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  • 1926 History, Facts and Trivia

    1926 History, Facts and Trivia

    1926 History, Facts and Trivia

    Quick Facts from 1926

    • World-Changing Event: Robert Goddard’s first liquid-fueled rockets were tested in Auburn, Massachusetts.
    • Influential Songs include When the Red Robin Comes Bob Bob Bobbin Along by Al Jolson, and Always by George Olson (and many others).
    • The Movies to Watch include The Son of the Sheik, The Scarlet Letter, The Bat, Faust, and The General.
    • The Most Famous Person in America was probably Charlie Chaplin
    • Notable books include Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne and Ernest Shepard
    • Price of Bayer Aspirin in 1926: 100/72 cents. Price of generic Aspirin in 2019: 500/$4.99.
    • The Male Sex Symbol was: Rudolph Valentino
    • The Conversation: Where did Agatha Christie disappear to?

    Top Ten Baby Names of 1926

    Mary, Dorothy, Betty, Helen, Margaret, Robert, John, William, James, Charles

    US Life Expectancy

    (1926) Males: 55.5 years, Females: 58.0 years

    The Stars

    Josephine Baker, Dolores Costello, Marion Davies, Greta Garbo, Myrna Loy, Mary Pickford, Anna May Wong

    Miss America

    Norma Smallwood (Tulsa, OK)

    Firsts, Inventions, and Wonders

    The first SATs took place on June 23, 1926. They were called the Scholastic Aptitude Test. The SATs changed names in 1990, becoming the Scholastic Assessment Test. The first ‘college board’ exams were in 1901.

    The Oyster Watch, created by Timex, was the first waterproof watch.

    The Brannock Device was patented (#US1725334A). It was the first foot-size measuring mechanism.

    Chock Full o’Nuts was founded. They added coffee a few years later.

    All Hass avocados are descended from a single tree, grafted by Rudolph Gustav Hass in 1926.

    Winnie-the-Pooh, written by A.A. Milne and illustrated by E.H. Shepard, was published on October 14.

    Stella Artois was launched as a seasonal beer for Christmas in 1926.

    US Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926

    Maidenform’s uplifting brassiere was patented in 1926. The adjusted strap fastener came out in 1942.

    Phencyclidine (aka PCP, angel dust) was first synthesized.

    Scottish filmmaker John Grierson coined the word documentary in his review of Robert Flaherty’s film Moana.

    The Biggest Pop Artists of 1926 include

    Gene Austin, Franklyn Baur, Ben Bernie & His Orchestra, Henry Burr, Vernon Dalhart, Ruth Etting, Johnny Hamp, and His Orchestra, Al Jolson, Isham Jones & His Orchestra, Roger Wolfe Kahn and His Orchestra, Benny Krueger & His Orchestra, Ted Lewis & His Band, Vincent Lopez & His Orchestra, Nick Lucas, Johnny Marvin, John McCormack, George Olson, and His Orchestra, The Revelers, Harry Richman, Bessie Smith, Whispering Jack Smith, Fred waring’s Pennsylvanians, Ethel Waters, Paul Whiteman, and His Orchestra

    What?

    In 1926, the US Federal government poisoned alcohol to end alcohol consumption during Prohibition. By the end of Prohibition, 10,000 Americans died due to alcohol poisoning.

    The Quote

    “We shall be able to communicate with one another instantly, irrespective of distance. Not only this but… we shall see and hear one another as perfectly as though we were face to face… a man will be able to carry one in his pocket.”
    -Nikola Tesla, 1926

    The First Radio Jingle

    The first first-ever commercial jingle was a radio ad for Wheaties in 1926. It was initially broadcast on Christmas Eve 1926 on WCCO in Minneapolis.

    Pop Culture Facts & History

    Harry Houdini died of peritonitis from a ruptured appendix on October 31 (Halloween) at 52. He was unprepared for several punches to his gut on a dare, on Oct. 22nd.

    Dr. Robert Goddard launched the first liquid-fueled rocket on March 16th… it traveled about 184 feet.

    Ann Turner Cook was the first Gerber Baby, introduced in 1926.

    On May 1, 1926, Ford Motor Company became the first large American company to adopt a five-day, 40-hour week for workers in its automotive factories. The pay rate was $5 per day, considered very high then.

    Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio became the Walt Disney Studio.

    The musical standard pitch (A = 440Hz) has only been standard since 1926,

    The Great Stork Derby was a contest held in Toronto from 1926-1936, in which women competed to produce the most babies to win $750K, as stipulated in Charles Vance Millar’s will. The prize ended up being split among four women with nine babies each.

    1914-1926 Ford Model T came in “any color you want, so long as it’s black.”

    Mercedes-Benz was founded on June 28.

    Agatha Christie disappeared from December 3, 1936, through December 14, 1926. Later, she was found in a hotel room, but she never explained why.

    Rin Tin made $6,000 a week as a dog actor in 1926.

    Q-Tips Baby Gays (invented as ‘Baby Gays’ in 1923) was rebranded. The “Q” stands for quality. The “Tips” are the cotton thingys on both ends.

    Sinclair Lewis refused to accept the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1926 because he felt the winning book, Arrowsmith, was chosen for its popularity more than its literary merit. He remains the only person to decline the award.

    On November 15, The NBC radio network opened with 24 stations.

    New York City passed several laws banning dancing without a special license in public spaces. (The laws are still enforced today.)

    Poland sent the US a (150th) birthday card with over 5 million signatures. Polish citizen Leopold Kotnowski visited the White House to present the card for America’s birthday. It has 30,000 pages full of art, photos, poems, and pressed flowers.

    Leslie Kelley published the first Blue Book in 1926, now a standard guide in automotive sales in determining car value.

    The Survivalist

    Arctic explorer Peter Freuchen was trapped under an avalanche while on an expedition. He escaped from death by fashioning a shiv out of his own frozen feces and amputating his foot.

    Nobel Prize Winners:

    Physics -Jean Baptiste Perrin
    Chemistry -Theodor Svedberg
    Physiology or Medicine -Johannes Andreas Grib Fibiger
    Literature -Grazia Deledda
    Peace -Aristide Briand, Gustav Stresemann

    Popular and Best-selling Books From 1926

    After Noon by Susan Ertz
    Beau Geste by P. C. Wren
    Beau Sabreur by P. C. Wren
    The Blue Window by Temple Bailey
    Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos
    The Hounds of Spring by Sylvia Thompson
    The Private Life of Helen of Troy by John Erskine
    Show Boat by Edna Ferber
    The Silver Spoons by John Galsworthy
    Sorrell and Son by Warwick Deeping
    Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne and Ernest Shepard

    Sports

    World Series Champions: St. Louis Cardinals
    Stanley Cup Champs: Montreal Maroons
    U.S. Open Golf: Bobby Jones
    U.S. Tennis (Men/Ladies): Rene Lacoste/Molla B. Mallory
    Wimbledon (Men/Women): Jean Borotra/Kathleen Godfree
    NCAA Football Champions: Alabama & Stanford
    Kentucky Derby Winner: Bubbling Over
    Boston Marathon Winner: Johnny Miles Time: 2:25:40

    Only 5 NFL Games have ended with a 2-0 score:

    • November 29, 1923: Akron Pros 2, Buffalo All-Americans 0
    • November 21, 1926: Kansas City Cowboys 2, Buffalo Rangers 0
    • November 29, 1928: Frankford Yellow Jackets 2, Green Bay Packers 0
    • October 16, 1932: Green Bay Packers 2, Chicago Bears 0
    • September 18, 1938: Chicago Bears 2, Green Bay Packers 0

    More 1926 Facts & History Resources:

    Most Popular Baby Names (BabyCenter.com)
    Popular and Notable Books (popculture.us)
    Broadway Shows that Opened in 1926
    1926 Calendar, courtesy of Time and Date.com
    Fact Monster
    1920s Fads (BabyCenter.com)
    1920s, Infoplease.com World History
    1926 in Movies (according to IMDB)
    Retrowaste Vintage Culture
    1920s Slang
    Wikipedia 1926

  • 1926 Music: Popular Music, Songs and Artists

    1926 Music: Popular Music, Songs and Artists

    1926 Popular Music, Songs and Artists

    Al Jolson
    I’m Sittin on Top Of The World
    I’m Sitting On Top Of The World was written by Ray Henderson, with lyrics by Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young. It was a 1925 hit for Al Jolson but went on to be recorded by many others including Dean Martin, Bobby Darin, Brenda Lee and Willie Nelson.

    When the Red Robin Comes Bob Bob Bobbin Along
    “When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin’ Along)” is a 1926 popular song written by songwriter Harry M. Woods. The song was an instant hit for, Al Jolson, reached #1 on the Billboard charts with his version of the song although other performers recorded it the same year. The song would go on to be recorded by Doris Day and Dean Martin. The song would appear as children’s song issued by The Peter Pan Record label.

    Gene Austin
    Bye Bye Blackbird
    Bye, Bye, Blackbird” is a song that was published in 1926 by the composer Ray Henderson and lyricist Mort Dixon. It is a popular standard and has been recorded by many artists including John Coltrane, Bing Crosby, Joe Cocker and most recently in 2012 by Paul Mccartney. Liza Minelli used the song in her 1972 television concert entitled Liza With A Z (See video). In an episode of The Partridge Family the song was sung by Ray Bolger, who played Shirley Jones Father.

    Gene Austin
    Five Foot Two Eyes of Blue (Has Anybody Seen My Gal)
    The song’s title is usually known as Has Anybody Seen My Gal. And it’s origins are not quite known. The song was originally out around 1914 and more than one person took credit for its composition. When the song became a hit in 1926 it’s music and words were changed a bit by Ray Henderson,(music) Sam M. Lewis and Joseph Widow Young (lyrics). This version of the song would be the one to endure.

    George Olson
    Always
    “Always” was written by Irving Berlin in 1926. It was a wedding gift for bride Ellin McKay whom he married the same year. Not only was the song for her, but he also gave her the royalties too. This song would truly go on to be a pop standard and has been recorded by Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, and most recently by Sir Paul McCartney in 2012. Frank Sinatra sang the song during the celebration of Berlin’s one-hundredth birthday in 1988. Berlin would die the following year.

    Whispering Jack Smith
    Baby Face
    The music was written by Harry Akst, the lyrics by Benny Davis. It was recorded by numerous artists over the years such as Little Richard and Paul McCartney. The song was also sung by Julie Andrews in the 1967 movie musical Thoroughly Modern Millie.

    Whispering Jack Smith
    Gimme a Little Kiss Will Ya Huh
    The song was written and composed by Maceo Pinkard. Pinkard was born in 1897 and was considered one of the greatest composers of the Harlem Renaissance. Not only was he a prolific songwriter he also was an orchestra conductor and eventually founded his own music publishing frim Maceo Pinkard Music.

    Paul Whiteman
    Birth of the Blues
    The music was written by Ray Henderson, the lyrics by Buddy G. DeSylva and Lew Brown. It was Introduced by Paul Whiteman in 1926. The song would have a long history and would be a hit for Frank Sinatra. Bing Crosby would star in a movie inspired by the song title.

    Vincent Lopez
    Show Me The Way To Go Home
    The piece is a folk song that was made famous by James Campbell and Reginald Connelly, a British songwriting team who wrote the lyrics after a railroad trip where they had had a few drinks. The song soon traveled across the Atlantic and became a hit in 1926. The song has been used in movies and TV and theater, as an example in Tennessee Williams Cat on A Hot Tin Roof. And was used recently in an episode of The Family Guy.

    Top Artists and Songs of 1926

    Al Jolson
    I’m Sitting On Top Of The World
    When the Red Red Robin Comes Bob-Bob-Bobbin’ Along
    Ben Bernie
    Reaching For The Moon
    Sleepy Time Gal
    Ben Selvin
    Valencia
Bessie Smith
Lost Your Head Blues
Blind Blake
Come On Boys Let’s Do That Messin’ Around
Blind Lemon Jefferson
Long Lonesome Blues
Cliff Edwards (Ukelele Ike)
Dinah
Duke Ellington
Birmingham Breakdown
East St Louis Tootle-oo
Ernst Hare and Billy Jones
That Certain Party
Fred Astaire and George Gershwin
Fascinating Rhythm
Gene Austin
Bye Bye Blackbird
Five Foot Two Eyes of Blue
Ya Gotta Know How To Love
George Olson
Always
Horses
Sunny
Who?
Gertrude Lawrence
Do, Do, Do
Henry Hall and his Orchestra
Bird Song at Eventide
Gid Tanner and His Skillet Lickers
Turkey In De Straw
Ipana Troubadors
Baby Face
Irving Kaufman
Tonight You Belong To Me
Isham Jones
I Lost My Heart in Monterey (When I Found You)

Whispering Jack Smith
Baby Face
Gimme A Little Kiss Will Ya Huh

Jan Garber
Baby Face
Jelly Roll Morton
Black Bottom Stomp
Sidewalk Blues
Wolverine Blues
Johnny Marvin
Breezin’ Along With the Breeze
Lewis James
Am I Wasting My Time On You?
Louis Armstrong
Big Butter and Egg man
Heebie Jeebies
Muskrat Ramble
Nick Lucas
Sleepy Time Gal
Paul Whiteman
The Birth of the Blues
Velencia
Pedro Celestino
Ava Maria
Ted Lewis and his Orchestra
I’ve Found A New Baby
The Kentucky Serenaders
Black Bottom
The Revelers
Lucky Day
The Birth of the Blues
Vernon Dalhart
Miami Storm
Vincent Lopez
Always
Show Me The Way To Go Home
  • A Love Letter from Rockwell Kent to his wife, Frances

    A Love Letter from Rockwell Kent to his wife, Frances

    A Love Letter from Rockwell Kent to his wife, Frances
    March 1926

    Frances!

    I am so lonely I can hardly bear it. As one needs happiness so have I needed love; that is the deepest need of the human spirit. And as I love you utterly, so have you now become the whole world of my spirit. It is beside and beyond anything that you can ever do for me; it lies in what you are, dear love — to me so infinitely lovely that to be near you, to see you, hear you, is now the only happiness, the only life, I know. How long these hours are alone!

    Yet is good for me to know the measure of my love and need, that I may at least be brought to so govern myself as never to lose the love and trust that you have given me.

    Dear Frances, let us make and keep our love more beautiful than any love has ever been before.

    Forever, dearest one.

    Thy

    Rockwell