What Happened On
Lost in Space
October 16, 1997
According to the storyline of the TV show Lost in Space, October 16, 1997 is the day the fictional Jupiter II is launched from Alpha Control.
The TV series itself ran from 1965-68.
Topless Woman Found in Where's Waldo Puzzle
October 16, 1992
The popular children's puzzle was reported to show a topless female sunbather baring her breasts.
Gilligan's Island - Lost Pilot Episode
October 16, 1992
The pilot for Gilligan's Island is finally aired - 28 years after the series began. Although the pilot was filmed in 1963, because of cast changes, it wasn't aired until 1992. The pilot's cast differed from the series with Kit Smythe as Ginger, John Gabriel as the high school science teacher/professor, and Nancy McCarthy as Bunny (Ginger's co-worker from Kansas that became Mary Ann in the series).
Trivia: The Skipper character's name was Jonas Grumby. What was the Gilligan character's first name? Answer…
Luby's Cafeteria Massacre
October 16, 1991
George Hennard drives his pick-up truck through the front window of the Luby's Cafeteria in Killeen, Texas and opens fire with semi-automatic weapons killing 23 people and wounding 27 others before killing himself. As he was shooting, he yelled, "All women of Killeen and Belton are vipers! This is what you've done to me and my family! This is what Bell County did to me. This is payback day!"
Nuremberg Trials Executions
October 16, 1946
Ten of the 12 former Nazi leaders who had been sentenced to death are hanged. Hermann Göring committed suicide the night before and Martin Bormann, who was convicted in absentia, had died the previous year.
He Didn't Know It Couldn't Be Done, So He Did It
October 16, 1928
A patent is awarded for the first practical light bulb frosted on the inside. As a practical joke, new employees at General Electric's National Electric Lamp Company were assigned the task of making a practical light bulb frosted on the inside, as it was believed impossible to do. Until new employee Marvin Pipkin was assigned this task - and did it.
Radio installed on a baby carriage
Radio installed on a baby carriage
First Commercial Radio License
October 16, 1920
The first license for a commercial radio station is applied for, KDKA in Pittsburgh.
KDKA was originally intended to operate as private radiotelegraph links between Westinghouse's East Pittsburgh factory and its other facilities, to avoid the business expense of paying for telegraph and telephone lines. But, after the success of its broadcast of the November 1920 U.S. presidential results, it began providing regular entertainment programs.
The executioner showing Marie Antoinette's head to the people
The executioner showing Marie Antoinette's head to the people
Marie Antoinette Guillotined
October 16, 1793
Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France is guillotined for treason and attempting to incite a civil war. She was disliked by her people for her extravagances and politics.
Iraq War
October 16, 2002
The "Joint Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq" is signed into law by President George W. Bush authorizing what was soon to become the Iraq War.
Genetically-Altered Food
October 16, 1992
The "Flavr Savr" tomato becomes the first genetically-altered plant approved by the USDA for growing and transport without a special permit. It was approved for sale in 1994.
$4,250,000 a Day
October 16, 1992
John Haggin marries Roxanne Pulitzer. This caused his mother to cut him off from a $200,000,000 fortune. They filed for divorce December 2; that's about $4,250,000 a day.
Jessica McClure
October 16, 1987
The 18-month-old baby is rescued from a 22-foot-deep shaft she had fallen into 58½ hours earlier.
Penn & Teller
October 16, 1985
The magicians Penn & Teller "magically" produce 500 live cockroaches and let them loose on Late Night with David Letterman.
After their previous appearance, Letterman had asked that they come back and play a mean joke on him. This was the joke.
Smith (center) and Carlos with fists raised in protest
Smith (center) and Carlos with fists raised in protest
Olympic Black Salute
October 16, 1968
During their Olympic medal ceremony, African-American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos each raised a black-gloved fist during the playing of the U.S. national anthem. They faced the U.S. flag and kept their hands raised until the anthem finished. Smith claimed the gesture was a "human rights salute", not a "Black Power" salute. The two athletes were then expelled from the games.
Smith had won gold and Carlos had won bronze in the 200-meter running event.
After the event, Time magazine wrote: "'Faster, Higher, Stronger' is the motto of the Olympic Games. 'Angrier, nastier, uglier' better describes the scene in Mexico City last week."
In later years the incident was viewed as an act of courage, and in 1982 Carlos was hired to act as a liaison with the city's black community for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Ann Landers
October 16, 1955
The Ann Landers column gets a new writer - Esther Pauline Friedman. Her twin sister was the original Dear Abby columnist.
Evolution Banned in Texas
October 16, 1925
Textbooks containing Charles Darwin's theory of evolution are banned by the Texas State Text Book Board.
John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry
October 16, 1859
Abolitionist John Brown captures the U.S. arsenal near Harper's Ferry, Virginia. He was trying to initiate an armed slave revolt. Brown's party of 22 was defeated by 88 U.S. Marines plus state militia. Ten of Brown's party were killed, including two of his sons. Brown was later captured by Col. Robert E. Lee and hanged. One Marine and six civilians were killed.
Brown had asked Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass to join in his raid, but Tubman was prevented by illness and Douglass declined, as he believed Brown's plan would fail.
Yale University
October 16, 1701
A charter is granted for a collegiate school in New Haven, Connecticut. It later became Yale University.
Birthdays
Oscar Wilde
Born October 16, 1854 d. 1900
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."
Major Walter Clopton Wingfield
Major Walter Clopton Wingfield
Inventor of Lawn Tennis
Major Walter Clopton Wingfield
Born October 16, 1833 d. 1912
British tennis pioneer. Inventor of modern lawn tennis (1874).
Tim Robbins
Born October 16, 1958
American actor. Film: Howard the Duck (1986) and Bull Durham (1988).
Suzanne Somers (Suzanne Marie Mahoney)
Born October 16, 1946 d. 2023
American actress. TV: Three's Company (1977-81, Christmas "Chrissy" Snow), She's the Sheriff (1987-89, Sherriff Hildy Granger), Step by Step (1991-98, Carol Foster-Lambert), and infomercial spokeswoman for the Thighmaster. She was a prize model for the game show Anniversary Game (1969-70), which was hosted by her future husband Alan Hamel. Film: American Graffiti (1973, the blonde in the white T-Bird).
In 1970, Somers was 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.
C.F. "Fred" Turner
Born October 16, 1943
Canadian singer, with Bachman-Turner Overdrive. Music: Takin' Care of Business (1974) and You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet (1974, #1).
Barry Corbin
Born October 16, 1940
American actor. TV: Northern Exposure (former astronaut Maurice).
Andrei Chikatilo
Born October 16, 1936 d. 1994
Russian serial killer. As Russia's most prolific serial killer, he was executed for the murder and cannibalism of at least 52 women and children between 1978 and 1990. Another man was mistakenly executed for these crimes.
Angela Lansbury
Born October 16, 1925 d. 2022
Irish-British-American Tony-winning actress. TV: Murder She Wrote (1984-96, Jessica Fletcher).
Eugene O'Neill (Eugene Gladstone O'Neill)
Born October 16, 1888 d. 1953
American Nobel-Pulitzer-winning playwright. O'Neill is also the only playwright to win four Pulitzer Prizes for Drama. He was also Time magazine's 1924 Man of the Year.
Writings: The Iceman Cometh (1946) and Long Day's Journey into Night (1956, published posthumously).
Inventor of the Variable-Pitch Propeller
Wallace Rupert Turnbull
Born October 16, 1870 d. 1954
Canadian aviation pioneer. Inventor of the variable-pitch propeller (1927) used on airplanes.
Charge of the Light Brigade
Charge of the Light Brigade
Charge of the Light Brigade
Seventh Earl of Cardigan (James Thomas Brudenell)
Born October 16, 1797 d. 1868
English soldier. He led the Charge of the Light Brigade (1854) and for whom cardigan sweaters are named.
Noah Webster
Born October 16, 1758 d. 1843
American lexicographer, schoolmaster to America. Works: Blue-Backed Speller (1783) and An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828).
Deaths
Barbara Billingsley (Barbara Lillian Combes)
Died October 16, 2010 b. 1915
American actress. TV: Leave It to Beaver (1957-63, June Cleaver), The New Leave It to Beaver (1985-89, June Cleaver), and Muppet Babies (1984-91, voice of Nanny). Film: Airplane! (1980, the elderly passenger who spoke jive).
Postel with hand-drawn map of Internet top-level domains
Photo Credit: Credit
Postel with hand-drawn map of Internet top-level domainsPhoto Credit: Credit
God of the Internet
Jonathan Bruce Postel
Died October 16, 1998 b. 1943
American computer scientist, Internet pioneer. Referred to as the "God of the Internet." He was responsible for assigning addresses to domain names and for editing RFCs (Request for Comments). Also known for Postel's Law: "Be conservative in what you do, be liberal in what you accept from others."
First American-Trained Flying Ace of WWI
Douglas Campbell
Died October 16, 1990 b. 1896
American aviator, WWI flying ace. He was the first American flying in an American unit to achieve the status of ace when he downed his fifth enemy aircraft (May 31, 1918). He and Lt. Alan F. Winslow scored the first victories by fighter aircraft of an American-trained flying unit in the war (April 14, 1918).
Marie Antoinette
Died October 16, 1793 b. 1755
Queen of France. Disliked by her people for her extravagances and politics, she was guillotined for treason and attempting to incite a civil war.
Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr in the film From Here to Eternity
Deborah Kerr (Deborah Kerr-Trimmer)
Died October 16, 2007 b. 1921
Scottish actress. Film: From Here to Eternity (1953) and The King and I (1956, Anna).
Porky - "O-tay"
Eugene Lee
Died October 16, 2005 b. 1933
American actor. The Little Rascals (Spanky's little brother Porky). He appeared in 42 Our Gang films. "O-tay!"
Rick Jason
Died October 16, 2000 b. 1923
American actor. TV: Combat! (1962-67, Lt. Gil Hanley).
James A. Michener
Died October 16, 1997 b. 1907
American Pulitzer-winning author. Writings: Tales of the South Pacific (Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1948), and The Bridges at Toko-ri (1953).
Shirley Booth (Thelma Booth Ford)
Died October 16, 1992 b. 1898
American Oscar-Tony-Emmy-winning actress. TV: Hazel (1961-66, title role).
Cornel Wilde (Cornelius Wilde)
Died October 16, 1989 b. 1912
Hungarian-American actor. Film: A Song to Remember (1945, Chopin). He quit the 1936 U.S. Olympic fencing team to pursue his acting career.
Wilhelm Frick
Died October 16, 1946 b. 1877
German Nazi politician. He became 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 (1930). He used his position to replace officials with Nazi Party members and banned several newspapers as well as pacifist drama and film performances. He served as Reich Minister of the Interior in Adolf Hitler's Cabinet (1933-43) and as the last governor of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. After World War II, he was tried and convicted of war crimes at the Nuremberg Trials and executed by hanging.
Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac
Died October 16, 1730 b. 1658
French explorer. Founder of Detroit, Michigan (1701) and for whom the Cadillac automobile was named.
Gregory XIV (Niccolò Sfondrato)
Died October 16, 1591 b. 1535
religious leader, 229th Pope (1590-91).