One of the first neurotic holiday Christmas specials, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, premiered on this date
Although the animations were filmed in Japan, the entire soundtrack for Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer was recorded in a studio near Yonge Street in Toronto, Ontario; most of the singing and speaking cast were Canadian. (So remember - Blame Canada.)
December 6, 1896 -
Ira Gershwin, lyricist (and major writer of the American Song Book) was born on this date.
But Not For Me
I Can't Get Started
They Can't Take That Away From Me
'S Wonderful
If you're of an age, it part of the music you hear in your head as you walk down the street.
December 6, 1940 -
MGM released the 10th Marx Brothers film, Go West, on this date.
The elaborate chase climax was going to be deleted before filming because MGM execs thought it was too expensive.
Today in History:
It's the Feast of Saint Nicholas, yes that St. Nick.
Amongst other things, he is the patron saint of children and was known for his generosity. He's also known as the patron saint of sailors, fishermen, merchants, the falsely accused, prostitutes (Huh), repentant thieves, pharmacists and broadcasters.The biggest gift he ever gave was to a poor man and his three daughters. The man had no dowry to pay for his daughters and was worried that if they never married they would have no choice but to become prostitutes. Hearing this, Saint Nicholas visited the poor man at night and anonymously threw three purses filled with gold through his window. Because of this, he became the patron saint of pawnbrokers. Traditionally, three golden baubles are hung in the window of pawn shops to represent the three purses of money.
So now you know.
December 6, 1917 -
On the morning of December 6, the munitions ship Mont Blanc explodes in Halifax harbor after being struck by another ship, the Norwegian ship Imo. It is the largest explosion before the atomic age. The ship was carrying 200 tons of TNT, 61 tons of gun cotton, 35 tons of Benzyl, and 2,300 tons of picric acid; the explosion destroys 325 acres of the city, leaving 1,900 people dead and injuring over 9,000.
Luckily, Gordon Lightfoot didn't write a damn song about it.
December 6, 1955 -
N.Y. psychologist Dr. Joyce Brothers won the top prize on the TV quiz show The $64,000 Question by correctly answering questions on boxing .
Dr. Joyce Brothers is the only person to win both the $64,000 Question and the $64,000 Challenge.December 6, 1960 -
Domino's Pizza was founded by Thomas S. Monaghan.
And the pizza still sucks.
December 6, 1969 -
A concert by the Rolling Stones at Altamont ends in the death of a fan at the hands of the Hells Angels, who were hired for security. He was a fat hippie anyway. (Pleased to meet you, hope you guessed my name...)
(Contrary to a popular urban legend, Sympathy for the Devil was not playing while Meredith Hunter was being stabbed, rather, the song was Under My Thumb.
And Mr. Hunter was not a fat hippie but an African American)December 6, 1973 -
House minority leader Gerald R. Ford was sworn in as the first unelected Vice President, succeeding US Vice President Spiro T. Agnew (under President Richard M. Nixon.)
Agnew, the only VP to resign in disgrace, resigned on October 10, and pleaded no contest to one charge of income tax invasion in return for the dropping of all other charges, and was fined $10,000 and given three year's probation .
December 6, 1989 -
Andy, Opie, come in for dinner boys.
Frances Bavier - "Aunt Bee" on The Andy Griffith show died of heart failure on this date.
Suffering from advance stages of senility, Ms. Bavier became convinced that she was "Aunt Bee" towards the end of her life.
14 more shopping days until Hanukkah, 19 more shopping days until Christmas.
Did You Know?
After A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens wrote several other Christmas stories, one each year, but none was as successful as the original. Among some of the titles were, How Father Christmas, a Fat, Smelly, Rat Bastard, died in the chimney at 307A Gin Lane last Christmas, Oh no, Mother's drunk on the holiday punch again & Little Nell meets Jack the Ripper on Boxing Day.
And so it goes.
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