February 10, 2015

175 years ago
1840

Married on this date
Queen Victoria of Great Britain married Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg-Gotha at the Chapel Royal at St. James's Palace in London.

125 years ago
1890

Born on this date
Boris Pasternak. Russian author and poet. Mr. Pasternak was best known for his novel Doctor Zhivago (1957) and his collection of poems, My Sister, Life (1917). Doctor Zhivago was smuggled out of the Soviet Union and first published in Milan in an Italian translation in 1957, and Mr. Pasternak was awarded the 1958 Nobel Prize in Literature in 1958 "for his important achievement both in contemporary lyrical poetry and in the field of the great Russian epic tradition." Mr. Pasternak was denounced by U.S.S.R. authorities and threatened with deportation, but the Soviet authorities backed off in the face of international criticism. Mr. Pasternak died on May 30, 1960 at the age of 70.

80 years ago
1935

On the radio
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring Louis Hector and Leigh Lovell, on NBC

75 years ago
1940

At the movies
Puss Gets the Boot, the first Tom and Jerry cartoon, opened in theatres (see here, here, and here).

Diplomacy
U.S. Ambassador to France William Bullitt arrived in Baltimore on his way to Washington to discuss the European war situation with U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

The World Jewish Congress convened in Washington.

Politics and government
The French Chamber of Deputies backed the government's conduct of the war against Germany.

New Zealand Labour Minister P.C. Webb was appointed Minister of Manpower to organize the entire national service.

U.S. Postmaster General James Farley announced that he was a candidate for the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States in the November 1940 election.

Economics and finance
U.S. Senator Arthur Vandenberg (Republican--Michigan) called for an end to reciprocal trade agreements because they were detrimental to farmers.

Labour
United Mine Workers of America President John L. Lewis proposed a labour peace in which the Congress of Industrial Organizations would join the American Federation of Labor.

70 years ago
1945

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Don't Fence Me In--Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and his Orchestra (Best Seller--8th week at #1; Airplay--3rd week at #1); Rum and Coca-Cola--The Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and his Orchestra (Best Seller--1st week at #1; Juke Box--1st week at #1)

Died on this date
Anacleto Díaz, 66. Filipino jurist. Mr. Díaz was an Associate Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court from 1933-1941. He and his sons were among 300 men herded by Japanese soldiers into a corner in Manila and massacred by machine gun-fire.

Theatre
The plays Carmen Jones and One Touch of Venus closed on Broadway in New York City.

War
After German forces blasted open the flood gates of the main Roer River dam at Schwammenauel, Americans took control of it. Soviet forces captured the East Prussian port of Elbing.

Defense
Poles in London presented a list of 29 proposals to the U.S.A. and U.K. for amending the Dumbarton Oaks world security program, including the denial of veto rights in aggression cases and enlargement of the security council to 15 members.

Economics and finance
U.S. government officials warned that meat may virtually disappear from civilian markets by mid-summer of 1945.

U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's special assistant Samual Rosenman arrived in London with his advisers to study the economic problems of the liberated countries and the occupation of Germany.

Disasters
An earthquake described as "fairly severe" struck the main Japanese island of Honshu. Among the cities affected were Tokyo and Yokohama. Damage was not reported, but American sources estimated that it was extensive.

60 years ago
1955

At the movies
Before I Wake, directed by Albert S. Rogell, and starring Mona Freeman, Jean Kent, and Maxwell Reed, opened in theatres in London. It was released in the U.S.A. in 1956 under the title Shadow of Fear.



Theatre
The Desperate Hours by Joseph Hayes, which had originally played at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven Connecticut, opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on Broadway in New York. It starred Karl Malden, Paul Newman, George Grizzard, James Gregory, Nancy Coleman, and Malcolm Brodrick.

World events
The United States Navy began evacuation of 14,500 civilians, 10,000 Nationalist Chinese troops, and 4,000 guerrillas from the Tachen Islands in the face of a threat from Communist Chinese forces.

40 years ago
1975

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): My Little Angel--William Shakespeare (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Shitetsu Ensen--Goro Noguchi

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Todo El Tiempo Del Mundo--Manolo Otero (8th week at #1)

30 years ago
1985

Hit parade
#1 single in New Zealand (RIANZ): Do They Know it's Christmas?--Band Aid (4th week at #1)

#1 single in France (SNEP): When the Rain Begins to Fall--Pia Zadora and Jermaine Jackson (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Switzerland: One Night in Bangkok--Murray Head (4th week at #1)

On the radio
The Stories of Sherlock Holmes, starring Graham Armitage and Kerry Jordan, on Springbok Radio
Tonight's episode: The Rayner Road Case

On television tonight
Surviving, on ABC

Surviving was a made-for-television movie about teenage suicide. The cast included Molly Ringwald; Zach Galligan; Ellen Burstyn; Len Cariou; Paul Sorvino; Marsha Mason; Heather O'Rourke; River Phoenix; and William Windom. Although Miss Ringwald and Mr. Galligan played the teenagers who died, in real life it was Miss O'Rourke (in 1988, at age 12) and Mr. Phoenix (in 1993 at age 23) who died young.





Died on this date
Johnny Mokan, 89. U.S. baseball player. Mr. Mokan was an outfielder with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1921-1922) and Philadelphia Phillies (1922-1927). He batted .291 with 32 home runs and 273 runs batted in in 582 games. Mr. Mokan's best season was 1923, when he batted .312 with 10 homers and 76 RBIs.

Hockey
NHL
Toronto 3 Montreal 2 (OT)

25 years ago
1990

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Love Shack--The B-52's (8th week at #1)

#1 single in Italy (FIMI): Un' Estate Italiana--Edoardo Bennato; Gianna Nannini

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Pump Up the Jam--Technotronic (6th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Daar Gaat Ze--Clouseau

#1 single in France (SNEP): Les Valses de Vienne--François Feldman (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (CIN): Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor (2nd week at #1)

Netherlands Top 10 (De Nederlandse Top 40)
1 Me So Horny--The 2 Live Crew (2nd week at #1)
2 Got to Get--Rob 'n' Raz featuring Leila K
3 Get a Life--Soul II Soul
4 Get Into It--Tony Scott
5 Words--The Christians
6 Get Up! (Before the Night is Over)--Technotronic
7 Nothing Compares 2 U--Sinéad O'Connor
8 I Wish it Would Rain Down--Phil Collins
9 Whatcha' Gonna Do with My Lovin'--Inner City
10 In Private--Dusty Springfield

Singles entering the chart were King Kong Five by Mano Negra (#27); Wij Doen Zelf Straks Het Licht Wel Uit by Sus-5 (#32); Welcome to the Terror Dome by Public Enemy (#33); Spin That Wheel by Hi Tek 3 featuring Ya Kid K (#35); Look Away by Chicago (#36); and We Almost Got it Together by Tanita Tikaram (#37).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Billboard)
1 Opposites Attract--Paula Abdul (Duet with the Wild Pair)
2 Two to Make it Right--Seduction
3 Downtown Train--Rod Stewart
4 Janie's Got a Gun--Aerosmith
5 How am I Supposed to Live Without You--Michael Bolton
6 What Kind of Man Would I Be?--Chicago
7 Dangerous--Roxette
8 I Remember You--Skid Row
9 Escapade--Janet Jackson
10 All or Nothing--Milli Vanilli

Singles entering the chart were All My Life by Linda Ronstadt (featuring Aaron Neville (#47); Don't Wanna Fall in Love by Jane Child (#75); Almost Hear You Sigh by the Rolling Stones (#84); Heart of Stone by Cher (#92); I Wanna Be Rich by Calloway (#93); and You're the Voice by John Farnham (#97).

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Opposites Attract--Paula Abdul (Duet with the Wild Pair)
2 How am I Supposed to Live Without You--Michael Bolton
3 Downtown Train--Rod Stewart
4 Two to Make it Right--Seduction
5 Janie's Got a Gun--Aerosmith
6 Free Fallin'--Tom Petty
7 I Remember You--Skid Row
8 Just Between You and Me--Lou Gramm
9 Pump Up the Jam--Technotronic featuring Felly
10 Everything--Jody Watley

Singles entering the chart were Love Me for Life by Stevie B (#70); I Wish it Would Rain Down by Phil Collins (#72); Almost Hear You Sigh by the Rolling Stones (#78); I Wanna Be Rich by Calloway (#81); That's What I Like by Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers (#82); 1-2-3 by the Chimes (#86); Don't Wanna Fall in Love by Jane Child (#87); and You're the Only Woman by Brat Pack (#89).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Downtown Train--Rod Stewart
2 Just Between You and Me--Lou Gramm
3 Another Day in Paradise--Phil Collins
4 Janie's Got a Gun--Aerosmith
5 Free Fallin'--Tom Petty
6 Pump Up the Jam--Technotronic featuring Felly
7 Peace in Our Time--Eddie Money
8 How am I Supposed to Live Without You--Michael Bolton
9 What Kind of Man Would I Be?--Chicago
10 Opposites Attract--Paula Abdul (Duet with the Wild Pair)

Singles entering the chart were Lover of Mine by Alannah Myles (#79); Summer Rain by Belinda Carlisle (#80); Personal Jesus by Depeche Mode (#83); Keep it Together by Madonna (#85); Here and Now by Luther Vandross (#87); Figure of Eight by Paul McCartney (#90); and The Last Thing by Cutting Crew (#93).

Diplomacy
West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl met with U.S.S.R. President Mikhail Gorbachev met in Moscow. Afterward, Mr. Kohl said that Soviet leaders supported "the right of the German people alone" to choose their form of relationship.

20 years ago
1995

Hit parade
#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Tears Don't Lie--Mark 'Oh

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Think Twice--Celine Dion (4th week at #1)

Died on this date
Arthur Miller, 89. U.S. playwright. Mr. Miller was best known for the plays All My Sons (1947); Death of a Salesman (1949); and The Crucible (1953). He was married to actress Marilyn Monroe from 1956-1960, and wrote the screenplay for The Misfits (1961), Miss Monroe's last completed film. Mr. Miller's marriage to Miss Monroe served as the basis for his play After the Fall (1964), which, with Incident at Vichy (1964) and other later works, failed to capture the acclaim of his earlier works.

Britannica
Clarence House announced that Prince Charles would marry his long-time lover Camilla Parker Bowles.

Defense
North Korea boasted publicly for the first time that it possessed nuclear weapons.

Economics and finance
The United States Labor Department reported that prices charged by producers for finished goods had risen 0.3% in January.