaneously generated by ‘Mother Earth.’
We have no idea why London (Londinium) is actually called London.
A group of Elk is called a Gang or Herd.
The amount of time it would take Mount Rushmore to erode into unrecognizability (assuming that it is not maintained) is approximately 7.2 million years.
“…if it weren’t for you meddling kids!” – Various villains on Scooby-Doo (Where Are You?)
“One day spent with someone you love can change everything.” – Mitch Albom
Christopher Cross (1980 Best New Artist Grammy Winner & Grammy for Album of the Year, presented in 1981)
Sailing (Grammy for Record of the Year)
New Artists in the Pop Charts Included: Sheena Easton, Phil Collins (solo), Loverboy, Stevie Nicks (solo),
Lionel Richie, The Oak Ridge Boys, Al Jarreau, Steve Winwood (solo),
The Go-Gos, Billy Squire, Luthor Vandross, Debbie Harry (solo),
Marty Balin (solo) and Lee Ritenour
1981’s Retro Top 10 Hits
1. Betty Davis Eyes – Kim Carnes
2. Flash’s Theme (Flash) – Queen
3. Ah! Leah! – Donnie Iris
4. Queen of Hearts – Juice Newton
5. I Love A Rainy Night – Eddie Rabbitt
6. 9 to 5 – Dolly Parton
7. Private Eyes – Hall and Oates
8. Crazy Train – Ozzy Osbourne
9. Fire and Ice – Pat Benatar
10. Hearts – Marty Balin
1981’s ‘One Hit Wonders’
1. Double Dutch Bus – Frankie Smith
2. Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through – Jim Steinman
3. Tempted – Squeeze
4. Precious To Me – Phil Seymour
5. Seven Year Ache – Rosanne Cash
6. Teacher Teacher – Rockpile
7. Sausalito Summernight – Diesel
8. Sweet Baby – Stanley Clark & George Duke
9. Shaddap You Face – Joe Dolce
10. A Woman’s Got The Power – The A’s
1981’s Dance Top 10 Hit List
1. Let’s Groove – Earth Wind and Fire
2. When She Was My Girl – Four Tops
3. Double Dutch Bus – Frankie Smith
4. Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It) – Kool and the Gang
5. She’s a Bad Mama Jama (She’s Built She’s Stacked) – Carl Carlton
6. Don’t The Music – Yarbrough & Peoples
7. We’re In This Love Together – Al Jarreau
8. Fantastic Voyage – Lakeside
9. A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do) – Ray Parker Jr & Raydio
10. Burn Rubber On Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me) – Gap Band
1981’s Pop Dance Top 10 Hit List
1. Super Freak – Rick James
2. Celebration – Kool and the Gang
3. Give It To Me Baby – Rick James
4. Physical – Olivia Newton-John
5. Morning Train (9 to 5) – Sheena Easton
6. Our Lips Are Sealed – The Go-Gos
7. Lady (You Bring Me Up) – Commodores
8. Slow Hand – Pointer Sisters
9. Stars On 45 – Stars On 45
10. This Little Girl – Gary U.S. Bonds
1981’s Pop Rock Top 10 Hit List
1. Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
2. Jessie’s Girl – Rick Springfield
3. Back In Black – AC/DC
4. Start Me Up – Rolling Stones
5. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic – The Police
6. Urgent – Foreigner
7. De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da – The Police
8. Rapture – Blondie
9. Fashion – David Bowie
10. Tempted – Squeeze
1981’s Album Rock Top 10 Hit List
1. Don’t Stand So Close To Me – The Police
2. While You See a Chance – Steve Winwood
3. Back In Black – AC/DC
4. The Stroke – Billy Squire
5. Stop Draggin My Heart Around – Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty
6. Skateaway – Dire Straits
7. The Voice – The Moody Blues
8. Burnin For You – Blue Oyster Cult
9. Who’s Makin Love – The Blues Brothers
10. The Waiting – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
More of 1981’s Album Rock
Fade Away – Bruce Springsteen
1981’s Bubblegum Pop Music Top Ten
1. Physical – Olivia Newton-John
2. Morning Train – Sheena Easton
3. De do do do, De Da Da Da – The Police
4. Queen of Hearts – Juice Newton
5. The Tide Is High – Blondie
6. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic – The Police
7. Step By Step – Eddie Rabbitt
8. Shaddap You Face – Joe Dolce
9. My Girl (Gone Gone Gone) – Chilliwack
10. Theme From ‘Greatest American Hero’ – Joey Scarbury
PCM’s 1981 Top 10 Hit List
1. Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
2. Let’s Groove – Earth, Wind and Fire
3. Super Freak – Rick James
4. Give It To Me Baby – Rick James
5. Jessie’s Girl – Rick Springfield
6. Start Me Up – Rolling Stones
7. Back In Black – AC/DC
8. I Love You – Climax Blues Band
9. Celebration – Kool and The Gang
10. She’s A Bad Mama Jama (She’s Built, She’s Stacked) – Carl Carlton
1513 – Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León reached the northern end of The Bahamas on his first voyage to Florida.
1915 – Typhoid Mary, the first healthy carrier of disease ever ID’d in the United States, was put in quarantine.
1952 – Singin’ In The Rain debuted in theaters.
March 27, 2001 – Nintendo 3DS released, Video Game Console
If you were born on March 27th, You were likely conceived the week of… July 4th (prior year)
Typhoid Mary
Mary Mallon was born in 1869 in Ireland and emigrated to the US in 1884. She had worked in a variety of domestic positions for wealthy families prior to settling into her career as a cook. As a healthy carrier of Salmonella typhi, her nickname of “Typhoid Mary” had become synonymous with the spread of disease, as many as 53 people were infected, due to her continual denial of being ill. She was forced into quarantine on two separate occasions on North Brother Island for a total of 26 years and died alone, having evidently found consolation in her religion to which she gave her faith.
March 27 is…
National Joe Day Spanish Paella Day
March 27 Birthday Quotes
“Coming from The Disney Channel, anything I do is going to offend someone, somewhere, somehow.” – Brenda Song
“I’m a plethora of stolen jokes and kitschy references.” – Nathan Fillion
“My mother and I could always look out the same window without ever seeing the same thing.” – Gloria Swanson
“Being perfect is boring. It’s the imperfections that make us perfect.” – Jessie J
“I am not a special person. I am a regular person who does special things.” – Sarah Vaughan
March 27 Birthdays
1863 – Henry Royce, English engineer, founded Rolls-Royce Limited (died in 1933) 1886 – Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, German-American architect (died in 1969) 1899 – Gloria Swanson, American actress and producer (died in 1983) 1901 – Carl Barks, American illustrator (died in 2000) 1905 – Rudolf Christoph Freiherr von Gersdorff, German general (died in 1980) 1914 – Richard Denning, American actor (died in 1998) 1924 – Sarah Vaughan, American Jazz singer (died in 1990) 1929 – Anne Ramsey, American actress (died in 1988) 1942 – Michael York, English actor 1963 – Xuxa, Brazilian actress and singer 1969 – Pauley Perrette, American actress 1969 – Mariah Carey, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress 1971 – Nathan Fillion, Canadian actor 1975 – Fergie, American singer-songwriter, dancer, and actress 1988 – Jessie J, English singer-songwriter 1988 – Brenda Song, American actress 1988 – Holliday Grainger, English actress
March 27 History
1886 – Apache warrior, Geronimo, surrendered to the US Army.
1899 – Guglielmo Marconi’s radio transmitted across the English Channel from Boulogne, France, to Dover, England.
March 27, 1960 Birthday (fictional) James Potter, Harry Potter
1964 (Earthquake) ‘Good Friday Earthquake’ – the most powerful earthquake in US history at a magnitude of 9.2, struck Southcentral Alaska, killing 125 people and inflicting massive damage to the city of Anchorage.
1965 – #1 Hit March 27, 1965 – April 9, 1965: The Supremes – Stop! In the Name of Love
1973 – Native American actress Sacheen Littlefeather went to the podium for Marlon Brando to decline his Best Actor Oscar for his performance in The Godfather.
1975 – Construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System began.
1977 – The Canary Islands Plane Disaster – Two 747s collided, killing 570 people.
1978 – Broadway Show – Dancin’ (Dance Musical) March 27, 1978
1980 – The North Sea Oil Rig Disaster: The Alexander L. Kielland Oil Rig capsized, killing 123 people.
1983 – The Thornbirds miniseries ran March 27-30 on ABC
1983 – Broadway Show – Brighton Beach Memoirs (Play) March 27, 1983
1984 – East End Show – Starlight Express (Musical) March 27, 1984
1998 – The FDA approved Viagra.
March 27, 2001 – Nintendo 3DS released, Video Game Console
2010 – #1 Hit March 27, 2010 – April 30, 2010: Rihanna – Rude Boy
#1 Hit March 27, 2021 – April 2, 2021: Up – Cardi B
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
Beethoven composed the famous “Ninth Symphony” after he had gone totally deaf.
“getting the hang of it” comes from attaching the head of an axe to the shaft just right.
I feel like I spent a lot of time as a child being taught the difference between stalactites and stalagmites and zero time needing to know that information.
Half of infinity would be infinity.
“Stella! Hey, Stella!” – Stanley Kowalski (Marlon Brando) in A Streetcar Named Desire, 1951
Before alarm clocks, there were ‘knocker-ups’ in Britain and Ireland who went knocking door to door with a large stick.
Under UN protocol, the President of the United States is to be addressed as “His Excellency.”
In the 1850s, baseball had different rules in Massachusetts than it did in New York. Under the Massachusetts rules, you could throw the ball at a runner, and if you hit them, they were out.
A standard 3×3 Rubik’s Cube has 43,252,003,274,489,856,000 different possible configurations.
Why do Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles bother wearing masks?
Michael Buffer the “Let’s Get Ready to Rumble” guy had the phrase trademarked and as of 2009, it has generated $400 million dollars in revenue.
“Made it, Ma! Top of the world!” – Arthur “Cody” Jarrett (James Cagney) in White Heat, 1949
Tom Cruise – Real Name: Tom Cruise Mapother
Over 15,000 forms of life have been found in the New York Subway system
Robot B9 – the official name for the robot on Lost In Space
The biggest film of 1938: Alexander’s Ragtime Band (Drama) earned ~ $4,000,000
1484 – William Caxton printed his translation of Aesop’s Fables.
1812 – A political cartoon in the Boston Gazette coined the term “gerrymander” to describe oddly shaped electoral districts.
1975 – The Biological Weapons Convention came into force.
1979 – Anwar al-Sadat, Menachem Begin, and Jimmy Carter signed the Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty in Washington, DC.
If you were born on March 26th, You were likely conceived the week of… July 3rd (prior year)
Gerrymandering
Gerrymandering was named for Elbridge Gerry, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. As Governor of Massachusetts (1810–1812), Gerry approved a redistricting plan for the state senate that gave the political advantage to Republicans. Someone observed that one of the districts looked like a salamander, and soon the process was known as “gerrymandering”. Since then, “gerrymandering” has for years produced odd-shaped congressional and state legislative districts for both political parties.
March 26 is…
Greek Independence Day Make Up Your Own Holiday Day Nougat Day Spinach Day
March 26 Birthday Quotes
“Society as a whole benefits immeasurably from a climate in which all persons, regardless of race or gender, may have the opportunity to earn respect, responsibility, advancement, and remuneration based on ability.” – Sandra Day O’Connor
“Life didn’t promise to be wonderful.” – Teddy Pendergrass
“Take a little time out of your busy day to give encouragement to someone who’s lost their way.” – Diana Ross
“I’ll always be this once-famous actress nobody recognizes… because of a nose job.” – Jennifer Grey
“Be happy in your body. It’s the only one you’ve got, so you might as well like it.” – Keira Knightley
March 26 Birthdays
1881 – Guccio Gucci, Italian fashion designer, founded Gucci (died in 1953) 1911 – Tennessee Williams, American playwright, and poet (died in 1983) 1917 – Rufus Thomas, American R&B singer-songwriter (died in 2001) 1930 – Sandra Day O’Connor, American lawyer and jurist 1931 – Leonard Nimoy, American actor (died in 2015) 1934 – Alan Arkin, American actor 1940 – James Caan, American actor 1944 – Diana Ross, American singer-songwriter 1948 – Steven Tyler, American singer-songwriter 1949 – Vicki Lawrence, American actress and singer 1950 – Teddy Pendergrass, American singer-songwriter (died in 2010) 1950 – Alan Silvestri, American composer 1954 – Curtis Sliwa, American activist, founded Guardian Angels 1957 – Leeza Gibbons, American talk show host and television personality 1960 – Jennifer Grey, American actress and dancer 1968 – Kenny Chesney, American singer-songwriter 1976 – Amy Smart, American actress 1984 – Sara Jean Underwood, American model 1985 – Keira Knightley, English actress 1990 – Choi Woo-shik, South Korean actor 2003 – Bhad Bhabie, American rapper and social media personality, ‘Catch me outside’
March 26 History
1169 – Saladin became the emir of Egypt.
1812 – A political cartoon in the Boston Gazette coined the term “gerrymander” (named after Governor Elbridge Gerry) to describe oddly shaped electoral districts designed to help incumbents win reelection.
1830 – The Book of Mormon was published in Palmyra, New York.
1872 (Earthquake) Owens Valley, California killed 30 people.
1895 – The Phantoscope, an early motion picture projector that enlarged film images for viewing by large groups, was patented (#536,569) by Charles Francis Jenkins and Thomas Armat.
1916 – Robert Stroud (The Birdman of Alcatraz) stabbed and killed a prison guard in Leavenworth Kansas. He was sentenced to Alcatraz for the murder.
1920 – This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald was published.
1931 – Swissair is founded as the national airline of Switzerland. It was bankrupt in 2002.
1953 – Dr. Jonas Salk announced that he had successfully tested a vaccine against poliomyelitis, the virus that causes polio.
1955 – #1 Hit March 26, 1955 – April 29, 1955: Bill Hayes – The Ballad Of Davy Crockett
1964 – Broadway Show – Funny Girl (Musical) March 26, 1964
1977 – #1 Hit March 26, 1977 – April 8, 1977: Daryl Hall and John Oates – Rich Girl
1988 – #1 Hit March 26, 1988 – April 8, 1988: Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror
1993 – The last new episode of The Family Feud with host Ray Combs aired
1997 – After the 1995 discovery of the comet Hale-Bopp, 39 members of the ‘Heaven’s Gate’ cult committed suicide to more quickly join the aliens on the ‘other side’ of the comet.
1999 – The ‘Melissa worm’ infected Microsoft word processing and e-mail systems.
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
That piece of music most associated with the circus is actually called “Entry of the Gladiators”.
Paul Schrader wrote “Taxi Driver” in five days.
“Nothing is so common as the desire to be remarkable.” – William Shakespeare
The original Coca Cola was green in color.
“James Bond” was named after an American ornithologist of the same name.
Oscar Hammerstein II is the only person named Oscar to win an Oscar.
Patsy Kline – Real Name: Virginia Hensley
They have to give out the Oscar every year, even if no one really deserves it.
Worcestershire Sauce is made, in part, from 18-month-old fermented anchovies.
The first KFC was not in Kentucky, but in Salt Lake City.
In Japan, radiation creates monsters (Godzilla) and in America radiation creates superheroes.
Somebody told me to be the change I want to see in the world. Now I’m coins of various denominations worth a total of 8 drachmas and 47 cents.
Four of the elements in the Periodic Table named after Ytterby, a village in Sweden. They are Yttrium, Terbium, Erbium, and Ytterbium.
Bubbles from a bubble bath thermally insulate the surface of the water, keeping the bath warm for a longer period of time.
“It’s 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark… and we’re wearing sunglasses.” – Elwood Blues #moviequotes
1. This 1952 toy was later famously voiced by Don Rickles.
2. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1952?
3. In 1952, what was the average life expectancy in the United States?
4. The book by Norman Vincent Peale went on to sell over 20 million copies since 1953.
5. California Senator Richard Nixon gave a speech, now referred to by his dog’s name. Tell us the name of that prose.
6. 1952 Catchphrase: What TV show used the phrase “Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s ….”?
7. This daily NBC show debuted on January 14, 1952, with host and anchor Dave Garroway.
8. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1952?
9. How many people lived in the United States in 1952?
10. How many people lived in the World in 1952?
11. Name the murder mystery play by Agatha Christie that ran continuously from October 6, 1952, through 2020. It was the longest-running initial run of any play in history.
12. Who was the President of the United States in 1952?
13. This American strategic weapon has been used since April 15, 1952. Name it.
14. In 1952, an American virologist and medical researcher developed one of the first successful polio vaccines, which was widely available in 1995. Who was he?
15. Founded in Memphis, Tennessee, as a motel chain, it is now one of the largest hotel chains in the world.
16. This well-known theoretical physicist turned down the presidency of Israel in 1952.
17. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1952?
18. What was the highest-grossing film of 1952?
19. How much did a Loaf of Bread cost in 1952?
20. How much did a Round Steak (one pound) cost in 1952?
21. Originally sold in Dutch in 1947, this book was released in English in 1952, becoming one of the most well-known books of the 20th century.
22. Codenamed Mike, this weapon exploded for the first time on the island of Elugelab in Enewetak Atoll as a part of Operation Ivy. Name that device.
23. To the nearest quarter, what was the average movie theater ticket price in 1952?
24. What word was used to describe an anti-conformist young adult?
25. What company used the slogan: “They’re gr-r-great!”?
26. Who defeated ‘Jersey Joe’ Walcott to win the world heavyweight boxing championship on September 23, 1952?
27. This Ernest Hemingway short novel was later awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Name that short novel.
28. This magazine started as a comic book and continued publication for nearly 70 years.
29. How much did a car cost in 1952?
30. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1952?
31. Chris Cockerell said, “The navy said it was a plane, not a boat; the air force said it was a boat, not a plane; and the army was ‘plain not interested.’”. They did not want his invention. What was his invention?
32. Before this 1952 invention, many people tied plastic bags.
33. Invented in 1952, this automobile safety device became mandatory in 1989 vehicles.
34. Name the 13-year-old boy, and his Billboard number-one hit from the winter of 1952.
35. Who was the Time Magazine Woman of the Year in 1952?
36. Which wrestler was NOT born in Randy Savage, Hulk Hogan, Junkyard Dog, or Hillbilly Jim?
37. Who was the recipient of the first successful sexual reassignment operation?
38. What was the Top-Rated TV Show in the 1951/1952 season?
39. What was the stand-out feature of composer John Cage’s composition 4’33 (four minutes thirty-three seconds)?
40. What teen-oriented music show debuted in Philadelphia on October 7, 1952?
41. Name the computer that successfully predicted Republican General Dwight D. Eisenhower defeating Democratic Governor of Illinois Adlai Stevenson.
42. This Argentine First Lady died of cancer at age 33 and became legendary in pop culture, in plays, musicals, and films. Name that icon.
43. Where were the 1952 Winter Olympics held?
44. Where were the 1952 Summer Olympics held?
45. Comedian Red Skelton said in an interview with the Salisbury Times: “Don’t worry about television. It’s the greatest thing since sliced bread.” When did sliced bread first become popular?
46. What nation became the third nuclear power (nuclear weapon) in 1952?
47. Who passed away before Elizabeth II was proclaimed Queen of the United Kingdom at St James’s Palace, London, England.
48. What company used the slogan: “Finger-Lickin’ Good”?
49. What life-saving device was designed by a team that included Willem Johan Kolff and Robert Jarvik?
50. What was the first television show to be seen in 10,000,000 homes?
51. Who won the 1952 World Series?
52. Name the British-born movie star banned from re-entering the United States in 1952, after a trip to England.
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. Name the actor who received the longest-ever standing ovation at the Academy Awards.
2. Who were the 1952 NFL Champions?
3. Who was the Pope in 1952?
4. Who was the host of American Bandstand before Dick Clark?
5. Who was the American Vice-President in 1952?
6. What early sitcom, debuting in 1952, featured a son who later had two #1 Billboard Hot Charts hit songs?
7. Who were the 1952 NBA Champions?
8. Held in Helsinki, Finland, how many medals did the US win in the 1952 Summer Olympics?
9. The 1952 Winter Olympics were held in Oslo, Norway. How many medals did the US win?
10. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1952?
The Answers:
52 Trivia Answers for 1952 History
1. This 1952 toy was later famously voiced by Don Rickles. Mr. Potato Head
2. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1952? You Belong To Me by Jo Stafford
3. In 1952, what was the average life expectancy in the United States? Men – 65.8 years, Women – 71.6 years.
4. The book by Norman Vincent Peale went on to sell over 20 million copies since 1953. The Power of Positive Thinking
5. California Senator Richard Nixon gave a speech, now referred to by his dog’s name. Tell us the name of that prose. Checkers Speech
6. 1952 Catchphrase: What TV show used the phrase “Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s ….”? The Adventures of Superman
7. This daily NBC show debuted on January 14, 1952, with host and anchor Dave Garroway. The Today Show
8. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1952? In 1952, The Detroit Red Wings won over the Montreal Canadiens (4 games to 0)
9. How many people lived in the United States in 1952? The population was an estimated 157,552,740 people.
10. How many people lived in the World in 1952? The estimated world population in 1952 was 2,619,292,068 people.
11. Name the murder mystery play by Agatha Christie that ran continuously from October 6, 1952, through 2020. It was the longest-running initial run of any play in history. The Mouse Trap
12. Who was the President of the United States in 1952? Harry S. Truman (April 12, 1945 – January 20, 1953)
13. This American strategic weapon has been used since April 15, 1952. Name it. B-52 (Boeing B-52 Stratofortress)
14. An American virologist and medical researcher developed one of the first successful polio vaccines in 1952, which was widely available in 1995. Who was he? Jonas Salk
15. Founded in Memphis, Tennessee, as a motel chain, it is now one of the largest hotel chains in the world. Holiday Inn
16. This well-known theoretical physicist turned down the presidency of Israel in 1952. Albert Einstein
17. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1952? The Silver Chalice by Thomas B. Costain
18. What was the highest-grossing film of 1952? The Greatest Show on Earth
19. How much did a Loaf of Bread cost in 1952? 16 cents
20. How much did a Round Steak (one pound) cost in 1952? $1.11
21. Originally sold in Dutch in 1947, this book was released in English in 1952, becoming one of the most well-known books of the 20th century. Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl
22. Codenamed Mike, this weapon exploded for the first time on the island of Elugelab in Enewetak Atoll as a part of Operation Ivy. Name that device. Hydrogen Bomb (2nd generation nuclear weapon, about 1,000 times more potent than the earliest atomic bombs)
23. To the nearest quarter, what was the average movie theater ticket price in 1952? 50 cents
24. What word was used to describe an anti-conformist young adult? Beatnik
25. What company used the slogan: “They’re gr-r-great!”? Frosted Flakes
26. Who defeated ‘Jersey Joe’ Walcott to win the world heavyweight boxing championship on September 23, 1952? Rocky Marciano
27. This Ernest Hemingway short novel was later awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Name that short novel. The Old Man and the Sea
28. This magazine started as a comic book and continued publication for nearly 70 years. Mad Magazine
29. How much did a car cost in 1952? The average new car sold for $1750.
30. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1952? $0.27 per gallon
31. Chris Cockerell said, “The navy said it was a plane, not a boat; the air force said it was a boat, not a plane; and the army was ‘plain not interested.’”. They did not want his invention. What was his invention? The Hovercraft.
32. Before this 1952 invention, many people tied plastic bags. Bread clip (aka bread tags, bread tabs, bread ties, bread crimps, or bread-bag clips)
33. Invented in 1952, this automobile safety device became mandatory in 1989 vehicles. Airbags
34. Name the 13-year-old boy and his Billboard number-one hit from the winter of 1952. Jimmy Boyd sang I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
35. Who was the Time Magazine Woman of the Year in 1952? Queen Elizabeth II
36. Which wrestler was NOT born in Randy Savage, Hulk Hogan, Junkyard Dog, or Hillbilly Jim? Hulk Hogan (born August 11, 1953)
37. Who was the recipient of the first successful sexual reassignment operation? Christine Jorgenson
38. What was the Top-Rated TV Show in the 1951/1952 season? Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts (CBS)
39. What was the stand-out feature of composer John Cage’s composition 4’33 (four minutes thirty-three seconds)? No instruments were played. (also known as four minutes thirty-three seconds of silence)
40. What teen-oriented music show debuted in Philadelphia on October 7, 1952? American Bandstand (Dick Clark began hosting in 1956)
41. Name the computer that successfully predicted Republican General Dwight D. Eisenhower defeating Democratic Governor of Illinois Adlai Stevenson. UNIVAC
42. This Argentine First Lady died of cancer at age 33 and became legendary in pop culture, in plays, musicals, and films. Name that icon. Eva Peron
43. Where were the 1952 Winter Olympics held? Oslo, Norway
44. Where were the 1952 Summer Olympics held? Helsinki, Finland
45. Comedian Red Skelton said in an interview with the Salisbury Times: “Don’t worry about television. It’s the greatest thing since sliced bread.” When did sliced bread first become popular? 1928
46. What nation became the third nuclear power (nuclear weapon) in 1952? The United Kingdom
47. Who passed away before Elizabeth II was proclaimed Queen of the United Kingdom at St James’s Palace, London, England. King George VI
48. What company used the slogan: “Finger-Lickin’ Good”? KFC
49. What life-saving device was designed by a team that included Willem Johan Kolff and Robert Jarvik? The Jarvik-t artificial heart
50. What was the first television show to be seen in 10,000,000 homes? I Love Lucy (episode ‘The Marriage License’)
51. Who won the 1952 World Series? In 1952, The New York Yankees won, beating the Brooklyn Dodgers (4 games to 3)
52. Name the British-born movie star banned from re-entering the United States in 1952, after a trip to England. Charlie Chaplin. He didn’t return until 1972.
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. Name the actor who received the longest-ever standing ovation at the Academy Awards. Charlie Chaplin
2. Who were the 1952 NFL Champions? Detroit Lions
3. Who was the Pope in 1952? Pope Pius XII, March 2, 1939 – October 9, 1958
4. Who was the host of American Bandstand before Dick Clark? Bob Horn
5. Who was the American Vice-President in 1952? Alben W. Barkley (January 20, 1949 – January 20, 1953)
6. What early sitcom, debuting in 1952, featured a son who later had two #1 Billboard Hot Charts hit songs? The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (son Ricky hit # 1 with Poor Little Fool and Travelin’ Man)
7. Who were the 1952 NBA Champions? For the 1951-52 Season, Champion Minneapolis Lakers won 4 games to 3 over the New York Knicks
8. Held in Helsinki, Finland, how many medals did the US win in the 1952 Summer Olympics? 76. 40 Gold, 19 Silver, 17 Bronze.
9. Held in Oslo, Norway, how many medals did the US win in the 1952 Winter Olympics? 11. 4 Gold, 6 Silver, 1 Bronze.
10. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1952? Hill Gail
1584 – Sir Walter Raleigh is granted permission to colonize Virginia.
Until 1752, March 25 was considered New Year’s Day in Great Britain and its colonies.
1807 – The Slave Trade Act abolished the slave trade in the British Empire.
1911 – The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in NYC killed146 garment workers.
1969 – John Lennon and Yoko Ono staged their “Bed-In For Peace” in Amsterdam.
March 25, 3019 T.A. (fiction) Sauron defeated and the ring destroyed, Lord of the Rings, Book/Film
If you were born on March 25th, You were likely conceived the week of… July 2nd (prior year)
National Medal of Honor Day
March 25 is National Medal of Honor Day. This date was chosen because the first Medal of Honor was presented on March 25, 1863, during the Civil War. Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and National Medal of Honor Day are reminders to take a moment and be thankful for the men and women who have served and those who have died serving our country. National Medal of Honor Day was established to help foster appreciation specifically for recipients of the nation’s highest military award. These brave individuals have shown true valor, risked their lives, and many have died in order to save the individuals they fight beside.
March 25 is…
Lobster Newburg Day Maryland Day Medal of Honor Day Tolkien Reading Day Waffle Day
March 25 Birthday Quotes
“Patience is the ability to accept trouble, suffering, delay without getting angry or upset, I feel like if you can master patience you can master anything.” – Big Sean
“Be your own artist, and always be confident in what you’re doing. If you’re not going to be confident, you might as well not be doing it.” – Aretha Franklin
“Take those chances and you can achieve greatness, whereas if you go conservative, you’ll never know. I truly believe what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Even if you fail, learning and moving on is sometimes the best thing.” – Danica Patrick
“You have to be happy with yourself first of all – that’s the most important thing.” – Aly Michalka
“Oklahoma is the cultural center of the universe.” – Hoyt Axton
March 25 Birthdays
1901 – Ed Begley, American actor (died in 1970) 1918 – Howard Cosell, American broadcaster,journalist, and author (died in 1995) 1920 – Patrick Troughton, English actor, The Second Doctor (died in 1987) 1926 – Gene Shalit, American journalist and critic 1934 – Johnny Burnette, American singer-songwriter (died in 1964) 1938 – Hoyt Axton, American singer-songwriter and actor (died in 1999) 1942 – Aretha Franklin, American singer-songwriter, Queen of Soul (died in 2018) 1943 – Paul Michael Glaser, American actor 1947 – Sir Elton John, English singer-songwriter, 1962 – Marcia Cross, American actress 1966 – Jeff Healey, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist (died in 2008) 1982 – Danica Patrick, American race car driver 1984 – Katharine McPhee, American singer-songwriter and actress 1988 – Big Sean, American rapper 1989 – Aly Michalka, American singer-songwriter and actress
March 25 History
421 – The city of Venice was founded.
1655 – Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, was discovered by Christiaan Huygens.
1807 – The Slave Trade Act became law, abolishing the slave trade in the British Empire.
1811 – Percy Bysshe Shelley was expelled from the University of Oxford for publishing the pamphlet The Necessity of Atheism.
1911 – The Triangle Shirtwaist Company factory burned in New York City, killing 145 workers. The disaster helped bring forth more laws and regulations protecting employees.
March 25, 1937 Birthday (fictional) Biff Tannen, Back to the Future, Film
1957 – United States Customs seized copies of Allen Ginsberg’s poem Howl on grounds of obscenity.
1965 – Civil rights activists, led by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. successfully complete their 4-day, 50-mile march from Selma to the capitol in Montgomery, Alabama.
1967 – #1 Hit March 25, 1967 – April 14, 1967: The Turtles – Happy Together
1972 – #1 Hit March 25, 1972 – April 14, 1972: America – A Horse with No Name
1982 – Cagney & Lacey premiered on CBS
1984 – Television Special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever introduced Michael Jackson’s ‘moonwalk’ during his performance of Billie Jean.
1989 – #1 Hit March 25, 1989 – March 31, 1989: Mike + The Mechanics – The Living Years
1990 – The Happy Land nightclub fire was an arson fire that killed 87 people in The Bronx, New York City.
1995 – WikiWikiWeb, the world’s first wiki was published online by Ward Cunningham.
2001 – Bjork wore her now-famous ‘swan dress’ to the Oscars.
2002 – The Bachelor premiered on ABC
March 25, 2011 – The Suite Life Movie aired on The Disney Channel
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
The license plate number on the original Ghostbusters’ car was ECTO-1
One of the 7 Wonders of the Middle Ages: Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafan in Alexandria, Egypt, built ~2nd century
Sliced bread was originally advertised as “the greatest forward step in the baking industry since bread was wrapped.”
When you marry someone you are basically volunteering to be the first suspect in any possible future investigation of their murder. #thingsilearnedfromtv
A group of Misers is a Horde.
America has its own supervolcano – at Yellowstone National Park. Its super-eruptions tend to occur every 600,000 – 800,000 years; the last one was about 600k ago.
“A boy’s best friend is his mother.” – Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) in Psycho, 1960
The biggest film of 1962: The Longest Day (Action) earned ~ $39,100,000
New York City has 520 miles of coastline – more than the coastline of Miami, San Francisco, Boston, and Los Angeles combined.
The word maintenance should be spelled maintainance.
Disney turned down the chance to make “Back to the Future” claiming the mother/son relationship was too risqué.
The ancient Roman Colosseum had a retractable roof.
When all cars are self-driving, will BMWs still change lanes without signaling and tailgate in the wrong lane?
Adele hasn’t read a book since she was 6 years old. The last book she finished was Roald Dahl’s “Matilda.”
North Korea has its own distinct basketball rules, such as three points for a dunk, four points for a three-pointer that does not touch the rim, minus one point for missing a free throw, and eight points for a basket scored in the final three seconds.
An ion is a charged particle. By joining into a union with another ion, they both cease to be ions. They un-ion. #thatcrazyenglishlanguage
1765 – Great Britain passed the Quartering Act, which requires the Thirteen Colonies to house British troops. 3rd Amendment to the US Constitution, 1791: No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.
1924 – The 1921 Women’s Olympiad began in Monte Carlo, the first international women’s sporting event.
1989 – In Prince William Sound in Alaska, the Exxon Valdez spilled 240,000 barrels of crude oil after running aground.
March 24, 2005 – PlayStation Portable released, Video Game Console
If you were born on March 24th, You were likely conceived the week of… July 1st (prior year)
Exxon Valdez Disaster
On March 24, 1989, shortly after midnight, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez struck Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska, spilling more than 11 million gallons of crude oil. The spill was the largest in U.S. history and tested the abilities of local, national, and industrial organizations to prepare for, and respond to, a disaster of such magnitude. Many factors complicated the cleanup efforts following the spill. The size of the spill and its remote location, accessible only by helicopter and boat, made government and industry efforts difficult and tested existing plans for dealing with such an event.
The spill posed threats to the delicate food chain that supports Prince William Sound’s commercial fishing industry. Also in danger were ten million migratory shorebirds and waterfowl, hundreds of sea otters, dozens of other species, such as harbor porpoises and sea lions, and several varieties of whales. (epa.gov)
March 24 is…
Chocolate Covered Raisins Day Cocktail Day World Tuberculosis Day
March 24 Birthday Quotes
“There are many more important things in life than fashion. But fashion, to me, is part of pop culture. And I’m an art collector. I’m obsessed with art and pop culture. And I say that there is fame, fashion, art, music, and entertainment, including celebrity, that really moves the needle in society.” – Tommy Hilfiger
“The attitude with which we approach the situation can determine our success or failure.” – Peyton Manning
“You have to not worry or doubt or punish yourself. All the worry, doubt, and punishment will not add one second to your life, you know?” – Louie Anderson
“The road to success is not easy to navigate, but with hard work, drive and passion, it’s possible to achieve the American dream.” – Tommy Hilfiger
“Some say I do it this way, others say I do it that way, but I say I do it the other way.” – Harry Houdini
March 24 Birthdays
1874 – Harry Houdini, Hungarian-Jewish American magician and actor (died in 1926) 1887 – Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle, American actor, director, and screenwriter (died in 1933) 1901 – Ub Iwerks, American animator, co-created Mickey Mouse (died in 1971) 1909 – Clyde Barrow, American criminal (died in 1934) 1911 – Joseph Barbera, American animator and producer, co-founded Hanna-Barbera (died in 2006) 1924 – Norman Fell, American actor (died in 1998) 1930 – Steve McQueen, American actor (died in 1980) 1940 – Bob Mackie, American fashion designer 1944 – R. Lee Ermey, American sergeant and character actor (died in 2018) 1949 – Nick Lowe, English singer-songwriter, bass player, and producer 1951 – Tommy Hilfiger, American fashion designer, founded the Tommy Hilfiger Corporation 1953 – Louie Anderson, American actor and comedian 1956 – Bill Wray, American cartoonist and painter 1960 – Kelly Le Brock, English-American actress and model 1960 – Nena, German singer-songwriter 1970 – Lara Flynn Boyle, American actress 1973 – Jim Parsons, American actor 1974 – Alyson Hannigan, American actress 1976 – Peyton Manning, American football player 1977 – Jessica Chastain, American actress 1979 – Lake Bell, Jewish-American actress
March 24 History
1707 – The Acts of Union 1707 was signed, officially uniting the Kingdoms and parliaments of England and Scotland to create the Kingdom of Great Britain.
1765 – The Kingdom of Great Britain passed the Quartering Act, which required homes in the Thirteen Colonies to house British troops.
1882 – Robert Koch announced the discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis.
March 24, 1940 – The first religious service was shown on NBC in New York. The first was a Protestant Easter Service, and a Catholic Mass was shown after that.
1955 – Tennessee Williams’ play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof opened in New York.
1956 – #1 Hit March 24, 1956 – April 20, 1956: Les Baxter – Poor People Of Paris
March 24, 1958, Elvis Presley was inducted into the US Army, serial #53310761.
1973 – #1 Hit March 24, 1973 – April 6, 1973: The O’Jays – Love Train
1979 – #1 Hit March 24, 1979 – April 13, 1979: Bee Gees – Tragedy
1989 – The Exxon Valdez, captained by Joseph Jeffrey Hazelwood, hit Prince William Sound, spilling 11,000,000 gallons of Alaskan crude oil.
1990 – #1 Hit March 24, 1990 – April 6, 1990: Alannah Myles – Black Velvet
1993- Doogie Howser, M.D. aired its final episode
2001 – #1 Hit March 24, 2001 – March 30, 2001: Crazy Town – Butterfly
March 24, 2005 – PlayStation Portable released, Video Game Console
2005 – The Office premiered on NBC
March 24, 2006 – Cow Belles aired on The Disney Channel
2006 – Hannah Montana premiered on The Disney Channel.
2007 – #1 Hit March 24, 2007 – April 6, 2007: Fergie featuring Ludacris – Glamorous
2011 – Broadway Show – The Book of Mormon (Musical) March 24, 2011
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
The fear of vegetables is called Lachanophobia.
I haven’t been upset about someone not rewinding a VHS tape in two decades. #bekindrewind
When Voldemort died, the world lost a thinker whose treatises on the multiplicity of personal identity will remain forever unpublished.
A group of Onions is called a Rope.
Baby Carrots are not naturally mini-sized carrots… they are just cut down to size from imperfect, normal-sized carrots.
Chicago O’ Hare airport has the ORD shortcode because it was originally called Orchard Field and no one bothered to change it when it was renamed.
Mother Theresa – Real Name: Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu
Australia is the only continent with more venomous snakes than there are non-venomous ones.
“Are the daughter’s miseries the mother’s triumphs?” – Eva in Autumn Sonata #moviequotes
Nicolas Cage – Real Name: Nicolas Coppola
Vince & Larry are the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s crash test dummies.
For a detective, a surprise party is the ultimate insult.
A group of Cows is called a Kine.
The shortest player in NBA was Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues (born January 9, 1965). He stood at 5’3″ and played for a total of 14 seasons.
Joseph Stalin’s real name was Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili. He decided to change his name to Stalin in 1902, meaning “steel” in Russian, which he believed would make him appear tough.
A court ruled that the TV show Trapper John M.D. is a spinoff of the movie M*A*S*H, not the TV show, due to a lawsuit over royalties.
1857 – Elisha Otis’s first elevator is installed at 488 Broadway New York City.
1868 – The University of California was founded in Oakland, California.
1919 – In Milan, Italy, Benito Mussolini founded his Fascist political movement.
1933 – The Reichstag passed the Enabling Act of 1933, making Adolf Hitler dictator of Germany.
If you were born on March 23rd, You were likely conceived the week of… June 30th (prior year)
World Meteorological Day
In 1873, The International Meteorological association was formed to exchange information about weather across national borders and changed its name in March 1950. World Meteorological Day takes place every year on March 23 and commemorates the coming into force on March 23, 1950, of the Convention establishing the World Meteorological Organization. It showcases the essential contribution of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services to the safety and wellbeing of society and is celebrated with activities around the world.
March 23 is…
Chip and Dip Day Puppy Day Near Miss Day World Meteorology Day
March 23 Birthday Quotes
“Sometimes it’s the smallest decisions that can change your life forever.” – Keri Russell
“Success has less to do with what we can get ourselves to do and more to do with keeping ourselves from doing what we shouldn’t.” – Kenneth Cole
“Be afraid of nothing.” – Joan Crawford
“Just because they say it’s impossible doesn’t mean you can’t do it.” – Roger Bannister
“Science does not have a moral dimension. It is like a knife. If you give it to a surgeon or a murderer, each will use it differently.” – Wernher von Braun
March 23 Birthdays
1699 – John Bartram, American botanist and explorer (died in 1777) 1862 – Nathaniel ‘Texas Jack’ Reed, American criminal (died in 1950) 1904 – Joan Crawford, American film actress (died in 1977) 1912 – Wernher von Braun, German-American physicist and engineer (died in 1977) 1929 – Roger Bannister, English runner and academic (died in 2018) 1949 – Ric Ocasek, American singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer (died in 2019) 1954 – Kenneth Cole, American fashion designer, founded Kenneth Cole Productions 1957 – Amanda Plummer, American actress 1971 – Yasmeen Ghauri, Canadian model 1976 – Michelle Monaghan, American actress 1976 – Keri Russell, American actress 1989 – Ayesha Curry, Canadian-American chef, author and television personality
March 23 History
893 (Earthquake) Iran
1775 – Patrick Henry delivered his ‘Give me liberty, or give me death!’ speech at St. John’s Episcopal Church, in Richmond, Virginia.
1839 – The initials ‘O.K.’ were first published in The Boston Morning Post. Meant as an abbreviation for ‘oll correct,’ a popular slang misspelling of ‘all correct’ at the time.
1840 – John William Draper took the first successful photo of the Moon. Actually, a daguerreotype, a precursor of the photograph.
1857 – Elisha Otis’s first elevator was installed at 488 Broadway New York City.
1913 (Tornado) Omaha, Nebraska
1956 – Pakistan became the first Islamic republic in the world.
1963 – #1 Hit March 23, 1963 – March 29, 1963: Ruby & the Romantics – Our Day Will Come
1974 – #1 Hit March 23, 1974 – March 29, 1974: Cher – Dark Lady
March 23, 1977 Birthday (fictional) Neal Cassidy, Once Upon a Time, TV
1982 – Joanie Loves Chachi premiered on ABC
1983 – President Ronald Reagan introduced the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) now called “Star Wars” to the American discussion.
1983 – Dr. Barney C. Clark, the first recipient of a permanent artificial heart, died at the University of Utah’s Medical Center after 112 days with the device.
March 24, 1984 (fiction) The Breakfast Club met for detention, The Breakfast Club, Film
1991 – #1 Hit March 23, 1991 – March 29, 1991: Timmy T – One More Try
1996 – #1 Hit March 23, 1996 – May 3, 1996: Celine Dion – Because You Loved Me
1998 – James Cameron’s Titanic won 11 Academy Awards.
2000 – Broadway Show – Aida (Musical) March 23, 2000
2001 – The Russian space station, Mir, ended 15 years in orbit by burning up entering Earth’s atmosphere, mostly burning up in the atmosphere, and splashing into the Pacific Ocean.
2014 – Broadway Show – Les Misrables (Musical) March 23, 2014
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
“After fifteen minutes I wanted to marry her, and after half an hour I completely gave up the idea of stealing her purse.” – Virgil Starkwell #moviequotes
A group of Cranes is called a Sedge or Seige.
Benedict Cumberbatch (Billingsworth Cobblepots) should read out all the funniest variations on his name the internet has produced in the same style as the ‘Celebrities Read Mean Tweets’ videos.
The Capital of Norway is Oslo
Biggest film of 1963: Cleopatra (Drama) earned ~ $57,000,000
“I don’t believe in astrology; I’m a Sagittarius and we’re skeptical.” – Arthur C. Clarke
The more children’s books I read the worse I feel for the letter X. It reminds me of someone with only one nice outfit. “Oh, X is xylophone. Weren’t you xylophone last week too? Well, it’s still nice I guess. And you tried your best.”
We’ve got about 2 billion years to find a new planet to inhabit. #readonline
Green Bell Peppers are unripe versions of Red Peppers.
TV Quotes… “Hey now!” (Hank Kingsley) on “The Larry Sanders Show”.
During an 11-year period from about 1964 to 1975, the office of Vice President of the United States was vacant for a total of 617 days (more than 15% of the time).
Useless Pronunciation: P as in pterodactyl
“Play it, Sam. Play ‘As Time Goes By.’” – Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) #moviequotes
The first soda was made in Michigan – Vernor’s Ginger Ale, in 1866.
The last place you look for something is always where you find it. #science
The Monster’s Dilemma: Should We Create What Might Suffer or Harm?
Imagine a brilliant scientist on the verge of a breakthrough: they’ve designed a sentient creature—highly intelligent, potentially powerful, and capable of immense good. But there’s a catch.
The creature might suffer.
It might suffer a lot.
It might also hurt others.
Should the scientist flip the switch and bring it to life?
This is The Monster’s Dilemma, a thought experiment rooted in Frankenstein, infused with bioethics, and increasingly relevant in debates about artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, and genetic engineering. It challenges us to confront the ethics of creation: just because we can make something—should we?
The Origins of the Thought Experiment
While there’s no single philosopher credited with the Monster’s Dilemma as a formal concept, its essence has existed for centuries:
In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818), Victor Frankenstein creates life—only to recoil from what he’s made. The creature, shunned and tormented, becomes violent. Victor must ask himself: Who is responsible for the monster’s pain?
In modern AI ethics, researchers ask: Should we create machines that can suffer or cause suffering?
In bioethics, we question whether it’s right to engineer life forms that may endure pain or whose existence might carry unintended consequences.
At the heart of the Monster’s Dilemma is a twofold risk:
Creating a being that suffers.
Creating a being that causes suffering.
Is Creation Itself a Moral Act?
The dilemma raises profound ethical questions about responsibility and intention:
Deontological Ethics
From a deontological perspective, some acts are inherently wrong—regardless of outcome.
Creating life that suffers may violate a duty not to cause unnecessary harm.
Even if the creature is never harmful, the act of creating something destined to suffer may be wrong in itself.
The question becomes: Is it ever ethical to bring pain into existence knowingly?
Utilitarian Ethics
A utilitarian might weigh total happiness vs. total suffering. The creation might be justified if the creature can live a meaningful, mostly positive life—or benefit others.
But the risks are real:
The act is unethical if the creature suffers more than it brings joy.
If it harms others, its creation might lower total well-being.
Utilitarianism asks: Can we predict and responsibly manage the outcomes?
Virtue Ethics
A virtue ethicist might ask about the creator’s character:
Is the scientist acting out of hubris or genuine curiosity?
Is there compassion in how the creature will be treated?
Does the creator take moral responsibility, or just seek achievement?
Being a “good person” may mean pausing before playing god.
Real-World Parallels
Though Frankenstein’s monster is fictional, the moral issues are real—and growing more relevant.
1. Artificial Intelligence
Creating machines that mimic or exceed human intelligence raises major concerns:
What if AI develops consciousness or sentience?
Would turning off such an AI be murder?
What if it turns against us, like HAL 9000 or Skynet?
Experts like Nick Bostrom warn about unintended consequences from AI systems that optimize goals in harmful ways. (See: Superintelligence, 2014)
2. Animal Engineering
Genetic modification of animals for food, research, or aesthetics raises questions:
Are we creating creatures with built-in suffering?
Does the utility (food, medical progress) outweigh the moral cost?
Some bioethicists advocate for a “no unnecessary suffering” rule, especially for sentient beings.
3. Synthetic Life
Scientists have begun creating synthetic organisms—new life forms built from DNA.
Should we create organisms that we cannot fully understand or control?
What are our obligations if a synthetic being becomes sentient or gains agency?
Existence without consent is a troubling theme. After all, no one asks to be born—least of all a lab-grown monster.
4. AI Companions and Emotional Robots
Designing robots that mimic love, pain, or attachment can emotionally manipulate users and raise questions about the machines’ emotional lives.
If a robot feels heartbreak when turned off, have we done something cruel?
Moral Risk vs. Moral Reward
Sometimes, the Monster’s Dilemma becomes a question of moral risk tolerance.
Do the benefits of creation outweigh the ethical uncertainties?
Is it worse to never try—and never know what good might have come?
But there’s also a slippery slope: where do we stop once we justify one risky creation?
This concern has echoes in nuclear research, bioweapons, and dual-use technologies. Every tool of great power carries the shadow of potential misuse.
Lessons from Frankenstein
Shelley’s Frankenstein remains the definitive allegory of the Monster’s Dilemma. It’s not just about science—it’s about responsibility:
Victor’s real failure isn’t making the creature.
It’s abandoning it.
It’s ignoring the moral obligations that come after creation.
This warning remains strikingly modern: inventors, developers, and technologists are often eager to push boundaries—but who stays to raise the monster?
Counterarguments: Isn’t All Life Risky?
Some argue that:
Human life is full of suffering, yet we continue to reproduce.
We cannot know how a being’s life will turn out—so long as there’s a chance for joy, why not create it?
This view values potential and autonomy, suggesting that a being deserves the chance to exist and find meaning, even at risk.
But critics respond: accepting life’s risks for ourselves is one thing. It’s another to create a life we know could suffer—without consent.
Glossary of Terms
Bioethics – The study of ethical issues in biology and medicine.
Sentience – The capacity to feel, perceive, or experience subjectively.
Utilitarianism – An ethical theory focused on maximizing happiness and minimizing suffering.
Deontology – Ethics based on duty, rules, or inherent right and wrong.
Existential Risk – A risk that threatens the entire future of humanity or intelligent life.
Discussion Questions
Is it ever ethical to create something that might suffer or harm others?
Do creators have moral responsibility for the outcomes of what they make?
Where should we draw the line between curiosity, invention, and caution?
References and Further Reading
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, 1818.
1986 Trivia: Test Your Knowledge of This Unforgettable Year in Pop Culture!
1986 was a year of groundbreaking moments in movies, music, TV, and world events. From iconic blockbusters to legendary music releases and historical milestones, this year was packed with moments that shaped the cultural landscape. Whether you’re a trivia enthusiast or just love reliving the ’80s, this page is the ultimate challenge for anyone looking to test their knowledge of 1986.
Think you can ace it? Answer questions like: Which sci-fi sequel broke box office records and terrified audiences? What rock anthem became a defining song of the decade? Which hit TV show debuted in 1986, capturing hearts with its relatable humor? And what historic event brought space exploration into sharp focus for the entire world?
Here’s some bonus trivia to get you started:
Aliens, James Cameron’s action-packed sequel to Alien, thrilled audiences and earned Sigourney Weaver an Academy Award nomination for her role as Ellen Ripley.
The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster on January 28, 1986, stunned the world and forever changed NASA’s approach to space missions.
Crocodile Dundee, an Australian comedy, became an unexpected global box office smash, making “That’s not a knife…” an unforgettable quote.
Rock and roll fans were introduced to Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer, a chart-topping hit that remains a karaoke favorite to this day.
The world of gaming changed forever with the release of The Legend of Zelda, which set a new standard for adventure games on the NES.
1986 also marked cultural milestones like the launch of The Oprah Winfrey Show, the rise of Nintendo’s dominance in the gaming market, and the debut of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, a film that became an anthem for teenage rebellion.
Whether you’re preparing for a trivia night, diving into the nostalgia of the ’80s, or simply looking to learn something new, this page has all the iconic moments and quirky facts you need to relive 1986.
So, are you ready to test your knowledge and see if you’re a true ’80s expert? Take the quiz now and celebrate one of the most unforgettable years in pop culture history!
1. This film starred David Bowie as The Goblin King. Name that film.
2. Name the film that introduced Newt and Jonsey (Jones).
3. Name the highest-grossing film of 1986.
5. Megan, Spike, Paradise, and Gutsy were all characters in this children’s program. Name that animated show.
6. Who was the biggest musical artist of 1986?
7. Name the two primary characters in Moonlighting.
10. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1986?
11. You get one point for each of Dionne’s three friends who sang it with her.
12. TV Question. What does ALF stand for?
13. This character was the protagonist of the 1986 novel by Winston Groom, Robert Zemeckis’ 1994 film of the same name. Who? HINT: Tom Hanks played the role.
14. Name the popular children’s edutainment franchise that features Ms. Valerie Frizzle and her class.
15. How many people lived in the World in 1986?
16. This film was based on a Marvel Comics character created by Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik in 1973.
17. What planet is ALF originally from?
18. This film and media franchise started in 1986. The clue is “There Can Only Be One.”
19. This microwave snack was introduced by General Mills in 1986. Name it.
20. Although filmed in Los Angeles, where did the girls live in The Golden Girls?
21. What 1986 film gave us the phrase “Game over, man! Game over!”?
22. This singing quintet included Jordan Knight, Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. Name that group.
23. In what film did the character Mick Dundee first appear?
24. Who played the role of Mick Dundee?
25. Who chanted, “Ancient Spirits of Evil, transform this decayed form into Mumm-Ra, the Ever-Living?”
26. What was the name of the evil entity in Stephen King’s It?
27. Shigeru Miyamoto created this video game character for a popular 1986 game. HINT: She was legendary.
28. What 1986 horror-comedy featured Jeff Goldblum as a man transforming into an insect? HINT: (small voice) Help me!
29. Michael Jackson started to make headlines in the tabloids for his “odd behavior.” What became his press nickname in 1986?
30. Professional vocalists performed the soundtrack for this animated show, and it became a fan favorite, with over 150 original tracks created from 1985 to 1988. Name that program.
31. This nickname started to be used for Red Sox fans during the 1986 World Series against the Mets. Name that term.
32. What animated series featuring humanoid turtles debuted in 1986? You get a bonus point for each you can name.
33. What video game company introduced the NES in the U.S. in 1986?
34. What animated movie featuring Orson Welles in his final role? HINT: He was the voice of Unicron
35. How many people lived in the United States in 1986?
36. Can you name the third model in the Macintosh computer line?
37. What doll became a cultural phenomenon in 1986, each with a unique birth certificate?
38. What 1986 John Hughes film features Molly Ringwald on an awkward date at the prom?
39. Name the band that released Slippery When Wet. HINT: Livin’ on a Prayer
40. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1986?
41. What were the names of the two leaders Popples in the TV show?
42. This comic book (and movie) included characters Hollis T. Mason, a member of the crimefighting team the Minutemen, and the second – Daniel “Dan” Dreiberg. What was their shared superhero name? HINT: In DC’s Watchmen
43. These animated fruits sang “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” in commercials. What fruit?
44. Name the character who was a fictional spokesman who starred in a series of 1980s television advertisements for a Japanese car and truck brand. HINT: He was played by David Leisure
45. Where did The Care Bear Cousins live?
46. Who said, “Well, isn’t that special?”
47. What was the biggest hit by American R&B artist, writer, and producer Gregory Abbott?
48. Name the band who told us You Gotta Fight for Your Right To Party!
49. The Pleasant Company first released these 18-inch-high dolls in 1986. Name that doll brand.
50. Who was People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1986?
51. You get one point for each of the nicknames you can name: Tom Cruise, Anthony Edwards, and Val Kilmer in Top Gun.
52. What aircraft carrier was the team from Top Gun based on?
53. This smaller food product was an innovation made in 1986 by California farmer Mike Yurosek. HINT: They are orange.
54. In what country did most of Crocodile Dundee take place?
55. Who won the World Series in 1986?
56. What two songs does Matthew Broderick lip sync to in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off?
57. Andy Griffith played a renowned, folksy yet cantankerous defense attorney on this TV Show. Bonus point if you know his first and last name.
58. This popular franchise is based on a series of eight fantasy novels and 15 short stories by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. Name that brand.
59. Name the animated lead character in 1986’s An American Tail.
60. What country won the World Cup in 1986?
61. Who directed Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home? HINT: It was one of the stars.
62. Name the American city that was featured in Star Trek IV.
63. Who were the Stanley Cup Champions in 1986?
64. What was the name of Pee-wee Herman’s talking chair?
65. What was ALF’s real name?
66. Name the TV show that featured Gobo, Mokey, Wembley, Boober, and Red.
67. This was the first film of a trilogy of Vietnam War films directed by Stone, followed by Born on the Fourth of July (1989) and Heaven & Earth (1993).
68. Introduced in 1986, this G.I. Joe character was modeled on an American professional wrestling character. Name that wrestler.
69. What television network aired The Berenstain Bears Show on Saturday mornings from 1985 to 1987?
70. Who directed 1986’s Labyrinth?
71. Only three television shows have ranked number one in Nielsen ratings for five consecutive seasons. Can you name the television show from the 1980s that achieved this feat?
72. This 1986 comedy starred Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Judge Reinhold, and Helen Slater. Name that film.
73. Cheetos snacks gained a mascot in 1986. Can you name him?
74. Who was the President in 1986?
75. What team won the Super Bowl in 1986?
76. Can you name the annoying mascot introduced in 1986 by Domino’s Pizza?
77. Character actor David Leisure was the spokesperson for what car company?
78. In 1986, what was the average life expectancy in the United States?
79. Who was the Pope in 1986?
80. Who were the NBA Champions in 1986?
81. Name the syndicated by Chronicle Features and Universal Press Syndicate, which ran from December 31, 1979, to January 1, 1995. HINT: The Creator was Gary Larson
82. Prince Adam (He-Man) had a twin sister. What was her name?
83. Character actor Michael Vale played the spokesman for Dunkin’ Donuts in the 1980s and 90s. What was his character’s name?
84. Name the film starring Eddie Murphy as Chandler Jarrell, a social worker who is informed that he is “The Chosen One”.
85. What is the name of the green ghost that became the Ghostbusters mascot in the TV series?
86. Who was the Vice-President in 1986?
87. Who played the role of Charlotte “Charlie” Blackwood in Top Gun?
88. What was the full name of the TV show starring Pee-wee Herman from 1986 to 1990?
89. Jem and The Holograms had two rival bands. You get one point for each, which you can name.
Bonus Team Trivia Questions:
1. Who was the actress who voiced Jem?
2. Can you name the comedic character actor with a career spanning the 1930s to 1980s who used the phrase: “EEE-Yeeeeeeeeesssss?”
3. Although set in Okinawa, where was the film The Karate Kid Part II shot?
4. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1986?
5. This 1986 film featured cameos from Kurt Vonnegut and the band Oingo Boingo.
6. This comic book superhero, created by Ben Edlund, had a cartoon series on FOX and a live-action show on Amazon Prime. His catchphrase was “Spoon!” Name the character.
7. In 1986, Coca-Cola introduced its “C-c-c-catch the wave!” promotion. Who was the artificial spokesman who said it?
8. How old was David the Gnome?
9. Why was the show called The Real Ghostbusters instead of “Ghostbusters”?
10. In secondary roles, This 1986 film featured Jeffrey Jones, Cindy Pickett, Edie McClurg, Lyman Ward, and Charlie Sheen. Name that film.
1. This film starred David Bowie as The Goblin King. Name that film. Labyrinth
2. Name the film that introduced Newt and Jonsey (Jones). Aliens
3. Name the highest-grossing film of 1986. Top Gun
5. Megan, Spike, Paradise, and Gutsy were all characters in this children’s program. Name that animated show. My Little Pony
6. Who was the biggest musical artist of 1986? Billy Ocean
7. Name the two primary characters in Moonlighting. Madolyn “Maddie” Hayes (Cybill Shepherd) and David Addison (Bruce Willis).
10. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1986? That’s What Friends Are For by Dionne and Friends
11. You get one point for each of Dionne’s three friends who sang it with her. Gladys Knight, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder
12. TV Question. What does ALF stand for? Alien Life Form
13. This character was the protagonist of the 1986 novel by Winston Groom, Robert Zemeckis’ 1994 film of the same name. Who? HINT: Tom Hanks played the role. Forrest Gump
14. Name the popular children’s edutainment franchise that features Ms. Valerie Frizzle and her class. The Magic School Bus
15. How many people lived in the World in 1986? 4,950,063,339
16. This film was based on a Marvel Comics character created by Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik in 1973. Howard The Duck
17. What planet is ALF originally from? Melmac
18. This film and media franchise started in 1986. The clue is “There Can Only Be One.” Highlander
19. This microwave snack was introduced by General Mills in 1986. Name it. Pop Secret.
20. Although filmed in Los Angeles, where did the girls live in The Golden Girls? Miami, Florida
21. What 1986 film gave us the phrase “Game over, man! Game over!”? Aliens
22. This singing quintet included Jordan Knight, Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. Name that group. New Kids on the Block
23. In what film did the character Mick Dundee first appear? Crocodile Dundee
24. Who played the role of Mick Dundee? Paul Hogan
25. Who chanted, “Ancient Spirits of Evil, transform this decayed form into Mumm-Ra, the Ever-Living?” Mumm-Ra (in Thundercats)
26. What was the name of the evil entity in Stephen King’s It? Pennywise
27. Shigeru Miyamoto created this video game character for a popular 1986 game. HINT: She was legendary. Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
28. What 1986 horror-comedy featured Jeff Goldblum as a man transforming into an insect? HINT: (small voice) Help me! The Fly
29. Michael Jackson started to make headlines in the tabloids for his “odd behavior.” What became his press nickname in 1986? Wacko Jacko
30. Professional vocalists performed the soundtrack for this animated show, and it became a fan favorite, with over 150 original tracks created from 1985 to 1988. Name that program. Jem and the Holograms
31. This nickname started to be used for Red Sox fans during the 1986 World Series against the Mets. Name that term. Red Sox Nation
32. What animated series featuring humanoid turtles debuted in 1986? You get a bonus point for each you can name. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo)
33. What video game company introduced the NES in the U.S. in 1986? Nintendo
34. What animated movie featuring Orson Welles in his final role? HINT: He was the voice of Unicron The Transformers: The Movie
35. How many people lived in the United States in 1986? 240,132,887
36. Can you name the third model in the Macintosh computer line? Macintosh Plus
37. What doll became a cultural phenomenon in 1986, each with a unique birth certificate? Cabbage Patch Kids
38. What 1986 John Hughes film features Molly Ringwald on an awkward date at the prom? Pretty in Pink
39. Name the band that released Slippery When Wet. HINT: Livin’ on a Prayer? Bon Jovi
40. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1986? It by Stephen King
41. What were the names of the two leaders Popples in the TV show? Party and Pancake.
42. This comic book (and movie) included characters Hollis T. Mason, a member of the crimefighting team the Minutemen, and the second – Daniel “Dan” Dreiberg. What was their shared superhero name? HINT: In DC’s Watchmen Nite Owl
43. These animated fruits sang “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” in commercials. What fruit? The California Raisins
44. Name the character who was a fictional spokesman who starred in a series of 1980s television advertisements for a Japanese car and truck brand. HINT: He was played by David Leisure Joe Isuzu
45. Where did The Care Bear Cousins live? The Forest of Feelings
46. Who said, “Well, isn’t that special?” The Church Lady (Enid Strict, portrayed by Dana Carvey)
47. What was the biggest hit by American R&B artist, writer, and producer Gregory Abbott? Shake You Down
48. Name the band who told us You Gotta Fight for Your Right To Party! The Beastie Boys
49. The Pleasant Company first released these 18-inch-high dolls in 1986. Name that doll brand. American Girl
50. Who was People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1986? Mark Harmon
51. You get one point for each of the nicknames you can name: Tom Cruise, Anthony Edwards, and Val Kilmer in Top Gun. Tom Cruise (Pete “Maverick” Mitchell), Anthony Edwards (Nick “Goose” Bradshaw), Val Kilmer (Tom “Iceman” Kazansky).
52. What aircraft carrier was the team from Top Gun based on? The USS Enterprise.
53. This smaller food product was an innovation made in 1986 by California farmer Mike Yurosek. HINT: They are orange. Baby Carrots
54. In what country did most of Crocodile Dundee take place? Most of Crocodile Dundee took place in Australia.
55. Who won the World Series in 1986? New York Mets
56. What two songs does Matthew Broderick lip sync to in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off? Danke Schoen by Wayne Newton and Twist and Shout by The Beatles.
57. Andy Griffith played a renowned, folksy yet cantankerous defense attorney on this TV Show. Bonus point if you know his first and last name. Ben Matlock
58. This popular franchise is based on a series of eight fantasy novels and 15 short stories by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. Name that brand. The Witcher
59. Name the animated lead character in 1986’s An American Tail. Fievel Mousekewitz
60. What country won the World Cup in 1986? Argentina
61. Who directed Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home? HINT: It was one of the stars. Leonard Nimoy
62. Name the American city that was featured in Star Trek IV. San Francisco
63. Who were the Stanley Cup Champions in 1986? Montreal Canadiens
64. What was the name of Pee-wee Herman’s talking chair? Chairry
65. What was ALF’s real name? Gordon Shumway
66. Name the TV show that featured Gobo, Mokey, Wembley, Boober, and Red. Fraggle Rock
67. This was the first film of a trilogy of Vietnam War films directed by Stone, followed by Born on the Fourth of July (1989) and Heaven & Earth (1993). Platoon (1986).
68. Introduced in 1986, this G.I. Joe character was modeled on an American professional wrestling character. Name that wrestler. Sgt. Slaughter (real name Robert Rudolph Remus)
69. What television network aired The Berenstain Bears Show on Saturday mornings from 1985 to 1987? CBS
70. Who directed 1986’s Labyrinth? Jim Henson, the creator of the Muppets
71. Only three television shows have ranked number one in Nielsen ratings for five consecutive seasons. Can you name the television show from the 1980s that achieved this feat? The Cosby Show (1985–1986 through 1989–1990)
72. This 1986 comedy starred Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Judge Reinhold, and Helen Slater. Name that film. Ruthless People
73. Cheetos snacks gained a mascot in 1986. Can you name him? Chester Cheetah
74. Who was the President in 1986? Ronald Reagan (January 20, 1981 – January 20, 1989)
75. What team won the Super Bowl in 1986? Chicago Bears
76. Can you name the annoying mascot introduced in 1986 by Domino’s Pizza? The Noid
77. Character actor David Leisure was the spokesperson for what car company? Isuzu (as Joe Isuzu)
78. In 1986, what was the average life expectancy in the United States? Men – 71.1 years, Women – 78.3 years
79. Who was the Pope in 1986? John Paul II (October 16, 1978 – April 2, 2005)
80. Who were the NBA Champions in 1986? Boston Celtics
81. Name the syndicated by Chronicle Features and Universal Press Syndicate, which ran from December 31, 1979, to January 1, 1995. HINT: The Creator was Gary Larson The Far Side
82. Prince Adam (He-Man) had a twin sister. What was her name? Adora (She-Ra)
83. Character actor Michael Vale played the spokesman for Dunkin’ Donuts in the 1980s and 90s. What was his character’s name? Fred The Baker (“Time to make the donuts!”)
84. Name the film starring Eddie Murphy as Chandler Jarrell, a social worker who is informed that he is “The Chosen One”. The Golden Child
85. What is the name of the green ghost that became the Ghostbusters mascot in the TV series? Slimer
86. Jem and The Holograms had two rival bands. You get one point for each, which you can name. The Misfits and The Stingers
Bonus Team Trivia Questions:
1. Who was the actress who voiced Jem? Samantha Newark
2. Can you name the comedic character actor with a career spanning the 1930s to 1980s who used the phrase: “EEE-Yeeeeeeeeesssss?” Frank Nelson (May 6, 1911 – September 12, 1986)
3. Although set in Okinawa, where was the film The Karate Kid Part II shot? Oahu, Hawaii
4. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1986? Ferdinand
5. This 1986 film featured cameos from Kurt Vonnegut and the band Oingo Boingo. Back To School
6. This comic book superhero, created by Ben Edlund, had a cartoon series on FOX and a live-action show on Amazon Prime. His catchphrase was “Spoon!” Name the character. The Tick
7. In 1986, Coca-Cola introduced its “C-c-c-catch the wave!” promotion. Who was the artificial spokesman who said it? Max Headroom
8. How old was David the Gnome? 399 years, the same as his wife, Lisa.
9. Why was the show called The Real Ghostbusters instead of “Ghostbusters”? A: To avoid legal issues with a 1975 live-action show called Ghostbusters.
10. In secondary roles, This 1986 film featured Jeffrey Jones, Cindy Pickett, Edie McClurg, Lyman Ward, and Charlie Sheen. Name that film. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
1622 – Jamestown massacre: Algonquian Indians killed 347 English settlers around Jamestown, Virginia, a third of the colony’s population.
1945 – The Arab League was founded in Cairo, Egypt.
1993 – Intel Corporation shipped the first Pentium chips
March 22, **** Birthday (fictional) Diana of Themyscira (Wonder Woman), DC Comics
March 22, 2233 Birthday (fictional) James Tiberius Kirk, Star Trek, TV/Film
If you were born on March 22nd, You were likely conceived the week of… June 29th (prior year)
Andrew Lloyd Webber Shows
The Likes of Us (1965), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1968), Jesus Christ Superstar (1970), Jeeves (1975), Evita (1976), Tell Me on a Sunday (1979), Cats (1981), Song and Dance (1982), Starlight Express (1984), Cricket (1986), The Phantom of the Opera (1986), Aspects of Love (1989), Sunset Boulevard (1993), Whistle Down the Wind (1996), The Beautiful Game (2000), The Woman in White (2004), Love Never Dies (2010), The Wizard of Oz (2011), Stephen Ward (2013), School of Rock (2015), Cinderella (2020)
Stephen Sondheim Musicals
Saturday Night (1954), West Side Story (1957), Gypsy (1959), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962), Anyone Can Whistle (1964), Do I Hear a Waltz? (1965), Company (1970), Follies (1971), A Little Night Music (1973), The Frogs (1974), Pacific Overtures (1976), Sweeney Todd (1979), Merrily We Roll Along (1981), Passion (1994), Bounce (2003)
March 22 is…
American Diabetes Alert Day Bavarian Crepes Day Goof Off Day (Goof-off ideas) World Water Day
March 22 Birthday Quotes
“Nobody seems to think it’s a good idea to mention mistakes, but I think it’s important to acknowledge the mistakes you’ve made in life because it’s really through those that you learn things. I’ve made hundreds.” – Andrew Lloyd Webber
“I believe ambition is not a dirty word. It’s just believing in yourself and your abilities. Imagine this: What would happen if we were all brave enough to be a little bit more ambitious? I think the world would change.” – Reese Witherspoon
“Right now I’d do anything for money. I’d kill somebody for money. I’d kill you for money. Ha haha. Ah, no. You’re my friend. I’d kill you for nothing. – Chico Marx, in The Cocoanuts
” “ – Marcel Marceau
“Why does the lizard stick his tongue out? The lizard sticks its tongue out because that’s the way its listening and looking and tasting its environment. It’s its means of appreciating what’s in front of it.” – William Shatner
March 22 Birthdays
1887 – Chico Marx, American actor, Marx Brother (died in 1961) 1912 – Karl Malden, American actor (died in 2009) 1920 – Werner Klemperer, German-American actor (died in 2000) 1920 – Ross Martin, American actor (died in 1981) 1923 – Marcel Marceau, French mime and actor (died in 2007) 1930 – Pat Robertson, American minister and broadcaster, founded the Christian Broadcasting Network 1930 – Stephen Sondheim, American composer 1931 – William Shatner, Canadian actor 1935 – M. Emmet Walsh, American character actor 1947 – James Patterson, American author 1948 – Andrew Lloyd Webber, English composer 1955 – Lena Olin, Swedish actress 1957 – Stephanie Mills, American actress 1959 – Matthew Modine, American actor 1972 – Elvis Stojko, Canadian figure skater and sportscaster 1976 – Reese Witherspoon, American actress 1989 – Tyler Oakley, American internet celebrity
March 22 History
1630 – The Massachusetts Bay Colony outlawed the possession of cards, dice, and gaming tables.
1894 – The first championship series for Lord Stanley’s Cup was played in Montreal, Canada. The Montreal HC (Montreal Hockey Club) won the first cup.
1933 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Beer and Wine Revenue Act, putting a federal tax on all alcoholic beverages, although prohibition was still in effect until December 1933.
1945 – The Arab League was founded in Cairo, Egypt.
1958 – #1 Hit March 22, 1958 – April 25, 1958: The Champs – Tequila
1960 – The first laser was patented (#2,929,922) by Arthur Schawlow and Charles Hard Townes under the title ‘Masers and Maser Communications System.’
1963 – The Beatles’ first album, Please Please Me, was released in the United Kingdom.
1964 – #1 Hit March 21, 1964 – April 3, 1964: The Beatles – She Loves You
March 22, 1970 Birthday (fictional) Monica Geller, Friends, TV
1972 – The Equal Rights Amendment was passed by the U.S. Senate and sent to the states for ratification. It never gained the 38 states necessary to become part of the US Constitution.
1975 – #1 Hit March 22, 1975 – March 28, 1975: Frankie Valli – My Eyes Adored You
1978 – The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash aired on NBC.
1978 – Karl Wallenda, aged 73, of The Flying Wallendas, died after falling off a tight-rope between two hotels in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
1980 – #1 Hit March 22, 1980 – April 18, 1980: Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall
1986 – #1 Hit March 22, 1986 – March 28, 1986: Heart – These Dreams
1997 – Tara Lipinski, age 14 years and 9 months, became the youngest women’s World Figure Skating Champion.
1997 – #1 Hit March 22, 1997 – May 2, 1997: Puff Daddy featuring Mase – Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down
2016 – Brussels Terror Attack: 3 bombs exploded at the airport and metro station, injuring 300 and killing 32.
March 22, 2233 Birthday (fictional) James Tiberius Kirk, Star Trek, TV/Film
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
“What I have learned in this life is you can never be ashamed of where you come from.” – Tyler Perry
Every time we exhale we produce plant food.
The name for the shape a classic soccer ball is based on is called a “truncated icosahedron”.
Coke Zero is specifically marketed toward men, who were shown to associate Diet Coke with femininity.
“Baskin Robbins always finds out.” #moviequotes
In the early draft of “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back”, Yoda was named Buffy.
When someone says they’ll be there in 6 minutes, they will probably arrive earlier than someone that says they’ll be there in 5.
The broader your wish, the more likely it is to come true.
The most unbelievable thing about Toy Story is the success rate of the prize grabber.
Do you know what really grinds my gears? Friction.
Multiple studies have shown high top sneakers are no more effective than low top sneakers in preventing ankle sprains.
The word “dinosaur” comes from Ancient Greek meaning “terrible lizard”.
The federal government spent about $350 billion during World War II — or twice as much as it had spent in total for the entire history of the U.S. government up to that point.
The Seven Deadly Sins #7- Sloth is laziness and the avoidance of work.
The first rule is that any numbered list of rules will lead to a Fight Club reference.
1760 – The Great Boston Fire of 1760 destroyed 349 buildings, but no reported deaths.
1916 – Albert Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity was published in Annalen der Physik.
1923 – The Arts Club of Chicago hosted the opening of Pablo Picasso’s first United States showing.
March 20, 19** Birthday (fictional) Big Bird, Sesame Street
Typically the March equinox falls on this date when both day and night are of equal length.
If you were born on March 20th, You were likely conceived the week of… June 27th (prior year)
Traditional March 20 Information
Fred McFeely Rogers (March 20, 1928 – February 27, 2003) was the creator of Mister Rogers’Neighborhood and hosted all 895 episodes. He was the composer of its more than 200 songs and the puppeteer who imagined 14 characters into being.
Throughout his career, Fred Rogers was a champion of children in general and PBS in particular. In 1969, he famously testified before a Senate subcommittee that was considering cutting funding for public television. Senator John Pastore was in charge of the proceedings, and after two days of hearings, he remained distinctly unimpressed, until Mister Rogers took the microphone. When Fred spoke, he changed the face of children’s television and transformed the way we think about the inner lives of young children. (misterrrogers.org)
March 20 is…
Earth Day Day of Happiness Proposal Day Ravioli Day Won’t You Be My Neighbor Day World Storytelling Day
March 20 Birthday Quotes
“Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else.” – Fred Rogers
“Writing is the basis of all, because creating something that didn’t even exist before is like taking an empty canvass. It is a wonderful thing to make something out of nothing. You’ve got an empty page, you’ve got an idea, and then you start typing and that is the most thrilling thing of all. And then if it becomes a movie or something else that’s a plus, but the original writing of it is what’s very exciting.” – Carl Reiner
“I believe in destiny. But I also believe that you can’t just sit back and let destiny happen. A lot of times, an opportunity might fall into your lap, but you have to be ready for that opportunity. You can’t sit there waiting on it. A lot of times you are going to have to get out there and make it happen.” – Spike Lee
“In some ways, it would be nice to stay younger, but I feel pretty happy about growing older… Personally, I don’t have a lot of the regular hand-ups with getting older that some people do. I’ve never tried to disguise my age. People find out anyway.” – Holly Hunter
March 20 Birthdays
1895 – Fredric Wertham, German-American psychologist and author (died in 1981) 1903 – Edgar Buchanan, American character actor (died in 1979) 1906 – Ozzie Nelson, American actor and bandleader (died in 1975) 1915 – Sister Rosetta Tharpe, American gospel singer-songwriter (died in 1973) 1917 – Vera Lynn, English singer and actress (died in 2020) 1918 – Jack Barry, American game show host and producer (died in 1984) 1922 – Larry Elgart, American saxophonist and bandleader (died in 2017) 1922 – Carl Reiner, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (died in 2020) 1928 – Fred Rogers, American children’s television host (died in 2003) 1931 – Hal Linden, American actor 1935 – Ted Bessell, American actor and director (died in 1996) 1937 – Jerry Reed, American singer-songwriter and actor (died in 2008) 1948 – Bobby Orr, Canadian ice hockey player 1957 – Theresa Russell, American actress 1957 – Spike Lee, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter 1958 – Holly Hunter, American actress 1979 – Freema Agyeman, English actress 1986 – Ruby Rose, Australian actress
March 20 History
1345 – According to scholars at the University of Paris, the Black Death was created today, from what they called “a triple conjunction of Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars in the 40th degree of Aquarius, occurring on the 20th of March 1345.” Actually, the bubonic plague came from infected fleas from sickened and dead rats.
1602 – The Dutch East India Company was established.
1854 – In Ripon, Wisconsin, former members of the Whig Party formed the Republican Party.
1900 – Nikola Tesla received a US Patent (#645,576) for the wireless transmission of electric power,
1961 – #1 Hit March 20, 1961 – April 2, 1961: Elvis Presley – Surrender
1964 – The precursor of the European Space Agency, ESRO (European Space Research Organisation) was established.
March 20, 19** Birthday (fictional) Big Bird, Sesame Street
1971 – #1 Hit March 20, 1971 – April 2, 1971: Janis Joplin – Me and Bobby McGee
1982 – Rock Guitarist Randy Rhodes died in a plane crash.
1982 – #1 Hit March 20, 1982 – May 7, 1982: Joan Jett and the Blackhearts – I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll
1985 – Libby Riddles became the first woman to win the 1,135-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
1987 – The FDA approved the sale of AZT (azidothymidine)
1995 – The Aum Shinrikyo (Supreme Truth) cult released Sarin gas into the Tokyo subway system, killing a dozen people and sickening thousands.
1999 – Legoland California, the first Legoland outside of Europe, opened in Carlsbad, California.
2010 – #1 Hit March 20, 2010 – March 26, 2010: Taio Cruz featuring Ludacris – Break Your Heart
2014 – Broadway Show – Aladdin (Musical) March 20, 2014
#1 Hit March 20, 2021 – March 26, 2021: What’s Next – Drake
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
A group of Bees is called a Grist or Hive or Swarm or Nest.
The word “dialogue” has all the full-time vowels in it.
There are more people who have learned English as a second language than there are native speakers.
UNPROVEN SCIENCE: Walking through doorways make you forget.
Meaning both “friend” and “something you feed to sharks,” I can’t think of a single word with two more wildly divergent and unrelated definitions than “chum.”
In 1953, Rock Hudson was elected Mayor of Universal City.
Winnie the Pooh’s first name is Edward.
The Subaru logo represents the stars in the Pleiades constellation which is known as ‘Subaru’ in Japanese.
In a room with 23 people, it’s more likely than unlikely that at least two of them share the same birthday.
Never stop pushing yourself. Some say that 8 hours of sleep is enough. Why stop there? Strive for 9, 10, even 11 hours. #StriveForGreatness
“Well, here’s another nice mess you’ve gotten me into!” – Oliver (Oliver Hardy) in Sons of the Desert, 1933
The biggest film of 1964: Mary Poppins (Musical) earned ~ $102,300,000
“Silly Caucasian girl likes to play with Samurai swords.” – O-Ren Ishii
Phonetic isn’t spelled phonetically, there is no anagram for an anagram, there isn’t another word for thesaurus and ironically most people do not understand irony.
I wonder if I’ll live long enough to witness land ownership disputes on the moon.
If you were born on March 21st, You were likely conceived the week of… June 28th (prior year)
Selma to Montgomery March
On March 25, 1965, Martin Luther King led thousands of nonviolent demonstrators to the steps of the capitol in Montgomery, Alabama, after a 5-day, 54-mile march from Selma, Alabama, where local African Americans, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) had been campaigning for voting rights.
Reverend King told the assembled crowd: “There never was a moment in American history more honorable and more inspiring than the pilgrimage of clergymen and laymen of every race and faith pouring into Selma to face danger at the side of its embattled Negroes.”
March 21 is…
Common Courtesy Day Day of Forests French Bread Day Memory Day Teenager Day UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination World Down Syndrome Day World Poetry Day
March 21 Birthday Quotes
“When a man forgets himself, he usually does something everybody else remembers.” – James Coco
“The road to happiness lies in two simple principles: find what it is that interests you and that you can do well, and when you find it put your whole soul into it-every bit of energy and ambition and natural ability you have.” – John D. Rockefeller III
“Real courage is knowing what faces you and knowing how to face it.” – Timothy Dalton
“Half of the great comedians I’ve had in my shows and that I paid a lot of money to and who made my customers shriek were not only not funny to me, but I couldn’t understand why they were funny to anybody.” – Florenz Ziegfeld
“In the long run, the quality of your work is all that matters. That is your only resumé. Be professional. Make sure your editor or publisher can always reach you. Do what’s asked of you if your conscience can bear it.” – Mark Waid
March 21 Birthdays
1685 – Johann Sebastian Bach, German Baroque composer and musician (died in 1750) 1867 – Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr., American director and producer (died in 1932) 1906 – John D. Rockefeller III, American philanthropist (died in 1978) 1910 – Julio Gallo, American businessman, co-founded E & J Gallo Winery (died in 1993) 1922 – Russ Meyer, American director, producer, and screenwriter (died in 2004) 1930 – James Coco, American character actor (died in 1987) 1931 – Al Williamson, American illustrator (died in 2010) 1946 – Timothy Dalton, Welsh-English actor 1949 – Eddie Money, American singer-songwriter (died in 2019) 1958 – Gary Oldman, English actor 1962 – Matthew Broderick, American actor 1962 – Rosie O’Donnell, American actress and talk show host 1962 – Mark Waid, American comic book author 2000 – Jace Norman, American actor
March 21 History
1617 – Pocahontas (Rebecca Rolfe) died of either smallpox or pneumonia while in England with her husband, John Rolfe.
1788 – The Great New Orleans Fire destroyed 80% of the city.
1859 – The first Zoological Society was incorporated in Philadelphia. PA, today simply called ‘The Philadelphia Zoo.’
1871 – Otto von Bismarck was appointed Chancellor of the German Empire.
1925 – Butler Act became a state law in Tennessee that prohibited “The teaching of the Evolution Theory in all the Universities, Normals and all other public schools of Tennessee, which are supported in whole or in part by the public school funds of the State, and to provide penalties for the violations thereof that it shall be unlawful to teach any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals.” It was repealed on May 17, 1967.
1942 – A report was submitted suggesting the name “plutonium” for artificial element 94 since it followed neptunium and uranium (elements 93 and 92).
1952 – Hosted by Alan Freed, the first major rock-and-roll show, the Moondog Coronation Ball, was held in Cleveland, Ohio.
1953 – #1 Hit March 21, 1953 – May 15, 1953: Patti Page – The Doggie In The Window
1963 – Alcatraz Prison in San Francisco Bay closed and transferred its remaining prisoners.
1965 – Martin Luther King Jr., and 3200 civil rights demonstrators began a historic March from Selma, Alabama to the state capitol at Montgomery.
1980 – “Who shot J.R.?” On the season finale of Dallas, J. R. Ewing was shot by an unseen assailant. The following season we found out that it was Kristin Shepard, J.R.’s mistress
1980 – President Jimmy Carter announced that the United States would boycott the Olympic Games scheduled to take place in Moscow that summer.
1981 – #1 Hit March 21, 1981 – March 27, 1981: REO Speedwagon – Keep On Loving You
1986 – Debi Thomas became the first African American to win the World Figure Skating Championships.
1987 – #1 Hit March 21, 1987 – April 3, 1987: Club Nouveau – Lean On Me
1989 – Sports Illustrated reported allegations tying baseball player Pete Rose to baseball gambling.
1992 – #1 Hit March 21, 1992 – April 24, 1992: Vanessa Williams – Save the Best for Last
1999 – The first around-the-world balloon flight took place between March 1 and March 21st with Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones.
2006 – Twitter was founded.
March 21, 2007 – The Apple TV (1st generation) was released.
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
“When I’m around you, I kind of feel like I’m on drugs. Not that I do drugs. Unless you do drugs, in which case I do them all the time. All of them.” – Scott Pilgrim:
The Capital of Tuvalu is Vaiaku village, Funafuti province
A group of Midwives is an Expectation.
If a zombie apocalypse becomes a reality, most people would get infected quickly due to the fact that nobody would really believe that a zombie apocalypse was really happening. #notme #beprepared
Machetes in English-Speaking Caribbean countries are referred to as a “Cutlass”.
Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together.
Darth Vader would be the worst at hide and seek.
“You are like a hurricane, there’s calm in your eye” #songlyrics
A group of Oarsmen is called a Row.
Snow White in ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarves’ was inspired by actress Marge Champion.
“No one is normal. Everyone is just pretending to be normal.” – Alessandra Torre
People used to think sparrows hibernate at the bottom of lakes during the winter.
I don’t know about being crazy, but my pile of clay eyebrows is getting larger every day.
You can hold a note forever inside your head. Try it.
1279 – A Mongol victory at the Battle of Yamen ended the Song dynasty in China.Over 100,000 people died in the sea battle.
1918 – US Standard Time Act established standard time zones in the United States.
1962 – Bob Dylan released his first album, Bob Dylan, for Columbia Records.
1993 – Operation Iraqi Freedom began.
If you were born on March 19th,
You were likely conceived the week of… June 26th (prior year)
Swallows Return to Capistrano, California
The miracle of the “Swallows” of Capistrano takes place each year at Mission San Juan Capistrano, on March 19th, St. Joseph’s Day. Swallows migrate 6,000 miles from Goya, Argentina to San Juan Capistrano in large groups. The town of San Juan Capistrano welcomes visitors from all parts of the world to witness the return of the swallows, a tradition that has been celebrated since the early 1930s. (website)
March 19 is…
Absolutely Incredible Kid Day
Chocolate Carmel Day
Let’s Laugh Day
Poultry Day
March 19 Birthday Quotes
“It was a place that is trying to destroy the individual by every means possible; trying to break his spirit, so that he accepts that he is No. 6 and will live there happily as No. 6 forever after. And this is the one rebel that they can’t break.”
– Patrick McGoohan
“When the rights of any individual or group are chipped away, the freedom of all erodes.”
– Earl Warren
“Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.”
– William Jennings Bryan
“If you don’t want your children to know the truth about life don’t send ’em to the theater to see Moms ’cause I’m gonna tell them THE TRUTH, hear?”
– Moms Mabley
“Everybody, no matter how old you are, is around 24, 25 in their heart.”
– Bruce Willis
March 19 Birthdays
1813 – David Livingstone, Scottish missionary and explorer (died in 1873)
1848 – Wyatt Earp, American police officer (died in 1929)
1860 – William Jennings Bryan, American lawyer and politician (died in 1925)
1891 – Warren Earl, American jurist, US Chief Justice (died in 1974)
1894 – Moms Mabley, American comedian and singer (died in 1975)
1927 – Richie Ashburn, American baseball player and Philadelphia sportscaster (died in 1997)
1928 – Patrick McGoohan, Irish-American actor (died in 2009)
1936 – Ursula Andress, Swiss model and actress
1947 – Glenn Close, American actress
1955 – Bruce Willis, German-American actor
March 19 History
1649 – The House of Commons of England abolished the House of Lords, declaring it ‘useless and dangerous to the people of England’.
1842 – French writer Honore de Balzac’s play Les Ressources de Quinola opened to an empty house due to a publicity stunt. He had earlier announced that the show had sold out, so nobody actually bought any tickets.
1918 – Congress established time zones and approved daylight saving time.
1931 – The Nevada state legislature voted to legalize gambling
1957 – Graceland was on 13.8-acre estate, and sold for $102,500 to Elvis Presley.
March 19, 1959 Birthday (fictional) Hank Hill, King of the Hill, Cartoon
1962 – Bob Dylan released his first album, Bob Dylan.
1979 – C-Span was launched
1983 – First Lady Nancy Reagan made an appearance on an episode of Diff’rent Strokes, beginning her Just Say No anti-drug campaign
1987 – Televangelist Jim Bakker resigned as the host of The PTL Club after involvement in a sex scandal.
1998 – Broadway Show – Cabaret (Musical) March 19, 1998
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
The closest most of us will ever get to walking away with our backs to an explosion is turning away from a bowling ball before it reaches the end of the lane.
Alfred Hitchcock chose to not conclude the film ‘The Birds’ with the usual “THE END” title because he wanted to leave the audience on edge.
The reason we say “mum’s the word” is because “mum” is a slang version of the 14th-century word “momme” which means “be silent” or “do not reveal”.
A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kickboxing.
Somebody is working on something right now that will change the world in a few years.
What’s blue and smells like red paint?
Blue paint.
If Mickey Mouse was cloned and then all the clones were in a room, would there be Mickey Mice or Mickey Mouses?
Twelve is the largest number you can say with just one syllable.
Useless Pronunciation: E as in euphemism
The reason almost no nation has purple on their flag is that purple dye was prohibitively expensive up until the late 19th century.
The world uses a base ten counting system because we have ten fingers.
“It takes a licking and keeps on ticking.” – Timex ad
Dagwood Bumstead from the comic “Blondie” was the heir to millions. He was disinherited when he married Blondie Boopadoop, a poor flapper, in 1933.
The cake in the closing scene of “‘Sixteen Candles” was made out of cardboard.
GRAMMYS: ‘Record of the Year’ goes to the song performer and production team, ‘Song of the Year’ goes to the songwriter/composer.
1. Who was the greatest woman’s figure skater and film star in the 1920s and 1930s?
2. What was the name of the horror movie sequel, starring Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester, that came to theaters on April 22, 1935
3. The CIO industrial labor union was founded in 1935. What do the initials CIO stand for?
4. In 1935, what was the average life expectancy in the United States?
5. Who was the President of the United States in 1935?
6. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1935?
7. 1935 Catchphrase: Who said, “We have ways to make men talk”?
8. Featuring Grouch Marx as Otis B. Driftwood, what Marx Brother film was the first without Zeppo Marx?
9. What support organization did William G. Wilson and Dr. Robert Smith use in Akron, Ohio?
10. True or False? The Oscar-winning animated short film The Tortoise and the Hare featured Bugs Bunny’s first appearance.
11. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1935?
12. Which Bowl Game did NOT debut in 1935: The Orange Bowl, The Rose Bowl, or the Sugar Bowl?
13. Kodak introduced the first commercially available color film. What was it called?
14. Who defeated Max Baer at Madison Square Garden Bowl to win the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship?
15. What paperback book company debuted to bring inexpensive, high-quality fiction and nonfiction literature to the mass market?
16. What did the Gottfried Krueger Brewing Company introduce in 1935?
17. Wallace Carothers created the first sample of what at DuPont’s research facility in Wilmington, Delaware.
18. Who hit a new home run record that stood for almost 30 years?
20. Who was the Pope in 1935?
21. Executed for Treason by King Henry VIII, this man was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1935. Who was he?
22. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1935?
23. What cartoon character debuted in Looney Tunes’ I Haven’t Got a Hat?
24. Born in 1935, who was the only member of Congress to have scored a number-one pop single on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart?
25. What was the number-one hit song by Sonny and Cher?
26. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1935?
27. What famous singer and actor was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935?
28. Who won the US Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in 1935?
29. Who won the 1935 World Series?
30. What company used the slogan: “Breakfast of champions”?
31. What was the highest-grossing film of 1935
32. How much did a dozen eggs cost in 1935?
33. What company used the slogan: “Mmm Mmm Good”? Campbell’s Soup
34. Who was the first person to fly solo from Hawaii to California?
35. Who was the Time Magazine Man of the Year in 1935?
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. What automobile feat did Sir Malcolm Campbell accomplish on September 3, 1935?
2. Who were the 1935 NFL Champions?
3. Who was the American Vice-President in 1935?
4. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1935?
5. What 1935 comedy-drama film featured the first interracial dance?
6. His speech, which lasted 15 1/2 hours and contained 150,000 words, is the longest on the US Senate record. Who was he?
7. How many people lived in the United States in 1935?
8. What street device was introduced in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma?
9. Who played his last game with Major League Baseball on May 30, 1934?
10. What Major League Baseball “first” happened on May 24, 1935?
The Answers:
35 Trivia Answers for 1935 History
1. Who was the greatest woman’s figure skater and film star in the 1920s and 1930s? Sonja Henie
2. What was the name of the horror movie sequel, starring Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester, that came to theaters on April 22, 1935? Bride of Frankenstein
3. The CIO industrial labor union was founded in 1935. What do the initials CIO stand for? Congress of Industrial Organizations
4. In 1935, what was the average life expectancy in the United States? Men – 59.9 years, Women – 63.9 years.
5. Who was the President of the United States in 1935? Franklin D. Roosevelt (March 4, 1933 – April 12, 1945)
6. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1935? Cheek To Cheek by Fred Astaire
7. 1935 Catchphrase: Who said, “We have ways to make men talk”? Mohammed Khan on The Lives of a Bengal Lancer
8. Featuring Grouch Marx as Otis B. Driftwood, what Marx Brother film was the first without Zeppo Marx? A Night at the Opera
9. What support organization did William G. Wilson and Dr. Robert Smith use in Akron, Ohio? Alcoholics Anonymous
10. True or False? The Oscar-winning animated short film The Tortoise and the Hare featured Bugs Bunny’s first appearance. False. Bugs Bunny first appeared in 1940 in A Wild Hare.
11. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1935? Green Light by Lloyd C. Douglas
12. Which Bowl Game did NOT debut in 1935: The Orange Bowl, The Rose Bowl, or the Sugar Bowl? The Rose Bowl
13. Kodak introduced the first commercially available color film. What was it called? Kodachrome
14. Who defeated Max Baer at Madison Square Garden Bowl to win the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship? James J. Braddock
15. What paperback book company debuted to bring inexpensive, high-quality fiction and nonfiction literature to the mass market? Penguin Books
16. What did the Gottfried Krueger Brewing Company introduce in 1935? Beer in a can.
17. Wallace Carothers created the first sample of what at DuPont’s research facility in Wilmington, Delaware. Nylon. It was first sold in toothbrushes in 1938.
18. Who hit a new home run record that stood for almost 30 years? On May 25, 1935, at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Babe Ruth hit his 714th home run.
20. Who was the Pope in 1935? Pope Pius XI, February 6, 1922 – February 10, 1939
21. Executed for Treason by King Henry VIII, this man was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1935. Who was he? Sir Thomas More
22. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1935? In 1935, The Montreal Maroons won over the Toronto Maple Leafs (3 games to none)
23. What cartoon character debuted in Looney Tunes’ I Haven’t Got a Hat? Porky Pig
24. Born in 1935, who was the only member of Congress to have scored a number-one pop single on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart? “Sonny” Bono (February 16, 1935 – January 5, 1998)
25. What was the number one hit song by Sonny and Cher? I Got You, Babe
26. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1935? $0.19 per gallon
27. What famous singer and actor was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935? Elvis Presley
28. Who won the US Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in 1935? Omaha
29. Who won the 1935 World Series? In 1935, The Detroit Tigers won, beating the Chicago Cubs (4 games to 2)
30. What company used the slogan: “Breakfast of champions”? Wheaties (General Mills)
31. What was the highest-grossing film of 1935? Mutiny on the Bounty
32. How much did a dozen eggs cost in 1935? 38 cents
33. What company used the slogan: “Mmm Mmm Good”? Campbell’s Soup
34. Who was the first person to fly solo from Hawaii to California? Amelia Earhart
35. Who was the Time Magazine Man of the Year in 1935? Haile Selassie
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. What automobile feat did Sir Malcolm Campbell accomplish on September 3, 1935? He was the first person to drive an automobile at 300 miles per hour (301.337 mph). The record didn’t last long. On September 13, Howard Hughes set a new record, reaching 352.39 mph in his new Hughes H-1 Racer.
2. Who were the 1935 NFL Champions? Detroit Lions
3. Who was the American Vice-President in 1935? John Garner (March 4, 1933 – January 20, 1941)
4. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1935? Omaha
5. What 1935 comedy-drama film featured the first interracial dance? The Little Colonel. The dancers were Shirley Temple and Bill Robinson.
6. His speech, which lasted 15 1/2 hours and contained 150,000 words, is the longest on the US Senate record. Who was he? Senator Huey Long of Louisiana
7. How many people lived in the United States in 1935? The population was an estimated 127,250,232 people.
8. What street device was introduced in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma? The parking meter
9. Who played his last game with Major League Baseball on May 30, 1934? Babe Ruth. On May 25, he hit his last three home runs (Numbers 712, 713, and 714) in his major league career.
10. What Major League Baseball “first” happened on May 24, 1935? First night game, the Cincinnati Reds beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1.
Marvin Hamlisch (1974 Best New Artist Grammy Winner, presented in 1975)
Stevie Wonder (Grammy for Album of the Year)
I Honestly Love You – Olivia Newton-John (Grammy for Record of the Year)
New Artists in the Pop Charts Included: Sister Sledge, Marshall Tucker Band, Orleans, Grover Washington Jr, Pure Prairie League, Willie Nelson, Mike Post, Natalie Cole, Gloria Gaynor, Minnie Riperton, Supertramp and KC and the Sunshine Band.
1975’s Retro Top 10 Hits
1. Theme From Jaws – John Williams
2. You Sexy Thing – Hot Chocolate
3. Love Will Keep Us Together – The Captain and Tennille
4. Wildfire – Michael Murphy
5. No Woman No Cry – Bob Marley and the Wailers
6. Dance With Me – Orleans
7. Mexico – James Taylor
8. No No Song – Ringo Starr
9. Chevy Van – Sammy Johns
10. Autobahn – Kraftwerk
1975’s ‘One Hit Wonders’
1. How Long – Ace
2. Feelings – Morris Alpert
3. Shannon – Henry Gross
4. I’m Not Lisa – Jesse Colter
5. Love Won’t Let Me Wait – Major Harris
6. Magic – Pilot
7. Rockin’ Chair – Gwen McCrae
8. Sky High – Jigsaw
9. Hello People – Future Shock
10. Shaving Cream – Benny Bell (originally released in 1946)
1975’s Disco Top 10 Hit List
1. Get Down Tonight – KC and the Sunshine Band
2. Jive Talkin’ – Bee Gees
3. The Hustle – Van McCoy
4. Dance With Me – Betty Wright
5. Nights On Broadway – Bee Gees
6. Salsoul Hustle – Salsoul Orchestra
7. It Only Takes A Minute – Tavares
8. Walking In Rhythm – The Blackbyrds
9. Get Dancin – Disco Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes
10. Doctor’s Orders – Carol Douglas
More 1975’s Disco Songs
Brazil – The Ritchie Family
1975’s R&B/Soul Top 10 Hit List
1. Fight The Power – The Isley Brothers
2. Shame, Shame, Shame – Shirley and Company
3. For The Love Of You (Part 1 & 2) – Isley Brothers
4. Fly Robin Fly – Silver Convention
5. Fire – Ohio Players
6. Get Down, Get Down – Joe Simon
7. Summer Madness – Kool and the Gang
8. Sadie – Spinners
9. Bad Luck – Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes
10. Cry, Cry, Cry – Shirley And Company
More 1975’s Soul/R&B Top 10 Hit List
Love Won’t Let Me Wait – Major Harris
Sun Goddess – Earth, Wind & Fire featuring Ramsey Lewis
1975’s Pop Dance Top 10 Hit List
1. Lady Marmalade – LaBelle
2. Shining Star – Earth Wind and Fire
3. Low Rider – War
4. Some Kind of Wonderful – Grand Funk
5. Fly Robin Fly – Silver Convention
6. Pick Up The Pieces – AWB (Average White Band
7. This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) – Natalie Cole
8. Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance) – Leo Sayer
9. Who Loves You – Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
10. Thank God I’m a Country Boy – John Denver
1975’s Pop Rock Top 10 Hit List
1. One of These Nights – The Eagles
2. Fame – David Bowie
3. Lady – Styx
4. Mamacita – Grass Roots
5. Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
6. Ballroom Blitz – Sweet
7. Lyin’ Eyes – The Eagles
8. Changes – David Bowie
9. Philadelphia Freedom – Elton John
10. Killer Queen – Queen
1975’s Southern Rock Top 10 Hit List
1. Freebird – Lynyrd Skynyrd
2. Feel Like Makin’ Love – Bad Company
3. Saturday Night Special – Lynrd Skynrd
4. Tush – ZZ Top
5. Katmandu – Bob Seger
6. Fire On The Mountain – Marshall Tucker Band
7. Amie – Pure Prarie League
8. Good Lovin’ Gone Bad – Bad Company
9. There Goes Another Love Song – The Outlaws
10. Wasted Days and Wasted Nights – Freddy Fender
More 1975’s Southern Rock Top 10 Hit List
The South’s Gonna Do It Again – Charlie Daniels Band
Rockin’ All Over The World – John Fogerty
1975’s FM Album Rock Top 10 Hit List
1. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds – Elton John
2. Born To Run – Bruce Springsteen
3. Young Americans – David Bowie
4. Sweet Emotion – Aerosmith
5. Black Friday – Steely Dan
6. Jungleland – Bruce Springsteen
7. Bloody Well Right – Supertramp
8. Bungle In The Jungle – Jethro Tull
9. Roll On Down The Highway – Bachman Turner Overdrive
10. Welcome To My Nightmare – Alice Cooper
PCM’s 1975 Top 10 Hit List
1. Get Down Tonight – KC & The Sunshine Band
2. Thank God I’m A Country Boy – John Denver
3. That’s the Way (I Like It) – K.C. and the Sunshine Band
4. Jaws Theme – John Williams
5. Lady Marmalade – Patti LaBelle
6. Jive Talkin’ – Bee Gees
7. You’re The First, The Last, My Everything – Barry White
1874 – Hawaii signed a treaty with the United States granting exclusive trade rights.
1925 – The Tri-State Tornado hit the Midwestern states of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, killing 695 people.
1937 – The New London School explosion in New London, Texas, killed over 300 people, mostly children.
1965 – Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, left his spacecraft Voskhod 2, for 12 minutes, becoming the first person to walk in space.
If you were born on March 18th, You were likely conceived the week of… June 25th (prior year)
Traditional March 18 Information
March 18th is National Supreme Sacrifice Day, meant to honor those who have made personal sacrifices for the sake and the good of others. This also including those who sacrifice their lives each and every day for us. It is to call to mind the men and women in uniform who’ve laid down their lives protecting their country and thier communities. The day also honors those who may have stepped up during times of crisis to help and rescue a stranger or a neighbor and gave the supreme sacrifice that day.
March 18 is…
Awkward Moments Day Biodiesel Day Oatmeal Cookie Day Supreme Sacrifice Day
March 18 Birthday Quotes
“You have to stand for what you believe in and sometimes you have to stand alone.” – Queen Latifah
“Dreams come true. Without that possibility, nature would not incite us to have them.” – John Updike
“The wiser you get, the more experience you have, and the more you see people for who they are as human beings, as opposed to figures you have to fight against.” – Vanessa L. Williams
“Art has something to do with the arrest of attention in the midst of distraction.” – George Plimpton
“Losing my mind sounds so pessimistic. I prefer the term winning my insanity.” – Dane Cook
March 18 Birthdays
1837 – Grover Cleveland, American politician, 22nd and 24th President of the United States (died in 1908) 1846 – Kicking Bear, Native American tribal leader (died in 1904) 1858 – Rudolf Diesel, German engineer, invented the Diesel engine (died in 1913) 1869 – Neville Chamberlain, English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (died in 1940) 1877 – Edgar Cayce, American mystic and psychic (died in 1945) 1912 – Art Gilmore, American voice actor and announcer (died in 2010) 1926 – Peter Graves, American actor (died in 2010) 1927 – Lillian Vernon, German-American businesswoman, founded the Lillian Vernon Company (died in 2015) 1927 – George Plimpton, American writer (died in 2003) 1932 – John Updike, American novelist, short story writer, and critic (died in 2009) 1934 – Charley Pride, American country music singer and musician (died in 2020) 1938 – Carl Gottlieb, American actor and screenwriter 1941 – Wilson Pickett, American singer-songwriter (died in 2006) 1945 – Michael Reagan, American journalist and radio host 1952 – Will Durst, American journalist and actor 1959 – Luc Besson, French director, producer, and screenwriter 1962 – Irene Cara, American singer-songwriter 1963 – Vanessa Williams, American model, actress, and singer 1970 – Queen Latifah, American rapper and actress 1972 – Dane Cook, American comedic actor 1980 – Sophia Myles, English actress 1986 – Lykke Li, Swedish singer-songwriter 1989 – Lily Collins, English-American actress 1997 – Ciara Bravo, American actress
March 18 History
37 – Caligula was declared emperor of Rome.
1834 – The first US railroad tunnel was completed between Hollidaysburg and Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
1850 – American Express is founded by Henry Wells and William Fargo. They were also very successful in banking.
1852 – Henry Wells and William G. Fargo founded Wells, Fargo and Company.
1911 – Irving Berlin copyrighted the first mega-pop hit, Alexander’s Ragtime Band.
1922 – Mohandas Gandhi was sentenced to six years in prison for civil disobedience (he served only two).
1944 – Mount Vesuvius in Italy erupted, killing 26 people
1950 – #1 Hit March 18, 1950 – April 14, 1950: Teresa Brewer – Music! Music! Music!
1967 – #1 Hit March 18, 1967 – March 24, 1967: The Beatles – Penny Lane
1968 – The U.S. Congress repeals the requirement for a gold reserve (the Gold Standard) to back US currency.
1972 – #1 Hit March 18, 1972 – March 24, 1972: Neil Young – Heart of Gold
1975 – McLean Stevenson’s character (Lt. Colonel Henry Blake) died in the M*A*S*H episode “Abyssinia, Henry”, its third season finale.
1978 – #1 Hit March 18, 1978 – May 12, 1978: Bee Gees – Night Fever
1981 – The Greatest American Hero debuted on NBC
1984 – Miss America, Vanessa Williams became even more well-known when she became the first Miss America to resign after old nude photos of her appeared in “Penthouse” magazine. She has gone on to prove herself as a first-class actress and singer. That particular issue is also noted for being the first issue with a man on the cover (George Burns), and an underage Traci Lords is the nude centerfold. It is illegal to own, or even look inside, this issue in most countries, including the United States.
1990 – In the largest art theft in US history, 12 paintings, collectively worth over $500 million, were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.
2000 – #1 Hit March 18, 2000 – April 7, 2000: Destiny’s Child – Say My Name
2005 – The Suite Life of Zack & Cody premiered on The Disney Channel.
2006 – #1 Hit March 18, 2006 – March 31, 2006: Ne-Yo – So Sick
2008 – East End Show – Jersey Boys (Musical) March 18, 2008
2012 – Broadway Show – Once (Musical) March 18, 2012
March 18, 2263 (fiction) Leeloo ends in Korben Dallas’ cab, The Fifth Element, Film
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
Key characters dying that you know won’t stay dead. #moviecliches #tvcliches #exceptbarb
“Everybody carries baggage; the good news is that you get to decide how heavy it is.” – Joe H3
I stopped to put air in my tires today. The pump cost $1.50! I remember when those things used to only cost 25 cents. I guess the price has adjusted for inflation.
TV Quotes… “Suit up!” (Barney Stinson) on “How I Met Your Mother”
Michael Jackson did actually voice the Simpsons character Leon Kompowsky (mental patient who pretended to be Michael Jackson).
If there are an infinite amount of numbers, then there has to be an infinite number of names for these numbers. I guess a blabillion is a number then.
The “Bong” sound/musical cue in “Inception” is actually the song Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien by Edith Piaf slowed down.
One meter (metre) was originally defined as one ten-millionth of the distance between the equator and the North Pole through Paris.
The average American adult spends 93% of their life indoors.
FOR SALE: The entire planet Mars. This fourth planet from the Sun has everything a planetary warlord would need! Comfortable gravity. Cool temperatures. Majestic, rusty terrain. Just add water to see it spring to life!
The Capital of Oman is Muscat
Cavemen had tattoos. Ötzi the Iceman from 3250 B.C. had 61 tattoos across his body.
Sea Otters have the densest hair in the world, ranging from about 26,000 to 165,000 hairs per square centimeter.
The biggest film of 1965: The Sound of Music (Musical) earned ~ $163,000,000
The color you see in total darkness is not black, but a dark gray called “eigengrau”.
1910 – The Camp Fire Girls organization was founded.
1941 – The National Gallery of Art was officially opened in Washington, DC.
1958 – The United States launches the first solar-powered satellite, Vanguard I.
If you were born on March 17th, You were likely conceived the week of… June 24th (prior year)
Saint Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated every year on March 17th. It is a national holiday in the Republic of Ireland as well as the Canadian Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
St. Patrick’s Day was a religious holiday, dedicated to Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, until 1903 when it became public by the Bank Holiday Act of 1903. The Irish Member of Parliament, James O’Mara, later introduced a law that all pubs be, wait for it, closed on March 17th. Surprisingly this law stuck around until the 1970s, when people finally realized that St. Patrick’s Day is all about drinking, drinking, drinking.
Saint Patrick Saint Patrick was born around the end of the fourth century A.D. in Britain. Although his father was a Christian deacon, their family was not a very religious one. At 16, Saint Patrick was taken into slavery by a group of Irish thieves who took over his home village. During his time in captivity, he spent a lot of time alone and in this time turned to God, becoming more religious. After six years, Saint Patrick escaped and went to Gaul where he studied in a monastery for 12-15 years. After being ordinated as a priest, Saint Patrick was sent to Ireland to be a minister as well as convert the non-Christian Irish. His mission lasted for 30 years.
The Parade The first St. Patrick’s Day Parade was actually held in New York City in 1962. It consisted of Irish soldiers serving in the English military Marching the streets of the city. “Each year, nearly three million people line the one-and-a-half mile parade route to watch the procession, which takes more than five hours. Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Savannah also celebrate the day with parades including between 10,000 to 20,000 participants.” – The History Channel
Traditions The traditional meal of Saint Patrick’s Day is corned beef, boiled potatoes, and mashed cabbage, as well as Guinness Beer. The shamrock is a special part of the holiday; in ancient Ireland, it symbolized the rebirth of spring. Since then, the shamrock has become a symbol of Irish nationalism and pride. It is also said that Saint Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to demonstrate the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. The color green is associated with the holiday for a few, obvious reasons. The first is because of the shamrock, which the Irish hold close to their culture. Also, green is on the national Irish flag, where is represents all the green pastures of the country.
Why is March the 17th Saint Patrick’s Day? 1. It was the day he died. 2. He was born on the 8th or 9th, and they compromised by adding them together to the 17th.
March 17 is…
Green Beer Day St. Patrick’s Day Submarine Day
March 17 Birthday Quotes
“I think a spiritual journey is not so much a journey of discovery. It’s a journey of recovery. It’s a journey of uncovering your own inner nature. It’s already there.” – Billy Corgan
“When I miss class for one day, I know it. When I miss class for two days, my teacher knows it. When I miss class for three days, the audience knows it.” – Rudolf Nureyev
“Art and music are the vehicles for the zeitgeist.” – Hozier
“Critics don’t buy records. They get ’em free.” – Nat King Cole
“Can someone explain the vitriol whenever Ayn Rand comes up? ‘Atlas’ is the greatest motivator for the individual that I can imagine.” – Rob Lowe
March 17 Birthdays
1895 – Shemp Howard, Stooge #4 (died in 1955) 1902 – Bobby Jones, American golfer (died in 1971) 1906 – Brigitte Helm, German-Swiss actress (died in 1996) 1919 – Nat King Cole, American singer, pianist, and television host (died in 1965) 1935 – Adam Wade, American singer, drummer, and actor 1938 – Rudolf Nureyev, Russian-French dancer and choreographer (died in 1993) 1938 – Zola Taylor, American singer (died in 2007) 1942 – John Wayne Gacy, American serial killer (died in 1994) 1944 – Pattie Boyd, English model 1944 – John Sebastian, American singer-songwriter 1949 – Patrick Duffy, American actor 1951 – Kurt Russell, American actor 1954 – Lesley-Anne Down, English actress 1955 – Gary Sinise, American actor 1964 – Rob Lowe, American actor 1967 – Billy Corgan, American singer-songwriter 1972 – Mia Hamm, American soccer player 1990 – Hozier, Irish singer-songwriter 1992 – John Boyega, English actor
March 17 History
461 – Saint Patrick died in Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland.
1762 – The first parade Saint Patrick (the patron saint of Ireland) was held by Irish soldiers serving in the British army in New York City.
1885 – The medical report of the deformities of Joseph Carey Merrick – The ‘Elephant Man’ – was presented to the Pathological Society of London by Dr. Frederick Treves.
1947 – First flight of the B-45 Tornado strategic bomber.
1958 – The United States launched the Vanguard 1 satellite.
1973 -After it was released, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of The Moon album stayed on the Billboard 200 chart for 736 weeks, the most consecutive number of weeks any album was ever on the chart.
1980 – The Supreme Court concerning whether a patent could be issued for a genetically-engineered bacterium in the case of Diamond vs. Chakrabarty. On June 16th, they decided yes, it could be patented.
1901 – 11 years after his suicide, 71 paintings by Vincent van Gogh were shown at the Bernheim-Jeune gallery in Paris.
1958 – The US launched the Vanguard I satellite, from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
1985 – Serial killer Richard Ramirez, aka the “Night Stalker”, began his Los Angeles murder spree.
1992 – A referendum to end apartheid in South Africa was passed from 68.7% to 31.2%.
2005 – Broadway Show – Spamalot (Musical) March 17, 2005
2012 – #1 Hit March 17, 2012 – April 27, 2012: Fun featuring Janelle Monae – We Are Young
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
“American Gigolo” launched young fashion designer Giorgio Armani’s career.
It’s always darkest before dawn. So if you’re going to steal the neighbor’s newspaper, that’s the time to do it.
Dragons must have a hard time blowing on their soup to cool it down.
The phrase “The die is cast” is from a Julius Caeser quote and refers to gaming dice.
Alanis Morissette’s’ Jagged Little Pill has sold more copies than the Beatle’s Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Most ice cream is eaten between 9:00 and 11:00 PM.
J. Peterman clothing company that Elaine Benes worked for on Seinfeld is a real company. Their clothes really do come with whimsical stories.
“The more they tried to make it just like home, the more they made everybody miss it.” – Willard in Apocalypse Now #moviequotes
If you’re debating whether or not you should go to someone’s wake/funeral, the answer is yes.
“To call you stupid would be an insult to stupid people!” – Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis) #moviequotes
The FBI kept 2,403 pages of records on Frank Sinatra for his Mafia ties.
Karat and Carat measure two different things: a karat measures the purity of metals on a 1-24 scale, whereas a carat measures the weight of precious stones and pearls, one carat being 200 mg.
There are (13!) sequels to “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum
Redondo Beach, CA adopted the Goodyear Blimp as the city’s official bird in 1983.
“Dave, my mind is going. I can feel it.” – HAL 9000 #moviequotes
Recipe for homemade charcoal: 1. Put garlic bread in the oven. 2. Sit down to check one quick thing on the internet.
1802 – The Army Corps of Engineers was established to found and operate the United States Military Academy at West Point.
1926 – Robert Goddard launched the first liquid-fueled rocket in Auburn, MA.
1968 – The My Lai Massacre involved the killing of 3000 noncombatant Vietnam citizens.
1995 – Mississippi formally ratified the Thirteenth Amendment, becoming the last state to approve the abolition of slavery.
2020 – The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 2,997.10, the single largest point drop in history and the second-largest percentage drop ever, at 12.93%. The Thirteenth Amendment was officially ratified in 1865.
If you were born on March 16th, You were likely conceived the week of… June 23rd (prior year)
Traditional March 16 Information
The Thirteenth Amendment (Amendment XIII) to the United States Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for a criminal offense. The amendment was passed by Congress on January 31, 1865, and ratified by the required 27 of the then 36 states on December 6, 1865, and proclaimed on December 18. It was the first of the three Reconstruction Amendments adopted following the American Civil War.
Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
Section 2. Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation
March 16 is…
Artichoke Hearts Day Everything You Do is Right Day Freedom of Information Day Panda Day
March 16 Birthday Quotes
“I told the doctor I broke my leg in two places. He told me to stop going to those places.” – Henny Youngman
“You jump on a bike and start peddling. You fall down and you get up again. I’ve always been a ‘learn by doing’ kind of guy.” – Judah Friedlander
“I have a loyalty that runs in my bloodstream, when I lock into someone or something, you can’t get me away from it because I commit that thoroughly. That’s in friendship, that’s a deal, that’s a commitment. Don’t give me paper – I can get the same lawyer who drew it up to break it. But if you shake my hand, that’s for life.” – Jerry Lewis
“Respect other people regardless of the level they are at… or the level you are at. When you hand out respect, you get it back.” – Erik Estrada
“As a child, I loved fantasy books, I loved Harry Potter and the idea that there is something ‘out there’ is inspiring to kids and inspiring to me. It’s exciting and I think people can relate to it. Even if things are difficult or bad for you, the idea that there is something special within you is positive and true.” – Alexandra Daddario
March 16 Birthdays
1789 – Georg Ohm, German physicist and mathematician (died in 1854) 1897 – Conrad Nagel, American actor (died in 1970) 1906 – Henny Youngman, English-American violinist and comedian (died in 1998) 1911 – Josef Mengele, evil German physician (died in 1979) 1916 – Mercedes McCambridge, American actress (died in 2004) 1926 – Jerry Lewis, American actor and comedian (died in 2017) 1941 – Chuck Woolery, American game show host and television personality 1949 – Erik Estrada, American actor 1954 – Nancy Wilson, American singer-songwriter, Heart 1958 – Kate Worley, American comic book author (died in 2004) 1959 – Flavor Flav, American rapper and personality 1961 – Todd McFarlane, Canadian comic book author and illustrator, founded McFarlane Toys 1967 – Tracy Bonham, American singer 1969 – Judah Friedlander, American comedic actor 1971 – Alan Tudyk, American actor 1976 – Blu Cantrell, American singer-songwriter 1986 – Alexandra Daddario, American actress
March 16 History
1850 – Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter was published.
1926 – American Robert H. Goddard launched the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket at Auburn, Massachusetts. It reached a height of 41 feet.
1942 – The first V-2 rocket test launched. It exploded at lift-off.
1945 – Tsutomu Yamaguchi was the only individual who witnessed and survived both atom bombs in Japan, Hiroshima on August 6th, and Nagasaki on August 9.
1957 – The Gumby Show Premiered on NBC.
1958 – The Ford Motor Company produced its 50 millionth Thunderbird automobile.
1961 – Goddard Space Flight Center was formally dedicated in Greenbelt, MD.
March 16, 1961 Birthday (fictional) Al Simmons, Spawn, Image Comics
1968 – General Motors produces its 100 millionth automobile, an Oldsmobile Toronado.
1968 – #1 Hit March 16, 1968 – April 12, 1968: Otis Redding – (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay
1969 – Broadway Show – 1776 (Musical) March 16, 1969
1978 – The Amoco Cadiz wrecked off the coast of Portsall, France, spilling 68 million gallons of oil.
1984 – 1984 – William Buckley, the CIA station chief in Lebanon, is kidnapped by Hezbollah. (He later died in captivity)
1985 – Associated Press newsman Terry Anderson was taken hostage in Beirut. He was released on December 4, 1991.
1988 – Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North and Vice Admiral John Poindexter were indicted on conspiracy charges to defraud the United States.
2005 – Robert Blake, star of the 1970s television detective show Baretta, was acquitted of the murder of his 44-year-old wife, Bonny Lee Bakley.
#1 Hit March 16, 2019 – April 12, 2019: Jonas Brothers – Sucker
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
US President #5 James Monroe (1817-1825) Remembered for the Monroe Doctrine stating that Europe should stay out of America’s affairs and that the U.S. would remain neutral in European wars.
Biggest film of 1966: The Bible (Drama) earned ~ $34,900,000
The fear of the number 666 has a name: Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia.
The human brain can compute 38 thousand trillion operations per second, which is 413 times more than the world’s most powerful supercomputer.
The 45, the 8-track, the cassette, the lazer disc, the floppy disk, the VHS, the video store and the CD… all have died during my lifetime.
The sounds made by the Brachiosaurs in Jurassic Park were a mix of whale and donkey sounds.
There is a whole generation that doesn’t know that Pirates of the Caribbean was a (lame if you think about it) Disneyland ride decades before it was ever a movie.
The Capital of Uganda is Kampala
The FDA allows five rodent hairs in every 18oz jar of peanut butter, while frozen berries can contain up to four larvae or 10 whole insects per 500g. #regulations
Red Wine gives most people a worse hangover than white wine.
Sid Vicious – Real Name: John Ritchie
When we’re old, we will talk about old websites like how our parents talk about places that used to exist in their town. RIP jumptheshark.com
Mary Westmacott – Real Name: Agatha Christie
Grisel Torresola is the only member of the Secret Service who died protecting the US President (Truman). #RIP
44 BC – Gaius Julius Caesar was stabbed to death in the Roman Senate house, by 60 conspirators led by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus. #bewaretheidesofMarch
1820 – Maine became the 23rd US state
1917 – Tsar Nicholas II of Russia abdicated the Russian throne.
March 15, 1956 – 1st appearance Robbie the Robot in Forbidden Planet, Film
1990 – Mikhail Gorbachev was elected as the first President of the Soviet Union.
If you were born on March 15th, You were likely conceived the week of… June 22nd (prior year)
The Ides of March, featuring Julius Caesar
Julius Caeser was brought into this world by a knife (cesarean) and left this world by a knife (stabbed in the back).
The Ides Of March: by William Shakespeare Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones; So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus Hath told you Caesar was ambitious: If it were so, it was a grievous fault, And grievously hath Caesar answer’d it. Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest – For Brutus is an honourable man; So are they all, all honourable men – Come I to speak in Caesar’s funeral. He was my friend, faithful and just to me: But Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honourable man. He hath brought many captives home to Rome Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill: Did this in Caesar seem ambitious? When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept: Ambition should be made of sterner stuff: Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And Brutus is an honourable man. You all did see that on the Lupercal I thrice presented him a kingly crown, Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition? Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; And, sure, he is an honourable man. I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke, But here I am to speak what I do know. You all did love him once, not without cause: What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him? O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts, And men have lost their reason. Bear with me; My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, And I must pause till it come back to me.
March 15 is…
Everything You Think is Wrong Day The Ides of March Pears Helene Day
March 15 Birthday Quotes
“There are no problems that can’t be solved. The world is too full of options. If you can’t solve the #problem, it’s because you haven’t found the right option … But the answer is always there.” – will.i.am
“You can make it if you try, push a little harder, think a little deeper.” – Sly Stone
“Every now and then it helps to be a little deaf…That advice has stood me in good stead. Not simply in dealing with my marriage, but in dealing with my colleagues.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg
“I weep for the liberty of my country when I see at this early day of its successful experiment that corruption has been imputed to many members of the House of Representatives, and the rights of the people have been bartered for promises of office.” – Andrew Jackson
“I learned that when you do the best job that you can do, some people will idolize you, others won’t care, and some will vilify you.” – Mike Love
March 15 Birthdays
270 – Saint Nicholas, Greek bishop and saint (died in 343) 1767 – Andrew Jackson, American general and politician, 7th President of the United States (died in 1845) 1887 – Marjorie Merriweather Post, American businesswoman and philanthropist, founded General Foods (died in 1973) 1912 – Lightnin’ Hopkins, American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist (died in 1982) 1933 – Ruth Bader Ginsburg, American lawyer and judge (died in 2020) 1935 – Judd Hirsch, American actor 1935 – Jimmy Swaggart, American pastor and television host 1941 – Mike Love, American singer-songwriter and musician, Beach Boys 1943 – Sly Stone, American singer-songwriter, musician, and producer 1943 – The Iron Sheik, Iranian-American wrestler 1947 – Ry Cooder, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer 1955 – Dee Snider, American singer-songwriter 1962 – Terence Trent D’Arby, American singer-songwriter 1964 – Rockwell, American singer-songwriter 1968 – Sabrina Salerno, Italian singer-songwriter 1975 – Eva Longoria, American actress 1975 – will.i.am, American rapper and producer 1990 – Siobhan Magnus, American singer-songwriter
March 15 History
1545 – First meeting of the Council of Trent, the ‘Counter-Reformation’.
1806 – A chondrite meteorite, carrying carbon-based, organic chemicals, was identified for the first time. Found outside Alais, France, the organic chemicals it carried suggested the possibility of life on whatever body was the source, somewhere out in space.
1906 – Rolls-Royce Limited was incorporated.
1956 – My Fair Lady debuted on Broadway at the Mark Hellinger Theatre.
1922 – Fuad I became King of Egypt.
1952 – #1 Hit March 15, 1952 – May 16, 1952: Kay Starr – Wheel Of Fortune
March 15, 1956 – 1st appearance Robbie the Robot in Forbidden Planet, Film
1956 – Broadway Show – My Fair Lady (Musical) March 15, 1956
March 15, 1964 Birthday (fictional) Michael Scott, The Office, TV
1969 – #1 Hit March 15, 1969 – April 11, 1969: Tommy Roe – Dizzy
1975 – #1 Hit March 15, 1975 – March 21, 1975: The Doobie Brothers – Black Water
1977 – Eight Is Enough & Three’s Company debuted on ABC.
1985 – The first Internet domain name was registered – symbolics.com.
1986 – #1 Hit March 15, 1986 – March 21, 1986: Starship – Sara
2008 – #1 Hit March 15, 2008 – April 4, 2008: Usher featuring Young Jeezy – Love In This Club
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
Useless Pronunciation: I as in if
The Dad From Gremlins, Hoyt Axton, Wrote the Song “Joy to the World (Jeremiah was a bullfrog)” covered by 3 Dog Night.
Goldilocks is real fussy for someone who wanders into stranger’s houses and eats their breakfast.
“Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape.” – George Taylor (Charlton Heston) #moviequotes
Whether you say the word “vegetables” with 3 or 4 syllables is greatly dependent on whether you happen to be Cookie Monster.
When writing an angry email, save it as a draft then get up to clear your head and cool off before hitting send. #advice
“Jane, you ignorant slut” – Dan Aykroyd to Jane Curtin (Saturday Night Live)
A group of Nightingales is called a Watch.
The only difference between intuition and paranoia is whether you’re right or wrong.
The United States officially adopted the metric system in 1975.
“Pardon me, sir. I did not do it on purpose” – Queen Marie Antoinette (as she accidentally stepped on the foot of her executioner) #LastWords
A group of Chickens is called a Brood or Peep. I think it should be called a “cluck”.
1972 Trivia: Test Your Knowledge of This Culturally Defining Year!
Step into 1972, a year that brought groundbreaking films, memorable music, and historic moments that still resonate today. This trivia page is packed with questions designed to challenge even the most seasoned pop culture enthusiasts. Think you’ve mastered the ’70s? It’s time to find out!
Can you name the Best Picture winner at the Academy Awards that year? Which television program made history by introducing a bold, controversial episode? What iconic song became an anthem of the time? And which fast-food chain made its memorable debut in 1972? These are just a few of the intriguing questions that will put your knowledge to the test.
But wait—here’s a little bonus trivia to whet your appetite:
In 1972, the video game “Pong” debuted, marking a new era for home entertainment.
MAS*H, the groundbreaking TV comedy-drama, premiered, blending humor and heartbreak in the backdrop of the Korean War.
Elvis Presley wowed fans with his “Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii” concert special, one of the first to be broadcast globally via satellite.
On the big screen, The Godfather changed the cinema landscape and became one of the most influential films ever made.
From blockbuster movies to unforgettable music, 1972 was a year. Whether you’re here to prep for trivia night or relive a little pop culture nostalgia, this page has everything you need to dive into the year’s most iconic moments.
Test your memory, uncover new facts, and discover why 1972 remains a cornerstone of pop culture history! Will you ace the trivia or find yourself stumped? There’s only one way to find out—start exploring now!
3. Name the television star who popularized the phrase “What you see is what you get!”
4. This Children’s television show featured a segment called “Spidey Super Stories.” Name that show.
5. This children’s show was hosted by humans Doug and Emmy Jo (real-life spouses Douglas Momary and Emily Josephine Peden) and costumed characters like Henrietta Hippo and Charlie the Owl. Name that syndicated program…
6. What was the highest-grossing film of 1972?
7. Who wrote the screenplay for The Godfather?
8. Can you name the quotable phrase from The Godfather?
9. The success of this film, The Homecoming: A Christmas Story, broadcast on December 19, 1971, led to a long-running show on CBS. Name that program.
10. In 1987, Club Nouveau hit the number one spot on the Billboard Charts with a #1 song from 1967 by Will Withers. Name that tune.
11. In 1972, what was the average life expectancy in the United States?
12. Based on a 1969 novel, this film featured five Oscar winners. Name it.
13. The Poseidon Adventure was nominated for eight Academy Awards. How many did it win?
14. The Poseidon Adventure’s Best Original Song also hit #1 on the Billboard Charts. Name that tune.
15. This 1972 biographical dram starred Billy Dee Williams, Richard Pryor, James T. Callahan, and Scatman Crothers. Name the film.
16. Who was nominated for Best Actress in Lady Sings The Blues?
17. Who was Lady Sings The Blues about?
18. This candy’s design was based on part of a popular soft drink…
19. Which sports star was NOT born in 1972: The Big Show, Mia Hamm, Grant Hill, or Picabo Street?
20. Josie and the Pussycats included Josie, Melody, and Valerie. Valerie was a “first” for Saturday Morning cartoons. First what?
21. What was the longest number-one song on the Billboard Charts from 1972 until 2021?
22. What was the longest Billboard number-one hit before American Pie?
23. How many people lived in the World in 1972?
24. How many people lived in the United States in 1972?
25. Name the highest-grossing film of 1972…
26. Who directed The Godfather?
27. Released in 1972, can you name the first commercially successful two-player video game?
28. Name the brand of children’s clothing created by Seymour Lichtenstein in 1972 for Garan Incorporated.
29. DJ Kool Herc, DJ Disco Wiz, Grandmaster Flash, and Afrika Bambaataa have all been credited with starting what musical genre?
30. Can you name the two members of TV’s Partridge Family who sang on the show?
31. In “Sammy’s Visit,” singer/dancer/actor Sammy Davis Jr. appeared on what CBS TV program?
32. Who was the President of the United States in 1972?
33. Who was the Vice-President of the United States in 1972?
34. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1972?
35. This television show, a dramedy based on a film, starred Alan Alda and Wayne Rogers. Name that show.
36. Who were the characters Alan Alda and Wayne Rogers played in M*A*S*H?
37. What did M*A*S*H stand for?
38. With 16 lettered dice, this game was invented by Allan Tardiff. HINT: You shake it.
39. Which commercial phrase is correct: “Nobody does it like Sara Lee.” OR “Nobody doesn’t like Sara Lee.”
40. What was the Top-Rated TV Show in the 1971/1972 season?
41. Only three television shows have ranked number one in Nielson ratings. Can you name the television show from the 1970s that achieved that goal?
42. Who won the SuperBowl VI?
43. True or False? Many, if not most, public toilets in the US were “Pay Toilets” until 1980.
44. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1972?
45. This pop culture convention, for fans of a long-canceled television show, ran from January 21 to January 23, 1972, at the Statler Hilton in New York City. Name the show that inspired the con.
46. The phrase “Hey, Mikey! He likes it!” appeared in a commercial for what food product?
47. Who won the 1972 World Series?
48. Can you name the series that follows the adventures of Kwai Chang Caine, a Shaolin monk who traveled through the American Old West?
49. Who played the role of Kwai Chang Caine in Kung Fu?
50. In flashbacks, in Kung Fu, what was the endearing term Master Po used to refer to young Caine?
51. The Mary Tyler Moore Show had three spin-offs. One point for each you can name.
52. General Mills offered three “monster” themed cereals in the early 1970s. You get one point for each you can name.
53. Airing from 1972 to 1978, this show was the first spin-off of All in the Family. Name that CBS program.
54. What was the name of the Maude TV Theme?
55. 1972 Time Magazine had two “Men of the Year”. Name those guys.
57. SALT United States President Richard Nixon and Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev signed me. What did SALT stand for?
58. Nacho Cheeze was added to this snack in 1972. Name that snack.
59. Which celebrity was NOT born in 1972: Jude Law, Alyssa Milano, Heather Graham, or Jenny McCarthy?
60. Directed by Bob Fosse, this musical drama starred Liza Minelli, Michael York, and Joel Grey…
61. How many Oscars did Cabaret win?
62. Jerry Lewis wrote, directed, and starred in a movie about a Jewish man who dresses as a clown to lead children into gas chambers in the Holocaust. It was not released in theaters. Name that film.
63. The section of Highway 51 South that runs through Memphis, Tennessee, was renamed to what?
64. In 1972, Nolan Bushnell founded this company with an investment of $250 and an additional $250 from Ted Dabney.
65. This NBC comedy starred Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson. Name it.
66. What was the catchphrase Fred Sanford said when he was upset?
67. Former teen idol Ricky Nelson was booed off stage at a rock ‘n roll reunion concert at Madison Square Garden in 1971. He wrote a song about it that cracked Billboard’s Top Ten in 1972. Name that song.
68. Inspired by G.I. Joe, Mattel released a line of action figures from 1972 to the mid-80s. Can you name that character?
69. Can you name the most popular soft drink company founded in NYC in 1972?
70. Name the fast food invented in 1972 by Herb Peterson to resemble eggs benedict.
71. This product was introduced in 1972 as a “healthy substitute” for whole eggs. Name it.
72. The kids who starred in this children’s show, which ran from 1972 to 1978, were not allowed to make any television appearances or do commercials for three years after they left the show. Name that show.
Team Trivia Bonus Questions
1. The Zoom cast (Zoomers) also spoke in their language. Name that language.
2. Although the company was founded in 1972, when did Snapple start producing tea products?
3. Can you name the children’s Saturday Morning show, including Horatio J. HooDoo, Big Cheif Sitting Duck, Mother Wheels, and Bad Hats?
4. UNESCO designates these locations for having cultural, historical, scientific or other forms of significance. What are they called?
5. Who was the Pope in 1972?
6. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1972?
7. We’re talking flowers; which rose cultivar was NOT developed in 1972—Rosa ‘Compassion’, Rosa ‘Alexander’, or Rosa ‘Eden’?
8. This time measurement was introduced in 1972, but at the 27th General Conference on Weights and Measures, it was decided to abandon them by or before 2035.
9. “A mind is a terrible thing to waste” by the United Negro College Fund is only part of the phrase. Complete that phrase.
10. Can you name either 1972 berry-flavored cereal focused around “Red Baron” Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen and his nemesis?
The Answers:
72 Trivia Answers for 1972 History
1. Can you name the first US President to visit China? Richard Nixon
2. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1971? The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack
3. Name the television star who popularized the phrase “What you see is what you get!” Flip Wilson as Geraldine Jones
4. This Children’s television show featured a segment called “Spidey Super Stories.” Name that show. The Electric Company
5. This children’s show was hosted by humans Doug and Emmy Jo (real-life spouses Douglas Momary and Emily Josephine Peden) and costumed characters like Henrietta Hippo and Charlie the Owl. Name that syndicated program… New Zoo Review
6. What was the highest-grossing film of 1972? The Godfather
7. Who wrote the screenplay for The Godfather? Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola
8. Can you name the quotable phrase from The Godfather? Don Vito Corleone’s line, “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.”
9. The success of this film, The Homecoming: A Christmas Story, broadcast on December 19, 1971, led to a long-running show on CBS. Name that program. The Waltons aired from 1972 to 1982.
10. In 1987, Club Nouveau hit the number one spot on the Billboard Charts with a #1 song from 1967 by Will Withers. Name that tune. Lean On Me
11. In 1972, what was the average life expectancy in the United States? Men – 67.4 years, Women – 75.2 years
12. Based on a 1969 novel, this film featured five Oscar winners. Name it. The Poseiden Adventure
13. The Poseidon Adventure was nominated for eight Academy Awards. How many did it win? Two: Music (Song-Original for the Picture) and Special Achievement Award (Visual Effects)
14. The Poseidon Adventure’s Best Original Song also hit #1 on the Billboard Charts. Name that tune. The Morning After by Maureen McGovern.
15. This 1972 biographical dram starred Billy Dee Williams, Richard Pryor, James T. Callahan, and Scatman Crothers. Name the film. Lady Sings The Blues
16. Who was nominated for Best Actress in Lady Sings The Blues? Diana Ross
17. Who was Lady Sings The Blues about? Billie Holiday
18. This candy’s design was based on part of a popular soft drink… Bottle Caps
19. Which sports star was NOT born in 1972: The Big Show, Mia Hamm, Grant Hill, or Picabo Street? Picabo Street was born on April 3, 1971.
20. Josie and the Pussycats included Josie, Melody, and Valerie. Valerie was a “first” for Saturday Morning cartoons. First what? Valerie is the first female African-American character to appear regularly in a Saturday morning cartoon show.
21. What was the longest number-one song on the Billboard Charts from 1972 until 2021? American Pie by Don McLean (8:37) Taylor Swift’s All Too Well peaked at number, with a time of 10 minutes, 13 seconds in 2021.
22. What was the longest Billboard number-one hit before American Pie? 1968’s Hey Jude by The Beatles (7:11)
23. How many people lived in the World in 1972? 3,844,800,885
24. How many people lived in the United States in 1972? 209,896,021
25. Name the highest-grossing film of 1972… The Godfather
26. Who directed The Godfather? Francis Ford Coppola
27. Released in 1972, can you name the first commercially successful two-player video game? Pong
28. Name the brand of children’s clothing created by Seymour Lichtenstein in 1972 for Garan Incorporated. Geranimals
29. DJ Kool Herc, DJ Disco Wiz, Grandmaster Flash, and Afrika Bambaataa have all been credited with starting what musical genre? Hip-Hop
30. Can you name the two members of TV’s Partridge Family who sang on the show? Shirley Partridge (Shirley Jones) and Keith Partridge (David Cassidy)
31. In “Sammy’s Visit,” singer/dancer/actor Sammy Davis Jr. appeared on what CBS TV program? All in the Family
32. Who was the President of the United States in 1972? Richard Nixon (January 20, 1969 – August 9, 1974)
33. Who was the Vice-President of the United States in 1972? Spiro Agnew (January 20, 1969 – October 10, 1973)
34. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1972? Boston Bruins
35. This television show, a dramedy based on a film, starred Alan Alda and Wayne Rogers. Name that show. M*A*S*H
36. Who were the characters Alan Alda and Wayne Rogers played in M*A*S*H? Benjamin “Hawkeye” Pierce and “Trapper” John McIntyre
37. What did M*A*S*H stand for? United States Army Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
38. With 16 lettered dice, this game was invented by Allan Tardiff. HINT: You shake it. Boggle
39. Which commercial phrase is correct: “Nobody does it like Sara Lee.” OR “Nobody doesn’t like Sara Lee.” “Nobody doesn’t like Sara Lee.”
40. What was the Top-Rated TV Show in the 1971/1972 season? All in the Family
41. Only three television shows have ranked number one in Nielson ratings. Can you name the television show from the 1970s that achieved that goal? All in the Family (71/72 to 75/76)
42. Who won the SuperBowl VI? Dallas Cowboys
43. True or False? Many, if not most, public toilets in the US were “Pay Toilets” until 1980. True
44. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1972? Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach
45. This pop culture convention, for fans of a long-canceled television show, ran from January 21 to January 23, 1972, at the Statler Hilton in New York City. Name the show that inspired the con. Star Trek
46. The phrase “Hey, Mikey! He likes it!” appeared in a commercial for what food product? Life Cereal
47. Who won the 1972 World Series? Oakland Athletics
48. Can you name the series that follows the adventures of Kwai Chang Caine, a Shaolin monk who traveled through the American Old West? Kung Fu
49. Who played the role of Kwai Chang Caine in Kung Fu? David Carradine
50. In flashbacks, in Kung Fu, what was the endearing term Master Po used to refer to young Caine? Grasshopper
51. The Mary Tyler Moore Show had three spin-offs. One point for each you can name. Rhoda, Phyllis, and Lou Grant.
52. General Mills offered three “monster” themed cereals in the early 1970s. You get one point for each you can name. Count Chocula, Franken Berry, and Boo Berry.
53. Airing from 1972 to 1978, this show was the first spin-off of All in the Family. Name that CBS program. Maude
54. What was the name of the Maude TV Theme? And Then There’s Maude
55. 1972 Time Magazine had two “Men of the Year”. Name those guys. Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger
56. Name the journalists who uncovered the Watergate Scandal. Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein
57. SALT United States President Richard Nixon and Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev signed me. What did SALT stand for? Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT)
58. Nacho Cheeze was added to this snack in 1972. Name that snack. Doritos (introduced in 1964 as plain tortilla chips. Taco flavor was introduced in 1967, and Nacho Cheese in 1972.)
59. Which celebrity was NOT born in 1972: Jude Law, Alyssa Milano, Heather Graham, or Jenny McCarthy? Heather Graham was born on January 29, 1970.
60. Directed by Bob Fosse, this musical drama starred Liza Minelli, Michael York, and Joel Grey… Cabaret
61. How many Oscars did Cabaret win? Eight! Best Director (Fosse), Academy Award for Best Actress (Minnelli), Best Supporting Actor (Grey), Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Original Song Score and Adaptation, Best Art Direction, and Best Sound.
62. Jerry Lewis wrote, directed, and starred in a movie about a Jewish man who dresses as a clown to lead children into gas chambers in the Holocaust. It was not released in theaters. Name that film. The Day The Clown Cried
63. The section of Highway 51 South that runs through Memphis, Tennessee, was renamed to what? Elvis Presley Boulevard
64. In 1972, Nolan Bushnell founded this company with an investment of $250 and an additional $250 from Ted Dabney. Atari
65. This NBC comedy starred Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson. Name it. Sanford and Son
66. What was the catchphrase Fred Sanford said when he was upset? “This is the big one, Elizabeth! I’m coming to join ya, honey!”
67. Former teen idol Ricky Nelson was booed off stage at a rock ‘n roll reunion concert at Madison Square Garden in 1971. He wrote a song about it that cracked Billboard’s Top Ten in 1972. Name that song. Garden Party
68. Inspired by G.I. Joe, Mattel released a line of action figures from 1972 to the mid-80s. Can you name that character? Big Jim (along with Mark Strong, Big Jack, and others)
69. Can you name the most popular soft drink company founded in NYC in 1972? Snapple
70. Name the fast food invented in 1972 by Herb Peterson to resemble eggs benedict. McMuffin
71. This product was introduced in 1972 as a “healthy substitute” for whole eggs. Name it. Egg Beaters
72. The kids who starred in this children’s show, which ran from 1972 to 1978, were not allowed to make any television appearances or do commercials for three years after they left the show. Name that show. Zoom
Team Trivia Bonus Questions
1. The Zoom cast (Zoomers) also spoke in their language. Name that language. Ubbi-Dubbi
2. Although the company was founded in 1972, when did Snapple start producing tea products? 1987
3. Can you name the children’s Saturday Morning show, including Horatio J. HooDoo, Big Cheif Sitting Duck, Mother Wheels, and Bad Hats? Lidsville
4. UNESCO designates these locations for having cultural, historical, scientific or other forms of significance. What are they called? World Heritage Sites
6. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1972? Riva Ridge
7. We’re talking flowers; which rose cultivar was NOT developed in 1972—Rosa ‘Compassion’, Rosa ‘Alexander’, or Rosa ‘Eden’? Rosa ‘Eden’ was created in 1985.
8. This time measurement was introduced in 1972, but at the 27th General Conference on Weights and Measures, it was decided to abandon them by or before 2035. Leap second.
9. “A mind is a terrible thing to waste” by the United Negro College Fund is only part of the phrase. Complete that phrase. “A mind is a terrible thing to waste but a wonderful thing to invest in.”
10. Can you name either 1972 berry-flavored cereal focused around “Red Baron” Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen and his nemesis? Baron von Redberry and Sir Grapefellow. Redberry would proclaim, “Baron Von Redberry is der berry best!” and Grapefellow would counter, “Sir Grapefellow is the most grape!”
1950 – The FBI released its first ‘Ten Most Wanted’ criminals list.
March 14, 19** Birthday (fictional) Selena Kyle, Catwoman, DC Comics
Officially Pi Day is 3/14. Unofficial Pi Day is Approximation Day, 7/22. The circumference of a circle with radius r is 2pr.
If you were born on March 14th, You were likely conceived the week of… June 21st (prior year)
Casey Jones – American Folk Hero
John Luther “Casey” Jones (March 14, 1863 – April 30, 1900) was born in Missouri, and the future folk hero moved with his family as a boy to Cayce, Kentucky, the town from which he got his nickname. As a teen, he began working for the railroads and later moved to Jackson, Tennessee.
On April 29, 1900, Jones, then an engineer for the Illinois Central Railroad, arrived in Memphis, Tennessee, having driven a train there from Canton, Mississippi. In Memphis, he found out the engineer scheduled to make the return run that night was sick, so Jones volunteered to take his place. When he pulled out of the Memphis station in the early hours of April 30, the train was running late so he hurried to make up for the lost time. As the train rounded a curve near Vaughan, Mississippi, it collided with another train on the tracks, but not before Jones told his fireman to jump to safety. Jones remained on board, to try to slow the train and save his passengers, and Casey Jones was the only person to die in the accident.
March 14 is…
Learn About Butterflies Day Pi Day Potato Chip Day Reuben Day
March 14 Birthday Quotes
“Excellence isn’t an act, it’s a habit.” – Quincy Jones
“Weak people revenge. Strong people forgive. Intelligent people ignore.” – Albert Einstein
“A man’s body may grow old, but inside his spirit can still be as young and as restless as ever.” – Michael Caine
“Genius is making complex ideas simple, not making simple ideas complex.” – Albert Einstein
“In high school, I was the class comedian as opposed to the class clown. The difference is the class clown is the guy who drops his pants at the football game, the class comedian is the guy who talked him into it.” – Billy Crystal
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” – Albert Einstein
March 14 Birthdays
1863 – Casey Jones, American engineer (died in 1900) 1879 – Albert Einstein, German-American physicist, engineer, and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died in 1955) 1912 – Les Brown, American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader (died in 2001) 1914 – Lee Petty, American race car driver (died in 2000) 1920 – Hank Ketcham, American author and cartoonist, created Dennis the Menace (died in 2001) 1922 – Les Baxter, American pianist and composer (died in 1996) 1933 – Michael Caine, English actor and author 1933 – Quincy Jones, American singer-songwriter, trumpet player, and producer 1948 – Billy Crystal, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter 1950 – Rick Dees, radio host 1979 – Chris Klein, American actor 2008 – Abby Ryder Fortson, American actress
March 14 History
44 BC – Casca and Cassius decided that Mark Antony should stay alive during the Caesar assassination the next day.
1794 – Eli Whitney was issued a US Patent (#X0072) for his cotton gin.
1839 – Sir John Herschel referred to ‘photography’- his new word – in a lecture to the Royal Society
1899 – Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin was issued a US Patent (#621,195) for the invention of his “Navigable Balloon,” the rigid airship, known as the Zeppelin.
1900 – The Gold Standard Act is ratified, placing United States currency on the gold standard. No country uses it today (2016).
1936 – The first all-sound film version of Show Boat opened at Radio City Music Hall.
1947 – The US signed a 99-year lease on naval bases in the Philippines.
1950 – The Federal Bureau of Investigation instituted the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list (List)
1958 – The Recording Industry Association of America awarded the first Gold Record (500,000 sold) to Perry Como for Catch A Falling Star.
1975 – Broadway Show – Same Time, Next Year (Play) March 14, 1975
March 14, 19** Birthday (fictional) Selena Kyle, Catwoman, DC Comics
1987 – #1 Hit March 14, 1987 – March 20, 1987: Huey Lewis and the News – Jacob’s Ladder
1998 – #1 Hit March 14, 1998 – April 3, 1998: Will Smith – Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It
2011 – Aflac Insurance fired Gilbert Gottfried, the voice of the Aflac Spokesduck, for an offensive online tweet about the Japan earthquake.
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
A group of Mice is called a Mischief.
Relativity: the library is 15 minutes from my house, but closes in 10 minutes. For me then, the library is already closed, even though it is still open.
The first Legend of Zelda game was released on February 21st, 1986.
In Scotland, along with the Loch Ness Monster, we supposedly have a lesser-known monster in Loch Morar called Morag.
The little hole at one end of a grape is its belly button.
“Well, you can’t please everybody.” – Jiminy Cricket
“You cannot write unless you write much.” – W. Somerset Maugham
Singer Tracy Chapman was first drawn to the guitar by the TV show “Hee Haw”.
A group of Emus is called a Mob.
Colonel Harland Sanders cooked the first batch of Kentucky Fried Chicken at Sanders Cafe in Corbin, Kentucky.
When one door closes another door opens, and now we don’t know where the cat is.
Bobby Darin (1st Best New Artist Grammy Winner, for 1958, awarded in 1959) Bobby’s career started with a songwriting partnership with Don Kirshner. His first hit was written after a bet that he could not write a song that started out with the words, “Splish Splash, I was takin’ a bath.” Splish Splash, his first hit, sold over a million copies.
Henry Mancini (1st Grammy for Album of the Year) Henry made a name for himself getting the Grammy for the Peter Gunn Theme. He later went on to be nominated for more Grammys and Oscars. Grammy wins included Breakfast At Tiffany’s, Days of Wine and Roses, and The Pink Panther Theme. Oscar wins included Breakfast At Tiffany’s, Days of Wine and Roses, Victor Victoria.
Domenico Modugno (Grammy for Record of the Year & Song of the Year) Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu (Volare) was the top song, and Domenico co-wrote it, so he didn’t mind when young singer Bobby Rydell recorded it in 1960, hitting number 4 on Billboard. Bobby’s version is the one most remembered today.
On February 3, 1959, a small-plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, killed three American rock and roll pioneers – Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, as well as the pilot, Roger Peterson. This was “The Day The Music Died” in Don McLean’s American Pie.
