When was the FBI Identification Division founded?
The division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation that maintains the world’s largest fingerprint files was founded in 1924. The FBI itself was founded in 1908.
When were George Burns and Gracie Allen married?
George Burns and Gracie Allen were married in 1926. Their marriage lasted until Gracie’s death in 1965.
What was the first commercially successful plastic?
The first commercially successful plastic was celluloid, developed by American John Wesley Hyatt in 1869. It was made from a material that had first been produced by British chemist Alexander Parkes in 1855. Hyatt originally intended the synthetic organic substance as a cheap alternative to ivory for the manufacture of billiard balls, but other commercial … Read more
What was Fritz Lang’s first American film?
Born in Vienna in 1890, the director Fritz Lang came to Hollywood in 1934. Fritz Lang’s first American film was Fury (1936), for MGM. His last was Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (1956), for RKO. After that, the director quit making films in the United States, fed up with the trials and tribulations of the studio … Read more
While in office, where did President Jimmy Carter teach Sunday school?
President Jimmy Carter taught Sunday school at First Baptist Church in Washington, D.C while in office.
What TV game show announcer was famous for shouting “Come on down” on “The Price Is Right” (NBC, 1956-65; CBS, 1972–)?
Johnny Olson was the famous TV game show announcer shouting “Come on down” on “The Price Is Right” (NBC, 1956-65; CBS, 1972). Olson worked on the show from 1972 until his death in 1985.
What was Steven Spielberg’s working title for E.T. (1982)?
A Boy’s Life was Steven Spielberg’s working title for E.T. (1982).
How many Levittowns were built in the post–World War II era?
There were three pioneering suburban housing developments bearing the Levittown name: the one in Hempstead, New York, in the late 1940s; one near Philadelphia in the 1950s; and one in New Jersey in the 1960s.
Did Alice Walker start out by writing fiction or poetry?
The first published work of the poet and novelist Alice Walker was a book of poetry: Once: Poems (1968). She followed up soon after, however, with a novel: The Third Life of Grange Copeland (1970).
Who was the first woman elected to Congress?
Jeannette Rankin (1880-1973) was elected as Montana’s sole delegate to the House of Representatives in 1916. After serving her term, she was not reelected until 1940. A pacifist, she holds the distinction of being the only member of Congress to have voted against American participation in both World Wars.
How many American casualties were suffered in the American Revolution?
Unofficial studies of field reports indicate that about 4,500 men died in battle and over 6,000 were wounded in the American Revolution. Illness also took a large but indeterminate number. At Valley Forge, for example, illness claimed over 3,000 lives.
Who played the title characters in the TV movie pilot “Cagney and Lacey”?
Loretta Swit played Chris Cagney and Tyne Daly was Mary Beth Lacey in the 1981 TV movie pilot “Cagney and Lacey”. In the series (CBS, 1982-88), Meg Foster played Cagney in the first few episodes; she was replaced by Sharon Gless. Daly continued as Lacey.
For what World’s Fair was the Space Needle in Seattle erected?
The 600-foot futuristic steel structure in Seattle, known as the Space Needle, was erected for the Century 21 exposition in 1962.
How large was the brain set in Fantastic Voyage (1966)?
The brain set in Fantastic Voyage (1966) was one hundred by two hundred feet and thirty-five feet high. The web-like nerve cells were made of spun fiberglass.
How many Homeric hymns survive?
Thirty-three of these poems in honor of various Greek gods survive. Written in imitation of Homer, they date from the eighth century B.C. to the fifth or fourth century B.C.
What was the title of the 1950 remake of To Have and Have Not (1944)?
The 1950 remake of To Have and Have Not (1944) was The Breaking Point (1950). More faithful to the Ernest Hemingway novel To Have and Have Not, it starred John Garfield as Harry Morgan and Patricia Neal as Leona Charles.
Who is the referee in the duel between Hamlet and Laertes in Act 5 of Shakespeare’s Hamlet (c. 1601)?
Osric, a foppish courtier, is the referee in the duel between Hamlet and Laertes in Act 5 of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Who asked, “Was this the face that launched a thousand ships, /And burnt the topless towers of Ilium”?
Dr. Faustus in Christopher Marlowe’s play Dr. Faustus (c. 1588-92), on conjuring up Helen of Troy.
Who were the warring tribes in the original One Million B.C. (1940)?
The warring tribes in the original One Million B.C. were the Rock People, represented by Tumak (Victor Mature), and the Shell People, represented by Loana (Carole Landis). The roles were taken by John Richardson and Raquel Welch in the remake, One Million Years B.C. (1967).
What Charles Dickens novel exposed the “ragged schools” and helped get them abolished?
The Charles Dickens novel Nicholas Nickleby (1838-390) exposed the “ragged schools” and helped get them abolished.
How many black women attended the first National Woman’s Rights Convention?
Only one black woman, itinerant preacher and abolitionist Sojourner Truth, attended the first National Woman’s Rights Convention. The convention was held in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1850.
How slow is a crab?
A crab of the species Neptunus pelagines took 29 years to walk 101.5 miles underwater from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, an average speed of 3.5 miles per year.
What does “The Grateful Dead” mean to a folklorist?
The Grateful Dead does not mean a rock group. It is a folktale in which a young man buries a corpse at great personal risk, then obtains a bride with the help of the grateful deceased. A version of the tale appears in the apocryphal Old Testament book of Tobit.
Where in Brooklyn did the Kramdens and the Nortons live?
Kramdens and the Nortons lived at 328 Chauncey Street in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. Although the real Chauncey Street is located in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
What was the cost of the Gadsden Purchase in 1853?
The southern parts of present-day Arizona and New Mexico, were purchased from Mexico for $10 million in 1853. The deal was negotiated for the U.S. by railroad president James Gadsden.
When did the RKO movie studio come to an end?
The RKO movie studio come to an end in 1958, when it was sold to Desilu.
What was Ron Howard’s directorial debut?
Ron Howard’s directorial debut was Grand Theft Auto (1977). The movie featured Marion Ross, Howard’s TV mom on “Happy Days” (ABC, 1974-84).
Who sat at the famous Algonquin Round Table?
The wits who traded barbs at New York’s Algonquin Hotel in the 1920s included: Franklin P. Adams, Robert Benchley, Heywood Broun, Frank Case, Edna Ferber, George S. Kaufman, Harpo Marx, Neysa McMein, Dorothy Parker, Harold Ross, Robert E. Sherwood, and Alexander Woollcott. The Algonquin Hotel still stands. It was recently sold to a group of … Read more
When did Franklin Roosevelt first use the term “New Deal” to describe his program for recovery?
Franklin Roosevelt first used it in his acceptance speech for the presidential nomination at the 1932 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
How long is a cosmic year?
A cosmic year is the length of time it takes the sun to complete one revolution around the center of the Milky Way galaxy. A cosmic year is about 225 million earth years. The sun is between 20 and 21 cosmic years old.
Who was Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier?
Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier was the French nobleman better known to history as the Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834). In 1777, at the age of 19, Lafayette came to America to volunteer in the Revolutionary War. Idealistic and adventurous, he was appointed a major-general and helped to secure military assistance from France.
Who was the first president to have a veto overridden by Congress?
John Tyler was the first president to have a veto overridden by Congress in 1845.
When did Woolworth’s start offering products that cost more than five or ten cents?
In 1932, the Woolworth chain of “five & dime” stores began to offer 20-cent merchandise in addition to five- and ten-cent items.
How many sperm cells are contained in an average human ejaculation?
There are about 200 million to 300 million sperm cells are contained in an average human ejaculation. Yet sperm cells make up only 2 to 5 percent of total sperm volume. The rest is composed of fluids, known as seminal plasma, that help keep the sperm cells alive.
Did the characters in A Man and a Woman (1966) have names?
Yes, the characters in A Man and a Woman (1966) did have names. The man’s name was Jean-Louis Duroc (Jean-Louis Trintignant). The woman’s name was Anne Gauthier (Anouk Aimee).
Who was the first presidential candidate of the Democratic Party?
Andrew Jackson was the first presidential candidate of the Democratic Party in 1828. He won. John C. Fremont was the first presidential candidate of the modern Republican Party in 1856. He lost to Democrat James Buchanan. The first victorious Republican presidential candidate was Abraham Lincoln in 1860.
What led Albert Einstein to remark, “I shall never believe that God plays dice with the universe”?
It was brought on by the awarding of the 1932 Nobel Prize in physics to Werner Heisenberg for his uncertainty principle. The principle states that you cannot accurately know both the position and momentum of an atomic particle at the same time. Einstein believed that the principle made a mockery of cause and effect.
Who was the original Peeping Tom?
Peeping Tom was a tailor who dared to look at Lady Godiva as she rode through Coventry. In 1040, Lady Godiva’s husband, Leofric, Earl of Mercia and Lord of Coventry, agreed to rescind a tax on the town if Lady Godiva rode naked through the streets. Godiva asked everyone to observe custody of the eyes, … Read more
What was the Flying Nun’s name on the TV series “The Flying Nun,” (ABC, 1967-70)?
Sister Bertrille, born Elsie Ethington (played by Sally Field) was the Flying Nun’s name on the TV series “The Flying Nun.” Convent San Tanco, in Puerto Rico, was the name of her convent.
What slogan was used to promote God (George Burns) in Oh, God, Book II (1980)?
“Think God.” was the slogan was used to promote God in the movie Oh, God, Book II.
What company is the world’s largest employer of women?
The world’s largest employer of women is Avon Products, Inc., which, as of 1992, employed 1.5 million women throughout the world. Nearly all the women work as independent sales representatives, often known as Avon ladies. Founded in 1883 by David H. McConnell as the California Perfume Company, it became Avon Products, Inc. in 1939, a … Read more
How much did composer Aaron Copland know about the historical subject of his ballet Billy the Kid (1938)?
Composer Aaron Copland knew very little about the historical subject of his ballet Billy the Kid (1938). Copland admitted that his knowledge of the career of Western outlaw William H. Bonney (1859-81) was “rather vague” and that he “would never have touched it” if he had had to present it realistically. Instead, he treated Billy … Read more
What was Hank Aaron’s first major league team?
Hank Aaron entered the major leagues as right fielder with the Milwaukee Braves in 1954. He moved to Atlanta with the team in 1966. On April 8,1974, he broke Babe Ruth’s record for career home runs.
What were The Thirty-Nine Steps (1935) in the movie?
According to Mr. Memory, “The Thirty-Nine Steps is an organization of spies, collecting information on behalf of the foreign office of…” At this point, he was shot.
What did Al Capone name as his profession?
Al Capone’s business cards said he was a second-hand furniture dealer in Chicago.
How many songs did Cole Porter (1893-1964) write?
The composer Cole Porter wrote nearly 800 songs and two dozen musicals, including Kiss Me, Kate (1948) and Can-Can (1953).
What was the name of the American Indian woman who guided Lewis and Clark?
Sacajawea was the woman who helped Lewis and Clark find their way on their western expedition beginning in 1804. A Shoshoni, she was captured in childhood by the Hidatsa Sioux and sold to the French Canadian Toussaint Charbonneau, who took her as a wife. Charbonneau, a guide and interpreter on the voyage, brought along Sacajawea … Read more
Who was older, Dorothy Gish or Lillian Gish?
Lillian Gish was older than Dorothy Gish, by almost two years. Lillian was born in 1896; Dorothy was born in 1898 and died in 1968.
How tall was the Republican mayor of New York City Fiorello La Guardia?
The Republican mayor of New York City Fiorello La Guardia (1934-45), known as the “Little Flower,” was five feet two inches tall.
What U.S. ships were fired on in the Gulf of Tonkin in August 1964?
No U.S. ships were fired on in the Gulf of Tonkin in August 1964. The U.S. Navy reported that month that the USS Maddox and the USS Turner had been fired upon by three North Vietnamese patrol boats. Later investigations showed no evidence of any such attacks.
What’s the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?
Both stalagmites and a stalactites are elongated deposits of minerals at points where slowly dripping water enters a void. Stalagmites build from the bottom of such a cavity; stalactites hang from the ceiling. When the same dripwater source creates both a stalactite and a stalagmite, the two may meet and form a column.
What is the meaning of the art term Picturesque?
It is a style of landscape painting that flourished in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Picturesque landscapes were somewhere between the beautiful and the sublime, not serene, not awe-inspiring, but irregular, pleasing to the eye, and full of interesting detail. Picturesque painters included the Englishman Thomas Girtin and the Frenchman Gaspard Dughet. The … Read more
How thick is the ice that covers Antarctica?
The continent Antarctica is almost completely covered with an ice sheet that is about 6,500 feet thick.
What did the sign “NINA” in front of 19th-century factories mean?
The sign “NINA” in front of 19th-century factories in the U.S. meant “No Irish Need Apply.” It expressed native-born American prejudice against the two million Irish immigrants who arrived in the U.S. between 1830 and 1860.
On what project was the legendary John Henry supposed to have worked?
According to folklore, John Henry was an ex-slave who worked as a steel driver. Helping to blast the Big Bend Tunnel through the Allegheny Mountains for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad in West Virginia in the 1870s. His job was to hammer steel into rock to make holes for explosive charges. In the folk song … Read more
What was Alfred Hitchcock’s first film in color?
Rope (1948) was Alfred Hitchcock’s first film in color.
Did Ernest Hemingway and William Faulkner ever collaborate on a project?
Ernest Hemingway and William Faulkner collaborated indirectly on the 1944 movie version of Hemingway’s novel To Have and Have Not. Jules Furthman and William Faulkner wrote the screenplay of the film, now best remembered for bringing together Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. When Hemingway declined to write the screenplay himself, director Howard Hawks reportedly said, … Read more
When and where was the first U.S. strike by doctors?
In 1975, physicians at New York City hospitals engaged in a work slowdown to request shorter hours, in the first U.S. strike by doctors.
What was the mummy’s name in The Mummy (1932)?
The mummy’s name was Im-Ho-Tep, aka Ardeth Bey, played by Boris Karloff. In the four sequels that followed, The Mummy’s Hand (1940), The Mummy’s Tomb (1942), The Mummy’s Ghost (1944), and The Mummy’s Curse (1944), the mummy’s name was Kharis. Western star Tom Tyler played Kharis in the first of the sequels; Lon Chaney, Jr., … Read more
Who were the Muses in Greek Mythology?
The Muses were the nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne. Originally there were only three, associated with memory. Their number was expanded to nine to represent each of the individual arts. They are: 1. Calliope, muse of epic poetry 2. Clio, muse of heroic poetry or history 3. Erato, muse of love poetry 4. Euterpe, … Read more
How many episodes of “I Love Lucy” (CBS, 1951-57) centered on Lucy’s pregnancy and childbirth?
Eight shows of “I Love Lucy” (CBS, 1951-57) centered on Lucy’s pregnancy and childbirth. The first revealed that Lucy was pregnant; the eighth depicted her going to the hospital to have Little Ricky.
How far can a kangaroo jump?
Large kangaroos cover more than 30 feet with each jump. One large kangaroo was measured as clearing a pile of timber 10.5 feet high and 27 feet long.
When did the Abbey Theatre open?
The Dublin theater known as the Abbey Theatre dedicated to presenting Irish drama opened in 1904. Its directors included William Butler Yeats and Lady Gregory. Destroyed by fire in 1951, the theater reopened in 1966.
What was the first movie to rely heavily on film editing?
The Life of an American Fireman (1903), by Edwin S. Porter (1869-1941), was the first movie to rely heavily on film editing. Porter was the first person to piece together strips of film containing different scenes in order to tell a story. Before Porter, most movies were shot in one take from one camera position.
What was the first American novel?
In 1789, The Power of Sympathy by William Hill Brown was published. This first American novel, written by the son of a Boston clockmaker, concerned seduction, incest, rape, and suicide.
Who called the novel a “comic-epic poem in prose”?
Henry Fielding (1707-54) called the novel a “comic-epic poem in prose”, in the preface to his 1742 novel Joseph Andrews.
When was the National Baseball League formed?
The baseball league was formed in 1876. Its charter members were Chicago, St. Louis, Hartford, Boston, Louisville, New York, Philadelphia, and Cincinnati. The American League was founded in 1900 and received major league status in 1901. Its charter members included Chicago, Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia, Washington, Cleveland, Milwaukee, and Baltimore.
When did the practice of lynching begin in the United States?
While hanging may have occurred earlier in U.S. history, the practice of lynching was probably started by Colonel William Lynch of Virginia in the 1780s. Lynch organized a vigilante band aimed at ridding Pittsylvania County of its bad element. An 1836 editorial by Edgar Allan Poe discusses Lynch’s career.
What was the most damaging air attack of World War II?
The most destructive air attack of World War II was not the atomic bombing of Hiroshima but the firebombing of Tokyo by 279 Superfortress bombers on March 9-10, 1945. Over 1,650 tons of incendiary bombs were dropped on the city, raising a massive firestorm and killing from 80,000 to 120,000 people. The bombing represented a … Read more
How did 7UP get its name and who invented the drink?
The 7 in 7UP stands for the soft drink’s original 7-ounce bottle, the UP for the bubbles from its carbonation. In 1929, when the drink was first introduced by Saint Louis businessman Charles L. Grigg, it was called Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda. The name was derived from one of its original ingredients, lithium salts.
What is Audrey Hepburn’s national origin?
She was born Audrey Hepburn-Ruston near Brussels, Belgium, on May 4, 1929. Her father was an English banker and her mother a Dutch baroness.
Where was the dinner at eight held in Dinner at Eight (1933)?
The dinner at eight was held at the Park Avenue home of Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Jordan. Lord and Lady Ferncliffe were supposed to be the guests of honor. They never showed.
What city was the focus of Robert and Helen Lynd’s Middletown studies?
The revealing 1929 study by Robert and Helen Lynd, Middletown: A Study in Contemporary American Culture, examined family life in Muncie, Indiana. It was followed by Middletown in Transition in 1937.
Where was Ragti founded?
Famed for its Italian flavors, the Ragti line of products was founded in Rochester, New York, in 1937 by two Italian immigrants, Giovanni and Assunta Contisano. Ragii became the first nationally distributed brand of pasta sauce in the U.S. in 1989, after it was acquired by Chesebrough-Pond’s.
What is the epigraph for Joseph Conrad’s Nostromo?
The epigraph for Joseph Conrad’s Nostromo is “So foul a sky clears not without a storm” (Shakespeare).
Who was originally supposed to play the Tin Woodsman in The Wizard of Oz (1939)?
Buddy Ebsen was originally supposed to play the Tin Woodsman in The Wizard of Oz (1939). He left the picture when he had an allergic reaction to the makeup. He was replaced by Jack Haley.
What Japanese spy film did Woody Allen dub with his own comic dialogue in What’s Up, Tiger Lily? (1966)?
The Japanese spy films were Kagi No Kag (1964), or Key of Keys, directed by Senkichi Taniguchi.
How long is the Gettysburg Address?
The speech known as the Gettysburg Address, given by Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863, runs 271 words, if you count “resting place” as two words.
Who starred in the 1939 movie Some Like It Hot?
Bob Hope and Una Merkel starred in the film Some Like It Hot.
In how many movies did Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall appear together?
Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall appeared in five movies. To Have and Have Not (1944); The Big Sleep (1946); Dark Passage (1947); Key Largo (1948); and Two Guys from Milwaukee (1946), in which they played themselves in an unbilled appearance.
What was the first cartoon shown in U.S. movie theaters with a regular feature?
In 1909, Gertie the Dinosaur, created by New York Journal cartoonist Winsor McKay, became the first cartoon shown in movie houses along with a regular feature.
In what towns are the following soap operas set in?
The towns which the following soap operas set in are: “All My Children” (ABC, 1970–)–Pine Valley “Ryan’s Hope” (ABC, 1975-89)–New York City “The Guiding Light” (CBS, 1952–)–Five Points “The Edge of Night” (CBS, ABC, 1956-84)—Monticello (a violent midwestern city) “The Secret Storm” (CBS, 1954-74)—Woodbridge, New York “As the World Turns” (CBS, 1956–)—Oakdale, Ohio
What was the longest-running prime-time TV game show?
“What’s My Line?” was the longest-running prime-time TV game show. It ran seventeen years from 1950 to 1967 on CBS.
What day was the official signing ceremony for the Declaration of Independence?
The official signing ceremony for the Declaration of Independence was on August 2, 1776, not July 4. On July 4, Congress approved the final draft of the declaration, and John Hancock and the secretary of the Congress signed it. But most members of Congress signed it at the official ceremony on August 2. A few … Read more
What are the five tallest buildings in New York City?
World Trade Center. 1,350 feet high, 110 stories Empire State Building. 1,250 feet high, 102 stories (with the 164-foot television tower included, it is 1,414 feet high) Chrysler Building. 1,046 feet high, 77 stories AT&T Building. 950 feet high, 67 stories 40 Wall Tower. 927 feet high, 71 stories
What was Shamela’s last name in Henry Fielding’s parody Shamela (1741)?
Shamela’s last name in Henry Fielding’s parody Shamela was also Andrews. The name was used a third time in Fielding’s Joseph Andrews (1742), the story of Pamela’s brother, Joseph.
What was the Haymarket incident in Chicago?
It took place on May 4, 1886, at Chicago’s Haymarket Square during a peaceful rally to protest the killing three days earlier of six workers striking for the eight-hour day. Two hundred policemen were sent in to break up the rally. Before they could, a dynamite bomb of unknown origin exploded, killing 8 policemen and … Read more
Who is Anne Archer’s mother?
Anne Archer’s mother was Marjorie Lord, who played Kathy, the wife of Danny Williams (Danny Thomas) on “The Danny Thomas Show” (ABC, CBS, 1953-64).
Who played Mork and Mindy’s baby on the TV show “Mork & Mindy” (ABC, 1978-82)?
Jonathan Winters, who hatched from an egg sprouted from Mork’s navel in 1981, played Mork and Mindy’s baby on the TV show “Mork & Mindy” (ABC, 1978-82).