Sharing the spotlight...
Okay, so what do Christina Aguilera, JC Chasez, Keri Russell, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake have in common ? They're all members of the Mensa Society ? Not quite. It's a given that they all sing or act in Keri Russell's case and they're all about the same age but they share something else. I'll throw in some other names and you'll have your answer: Annette Funicello, Darlene Gillespie and Cubby O'Brien. Correctamundo. They all wore the ears. They were all Mouseketeers. They wouldn't have been if it weren't for the Mickey Mouse Club which debuted on this date, October 3rd, 1955...
Although the M.M.Club debuted in October, Mouseketeers didn't make their 1st appearance until July 17th. There were 9 of them in all and they were led by Head Mouseketeer Jimmie Dodd who would've been taken as a dirty old man today or worse, at 45. The co-host of the show was Roy Williams who was 48. The show ran original episodes until 1962 when it was rerun in syndication until 1965 and again from 1975 until 1977. There was a revival of the show in 1989 that ran for 5 years. The mouseketeers mentioned at the top came out of the 90's while Annette and company were the original cheese eaters...
You might be surprised by some of the earlier Mouseketeer names, like Don Agrati (Grady) who was "Robbie" on "My Three Sons", Johnny Crawford, Dennis Day (how old was he ?) and Paul Petersen. Jessica Simpson was a finalist in the 90's but did not make it on to the show...
Ten Timeline Memories...
- [1863] Abraham Lincoln declares that the last Thursday in November shall be Thanksgiving Day (pass the cranberry)...
- [1893] The motor-driven vacuum cleaner is patented by J.S. Thurman (detractors scoff at the invention and tell Thurman, "it sucks" to which Thurman replies "good, it's working"...
- [1901] The Victor Talking Machine Company is incorporated. After a merger with Radio Corporation of America, the company becomes RCA-Victor ("cute little Nipper")...
- [1906] W.T. Grant opens a 25-cent department store (F.W. Woolworth says, "shopper's I have better prices")...
- [1945] Elvis Presley makes his 1st public appearance at 10 in a dairy show talent contest and finishes 2nd, collecting $5 (the judges make him give it back when he starts gyrating wildly)...
- [1951] The Giants' Bobby Thomson hits "the shot heard round-the-world", a 3-run walk-off home run beating the Brooklyn Dodgers and putting the Giants in the World Series...
- [1992] Sinead O'Connor tears up a picture of the Pope during her "Saturday Night Live" appearance (the Pope responds by asking "Sinead who? Saturday Night what ?")...
- [1995] O.J. Simpson is acquitted of the 1994 murders of wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald L. Goldman (Simpson will later be nailed in the civil case)...
- [1997] After moving from Hartford (where they were the Whalers) the Carolina Hurricanes play their 1st home game in NC and lose to the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3...
- [2003] Roy Horn (Siegfried & Roy) is mauled by Montecore, a 7-year old tiger during a stage performance in Las Vegas. This was not a happy birthday for Roy who was celebrating his 59th birthday...
"Happy Trails": 2000] Benjamin Orr, bass player of The Cars, a victim of pancreatic cancer at 53...
#1 on this date: 1973] "Half-Breed" - Cher...1982] "Jack and Diane" - John Cougar Mellencamp...
Premiered: 1954] "Father Knows Best" starring Robert Young (will have a successful 8 year run)...1955] "Captain Kangaroo" starring Bob Keeshan runs for 19 years and then in syndication...1957] "The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom" (I watched the rehearsals when I worked at ABC. It ran for 3 years)...1961] "The Dick Van Dyke Show", one of the all-time best sitcoms ran for 5 years..
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...
"The Good, The Bad and The Ugly"...
The city of Boston has designated November 13th as Doug Flutie Day to honor the local football hero for his contribution to the community. For all his work in raising funds and support for families with autism, Doug will receive the "Red, White & Blue Award". Previous winners were Bruce Springsteen (2004) and Oscar Robertson (2005). Flutie's son Doug, Jr. was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3. The foundation has raised more than $8 million for autism since its inception in 1998. Congratulations Doug...
The "Bad and The Ugly" are all rolled into one story. Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth has been given a 5-game suspension, without pay, for kicking and stomping on the head of Dallas center Andre Gurode's during a game. Haynesworth took it like a man, something he should have been before his assault: "What I did out there was disgusting. It doesn't matter what the league does to me. The way I feel right now, you just can't describe it". But there's more trouble brewing with this guy. During 2003 training camp he kicked a teammate and a road rage case earlier this year were dismissed. In his sophomore season in college (Tennessee) he fought with a teammate, returning with a long pole and had to be stopped by his coach before doing who knows what ? New NFL commissioner Roger Goodell better watch Haynesworth closely...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":..
Gwen Stefani (37), Tommy Lee (44), The Rev. Al Sharpton (52), Dave Winfield (55), Lindsey Buckingham (59), Roy Horn (62) and Chubby Checker (65)...
Timeline Countdown: 18 days until the World Series, 89 days until 2007 and 94 days until the NFL playoffs...
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