Birthdays: Spinoza, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, Scott Joplin,
Zachary Taylor, Carrie Nation, Dick Powell, Garson Kanin, Cass Gilbert-the
architect of the first skyscraper, Alvan Barkley-Truman’s VP, William F.
Buckley, John Lindsay, Dale Carnegie- author of How to Win Friends and
Influence People, Steve Yeager, Denise Crosby, Billy Connolly is 76
1904- Alfred Steiglitz and Edward Steichen opened 291, the
first art gallery dedicated exclusively to the art of photography.
1933- The RKO movie Flying Down to Rio released,
meant as a starring vehicle for Dolores Del Rio, but what we remember is it is
the first pairing of the famous dance team of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
1937- The Andrew Sisters record their Boogie-Woogie version
of “Bei Mir Bist Du Schon”, an old Yiddish song that was updated by Bennie
Goodman.
1941- After suffering a strike and declining revenue because
of the war in Europe, Walt Disney’s studio was in trouble. Animator Ward Kimball noted in his diary for
this day: “ 100 layoffs announced. Studio
personnel from 1600 down to a Hyperion level of 300. Geez, It this the writing
on the wall?”
1947- THE HOLLYWOOD BLACKLIST- 50 Hollywood moguls like
Harry Cohn, Jack Warner and Dori Charey meet at the Waldorf Astoria in New York
to formulate a group response to the House UnAmerican Activities Committee
anti-commie hearings that were targeting Hollywood. Besides the heat from the
feds their stockholders were clamoring for them to get the Reds out! They
agreed to enforce an industry-wide blacklisting of anyone refusing to cooperate
with the HUAC Committee. Nothing was ever officially written down or published,
if you were blacklisted you suddenly were unable to find any work.
Eric Johnston,
spokesman for the Motion Pictures Assoc. said on this day: "As long as I live, I will never be party ot anything as
unAmerican as a blacklist!”.
Two days later on
Nov. 26th he said: " We will
forthwith discharge and never again knowingly employ a Communist. Loyalty oaths
for the Entertainment Industry are now compulsory." Out of an estimated 15,000 entertainment workers only around 300 were ever
actually proven to be Communists. Famous blacklist victims included Zero
Mostel, Lillian Hellman, Lloyd Bridges, Dashell Hammett, Gale Sondergaard,
Edward G. Robinson, Sterling Hayden & Dalton Trumbo.
1950- The musical Guys & Dolls opened. “ I got da horse right here, his name is
Paul Revere, I know a jock who tells me Never Fear, Can Do- Can Do..The Jock
sez da horse can –do ”
1958- The musical film Gigi opened, music by Lerner &
Lowe. Based on the writings of French author Collette, Collette herself had
insisted young unknown Dutch actress Audrey Hepburn play the lead.
1968- Hey Jude by the Beatles topped the pop charts while
Tammy Wynette’s Stand By Your Man headed the Country & Western listing.
1991- Freddy Mercury, lead singer of the rock group Queen,
died of HIV/AIDS.
1998- America On Line bought
their chief competitor Netscape.
1999- Pixars Toy Story 2. in theaters.
2000- Catherine Zeta-Jones
married Michael Douglas.
2010- Disney’s Tangled released.
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