Holidays
Feast Day of St. Vincent de Paul
Commemorating the French priest, patron of charitable organizations, and co-founder of the Sisters of Charity.
What Happened On
Warren Commission Report
September 27, 1964
The controversial Warren Commission Report is made public. It concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. It also concluded that Jack Ruby also acted alone when he killed Oswald two days later.
The Tonight Show
September 27, 1954
The first network late-night talk show, Tonight, debuts on NBC with host Steve Allen. It would eventually become known as The Tonight Show. The show originated such talk show staples as an opening monologue, celebrity interviews, audience participation, and comedy bits in which cameras were taken outside the studio, as well as music.
The announcer of the show was Gene Rayburn (who would eventually become a top-game show emcee) and the bandleader was Skitch Henderson.
The show originally began in 1953 as a nightly 40-minute local program on New York's WNBT-TV (now WNBC-TV), hosted by Allen and was originally titled The Knickerbocker Beer Show (after the sponsor), but was soon renamed The Steve Allen Show.
Over the years, the show was hosted by Steve Allen (1954-1957), Jack Paar (1957-1962), Johnny Carson (1962-1992), Jay Leno (1992-2009 and 2010-2014), Conan O'Brien (2009-2010), and Jimmy Fallon (2014-present).
Department store Santa (1942)
Department store Santa (1942)
First Santa Claus Training School
September 27, 1937
The Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School in Albion, New York opens. The school was created by Charles Howard, who was a department store Santa who was dismayed at the poor quality of other department store Santas. The school would later offer a Bachelor of Santa Claus degree and is now the oldest continually-operated Santa Claus school in the world.
Howard was the featured Santa Claus in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade from 1948 to 1965.
First 3-D Movie
September 27, 1922
The first 3-D movie, Power of Love, premieres. The viewer wore special glasses with one red and one green lens. It also allowed the viewer to choose either a happy or tragic ending depending on which lens of the glasses they looked through.
Jack the Ripper
September 27, 1888
London's Central News Agency receives a letter by someone claiming to have committed the recent prostitute murders in Whitechapel. It was signed "Jack the Ripper." After this letter, the killer formerly referred to as "Whitechapel Murderer" and "Leather Apron" became known as "Jack the Ripper."
However, many authorities now believe the letter was a hoax by a journalist trying to sensationalize the murders and in 1931, journalist Fred Best of The Star claimed he and a colleague at the newspaper had written all the letters signed "Jack the Ripper" in order to "keep the business alive." This included the "Saucy Jacky" letter received several days later.
Jesuits
September 27, 1540
The Society of Jesus (later called Jesuits) is officially recognized by Pope Paul III. It had been organized by Saint Ignatius of Loyola in 1535.
Pavarotti Lip Syncs
September 27, 1992
Tenor Luciano Pavarotti is caught lip syncing during a live BBC radio performance.
Dan Quayle
September 27, 1990
U.S. Vice-President Dan Quayle states, "We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur."
Russian UFO's
September 27, 1989
Several Soviet children claim to see a spacecraft land and 10-foot tall 3-eyed aliens with a robot escort exit from it in Voronezh, Russia. The aliens used a pistol-like object about 20 inches long to make a 16-year-old boy disappear. He reappeared shortly after the aliens left. The incident was reported by the Russian News Agency TASS, which claimed that Soviet scientists had confirmed the landing of the UFO and said the aliens left behind two chunks of rock never before found on Earth.
USS William D. Porter
September 27, 1942
The Fletcher-class destroyer is launched. In 1943, the Porter accidentally launched a torpedo narrowly missing the USS Iowa, which happened to have U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt aboard at the time.
The ship was named for Commodore William D. Porter.
Model of the Perseverance
Photo Credit: Dr. Karl-Heinz Hochhaus
Model of the PerseverancePhoto Credit: Dr. Karl-Heinz Hochhaus
Steamboat
September 27, 1785
John Fitch displays a model and drawing of his steamboat to the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia. He would make his first steamboat ride down the Delaware River two years later on his ship the Perseverance.
First Issue of the Rhode Island Gazette
September 27, 1732
The first issue of the Rhode Island Gazette is published by James Franklin, Benjamin Franklin's brother. It was the first newspaper in Rhode Island.
Birthdays
Santa Claus and a Nast political cartoon
Santa Claus and a Nast political cartoon
Thomas Nast
Born September 27, 1840 d. 1902
American cartoonist. Created the elephant image used by the Republican party and the modern-day version of the Santa Claus image. He is referred to as the "Father of the American Cartoon." Although Nast popularized the use of the donkey to represent the Democratic party, the donkey was originally used by Andrew Jackson for his presidential campaign.
First African American to Serve in the U.S. Congress
Hiram Rhodes Revels
Born September 27, 1827 d. 1901
American minister, politician. He was the first African American to serve in the U.S. Congress. He was elected to the U.S. Senate representing Mississippi in 1870-71 during the Reconstruction era. Some senators initially blocked his seating on grounds that Mississippi was under military rule and lacked a civil government to confirm his election. Others claimed Revels was not a U.S. citizen until the passage of the 14th Amendment and was therefore ineligible to become a U.S. Senator. He was finally seated on February 25, 1870.
Shaun Cassidy
Born September 27, 1958
American actor, singer. TV: The Hardy Boys Mysteries (Joe Hardy) on which he sang Da Do Ron Ron (1977, #1).
Mike Schmidt
Born September 27, 1949
American baseball player, 3rd baseman for Philadelphia, 3-time MVP (1980-81, 86). He hit 548 career home runs and won 10 gold gloves.
Meat Loaf as Eddie
Meat Loaf as Eddie
Meat Loaf (Marvin Lee Aday)
Born September 27, 1947 d. 2022
American singer. Film: The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975, Eddie. He also played the role in the Los Angeles stage production, where he played Eddie and Dr. Everett Scott). He was also in the Los Angeles production of Hair and later joined the Broadway production. His Bat Out of Hell series of albums have sold over 65,000,000 copies. The first Bat out of Hell (1977) album was rejected by the major labels because it didn't fit any standard music industry style. The newly-formed independent label, Cleveland International Records, picked it up as one of their first albums and it went on to become one of the best-selling albums of all time.
He also appeared in over 50 movies and television shows, including Fight Club (1999, as Bob Paulson).
Randy Bachman
Born September 27, 1943
Canadian singer, with Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive. Music: Takin' Care of Business (1974) and You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet (1974, #1).
Wilford Brimley
Born September 27, 1934 d. 2020
American actor. TV: The Waltons (1974-77, Horace Brimley), Our House (1986-88, Gus Witherspoon), and Quaker Oats commercials. Film: The China Syndrome (1979), The Thing (1982), The Natural (1984), and Cocoon (1985).
Kathleen Nolan (Joycelyn Schrum)
Born September 27, 1933
American actress. TV: The Real McCoys (Kate McCoy).
Greg Morris
Born September 27, 1933 d. 1996
American actor. TV: Mission: Impossible (1966-73, electronics expert Barney Collier).
Sada Thompson
Born September 27, 1927 d. 2011
American Emmy-winning actress. TV: Family (1976-80, Kate Lawrence).
Arthur Penn
Born September 27, 1922 d. 2010
American film director. Film: The Miracle Worker (1962), Bonny and Clyde (1967), and Alice's Restaurant (1969).
William Conrad
Born September 27, 1920 d. 1994
American actor. Radio: Gunsmoke (Matt Dillon). TV: The Fugitive (narrator), The Bullwinkle Show (narrator), Cannon (title role), and Jake and the Fatman (the Fatman).
Miguel Alemán Valdéz
Born September 27, 1903 d. 1983
Mexican president (1946-52). As the first non-military candidate ever elected president of Mexico, he promoted industrialization and agriculture. He was influential in bringing the 1968 Summer Olympics to Mexico.
Harry Blackstone (Harry Bouton)
Born September 27, 1885 d. 1965
American magician. Famous for his Hindu rope trick and woman-in-the-cabinet illusions.
George Cruikshank
Born September 27, 1792 d. 1878
English political cartoonist, illustrator of Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist (1838).
Samuel Adams
Born September 27, 1722 d. 1803
American patriot. One of the leaders of the Boston Tea Party (1773), signer of the Declaration of Independence, and governor of Massachusetts (1794-97).
Louis XIII
Born September 27, 1601 d. 1643
King of France. His death made his 5-year-old son, Louis XIV, king.
Deaths
Hugh Hefner
Died September 27, 2017 b. 1926
American publisher, playboy. Founder of Playboy magazine (1953).
Jimmy Doolittle (James Harold Doolittle)
Died September 27, 1993 b. 1896
American air-force officer. Winner of the Medal of Honor, Presidential Medal of Freedom, two Distinguished Service Medals, and three Distinguished Flying Crosses. He led the first U.S. bombing raid over the Japanese mainland (1942) during World War II.
In 1929, he made the first blind airplane flight (1929) in which the pilot could not see outside of the cockpit.
Clara Bow
Died September 27, 1965 b. 1905
American actress. Clara Bow came to symbolize the Roaring Twenties. A star of both silent and talkie movies, she was the top box office draw and one of the leading sex symbols of the era. Max Fleischer based his cartoon character Betty Boop on her and Helen Kane.
America's Greatest Female Athlete
Babe Didrikson Zaharias
Died September 27, 1956 b. 1911
American athlete. She is considered America's greatest female athlete. In the 1932 Olympics she won gold for the javelin and hurdles, silver for the high jump, and as a golfer won the British Women's Amateur (1947) and U.S. Open three times (1948, 50, 54).
She died of colon cancer at the age of 45.
The Dance Class
The Dance Class
Edgar Degas
Died September 27, 1917 b. 1834
French impressionist painter, sculptor. He is noted for his paintings of ballet dancers and racehorses.
Donald O'Connor
Died September 27, 2003 b. 1925
American Emmy-winning actor, dancer. Film: Singin' in the Rain (1952, Cosmo Brown) and numerous Francis the Talking Mule films.
Frank Wills
Died September 27, 2000 b. 1948
American security guard. He uncovered the Watergate break in when he noticed tape on a door at the Democratic National Committee headquarters. He played himself in the movie All the President's Men.
Engelbert Humperdinck
Died September 27, 1921 b. 1854
German composer. Opera: Hänsel and Gretel (1893).
Innocent XII
Died September 27, 1700 b. 1615
Italian religious leader, 242nd Pope (1691-1700).
Saint Vincent de Paul
Died September 27, 1660 b. 1581
French ecclesiastic. He founded the Vincentian Congregation and the Sisters of Charity.
Urban VII
Died September 27, 1590 b. 1521
Italian religious leader, 228th Pope (Sept. 1590). He died 12 days after being elected pope.