TODAY IS ...

25 JANUARY

BIRTHDAYS -

1980 - Alicia Keys - American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, (born Alicia J. Augello-Cook). 2001 US No.1 & UK No.3 single 'Fallin' and 2001 US No.1 & UK No.7 album 'Songs In A Minor'. Has sold over 25 million albums and singles worldwide and won numerous awards, including nine Grammys.

1979 - Christine Lakin - an American actress known for her role as Alicia "Al" Lambert on the 1990s ABC/CBS situation comedy Step by Step and as Joan of Arc in Showtime's Reefer Madness.

1975 - Mia Kirshner - a Canadian actress who works in movies and television series. She is best known for her portrayal of Jenny Schecter on Showtime's hit television drama series, The L Word. 

1971  - China Kantner - an American actress and former MTV VJ.

1969 - Kina - an American musician best known for her work with Grammy-nominated band Brownstone and her 2000 solo single "Girl from the Gutter".

1958 - Dinah Manoff - Tony Award-winning actress: I Ought to be in Pictures [1980]; Soap, Empty Nest

1957 -  Jenifer Lewis - actress Since 2000, she has played Lana Hawkins on the Lifetime television medical drama Strong Medicine, the show ended February 2006. In 2006, she had a featured role as the wedding planner in Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion. On April 22, 2008, Lewis replaced Darlene Love as Motormouth Maybelle in Broadway's Hairspray, a role that was originally written for her.

1945 - Leigh Taylor-Young - actress: I Love You Alice B. Toklas, Soylent Green, Can’t Stop the Music, Honeymoon Academy, Peyton Place, Dallas

1938 - Etta James - an American blues, soul, R&B, rock & roll, gospel and jazz singer and songwriter; the winner of four Grammys and seventeen Blues Music Awards. She was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Grammy Hall of Fame in both 1999 and 2008 

1936 - Diana Hyland - Emmy Award-winning actress: The Boy in the Plastic Bubble, The ABC Friday Night Movie [11/12/76], One Man’s Way, Eight is Enough, Peyton Place

1934 - Elizabeth Allen - American singer, actress. TV: The Jackie Gleason Show (the woman who proclaimed "And away we go!"), C.P.O. Sharkey (Capt. Quinlan), and Texas (Victoria Bellman).

1931 - Dean Jones - American singer, actor. Film: Tea and Sympathy, Beethoven, That Darn Cat (1965), The Love Bug (1969) and The Shaggy D.A. (1976).

1925 - Lee Van Cleef - an American film actor who appeared mostly in Western and action pictures. His sharp features and piercing eyes led to his casting as a villain in scores of films, though in later years he was often a film's protagonist, such as with his co-lead role as a former colonel in For a Few Dollars More.

1915 –Ewan MacColl - Folk singer songwriter - composer of ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ a hit for Roberta Flack in 1971.

OTHER EVENTS –

2009 - White Lies went to No.1 on the UK album chart with their debut album ‘To Lose My Life...’.

2008 - Billy Joel donates $500,000 to "Homes For Our Troops", an organization that aids disabled veterans

2007 - Ford Motor Co. said it had lost a staggering $12.7 billion in 2006, the worst loss in the company's 103-year history.

2006 – Miss Potter starring Renée Zellweger, Ewan McGregor and Emily Watson starts screening in Australia. The story of Beatrix Potter, the author of the beloved and best-selling children's book, "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" and her struggle for love, happiness and success.

2006 – Immortal hair rockers Motley Crue receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

2004- The second of two Nasa rovers sent to explore Mars landed on the surface of the planet to look for signs of water.

2004 - The historic Egyptian Theater in Hollywood screens Disney's Sleeping Beauty in its original 70MM format.

2004 – Pop Idol winner Michelle McManus tops the U.K. singles chart for a third week with “All His Time.” The new No. 1 album is Katie Melua’s Call Off the Search.

2004 - At the Golden Globe Awards, Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy goes to Bill Murray for his performance in Lost in Translation beating out Johnny Depp for his role in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

2004 – “The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King” takes home the awards in both musical categories of the Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif. Composer Howard Shore wins the best original score honor for his work on the film. He also shares the best original song award with collaborators Fran Walsh and Annie Lennox for the theme “Into the West.”

2002 - "Les Miserables" played for the 6,138th time to become the second-longest running show in Broadway history. "Cats" closed in 2000 with the record of 7,485 shows.

2001 – Starring Brendan Fraser, Elizabeth Hurley and Frances O'Connor, Bedazzled commences screening in Australia. Hopeless dweeb Elliot Richards is granted 7 wishes by the devil to snare Allison, the girl of his dreams, in exchange for his soul.

2000 – A 1930 lacquered aluminum record is discovered on which Frank Sinatra sings “Roses of Picardy.” It is believed to be the first ever solo recording made by Sinatra.

2000 – “Deep Purple In Concert With The London Symphony Orchestra Conducted By Paul Mann,” a double live CD of Deep Purple’s orchestral concerts at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Sept. 25 and 26 is released in the U.K.

1999 - The Rolling Stones begin their "No Security" Tour in Oakland, CA.

1999 – Paul McCartney launches a crusade against British radio and TV stations over the banning of “The Light Comes From Within,” the final song by his late wife Linda, because it contains language deemed offensive.

1998 – During a historic visit to Cuba Pope John Paul II demands the release of political prisoners and political reforms while condemning US attempts to isolate the country.

1997 - White Town went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Your Woman'. White Town was Jyoti Mishra, who created the hit in his bedroom. His only No.1.

1997 - 71st Australian Women's Tennis Martina Hingis beat Mary Pierce (62 62)

1996 – Sister My Sister starring Julie Walters and Joely Richardson commences screening in Australia. This all-woman production is set in provincial France in the early 1930's. Two young, country sisters enter domestic service in the bourgeois household of a penurious widow and her homely daughter.

1995- Moscow radar detected a nuclear missile launch from Norwegian waters headed right for them. Russian President Boris Yeltsin and his cabinet had five minutes to decide if this was an accident or the dreaded First Strike, warranting a full retaliatory launching of all Russian missiles against the US.. They decided it was a mistake, and it turned out the missile was only a Norwegian weather satellite being fired into orbit. Similar nail biting incidents happened to Jimmy Carter in 1980 and off the US coast in 1986.

1993 - Sears announces it is closing its catalog sales department after 97 years

1993 - Kung Fu: The Legend Continues: The TV show debuts, starring David Carradine as the grandson of the character he played in the original Kung Fu.

1993 - 20th American Music Award Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey win

1992 -The inaugural Big Day Out festival took place at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney. Acts appearing included, Nirvana, Beasts of Bourbon, Box The Jesuits, Celibate Rifles, Cosmic Psychos, The Clouds, Club Hoy, Died Pretty, Falling Joys, The Hard Ons with Henry Rollins Hellmen, Massappeal, The Meanies, Smudge, Sound Unlimited Posse, Ratcat, The Village Idiots, Violent Femmes and Yothu Yindi.

1992 - Wet Wet Wet had their second UK No.1 single with 'Goodnight Girl', it's four week stay at No.1 was helped by it's airing in ITV's Coronation Street's Christmas disco broadcast.

1992 - Color Me Bad scored their second US No.1 single with 'All 4 Love,' a No.5 hit in the UK.

1992 - "Don't Let the Sun Go Down" by George Michael & Elton John topped the charts and stayed there for a week.

1991 – Paul McCartney records a performance for MTV’s Unplugged.

1990 - The Righteous Brothers' Bill Medley guest stars on NBC's Cheers.

1989 – Family Business starring Sean Connery, Dustin Hoffman and Matthew Broderick starts screening in Australia. Jessie is an ageing career criminal who has been in more jails, fights, schemes, and line-ups than just about anyone else.

1988 - 15th American Music Award Anita Baker, Paul Simon & Whitney Houston

1986 - Norwegian group A-Ha were at No.1 in the UK with 'The Sun Always Shines On TV.' Becoming the first ever-Norwegian act to score a UK No.1.

1986 - James Brown's Living in America hits UK chart, peaking at No. 5: his only UK top 10 hit.

1986 - Bruce Springsteen's My Hometown climbs from No. 11 to No. 6, giving him his seventh top 10 single released from LP. Born in the USA, equalling the record set by Michael Jackson with Thriller.

1986 - Barbra Streisand started a three-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'The Broadway Album.'

1984, Yoko Ono donated £250,000 ($425,000) to Liverpool old people’s home Strawberry Fields.

1982 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do),” Daryl Hall & John Oates.

1982 - 9th American Music Award Kenny Rogers win

1980 – Bloodline starring Audrey Hepburn, Ben Gazzara and James Mason starts screening in Australia. When her father is murdered, a cosmetics heiress becomes the next target of an unknown killer amid the international jet set.

1979 - Jean-Luc Pepin and John Robarts release the Report of the Task Force on Canadian Unity; recommend that Quebec should have the power to maintain its language and culture, and that federal powers be reduce

1978 - Joy Division made their live debut when they played Pips in Manchester, England.

1975 - The Tymes were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Ms Grace'. The US group first charted in 1963 and had only two other hits before this No.1.

1975 - The Carpenters went to No.1 on the US singles chart with their version of The Marveletts 1961 hit 'Please Mr. Postman'.

1974 - Christian Barnard transplants first human heart without removal of old

1973 - The last large-sized issue of Life Magazine was published. It began publication in 1936. The last issue had the word "Good-bye" in the bottom right-hand corner.

1973 - On the British Columbia coast the Freighter Irish Stardust grounds north of Vancouver Island., spilling 378,000 litres of fuel oil, spill spreads 320 km south

1973 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Superstition,” Stevie Wonder. The song marks the first chart topping song for Wonder in more than nine years.

1971 - General Idi Amin seized power from President Milton Obote, the man who led Uganda to independence in 1962. The general led a military coup while the president was out of the country attending the Commonwealth conference in Singapore.

 

1970- Robert Altman’s groovy movie M*A*S*H premiered.

1970 - The Cars win the Rolling Stone magazine annual readers' poll as the best new band of the year.

1969 - The New Seekers were at No.1 on the UK album chart with their 'The Best Of' album.

1969 - Creedence Clearwater Revival releases the "Proud Mary" LP.

1967 - The Beatles made a last-minute remix of ‘Penny Lane’ before the pressing of their next double A sided single ‘Strawberry Fields Forever/Penny Lane’. Both songs were originally intended for forthcoming Beatles album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

1964 - First joint Soviet-American space effort: Echo II, a passive communications satellite, is launched.

1964 - The Beatles reached the #1 spot on the music charts, as their hit single, I Want to Hold Your Hand, grabbed the top position in Cash Box magazine, as well as on the list of hits on scores of radio stations. It was the first #1 hit for the Beatles. Billboard listed the song as #1 on February 1. The group’s second #1 hit song, She Loves You, was also released this day -- but not on Capitol Records. It was on Swan Records (#4152). Other songs by The Beatles were released on Vee Jay (Please, Please Me), M-G-M (My Bonnie with Tony Sheridan), Tollie (Twist and Shout), Atco (Ain’t She Sweet) and the group’s own label, Apple Records, as well as Capitol.

1963 - EMI awards the US record label Vee Jay the right to distribute Beatles records in America.

1963 - Cilla Black makes her stage debut at Liverpool's Cavern Club.

1962 - Sam Cooke's "Twistin' the Night Away," later done by Rod Stewart, is released on RCA Records. It will make it up to #9 on the pop chart and become the soul singer’s 15th top 40 hit.

1960 - The original cast recording of 'The Sound Of Music 'started a 16-week run at No.1 on the US album chart.

1960 - Sam Cooke records "Chain Gang"

1959 - American Airlines beings the first scheduled transcontinental U.S. passenger air service, featuring the new Boeing 707 jetliner.

1958 - Elvis Presley's "Jailhouse Rock" becomes the first single ever to enter the U.K. pop chart at Number One.

1955 - Columbia University scientists develop an atomic clock accurate to within one second in 300 years

1953 - In Liverpool, the Canadian Pacific liner Empress of Canada destroyed in a dockside fire; used as a troop ship during World War II.

1949 - The first Israeli election - Ben-Gurion's Mapai party wins

1949 - At the Hollywood Athletic Club the first Emmy Awards are presented.

1946 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” by Vaughn Moore.

1945 - Richard Tucker debuted at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City in the production of La Gioconda.

1944 - First woman Anglican priest: Miss Florence Tim-Oi Lee is ordained in China; the war had brought on a shortage of male priests.

1940 - Mary Martin recorded My Heart Belongs to Daddy -- for Decca Records. The song was her signature song until she starred in South Pacific in 1949. Then, Larry Hagman’s mother had a new trademark: “I’m gonna wash that man right out of my hair...”

1940 – Frank Capra directed Mr Smith Goes to Washington starring James Stewart, Jean Arthur and Claude Rains which started screening in Australia. A naive man is appointed to fill a vacancy in the US Senate. His plans promptly collide with political corruption, but he doesn't back down.

1937 - NBC radio presented the first broadcast of The Guiding Light. The program became the longest-running story line in daytime drama. The radio show remained until 1956. The Guiding Light began its long run on CBS-TV in 1952.

1932 - The first commencement exercises at Hebrew University in Jerusalem

1928 - Disney completes the 19th Oswald the Lucky Rabbit film, Ozzie of the Mounted, and ships it to Winkler Productions.

1924 - First winter Olympics: The games begin in Chamonix, France. Some of the new categories included speed skating, cross-country skiing, and ski jumping.

1917 - The Virgin Islands: The islands are purchased by the U.S. from Denmark for $25,000,000.

1915 - Transcontinental telephone service inaugurated (New York to San Francisco)

1915 - Giordano, Sardou & Moreau's opera "Madame Sans Gêne" premieres in New York City NY

1909 Richard Strauss' opera Elektra receives its debut performance at the Dresden State Opera.

1890 - Around the World in 80 Days: New York World reporter Nellie Bly - in an effort to beat Philéas Fogg's (from Jules Verne's novel) time for a trip around the world - arrives back in New York City. She had made it with eight days to spare.

1858 - Mendelssohn's Wedding March is performed for the first time in public, as the daughter of Britain's Queen Victoria marries the Prussian Crown Prince.