What Happened On
The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin
October 15, 1954
The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin debuts on ABC TV, starring Lee Aaker as Rusty, who was orphaned in an Indian raid, and his dog Rin Tin Tin who were being raised by the soldiers at a US Cavalry post.
American World War I soldier Lee Duncan rescued the original Rin Tin Tin from the battlefield who then went on to star in the Rin Tin Tin movies. Duncan had trained Rin Tin Tin IV to play the television part, but he did poorly on screen tests and was replaced by another trainer's dogs, primarily a dog named Flame Jr., although the public was led to believe otherwise.
I Love Lucy (and one of the shrewdest deals in television)
October 15, 1951
The I Love Lucy show debuts on CBS TV, starring Lucille Ball. When Ball was offered a TV show she insisted her real-life Cuban husband Desi Arnaz play the part of her husband. The TV executives were reluctant, because they didn't think audiences would believe the marriage between an all-American girl and a Latin man. To prove them wrong, Ball and Arnaz began performing a vaudeville act together. The act was a hit and they were given their TV show.
Most TV shows of the time were broadcast live in the New York area markets and the rest of the country watched later from low-quality kinescopes. Arnaz wanted to film the shows live and broadcast the higher-quality films later. The studio balked at the idea due to cost, so Arnaz agreed to cover the cost in exchange for the rights to the films. This was later considered one of the shrewdest deals in television, as Arnaz reaped huge profits from the rights to the reruns.
Nazi Leader Göring Commits Suicide
October 15, 1946
Hermann Göring was the German Field Marshal under Adolf Hitler. He was sentenced to death for war crimes. He asked to be shot as a soldier instead of hanged as a common criminal, but the court refused. He then committed suicide with a potassium cyanide capsule while in prison.
Mata Hari Executed
October 15, 1917
The world's most famous spy, Mata Hari, is executed. She had been convicted of spying for Germany during World War I and executed by firing squad in France. She refused a blindfold and blew a kiss to the firing squad before her execution.
Abraham Lincoln Grows a Beard
October 15, 1860
An 11-year-old girl writes future U.S. President Abraham Lincoln suggesting he should grow a beard. He wrote back saying it would be silly to start growing a beard; but he did so anyway.
Longest Time Between the Birth of Surviving Twins
October 15, 1994
Timothy Keys is born more than 3-months premature. His twin sister, Celeste, wasn't born until 95 days later.
President Bush - "I hope a lot of them lose"
October 15, 1992
U.S. President George H. W. Bush mutters "I hope a lot of them lose," after a comment about female candidates running for the Senate.
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
October 15, 1966
The transportation agency is established by Congress.
Ban on Interracial Sports
October 15, 1956
A Louisiana statute goes into effect making it illegal for black and white players to compete or practice together in both amateur and professional sports. The law also applied to "any dancing, social functions, entertainment, athletic training, games, sports and other such activities involving personal and social contacts," forbidding interracial participation in these affairs.
In 1959, the law was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, after African-American prizefighter Joseph Dorsey Jr. challenged the law.
20th Amendment - Lame Duck Amendment
October 15, 1933
20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution goes into effect. Called the "Lame Duck Amendment," it moved the beginning of the President's and Vice-President's terms from March 4 to January 20 and members of Congress from March 4 to January 3. The time between an election and a successor taking office is often referred to as a "lame duck" period.
Statue of Liberty
October 15, 1924
The 151-foot-high gift from the French people is proclaimed a national monument. Its famous poem, by Emma Lazarus, inscribed at the base of the Statue of Liberty contains the famous lines,
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."
Clayton Antitrust Act
October 15, 1914
The law is passed by the U.S. Congress. It further restricted monopolies and provided labor unions more bargaining power.
Photo Credit: MyCatIsAChonk
Photo Credit: MyCatIsAChonk
Boston's Symphony Hall
October 15, 1900
Boston's Symphony Hall opens. The building was completed in 17 months at a cost of $771,000.
It was one of the first auditoria designed with scientifically derived acoustical principles and is considered one of the best sounding classical concert venues in the world.
Crow Indian Reservation Opened For Settlement
October 15, 1892
1.8 million acres of Crow Indian reservation in Montana is opened up for settlement by proclamation of U.S. President Benjamin Harrison. The Indians received 50¢ an acre for their land.
First U.S. Fishing Journal
October 15, 1881
The American Angler is published. Its editor was William C. Harris (1830-1905).
First Manned Balloon Flight
October 15, 1783
Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier makes his historic flight. His balloon was tethered to the ground. He and François Laurent d'Arlandes would make the first manned free balloon flight the following month.
Start of the Gregorian Calendar
October 15, 1582
As decreed by Pope Gregory XIII. The previous day had been Thursday, October 4. England and its colonies, including America, didn't convert until 1752.
Birthdays
Japanese Man Condemned for Not Going Down with the Titanic
Masabumi Hosono
Born October 15, 1870 d. 1939
Japanese Titanic survivor. Masabumi Hosono, the only Japanese passenger, survived the 1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic. However, upon returning to Japan, he was condemned and ostracized as dishonorable and a coward for not going down with the ship.
As the Titanic was sinking, an officer shouted from lifeboat 10, "Room for two more", so Hosono and another man jumped aboard. In the dark and confusion no one noticed that they were not women, and later they were even falsely accused of pretending to be women to get aboard. After he returned to Japan, Hosono's actions were seen as cowardly and dishonorable and he lost his job with the Ministry of Transport. He was eventually rehired, but remained ostracized for the rest of his life.
John L. Sullivan
Born October 15, 1858 d. 1918
American boxer. Heavyweight champion (1882-92) and the last bare-knuckle champion. He was the first athlete to earn $1,000,000.
Portrait of Nietzsche by Hans Olde
Portrait of Nietzsche by Hans Olde
Friedrich Nietzsche (Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche)
Born October 15, 1844 d. 1900
German philosopher. He is the author of Thus Spake Zarathustra (1883), in which he developed the idea of "Übermensch" (Superman) who would control society. In 1889, Nietzsche suffered a mental breakdown and was institutionalized. The cause of his mental illness is much debated. It was originally attributed to syphilis or mercury poisoning, as mercury was used to treat syphilis. Others attribute it to vascular dementia due to a series of strokes he suffered.
Quote: "Two great European narcotics are alcohol and Christianity", "Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster", and "What does not kill me, makes me stronger".
Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson
Born October 15, 1959
Britain's Duchess of York.
Tanya Roberts as Sheena
Tanya Roberts as Sheena
Tanya Roberts (Victoria Leigh Blum)
Born October 15, 1955 d. 2021
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).
Tito Jackson (Toriano Adryll Jackson)
Born October 15, 1953 d. 2024
American singer, one of the Jackson Five.
Richard Carpenter
Born October 15, 1946
American singer with the Carpenters. Music: We've Only Just Begun (1970, #2) and Rainy Days and Mondays (1971, #2).
Penny Marshall
Born October 15, 1943 d. 2018
American actress. TV: Laverne & Shirley (1976-83, Laverne DeFazio). She directed the movie Big (1988), which became the first film directed by a woman to gross more than $100 million at the U.S. box office.
She was married to actor Rob Reiner (1971-81).
Linda Lavin
Born October 15, 1937
American actress. TV: Alice (title role).
First Black to Play in the NHL
Willie O'Ree (William Eldon O'Ree)
Born October 15, 1935
Canadian Hall of Fame ice hockey player, first black to play for the NHL (1958, Boston Bruins), playing as a winger.
In 2018, O'Ree was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
There were no other black players in the NHL until another Canadian player, Mike Marson, was drafted by the Washington Capitals in 1974.
Lee Iacocca (Lido Anthony Iacocca)
Born October 15, 1924 d. 2019
American auto maker. Ex-president of Ford Motor Company and chairman of Chrysler Corporation. He was instrumental in the development of the Ford Mustang and Pinto automobiles.
Mario Puzo
Born October 15, 1920 d. 1999
American author, screenwriter. Writings: The Godfather (1969, he won an Oscar for the 1972 screenplay and for the 1974 Godfather Part II screenplay), and Superman (1978)
Marty Mann
Born October 15, 1904 d. 1980
American social activist, founder of the National Committee for Education on Alcoholism (1944).
Charlotte "Lottie" M. Story
Born October 15, 1902 d. 1972
American mother. She and her husband Marion Story had 22 children and were interviewed on the radio show You Bet Your Life by Groucho Marx. Urban legend has it that Groucho made the following quip during the interview.
Groucho: "You have 17 children? Why do you have so many kids?"
Charlotte: "Because I love my husband."
Groucho: "I love my cigar too, but I take it out of my mouth every once in a while."
However, even though often attributed to him, Groucho denied the exchange ever occurred.
First Catholic Priest to Serve in the U.S. Congress
Father Gabriel Richard
Born October 15, 1767 d. 1832
French Roman Catholic priest. He was the first Catholic priest to serve in the U.S. Congress (1823-25, nonvoting delegate of the Michigan Territory to the U.S. House of Representatives). He was also a co-founder of the University of Michigan (1817, originally named Catholepistemiad of Michigania).
Evangelista Torricelli
Born October 15, 1608 d. 1647
Italian physicist. Inventor of the barometer (1643).
Virgil
Born October 15, 70 B.C. d. 19 B.C.
Roman epic poet, teacher. He is considered the greatest poet of Rome's Golden Age. Writings: Aeneid.
Deaths
Paul Allen (left) and Bill Gates (1970) and ad for MS-DOS
Paul Allen (left) and Bill Gates (1970) and ad for MS-DOS
Paul Allen
Died October 15, 2018 b. 1953
American businessman. He and Bill Gates founded Microsoft in 1975. After dropping out of Washington State University in order to work as a programmer, he convinced Gates to drop out of Harvard University in order to create Microsoft. Allen is credited with coming up with the name Micro-Soft as a combination of "microcomputer" and "software".
Allen also scored a perfect 1600 on the SAT.
Allen owned the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League and the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association, and was part-owner of the Seattle Sounders FC, which joined Major League Soccer in 2009.
Allen died from complications of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Sheffied (right) in Tarzan Finds a Son!
Sheffied (right) in Tarzan Finds a Son!
Boy in the Tarzan Movies
Johnny Sheffield
Died October 15, 2010 b. 1931
American actor. Film: He played Boy in the eight Tarzan movies of the 1940s and later starred in the Bomba the Jungle Boy (1949-55) movies. He died of a heart attack after falling from a ladder while pruning a tree at the age of 79.
Neal Ball (Cornelius Ball)
Died October 15, 1957 b. 1881
American baseball shortstop. He made the first major-league unassisted triple play (1909).
Ball was playing shortstop for the Cleveland Naps when he caught a Boston Red Sox line drive, touched 2nd, and tagged the runner.
After his major league career, Ball coached for the minor league Baltimore Orioles, where he was assigned to train Babe Ruth, who had just come out of St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys.
An unassisted triple play occurs when a defensive player makes all three outs by himself in one continuous play, without his teammates making any assists.
Hermann Wilhelm Göring
Died October 15, 1946 b. 1893
German Field Marshal under Adolf Hitler. When sentenced to death for war crimes, he asked to be shot as a soldier instead of hanged as a common criminal, but the court refused. He then committed suicide with a potassium cyanide capsule while in prison.
Louis Rueckheim
Died October 15, 1927 b. 1849
German-born American candy maker. He and his brother F.W. Rueckheim created Cracker Jack candy (1893). Louis developed a way to prevent the candy-coated pieced from sticking together.
Mata Hari (Margaretha Geertruida Zelle)
Died October 15, 1917 b. 1876
Dutch exotic dancer, world's most famous spy. She was convicted of spying for Germany during World War I and executed by firing squad in France. She refused a blindfold and blew a kiss to the firing squad before her execution.
Father of Gymnastics
Friedrich Ludwig Jahn
Died October 15, 1852 b. 1778
German patriot, father of gymnastics. His teaching of gymnastics (1809) to young Berlin boys quickly spread to other cities. He introduced the balance beam, horizontal bar, the parallel bars, and the vaulting horse to gymnastics.
Suzanne Somers (Suzanne Marie Mahoney)
Died October 15, 2023 b. 1946
American actress. TV: Three's Company (1977-81, Christmas "Chrissy" Snow), She's the Sheriff (1987-89, Sherriff Hildy Granger), Step by Step (1991-98, Carol Foster-Lambert), and infomercial spokeswoman for the Thighmaster. She was a prize model for the game show Anniversary Game (1969-70), which was hosted by her future husband Alan Hamel. Film: American Graffiti (1973, the blonde in the white T-Bird).
In 1970, Somers was arrested for passing bad checks totaling about $100. She avoided prosecution by paying off the checks. At the time she was still a struggling actress, model, sales clerk.
Edie Adams (Elizabeth Edith Enke)
Died October 15, 2008 b. 1927
American actress, singer. TV: The '60s Muriel cigar commercials - Why don't you pick one up and smoke it sometime?
Pat O'Brien
Died October 15, 1983 b. 1899
American actor. Film: Angels With Dirty Faces (1938, Father Connolly) and Knute Rockne - All American (1940, title role).
Frank de Kova
Died October 15, 1981 b. 1910
Italian-America actor. TV: F Troop (1965-1967, Hekawi Chief Wild Eagle). He also received TV's first Man-to-Man Kiss from Neville Brand playing Al Capone in the pilot for the TV series The Untouchables (1959).
Cole Porter
Died October 15, 1964 b. 1891
American composer, one of the greatest songwriters of the century. Music: I'm In Love Again (1924), Kiss Me Kate, I Love Paris, and Night and Day.
Horton Smith
Died October 15, 1963 b. 1908
American golfer. He won the first Masters tournament (1934), and again in 1936.
Herbert Henry Dow
Died October 15, 1930 b. 1866
American chemist, pioneer in the U.S. chemical industry.
Urban VI
Died October 15, 1389 b. circa 1318
Italian religious leader, 202nd Pope (1378-89). He executed five cardinals whom he suspected of disloyalty.