Donald Trump was born on this date.
The thing on his head is of an indeterminate age.
It was on this date in 1777 that the Stars and Stripes was adopted as the official flag of the United States of America.
On June 14, 1877, the first Flag Day observance was held on the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the Stars and Stripes
June 14, 1967 -
One of the iconic films from the 60's, To Sir, with Love, premiered in the US on this date.
The film did so unexpectedly well in America that Columbia Pictures did market research to find out why so many people had gone to it. Their answer: Sidney Poitier.
June 14, 1985 -
One of John Houston's last films, the black comedy Prizzi's Honor, opened on this date.
Anjelica Huston is magnificent in this film
Today in History -
June 14, 1648 -
Midwife Margaret Jones is hanged in Boston for witchcraft on this date.
It is the first such execution for the Massachusetts colony, but not the first in the colonies.June 14, 1940 -
Rick and Elsa have a quick drink as they plan to leave Paris ahead of the Nazi invasion. Little does Rick know that Elsa does not plan to join him (but that's another story.)
Paris falls to the Nazis. Marshal Philippe Petain became the head of the French government and sued for peace. Gertrude Stein translated Petain’s speeches and hailed him as a hero of the French nation.
And sometimes, a rose is just a collaborator.
June 14, 1949 -
The wonderful black comedy Kind Hearts and Coronets, starring the ever present Alec Guinness, was released on this date.
Thankfully, plans for a remake starring Will Smith and Robin Williams has been shelved.
June 14, 1954 -
At the Lincoln Memorial, President Dwight Eisenhower signs a law inserting the words "under God" into the Pledge of Allegiance. Eisenhower declares: "From this day forward, the millions of our schoolchildren will daily proclaim in every city and town, every village and rural schoolhouse, the dedication of our nation and our people to the Almighty." Precisely which Almighty is left to the listener's imagination.
I would like to think that Ike was thinking about the Canaanite god - Baal.June 14, 1961 -
1980s pop music star Boy George is born in Kent, England.
As he later comes to describe his childhood, "I had five brothers and I was brought up drinking the same water and being fed the same doctrine as my brothers, but somehow I turned out to be a fabulous homosexual."
June 14, 1962 -
Albert DeSalvo murders Anna Slesersby by strangling her with the belt from her robe. She is only the first victim of The Boston Strangler.
Or did he?
June 14, 1966 -
The Vatican announces the abolition of its Index librorum prohibitum (Index of Prohibited Books), originally instituted in 1557 by Pope Paul IV. Notable novelists on the list were Laurence Sterne, Voltaire, Daniel Defoe, Honoré de Balzac, Jean-Paul Sartre.
If you are ever in doubt of what to read - check out the Index.June 14, 1976 -
The Gong Show debuts on NBC. People with dubious talents perform their acts before a celebrity panel of judges, who are free to eject the performer at any time by banging a large gong. The best non-gonged performer each night wins $516.32.
During the time the show is on the air, it's creator, Chuck Barris, suffered a complete mental breakdown, he says from the stress of being a secret CIA hit man.
No really, I'm not kidding you.
June 14, 1989 -
Zsa Zsa Gabor is arrested for slapping a Beverly Hills police officer and driving with an expired license. Afterwards Zsa Zsa complains to the press that the handling she received from the BHPD "was like Nazi Germany."
Ultimately, Gabor is convicted and sentenced to 72 hours in jail. Francesca Hilton, Zsa Zsa's daughter, is Paris and Nicky Hilton's aunt.
I'll let you draw your own conclusions.
And on a personal note:
Dear Nephew Irving,
Happy Birthday. Tante and I send you a million hugs and kisses. Once again, another year has gone by and we haven't seen you. Tante no longer believes herself to be the Empress Eugenie but Johnny Mathis. Thank goodness, we get better seating at the early bird dinners. We will just die quietly, we know that we are old and a great embarrassment to you. You should live your life, we don't want to be a bother. You should be happy on your birthday.
And so it goes.
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