Today's Trivia and What Happened on January 23

How many sheep does it take to make a sweater?

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Only one, but you have to teach it how to knit.

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Quote: "Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses". "Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone". - Dorothy Parker

Quote: "Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses". "Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone". - Dorothy Parker Close Large View

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What Happened On

Terry Kath Kills Himself Playing with Gun go to Video for Terry Kath Kills Himself Playing with Gun

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Terry Kath Kills Himself Playing with Gun

January 23, 1978

Founding member of the band Chicago, Terry Kath, accidentally kills himself playing with a gun. It was just eight days shy of his 32nd birthday.
He was at a friend's playing with several of his guns when he pointed a .38 revolver at his head and pulled the trigger. It was not loaded. He then picked up a semi-automatic 9-mm pistol, stating "Don't worry about it, look, the clip is not even in it." Kath then inserted an empty magazine into the gun, placed it against his temple and pulled the trigger. Apparently Kath didn't realize the gun had a round in the chamber. He died instantly.
Kath was the lead guitarist, singer, and founding member of the band Chicago. Mostly self taught, he is considered one of the greatest guitarists of all time.

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Roots

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Roots

January 23, 1977

The TV miniseries Roots begins airing on ABC for eight consecutive nights. The story of Kunta Kinte (LeVar Burton) and his descendants drew 130,000,000 viewers for its conclusion, making it the highest-rated TV program up to that time. The series received 37 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, winning nine. It is considered the first blockbuster miniseries.
In 1987, Alex Haley, the author of the 1976 novel the series was based on, admitted that he copied large passages of Roots from the 1967 novel The African by Harold Courlander and settled out-of-court for $650,000.
Also, Haley's claim that he had traced his own ancestry back through slavery to a very specific individual and village in Africa as a basis for the book has been refuted by researchers.

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Captives displaying the "Hawaiian Good Luck Sign" Captives displaying the "Hawaiian Good Luck Sign"

Captives displaying the "Hawaiian Good Luck Sign" Captives displaying the "Hawaiian Good Luck Sign"
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USS Pueblo Captured by North Korea

January 23, 1968

The North Koreans capture the USS Pueblo. The captain and crew are held captive for 11 months. The crew can be seen displaying the "Hawaiian Good Luck Sign" in a number of propaganda photos of the crew taken by the North Koreans. This was done until the North Koreans found out what it really meant. The crew was released in December.
The Pueblo is still held by North Korea and is still a commissioned U.S. Navy vessel.

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First Nazi to Take Office

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First Nazi to Take Office

January 23, 1930

Wilhelm Frick becomes State Minister of the Interior and of Education in the coalition government of Thuringia, making him the first Nazi to hold any ministerial-level office in pre-Nazi Germany. He used his position to replace officials with Nazi Party members and banned several newspapers as well as pacifist drama and film performances. He became parliamentary leader of the Nazi Party and Adolf Hitler's minister of the interior, who played a major role in drafting and carrying out the Nazis' anti-Semitic measures. After World War II, he was tried and convicted of war crimes at the Nuremberg Trials and executed by hanging.

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First Assassination by Firearm

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First Assassination by Firearm

January 23, 1570

James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray, is fatally wounded with a carbine shot from a window while passing down the street. This is the first recorded assassination by firearm.
He was assassinated by a supporter of Mary Queen of Scots.

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World's Deadliest Earthquake Photo Credit: wikipedia

World's Deadliest Earthquake Photo Credit: wikipedia
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World's Deadliest Earthquake

January 23, 1556

The world's deadliest earthquake in recorded history occurs, in Shaanxi, China killing 830,000 people. An 520 mile-wide (840-kilometre) area was destroyed, and in some counties as much as 60% of the population was killed.

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The A-Team

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The A-Team

January 23, 1983

The TV show The A-Team debuts on NBC. The show was about four members of a fictitious United States Army Special Forces unit who were tried and convicted for a crime they had not committed. They escaped and began working as soldiers of fortune, while still trying to clear their names and avoid capture by law enforcement and military authorities.
The team consisted of John "Hannibal" Smith (George Peppard), Faceman (Dirk Benedict), "Howling Mad" Murdock (Dwight Schultz), and the team's strong man, "B.A." Baracus (Mr. T).

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24th Amendment

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24th Amendment

January 23, 1964

24th Amendment ratified, a person could not be required to pay a tax to vote in federal elections.

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Trieste just before her historic descent Trieste just before her historic descent

Trieste just before her historic descent Trieste just before her historic descent
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Deepest Manned Ocean Descent

January 23, 1960

The U.S. Navy bathyscaphe Trieste descends 35,800 feet into the Marianas Trench in the Pacific Ocean.

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20th Amendment - Lame Duck Amendment

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20th Amendment - Lame Duck Amendment

January 23, 1933

20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified. 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.

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Father John Carroll Father John Carroll

Father John Carroll Father John Carroll
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First Roman Catholic College in the U.S.

January 23, 1789

Georgetown College in Washington D.C. is founded by Father John Carroll, when he purchased the property in Georgetown on which Dahlgren Quadrangle was later built. Now named Georgetown University, it is also the nation's first federally chartered university.

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Birthdays

Fred Morrison

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This is a birthday

Inventor of the Frisbee

Fred Morrison (Walter Frederick Morrison)

Born January 23, 1920 d. 2010

American inventor. He invented the Frisbee (c1937). He got the idea when someone offered to buy the cake pan he and his future wife were tossing back and forth at the beach. He was also a prisoner of the infamous Stalag 13 during World War II.

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The Original Ouija Board The Original Ouija Board

The Original Ouija Board The Original Ouija Board
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This is a birthday

Elijah J. Bond

Born January 23, 1847 d. 1921

American inventor, lawyer. Bond patented the Ouija Board (1891). His patent was initially denied, because the chief patent officer wanted proof that it worked. As a test, he asked the board to spell out his name, which it did. He then granted the patent.
The name Ouija had been determined in 1890 when Bond's sister-in-law, a spiritualist and medium, asked the board what its name was, to which the board spelled out "OUIJA". When asked what the word meant, it responded "GOOD LUCK".
The use of similar talking boards is recorded as far back as A.D. 1100 in China. They became popular in the United States in the 1860s after the Civil War when spiritualists used the devices to help people contact relatives lost in the war.
The scientific community generally believes the Ouija board works via unconscious movements, known as the ideomotor effect. This effect was described by Michael Faraday in 1853.
Many religious groups believe Ouija boards are connected to the occult and ban their use. Some believe their use can even result in demonic possession.

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John Hancock

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John Hancock

Born January 23, 1737 d. 1793

4th and 13th president of the Continental Congress (1775-77, 1785-86). First signer of the Declaration of Independence and first governor of Massachusetts (1780-85).

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This is a birthday

Richard Dean Anderson

Born January 23, 1950

American actor. TV: MacGyver (title role of Angus MacGyver) and General Hospital (Dr. Jeff Weber).

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Hauer as android Roy Batty Hauer as android Roy Batty

Hauer as android Roy Batty Hauer as android Roy Batty
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This is a birthday

Rutger Hauer

Born January 23, 1944 d. 2019

Dutch actor. Film: Blade Runner (1982, android Roy Batty) and The Hitcher (1986).

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Gil Gerard

Born January 23, 1943

American actor. TV: The Doctors (Dr. Alan Stewart) and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (title role).

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This is a birthday

Lou Antonio

Born January 23, 1934

American actor, director. TV: The Snoop Sisters (1973-74, Barney the chauffeur) and Rich Man, Poor Man (director).

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Chita Rivera (Dolores Conchita del Rivero)

Born January 23, 1933

American Tony-winning actress. Stage: Kiss of the Spider Woman (1993, Tony).

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Jeanne Moreau

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Jeanne Moreau

Born January 23, 1928 d. 2017

French actress. Film: Seven Days… Seven Nights (1960, Cannes Best Actress), Jules and Jim (1961) and Going Places (1974).

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Ernie Kovacs

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Ernie Kovacs

Born January 23, 1919 d. 1962

American comedian. TV: The Tonight Show (1956-57, host) and The Ernie Kovacs Show (1961-62).
Kovacs died when he lost control of his Chevrolet Corvair and crashed into a power pole in West Los Angeles. He died almost instantly from chest and head injuries. Pictures of Kovacs' body with an unlit cigar on the pavement near his outstretched hand appeared in newspapers across the United States.

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Bob Steele (Robert North Bradbury Jr.)

Born January 23, 1907 d. 1988

American actor. TV: F Troop (Trooper Duffy).

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This is a birthday

Anya Seton (Ann Seton)

Born January 23, 1904 d. 1990

American author of historical romances. Writings: Dragonwyck and Foxfire. Her father, Ernest Thompson Seton, was a founding pioneer of the Boy Scouts of America.

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Randolph Scott (Randolph Crane)

Born January 23, 1898 d. 1987

American actor. Film: Seven Men from Now (1956), The Tall T (1957), and Ride the High Country (1962).

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Deaths

Jack LaLanne

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Jack LaLanne (Francois Henri Jack LaLanne)

Died January 23, 2011 b. 1914

American fitness expert. He opened the first U.S. fitness club (1936), invented the jumping jack, designed the first leg extension machines, and pulley machines using cables. His first dog on the show was named Happy, who was later replaced by a dog named Walter which stood for "We All Love To Exercise Regularly".
TV: The Jack LaLanne Show (1951-85, the first television exercise program).

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Johnny Carson go to Video for Johnny Carson

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Johnny Carson

Died January 23, 2005 b. 1925

American Emmy-winning TV late-night host of the Tonight Show (1962-92) for nearly 30 years. An avid tennis player, when he sold a Malibu house to John McEnroe the terms required McEnroe to give Johnny six tennis lessons.

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Bob Keeshan

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Bob Keeshan

Died January 23, 2004 b. 1927

American Emmy-winning actor. TV: Howdy Doody (1947-53, Clarabell the Clown) and Captain Kangaroo (1955-84, title role). Quote: "If you want more time in your life, don't watch TV."

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Salvador Dali

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Salvador Dali

Died January 23, 1989 b. 1904

Spanish artist. Artwork: The Persistence of Memory (1931). Quote: "A true artist is not one who is inspired, but one who inspires others."

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Edvard Munch

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Edvard Munch

Died January 23, 1944 b. 1863

Norwegian artist. Paintings: The Scream (1893). In 1994, The Scream was stolen from Oslo's National Art Museum. Thieves stole the painting by using a ladder to enter a window where the painting was stored. Two men were arrested while trying to collect a $414,000 ransom for the painting and the painting was returned.
A week after the theft, the Rev. Borre Knudsen, leader of a Norwegian anti-abortion movement, announced that the painting would be returned if Norwegian television would broadcast the anti-abortion film The Silent Scream. However, Knudsen was not involved in the theft.

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Larry King Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore

Larry King Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore
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Larry King (Lawrence Harvey Zeiger)

Died January 23, 2021 b. 1933

American Emmy-winning talk-show host. TV: Larry King Live (1985-2010, CNN) and Larry King Now (2012-2020). His career started in 1957 while he was working doing janitorial work and miscellaneous tasks for radio station WAHR (now WMBM) in Miami Beach when a radio announcer abruptly quit and King was put on the air to take his place. The general manager had trouble pronouncing his last name Zeiger, so minutes before going on the air he chose the name Larry King.

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Hal Holbrook

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Hal Holbrook (Harold Rowe HolBrook Jr.)

Died January 23, 2021 b. 1925

American Tony-Emmy-winning actor. Famous for his on-stage portrayal of Mark Twain. In 2008 at age 82, he became to oldest male actor nominated for an Oscar. Film: All the President's Men (1976, Deep Throat). TV: Designing Women (1988-90. Reese Watson) and Evening Shade (1990-94, Evan Evans).

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Jim Lehrer

Died January 23, 2020 b. 1934

American news correspondent. TV: PBS's MacNeil/Lehrer Report.

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Nell Carter

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Nell Carter

Died January 23, 2003 b. 1948

American Tony-Emmy-winning actress. TV: Gimme a Break (1981-87, Nell Harper). Broadway: Ain't Misbehavin' (1978, Tony).

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Freddie Bartholomew (Frederick Cecil Bartholomew)

Died January 23, 1992 b. 1924

English-born American child actor. One of the most famous child actors of his time, he commanded a salary even higher than that of Shirley Temple. Film: David Copperfield (1935, Copperfield as a young boy) and Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936).

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George Case

Died January 23, 1989 b. 1915

American baseball player. Led the American League in stolen bases six times.

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Terry Kath go to Video for Terry Kath

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Terry Kath

Died January 23, 1978 b. 1946

American rock guitarist. Founding member of the band Chicago and played guitar and sang lead vocals. He accidentally killed himself playing with a gun.
He was at a friend's playing with several of his guns when he pointed a .38 revolver at his head and pulled the trigger. It was not loaded. He then picked up a semi-automatic 9-mm pistol, stating "Don't worry about it, look, the clip is not even in it." Kath then inserted an empty magazine into the gun, placed it against his temple and pulled the trigger. Apparently Kath didn't realize the gun had a round in the chamber. He died instantly.
Mostly self taught, he is considered one of the greatest guitarists of all time.

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John Mills, Jr.

Died January 23, 1936 b. 1911

American ukulele/guitarist, with the Mills Brothers, the most popular vocal group of all time.

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Phillips Brooks

Died January 23, 1893 b. 1835

American clergyman. He wrote the carol O Little Town of Bethlehem (1868).

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Charles Kingsley

Died January 23, 1875 b. 1819

English clergyman, author. Writings: Westward Ho! (1855).

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Luigi Lablache

Died January 23, 1858 b. 1794

Italian opera singer. He sang at the funerals of Franz Joseph Haydn (1809), Ludwig van Beethoven (1827) and Frederic Chopin (1849).

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George Clymer

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George Clymer

Died January 23, 1813 b. 1739

American politician, signer of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

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Edward Rutledge

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Edward Rutledge

Died January 23, 1800 b. 1749

American politician, member of the first Continental Congress (1774) and signer of the Declaration of Independence.

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John Cleland

Died January 23, 1789 b. 1709

English author, Fanny Hill, or the Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure (1749).

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Otto III

Died January 23, 1002 b. ????

Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (983-1002), because of his great intellect he was called the "Wonder of the World."

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