TODAY IS ... 20 NOVEMBER

TODAY IS ... 20 NOVEMBER

BIRTHDAYS: 1989 - Cody Linley - an American actor. Best known for his recurring role as Jake Ryan in the television series Hannah Montana and for being a contestant on the seventh season of Dancing With The Stars in which he was partnered with Julianne Hough.

Cody Linley

1988 - Rhys Wakefield - Australian actor best known for portraying Lucas Holden in the long running TV series Home and Away, a role he had played since August 2005 until February 2008, and for portraying the main character Thomas in the 2008 film The Black Balloon.

Rhys Wakefield

1959 - Sean Young – American actress - one of her most prominent roles was as the mistress of a ruthless Washington politician in 1987's No Way Out, playing opposite Kevin Costner. Other notable credits include Dune, Fatal Instinct, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend.

Sean Young

1956 - Bo Derek made a splash as Dudley Moore's lust object in the 1979 comedy 10.. As a sex symbol Derek was a huge success, but only briefly; 1984's Bolero erased the pleasant memory of 10, and Bo's career never recovered. After Bo was widowed in 1998 she returned to television in NBC's Wind on the Water. Her other films include Tommy Boy (1995, with Chris Farley) and Tarzan, the Ape Man (1981).

Bo Derek

1942 - Norman Greenbaum is a singer-songwriter.best known for his song "Spirit in the Sky", which sold two million copies across 1969 and 1970. This disc sold over one million by May 1970 alone, and received a gold disc awarded by the R.I.A.A..The song, with its combination of 'heavy' guitar, hand-clapping, and spiritual lyrics, has been used in many films, advertisements, and television shows.

Norman Greenbaum

1932 - Richard Dawson - British comedian who was picked to play Corporal Newkirk in the World War II sitcom Hogan's Heroes in 1965. Dawson next appeared in the comedy smash Laugh-In and the game show Match Game before taking what became his signature job: wisecracking, contestant-kissing host of the game show Family Feud. Dawson hosted the game from 1976 until 1985, and then again for one season in 1994. He also played an evil game show host in the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger film The Running Man.

Introduction to the First Episode of Hogan’s Heroes

1929 - Dick Clark -an American television, radio personality, game show host and businessman; he served as chairman and CEO of Dick Clark Productions, which he has sold part in recent years. He is best known for hosting long-running television shows such as American Bandstand, five versions of the Pyramid game show, and Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve.

Dick Clark in 1990

OTHER EVENTS: 2007 - Scribner (a division of Simon & Schuster) releases the book Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life by Steve Martin. A memoir of his life, the comic-turned-actor/director describes his young years selling guidebooks at the then newly-opened Disneyland.

2005 - Robbie Williams smashed a Guinness World Record by selling more than 1.6 million tickets for his 2006 World Tour in one day. The tickets, snapped up on the first day of sale, were valued at an estimated £80 million. 2005 - Disney's Broadway hit The Lion King performs show number 3,347

2005 – Madonna adds a ninth U.K. No. 1 album to her career tally, joining her 11th No. 1 single to complete her domination of the British sales charts. “Confessions on a Dance Floor” goes straight to No. 1 on the album survey, while “Hung Up” starts a second week at the singles chart peak. 2004 - After a near death experience, five boys, all devoted AC/DC fans, make a pact to bury their best friend next to the grave of Bon Scott. 12 years later, having gone their different ways, they come together to fulfill the promise. All shows in Thunderstruck starring Damon Gameau and Stephen Curry which commenced screening in Australia. 2000 - Spice Girl Mel C announced she was quitting the group during a TV interview on the ITV Frank Skinner show.

Mel C

1998 - Alanis Morissette does an in store performance for the opening of a Tower records store in Buenos Aires. Proceeds from the sale of her album for the day are donated to a local children's hospital. 1997 – Air Force One commences screening in Australia. Starring Harrison Ford, Glenn Close and William Macey, Air Force One is the story when hijackers seize the plane carrying the President of the United States and his family, but he (an ex-soldier) works from hiding to defeat them 1995 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Exhale (Shoop Shoop),” Whitney Houston. 1993 - Phil Collins went to No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Both Sides.'

1993 - Gun Control: The Brady Bill is passed by US Congress. It imposed a five-working-day wait when purchasing a handgun. 1992 - Fire erupted at Windsor Castle, Queen Elizabeth's official residence west of London, causing much damage. The queen and Prince Andrew pitched in to help save priceless artworks and other valuables housed in the fortress. The fire burned for 15 hours damaging or destroying nine principal rooms and over a hundred other rooms. It took a million and a half gallons of water to put out the blaze. The next five years would be spent restoring the Castle to its former glory. 1991 - The Rolling Stones announced they'd signed a £20 million deal with Virgin Records, to make three albums over six years. 1986 - UN's WHO announces first global effort to combat AIDS 1984 - The largest crowd to see the unveiling of a Hollywood Walk-of-Fame star turned out as Michael Jackson got his piece of the sidewalk right in front of Mann’s Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. ‘The Gloved One’ became star number 1,793 on the famed walk.

1982 - Drew Barrymore at age 7 hosts Saturday Night Live

Drew Barrymore

1981 - Ringo releases "Stop and Smell Roses" album 1980 – Gregory Peck, David Niven, Roger Moore and Trevor Howard star in The Sea Wolves which started screening in Australia. A true WW2 story: the British must attack a German ship but it's safe in neutral Goa. So they send civilians, ex-soldiers about 60 years old.

1979 - Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer were at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'No More Tears, Enough Is Enough', it made No.3 in the UK.

1976 - Paul Simon hosted NBC's Saturday Night Live where he performed live with George Harrison on ‘Here Comes The Sun’ and ‘Homeward Bound’. Paul McCartney and John Lennon were both in New York City watching the show on TV. 1971 - Isaac Hayes started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Theme From Shaft', it made No.4 in the UK. Hayes won a Grammy award for Best Original Film Score with 'Theme From Shaft'. 1970 - James Taylor hits UK chart with 'Sweet Baby James' LP

1967 - Strawberry Alarm Clock were at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Incense And Peppermints'. 1966 - "Cabaret" opens at Broadhurst Theater NYC for 1166 performances. 1965 - The Supremes had their sixth US No.1 single with 'I Hear A Symphony' it peaked at No.39 in the UK. 1963 - Disney's live-action feature film The Incredible Journey is released. The story of 3 pets, a cat and two dogs, who lose their owners when they are all on vacation. 1962 - The Four Seasons' "Big Girls Don't Cry" is released on Vee Jay Records. It goes up to Number One, as does their first (and current) hit, "Sherry." Both songs feature lead singer Frankie Valli's falsetto. 1961 - Bob Dylan started recording his debut album over two days at Columbia Recording Studios in New York City 1955 - The song that changed popular music history 'Rock Around The Clock' by Bill Haley & His Comets went to No.1 on the UK singles chart. The song was used under the opening credits of the film Blackboard Jungle. The song entered the charts a further six times until 1974. 1947 - Britain's future queen, Princess Elizabeth , married Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh, in a ceremony broadcast worldwide from Westminster Abbey.

The Royal Families

1945 – Nuremberg Trials: Trials against 24 Nazi war criminals start at the Palace of Justice at Nuremberg.

The Defendants in the Trial

1930 - Major General Douglas MacArthur becomes Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army.

Major General Douglas MacArthur

1926 - The 1926 Imperial Conference accords Australia the status of self-governing Dominion, of equal status to Great Britain. 1923 - One of the first traffic signals in the United States was patented by an African American. Garrett Morgan applied for and acquired a U.S. patent for this invention. The patent number was 1,475,024. Morgan's technology was later patented in Great Britain and Canada. General Electric bought Morgan's patent for $40,000, and his traffic management device was used throughout North America until it was replaced by the red, yellow and green traffic signals currently used around the world.

Designs for Traffic Signals