buttman302
Banned
5th day of 2011 - 360 remaining
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
ALL MY CHILDREN DAY
The ABC daytime drama, All My Children, created by Agnes Nixon, premiered on this day in 1970. The scene: Pine Valley, New York, which later became Pine Valley, Pennsylvania. (Isn’t TV fun? With just the change of a script, a town can move to another state.)
The story line centers around Erica Kane, the most popular character in All My Children, and her many husbands -- so many, in fact, that we lost count. Actress Susan Lucci has portrayed Erica Kane since the show started. And, in 1999, Lucci, after 18 years of disappointment at the DayTime Emmy Awards, finally earned recognition as AMC’s leading actress.
We’ve also lost count of the many DayTime Emmys that have been awarded to other performers and behind-the-scenes staffers of All My Children throughout the years.
The scripts of All My Children became known for covering subjects often considered taboo on daytime soaps -- story lines about homosexuality, racial bias and war are just a few of the social issues that play out on the TV screen on a daily basis on this risk-taker of a show.
And, as other soaps died around it, whether summer, spring, winter, or fall, All My Children’s seduction of an audience continues.
Events January 5
1825 - Alexandre Dumas (Sr.) fought his first duel. In the process, his pants fell down. Dumas told the story later in his memoirs.
1885 - The Long Island Railroad Company was the first to offer piggyback rail service. It transported farm wagons on trains and moved all those potatoes pretty fast! Where did all of Long Island’s (NY) potato farms go when they were replaced by houses, houses, houses?
1903 - The general public could use the Pacific cable for the very first time.
1914 - Here’s news from the labor front: Ford Motor Company proudly announced that there would be a new daily minimum wage of $5 and an (shortened) eight-hour work day.
1925 - The first female governor in the U.S. took office in Wyoming this day. A tip of the ten-gallon hat, please, to Mrs. Nellie Tayloe Ross who was sworn in during special ceremonies.
1933 - What is now a symbol of the great American West, the Golden Gate Bridge, went under construction. It would be called an engineering marvel when completed. Spanning the deep channel at the entrance to San Francisco Bay, with the Bay on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other, few people-made things are as beautiful as the Golden Gate Bridge. Quite a sight!
1935 - We proudly remind you that Phil Spitalny’s All-Girl Orchestra was featured on CBS radio this day on the program, The Hour of Charm.
1940 - The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) got its very first demonstration of FM radio. The new medium, free of interference, static, and noise in thunderstorms, was developed by Major E.H. Armstrong. The first FM transmitter was put in operation in 1941. What did it broadcast? Talk, of course. Well, not ‘talk’ per se, but lots of talking.
1941 - Decca record #23210 was recorded. The title: Chica Chica Boom Chic, by the lovely Carmen Miranda. It seems she sang the song in the film, That Night in Rio.
1944 - The London Daily Mail was the first transoceanic newspaper ever published.
1948 - Warner Pathe showed the very first color newsreel. Pictures of the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl football classic were seen by theatre audiences.
1955 - A tune used in a Studio One production became the #1 song on the pop music charts this day. Joan Weber’s song, Let Me Go, Lover, rode the hit parade as the most popular record in U.S. for four weeks straight. Before being aired on television, the song had only been heard on a limited basis. In fact, the title was even different. It used to be known as Let Me Go, Devil. Such romantics, those TV people...
1956 - After a whirlwind romance, screen actress Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier Grimaldi of Monaco, formally announced their engagement in New York and Monaco. It was the Cannes Film Festival of 1954 that turned out to be the life-changing event for Kelly. In a brief meeting with the prince in connection with a photo essay for French magazine, Kelly proceeded to capture his heart.
1961 - “Hello. I’m Mr. Ed!” “A horse is a horse, of course, of course”... you know the lyrics. Mr. Ed, the talking horse, debuted for what would be a six-year run. The show starred Alan Young as Ed’s owner, Wilbur Post. Wilbur’s wife, Carol, was played by Connie Hines. Good old neighbor Roger Addison was Larry Keating. The voice of Mr. Ed was... no, not Alan Young... rather, Allan ‘Rocky’ Lane... of course, of course.
1963 - Broadway news: Camelot Closed at the Majestic Theater after 873 performances; and Carnival! Closed at the Imperial Theater after 719 performances.
1968 - Dr. Benjamin Spock was indicted by a Boston federal grand jury for conspiracy to abet, aid and counsel draft dodgers.
1971 - Former (1962-1964) world heavyweight boxing champion Charles ‘Sonny’ Liston was found dead in his home in Las Vegas NV. He was 38 years old. Officially, the cause of his death (Dec 30, 1970) was listed as lung congestion and heart failure. Unofficially, the death appeared to be the result of a heroin overdose, and some police officials and Liston associates believed that Liston may have been the victim of foul play.
1972 - John Denver received a gold record for the album Aerie on this day.
1972 - President Richard M. Nixon announced that NASA would proceed with the development of a reusable ‘low cost’ space shuttle system. He signed a $5.5 billion dollar bill for its creation. Such a deal...
1975 - The Broadway premiere of The Wiz received enthusiastic reviews. The show, a black version of The Wizard of Oz, ran for 1,672 shows at the Majestic Theatre. Moviegoers, however, gave a thumbs down to the later cinema version of the musical that starred Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. One memorable song from the show is Ease on Down the Road.
1978 - The Sex Pistols began their first and only U.S. tour -- in Atlanta GA. Nine days later, the English punk rockers announced that they were breaking up.
1979 - John Travolta probably remembers that the soundtrack LP of Saturday Night Fever reached $25 million in sales.
1981 - Police in England arrested Peter Sutcliffe, a truck driver later convicted of the Yorkshire Ripper murders of twelve women.
1984 - The group, The Police, planned a farewell concert for March 2 in Australia. After nine years together, band members decided to go their separate ways.
1987 - When the Midshipmen beat East Carolina 91-66, this night, David Robinson became the first basketball player in Naval Academy history to score more than 2,000 points. Mr. Robinson went on to become a major star in the NBA.
1988 - Basketball star ‘Pistol’ Pete Maravich died of a heart attack during a pickup game in Pasadena, CA. He was 40 years old.
1993 - Mike Ditka was dismissed as Chicago Bears head coach after 32 years as a player and coach (11 seasons as head coach, 106-62). (In 1988, Ditka, who played in five Pro Bowls and two conference championships (1963 and 1971), was the first tight end to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.)
1994 - Former U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Thomas ‘Tip’ O’Neill died in Boston. He was 81 years old. O’Neill was a Democratic party stalwart whose political career spanned nine presidencies.
1995 - President Bill Clinton welcomed Republican congressional leaders to the White House, declaring, “we can do a lot of business together” to reform the way the U.S. government works.
1998 - U.S. Congressman Sonny Bono (R-CA) was killed when he skied into a tree at Heavenly Ski Resort on the Nevada-California line, 55 miles southwest of Reno, Nevada. He was 62.
1999 - A U.S. federal judge approved settlement of a class-action suit filed by African-American farmers. The agreement to compensate farmers for years of racial bias totaled $300 million. The farmers were paid $50,000 (tax-free) and had their government debts forgiven.
2000 - Democratic presidential hopefuls Al Gore and Bill Bradley engaged in a feisty debate in New Hampshire.
2001 - Motion pictures debuting in the U.S.: Chocolat (“One Taste is All It Takes”.), starring Juliette Binoche, Lena Olin, Johnny Depp and Judi Dench; and Traffic (“No One Gets Away Clean.”), with Michael Douglas, Don Cheadle, Dennis Quaid and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
2001 - In a blizzard of last-minute executive orders, U.S. President Bill Clinton curtailed road-building and logging on federal forest land.
2002 - Fifteen-year-old Charles Bishop crashed a stolen Cessna 172 airplane into the 40-story Tampa Bank of American building in Florida. There were fears at first that the crash was an act of terrorism, but the teen left a note saying he was acting alone.
2003 - Author and playwright Jean Kerr died at 79 years of age. She is best remembered for her book Please Don’t Eat the Daisies and her play Mary, Mary.
2004 - The U.S. began fingerprinting and photographing international passengers at 115 airports and 14 ports.
2005 - According to the 2005 Index of Economic Freedom, the U.S. had for the first time dropped from the top 10 free nations of the world. The index, released by The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal, placed Hong Kong at number one for the 11th consecutive year.
2006 - It was reported that U.S. President George Bush (II) had defied Congress by making a series of controversial recess appointments. Bush tapped former Navy Secretary and defense contractor Gordon England to become deputy defense secretary to fill the post once held by Paul Wolfowitz; he also appointed Dorrance Smith to become the Pentagon’s chief spokesman assistant secretary for public affairs; and the president appointed Julie L. Myers to head the Immigration and Customs Enforcement bureau at the Department of Homeland Security.
2007 - New films in U.S. theatres: Code Name: The Cleaner, starring Lucy Liu, Elizabeth Hurley, Cedric The Entertainer, DeRay Davis and Nicollette Sheridan; Freedom Writers, with Hilary Swank, Imelda Staunton, Patrick Dempsey, Scott Glenn and Mario; and Happily N’Ever After, starring Sigourney Weaver, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., George Carlin, Michael McShane, Patrick Warburton, Andy ****, Wallace Shawn and Jon Polito.
2007 - U.S. President George Bush (II) nominated John Michael McConnell, a retired U.S. Navy vice admiral, to be the next Director of National Intelligence (DNI). He would follow John Negroponte, who served 18 months as the first head over sixteen intelligence agencies.
2007 - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed Tanzania’s Foreign Minister Asha-Rose Migiro to be deputy secretary-general, calling her a highly respected leader and outstanding manager who has championed the developing world.
2008 - Hayden, Idaho: A man who believed he bore the “mark of the beast” used a circular saw to cut off one hand. He then cooked it in a microwave oven and called 911.
2009 - A survey in Hong Kong concluded that one in five residents was considering leaving the city because of its lousy air quality. Hong Kong’s leaders had insisted that the Chinese Mainland was the source of airborne pollutants, but experts think that most of Hong Kong’s acid rain comes from its own industry and transport.
2009 - Germany’s ruling coalition agreed to a 2-year fiscal stimulus package of €50 billion ($69 billion).
2009 - The California Supreme Court ruled that churches that break away from a national denomination may not take church assets with them.
2010 - U.S. cable-TV broadcaster ESPN said it would show some World Cup soccer matches live from South Africa in 3-D; and Japan’s Sony teamed up with Discovery Communications and IMAX to launch a 3-D TV network in the United States.
2011 - Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune opened in U.S. theatres. The historical documentary features Ochs, Joan Baez, Tom Hayden and Christopher Hitchens.
Birthdays January 5
1779 - Stephen Decatur
U.S. naval officer: “Our country right or wrong.”; died Mar 22, 1820
1794 - Edmund Ruffin
agriculturist: one of the originators of crop rotation and fertilization; publisher: Farmer’s Register; Confederate soldier: fired first shot on Fort Sumter in American Civil War; died June 15, 1865
1864 - Ban (Byron Bancroft) Johnson
Baseball Hall of Famer: president of Western League: changed minor league Western League to major league American League; helped eliminate an element of rowdyism, thus enhancing the game’s reputation; died Mar 28, 1931
1875 - James Stuart Blackton
artist, filmmaker: introduced animation and helped in development of cinematic art; died Aug 13, 1941
1876 - Konrad Adenauer
German statesman: Mayor of Cologne [1917-1933]; Chancellor of Federal Republic of Germany [1949-1963]; co-founder of Christian Democratic Union; led rebuilding of West Germany after WWII; died Apr 19, 1967
1885 - Art (Arthur) Fletcher
baseball: shortstop: NY Giants [World Series: 1911-1913, 1917], Philadelphia Phillies; 3rd base coach: NY Yankees [1927-1945]; manager: Philadelphia Phillies [1923-1926]; died Feb 6, 1950
1890 - Benny (Benjamin Michael) Kauff
baseball: NY Highlanders, Indianapolis Hoosiers, Brooklyn Tip-Tops, NY Giants [World Series: 1917]; led Federal League in batting [1914, 1915]; later banned from pro baseball for alleged gambling involvement; died Nov 17, 1961
1895 - Jeannette (Ridlon) Piccard
balloon pilot: 1st American woman to be free balloon pilot: set record [w/husband] for balloon ascent into stratosphere [57,579 ft. - 1934]; one of first women to become Episcopalian priest; died May 17, 1981
1901 - Luke (James Luther) Sewell
baseball: catcher: Cleveland Indians, Washington Nationals [World Series: 1933], Chicago White Sox [all-star: 1937], SL Browns; manager: St. Louis Browns: American League pennant [1944]; died May 14, 1987
1904 - Erica Morini
concert violinist; died Nov 1, 1995
1906 - Donald Randolph
actor: Topaz, Cowboy, Over-Exposed, The Silver Chalice, All American, The Brigand, Gambling House, Chief Crazy Horse; died Mar 16, 1993
1908 - George Dolenz
actor: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Last Time I Saw Paris, Song of the Sarong, No Time for Love, The Count of Monte Cristo [TV series]; died feb 8, 1963
1911 - Jean-Pierre Aumont
actor: Maria-Chapdelaine, Napoleon, The Happy Hooker, Windmills of the Gods, Becoming Colette; died Jan 30, 2001
1914 - George Reeves
actor: Adventures of Superman, Gone With the Wind, From Here to Eternity, Samson and Delilah; committed suicide by shooting himself June 16, 1959
1917 - Jane Wyman (Sarah Fulks)
Academy Award-winning actress: Johnny Belinda [1948]; How to Commit Marriage, Pollyanna, Magnificent Obsession, The Yearling, The Lost Weekend, My Favorite Spy, Falcon Crest, The Incredible Journey of Dr. Meg Laurel; TV hostess: Summer Playhouse, Fireside Theatre; former Mrs. Ronald Reagan; died Sep 10, 2007
1918 - Jeane Dixon
astrologer, newspaper columnist; died Jan 25, 1997
1919 - Al Blozis
track: Georgetown University: NCAA, IC4A, AAU: shotput championships [1940-1942], IC4A discus champion [1940-1942]; football: New York Giants tackle [1942-1944]; died Jan 31, 1945
1923 - Sam Phillips
record executive: Sun Records: The [Memphis] Million Dollar Quartet: Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Charlie Rich; died July 30, 2003
1925 - Louis Carnesecca
Basketball Hall of Fame coach: St. John’s University [526-200], NY Nets [114-138]
1926 - W.D. Snodgrass
poet: Heart’s Needle, The Fuhrer Bunker, The Complete Cycle, April Inventory; died Jan 13, 2009
1926 - Buddy Young
football: University of Illinois: Rose Bowl MVP [1947]; AAFC NY Yankees aka NFL NY Yanks, Dallas Texans , Baltimore Colts: NFL record: career average 27.7 yards per kickoff return; Baltimore Colts scout, director of player relations; died Oct 19, 1983
1928 - Fred Glover
hockey: NHL: Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks; AHL: player/coach: Cleveland Barons; died Aug 16, 2001
1928 - Walter ‘Fritz’ Mondale
U.S. Senator; Vice President [1977-1981]; Democratic presidential nominee [1984]
1931 - Alvin Ailey
choreographer: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: 79 ballets in repertoire - establishing a place for blacks in modern dance; died Dec 1, 1989
1931 - Robert Duvall
Academy Award-winning actor: Tender Mercies [1983]; A Family Thing, Stalin, A Show of Force, Days of Thunder , Colors, The Natural, True Confessions, Apocalypse Now, Network, The Godfather, M*A*S*H, True Grit, Countdown, Bullitt, To Kill a Mockingbird, Naked City
1932 - Chuck Noll
NFL football coach w/most Super Bowl wins: Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowls: IX, X, XIII, XIV
1935 - Earl (Jesse) Battey
baseball: catcher: Chicago White Sox, Washington Senators, Minnesota Twins [all-star: 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966/World Series: 1965]; died Nov 15, 2003
1938 - Lindsay Crosby
actor: Big Foot, Out of This World; son of crooner Bing Crosby; died Dec 11, 1989
1938 - Jim Otto
Pro Football Hall of Famer: Oakland Raiders center: 7 division championships, 1 AFL championship [Super Bowl II]; AFL’s only All League Center [1960 - 1969], All-AFC Center [1970 - 1972]
1941 - Chuck McKinley
tennis champion: Wimbledon [1963]; U.S. National Doubles [w/Dennis Ralston]; Davis Cup [1963]; died Aug 10, 1986
1941 - Grady Thomas
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer: Parliament-Funkadelic: One Nation Under a Groove, Atomic Dog, Flashlight, Maggot Brain, Cosmic Slop
1942 - Charlie Rose
TV host: CBS News Nightwatch, The Charlie Rose Show; TV news correspondent: 60 Minutes II
1942 - Wayne Rutledge
hockey: NHL: LA Kings
1945 - Sam Wyche
football: Washington Redskins quarterback [Super Bowl VII]; coach: Cincinnati Bengals [Super Bowl XXIII], Tampa Bay Buccaneers; TV sportscaster: NBC, CBS
1946 - Diane Keaton (Hall)
Academy Award-winning actress: Annie Hall [1977]; Sleeper, Hair, Love and Death
1947 - Mercury (Eugene) Morris
football [running back]: Miami Dolphins: Super Bowls VI, VII, VIII
1948 - Charlie (Charles Oliver) Hough
baseball: pitcher: LA Dodgers [World Series: 1974, 1977, 1978], Texas Rangers [all-star: 1986], Chicago White Sox, Florida Marlins
1948 - Ted Lange
actor: Perfume, Terminal Exposure, The Love Boat
1949 - George ‘Funky’ Brown
musician: drums: group: Kool and The Gang: Ladies Night, Celebration, I.B.M.C., LPs: Wild and Peaceful, Kool Jazz
1950 - Chris Stein
musician: guitar: group: Blondie: In the Flesh, Denis, [I’m Always Touched by Your] Presence Dear, Picture This, Hanging on the Telephone, Sunday Girl, Heart of Glass, Dreaming, Union City Blue, Atomic, The Tide is High, Rapture; solo: French Kissin’; scored theme: Fifteen Minutes
1953 - Pamela Sue Martin
actress: The Poseidon Adventure, Dynasty, The Nancy Drew Mysteries
1954 - Alex (Alexander) English
Basketball Hall of Fame forward: University of South Carolina; NBA: Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks
1954 - Bryan Hitt
musician: drums: group: REO Speedwagon: I Don’t Want to Lose You, Here With Me, Roll With the Changes, Keep on Loving You, That Ain’t Love, Take It on the Run
1958 - Ron (Ronald Dale) Kittle
baseball: Chicago White Sox [all-star: 1983], NY Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles
1959 - Clancy Brown
actor: Pathfinder, The Guardian, Dogg’s Hamlet, Cahoot’s Macbeth, Gambling, The Making of Daniel Boone, The Laramie Project
1962 - Suzy Amis
actress: The Usual Suspects, Nadja, Blown Away
1962 - Danny (Lynn) Jackson
baseball: pitcher: KC Royals [World Series: 1985], Cincinnati Reds [all-star: 1988/World Series: 1990], Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies [World Series: 1993/all-star:1994], SL Cardinals
1963 - Jeff (Jeffrey Joseph) Fassero
baseball: pitcher: baseball: pitcher: Univ of Mississippi; Montreal Expos, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, SL Cardinals, Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks
1964 - Grant Young
musician: drums: group: Soul Asylum: Say What You Will, Clarence...Karl Sold The Truck, Made to Be Broken, Time’s Incinerator, While You Were Out, Clam Dip And Other Delights, Hang Time, Soul Asylum and the Horse They Rode in On, Grave Dancers Union, Let Your Dim Light Shine, Candy from a Stranger
1966 - Kate Schellenbach
musician: drums: groups Beastie Boys: Pollywog Stew; Luscious Jackson: Fever in Fever Out, Electric Honey, Naked Eye [Grand Royal], Natural Ingredients
1967 - Ray Crockett
football: Baylor Univ; NFL: Denver Broncos, KC Chiefs
1968 - Stan Drulia
hockey: NHL: Tampa Bay Lightning
1968 - Carl T. Evans
actor: Walking on the Sky, Above and Beyond, Matlock: The Suspect, As the World Turns
1968 - Joe Juneau
hockey: Canadian National Team; NHL: Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabres
1968 - Felton Spencer
basketball: Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic
1969 - David Dixon
football: Arizona State Univ; NFL: Minnesota Vikings
1969 - Marilyn Manson (Brian Warner)
rock singer/performer: quote: “I picked Marilyn Manson as the fakest stage name of all to say that this is what show business is, fake. Marilyn Monroe wasn’t even her real name, Charles Manson isn’t his real name, and now, I’m taking that to be my real name. But what’s real?”
1969 - Shaun Micheel
golf: PGA champ [2003], NIKE Greensboro Open [1999], Singapore Open [1998]
1974 - Calvin Collins
football: Texas A&M; NFL: Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos
1974 - Damon Minor
baseball: SF Giants; twin brother of Ryan Minor
1974 - Ryan Minor
baseball: Baltimore Orioles; twin brother of Damon Minor
1974 - Mark Redman
baseball [pitcher]: Univ of Oklahoma, Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, Florida Marlins, Oakland A’s
1975 - Warrick Dunn
football: Florida State, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons RB
1975 - Mike Grier
hockey: NHL: Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabres
1976 - Jason Brookins
football: Lane Univ; NFL: Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers
1978 - Michael Wiley
football Ohio State Univ; NFL: Dallas Cowboys
1979 - Kyle Calder
hockey: NHL: Chicago Blackhawks
1979 - Ruben Quevedo
baseball [pitcher]: Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers
1980 - Garette Ratliff Henson
actor: Nevada, Three Wishes, Casper, Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All, For Their Own Good, The Adventures of Huck Finn
Chart Toppers January 5
1944My Heart Tells Me - The Glen Gray Orchestra (vocal: Eugenie Baird)
Paper Doll - The Mills Brothers
People Will Say We’re in Love - Bing Crosby
Pistol Packin’ Mama - Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters
1953Why Don’t You Believe Me - Joni James
Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes - Perry Como
Glow Worm - The Mills Brothers
Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes - Skeets McDonald
1962The Lion Sleeps Tonight - The Tokens
Run to Him - Bobby Vee
The Twist - Chubby Checker
Walk on By - Leroy Van Dyke
1971My Sweet Lord /Isn’t It a Pity - George Harrison
Knock Three Times - Dawn
Black Magic Woman - Santana
Rose Garden - Lynn Anderson
1980Please Don’t Go - K.C. & The Sunshine Band
Escape (The Pina Colada Song) - Rupert Holmes
Rock with You - Michael Jackson
Coward of the County - Kenny Rogers
1989Every Rose Has Its Thorn - Poison
My Prerogative - Bobby Brown
Waiting for a Star to Fall - Boy Meets Girl
When You Say Nothing at All - Keith Whitley
1998Show Me Love - Robyn
Butterfly - Mariah Carey
Together Again - Janet Jackson
Longneck Bottle - Garth Brooks
2007Irreplaceable - Beyoncé
Fergalicious - Fergie
My Love - Justin Timberlake featuring T.I.
Want To - Sugarland
Happy Birthday George ‘Funky’ Brown of Kool and The Gang
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
ALL MY CHILDREN DAY
The ABC daytime drama, All My Children, created by Agnes Nixon, premiered on this day in 1970. The scene: Pine Valley, New York, which later became Pine Valley, Pennsylvania. (Isn’t TV fun? With just the change of a script, a town can move to another state.)
The story line centers around Erica Kane, the most popular character in All My Children, and her many husbands -- so many, in fact, that we lost count. Actress Susan Lucci has portrayed Erica Kane since the show started. And, in 1999, Lucci, after 18 years of disappointment at the DayTime Emmy Awards, finally earned recognition as AMC’s leading actress.
We’ve also lost count of the many DayTime Emmys that have been awarded to other performers and behind-the-scenes staffers of All My Children throughout the years.
The scripts of All My Children became known for covering subjects often considered taboo on daytime soaps -- story lines about homosexuality, racial bias and war are just a few of the social issues that play out on the TV screen on a daily basis on this risk-taker of a show.
And, as other soaps died around it, whether summer, spring, winter, or fall, All My Children’s seduction of an audience continues.
Events January 5
1825 - Alexandre Dumas (Sr.) fought his first duel. In the process, his pants fell down. Dumas told the story later in his memoirs.
1885 - The Long Island Railroad Company was the first to offer piggyback rail service. It transported farm wagons on trains and moved all those potatoes pretty fast! Where did all of Long Island’s (NY) potato farms go when they were replaced by houses, houses, houses?
1903 - The general public could use the Pacific cable for the very first time.
1914 - Here’s news from the labor front: Ford Motor Company proudly announced that there would be a new daily minimum wage of $5 and an (shortened) eight-hour work day.
1925 - The first female governor in the U.S. took office in Wyoming this day. A tip of the ten-gallon hat, please, to Mrs. Nellie Tayloe Ross who was sworn in during special ceremonies.
1933 - What is now a symbol of the great American West, the Golden Gate Bridge, went under construction. It would be called an engineering marvel when completed. Spanning the deep channel at the entrance to San Francisco Bay, with the Bay on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other, few people-made things are as beautiful as the Golden Gate Bridge. Quite a sight!
1935 - We proudly remind you that Phil Spitalny’s All-Girl Orchestra was featured on CBS radio this day on the program, The Hour of Charm.
1940 - The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) got its very first demonstration of FM radio. The new medium, free of interference, static, and noise in thunderstorms, was developed by Major E.H. Armstrong. The first FM transmitter was put in operation in 1941. What did it broadcast? Talk, of course. Well, not ‘talk’ per se, but lots of talking.
1941 - Decca record #23210 was recorded. The title: Chica Chica Boom Chic, by the lovely Carmen Miranda. It seems she sang the song in the film, That Night in Rio.
1944 - The London Daily Mail was the first transoceanic newspaper ever published.
1948 - Warner Pathe showed the very first color newsreel. Pictures of the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl football classic were seen by theatre audiences.
1955 - A tune used in a Studio One production became the #1 song on the pop music charts this day. Joan Weber’s song, Let Me Go, Lover, rode the hit parade as the most popular record in U.S. for four weeks straight. Before being aired on television, the song had only been heard on a limited basis. In fact, the title was even different. It used to be known as Let Me Go, Devil. Such romantics, those TV people...
1956 - After a whirlwind romance, screen actress Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier Grimaldi of Monaco, formally announced their engagement in New York and Monaco. It was the Cannes Film Festival of 1954 that turned out to be the life-changing event for Kelly. In a brief meeting with the prince in connection with a photo essay for French magazine, Kelly proceeded to capture his heart.
1961 - “Hello. I’m Mr. Ed!” “A horse is a horse, of course, of course”... you know the lyrics. Mr. Ed, the talking horse, debuted for what would be a six-year run. The show starred Alan Young as Ed’s owner, Wilbur Post. Wilbur’s wife, Carol, was played by Connie Hines. Good old neighbor Roger Addison was Larry Keating. The voice of Mr. Ed was... no, not Alan Young... rather, Allan ‘Rocky’ Lane... of course, of course.
1963 - Broadway news: Camelot Closed at the Majestic Theater after 873 performances; and Carnival! Closed at the Imperial Theater after 719 performances.
1968 - Dr. Benjamin Spock was indicted by a Boston federal grand jury for conspiracy to abet, aid and counsel draft dodgers.
1971 - Former (1962-1964) world heavyweight boxing champion Charles ‘Sonny’ Liston was found dead in his home in Las Vegas NV. He was 38 years old. Officially, the cause of his death (Dec 30, 1970) was listed as lung congestion and heart failure. Unofficially, the death appeared to be the result of a heroin overdose, and some police officials and Liston associates believed that Liston may have been the victim of foul play.
1972 - John Denver received a gold record for the album Aerie on this day.
1972 - President Richard M. Nixon announced that NASA would proceed with the development of a reusable ‘low cost’ space shuttle system. He signed a $5.5 billion dollar bill for its creation. Such a deal...
1975 - The Broadway premiere of The Wiz received enthusiastic reviews. The show, a black version of The Wizard of Oz, ran for 1,672 shows at the Majestic Theatre. Moviegoers, however, gave a thumbs down to the later cinema version of the musical that starred Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. One memorable song from the show is Ease on Down the Road.
1978 - The Sex Pistols began their first and only U.S. tour -- in Atlanta GA. Nine days later, the English punk rockers announced that they were breaking up.
1979 - John Travolta probably remembers that the soundtrack LP of Saturday Night Fever reached $25 million in sales.
1981 - Police in England arrested Peter Sutcliffe, a truck driver later convicted of the Yorkshire Ripper murders of twelve women.
1984 - The group, The Police, planned a farewell concert for March 2 in Australia. After nine years together, band members decided to go their separate ways.
1987 - When the Midshipmen beat East Carolina 91-66, this night, David Robinson became the first basketball player in Naval Academy history to score more than 2,000 points. Mr. Robinson went on to become a major star in the NBA.
1988 - Basketball star ‘Pistol’ Pete Maravich died of a heart attack during a pickup game in Pasadena, CA. He was 40 years old.
1993 - Mike Ditka was dismissed as Chicago Bears head coach after 32 years as a player and coach (11 seasons as head coach, 106-62). (In 1988, Ditka, who played in five Pro Bowls and two conference championships (1963 and 1971), was the first tight end to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.)
1994 - Former U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Thomas ‘Tip’ O’Neill died in Boston. He was 81 years old. O’Neill was a Democratic party stalwart whose political career spanned nine presidencies.
1995 - President Bill Clinton welcomed Republican congressional leaders to the White House, declaring, “we can do a lot of business together” to reform the way the U.S. government works.
1998 - U.S. Congressman Sonny Bono (R-CA) was killed when he skied into a tree at Heavenly Ski Resort on the Nevada-California line, 55 miles southwest of Reno, Nevada. He was 62.
1999 - A U.S. federal judge approved settlement of a class-action suit filed by African-American farmers. The agreement to compensate farmers for years of racial bias totaled $300 million. The farmers were paid $50,000 (tax-free) and had their government debts forgiven.
2000 - Democratic presidential hopefuls Al Gore and Bill Bradley engaged in a feisty debate in New Hampshire.
2001 - Motion pictures debuting in the U.S.: Chocolat (“One Taste is All It Takes”.), starring Juliette Binoche, Lena Olin, Johnny Depp and Judi Dench; and Traffic (“No One Gets Away Clean.”), with Michael Douglas, Don Cheadle, Dennis Quaid and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
2001 - In a blizzard of last-minute executive orders, U.S. President Bill Clinton curtailed road-building and logging on federal forest land.
2002 - Fifteen-year-old Charles Bishop crashed a stolen Cessna 172 airplane into the 40-story Tampa Bank of American building in Florida. There were fears at first that the crash was an act of terrorism, but the teen left a note saying he was acting alone.
2003 - Author and playwright Jean Kerr died at 79 years of age. She is best remembered for her book Please Don’t Eat the Daisies and her play Mary, Mary.
2004 - The U.S. began fingerprinting and photographing international passengers at 115 airports and 14 ports.
2005 - According to the 2005 Index of Economic Freedom, the U.S. had for the first time dropped from the top 10 free nations of the world. The index, released by The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal, placed Hong Kong at number one for the 11th consecutive year.
2006 - It was reported that U.S. President George Bush (II) had defied Congress by making a series of controversial recess appointments. Bush tapped former Navy Secretary and defense contractor Gordon England to become deputy defense secretary to fill the post once held by Paul Wolfowitz; he also appointed Dorrance Smith to become the Pentagon’s chief spokesman assistant secretary for public affairs; and the president appointed Julie L. Myers to head the Immigration and Customs Enforcement bureau at the Department of Homeland Security.
2007 - New films in U.S. theatres: Code Name: The Cleaner, starring Lucy Liu, Elizabeth Hurley, Cedric The Entertainer, DeRay Davis and Nicollette Sheridan; Freedom Writers, with Hilary Swank, Imelda Staunton, Patrick Dempsey, Scott Glenn and Mario; and Happily N’Ever After, starring Sigourney Weaver, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., George Carlin, Michael McShane, Patrick Warburton, Andy ****, Wallace Shawn and Jon Polito.
2007 - U.S. President George Bush (II) nominated John Michael McConnell, a retired U.S. Navy vice admiral, to be the next Director of National Intelligence (DNI). He would follow John Negroponte, who served 18 months as the first head over sixteen intelligence agencies.
2007 - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed Tanzania’s Foreign Minister Asha-Rose Migiro to be deputy secretary-general, calling her a highly respected leader and outstanding manager who has championed the developing world.
2008 - Hayden, Idaho: A man who believed he bore the “mark of the beast” used a circular saw to cut off one hand. He then cooked it in a microwave oven and called 911.
2009 - A survey in Hong Kong concluded that one in five residents was considering leaving the city because of its lousy air quality. Hong Kong’s leaders had insisted that the Chinese Mainland was the source of airborne pollutants, but experts think that most of Hong Kong’s acid rain comes from its own industry and transport.
2009 - Germany’s ruling coalition agreed to a 2-year fiscal stimulus package of €50 billion ($69 billion).
2009 - The California Supreme Court ruled that churches that break away from a national denomination may not take church assets with them.
2010 - U.S. cable-TV broadcaster ESPN said it would show some World Cup soccer matches live from South Africa in 3-D; and Japan’s Sony teamed up with Discovery Communications and IMAX to launch a 3-D TV network in the United States.
2011 - Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune opened in U.S. theatres. The historical documentary features Ochs, Joan Baez, Tom Hayden and Christopher Hitchens.
Birthdays January 5
1779 - Stephen Decatur
U.S. naval officer: “Our country right or wrong.”; died Mar 22, 1820
1794 - Edmund Ruffin
agriculturist: one of the originators of crop rotation and fertilization; publisher: Farmer’s Register; Confederate soldier: fired first shot on Fort Sumter in American Civil War; died June 15, 1865
1864 - Ban (Byron Bancroft) Johnson
Baseball Hall of Famer: president of Western League: changed minor league Western League to major league American League; helped eliminate an element of rowdyism, thus enhancing the game’s reputation; died Mar 28, 1931
1875 - James Stuart Blackton
artist, filmmaker: introduced animation and helped in development of cinematic art; died Aug 13, 1941
1876 - Konrad Adenauer
German statesman: Mayor of Cologne [1917-1933]; Chancellor of Federal Republic of Germany [1949-1963]; co-founder of Christian Democratic Union; led rebuilding of West Germany after WWII; died Apr 19, 1967
1885 - Art (Arthur) Fletcher
baseball: shortstop: NY Giants [World Series: 1911-1913, 1917], Philadelphia Phillies; 3rd base coach: NY Yankees [1927-1945]; manager: Philadelphia Phillies [1923-1926]; died Feb 6, 1950
1890 - Benny (Benjamin Michael) Kauff
baseball: NY Highlanders, Indianapolis Hoosiers, Brooklyn Tip-Tops, NY Giants [World Series: 1917]; led Federal League in batting [1914, 1915]; later banned from pro baseball for alleged gambling involvement; died Nov 17, 1961
1895 - Jeannette (Ridlon) Piccard
balloon pilot: 1st American woman to be free balloon pilot: set record [w/husband] for balloon ascent into stratosphere [57,579 ft. - 1934]; one of first women to become Episcopalian priest; died May 17, 1981
1901 - Luke (James Luther) Sewell
baseball: catcher: Cleveland Indians, Washington Nationals [World Series: 1933], Chicago White Sox [all-star: 1937], SL Browns; manager: St. Louis Browns: American League pennant [1944]; died May 14, 1987
1904 - Erica Morini
concert violinist; died Nov 1, 1995
1906 - Donald Randolph
actor: Topaz, Cowboy, Over-Exposed, The Silver Chalice, All American, The Brigand, Gambling House, Chief Crazy Horse; died Mar 16, 1993
1908 - George Dolenz
actor: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Last Time I Saw Paris, Song of the Sarong, No Time for Love, The Count of Monte Cristo [TV series]; died feb 8, 1963
1911 - Jean-Pierre Aumont
actor: Maria-Chapdelaine, Napoleon, The Happy Hooker, Windmills of the Gods, Becoming Colette; died Jan 30, 2001
1914 - George Reeves
actor: Adventures of Superman, Gone With the Wind, From Here to Eternity, Samson and Delilah; committed suicide by shooting himself June 16, 1959
1917 - Jane Wyman (Sarah Fulks)
Academy Award-winning actress: Johnny Belinda [1948]; How to Commit Marriage, Pollyanna, Magnificent Obsession, The Yearling, The Lost Weekend, My Favorite Spy, Falcon Crest, The Incredible Journey of Dr. Meg Laurel; TV hostess: Summer Playhouse, Fireside Theatre; former Mrs. Ronald Reagan; died Sep 10, 2007
1918 - Jeane Dixon
astrologer, newspaper columnist; died Jan 25, 1997
1919 - Al Blozis
track: Georgetown University: NCAA, IC4A, AAU: shotput championships [1940-1942], IC4A discus champion [1940-1942]; football: New York Giants tackle [1942-1944]; died Jan 31, 1945
1923 - Sam Phillips
record executive: Sun Records: The [Memphis] Million Dollar Quartet: Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Charlie Rich; died July 30, 2003
1925 - Louis Carnesecca
Basketball Hall of Fame coach: St. John’s University [526-200], NY Nets [114-138]
1926 - W.D. Snodgrass
poet: Heart’s Needle, The Fuhrer Bunker, The Complete Cycle, April Inventory; died Jan 13, 2009
1926 - Buddy Young
football: University of Illinois: Rose Bowl MVP [1947]; AAFC NY Yankees aka NFL NY Yanks, Dallas Texans , Baltimore Colts: NFL record: career average 27.7 yards per kickoff return; Baltimore Colts scout, director of player relations; died Oct 19, 1983
1928 - Fred Glover
hockey: NHL: Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks; AHL: player/coach: Cleveland Barons; died Aug 16, 2001
1928 - Walter ‘Fritz’ Mondale
U.S. Senator; Vice President [1977-1981]; Democratic presidential nominee [1984]
1931 - Alvin Ailey
choreographer: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: 79 ballets in repertoire - establishing a place for blacks in modern dance; died Dec 1, 1989
1931 - Robert Duvall
Academy Award-winning actor: Tender Mercies [1983]; A Family Thing, Stalin, A Show of Force, Days of Thunder , Colors, The Natural, True Confessions, Apocalypse Now, Network, The Godfather, M*A*S*H, True Grit, Countdown, Bullitt, To Kill a Mockingbird, Naked City
1932 - Chuck Noll
NFL football coach w/most Super Bowl wins: Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowls: IX, X, XIII, XIV
1935 - Earl (Jesse) Battey
baseball: catcher: Chicago White Sox, Washington Senators, Minnesota Twins [all-star: 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966/World Series: 1965]; died Nov 15, 2003
1938 - Lindsay Crosby
actor: Big Foot, Out of This World; son of crooner Bing Crosby; died Dec 11, 1989
1938 - Jim Otto
Pro Football Hall of Famer: Oakland Raiders center: 7 division championships, 1 AFL championship [Super Bowl II]; AFL’s only All League Center [1960 - 1969], All-AFC Center [1970 - 1972]
1941 - Chuck McKinley
tennis champion: Wimbledon [1963]; U.S. National Doubles [w/Dennis Ralston]; Davis Cup [1963]; died Aug 10, 1986
1941 - Grady Thomas
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer: Parliament-Funkadelic: One Nation Under a Groove, Atomic Dog, Flashlight, Maggot Brain, Cosmic Slop
1942 - Charlie Rose
TV host: CBS News Nightwatch, The Charlie Rose Show; TV news correspondent: 60 Minutes II
1942 - Wayne Rutledge
hockey: NHL: LA Kings
1945 - Sam Wyche
football: Washington Redskins quarterback [Super Bowl VII]; coach: Cincinnati Bengals [Super Bowl XXIII], Tampa Bay Buccaneers; TV sportscaster: NBC, CBS
1946 - Diane Keaton (Hall)
Academy Award-winning actress: Annie Hall [1977]; Sleeper, Hair, Love and Death
1947 - Mercury (Eugene) Morris
football [running back]: Miami Dolphins: Super Bowls VI, VII, VIII
1948 - Charlie (Charles Oliver) Hough
baseball: pitcher: LA Dodgers [World Series: 1974, 1977, 1978], Texas Rangers [all-star: 1986], Chicago White Sox, Florida Marlins
1948 - Ted Lange
actor: Perfume, Terminal Exposure, The Love Boat
1949 - George ‘Funky’ Brown
musician: drums: group: Kool and The Gang: Ladies Night, Celebration, I.B.M.C., LPs: Wild and Peaceful, Kool Jazz
1950 - Chris Stein
musician: guitar: group: Blondie: In the Flesh, Denis, [I’m Always Touched by Your] Presence Dear, Picture This, Hanging on the Telephone, Sunday Girl, Heart of Glass, Dreaming, Union City Blue, Atomic, The Tide is High, Rapture; solo: French Kissin’; scored theme: Fifteen Minutes
1953 - Pamela Sue Martin
actress: The Poseidon Adventure, Dynasty, The Nancy Drew Mysteries
1954 - Alex (Alexander) English
Basketball Hall of Fame forward: University of South Carolina; NBA: Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks
1954 - Bryan Hitt
musician: drums: group: REO Speedwagon: I Don’t Want to Lose You, Here With Me, Roll With the Changes, Keep on Loving You, That Ain’t Love, Take It on the Run
1958 - Ron (Ronald Dale) Kittle
baseball: Chicago White Sox [all-star: 1983], NY Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles
1959 - Clancy Brown
actor: Pathfinder, The Guardian, Dogg’s Hamlet, Cahoot’s Macbeth, Gambling, The Making of Daniel Boone, The Laramie Project
1962 - Suzy Amis
actress: The Usual Suspects, Nadja, Blown Away
1962 - Danny (Lynn) Jackson
baseball: pitcher: KC Royals [World Series: 1985], Cincinnati Reds [all-star: 1988/World Series: 1990], Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies [World Series: 1993/all-star:1994], SL Cardinals
1963 - Jeff (Jeffrey Joseph) Fassero
baseball: pitcher: baseball: pitcher: Univ of Mississippi; Montreal Expos, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, SL Cardinals, Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks
1964 - Grant Young
musician: drums: group: Soul Asylum: Say What You Will, Clarence...Karl Sold The Truck, Made to Be Broken, Time’s Incinerator, While You Were Out, Clam Dip And Other Delights, Hang Time, Soul Asylum and the Horse They Rode in On, Grave Dancers Union, Let Your Dim Light Shine, Candy from a Stranger
1966 - Kate Schellenbach
musician: drums: groups Beastie Boys: Pollywog Stew; Luscious Jackson: Fever in Fever Out, Electric Honey, Naked Eye [Grand Royal], Natural Ingredients
1967 - Ray Crockett
football: Baylor Univ; NFL: Denver Broncos, KC Chiefs
1968 - Stan Drulia
hockey: NHL: Tampa Bay Lightning
1968 - Carl T. Evans
actor: Walking on the Sky, Above and Beyond, Matlock: The Suspect, As the World Turns
1968 - Joe Juneau
hockey: Canadian National Team; NHL: Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabres
1968 - Felton Spencer
basketball: Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic
1969 - David Dixon
football: Arizona State Univ; NFL: Minnesota Vikings
1969 - Marilyn Manson (Brian Warner)
rock singer/performer: quote: “I picked Marilyn Manson as the fakest stage name of all to say that this is what show business is, fake. Marilyn Monroe wasn’t even her real name, Charles Manson isn’t his real name, and now, I’m taking that to be my real name. But what’s real?”
1969 - Shaun Micheel
golf: PGA champ [2003], NIKE Greensboro Open [1999], Singapore Open [1998]
1974 - Calvin Collins
football: Texas A&M; NFL: Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos
1974 - Damon Minor
baseball: SF Giants; twin brother of Ryan Minor
1974 - Ryan Minor
baseball: Baltimore Orioles; twin brother of Damon Minor
1974 - Mark Redman
baseball [pitcher]: Univ of Oklahoma, Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, Florida Marlins, Oakland A’s
1975 - Warrick Dunn
football: Florida State, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons RB
1975 - Mike Grier
hockey: NHL: Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabres
1976 - Jason Brookins
football: Lane Univ; NFL: Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers
1978 - Michael Wiley
football Ohio State Univ; NFL: Dallas Cowboys
1979 - Kyle Calder
hockey: NHL: Chicago Blackhawks
1979 - Ruben Quevedo
baseball [pitcher]: Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers
1980 - Garette Ratliff Henson
actor: Nevada, Three Wishes, Casper, Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All, For Their Own Good, The Adventures of Huck Finn
Chart Toppers January 5
1944My Heart Tells Me - The Glen Gray Orchestra (vocal: Eugenie Baird)
Paper Doll - The Mills Brothers
People Will Say We’re in Love - Bing Crosby
Pistol Packin’ Mama - Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters
1953Why Don’t You Believe Me - Joni James
Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes - Perry Como
Glow Worm - The Mills Brothers
Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes - Skeets McDonald
1962The Lion Sleeps Tonight - The Tokens
Run to Him - Bobby Vee
The Twist - Chubby Checker
Walk on By - Leroy Van Dyke
1971My Sweet Lord /Isn’t It a Pity - George Harrison
Knock Three Times - Dawn
Black Magic Woman - Santana
Rose Garden - Lynn Anderson
1980Please Don’t Go - K.C. & The Sunshine Band
Escape (The Pina Colada Song) - Rupert Holmes
Rock with You - Michael Jackson
Coward of the County - Kenny Rogers
1989Every Rose Has Its Thorn - Poison
My Prerogative - Bobby Brown
Waiting for a Star to Fall - Boy Meets Girl
When You Say Nothing at All - Keith Whitley
1998Show Me Love - Robyn
Butterfly - Mariah Carey
Together Again - Janet Jackson
Longneck Bottle - Garth Brooks
2007Irreplaceable - Beyoncé
Fergalicious - Fergie
My Love - Justin Timberlake featuring T.I.
Want To - Sugarland
Happy Birthday George ‘Funky’ Brown of Kool and The Gang
