What Happened On
Gun Control
November 30, 1993
The Brady Bill restricting gun purchases is signed into law by U.S. President Bill Clinton. It provided for a five-day waiting period before the purchase of a handgun, and for the establishment of a national instant criminal background check system to be contacted by firearms dealers before the transfer of any firearm. The five-day waiting period on handgun sales was to be eliminated in 1998 when the instant computerized background check system was in place.
The bill was named for James Brady who was shot in the head and partially paralyzed during the 1981 assassination attempt on U.S. President Ronald Reagan by John Hinckley, Jr.
Thriller
November 30, 1982
Michael Jackson's Thriller album is released. It became the world's best-selling album (65,000,000 copies) and won a record-breaking 8 Grammy Awards. It was one of the first albums to successfully use music videos for promotion. The videos for "Thriller", "Billie Jean", and "Beat It" all received regular rotation on MTV.
Ampex Video Tape Recorder
Photo Credit: Karl Baron
Ampex Video Tape RecorderPhoto Credit: Karl Baron
First Tape-Delayed Television Program
November 30, 1956
CBS uses an Ampex tape recorder to tape-delay the evening CBS News broadcast with Douglas Edwards. The newly-developed recorder cost about $45,000 and a one-hour tape cost $300. They had tested the system the previous month by prerecording a segment of The Jonathan Winters Show.
Struck By A Meteorite
November 30, 1954
Ann Hodges is struck by a 5.54 kg (12 lbs, 3 oz) meteorite fragment, making her the only known person injured by a meteorite. She was sleeping on the couch in her Alabama home when it crashed through the roof, bounced off a large console radio, and then struck her. The 34-year-old Hodges was badly bruised on the side of her body. Another fragment was found by a farmer the following day. Due to the publicity surrounding the event, the farmer was able to sell his fragment for enough money to buy a car and house. On the other hand, Hodges fought with her landlord over the rights to the meteorite for a over year. The landlord claimed it was her property because it fell through her roof. Hodges eventually paid the landlord $500 for the meteorite, but by that time the public had lost interest in the story and she was unable to sell it.
In 1992 a small meteorite fragment (3 g) struck a Ugandan boy in Mbale, but it had been slowed down by a tree and did not cause any injury.
Minnie Pearl On Grand Ole Opry
November 30, 1940
The comedienne Minnie Pearl makes her first appearance on the radio show Grand Ole Opry. She would continue making appearances for over 50 years.
Minnie Pearl was known for her trademark "Howdeeeeee!" and a price tag of $1.98 hanging from her hats. She was the first woman inducted into the National Comedy Hall of Fame (1994), having previously been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame (1975).
Photo Credit: York Minster
Photo Credit: York Minster
First Black Archbishop in the Church of England
November 30, 2005
Rev. John Sentamu becomes the 97th Archbishop of York - the second highest post in the Church of England.
ExxonMobil
November 30, 1999
Exxon and Mobil combine in a 73.7 billion U.S. dollar merger agreement in what was the largest corporate merger up to that time.
Largest Merger to Date
November 30, 1988
RJR Nabisco is purchased for $25 billion.
Biscuit Cutter
November 30, 1875
The first patent for a biscuit cutter is issued to former African American slave Alexander Ashbourne. A spring-loaded metal plate with various shapes would press down on the dough.
American Revolution
November 30, 1782
A provisional treaty of peace is signed between Britain and the U.S., marking the end of hostilities. The war would officially end with the signing of the Treaty of Paris the following year.
The Church of England
November 30, 1706
The Church of England is declared by law the official religion of South Carolina. This remained in effect until 1778.
Birthdays
Billy Idol (William Broad)
Born November 30, 1955
British singer. Music: Dancing With Myself (1980), White Wedding (1983), Rebel Yell (1984), Eyes Without a Face (1984), and Mony Mony (1987, #1).
Photo Credit: Krish Dulal
Photo Credit: Krish Dulal
Chandra Bahadur Dangi
Born November 30, 1939 d. 2015
Napali little person. Measuring 54.6 cm (1 ft 9½ in) tall, he is the shortest man for whom there is irrefutable evidence. Dangi was a primordial dwarf. Source: Guinness World Records.
Dick Clark (Richard Augustus Wagstaff Clark Jr.)
Born November 30, 1929 d. 2012
American Emmy-winning, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame host. His show American Bandstand popularized the phrase, "It's got a good beat and you can dance to it." "For now, Dick Clark - so long!" TV: American Bandstand (1957-87) and host of the Times Square New Year's Eve celebrations (1972-2005).
First Black Woman Elected to the U.S. Congress
Shirley Chisholm (Shirley Anita St. Hill)
Born November 30, 1924 d. 2005
American politician, educator. She was the first black woman elected to the U.S. Congress (1968). In 1972, she became the first black candidate for a major party's nomination for President of the United States, and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination.
Sir Winston Churchill (Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill)
Born November 30, 1874 d. 1965
British statesman, UK Prime Minister (1940-45, 51-55), Nobel-winning author (1953). He coined the expression "Iron Curtain" (1946).
Quote: "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat."
Quote: "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
Quote: "You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks."
Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens)
Born November 30, 1835 d. 1910
American author, steamboat pilot, creator of Tom Sawyer (1876) and Huckleberry Finn (1885).
He took his pen name from a riverboat leadsman's cry "mark twain," meaning a river depth of two fathoms (12 feet), which was considered safe for a steamboat.
Twain was born shortly after the 1835 appearance of Halley's Comet, and as he neared his death he predicted,
"I came in with Halley's Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year, and I expect to go out with it. It will be the greatest disappointment of my life if I don't go out with Halley's Comet. The Almighty has said, no doubt: 'Now here are these two unaccountable freaks; they came in together, they must go out together'."
Twain died of a heart attack one day after the comet's closest approach to Earth in 1910.
Quote: "If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything."
Winchester Rifle Model 1866
Photo Credit: Hmaag
Winchester Rifle Model 1866Photo Credit: Hmaag
Oliver Winchester (Oliver Fisher Winchester)
Born November 30, 1810 d. 1880
American gun maker. He developed the Winchester rifle (1866) by improving the design of the Henry rifle creating the Winchester Model 1866. It was famous for its rugged construction and lever-action "repeating rifle" mechanism that allowed the user to fire a number of shots before having to reload. The Model 1866 was manufactured until 1899.
Gulliver discovers Laputa, the flying island, by J.J. Grandville
Gulliver discovers Laputa, the flying island, by J.J. Grandville
Jonathan Swift
Born November 30, 1667 d. 1745
English author. Writings: Gulliver's Travels (1726).
Quote: "Reasoning will never make a Man correct an ill Opinion, which by Reasoning he never acquired."
Clay Aiken (Clayton Holmes Grissom)
Born November 30, 1978
American singer, songwriter. He placed 2nd on American Idol (2003). Music: Measure of Man (2003). Writings: Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life (2004, New York Times bestseller).
Ben Stiller
Born November 30, 1965
American comedian. TV: Saturday Night Live and The Ben Stiller Show.
Bo Jackson
Born November 30, 1962
American football and baseball player. He is the only player in history named to both a baseball All-Star game and a football Pro-Bowl game.
Sir Ridley Scott
Born November 30, 1937
Emmy-winning English film director/producer. Movies: Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982), Thelma & Louise (1991).
Abbie Hoffman (Abbott Hoffman)
Born November 30, 1936 d. 1989
American political activist of the 1960s and leader of the Yippie (Youth International Party) movement. Hoffman was initially convicted of conspiracy and inciting to riot as a result of his role in the protests leading to violent confrontations with police during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. He was tried as part of the group known as the "Chicago Seven." Their convictions were overturned on appeal.
At Woodstock (1969), Hoffman interrupted a performance by The Who, with Pete Townshend yelling at him to "f#@k off! f#@k off my stage!" and chasing him with his guitar. In his book Woodstock Nation (1971), Hoffman says he was on a bad LSD trip at the time.
Hoffman's 1971 book Steal This Book exemplified the counterculture of the sixties and encouraged people to fight against the government and against corporations in any way possible. The book was rejected by over 30 publishers and Hoffman had to publish it himself, becoming an instant best seller and sold than a quarter of a million copies between April and November 1971.
G. Gordon Liddy (George Gordon Battle Liddy)
Born November 30, 1930 d. 2021
American lawyer. He was the chief operative in the White House Plumbers (1971) during Richard Nixon's presidency. Five of his operatives were arrested inside the Democratic National Committee offices (1972), leading to the Watergate investigation and eventual resignation of Nixon. Liddy was convicted of conspiracy, burglary, and illegal wiretapping and served nearly 52 months in federal prison.
Robert Guillaume (Robert Peter Williams)
Born November 30, 1927 d. 2017
American Emmy-Grammy-winning actor. TV: Soap (1977-80, Emmy, Benson DuBois) Benson (1979-86, Emmy, Benson DuBois). Audio book: The Lion King (1995, Grammy).
Richard Crenna
Born November 30, 1926 d. 2003
American Emmy-winning actor. Film: The Flamingo Kid (1984) and First Blood (1982, Rambo's former commanding officer). TV: Our Miss Brooks (Walter Denton, 1952-56) and The Real McCoys (Luke, 1957-63).
Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.
Born November 30, 1918 d. 2014
American actor. TV: 77 Sunset Strip (Stuart Bailey) and The F.B.I (Lewis Erskine).
Donald Ogden Stewart
Born November 30, 1894 d. 1980
American Oscar-winning screenwriter. Film: Laughter (1930), The Prison of Zenda (1937), and The Philadelphia Story (1940, Oscar).
Edgar Douglas Adrian
Born November 30, 1889 d. 1977
1st Baron of Cambridge, English physiologist. He shared the 1932 Nobel Prize in medicine with Sir Charles Scott Sherrington for their work on the function of neurons.
Cyrus West Field
Born November 30, 1819 d. 1892
American financier. He laid the first transatlantic telegraph cable (1858). It failed after only a month of operation. He failed again in a second attempt in 1865 before succeeding in 1866.
Deaths
George H. W. Bush (George Herbert Walker Bush)
Died November 30, 2018 b. 1924
American politician. 41st U.S. President (1989-93), 43rd U.S. Vice-President (1981-89), Director of Central Intelligence (1976-77), U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (1971-73), and U.S. House of Representatives (1967-71, Texas). After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Bush enlisted in the U.S. Navy and became the youngest aviator in the U.S. Navy at the time. He is the father of 43rd U.S. President George W. Bush.
Nabors as Gomer Pyle
Nabors as Gomer Pyle
Jim Nabors
Died November 30, 2017 b. 1930
American actor, singer. TV: The Andy Griffith Show (1962-64, Gomer Pyle) and Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (1964-69, Gomer Pyle). For over 30 years, he sang Back Home Again in Indiana for the opening ceremonies of the Indianapolis 500. His character, Gomer Pyle, was made an honorary Marine.
Photo Credit: Bill Wolf
Photo Credit: Bill Wolf
Evel Knievel (Robert Craig Knievel)
Died November 30, 2007 b. 1938
American motorcycle stunt rider. He broke 37 bones during his stunt career. He also won the Northern Rocky Mountain Ski Association Class A Men's ski jumping championship (1957).
First Woman to Swim the English Channel
Gertrude Caroline Ederle
Died November 30, 2003 b. 1905
American swimmer. Gertrude Ederle was the first woman to swim the English Channel (1926). Her time of 14 hours and 34 minutes for the 21-mile (33.8 km) swim was almost two hours faster than the current men's record. Her record stood until 1950.
She also won three Olympic medals, including a gold at the 1924 Summer Olympics.
She was hard of hearing since childhood due to measles and by the 1940s she was almost completely deaf. She taught swimming to deaf children.
Photo Credit: Christina Lynn Johnson
Photo Credit: Christina Lynn Johnson
Tiny Tim (Herbert Buckingham Khaury)
Died November 30, 1996 b. 1932
American ukulele-playing singer. Music: Tiptoe Through the Tulips (1968). His 1969 marriage to Miss Vicki on the Tonight Show attracted 40 million viewers, a then record for the show. In 1971, they gave birth to a daughter, Tulip Victoria Khuary, but later divorced in 1977.
Tiny Tim died of the results of a heart attack he suffered while performing Tip Toe Through The Tulips on stage.
Played Life or Death Chess Game
Ossip Bernstein
Died November 30, 1962 b. 1882
Russian-French chess grandmaster, financial lawyer. In 1918 he was arrested in Odessa by the Bolshevik secret police and ordered to be executed by firing squad for being a legal advisor to bankers. As the firing squad lined up, an officer recognized the name of the great chess master. To prove that it was really him, the officer challenged him to a chess match. If Bernstein won he would be set free - otherwise executed. Bernstein easily won and was released.
Sister Elizabeth Kenny, Polio Nurse
Sister Elizabeth Kenny
Died November 30, 1952 b. 1880
Australian bush nurse. She developed a controversial treatment for polio. The conventional treatment of the day was to place the affected limbs in plaster casts or braces. Kenny's method was to apply hot compresses to the affected parts of the body followed by passive movement of those areas to reduce what she called "spasm." Her success with her patients led to the opening of polio clinics across Australia. One of her patients was Alan Alda, who contracted polio when he was seven years old.
Kenny's principles of muscle rehabilitation became the foundation of modern physical therapy.
The movie Sister Kenny (1946) was based on her work.
Oscar Wilde
Died November 30, 1900 b. 1854
Irish poet and playwright. He was imprisoned for homosexuality (1895-97). He was one of the most popular playwrights of London in the 1890s. When Wilde attempted to prosecute his lover's father for criminal libel, evidence was uncovered that led to his own arrest in what was one of the first celebrity trials. He was convicted of gross indecency for consensual homosexual acts and imprisoned from 1895 to 1897.
He died of meningitis at age 46. His last words were, "Either that wallpaper goes, or I do."
Writings: The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), The Importance of Being Earnest (1895), and The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898, which described his prison experience).
Quote: "To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all."
Lionel Stander
Died November 30, 1994 b. 1908
American actor. TV: Hart to Hart (Max the Chauffeur).
Norman Cousins
Died November 30, 1990 b. 1915
American publisher, political journalist, editor of Saturday Review (1942-71). Quote: "Nixon's motto was, if two wrongs don't make a right, try three."
Zeppo Marx (Herbert Manfred Marx)
Died November 30, 1979 b. 1901
American comedian, one of the Marx Brothers. He was the youngest of the Marx Brothers, appearing in the first five Marx Brothers feature films (1929-33). He left the act to start a career as an engineer and theatrical agent, becoming a multi-millionaire due to his engineering efforts.
Albert Bacon Fall
Died November 30, 1944 b. 1861
American senator. He was the first member of a U.S. President's cabinet convicted of a crime (1929). While President Warren G. Harding's Secretary of the Interior, he was convicted of accepting a $100,000 bribe. He was sentenced to one year in prison and fined $100,000.
Mother Jones (Mary Harris Jones)
Died November 30, 1930 b. 1830
Irish-born American labor leader, agitator, and advocate for striking workers. Jones worked as a teacher and dressmaker, but after her husband and four children all died of yellow fever (1867) and her dress shop was destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire (1871), she began working as an organizer for the Knights of Labor and the United Mine Workers union. She also fought against the lax child labor laws in the Pennsylvania mines and silk mills.
The Mann Act
James Robert Mann
Died November 30, 1922 b. 1856
American politician. U.S. Representative (1897-1922, Illinois). He authored the Mann Act (1910), also known as the White Slave Act. It prohibited the transportation of women across state lines for immoral purposes. The law was used to prosecute singer Chuck Berry and boxer Jack Johnson.
Edward John Eyre
Died November 30, 1901 b. 1815
British colonial governor, explorer of the Australian continent. He was governor of St. Vincent (1854-60), Antigua (1860-62), and Jamaica (1862-65), and for whom Lake Eyre in South Australia is named.
Pius VIII
Died November 30, 1830 b. 1761
Italian religious leader, 253rd Pope (1829-30).
Marcello Malpighi
Died November 30, 1694 b. 1628
Italian physician. Founder of microscopic anatomy, and the first to view (1661) capillary circulation.