What Happened On
Happy Face Crater
March 10, 1999
The Martian crater Galle is photographed by Viking Orbiter 1. It is called the Happy Face crater because it resembles a smiley face. It was named after astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle and is about 215 kilometers (134 miles) across.
See also "Face on Mars".
Jupiter Effect Doomsday Predictions
March 10, 1982
All of the planets align on the same side of the Sun. Some had predicted this would cause catastrophic disasters on Earth.
In 1974, John Gribbin and Stephen Plagemann wrote the book The Jupiter Effect which became a best seller. It predicted this would cause a number of disasters, including a great earthquake on the San Andreas Fault. After the predicted disasters failed to occur, Gribbin and Plagemann published another book The Jupiter Effect Reconsidered, which theorized that the effect had actually taken place in 1980 and was responsible for the volcanic eruption of Mount St. Helens.
Nixon Bowling at the White House
March 10, 1970
The famous photo of U.S. President Richard Nixon bowling in the Old Executive Office Building bowling alley is taken. A copy of this photo was hanging over the Dude's tiki bar in the Coen brother's film The Big Lebowski.
Nixon, an avid bowler, had a one-lane bowling alley built in the basement of the White House in 1973.
First Film by the Warner Brothers
March 10, 1918
My Four Years in Germany premieres in New York City. It was produced by the four Warner brothers, Harry, Sam, Albert, and Jack and was their first nationally-shown film. The brothers would later form the film company Warner Bros. in 1923. The film was based on the real-life experiences and book by U.S. Ambassador to Germany James W. Gerard.
First Telephone Call
March 10, 1876
Alexander Graham Bell calls his assistant in the next room: "Mr. Watson, come here, I want you."
First U.S. Paper Money
March 10, 1862
The U.S. federal government begins issuing notes of legal tender. Also, previously issued demand notes were declared legal tender. They were issued to help finance the Civil War.
U.S. Sanctions Against Libya
March 10, 1982
The U.S. imposes economic sanctions against Libya, including an embargo on Libyan oil imports, for its role in international terrorism.
Suzanne Somers Arrested
March 10, 1970
Future Three's Company star Suzanne Somers is 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. She had had some TV work as prize model for the game show Anniversary Game (1969-70), hosted by her future husband Alan Hamel.
She went on to star as Chrissy in TV's Three's Company (1977-81).
National Credit Union Administration
March 10, 1970
National Credit Union Administration is established, supervises federal credit unions.
Birthdays
Photo Credit: www.canadafreepress.com/
Photo Credit: www.canadafreepress.com/
Osama bin Laden (Usama ibn Mohammed ibn Awad ibn Ladin)
Born March 10, 1957 d. 2011
Saudi-born terrorist. Founder of al-Qaeda (1988). Osama and al-Qaeda are believed responsible for a series of bombings against the U.S., including the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings, the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, and the 9/11 Attacks. Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan on May 2, 2011 by a U.S. military special operations unit.
Chuck Norris
Born March 10, 1940
American middleweight karate champ, actor. The object of "Chuck Norris Facts" such as "It's said that Chuck Norris' tears can cure cancer. Unfortunately, he's never cried." Film: Missing in Action (1984), Delta Force (1986). TV: Walker: Texas Ranger (1993-2001).
Martin Luther King Assassin
James Earl Ray
Born March 10, 1928 d. 1998
American assassin. He shot and killed Martin Luther King, Jr. (1968). At the time of the shooting, Ray was an escaped prisoner, having escaped the Missouri State Penitentiary (1967) by hiding in a truck transporting bread from the prison bakery.
Jim Bowie
Born March 10, 1796 d. 1836
American pioneer. Stories of Bowie's skill with a large knife he carried led to the widespread popularity of the "Bowie" knife. Bowie died at the Fall of the Alamo, during which he was sick and bedridden.
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (Edward Antony Richard Louis)
Born March 10, 1964
Third son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
First Woman Prime Minister of Canada
Kim Campbell (Avril Phaedra Douglas Campbell)
Born March 10, 1947
Canadian politician, diplomat. She was the first woman prime minister of Canada (1993). She also serverd as Minister of National Defence (1993), Minister of Veterans Affairs (1993), Minister of Justice and Attorney General (1990-93), and Minister of State (1989-90).
Warner Anderson
Born March 10, 1911 d. 1976
American actor. TV: The Lineup (1954-60, Det. Lt. Ben Guthrie).
John McCloskey
Born March 10, 1810 d. 1885
American Roman Catholic prelate, archbishop of New York, the first American cardinal (1875).
Louise
Born March 10, 1776 d. 1810
Queen consort of Prussia (Luise Auguste Wilhelmine Amalie). Wife of Frederick William III.
Marcello Malpighi
Born March 10, 1628 d. 1694
Italian physician. Founder of microscopic anatomy, and the first to view (1661) capillary circulation.
Ferdinand
Born March 10, 1503 d. 1564
Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (1558-64). His motto was Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus: "Let justice be done, though the world perish".
Deaths
Harriet Tubman
Died March 10, 1913 b. circa 1822
American escaped slave. She ran the Underground Railroad, which helped more than 300 slaves to safety. She also served as a cook, nurse, spy, and scout for the 1st South Carolina Volunteers during the Civil War, helping lead hundreds of other slaves to freedom. This was the first black U.S. military unit.
Fred Fredericks (Harold Fredericks, Jr.)
Died March 10, 2015 b. 1929
American cartoonist. Artist for Mandrake the Magician (1964-2013).
Lloyd Bridges
Died March 10, 1998 b. 1913
American actor. TV: Sea Hunt (Mike Nelson). He was the father of actors Beau Bridges and Jeff Bridges.
Stan Drake (Stanley Albert Drake)
Died March 10, 1997 b. 1921
American cartoonist. Co-creator of The Heart of Juliet Jones (1953).
Myron Cohen
Died March 10, 1986 b. 1902
American comedian. World's most famous Jewish story teller.
Konstantin Chernenko (Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko)
Died March 10, 1985 b. 1911
President of the Soviet Union and general secretary of Soviet Communist Party (1984-85).
June Marlowe (Gisella Goetten)
Died March 10, 1984 b. 1903
American actress. She was billed as "The Most Beautiful Girl On the Screen." Film: The Little Rascals series (Miss Crabtree, the schoolteacher).
Herman Tarnower
Died March 10, 1980 b. 1910
American physician, author. Writings: The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet (1978), which promoted a high-protein low-carbohydrate diet known as the Scarsdale diet. He was killed by his ex-lover Jean Harris.
John VI
Died March 10, 1826 b. 1767
King of Portugal (1816-26).
Saint Simplicius
Died March 10, 483 b. ????
religious leader, 47th Pope (468-483).