TODAY IS ...
31 JANUARY
BIRTHDAYS -
1981 - Justin Timberlake - singer, *NSYNC, (2000 US No.1 single 'It's Gonna Be Me', 1999 UK No.5 single 'I Want You Back'). Solo, (2003 UK No.2 & US No.3 single 'Cry Me A River'). His second solo album 'FutureSex/LoveSounds' was released in 2006 with the U.S. number-one hit singles 'SexyBack', 'My Love' and 'What Goes Around... Comes Around.' With his first two albums, Timberlake has sold over fourteen million albums worldwide. Has his own record label called Tennman Records.
1977 - Kerry Washington is an American actress known for her roles as Ray Charles's wife, Della Bea Robinson, in the film Ray (2004), as Idi Amin's wife Kay in The Last King of Scotland, and as Alicia Masters, love interest of Ben Grimm, The Thing, in the live-action Fantastic Four films of 2005 and 2007. She has also starred in the critically acclaimed independent films Our Song and The Dead Girl.
1977 - Kate Shindle is an American actress, singer, dancer, and AIDS activist. She came to fame as Miss America 1998, where she represented the state of Illinois as Miss Illinois 1997.
1973 - Portia de Rossi is an Australian actress, best known for her roles as lawyer Nelle Porter on the television series Ally McBeal and Lindsay Bluth Fünke on the sitcom Arrested Development. She portrays Veronica Palmer on the ABC sitcom Better Off Ted.
1970 - Minnie Driver is an English actress and singer-songwriter. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the 1997 film Good Will Hunting. - 2004 album ‘Everything I’ve Got In My Pocket’, was once a member of UK band Puff, Rocks and Brown who were signed to Island records.
1966 - Dexter Fletcher is an English actor best known for his television roles in such shows as the dramedy Hotel Babylon, the critically acclaimed HBO series Band of Brothers and earlier in his career, the children's show Press Gang.
1959 - Anthony M. LaPaglia is an Australian actor who is known for his Golden Globe Award-winning role as FBI agent Jack Malone on the American TV series Without a Trace, and for his Emmy Award-winning portrayal of Simon Moon on the TV show Frasier.
1947 - Jonathan Banks is an American character actor in film and television whose best-known movie roles are in two films starring Eddie Murphy: 48 Hrs. and Beverly Hills Cop.
1941 - Jessica Walter is an American actress, known for the film Play Misty for Me and for her role as Lucille Bluth on the sitcom Arrested Development. She recently had a starring role for the first half of season 1 of 90210.
1938 The birth of Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands
1937 - Suzanne Pleshette was an American actress, on stage, screen and television. After beginning her career in theatre, she began appearing in films in the early 1960s, such as Rome Adventure (1962) and Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (1963). She later appeared in various television productions, often in guest roles, and played the role of Emily Hartley on The Bob Newhart Show from 1972 until 1978, receiving Emmy Award nominations for her work.
1934 - James Franciscus was an American actor. His first big role was as Detective Jim Halloran in the half-hour version of ABC's The Naked City television series. He was also frequently seen in feature films of the 1960s and 1970s such as Snow Treasure, The Amazing Dobermans, Marooned, Beneath the Planet of the Apes, City on Fire, and When Time Ran Out.
1921 - Mario Lanza was an American tenor and Hollywood movie star of the late 1940s and 1950s. Orchestra conductor Arturo Toscanini called him "the greatest voice of the twentieth century." Others referred to him as the "New Caruso," after his "instant success" in Hollywood films, while MGM hoped he would become their "singing Clark Gable" with his good looks and powerful voice
1921 - Carol Channing is an American singer and actress. She is the recipient of three Tony Awards (including one for lifetime achievement), a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination. Channing is best remembered for originating, on Broadway, the musical-comedy roles of bombshell Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and matchmaking widow Dolly Gallagher Levi in Hello, Dolly!.
1882 - Anna Pavlova - Celebrated Russian prima ballerina
OTHER EVENTS –
2008 - Natasha Bedingfield entered the US chart at number three with her album Pocketful of Sunshine, equaling the record set by soul singer Sade in having the highest-ever US chart debut for a UK-signed female. The British singer sold 50,000 copies of the record in its first week of release.
2008 - 3.10 to Yuma starring Russell Crowe, Christian Bale and Peter Fonda commenced screening in Australia. A small-time rancher agrees to hold a captured outlaw who's awaiting a train to go to court in Yuma. A battle of wills ensues as the outlaw tries to psych out the rancher.
2007 - Jim Morrison was enlisted to help fight global warming more than 35 years after his death. ‘Woman in the Window’, a previously unreleased poem written and recorded by The Doors frontman shortly before he died in 1971 was being set to music and used to publicise the Global Cool campaign.
2006 - Walt Disney Pictures The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe receives Oscar nominations for Sound mixing, makeup, and visual effects.
2005 - Keanu Reeves received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2003 – Robbie Williams topped a chart based on UK album sales from the past 5 years. The ex Take That singer had sold 9.7 million albums in Britain, an average of more than 5,000 every day. The Corrs were in second place with 5.8m sales, Westlife in third with 5.1, Madonna in fourth with 5m and The Beatles in fifth with 4.7m
2002 - Owen Wilson, Gene Hackman and Gabriel Macht star in Behind Enemy Lines which started screening in Australia. A Navy navigator is shot down over enemy territory and is ruthlessly pursued by a secret police enforcer and the opposing troops. Meanwhile his commanding officer goes against orders in an attempt to rescue him.
2002 – Mulholland Dr. commences screening in Australia starring Naomi Watts, Ann Miller and Dan Hedaya starts screening in Australia. After a car wreck on the winding Mulholland Drive renders a woman amnesic, she and a perky Hollywood-hopeful search for clues and answers across Los Angeles in a twisting venture beyond dreams and reality.
1999- The first episode of Seth McFarlane’s show Family Guy premiered.
1999 - US dance music producer Armand Van Helden went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'You Don't Know Me'. Helden also had a No.1 with the remix of the Tori Amos track 'Professional Widow'.
1999 – Reba McEntire closes her first European tour with a sold-out performance in Munich, Germany.
1998 - Usher went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'You Make Me Wanna'. The US hip-hop vocalist and actor was 18 at the time.
1998 – Jersey stalwarts Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi and Southside Johnny perform at the Come Together benefit concert. Former E Street Band members Max Weinberg, Danny Federici and Clarence Clemons join Springsteen. Proceeds from the gig go to the family of Sgt. Patrick King, a Long Branch cop killed in the line of duty.
1998 - 72nd Australian Womens Tennis: Martina Hingis beats C Martinez (63 63)
1994 - German based BMW buys Rover cars from British Aerospace for 800 million
1993 - 81st Australian Mens Tennis: Jim Courier beats S Edberg (62 61 26 75)
1990 - George Cohon, head of Canadian franchise subsidiary opens first McDonald's fast-food restaurant in Pushkin Square, the world's biggest McDonald's Moscow Russia
1988 - Janet Jackson started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Together Again'.
1987 – Paul Simon went back to No. 1 on the UK album chart with ‘Graceland’, the album stayed on the chart for 101 weeks.
1987 - Madonna’s record, Open Your Heart, moved to the #2 spot on the pop charts (right behind At This Moment by Billy Vera and The Beaters). A week later, Open Your Heart became Madonna’s fifth #1 hit since 1983. She had 11 consecutive singles in the Top 10 -- the most for any female artist of the rock era.
1987 - 44th Golden Globes Platoon, Marlee Matlin win
1986 - The comedy feature film Down and Out in Beverly Hills is released. The 5th movie by Disney's Touchstone Pictures, it stars Nick Nolte, Bette Midler and Richard Dreyfuss.
1985 - The final Jeep rolled off the assembly line at the AMC plant in Toledo, Ohio.
1985 - South African President PW Botha offers to free Mandela if he denounces violence
1984 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Karma Chameleon,” Culture Club. The song is the group’s biggest hit in England and only No. 1 single in the U.S.
1983 - The wearing of seat belts in cars became compulsory in Britain.
1983 - The Maisonettes had the No. 1 UK indie single with 'Heartache Avenue'.
1982 - Sandy Duncan gave her final performance as "Peter Pan" in Los Angeles, CA. She completed 956 performances without missing a show.
1981 - Neil Diamond hits US Hot 100 at No. 32 with Hello Again (on way to No. 6)
1981 - 38th Golden Globes Ordinary People, Coal Miner's Daughter
1981 - Blondie went to No.1 on the US singles hart with 'The Tide Is High', the group's third US No.1, also a No.1 in the UK.
1980 – The Rose starring Bette Midler, Alan Bates and Frederic Forrest starts screening in Australia. The story of the tragic life of a self destructive female rock star, modelled after Janis Joplin.
1978 - Talking Heads made their UK TV debut on the 'The Old Grey Whistle Test'.
1978 - "Elvis: The Legend Lives!" opens at Palace Theater New York City for 101 performances
1976 - UK Music weekly Sounds readers Poll Winners included; best album 'A Night At The Opera', by Queen, best single 'Bohemian Rhapsody', Queen, best band Queen, musician Mike Oldfield, female singer Maddy Prior, Steeleye, Span, new band Rainbow, bore of the year The Bay City Rollers.
1976 - 'The Best Of Roy Orbison' went to No.1 on the UK album chart.
1976 - Abba knocked Queen from the UK No.1 position on the UK singles chart with 'Mamma Mia.' Queen's single 'Bohemian Rhapsody' had enjoyed a nine week run at the top of the charts, by coincidence, Abba’s single contains the famous "mamma mia, mamma mia, mamma mia let me go" line.
1976 - "Love Rollercoaster" by Ohio Players hits #1
1972 - Joan Baez claims a gold record for her album "Any Day Now," which was made up solely of songs by Bob Dylan. The LP went gold three years after its release.
1971: The Jackson 5 are given the key to their hometown of Gary, IN, by Mayor Robert Pastrick
1971 - Telephone service between East and West Berlin was re-established after 19 years.
1970 – The Jackson Five went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘I Want You Back’. The song was originally written for Gladys Knight & The Pips and was the first of four No.1’s for the group. It made No.2 in the UK.
1969 - Blood, Sweat & Tears won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
1969 - Billy Preston signs with Apple Records.
1969 - Bobby Darin is refused permission to perform his latest single, "Long Line Rider," on CBS' Jackie Gleason Show. The song, written by Darin, deals with recent prisoner abuses in the Arkansas penal system. Darin promptly walks off the set.
1968 - Viet Cong attack the United States embassy in Saigon.
1968 - The Island of Mauritius gains independence
1968 - Love Affair were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Everlasting Love'. Singer Steve Ellis was the only band member to perform on the recording.
1968 - Nauru (formerly Pleasant Island) declares independence from Australia
1968 - John Fred and his Playboy Band's "Judy in Disguise" and the American Breed's "Bend Me, Shape Me" are certified gold. Neither group came even close to selling that many records with any other release.
1965 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” The Righteous Brothers. The song is the first No. 1 song for the duo of Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield.
1964 - US report "Smoking &Health" connects smoking to lung cancer
1964 - The first night of a UK Package Tour kicked off at The Public Hall in Preston Lancashire with John Leyton, The Swinging Blue Jeans, The Rolling Stones, Jet Harris and Mike Sarne.
1963 - Tony Sheridan & the Beat Brothers record "What'd I Say" &"Ruby Baby"
1963 - The Beach Boys recorded "Surfin' U.S.A." and "Shutdown."
1963 - Two former Shadows members, Jet Harris and Tony Meehan were at No.1 on the UK single charts with 'Diamonds'
1961 - Project Mercury: Mercury-Redstone 2 - Ham the Chimp travels into outer space.
1960 - Julie Andrews, Henry Fonda, Rex Harrison and Jackie Gleason, appeared in a two-hour TV special titled, The Fabulous Fifties.
1960 - Jimmy Jones' "Handy Man" enters the R&B chart, soon to be #3. The song is written and produced by Otis Blackwell. James Taylor will make it a #4 pop hit in 1977.
1958 - The U.S. enters the space race with the successful launch of the Explorer One satellite.
1957 - Decca Records announced that Bill Haley & His Comets, 'Rock Around The Clock' had sold over a million copies in the UK, mostly on 10inch 78's.
1953 - Perry Como was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes'. The American singer and television personalities first hit - Como was a seventh son of a seventh son.
1950 - President Truman reveals that he ordered the Atomic Energy Commission to develop the hydrogen bomb
1949 - The first daytime soap on TV "These Are My Children" (NBC in Chicago). The show, starring Irna Phillips was only 15 minutes long, aired weekdays at 5 p.m. in January and February 1949.
1936 - The Green Hornet makes its broadcast premiere today on Detroit, Michigan radio station WXYZ.
1934 - Etta Moten sang for President and Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt at a White House Dinner. It was the first time an African American actress performed at the White House.
1928 - Scotch tape first marketed by 3-M Company
1927 - Live-action filming is completed for the Alice Comedy film Alice in the Klondike.
1927 - Disney ships the 47th Alice Comedy film, Alice's Circus Daze, to Winkler Pictures.
1925 - Disney completes the 13th Alice Comedy film, Alice Gets Stung.
1905 - The first auto to exceed 100 mph (161 kph), A G MacDonald, Daytona Beach
1893 - The trademark "Coca-Cola" was first registered in the United States Patent Office.
1865 - The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. It was ratified by the necessary number of states on December 6, 1865. The amendment abolished slavery in the United States.
HOLIDAYS AND OBSERVANCES
- Catholic:
Feast days of
St. John Bosco, patron saint of Christian apprentices, editors, and publishers
St. Adamnan of Coldingham
St. Eusebius of St. Gall
St. Ulphia
St. Aidan or Maedoc of Ferns
Saint Pedro Nolasco
St. Francis Xavier Bianchi,
Saint Cyrus
John of Alexandria
St. Marcella of Rome
Saint Geminianus
Blessed Ludovica
- Easter Orthodox Liturgies
Martyrs Cyrus and John, holy wonderworkers and unmercenaries (311)
Martyrs Athanasia and her daughters Theoctiste, Theodotia, and Eudoxia, at Canopus in Egypt (311)
Venerable Nikita of the Kiev Caves Monastery, Bishop of Novgorod (1108)
Martyrs Victorinus, Victor, Nicephorus, Claudius, Diodorus, Serapion, and Papias of Egypt (251)
Martyr Tryphaenes at Cyzicus
Saint Pachomius, Abbot of Keno Monastery
Martyr Elias Ardunis of Mount Athos (1686)
International Leprosy Day
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