January 24, 2017

1,200 years ago
817

Died on this date
Stephen IV, 46 or 47 (?). Roman Catholic Pope, 816-817. Stephen IV succeeded Leo III as Pope on June 22, 816, and was succeeded in turn by Paschal I.

200 years ago
1817

War
Many soldiers of Juan Gregorio de las Heras were captured during the Action of Picheuta during the crossing of the Andes.

160 years ago
1857

Academia
The University of Calcutta was formally founded as the first fully-fledged university in South Asia.

110 years ago
1907

Born on this date
Maurice Couve de Murville. Prime Minister of France, 1968-1969. Mr. Couve de Murville, a member of Union pour la défense de la République (Union for the Defense of the Republic), was Minister of Foreign Affairs (1958-1968) and Minister of Economy and Finances (May 31-July 10, 1968) before succeeding Georges Pompidou as Prime Minister, serving under President Charles de Gaulle. He then represented Paris's 6th Constituency in the National Assembly (1973-1986) and sat as Senator for Paris (1986-1995). Mr. Couve de Murville died on December 24, 1999 at the age of 92.

100 years ago
1917

Born on this date
Ernest Borgnine. U.S. actor. Mr. Borgnine, born Ermes Effron Borgnino, acted in films and television for more than 60 years. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in Marty (1955), and starred in the television comedy series McHale's Navy (1962-1966). Mr. Borgnine was still active when he died on July 8, 2012 at the age of 95.

75 years ago
1942

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): Chattanooga Choo Choo--Glenn Miller and his Orchestra (8th week at #1)

War
Allied forces bombarded Bangkok, leading Thailand, then under Japanese control, to declare war against the United States and United Kingdom.

70 years ago
1947

Politics and government
Banker Dimitrios Maximos took office as Prime Minister of Greece, succeeding Konstantinos Tsaldaris.

50 years ago
1967

On television tonight
The Fugitive, starring David Janssen, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Concrete Evidence, with guest stars Jack Warden, Harold Gould, and Celeste Holm

The Invaders, starring Roy Thinnes, on ABC
Tonight's episode: The Mutation

40 years ago
1977

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): If You Leave Me Now--Chicago (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Japan (Oricon Singles Chart): Seishun Jidai--Koichi Morita and the Top Gallants (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Sandokan--Oliver Onions (3rd week at #1)

On television tonight
Roots, on ABC
Tonight's episode: Part II

Terrorism
Neofascists opened fire on a meeting in Madrid of specialists in labour law, members of the Workers' Commissions trade union (CCOO), and of the then-clandestine Communist Party of Spain (PCE), killing five and wounding four.

Politics and government
Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith rejected a British proposal to gradually transfer power to Rhodesia's Negro majority population.

30 years ago
1987

Hit parade
#1 single in Italy: The Final Countdown--Europe (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Geronimo's Cadillac--Modern Talking (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Flanders (Ultratop 50): Showing Out (Get Fresh at the Weekend)--Mel and Kim

#1 single in the Netherlands (De Nederlandse Top 40): Showing Out (Get Fresh at the Weekend)--Mel and Kim (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): Reet Petite (The Sweetest Girl in Town)--Jackie Wilson (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): Reet Petite (The Sweetest Girl in Town)--Jackie Wilson (3rd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K. (BMRB): Jack Your Body--Steve "Silk" Hurley

Jack Your Body was released as a 12-inch single, and at 25 minutes, was apparently too long to be properly classified as a single. Otherwise, Reet Petite by Jackie Wilson would have been #1 for the 5th straight week.

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): At this Moment--Billy Vera and the Beaters

At this Moment was originally released in 1981 and reached #79, but achieved popularity and was re-released after being featured in several episodes of the television comedy series Family Ties in the 1985-86 season.

U.S. top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Shake You Down--Gregory Abbott (2nd week at #1)
2 At this Moment--Billy Vera and the Beaters
3 C'est la Vie--Robbie Nevil
4 Open Your Heart--Madonna
5 Control--Janet Jackson
6 Land of Confusion--Genesis
7 Notorious--Duran Duran
8 Walk Like an Egyptian--Bangles
9 Everybody Have Fun Tonight--Wang Chung
10 Someday--Glass Tiger

Singles entering the chart were Let's Wait Awhile by Janet Jackson (#61); Let's Go! by Wang Chung (#72); Don't Need a Gun by Billy Idol (#76); Come Go with Me by Expose (#77); The Final Countdown by Europe (#84); Cry Wolf by A-Ha (#85); Someone Like You by Daryl Hall (#86); As We Lay by Shirley Murdock (#87); Big Mistake by Peter Cetera (#88); Deep River Woman by Lionel Richie with Alabama (#89); and The Honeythief by Hipsway (#90).

Canada’s top 10 (RPM)
1 Walk Like an Egyptian--Bangles
2 Everybody Have Fun Tonight--Wang Chung
3 Can't Help Falling in Love--Corey Hart
4 The Way it Is--Bruce Hornsby and the Range
5 You Give Love a Bad Name--Bon Jovi
6 Stand by Me--Ben E. King
7 The Lady in Red--Chris de Burgh
8 Shake You Down--Gregory Abbott
9 C'est la Vie--Robbie Nevil
10 Notorious--Duran Duran

Singles entering the chart were Love You Down by Ready for the World (#91); I Wanna Go Back by Eddie Money (#93); You Got it All by the Jets (#95); Easy to Tame by Kim Mitchell (#96); Nothing Could Stand by Alfie Zappacosta (#97); and Talk to Me by Chico DeBarge (#98).

Terrorism
Gunmen in Lebanon kidnapped educators Alann Steen, Jesse Turner, Robert Polhill, and Mitheleshwar Singh; all were later released.

Tennis
Hana Mandlikova defeated Martina Navratilova 7-5, 7-6 in the finals of the women's singles competition at the Australian Open, ending Miss Navratilova's winning streak at 58 matches, the third-longest in history.

25 years ago
1992

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Das Boot--U96

20 years ago
1997

Hit parade
#1 single in Germany (Media Control): Time to Say Goodbye--Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman (7th week at #1)

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): Un-Break My Heart--Toni Braxton (2nd week at #1)

10 years ago
2007

Died on this date
Emiliano Mercado del Toro, 115. Puerto Rican supercentenerian. Mr. Mercado was born when Puerto Rico was still a Spanish colony, before it was ceded to the United States after the Spanish-American War in 1898. Mr. Mercado worked in sugar cane fields until he was 81. On December 11, 2006, he succeeded Elizabeth Bolden as the world's oldest living person; at the time of his death at the age of 115 years and 156 days, only Christian Mortensen, at 115 years 252 days, had a longer verified lifespan for males.