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July 7, 1936 –The first ever television show was broadcast by NBC/RCA on this date. It was seen by only a few hundred people who had access to the new television. The first ever program featured newsreel items, as well as a variety show of sorts, which included female dancers performing a water lily dance,Continue reading “NBC’s first TV broadcast”

July 6 1944 –Fire broke out at a matinee performance of the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Baily Circus, in Hartford, Connecticut, burning 168 people to death, and injuring an additional 250. The main tent had been waterproofed with wax thinned by gasoline. Said one of the Flying Wallendas, “I can never look down at aContinue reading “Sometimes it sucks to go to the circus”

July 6, 1957 –It was on this date that the 16 year old John Lennon met the 15 year old Paul McCartney for the first time. In the afternoon, John Lennon’s band the Quarrymen were playing at the garden fete of St Peter’s Church, Woolton, Liverpool and Paul McCartney heard them. McCartney impressed Lennon whenContinue reading “It was 65 years ago today …”

July 6, 1972 –Some cat was layin’ down some rock ‘n’ roll lotta soul … David Bowie scandalized British home viewers on this date, while performing Starman on the TV show, Top Of The Pops, by singing with his arm draped around the shoulder of guitarist Mick Ronson – this was the moment Bowie becameContinue reading “David Bowie shocks the BBC viewers”

July 6, 1967 –Pink Floyd made their first appearance on the BBC music show Top Of The Pops to promote their new single See Emily Play, on this date. Like many television programs from the ‘60s, the videotape master was erased for re-use and the performance was assumed to be lost. A badly damaged homeContinue reading “Pink Floyd’s first appearance on the BBC”

July 5, 1954 –Elvis Presley recorded his first commercial song, That’s All Right (Mama) on this date. The song, which hadn’t been rehearsed by Elvis, was recorded at Sun Records by Sam Phillips (who is commonly credited for discovering him.) The following evening, Blue Moon of Kentucky was recorded as the B side. That’s AllContinue reading “That’s All Right Mama”

The memorable “Spam” was rebranded on July 5, 1937, when the product, whose original name was far less memorable (Hormel Spiced Ham), began to lose market share. The name was chosen from multiple entries in a naming contest. A Hormel official once stated that the original meaning of the name Spam was “Shoulder of PorkContinue reading “Spam created”

July 5, 1946 –The bikini bathing suit, was created by Louis Réard, a French automotive engineer who was running his mother’s lingerie business, made its debut during a fashion show at the Molitor Pool in Paris on this date. A famous nude dancer, Micheline Bernardin, modeled the two-piece outfit at the show. Demand Euphoria!

July 5, 1965 –Motown President Berry Gordy, Jr. appears on the popular TV show To Tell The Truth on this date. The Supremes performed Baby Love and Back In My Arms Again during his segment.

July 4, 1826 –Frienemies Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, both lay dying in there respective homes on this date. Jefferson, the nation’s third president, deeply in debt at age 83, died at one o’clock in the afternoon and correctly surmised that Adams had outlived him. John Adams, the second president died at age 90 inContinue reading “Sometimes it’s not great to be president”