January 8, 2012

120 years ago
1892

Crime
A Chilean court indicted three Chileans and one American for their roles in the October 16, 1891 brawl between U.S. sailors and Chilean nationals outside the True Blue Saloon in Valparaiso.

100 years ago
1912

Born on this date
Jose Ferrer. U.S. actor and director. Born José Vicente Ferrer de Otero y Cintrón in Santurce, Puerto Rico, Mr. Ferrer was best known for playing Cyrano de Bergerac, for which he won a Tony Award (1947), Academy Award (1950), and Emmy Award (1955). He died 18 days after his 80th birthday.

70 years ago
1942

Born on this date
Stephen Hawking. U.K. physicist. The world's most famous theoretical physicist is best known for his book A Brief History of Time (1988), about which movie critic Roger Ebert said, "Millions bought the book--and thousands finished it." Dr. Hawking was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at the age of 21, and doctors gave him two years to live; as Maxwell Smart would say, "Missed it by that much!"

60 years ago
1952

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Flare Week, starring Eileen Heckart, Conrad Janis, and Edmon Ryan

50 years ago
1962

On the radio
Macabre, on USAFRS Far East Network
Tonight's episode: The Edge of Evil

This was the last episode of the series.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Carleton Hobbs and Norman Shelley, on BBC
Tonight's episode: The Priory School

On television tonight
Thriller, hosted by Boris Karloff, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Waxworks, starring Oscar Homolka, Martin Kosleck, and Antoinette Bower



40 years ago
1972

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K.: I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)--New Seekers

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Brand New Key--Melanie (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 American Pie, Parts I and II--Don McLean
2 Brand New Key-Melanie
3 Cherish--David Cassidy
4 Got to Be There--Michael Jackson
5 Family Affair--Sly and the Family Stone
6 Let's Stay Together--Al Green
7 Scorpio--Dennis Coffey and the Detroit Guitar Band
8 Sunshine--Jonathan Edwards
9 Hey Girl--Donny Osmond
10 Sugar Daddy--The Jackson 5

Singles entering the chart were Floy Joy by the Supremes (#84); Oh Me Oh My (I'm a Fool for You Baby) by Aretha Franklin (#92); and Another Puff by Jerry Reed (#96).

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 Brand New Key--Melanie
2 An Old Fashioned Love Song--Three Dog Night
3 Got to Be There--Michael Jackson
4 Cherish--David Cassidy
5 All I Ever Need is You--Sonny and Cher
6 American Pie, Parts I and II--Don McLean
7 Hey Girl--Donny Osmond
8 Devil You--Stampeders
9 Lonesome Mary--Chilliwack
10 Family Affair--Sly and the Family Stone

Singles entering the chart were Stay with Me by the Faces (#77); Out of My Mind by Rain (#87); Cotton Jenny by Anne Murray (#88); Bang a Gong (Get it On) by T. Rex (#94); Tupelo Honey by Van Morrison (#95); Without You by Nilsson (#96); To Claudia on Thursday by Doherty and Haskell (#97); Together Let's Find Lovee by the 5th Dimension (#98); Precious and Few by Climax (#99); and Clean Up Woman by Betty Wright (#100).

Calgary's Top 10 (Glenn's Music)
1 American Pie, Parts I and II--Don McLean
2 Baby I'm-A Want You--Bread
3 Day After Day--Badfinger
4 Brand New Key--Melanie
5 Do I Love You--Paul Anka
6 I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)--New Seekers
7 Sunshine--Jonathan Edwards
8 Lonesome Mary--Chilliwack
9 Sour Suite--The Guess Who
10 Nothing to Hide--Tommy James
Pick hit of the week: Friends with You--John Denver

Died on this date
Kenneth Patchen, 60. U.S. poet and artist. Mr. Patchen was a pacifist whose poetry often dwelt on the loss of innocence in society and the corrupted human spirit. Collections of his poems were accompanied by his paintings and drawings, and his public readings were acompanied by jazz music. Mr. Patchen attracted just a cult following in his lifetime, but he influenced the San Francisco Renaissance and the Beat Generation. He long suffered from health problems deriving from a back injury in 1937.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden: Ooa Hela Natten--Attack (8th week at #1)

Diplomacy
Spanish Prime Minister Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo announced that his country would reopen the border with Gibraltar on April 20. The border had been closed for 12 years and was to be opened on the day that Spain and the U.K. began discussions concerning Gibraltar's status. Spain claimed that Gibraltar was rightfully Spanish territory, while most of Gibraltar's 29,000 inhabitants were believed to be in favour of remaining a British territory. Britain had controlled the peninsula since 1704.

Business
The American Telephone & Telegraph Bell System telephone monopoly agreed to divest itself of 22 Bell System companies and split into seven "baby Bells."

Economics and finance
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the nation's unemployment rate had increased from 8.4% to 8.9% during December 1981. It was estimated that 9,462,000 people were out of work, including 460,000 who had been laid off in December. The unemployment rate for adult men stood at 8%, a post-World War II high. For Negroes the figure was 16.1%.

25 years ago
1987

On television tonight
Our World, hosted by Linda Ellerbee and Ray Gandolf, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Inner Struggles: Fall, 1975



Economics and finance
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 2,002.25, its first finish above 2,000.

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden: Black or White--Michael Jackson (8th week at #1)

On television tonight
The Wonder Years, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Road Test

Diplomacy
U.S. President George Bush, in Tokyo for trade talks with Japanese government and business leaders, fell ill with intestinal flu during a state dinner at the residence of Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, vomited on the Prime Minister, and returned to his suite at the Akasaka Palace.

Politics and government
Virginia Governor Douglas Wilder, who had attracted little support, withdrew from the contest for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in order to concentrate on his duties as governor.

Health
Canadian Health Minister Benoit Bouchard announced a temporary ban on silicone breast implants, two days after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had issued a ban on the implants in the United States.

10 years ago
2002

Space
Astrophysicist Kenneth Lanzetta presented evidence indicating that stars originally formed rapidly and profusely, challenging the general assumption that stars formed gradually.

Baseball
Ozzie Smith, who played shortstop with the San Diego Padres (1978-1981) and St. Louis Cardinals (1982-1996), recording a .282 batting average in 2,573 games, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Mr. Smith, nicknamed the "Wizard of Oz," was known for his spectacular defensive ability.