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2014–TV announcer, Don Pardo, dies in Tucson, Arizona, at age 96. Pardo's majestic vocal delivery graced newscasts, game shows, and TV programs for more than 60 years. During the original version of the game show, Jeopardy!, his answers to the question, "Tell 'em what they've won, Don Pardo," became a memorable part of the program. He was an integral part of Saturday Night Live for almost four decades, in his role heralding the cast's names to kick off each show.


353–Roman usurper, Decentius, dies.

440–Pope Sixtus III dies.

684–Umayyad partisans defeat the supporters of Ibn al-Zubayr and cement Umayyad control of Syria.

1227–Genghis Khan, founder and leader of the Mongol Empire, dies.

1276–Pope Adrian V dies.

1304–The Battle of Mons-en-Pévèle is fought to a draw between the French army and the Flemish militias.

1503–Pope Alexander VI dies.

1541–Henry IV, Duke of Saxony, dies in Dresden, Germany, at age 68.

1559–Pope Paul dies in Rome, Papal States, at age 83.

1572–Huguenot King Henry III of Navarre marries Margaret of Valois, in an attempt to reconcile Protestants and Catholics.

1579–Countess Charlotte Flandrina of Nassau is born.

1587–Virginia Dare, granddaughter of Governor John White of the Colony of Roanoke, becomes the first English child born in the Americas.

1590–John White, the Governor of the Roanoke Colony, returns from a supply trip to England and finds his settlement deserted.

1606–Maria Anna of Spain is born.

1612–The trial of the Pendle witches, one of England's most famous witch trials, begins at Lancaster Assizes.

1620–Emperor Wanli of China dies in China, at age 56.

1634–Urbain Grandier, accused and convicted of sorcery, is burned alive in Loudun, France.

1648–Ibrahim of the Ottoman Empire is executed by strangulation in Istanbul, Ottoman Empire, at age 32. He was later called Ibrahim the Mad by 20th century historians, due to his reputed mental condition, which was most likely psychoneurosis.

1700–Indian Emperor, Baji Rao I, is born in India.

1750–Composer and conductor, Antonio Salieri, is born in Legnago, Republic of Venice, Italy. He helped to develop and shape many of the features of operatic compositional vocabulary, and his music was a powerful influence on contemporary composers. Franz Liszt, Franz Schubert, and Ludwig van Beethoven were among the most famous of his pupils. As rivals, Salieri attempted to surpass Mozart in his works, but never succeeded.

1765–Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor, dies at Palace of Innsbruck, Austria, at age 56. With his wife, Maria Theresa, he was the founder of the Habsburg-Lorraine Dynasty.

1774–Soldier, explorer, and politician, Meriwether Lewis, is born. He was the co-leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

1782–Poet, William Blake, marries Catherine Bouchier in London, England. She is illiterate, but will learn to share her husband's love of literature through his tutelage. She proves a devoted wife, learning how to watercolor Blake's illustrated books.

1783–A huge fireball meteor is seen across Great Britain as it passes over the east coast.

1792–Politician, John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, is born. He was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

1819–Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia is born.

1830–Franz Joseph I of Austria is born.

1834–Businessman, Marshall Field, is born. He founded Marshall Field's department store.

1838–The Wilkes Expedition, which would explore the Puget Sound and Antarctica, weighs anchor at Hampton Roads.

1846–U.S. forces led by General Stephen W. Kearney capture Santa Fe, New Mexico.

1848–Camila O'Gorman and Ladislao Gutierrez are executed on the orders of Argentine dictator, Juan Manuel de Rosas.

1864–During the American Civil War, Union forces try to cut a vital Confederate supply-line into Petersburg, Virginia, by attacking the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad.

1868–French astronomer, Pierre Janssen, discovers helium.

1877–Asaph Hall discovers the Martian moon, Phobos.

1886–Eli Whitney Blake dies. He invented the Mortise lock.

1891–A major hurricane strikes Martinique, an island in the Lesser Antilles, killing 700 people.

1894–U.S. Congress creates the Bureau of Immigration.

1903–German engineer, Karl Jatho, allegedly flies his self-made, motored gliding airplane four months before the first flight of the Wright brothers.

1903–Super-centenarian, Charlotte Klamroth, is born Charlotte Dettmar in Krottorf, Province of Saxony, German Empire. She will live to the age of 111 years (and 271 days).

1904–Makeup innovator, Max Factor, Jr., is born Francis Factor in St. Louis, Missouri. He was president of the Max Factor Cosmetics empire.

1917–A fire in Thessaloniki, Greece, destroys 32% of the city, leaving 70,000 people homeless.

1917–Politician and attorney, Caspar Weinberger, is born. He was the 15th United States Secretary of Defense.

1919–Politician, Wally Hickel, is born. He was the second Governor of Alaska.

1919–Businessman, Joseph E. Seagram, dies. He founded the Seagram Company.

1919–Businessman, Joseph E. Seagram, dies in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, at age 78. He founded the Seagram Distilleries. His 1907 creation, Seagram's VO whisky, became the largest-selling Canadian whisky in the world.

1920–Women throughout the U.S. win the right to vote when the Tennessee legislature approves the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (the last of 36 states then required to approve it). An amendment for universal suffrage was first introduced in Congress in 1878, and Wyoming had granted suffrage in state law by 1890. This amendment to give all American women the right to vote had been introduced annually for 41 years without passage.

1920–Actress, Shelley Winters, is born.

1927–Rosalynn Carter, wife of President Jimmy Carter, is born. She was the 41st First Lady of the United States.

1928–Businesswoman, Marge Schott, is born.

1933–Film director and producer, Roman Polanski, is born.

1934–Attorney, Vincent Bugliosi, is born.

1934–Baseball player, Roberto Clemente, is born in Puerto Rico.

1935–Athlete, Rafer Johnson, is born.

1937–The first FM radio construction permit is issued. It goes to W1XOJ, Boston, Massachusetts. The station went on the air as WGTR (General Tire & Rubber) in 1941.

1937–Actor and director, Robert Redford, is born.

1938–The Thousand Islands Bridge, connecting New York with Ontario, Canada, over the Saint Lawrence River, is dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

1940–Businessman, Walter Chrysler, dies of a cerebral hemorrhage in Kings Point, New York, at age 65. He founded the Chrysler Corporation.

1941–Actor, Christopher Jones, is born.

1942–Game show contestant, Judith Keppel, is born. She was the first winner on the British version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

-1943–Sarah Dash, of Labelle, is born.

1943–Comedian and actor, Martin Mull, is born.

1945–Sukarno takes office as the first President of Indonesia, following the country's declaration of independence the previous day.

1945–Barbara Harris, of The Toys, is born. The vocal group’s biggest hit was Lover’s Concerto.

1950–Julien Lahaut, the Chairman of the Communist Party of Belgium, is assassinated by far-right elements.

1950–Dennis Elliott, drummer for Foreigner, is born in England.

1952–Comedienne, Elayne Boosler, is born.

1952–Actor and dancer, Patrick (Wayne) Swayze, is born in Houston, Texas. He appeared in the films Skatetown U.S.A., The Outsiders, Red Dawn, Grandview, U.S.A, Youngblood, Dirty Dancing, Steel Dawn, Road House, Ghost, Point Break, City of Joy, Three Wishes, To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, and Donnie Darko. His mother was dance instructor, Pasty Swayze. He was married to dancer, Lisa Niemi.

1953–Politician and attorney, Louie Gohmert, is born.

1956–Little Willie John's original version of Fever enters the pop charts at #24. The song will later be a big hit for both The McCoys and Peggy Lee.

1957–Comedian and actor, Denis Leary, is born.

1957–Ron Strykert, of Men at Work, is born in Australia.

1958–Vladimir Nabokov's highly publicized novel, Lolita, is published in America.

1958–Brojen Das, from Bangladesh, swims across the English Channel in a competition, as the first Bengali and the first Asian to do so. He came first among 39 competitors.

1958–Actress, Madeleine Stowe, is born.

1960–The first commercially produced oral contraceptive, Enovid 10, is launched in Skokie, Illinois, paving the way for the sexual revolution.

1960–The first photograph is bounced off a satellite at Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

1960–Elvis Presley’s first post-Army movie, G.I. Blues, is sneak previewed in Dallas, Texas (it will open three months later).

1961–Construction of the Berlin Wall is completed.

1961–Politician and banker, Timothy Geithner, is born. He was the 75th U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.

1961–Journalist, Bob Woodruff, is born.

1962–Politician, Felipe Calderón, is born in Mexico. He was the 56th President of Mexico.

1962–The Beatles perform at Hulme Hall, Port Sunlight, Birkenhead, England. It is the 17th annual dance for the local Horticultural Society. Ringo Starr appears for the first time as a member of The Beatles, having had a two-hour rehearsal in preparation. This is the first appearance of The Beatles as the world would come to know them: John, Paul, George, and Ringo.

1963–James Meredith becomes the first black person to graduate from the University of Mississippi.

1964–The Beatles arrive in San Francisco, California, to begin their American tour. They are met at the airport by 9,000 frenzied fans. They are then driven into a protective fence enclosure so that photographers can take pictures. As the fans press against the fencing, it gives way, and the Fab Four manage to get out split-seconds before it comes crashing down. The Beatles, unmistakably shaken, are shuttled to their hotel suite, and locked in under armed guard. Several floors below them, a woman is beaten and robbed, her cries for help mistaken as just another crazy Beatles fan.

1965–Operation Starlite begins as the U.S. Marines destroy a Viet Cong stronghold on the Van Tuong Peninsula in the first major American ground battle of the Vietnam war.

1965–The Beatles, on a tour of North America, play one performance for a crowd of 30,000 at Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia.

1966–The Doors sign their initial contract with Jac Holzman and Elektra Records.

1966–The Beatles, touring in the U.S. for the last time, perform a concert at Suffolk Downs Racetrack, East Boston, Massachusetts. The concert is held in the middle green of a horse-racing course, before a crowd of 25,000.

1967–The Rolling Stones’ single, We Love You, is released in the U.K. John Lennon and Paul McCartney sing backing vocals on the song.

1969–Mick Jagger is accidentally shot while filming the movie Ned Kelly in Australia.

1969–The Creative Arts Conference at the California Western Campus in San Diego, Californa, is held from August 18th through 29th. The “Film Maker” series includes a personal appearance by Jim Morrison, of The Doors, representing his film Feast of Friends. The following night features Michael McClure, author of The Beard, at the University of California Matthew's Campus Gallery.

1969–Actor, Edward Norton, is born.

1969–Actor, Christian Slater, is born.

1970–Actor, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, is born.

1971–Australia and New Zealand decide to withdraw their troops from Vietnam.

1972–Police in Sweden fine Paul and Linda McCartney $800 for cannabis possession.

1972–Conservative talk radio show host, Andrew (Steven) Wilkow, is born in Hollywood, Florida.

1977–Elvis Presley’s funeral is held at his Graceland estate in Memphis, Tennessee. There are 150 invited mourners, and more than 75,000 fans who gather outside. Presley is buried next to his mother, Gladys, in Memphis’ Forest Hill Cemetery.

1977–Steve Biko is arrested at a police roadblock under the Terrorism Act No. 83 of 1967 in King William's Town, South Africa. He later dies from injuries sustained during this arrest, bringing attention to South Africa's apartheid policies.

1977–In England, The Police play their first show as a three-piece band after the departure of guitarist, Henri Padovani.

1981–Screenwriter and author, Anita Loos, dies of natural causes in New York, New York, at age 92. She is best known for her blockbuster comic novel Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Her film credits include San Francisco, The Women, Susan and God, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

1983–Hurricane Alicia hits the Texas coast, killing 22 people and causing over $1 billion in damage.

1989–Leading presidential hopeful, Luis Carlos Galán, is assassinated near Bogotá in Colombia.

1992–Film director, John Sturges, dies in San Luis Obispo, California, at age 82. His films include The Man Who Dared, The Magnificent Yankee, Mystery Street, Kind Lady, It’s a Big Country, Jeopardy, Escape from Fort Bravo, Bad Day at Black Rock, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, The Old Man and the Sea, Never So Few, The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape, The Hallelujah Trail, Ice Station Zebra, and The Eagle Has Landed.

1998–Actress, Persis Khambatta, dies.

2000–Joey Molland, of Badfinger, fractures his leg after falling off stage during the Classic Rock Festival in Darrington, Washington. Molland gamely climbs back up and finishes the band’s set before seeking medical attention.

2003–Tony Jackson, of The Searchers, dies.

2004–Composer and conductor, Elmer Bernstein, dies of cancer in Ojai, California, at age 82. In a career which spanned 50 years, he composed music for hundreds of film and television productions. His most popular works include the scores to The Magnificent Seven, The Ten Commandments, The Great Escape, To Kill a Mockingbird, Ghostbusters, The Black Cauldron, Airplane!, and The Rookies.

2005–A massive power outage hits the Indonesian island of Java, affecting almost 100 million people. It is the one of the largest and most widespread power outages in history.

2008–Pervez Musharraf, President of Pakistan, resigns under threat of impeachment.

2009–Politician, Kim Dae-jung, dies. He was the 15th President of South Korea.

2012–Singer-songwriter, Scott McKenzie, dies in Los Angeles, California, at age 73. He had suffered from Guillain-Barré syndrome since 2010. He is best known for his 1967 hit single and generational anthem San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair).

2014–TV announcer, Don Pardo, dies in Tucson, Arizona, at age 96. Pardo's majestic vocal delivery graced newscasts, game shows, and TV programs for more than 60 years. During the original version of the game show, Jeopardy!, his answers to the question, "Tell 'em what they've won, Don Pardo," became a memorable part of the program. He was an integral part of Saturday Night Live for almost four decades, in his role heralding the cast's names to kick off each show.

2015–Television producer, Bud Yorkin, dies of natural causes in Bel Air, California, at age 89. He produced many of the hit sitcoms of the 1970s, including All in the Family, Maude, Good Times, and Sanford and Son.

2016–Twitter announces 235,000 terror-linked accounts have been suspended over the past six months amid increasing pressure on tech companies from the White House to censor extremists from groups like ISIL.

2016–U.S. District Judge, Jane Triche Milazzo, sentences former NFL player, Darren Sharper, to 18 years in prison in a rape and drugging case involving as many as 16 women in several U.S. states.

2016–The Blue Cut Fire in California displaces more than 82,000 residents, burns more than 30,000 acres, and threatens at least 34,500 structures.


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