October 31st History, Trivia, and Fun Facts
October 31st History Highlights
- Halloween is the oldest holiday still celebrated.
- 1517 – Martin Luthor nailed his 95 Theses to the door of Wittenberg’s Castle Church, according to tradition.
- 1950 – Earl Lloyd became the first black player in the NBA
- If you were born on October 31st,
You were likely conceived the week of… February 7th (same year)
October 31st is…
Caramel Apple Day
Halloween/All Hallows’ Eve
Knock Knock Jokes Day
Magic Day
UNICEF Day
World Savings Day
World Cities Day
October 31st Birthday Quotes
“To stay youthful, stay useful.”
– John Keats
Q: What were you thinking when your colleagues were out there making cosmic history?
A: “I just kept reminding myself that every single component in this spacecraft was provided by the guy who submitted the cheapest tender.”
– Michael Collins
“It’s the way you ride the trail that counts.”
– Dale Evans
“We live in the present, we dream of the future and we learn eternal truths from the past.”
– Chiang Kai-shek
“There are a lot of things in this world that are more important than being popular. Being true to yourself is one of them.”
– Michael Landon
October 31st Birthdays
1632 – Johannes Vermeer, Dutch painter (died in 1675)
1795 – John Keats, English poet (died in 1821)
1887 – Chiang Kai-shek, Chinese politician, 1st President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) (died in 1975)
1896 – Ethel Waters, American singer (died in 1977)
1912 – Dale Evans, American singer-songwriter and actress (died in 2001)
1930 – Michael Collins, American general, pilot, and astronaut
1931 – Dan Rather, American journalist
1936 – Michael Landon, American actor, director, and producer (died in 1991)
1937 – Tom Paxton, American folk music singer-songwriter
1943 – Brian Piccolo, American football player (died in 1970)
1945 – Brian Doyle-Murray, American comedic actor
1950 – John Candy, Canadian comedic actor (died in 1994)
1961 – Peter Jackson, New Zealand director, producer and screenwriter
1967 – Vanilla Ice, American rapper, television personality, and real estate investor
2000 – Willow Smith, American singer, and actress
October 31st History
October 31, 1492 (fiction) Sir Nicholas Mimsy-Porpington was beheaded, Harry Potter
1517 – Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany.
October 31, 1693 (fiction) The Sanderon Sisters, Winifred, Sarah, and Mary, were found guilty of witchcraft and hanged, Hocus Pocus, Film
1913 – Dedication of the Lincoln Highway, from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco. It was the first automobile highway going across the United States.
1926 – Magician Harry Houdini died of gangrene and peritonitis that developed after his appendix ruptured (after an unexpected punch to the stomach a few days earlier).
1941 – Mount Rushmore was completed, featuring the sculpted head of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.
1964 – #1 Hit October 31, 1964 – November 27, 1964: The Supremes – Baby Love
1968 – “October Surprise” – Just before the US elections, US President Lyndon B. Johnson announced that he had ordered a complete cessation of “all air, naval, and artillery bombardment of North Vietnam” effective November 1.
1969 – Wal-mart incorporated in Arkansas.
October 31, 1981 (fiction) RIP Lily and James Potter, killed by Voldemort, Harry Potter
1987 – Based on Boston, Popular radio program Car Talk premiered on National Public Radio
1991 – Are You Afraid of The Dark premiered on Nickelodeon
Joshua Tree National Park: Established on October 31, 1994, in California, this park covers 1,235 square miles. Known for its unique Joshua trees, desert landscapes, and rock formations.
Death Valley National Park: Established on October 31, 1994, in California and Nevada, this park covers 5,269 square miles. Known for its extreme heat, salt flats, and the lowest point in North America, Badwater Basin.
1998 – WKOW in Madison, Wisconsin became one of the first high-definition broadcasts in digital television.
2011 – Today is the date that 7 billion people were living on Earth.
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
April 1st and October 31st must be the worst two days of the year to have a serious workplace accident.
Teller (of the magic act Penn & Teller) has legally changed his full name to just “Teller” and has a passport in that name.
“Attica! Attica!” – Sonny Wortzik (Al Pacino)
The 2nd richest man in history was Augustus Caesar, with an estimated net worth of about $4.6 Trillion (today’s dollars, after inflation), about 25% of the world’s economic output then.
“You had me at ‘hello.’” – Dorothy Boyd (Renée Zellweger) #moviequotes
“I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!” – Howard Beale (Peter Finch) in Network, 1976
There should be an ER style medical drama about Umpa-Lumpas always saving the children Willy Wonka has ‘accidentally’ mutilated.
Blond hair in humans developed only 11,000 years ago as an evolutionary response to the lack of sunlight in Northern Europe to enable more Vitamin D synthesis.
A group of people who perform in a variety of shows or plays is called a Company.
The blinking light atop the Capitol Records Building spells out the word “Hollywood” in Morse code, and has done so since the building’s opening in 1956.
Useless Pronunciation: G as in gee