Today's Trivia and What Happened on May 20

Move one matchstick to correct the equation: 34+89=400

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Move one matchstick to correct the equation: 34+89=400

Puzzle Answer

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Quote: I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. - François-Marie Voltaire

Quote: I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. - François-Marie Voltaire Close Large View

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What Happened On

Rock Around the Clock

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Rock Around the Clock

May 20, 1954

Bill Haley & His Comets release their rock 'n' roll classic Rock Around the Clock. It was recorded as the B-side of the soon forgotten Thirteen Women.

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First Solo Transatlantic Flight by a Woman go to Video for First Solo Transatlantic Flight by a Woman

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First Solo Transatlantic Flight by a Woman

May 20, 1932

Amelia Earhart departs from Newfoundland, arriving in Northern Ireland 15 hours later.
Her flight marked the fifth anniversary of Charles Lindbergh's famous first solo transatlantic flight. She was the first one to make a solo transatlantic flight since Lindbergh.

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First Solo Transatlantic Flight

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First Solo Transatlantic Flight

May 20, 1927

Charles Lindbergh, in The Spirit of St. Louis, leaves New York. He landed in Paris the following day.

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Kinetoscope parlor ca. 1894–95 Kinetoscope parlor ca. 1894–95

Kinetoscope parlor ca. 1894–95 Kinetoscope parlor ca. 1894–95
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Motion Pictures

May 20, 1891

Thomas Edison gives the first public demonstration of his motion picture camera and viewer system, the Kinetoscope. The viewer allowed one person at a time to view the film through a peephole window. The concept was first described by Edison in 1888, though it was largely developed by his employee William Kennedy Laurie Dickson.
This demonstration of the Kinetoscope prototype was for the National Federation of Women's Clubs at the Edison laboratory where they viewed several films, including one of Dickson described as, "It was a most marvelous picture. It bowed and smiled and waved its hands and took off its hat with the most perfect naturalness and grace. Every motion was perfect".
This led to Kinetoscope parlors in which people viewed films on coin operated devices. The first Kinetoscope parlor was on Broadway in New York City and viewers paid 25¢ to see five films, or 50¢ to watch all 10. It was an instant success and its owners soon opened others in Chicago and San Francisco.

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Chicago Bans the Sale of Spray Paints Photo Credit: Monj C

Chicago Bans the Sale of Spray Paints Photo Credit: Monj C
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Chicago Bans the Sale of Spray Paints

May 20, 1992

Citing them as "weapons of terror," the city of Chicago bans the selling of spray paints in an effort to reduce graffiti.

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Tiananmen Square

May 20, 1989

China imposes martial law as more than a million pro-democracy demonstrators gather in Tiananmen Square. Two weeks later many demonstrators would be killed in a clash with the People's Army in what became known as the Tiananmen Square Massacre.

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Walker Spy Case

May 20, 1985

John A. Walker is arrested with his brother and son for conspiring to sell secret Navy documents to the Soviet Union.

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The Beatles - Let It Be

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The Beatles - Let It Be

May 20, 1970

The Beatles' movie Let It Be premieres at the London Pavilion.

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Civil War

May 20, 1861

North Carolina becomes the 10th state to secede from the Union.

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First American School Maintained by Community Taxes

May 20, 1639

The first school maintained by community taxes in America is established in Dorchester, Massachusetts.

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Birthdays

Cher

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Cher (Cherilyn Sarkisian)

Born May 20, 1946

American singer, Oscar-Emmy-Grammy winning actress, singer. Teamed with partner and husband Sonny Bono, they sold 40 million records between 1965 and 1967 and became "Rock's 'it' couple". Music: I Got You Babe (1965, #1, with Sonny Bono), Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves (1971, #1), and If I Could Turn Back Time (1989). Film: Silkwood, Mask, Moonstruck. TV: The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour (1971-74) and The Sonny & Cher Show (1976-77).

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Carlos Hathcock receiving the Silver Star (1996) Carlos Hathcock receiving the Silver Star (1996)

Carlos Hathcock receiving the Silver Star (1996) Carlos Hathcock receiving the Silver Star (1996)
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Vietnam's Deadliest Sniper

Carlos Hathcock

Born May 20, 1942 d. 1999

American soldier. Regarded as the deadliest sniper of the Vietnam War. He has 93 confirmed kills and an estimated 300-400 total kills. For one of his most famous kills, he was sent to kill the enemy sniper known as the "Cobra", who had already killed several U.S. marines and was believed to have been sent to kill Hathcock. Hathcock saw the Cobra's scope reflecting in the sun and fired a shot that went through the scope striking him in the eye, killing him instantly. On another mission, he was sent to kill an enemy general. For the mission, he had to crawl camouflaged, inch-by-inch over 1,500 yards of field for four days and three nights without sleep until he was able to make his shot, killing the general with a single shot to the chest.
The Vietnamese placed a record bounty of $30,000 on Hathcock, and it is believed he killed every Vietnamese marksman who tried to collect it.
Hathcock became a marine sniper after joining the United States Marine Corps and winning numerous shooting competitions, including the Wimbledon Cup, the most prestigious prize for long-range shooting, at Camp Perry in 1965.
Known as "White Feather" for the white feather he wore on his bush hat, the Springfield Armory M25 White Feather rifle was named after him.

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James Stewart

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James Stewart

Born May 20, 1908 d. 1997

American Oscar-winning actor. Stewart was one of the first major celebrities to join the U.S. armed forces after the outbreak of WWII. He flew combat missions over Germany and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service. Film: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), The Philadelphia Story (1940), and It's a Wonderful Life (1947, George Bailey).

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Berliner with a model of his first phonograph Berliner with a model of his first phonograph

Berliner with a model of his first phonograph Berliner with a model of his first phonograph
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Invented the Disc Record Player

Emile Berliner

Born May 20, 1851 d. 1929

German-born American inventor, patented the first flat disc record player (1887, gramophone). Earlier recording devices by Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell used cylinders that were difficult to mass produce. His device was known as a "gramophone."

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Self portrait and first photograph of men drinking beer Self portrait and first photograph of men drinking beer

Self portrait and first photograph of men drinking beer Self portrait and first photograph of men drinking beer
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First Photograph of Men Drinking Beer

David Octavius Hill

Born May 20, 1802 d. 1870

Scottish painter, photographer. He formed Hill & Adamson studio with the engineer and photographer Robert Adamson (1843-47) which pioneered many aspects of photography in Scotland.
They created what is the first known photograph of men drinking beer (1844). In the photo, Hill (right) is sharing some Edinburgh Ale with James Ballantine (left) and Dr George Bell. Edinburgh Ale has been described as "a potent fluid, which almost glued the lips of the drinker together, and of which few, therefore, could dispatch more than a bottle".

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Mindy Cohn

Born May 20, 1966

American actress. TV: The Facts of Life (1979-88, Natalie).

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Susan Cowsill

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Susan Cowsill

Born May 20, 1959

American singer, member of the singing family The Cowsills (They were the basis for TV's The Partridge Family). Music: The Rain, The Park & Other Things (1967, #2) and the title song for the musical Hair (1969, #2).

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Bronson Pinchot

Born May 20, 1959

American actor. TV: Perfect Strangers (Balki).

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Jane Wiedlin

Born May 20, 1958

American guitarist. With the Go-Go's. Music: We Got the Beat (1981) and Vacation (1982).

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Dean Butler

Born May 20, 1956

Canadian actor. TV: Little House on the Prairie (Laura's husband).

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Joe Cocker

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Joe Cocker (John Robert Cocker)

Born May 20, 1944 d. 2014

British singer. Music: With a Little Help From My Friends (1968, #1 UK), You Are So Beautiful (1974), and Up Where We Belong (1982, #1).

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Elvis' Jumpsuit for Promised Land Elvis' Jumpsuit for Promised Land

Elvis' Jumpsuit for Promised Land Elvis' Jumpsuit for Promised Land
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The Man Who Dressed the King

Bill Belew

Born May 20, 1931 d. 2008

American costume designer, "The Man Who Dressed the King." He designed Elvis Presley's costumes (1968-77) setting the trend for stage costumes by performers such as the Jackson 5 and The Osmonds. One of his most famous designs was the high-collared jumpsuit used in Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite and on the album cover for Promised Land. He also designed for many other stars, including Gladys Knight and Doc Severensen.

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David Hedison (Albert David Hedison, Jr.)

Born May 20, 1927 d. 2019

American actor. Film: Live and Let Die (1973, CIA agent Felix Leiter) and Licence to Kill (1989, Felix Leiter).

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George Gobel

Born May 20, 1919 d. 1991

American Emmy-winning TV and Radio star. TV: The George Gobel Show (1954-60).

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Charles Hatton

Born May 20, 1905 d. 1975

American sports writer. He is credited with popularizing the term "Triple Crown" (1930), which he used to describe Gallant Fox who won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes.

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William George Fargo

Born May 20, 1818 d. 1881

American businessman, co-founder of American Express (1850), co-founder of Wells, Fargo and Co. (1852), mayor of Buffalo, N.Y. (1862-66), and for whom Fargo, North Dakota is named.

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Thomas Dartmouth Rice

Born May 20, 1808 d. 1860

American entertainer, "father of American minstrelsy." In 1828 he began performing Jim Crow - a song he had learned from an elderly black in Kentucky - in blackface. His act became a hit in England (1836), making "Jim Crow" synonymous with blacks.

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Dolley Madison

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Dolley Madison (Dorothea Dandridge Payne)

Born May 20, 1768 d. 1849

American First Lady (1809-17), wife of James Madison. Known for her social graces, she helped define the role of the First Lady. Dolley also helped furnish the newly constructed White House (then known as the "President's House"). When the British set fire to it in 1814, she saved many of its valuables, including the classic portrait of George Washington.

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Dr. William Thornton

Born May 20, 1759 d. 1828

British-born American architect, physician. He designed the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. (1793).

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Stephen Girard

Born May 20, 1750 d. 1831

French philanthropist, founder of Girard College at Philadelphia and for whom Girard, Ohio is named.

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William Bradford

Born May 20, 1663 d. 1752

American colonial printer. Founder of the New York Gazette (1725), the first New York newspaper.

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Deaths

Gilda Radner

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Gilda Radner

Died May 20, 1989 b. 1946

American Emmy-winning comedienne. TV: Original cast member of Saturday Night Live (1975-80). She was the first performer cast for SNL and co-wrote much of the material that she performed. She was a featured player on the National Lampoon Radio Hour (1974-75), along with other future SNL comedians John Belushi, Chevy Chase, and Bill Murray.
She died of ovarian cancer that had spread to her liver and lungs. She was married to actor Gene Wilder at the time of her death.

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Christopher Columbus

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Christopher Columbus

Died May 20, 1506 b. circa 1451

Italian explorer. Discovered the Americas.

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Ray Manzarek (Raymond Daniel Manczarek)

Died May 20, 2013 b. 1939

American keyboardist, with The Doors. Music: Light My Fire (1967, #1) and L.A. Woman (1971).

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(top to bottom) Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb (top to bottom) Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb

(top to bottom) Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb (top to bottom) Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb
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Robin Gibb

Died May 20, 2012 b. 1949

British-Australian singers, songwriters, with the Bee Gees. Music: Stayin' Alive (1977) and Night Fever (1977, #1).

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Sir John Richard Hicks

Died May 20, 1989 b. 1904

British Nobel-winning economist. He won the 1972 Nobel Prize for demonstrating that economic equilibrium is achieved by the interaction of forces that cancel each other out.

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Marquis de Lafayette

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Marquis de Lafayette

Died May 20, 1834 b. 1757

French general. He became the youngest major general ever in the U.S. army when he joined (1777) during the American Revolution. According to legend, U.S. President John Quincy Adams allowed Lafayette to keep an alligator in the bathroom of the White House's East Room for a few months.

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Sir Thomas Cavendish

Died May 20, 1592 b. 1555

English navigator. Plunderer of Spanish cites and ships.

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John XXI

Died May 20, 1277 b. circa 1215

Portuguese-born religious leader, 187th Pope (1276-77). He died as a result of injuries received when part of the roof of the new wing he added to his palace collapsed while he sleeping.

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