January 5, 2012

60 years ago
1952

Hit parade
#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Cry--Johnnie Ray and the Four Lads (Best Seller--2nd week at #1, Disc Jockey--1st week at #1); Slow Poke--Pee Wee King and his Golden West Cowboys (Jukebox--1st week at #1)

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 (It's No) Sin--The Four Aces (9th week at #1)
--Eddy Howard
2 Down Yonder--Del Wood
--Joe "Fingers" Carr
--Champ Butler
3 Slow Poke--Pee Wee King and his Golden West Cowboys
--Arthur Godfey
--Helen O'Connell
4 Cold, Cold Heart--Tony Bennett
5 Shrimp Boats--Jo Stafford
6 Because of You--Tony Bennett
--Les Baxter and his Orchestra
7 Jealousy (Jalousie)--Frankie Laine
8 Cry--Johnnie Ray and the Four Lads
9 Charmaine--Mantovani and his Orchestra
10 Undecided--The Ames Brothers and Les Brown and his Band of Renown

Singles entering the chart were Snowflakes by Evelyn Knight and Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians (#25); Manhattan by Tony Martin and Dinah Shore (#27); Walkin' by Nat "King" Cole (#30); and Dance Me Loose by Arthur Godfrey (#35).

Diplomacy
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrived in the United States for his first official visit since regaining power in the October 1951 general election.

50 years ago
1962

On television tonight
The Twilight Zone, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Nothing in the Dark, starring Gladys Cooper and Robert Redford

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Laura-Belle Robinson!

40 years ago
1972

On television tonight
Rod Serling's Night Gallery, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Green Fingers, starring Cameron Mitchell, Elsa Lanchester, and Michael Bell; The Funeral, starring Joe Flynn, Werner Klemperer, and Jack Laird; The Tune in Dan's Cafe, starring Pernell Roberts and Susan Oliver

The title tune in The Tune in Dan's Cafe was If You Leave Me Tonight I'll Cry, performed by Jerry Wallace. It was released as a single later in 1972 and reached the top 40 on the pop charts in the United States and Canada.

Space
U.S. President Richard Nixon ordered development of the U.S. space shuttle.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Funkytown--Pseudo Echo (3rd week at #1)

20 years ago
1992

Football
NFL
AFC Divisional Playoff
Kansas City 14 @ Buffalo 37

NFC Divisional Playoff
Dallas 6 @ Detroit 38

10 years ago
2002

Movies
The U.S. National Society of Film Critics chose Mulholland Dr. as the best picture of 2001, while the American Film Institute, presenting its first annual award, chose The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring as the best picture of 2001.