Animation fun facts for Dec 9, 2014

Birthdays: Sappho, John Milton, Jean De Brunhoff, Emile Waldteufel the composer of the Skaters Waltz, Admiral Grace Hopper 1906 who wrote the earliest computer language, Elzie Segar the creator of Popeye, Hermoinie Gingold, Dalton Trumbo, John Cassavettes, Broderick Crawford, Dick Butkus, Kirk Douglas-born Issur Danielevitch is 98, Red Foxx, Cesar Franck, John Malkovich is 61, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Buck Henry is 84, Felicity Huffman, Judy Dench is 80

1946- Damon Runyon died, the writer whose characters the musical "Guys and

Dolls' are based. His philosophy:  "All life is six to five against."

1948-Actor Ossie Davis married actress Ruby Dee.

1960-  Coronation Street premiered on British ITV.

1964-John Coltrane recorded his landmark jazz album “The Love Supreme”. Late on

foggy nights Trane liked to take his saxophone out onto the middle of San Francisco’s

Golden Gate Bridge and practice by himself. 

1965- Bill Melendez's "A Charlie Brown Christmas" the first half hour

animated t.v. special featuring the music of Vince Guaraldi.  Producer Lee Mendelson

had heard Guaraldi's jazz combo perform in San Francisco. He never scored a

film before:" How many yards of music do you want?" A Charlie Brown Christmas has run every year for 49 years.

1968- Douglas Engelbardt of Stanford demonstrated the first computer work station at Brooks Hall in SF.

1994- Disney Animators in California move into their new Animation building designed

by Robert Stern.

2340- Mr Worf, the Klingon officer of Star Trek Next Generation was born.