What Happened On
Iranian students crowd the U.S. Embassy in Tehran
Iranian students crowd the U.S. Embassy in Tehran
Iranian Hostage Crisis
November 4, 1979
The U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran is seized and 63 American hostages are taken and held for 444 days. The embassy was taken over by Iranian students who believed the U.S. was attempting to undermine the Iranian Revolution. They also opposed U.S. support of the Shah of Iran who, after being overthrown, went to the U.S. for cancer treatment. They wanted him returned to stand trial for crimes against the Iranian people.
First Factory Air-Conditioned Automobile
November 4, 1939
Packard Motor Car Company produces the first factory-installed air-conditioned car, when it offers it as an option for $279 (almost $5,000 in 2019 dollars). It took up about half the trunk had no temperature control, and although you could adjust the blower speed, it ran continuously with no means to turn it off with the engine running. To turn it off or on, the car must be stopped and the compressor belt manually removed or reattached. Cars ordered with AC were were shipped from the Detroit, Michigan factory to Cleveland, Ohio, where Bishop & Babcock installed the system. The option was discontinued after 1941.
After-market air conditioners had been available for cars since 1933.
First Woman U.S. Governor
November 4, 1924
Mrs. Nellie Tayloe Ross is elected by Wyoming, taking office on January 5, 1925. Mrs. Miriam Ferguson was also elected governor of Texas on the same day, but didn't take office until January 20, 1925. The previous governor of Wyoming was Ross' husband who died in office.
Photo Credit: Roland Unger
Photo Credit: Roland Unger
King Tut's Curse
November 4, 1922
The boy king Tutankhamen's tomb is discovered by archaeologist Howard Carter. Carter and Lord Carnarvon would open the tomb and look inside three weeks later. Lord Carnarvon, who financed the excavation, died five months later due to an infected mosquito bite, leading many to speculate, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (creator of Sherlock Holmes), that his death was caused by protections put in place by Tutankhamen's priests to guard the royal tomb.
Photo Credit: Alkivar
Photo Credit: Alkivar
Electric Light
November 4, 1879
Thomas Edison files a patent for his incandescent electric lamp. Note: Joseph Swan had already patented an incandescent light in Britain the previous year.
Gatling Gun
November 4, 1862
Richard Jordan Gatling is granted a patent for the rapid-fire machine gun that now bears his name. It was the first successful rapid-fire machine gun. Its first combat use was during the American Civil War.
During the Civil War, disease killed more soldiers than gunshot. Gatlin believed his gun would reduce the size of armies and thus reduce the number of deaths by combat and disease.
Death Penalty for Denying Word of God
November 4, 1646
Massachusetts Bay Colony enacts the death penalty for anyone who persists in denying that the Holy scriptures are the word of God.
First Israeli Commercial TV Channel
November 4, 1993
The first Israeli commercial TV channel begins broadcasting. Some of its first shows included Israeli versions of Wheel of Fortune and Dr. Ruth.
Nudity Banned at the University of California at Berkeley
November 4, 1992
It was in response to a student, known as "Naked Guy," who regularly attended classes au naturel.
Dan Quayle
November 4, 1988
Four days before the election, a federal prisoner's press conference is canceled by prison officials and he is placed in solitary confinement. He was going to make allegations that he sold marijuana to U.S. Vice-Presidential candidate Dan Quayle in the 1970s.
Iran-Contra Affair
November 4, 1986
It is revealed that the Ronald Reagan administration had been illegally shipping weapons to Iran in hopes of obtaining the release of American hostages, in what became known as the Iran-Contra Affair.
Record for Lowest Yards
November 4, 1979
The record for lowest yards by a team in an NFL game is set when the Seattle Seahawks make only 7 yards against the Los Angeles Rams.
Birthdays
Art Carney
Born November 4, 1918 d. 2003
American Oscar-Emmy-winning actor. Stage: The Odd Couple (1965-67, Felix). Film: Harry and Tonto (1974 Oscar Best Actor, Harry). TV: The Honeymooners (1955-56, Ed Norton). Music: The Song of the Sewer (1955, sung in character as Norton).
Walter Cronkite
Born November 4, 1916 d. 2009
American reporter. Reporter for the CBS Evening News (1962-81). "And that's the way it is…" Cronkite became known as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in a public opinion poll.
Will Rogers
Born November 4, 1879 d. 1935
American humorist, author. He died in an airplane crash with Wiley Post.
Quote: "I joked about every prominent man of my time, but I never met a man I didn't like."
Quote: "You know everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects."
Quote: "You can't say that civilization don't advance, however, for in every war they kill you in a new way."
Quote: "A comedian can only last till he either takes himself serious or his audience takes him serious."
Quote: "An ignorant person is one who doesn't know what you have just found out."
Ralph Macchio
Born November 4, 1961
American actor. Film: The Karate Kid (1984, title role). TV: Eight is Enough (Jeremy Andretti).
Markie Post
Born November 4, 1950 d. 2021
American actress. TV: The Fall Guy (1982-85, bail bondswoman Terri Michaels), Night Court (1984-92, Christine Sullivan), and Hearts Afire (1992-95, Georgie Anne Lahti Hartman).
Laura Bush (Laura Lane Welch)
Born November 4, 1946
American First Lady (2001-09). Wife of the 43rd U.S. President George W. Bush.
Loretta Swit
Born November 4, 1937
American Emmy-winning actress. TV: M*A*S*H (1972-83, "Hot Lips" Houlihan) and regular on TV games shows.
Doris Roberts (Doris May Green)
Born November 4, 1925 d. 2016
American Emmy-winning actress. TV: Remington Steele (1983-87, secretary Mildred Krebs) and Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-2005, Raymond's mother).
Martin Balsam
Born November 4, 1919 d. 1996
American Oscar-winning actor. Film: Psycho (1960, Det. Milton Arbogast). TV: Archie Bunker's Place (1979-83, Archie's partner Murray Klein).
Cameron Mitchell
Born November 4, 1918 d. 1994
American actor. TV: High Chaparral (Buck Cannon).
Photo Credit: National Numismatic Collection, National Museum of American History
Photo Credit: National Numismatic Collection, National Museum of American History
James Earle Fraser
Born November 4, 1876 d. 1953
American sculptor. He designed the U.S. Buffalo nickel.
Benjamin Franklin Goodrich
Born November 4, 1841 d. 1888
American physician, rubber manufacturer, founder of the B.F. Goodrich Co. (1880).
Deaths
Richard Hooker and the original "Swamp" at the 8055th M*A*S*H
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Richard Hooker and the original "Swamp" at the 8055th M*A*S*HPhoto Credit: Wikipedia
The Real Hawkeye of M*A*S*H
Hiester Richard Hornberger, Jr.
Died November 4, 1997 b. 1924
American author. Hornberger wrote the book Mash: A Novel About Three Army Doctors (1968, using the pseudonym Richard Hooker) which was the inspiration for the movie M*A*S*H and TV series of the same name. The character Hawkeye Pierce was based on his experiences while an army surgeon during the Korean War (1950-1953).
Hornberger didn't like his portrayal in the TV series, as he was a political conservative and did not like the anti-war and liberal tendencies of his onscreen characterization.
His book was initially turned down by 21 publishers.
Photo Credit: Stephenson Brown
Photo Credit: Stephenson Brown
Andy Rooney
Died November 4, 2011 b. 1919
American Emmy-winning commentator. TV: 60 Minutes (1978-2011, "Did you ever wonder…").
He was one of the first American journalists to visit and write about Nazi concentration camps at the end of World War II. Rooney stated that he had been opposed to World War II because he was a pacifist, but what he saw in the concentration camps made him ashamed that he had opposed the war and permanently changed his opinions about whether "just wars" exist.
He built the walnut table he used on 60 Minutes himself.
Michael Crichton
Died November 4, 2008 b. 1942
American author. Writings: The Andromeda Strain (1969), Westworld (1973), and Jurassic Park (1993).
Howard A. Rusk
Died November 4, 1989 b. 1901
American physician, founder of physical therapy. He developed physical therapy while working with wounded WWII soldiers.
Cy Young (Denton True Young)
Died November 4, 1955 b. 1867
American baseball Hall of Famer, winningest baseball pitcher ever with 511 wins.
1939 WPA poster
1939 WPA poster
Max Adler
Died November 4, 1952 b. 1866
American philanthropist. He was key to creating the first U.S. public planetarium, the Adler Planetarium and Astronomical Museum (1930), in the city of Chicago. Adler donated the funds for its construction, a Zeiss projector, and a collection of antique scientific instruments.
Adler was a concert violinist before he became a vice president at Sears Roebuck & Co. after marrying into the family that controlled the company.
Carl Thomas Anderson
Died November 4, 1948 b. 1865
American cartoonist. Creator of Henry.
Charles "Buddy" Bolden
Died November 4, 1931 b. 1877
American New Orleans cornetist. He is reputed to have invented jazz music. Suffering from schizophrenia, he spent the last 24 years of his life in an insane asylum.
Eugene Field
Died November 4, 1895 b. 1850
American author. Poems: Wynken, Blynken, and Nod (1888) and Little Boy Blue (1888).
George Peabody
Died November 4, 1869 b. 1795
American financier, philanthropist, and for whom Peabody, Massachusetts is named. He founded the Peabody Institute in Maryland, the Peabody Museums at Yale and Harvard, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Great Americans (1900).
Felix Mendelssohn
Died November 4, 1847 b. 1809
German composer, musician. He wrote Midsummer's Night's Dream overture before he was 17.
Saint Felix of Valois
Died November 4, 1212 b. 1127
French Monk and hermit. Co-founder with Saint John of Matha of the Trinitarians (c1197). The Trinitarians were originally devoted to freeing Christian slaves from Muslim captivity.