• Today in 1967, Grinnell’s was asdvertising a 7″, 19 transistor portable black and white television set with AC cord and earphone for just $124.95. A rechargable battery was optional.
• Today in 1972, The hit musical Purlie was in the midst of it’s Fisher Theater Run. Al Martino and Ella Fitzgerald were on the marquee at the Elmwood Casino in Windsor and The Godfather was on the big screen at the Americana, Macomb, Showcase Cinema, Southgate and the Terrace.
• Today in 1977, The Citizens Band Radio craze was in full swing in Detroit. Radio Shack was offering expanded 40 channel models starting at $79.95 and a converter so you could hear CB traffic on your car radio for just $19.95
• Today in 1979, A report from the Commerce Department said that Michigan Residents were in the top 5th of the nation when it came to income. The data revealed that Michiganders earned an average of $8,442 each. But the same report noted that inflation was taking a bite out of the 11% income increase year over year.
• Today in 1982, British troops stormed ashore on the Falkland Islands, establishing a beachhead on the territory Argentina had claimed as their won seven weeks earlier.
• Today in 1987, an offer of free season tickets for either the Pistons or the Red Wings lured 8 fugitives into the hands of police. A certificat from CAP productions reeled in the bad guys, who found themselves in handcuffs when they showed up to claimn their prizes.

1761 1st life insurance policy in North America is issued in Philadelphia
1849 Abraham Lincoln receives a patent (only US President to do so) for a device to lift a boat over shoals and obstructions
1900 Associated Press organizes in NYC as nonprofit news cooperative
1906 Wright Brothers are granted a patent for their “flying machine,” having applied for one 3 years earlier (patent no. 821,393)
1954 Robert Zimmerman aka Bob Dylan is Bar Mitzvahed
1956 The last weekly “Bob Hope Show” airs on NBC-TV. He signs a lifetime contract for specials on the network.
1965 Beatles’ “Ticket to Ride” single goes #1
1966 18th Emmy Awards: “The Fugitive”, Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore win
1985 “A View to a Kill”, 14th James Bond film, last to star Roger Moore, also starring Grace Jones and Christopher Walken, premieres in San Francisco
1986 American singer and actress Cher calls David Letterman an a**hole on his “Late Night” TV program (NBC)
1990 Microsoft releases Windows 3.0
1992 Johnny Carson’s final appearance as host of “The Tonight Show”
1996 Emmy 23rd Daytime Award presentation – Susan Lucci loses for 16th time

Music released today:

1964: Dave Clark Five, “Bits And Pieces” [UK], Glad All Over, “All Of The Time”
1970: Christie, “Yellow River”, Christie, “Down The Mississippi Line”
1967: The Monkees, Headquarters LP
1975: Minnie Riperton, Adventures In Paradise LP
1979: Smokey Robinson, Where There’s Smoke… LP

Rock Birthdays: Via DrRock.com

1924: Charles Aznavour / (Shahnour Aznavourian), The “French Frank Sinatra”, world-known French-Armenian music hall singer, songwriter, actor and diplomat, “She” (UK #1, 1974)
1930: Jimmy Keyes, Founding member and first tenor vocals for one hit wonder R&B/doo wop The Chords, one of the earliest black groups to cross over to the pop charts with “Sh-Boom” (#9, R&B #3, 1954), died on 7/22/1995, age 65
1934: Peter Nero [Bernard Nierow], American conductor and pianist (A Sunday in NY; Philadelphia POPS), born in NYC, New York
1937: Kenny Ball, Brit traditional jazz trumpeter and bandleader, Kenny Ball & His Jazzman, “Midnight In Moscow” (#2, 1962)
1941: Bruce Rowlands, Drummer in Joe Cocker‘s backing group The Grease Band, then joined renowned Brit folk-rock Fairport Convention, “Si Tu Dos Partir” (UK #21, 1969)
1941: Jackie Jackson / (Jackie Landry Jackson), Vocals for early R&B/pop girl group trio The Chantels, “Maybe” (#15, R&B #2, 1958), one of the definitive songs of the genre, became a stenographer in the Bronx (NY) court system following her music career, died from breast cancer on 12/23/1997, age 56
1942: Calvin Simon, Vocals for R&B/doo wop The Parliaments, “(I Wanna) Testify” (#20, R&B #3, 1967), then R&B/soul-funk (“P-Funk”) giants Parliament-Funkadelic, “One Nation Under A Groove” (#31, 1978)
1949: Chris Butler, Lead guitarist and chief songwriter for New Wave pop-rock The Waitresses, “I Know What Boys Like” (Mainstream Rock #23, 1982), solo and record producer/executive
1950: Bernie Taupin, Lyricist and renowned songwriting partner of Elton John with dozens of collaborative hits, also co-wrote Jefferson Starship‘s “We Built This City” (#1, 1985), Heart‘s “These Dreams” ( #1, 1986), and songs for Rod Stewart, Cher, The Motels, John Waite, Alice Cooper and multiple others
1954: Jerry Dammers, Founding member and keyboard play for ska revival/punk rock The Specials, “Ghost Town” (UK #1, 1981), producer and co-founder of 2 Tone Records
1955: Iva Davies, Welsh singer/songwriter, guitarist, producer and film score composer, frontman for Aussie New Wave synth-pop/pub rock Icehouse, “Electric Blue” (#7, 1987)
1955: Mary Black, Irish folk and contemporary pop-rock-blues singer and songwriter, “Columbus” (1989)
1959: Morrissey / (Steven Patrick Morrissey), Vocalist and lyricist, frontman for definitive Brit indie rock The Smiths, “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now” (UK #10, 1984), solo, “Suedehead” (UK #5, 1988) and over 15 other UK Top 40 singles
1962: Jesse Valenzuela, Vocals and guitar for power-pop Gin Blossoms, “Found Out About You” (Modern Rock #1, 1994), solo

Other Notable Birthdays: Via OnThisDay.com

1813 Richard Wagner, German composer (The Ring of the Nibelung, Flying Dutchman), born in Leipzig, Saxony, Germany (d. 1883)
1859 Arthur Conan Doyle, British author who brought Sherlock Holmes to life twice, born in Edinburgh, Scotland (d. 1930)
1907 Laurence Olivier, English actor (Rebecca, Hamlet, Jazz Singer), born in Dorking, Surrey (d. 1989)
1907 Hergé [Georges Prosper Remi], Belgian comic book creator (The Adventures of Tintin), born in Etterbeek, Belgium (d. 1983)
1910 Johnny Olson, American radio personality and television announcer (The Price is Right), born in Windom, Minnesota (d. 1985)
1922 Judith Crist, American film critic (TV Guide, Today), born in The Bronx, New York (d. 2012)
1922 Quinn Martin, American television producer, born in NYC, New York (d. 1987)
1927 Michael Constantine [Ioannides], American actor (Room 222 – “Mr. Kaufman”; Don’t Drink the Water; My Big Fat Greek Wedding), born in Reading, Pennsylvania (d. 2021)
1936 M. Scott Peck, American psychiatrist and writer (The Road Less Traveled), born in NYC, New York (d. 2005)
1938 Frank Converse, American actor (It’s About Time, Dr Cook’s Garden, Movin’ On), born in St. Louis, Missouri
1938 Richard Benjamin, American director and actor (Goodbye Columbus, He & She), born in NYC, New York
1938 Susan Strasberg, American actress (In Praise of Older Women, Manitou), born in NYC, New York
1940 Bernard Shaw, American news correspondant (CBS, CNN), born in Chicago, Illinois
1940 Michael Sarrazin, Canadian actor (Seduction, They Shoot Horses Don’t They), born in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada (d. 2011)
1941 Paul Winfield, American actor (Star Trek II, Huckleberry Finn, Mars Attack), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2004)
1970 Naomi Campbell, English model and actress (Cool as Ice, Unzipped), born in London, England