January 19, 2012

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Inese!

120 years ago
1892

Born on this date
Mady Christians. Austrian-born U.S. actress. Miss Christians, a native of Vienna, moved to Berlin with her family at the age of 1 and to New York City in 1912, where her father was a theatre manager. She appeared in movies in Europe from 1916-1933, including Dich hab ich geliebt (It's You I Have Loved) (1929), Germany's first all-sound film. Miss Christians moved to the United States in 1934, and became known for her starring roles in plays such as Watch on the Rhine (1941) and I Remember Mama (1944). Her Hollywood movies included Come and Get It (1936); Tender Comrade (1943); and All My Sons (1948). Miss Christians was critical of U.S. congressional investigation of alleged Communists, which led the Federal Bureau of Investigation's security division to begin investigating her. Miss Christians was offered a role in the Somerset Maugham TV Theatre production of The Mother (1951), but was dropped a week before rehearsals were to begin, although she was still offered the salary. She was briefly hospitalized as a result of the stress, and collapsed and died from a cerebral hemorrhage at a friend's home on October 28, 1951 at the age of 59.

60 years ago
1952

Hit parade
#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Cry--Johnnie Ray and the Four Lads (Best Seller--4th week at #1, Disc Jockey--3rd week at #1); Slow Poke--Pee Wee King and his Golden West Cowboys (Jukebox--3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Slow Poke--Pee Wee King and his Golden West Cowboys (2nd week at #1)
2 Cry--Johnnie Ray and the Four Lads
3 (It's No) Sin--The Four Aces
--Eddy Howard
4 Down Yonder--Del Wood
--Joe "Fingers" Carr
--Champ Butler
5 Undecided--The Ames Brothers and Les Brown and his Band of Renown
6 Shrimp Boats--Jo Stafford
7 The Little White Cloud that Cried--Johnnie Ray and the Four Lads
8 Charmaine--Mantovani and his Orchestra
9 Tell Me Why--The Four Aces
--Eddie Fisher
10 Cold, Cold Heart--Tony Bennett

Singles entering the chart were Blue Tango by Leroy Anderson and his "Pops" Concert Orchestra (#29); I Wanna Say Hello by Ellen Sutton (#30); and Trust in Me by Eddie Fisher (#33). Trust in Me was the B-side of Tell Me Why.

50 years ago
1962

On television tonight
The Twilight Zone, on CBS
Tonight's episode: Dead Man's Shoes, starring Warren Stevens and Richard Devon

40 years ago
1972

On television tonight
Rod Serling's Night Gallery, on NBC
Tonight's episode: The Miracle at Camafeo, starring Harry Guardino, Julie Adams, and Ray Danton; The Ghost of Sorworth Place, starring Richard Kiley and Jill Ireland

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Funkytown--Pseudo Echo (5th week at #1)

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K.: Goodnight Girl--Wet Wet Wet

10 years ago
2002

Football
NFC
Divisional Playoff
Philadelphia 33 @ Chicago 19

AFC
Divisional Playoff
Oakland 13 @ New England 16 (OT)

60,020 saw the Patriots edge the Raiders on a snowy Saturday night at Foxboro Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Adam Vinatieri kicked a field goal with 27 seconds remaining in regulation time to tie the game for the Patriots, and he kicked the winning field goal at 8:29 of the first overtime period. The Patriots benefited from some controversial officials' calls.