What Happened On
Beatles On U.S. TV
January 3, 1964
Jack Paar airs a film clip of The Beatles singing She Loves You. They would make their historic first live appearance on U.S. TV on The Ed Sullivan Show a month later.
The Beatles had made their first appearance on U.S. TV on a segment of The Huntley-Brinkley Report the previous November.
Photo Credit: MPants at work
Photo Credit: MPants at work
First Mass-Produced Electric Wristwatch
January 3, 1957
Hamilton Electric 500 is announced to the public.
It was the first mass-produced battery-powered watch. It used a battery to power the balance wheel, instead of a spring that needed winding.
And although it didn't require winding, it needed frequent battery changes.
It was a favorite of Elvis Presley, who wore it in the movie Blue Hawaii (1961).
The Fighting Sullivan Brothers
January 3, 1942
The five Sullivan brothers from Iowa enlist in the U.S. Navy with the stipulation that they all serve together. All five died 10 months later when their ship was sunk during the Battle of Guadalcanal. This was the greatest military loss by any one American family during World War II.
The ship USS The Sullivans was named after the Sullivan brothers and on the 58th anniversary of their enlisting, Al Qaeda attempted to bomb it with a boat filled with explosives as part of the year 2000 millennium attacks. But the attacker's boat was overloaded and sank before detonating.
Paper Drinking Straw
January 3, 1888
Marvin Chester Stone of Washington D.C. patents his paper drinking straw. Stone created his paper straw as a substitute for natural drinking straws which were typically made from rye grass. However, rye straws quickly deteriorated in liquid and added a "grassy" flavor to the drink.
His invention consisted of "…a straw formed by winding a paper strip into tubular form and securing the final or outer edge by an adhesive material, the whole being coated with paraffine or other waterproof material, and, preferably, colored in imitation of the natural straw."
Northrop in his plantation suit
Northrop in his plantation suit
12 Years a Slave
January 3, 1853
Solomon Northrop regains his freedom after having spent 12 years in slavery. Born a free black in New York, he was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Louisiana where he spent 12 years working on plantations. He was eventually able to get word to the Governor of New York who helped Northrop regain his freedom. James Birch, the slave trader who sold him was arrested, but acquitted because District of Columbia law, where Northrop was kidnapped, prohibited blacks from testifying against whites.
Northrop went on to write his memoirs, 12 Years a Slave, which became a national best-seller and was made into the Oscar-winning movie 12 Years a Slave (2013).
Martin Luther Excommunicated
January 3, 1521
German religious reformer Martin Luther is excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church by Pope Leo X for challenging the church's doctrines. He went into hiding and began his translation of the Bible into German.
USS The Sullivans Attack
January 3, 2000
Members of Al Qaeda attempt to bomb the USS The Sullivans with a boat filled with explosives as part of the year 2000 millennium attacks. But the attacker's boat was overloaded and sank before detonating. Al Qaeda would be successful with a similar attack on the USS Cole later that year.
The USS The Sullivans was named after the Fighting Sullivan Brothers, who were killed together in World War II. This attack took place on the anniversary of the Sullivan brothers enlisting in the navy in 1942
Noriega Surrenders
January 3, 1990
The former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega surrenders to U.S. forces to face drug trafficking charges. He was sentenced to 40 years. In 2011, he was extradited to Panama to serve sentences for past crimes.
The Beatles Record Their Last Song Before Breaking Up
January 3, 1970
The Beatles record I Me Mine. It was that last new song recorded before their spilt the following April. It was written by George Harrison and released on their 1970 album Let it Be. The lyrics to I Me Mine represented Harrison's complaint about the stifling egos of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Lennon did not attend the recording session as he and Yoko Ono were on vacation at the time.
The Beatles continued to do studio work together until August, but this was their last new song recorded until 1994 when they recorded the television documentary The Beatles Anthology.
Cuban Crisis
January 3, 1961
The U.S. severs diplomatic relations with Cuba in response to the Cuban Missile Crisis.
State Flag of Alaska
State Flag of Alaska
Alaska
January 3, 1959
Alaska becomes the 49th U.S. state. Alaska is the largest U.S. state by area, comprising more total area than the following three largest states of Texas, California, and Montana combined. The name Alaska is derived from an Aleut-language idiom, alaxsxaq, meaning "the mainland" or "the object towards which the action of the sea is directed".
Amelia Earhart
January 3, 1921
The famed aviator Amelia Earhart begins taking flying lessons. She had taken her first flight a few weeks earlier and decided to learn to fly.
Washington Rallying the Americans at the Battle of Princeton by William Ranney (1848)
Washington Rallying the Americans at the Battle of Princeton by William Ranney (1848)
Battle of Princeton
January 3, 1777
The Battle of Princeton is fought near Princeton, New Jersey during the American Revolution, ending in a small victory for the Colonials. The victory proved Washington's amateur army could defeat the British.
Birthdays
Photo Credit: Healthambit
Photo Credit: Healthambit
Masha and Dasha Krivoshlyapova
Born January 3, 1950 d. 2003
Russian Siamese twins. The only known Siamese twins having 2 heads, 4 arms, and 3 legs. After Masha died of a heart attack, Dasha refused to be separated and died 17 hours later.
Father Damien before going to Hawaii (left) and shortly before his death
Father Damien before going to Hawaii (left) and shortly before his death
Father Damien (Joseph Damien de Veuster)
Born January 3, 1840 d. 1889
Belgian-born Roman Catholic missionary. He dedicated his life to the lepers of Hawaii and eventually contracted the disease himself. He was declared a Saint by the Catholic Church.
Upon his death he said, "It is the will of God, and I thank Him very much for letting me die of the same disease and in the same way as my lepers."
Gibson 2006 mugshot
Gibson 2006 mugshot
Mel Gibson
Born January 3, 1956
American-born Australian actor. In 2006, Gibson was stopped for drunk driving. He then threatened the arresting officer and spewed out a string of anti-Semitic statements, stating that "The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world." Film: Mad Max (1980), Lethal Weapon (1987), Braveheart (1995), and The Passion of the Christ (2004, Director).
Victoria Principal
Born January 3, 1950
American actress. TV: Dallas (Pamela Ewing).
Stephen Stills
Born January 3, 1945
American singer, with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
Dabney Coleman (Dabney Wharton Coleman)
Born January 3, 1932 d. 2024
American Emmy-winning actor. Film: 9 to 5 (1980), On Golden Pond (1981), Tootsie (1982), and You've Got Mail (1998). TV: Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976-77, Merle Jeeter).
Sergio Leone
Born January 3, 1929 d. 1989
Italian director of "Spaghetti Westerns." Film: A Fistful of Dollars (1964) and The Good the Bad and the Ugly (1966), and Once Upon a Time in America (1984).
Martin (3rd from left) with the Beatles
Martin (3rd from left) with the Beatles
The Fifth Beatle
Sir George Martin (George Henry Martin)
Born January 3, 1926 d. 2016
English record producer. George Martin was producer for The Beatles, and was sometimes referred to as the "Fifth Beatle". Martin wrote much of their orchestral and string arrangements and he played piano and keyboards on a number of their records.
Most of their orchestral and string arrangements were written by Martin, and he played piano or keyboards on a number of their records.[
The Lonely Maytag Repairman
Jesse White (Jesse Marc Weidenfeld)
Born January 3, 1917 d. 1997
American actor. Jesse White is best known for his portrayal of "The Lonely Maytag Repairman" in television commercials from 1967 to 1988.
White also played the sanitarium orderly in the 1938 play, the 1950 film, and the 1972 television version of Harvey.
Maxene Andrews
Born January 3, 1916 d. 1995
American singer, with the Andrews Sisters.
Betty Furness
Born January 3, 1916 d. 1994
American actress, pioneer in TV consumer reporting. TV: Today.
Victor Borge (Borge Rosenbaum)
Born January 3, 1909 d. 2000
Danish pianist, satirist, entertainer. Quote: "Laughter is the shortest distance between two people."
J.R.R. Tolkien (John Ronald Reuel Tolkien)
Born January 3, 1892 d. 1973
British author. Writings: The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings (1954). He also worked on the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary.
Marcus Tullius Cicero
Born January 3, 106 B.C. d. 43 B.C.
Roman philosopher, statesman. One of Rome's greatest orators. Before being killed by Mark Antony's assassins, he declared "There is nothing proper about what you are doing, soldier, but do try to kill me properly."
Deaths
Edward William Brooke III
Died January 3, 2015 b. 1919
American politician. Edward Brooke was the first African American U.S. senator (1967-79) since reconstruction and the first African American popularly elected to the U.S. Senate. He was also the Massachusetts Attorney General (1963-67), making him the highest ranking elected African American official in the U.S. at the time.
Howard McNear
Died January 3, 1969 b. 1905
American actor. TV: The Andy Griffith Show (1961-67, Floyd the barber). Radio: Gunsmoke (1952-61 radio series, Doc Adams).
Ruby about to shoot Oswald
Ruby about to shoot Oswald
Jack Ruby (Jacob Leon Rubenstein)
Died January 3, 1967 b. 1911
American night club owner. He died while awaiting a retrial for the murder of U.S. President John F. Kennedy's assassin Lee Harvey Oswald.
Tanya Roberts as Sheena
Tanya Roberts as Sheena
Tanya Roberts (Victoria Leigh Blum)
Died January 3, 2021 b. 1955
American actress. Film: Tourist Trap (1979), The Beastmaster (1982, Kiri), Sheena: Queen of the Jungle (1984, title role), and A View to a Kill (1985, geological Bond Girl Stacey Sutton). TV: Charlie's Angels (1980-81, Julie Rogers), and That '70s Show (1998-2004, Donna's mom Midge Pinciotti).
Phil (left) and Don Everly
Phil (left) and Don Everly
Phil Everly
Died January 3, 2014 b. 1939
American Hall of Fame singer. Performing as duo with his brother Don Everly, they combined rock and roll, country, and pop, becoming pioneers of country rock. They were inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1986) and the Country Music Hall of Fame in (2001).
Music: Bye Bye Love (1957, #1), Wake Up Little Susie (1957), and Gone, Gone, Gone (1965).
Will Eisner
Died January 3, 2005 b. 1917
American cartoonist. Creator of The Spirit (1940).
Dame Judith Anderson (Frances Margaret Anderson)
Died January 3, 1992 b. 1897
Australian-born British Tony-Emmy-winning actress. Film: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958, Big Momma). TV: Santa Barbara (Minx Capwell).
Joy Adamson
Died January 3, 1980 b. 1910
Austrian environmentalist, author. Writings: Born Free (1960). In 1956, Adamson's husband, George Adamson, shot and killed a lion in self-defense. He found that she had attacked to protect her three cubs. George rescued the cubs, giving two to a zoo and keeping one they named Elsa. Joy wrote the book Born Free (1960) describing their raising of the cub and setting her free. The Adamson's were featured in the 1966 movie of the same title as the book.
Conrad Hilton
Died January 3, 1979 b. 1887
American hotel executive. He bought his first hotel in 1919. He was going to buy a bank, but the deal fell through so he bought the Mobley Hotel in Cisco, Texas instead.
Discovered X-rays Inhibit the Growth of Tumors
Georg Perthes (Georg Clemens Perthes)
Died January 3, 1927 b. 1869
German surgeon. He discovered that X-rays inhibit the growth of tumors (1903), and proposed the use of X-rays to treat cancer.
James Merritt Ives
Died January 3, 1895 b. 1824
American lithographer, co-founder of Currier & Ives (1857). Their prints recorded the last half of 19th-century American history.
Cabrillo claiming California for the Spanish Empire in 1542
Cabrillo claiming California for the Spanish Empire in 1542
First European to Reach the Pacific Coast
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo
Died January 3, 1543 b. 1497
Spanish explorer. He was the first European to reach the Pacific coast (1542), landing at what is now San Diego Bay.
Saint Anterus
Died January 3, 236 b. ????
Greek-born religious leader, 19th Pope (235-236).