In 1902 while on a hunting trip with Mississippi Gov. Andrew H. Longino, President Teddy Roosevelt was offered the opportunity to shoot a bear tied to a tree. Seeing this as extremely unsportsmanlike, Roosevelt refused to shoot the bear. News spread quickly (or as quickly as it could in 1902), that the great huntsman Roosevelt has refused to shoot the animal.
November 16, 1969 -
BJ Thomas released his hit, Hooked on a Feeling on this date.
Please don't click on this version unless you want the Ooga Chuka ear worm for rest of the week.
November 16, 1969 -
David Bowie appeared in his first TV special, 1980 Floor Show, broadcast on NBC's Midnight Special, on this date.
The show was a spectacular stage production that was filmed over three days, mostly at The Marquee Club, in Soho, London. It would be Bowie’s last performance as the Ziggy Stardust persona with The Spiders From Mars. (For those with prurient minds, look for a brief flash of Marianne Faithfull's bare behind at the end.)
November 16, 1974 –
John Lennon's song Whatever Gets You Thru the Night hits #1 on the Billboard charts on this date.
With this song, John Lennon became the last of the Beatles to hit #1 US in their respective post-Beatles careers. By this time Paul McCartney had hit #1 three times, and George Harrison and Ringo Starr twice each.
November 16, 1977 -
Steven Spielberg's sci-fi classic, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, opened on this date.
Richard Dreyfuss had become quite interested in the ideas behind Close Encounters of the Third Kind when he heard Steven Spielberg talking about them on the set of Jaws. When Dreyfuss heard that casting for the film was underway, he made a concerted effort to persuade Spielberg to take him on.
November 16, 1979 -
Paul McCartney released what many consider the worst Christmas tune ever, Wonderful Christmastime, on this date.
Paul has the last laugh concerning the song, music industry sources estimate that McCartney makes between $400,000 to $600,000 annually from royalties on Wonderful Christmastime alone.
November 16, 1981 –
One of the most-watched weddings in American television history, with over 30 million viewers, Luke Spencer and Laura Webber's wedding on General Hospital premiered on ABC-TV on this date. (Try not to remember that this romance started with a rape.)
Elizabeth Taylor, an avowed General Hospital fan, guest-starred in the wedding episode as Mikkos’ vengeful widower, who curses the happy couple. And Princess Diana sent the actors champagne.
November 16, 1986 -
The theme of the show is Raisins - the first comedic television miniseries ever to air in the U.S., Fresno, starring Carol Burnett, Teri Garr, Charles Grodin, Dabney Coleman, Jerry Van Dyke, and Tom Poston, premiered on CBS, on this date.
Charles Grodin recalls that during filming, Jerry Van Dyke asked him several times if he thought the show felt like it was going to be a hit. Around the third time, Grodin countered with "Well, what do you think?", to which Van Dyke replied "It doesn't matter what I think, because I've never been in a hit."
November 16, 1994 -
The Peter Jackson film, Heavenly Creatures, starring Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey, in their film debuts, opened in the U.S. on this date.
Since the Parker-Hulme murder had been an infamous crime that was strongly sensationalized in New Zealand history, Peter Jackson decided rather than do a film that would be a historical look back at the crime to instead create a drama about Parker and Hulme's intense friendship. In addition to reading Pauline Parker's diary, Jackson and company undertook a nationwide search for anyone who had known the girls and interviewed them to get a closer look at their lives.
Another job posting from The ACME Employment Agency
Today in History:
November 16, 42 BC -
John the Baptist and Jesus were put to death during his reign, as well as many others whose deaths didn't result in the creation of a religion.
November 16, 1906 -
Opera star Enrico Caruso was charged with an indecent act committed in the monkey house of New York's Central Park Zoo on this date. He pinched the bottom of a woman described as "pretty and plump", causing outrage amongst New York high society. Caruso claimed a monkey pinched the lady's bottom.
November 16, 1913 -
Whatever you do, don't disparage M. Proust.
Unable to find a publisher willing to publish the first part of his ambitious three-volume novel, Marcel Proust paid the cost of publication himself of Du Côté de Chez Swann (Swann's Way,) the first volume of what turns out to become the seven-part novel À la Recherche du Temps Perdu (In Search of Lost Time or Remembrance of Things Past,) on this date.
November 16, 1920 -
Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services (Qantas), Australia's national airline, was founded on this date.
It is the third oldest airline in the world, after KLM and Avianca. On October 20, 2019, Qantas Airways completed the longest commercial flight to date between New York and Sydney using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in 19hr 20min.
November 16, 1938 -
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) was first made by Albert Hofmann, a Swiss chemist, on this date from ergotamine, a chemical from the fungus, ergot.
Lysergic acid diethylamide causes people who take it to witness illusions. It is often referred to by the slang name acid.
November 16, 1949 -
On this date, students in the Belgian city of Ghent stormed the Gravensteen castle, lowered the portcullis (the gate at the entrance of medieval castles) and threw fruit from the walls at the police to protest a new tax on beer.
November 16, 1952 -
Lucy holds a football for Charlie Brown in the Peanuts cartoon strip for the first time on this date.
November 16, 1960 -
Working on the film, The Misfits was a trying experience for all involved. Marilyn Monroe's marriage was unraveling before the cast and crews eyes. Clark Gable, became bored while waiting for Monroe to turn up on the set. Gable, 59 (but a long-time smoker and drinker was in poor health) opted to do his own stunts, which included being dragged by a truck traveling at 30 mph. On the last day of filming, Gable said, "Christ, I'm glad this picture's finished. She (Monroe) damn near gave me a heart attack."
On the next day, Gable suffered a severe coronary thrombosis. He died at the hospital from a heart attack several days later, on this date. Marylin Monroe died of an alleged drug overdose (murder) a year later. Montgomery Clift, lingered around another six years, committing "the longest suicide in Hollywood," - heaving drinking and drug taking.
November 16, 1971 -
Her fog, her amphetamine, and her pearls...
Allegedly when learning of Sedgwick's death, Andy Warhol responded with "Edie who?" She was 28 years old.
November 16, 1981 -
Actor William Holden died after a fall, hitting his head on a table probably on November 12, 1981. He was too drunk to telephone for assistance; instead he died alone, bleeding to death trying to treat his wound with Kleenex. After failing to answer telephone calls from concerned friends, his body was found on this date. If it wasn't so sad, it would sound like the end of a classic film-noir.
Years later, Suzanne Vega refers to his ignominious death in her song, Tom's Diner.
Before you go - Apparently the most highly anticipated events during the holidays in England are the dropping of their holiday commercials. Ah the British and their Christmas supermarket adverts. The first one I want to share is for the chain Sainsbury (at least it's narrated by Stephen Fry.) -
If you listen very closely, for some reason, an orchestral version of the 90s hit Teenage Dirtbag, is playing in the background. The next one is for the upscale food shops of the department store, Mark and Spencer M&S Food -
Dawn French reprised her role as the festive Fairy – this time joined by her comedy partner Jennifer Saunders.
And so it goes
Book recommendation: "A Libertarian Walks into a Bear." Sociology, politics, philosophy, humor, and bears. You'd like it.
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