March 21, 2012

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Nadia Marchuk!

70 years ago
1942

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Moonlight Cocktail--Glenn Miller and his Orchestra (4th week at #1)

60 years ago
1952

On television tonight
Tales of Tomorrow, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Fisherman's Wife, starring Tom Drake

Music
The Moondog Coronation Ball, generally acknowledged as the first major rock concert, took place at Cleveland Arena. 20,000 people attempted to get into a building designed to hold half that number, and fire authorities shut down the show after the first song by opening act Paul Williams. The event was organized by Alan Freed, the disk jockey at Cleveland radio station WJW who was responsible for popularizing the term "rock and roll."

50 years ago
1962

At the movies
Sweet Bird of Youth, starring Paul Newman, Geraldine Page, and Ed Begley, opened in theatres.



Weather
Five inches of snow fell in Edmonton on the first full day of spring.

War
Fighting broke out between French security forces and right-wing terrorists in Oran, Algeria.

Diplomacy
Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev agreed to co-operate with the United States in space exploration, including sending vehicles to other planets, but emphasized that such joint ventures would depend "in some degree on the solution of the disarmament problem."

40 years ago
1972

War
Communist forces slammed 200 rockets and artillery shells into the Cambodian capital of Pnompenh and its outskirts, killing more than 50 people and wounding at least 120.

Politics and government
Greek Premier George Papadopoulos assumed the post of regent after dismissing General George Zoitakis, who had held the largely ceremonial office since King Constantine’s flight from Greece in December 1967.

Chiang Kai-shek, running unopposed, was re-elected to his fifth six-year term as President of Nationalist China (Taiwan).

U.S. Senator Edmund Muskie of Maine won the Illinois primary for the 1972 Democratic party nomination for President of the United States, taking 63% of the vote. Former U.S. Senator Eugene McCarthy was the only serious challenger, while U.S. Senator George McGovern of South Dakota didn’t compete.

Disasters
At least 19 mountain climbers caught on the slopes of Japan’s Mount Fuji during a blizzard were reported frozen to death, and 8 others were listed as missing.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: Si può dare di più--Gianni Morandi, Enrico Ruggeri, Umberto Tozzi (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): The Final Countdown--Europe (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)--George Michael and Aretha Franklin (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Respectable--Mel and Kim

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Everything I Own--Boy George

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Everything I Own--Boy George

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Everything I Own--Boy George (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Lean on Me--Club Nouveau

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Lean on Me--Club Nouveau
2 Jacob's Ladder--Huey Lewis and the News
3 Let's Wait Awhile--Janet Jackson
4 Somewhere Out There--Linda Ronstadt with James Ingram
5 Mandolin Rain--Bruce Hornsby and the Range
6 Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now--Starship
7 Livin' on a Prayer--Bon Jovi
8 (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)--Beastie Boys
9 Tonight, Tonight, Tonight--Genesis
10 Big Time--Peter Gabriel

Singles entering the chart were La Isla Bonita by Madonna (#54); With or Without You by U2 (#59); Brass Monkey by the Beastie Boys (#77); If She Would Have Been Faithful... by Chicago (#80); There's Nothing Better than Love by Luther Vandross (with Gregory Hines) (#86); Show Me by the Cover Girls (#87); Do Ya Do Ya (Wanna Please Me) by Samantha Fox (#88); and The Secret of My Success by Night Ranger (#90). The Secret of My Success was the title song of the movie.

Canada’s Top 10 (RPM)
1 Livin' on a Prayer--Bon Jovi (2nd week at #1)
2 At this Moment--Billy Vera and the Beaters
3 Touch Me (I Want Your Body)--Samantha Fox
4 Somewhere Out There--Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram
5 Keep Your Hands to Yourself--Georgia Satellites
6 Will You Still Love Me?--Chicago
7 Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now--Starship
8 Montego Bay--Amazulu
9 Respect Yourself--Bruce Willis
10 The Final Countdown--Europe

Singles entering the chart were Heat of the Night by Bryan Adams (#80); Lessons in Love by Level 42 (#85); The Finer Things by Steve Winwood (#88); (I Just) Died in Your Arms by Cutting Crew (#93); Dominoes by Robbie Nevil (#94); Light of Day by the Barbusters (#96); and Closer Together by The Box (#98).

Died on this date
Walter Gordon, 80. Canadian politician. Mr. Gordon was an accountant who chaired two Royal Commissions before entering politics. He was elected as a Liberal to the House of Commons in the Toronto riding of Davenport in 1962, representing the riding until 1968. Mr. Gordon was named Minister of Finance in the incoming Liberal cabinet of Prime Minister Lester Pearson in 1963, but was forced to withdraw and revise his first budget, which contained discriminatory taxes on foreign capital. Mr. Gordon was an economic nationalist who supported stronger ties with the United Kingdom and decreased ties to the United States. His influence in the cabinet declined after the budget debacle; he resigned as Minister of Finance in 1965, served as President of the Privy Council from 1967-1968, and declined to run for re-election in 1968. Mr. Gordon served as Chancellor of York University from 1973-1977.

Robert Preston, 68. U.S. actor. Mr. Preston, born Robert Preston Meservey, was best known for his starring role in the play (1957) and movie (1962) The Music Man. His other movies included The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960) and Victor Victoria (1982).

Dean Paul Martin, 35. U.S. actor and musician. Mr. Martin, a son of Dean Martin, was one of the members of the music group Dino, Desi and Billy in the 1960s before attempting an acting career. He became a pilot with the California Air National Guard in 1981, rising to the rank of Captain, and was killed along with his Weapons Systems Officer, Captain Ramon Ortiz, when his F-4 Phantom fighter jet crashed into San Gorgonio Mountain during a snowstorm.

War
800 Libyans were reported killed after Libyan columns south of Wadi Doum, site of a Libyan air base, in ambushes on March 19 and 21 by Chadian government forces.

Hockey
NHL
Toronto 4 @ Montreal 9

The highlight for Maple Leaf fans was a fight between Toronto’s Wendel Clark and Montreal’s John Kordic (see video).

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (ARIA): Saltwater--Julian Lennon (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Kanashimi hayuki no yoni--Shogo Hamada (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Non Amarmi--Aleandro Baldi; Francesca Alotta

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Human Touch---Bruce Springsteen

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): She Goes Nana--The Radios (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me--George Michael/Elton John (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Twilight Zone--2 Unlimited

#1 single in the U.K. (Chart Information Network): Stay--Shakespears Sister (5th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Save the Best for Last--Vanessa Williams

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 To Be with You--Mr. Big (5th week at #1)
2 Missing You Now--Michael Bolton featuring Kenny G
3 Remember the Time--Michael Jackson
4 I Can't Dance--Genesis
5 Until Your Love Comes Back Around--RTZ
6 Masterpiece--Atlantic Starr
7 Good for Me--Amy Grant
8 What Becomes of the Brokenhearted--Paul Young
9 Justified & Ancient--The KLF (featuring Tammy Wynette)
10 Too Much Passion--Smithereens

Singles entering the chart were Human Touch by Bruce Springsteen (#55); Live and Learn by Joe Public (#73); Good Friend by Paris Red (#85); She's Got that Vibe by R. Kelly and Public Announcement (#86); and Nothing Else Matters by Metallica (#89).

Canada's Top 10 (RPM)
1 To Be with You--Mr. Big (3rd week at #1)
2 Remember the Time--Michael Jackson
3 Hazard--Richard Marx
4 Tears in Heaven--Eric Clapton
5 Good for Me--Amy Grant
6 What Becomes of the Brokenhearted--Paul Young
7 I Can't Dance--Genesis
8 Missing You Now--Michael Bolton
9 Again Tonight--John Mellencamp
10 Thought I'd Died and Gone to Heaven--Bryan Adams

Singles entering the chart were This Love is Forever by Paul Janz (#86); World Love by Lisa Lougheed (#89); Can't Cry Hard Enough by the Williams Brothers (#91); I Believe (When I Fall in Love it Will Be Forever) by George Michael (#92); Ever Changing Times by Aretha Franklin and Michael McDonald (#93); I'm the One You Need by Jody Watley (#94); Laid So Low (Tears Roll Down) by Tears for Fears (#95); Uhh Ahh by Boyz II Men (#97); Not the Only One by Bonnie Raitt (#98); and (I've Got to) Stop Thinking 'Bout That by James Taylor (#99). I Believe (When I Fall in Love it Will Be Forever) was the B-side of Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me by George Michael/Elton John, charting at #12.

Died on this date
John Ireland, 78. Canadian-born U.S. actor. A native of Vancouver, Mr. Ireland appeared in such movies as A Walk in the Sun (1945); My Darling Clementine (1946); All the King’s Men (1949); The Basketball Fix (1951); Queen Bee (1955); Spartacus (1960); and 55 Days at Peking (1963).

Hockey
NHL
Chicago 3 @ Toronto 1
Los Angeles 5 Calgary 2

10 years ago
2002

Died on this date
Herman Talmadge, 88. U.S. politician. Mr. Talmadge, a Democrat, was known as a strong proponent of states’ rights when he was Governor of Georgia from 1948-1955 and as a United States Senator from 1957-1981.

Space
This blogger saw Comet Ikeye-Zhang.