March 3, 2012

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Irishka!

60 years ago
1952

On television tonight
Lights Out, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Private--Keep Out, starring Melvyn Douglas

50 years ago
1962

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Quando, Quando, Quando--Tony Renis

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Let's Twist Again--Chubby Checker (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (Record Mirror): Rock-A-Hula Baby/Can't Help Falling in Love--Elvis Presley (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Duke of Earl--Gene Chandler (3rd week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Duke of Earl--Gene Chandler (5th week at #1)
2 Hey! Baby--Bruce Channel
3 The Twist--Chubby Checker
4 The Wanderer--Dion
5 Midnight in Moscow--Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen
6 Break it to Me Gently--Brenda Lee
7 Crying in the Rain--The Everly Brothers
8 Peppermint Twist - Part I--Joey Dee & the Starliters
9 Don't Break the Heart That Loves You--Connie Francis
10 Let Me In--The Sensations

Singles entering the chart were Slow Twistin' by Chubby Checker (with Dee Dee Sharp (#71); Mashed Potato Time by Dee Dee Sharp (#74); When My Little Girl is Smiling by the Drifters (#79); Young World by Rick Nelson (#81); Moments by Joyce Davis (joining Jennell Hawkins' version at #85); If a Woman Answers by Leroy Van Dyke (#88); A Girl Has to Know by the G-Clefs (#94); Johnny Angel by Shelley Fabares (#97); Yes Indeed by Pete Fountain (#98); The Ballad of Thunder Road by Robert Mitchum (#99); Clown Shoes by Johnny Burnette (#100); Dear One by Larry Finnegan (also #100); and Goodbye to Toyland by the Vonnair Sisters (also #100). The Ballad of Thunder Road was the theme song from the movie Thunder Road (1958), which starred Mr. Mitchum and his son James. Mr. Mitchum didn't sing the song in the movie. Goodbye to Toyland was from the movie Babes in Toyland (1961).

40 years ago
1972

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Sherry!

25 years ago
1987

Died on this date
Danny Kaye, 74. U.S. entertainer. A man of many talents, Mr. Kaye’s movies included Wonder Man (1945); The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947); The Inspector General (1949); On the Riviera (1951); Hans Christian Andersen (1952); Knock on Wood (1954); White Christmas (1954); and The Court Jester (1956). He was one of the original owners of the Seattle Mariners baseball club.

Crime
A United States federal grand jury indicted Israeli air force officer Aviel Sella and said that he and three other Israelis had conspired with convicted spy Jonathan Pollard to obtain secret military data from the United States. Mr. Sella said he could not be arrested unless he came to the U.S.A. voluntarily, and the U.S. officially protested Mr. Sella’s new assignment as commander of Israel’s second-largest air force base.

20 years ago
1992

Economics and finance
The United States Commerce Department reported that the index of leading economic indicators had risen 0.9% in January, the biggest increase in six months.

10 years ago
2002

Died on this date
Harlan Perry Howard, 74. U.S. songwriter. Mr. Howard wrote more than 4,000 songs, over 100 of which reached the top 10 in the national country chart. His compositions included Heartaches by the Number, I Fall to Pieces, and Busted.