December 27, 2012

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Marilyn Draper!

500 years ago
1512

Law
The Spanish crown issued the Laws of Burgos governing relationships between Spaniards and Indians in the New World in an attempt to prevent mistreatment of indigenous Americans.

90 years ago
1922

Defense
The Japanese aircraft carrier Hōshō was commissioned. It was the first ship in the world to be built for the purpose of being an aircraft carrier.

80 years ago
1932

Americana
Radio City Music Hall opened in New York City.

70 years ago
1942

War
Ther German military formed the "Smolensk Committee," an attempt to persuade Soviet prisoners of war to fight for the Nazis against the Soviets.

60 years ago
1952

Hit Parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Auf Wiederseh'n, Sweetheart--Vera Lynn; Eddy Howard (6th week at #1)

#1 singles in the U.S.A. (Billboard): I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus--Jimmy Boyd (Best seller--1st week at #1); Why Don't You Believe Me--Joni James (Disc Jockey--2nd week at #1, Jukebox--1st week at #1)

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Why Don't You Believe Me--Joni James (3rd week at #1)
--Patti Page
2 Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes--Perry Como
3 It's in the Book (Parts 1 and 2)--Johnny Standley
4 The Glow-Worm--The Mills Brothers
5 Trying--The Hill Toppers
6 I Went to Your Wedding--Patti Page
7 Takes Two to Tango--Pearl Bailey
8 Keep it a Secret--Jo Stafford
9 Because You're Mine--Mario Lanza
10 I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus--Jimmy Boyd
--Spike Jones and his City Slickers

Singles entering the chart were Tell Me You're Mine by the Gaylords (#19); You'll Never Know by Rosemary Clooney-Harry James with Harry James' Orchestra (#20); Have You Heard by Joni James (#23); and I'm Just a Poor Bachelor by Frankie Laine (#33).

50 years ago
1962

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (Record Retailer): Return to Sender--Elvis Presley (3rd week at #1)

At the movies
Diamond Head, directed by Guy Green, and starring Charlton Heston, Yvette mimieux, George Chakiris, France Nuyen, and James Darren, opened in theatres in Japan.





40 years ago
1972

Died on this date
Lester B. Pearson, 75. Prime Minister of Canada, 1963-1968. A man of several careers, "Mike" Pearson was best known as a diplomat, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for his role in organizing the United Nations Emergency Force to settle the Suez Crisis of 1956. He served as Canada's Secretary of State for External Affairs from 1948-1957 and as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 1958-1968. Mr. Pearson died the day after former U.S. President Harry Truman.

30 years ago
1982

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Do You Really Want to Hurt Me--Culture Club

Died on this date
Jack Swigert, 51. U.S. astronaut. Mr. Swigert joined the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s astronaut corps in 1966. He trained as the command module pilot for the Apollo 13 lunar landing mission, but was suddenly reassigned to the prime crew several days before the scheduled liftoff when Ken Mattingly was scratched because of exposure to the measles. Mr. Swigert performed so well with commander Jim Lovell and lunar module pilot Fred Haise in the short time available that Mr. Lovell gave his approval, and the mission lifted off as scheduled on April 11, 1970. An explosion in the service module two days later aborted the lunar landing and put the astronauts’ lives in peril, but the astronauts returned safely on April 17, as told in Mr. Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger’s book Lost Moon (1994) and the movie Apollo 13 (1995). In 1972 Mr. Swigert was assigned to the prime crew of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Proect mission scheduled for 1975, but soon left the astronaut corps after becoming involved in a commercial deal in violation of NASA rules and initially lying about it. In 1982 Mr. Swigert was a Republican party candidate in Colorado for the United States House of Representatives, and was elected, taking 62.2% of the vote. Unfortunately, the cancer that had appeared during the campaign quickly spread, and he died eight days before he was scheduled to take his seat.

25 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in France: La Bamba--Los Lobos (11th week at #1)

Football
NFL
St. Louis (7-8) 16 @ Dallas (7-8) 21

36,788 fans at Texas Stadium saw the Cardinals play their last game before moving to Phoenix.

20 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Austria (Ö3): Die da--Die Fantastischen Vier (4th week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: I Will Always Love You--Whitney Houston (5th week at #1)

10 years ago
2002

Died on this date
George Roy Hill, 81. U.S. film director. Mr. Hill began his directing career in television in the 1950s before moving into films. He won the Academy Award for Best Director for The Sting (1973). Mr. Hill's other movies included The World of Henry Orient (1964); Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967); Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969); The Great Waldo Pepper (1975); Slap Shot (1977); and A Little Romance (1979).

Terrorism
72 people were killed and 200 wounded in the explosions of two truck bombs at the pro-Russia headquarters of the Chechen government in Grozny, Chechnya.