What Happened On
First Smartphone
August 16, 1994
IBM's "Simon Personal Communicator" goes on sale to the public by BellSouth Cellular. It combined a mobile phone and PDA allowing the user to make and receive telephone calls, facsimiles, emails, and pages. It also included a calendar, address book, notepad, maps, stocks, and news.
It had debuted at the COMDEX trade show two years earlier.
Death of Elvis Presley
August 16, 1977
The 42-year-old "King of Rock 'n' Roll" is found unresponsive on his bathroom floor. Elvis Presley's death has been attributed to a possible combination of an enlarged heart and prescription drugs. In the first eight months of 1977, Elvis had been prescribed more than 10,000 doses of sedatives, amphetamines, and narcotics. An autopsy showed he was chronically ill with diabetes, glaucoma, and constipation. It is believed that straining on the toilet may have induced a heart attack. His chronic constipation was probably due to a combination of drugs and diet.
In 1980, Dr. Nichopoulos was charged with prescribing excessive amounts of drugs to Presley and other patients. During the trial, Dr. Nichopoulos claimed Presley had a number of illnesses requiring constant medical attention, including glaucoma, liver trouble, arthritis, and migraines. He claimed Elvis would have died 10 years earlier without his help. Dr. Nichopoulos was ultimately acquitted of all charges, however, in 1993 the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners permanently revoked his license for overprescribing to many patients over multiple years.
Riace Bronze Warriors
August 16, 1972
Two ancient full-size Greek bronze statues dating from about 460-420 B.C. are discovered under the sea near Riace, Calabria, in southern Italy. They were recovered the following week. The statues were accidentally discovered by a diver when he saw a hand sticking out from the sea floor and thought it was dead body. They are two of the few surviving full-size ancient Greek bronzes, most of which were melted down in later times.
Their teeth are made with silver and their lips and nipples are made of copper, with one of the statues having eyes of calcite.
Although their origin is unknown, it is believed they may have been lost when a Roman ship sank while transporting the statues from Greece.
The statues are now on display at the Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia in the nearby city of Reggio Calabria.
The Beatles - Pete Best Fired
August 16, 1962
Drummer Pete Best is dropped from the Beatles shortly before the group recorded their first single. He was replaced by Ringo Starr the following day.
After the group auditioned for producer George Martin, he was dissatisfied with Best. He said they could use Best onstage, but he was going to bring in a session drummer for the recordings. The other Beatles, along with manager Brian Epstein, decided to replace Best entirely. Best was popular with the fans, with many protesting his firing. Best had taken the place of drummer Tommy Moore, who had quit the group (then known as the Silver Beetles) because their bookings interfered with his job as a forklift driver.
First Major League Baseball Player Mortally Wounded During a Game
August 16, 1920
Ray Chapman (short stop, Cleveland Indians) is hit by a pitch and dies early the next morning. Chapman had led the American League in runs scored and walks in 1918.
Madonna Marries Sean Penn
August 16, 1985
The Queen of Pop Madonna and actor Sean Penn tie the knot on Madonna's birthday. Penn's birthday was the following day.
They divorced in 1989.
Photo Credit: Kevin Abato
Photo Credit: Kevin Abato
John DeLorean
August 16, 1984
The auto manufacturer John DeLorean is acquitted of charges of possession of 59 pounds of cocaine with intent to distribute.
First issue of Sports Illustrated
August 16, 1954
First issue of Sports Illustrated magazine.
Altantic Cable Route
Altantic Cable Route
First Transatlantic Telegraph Message
August 16, 1858
The first official telegram to pass between two continents was a letter of congratulations from Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom to U.S. President James Buchanan congratulating him on their mutual success of the cable.
"The Queen desires to congratulate the President upon the successful completion of this great international work, in which the Queen has taken the greatest interest." There was more to the message, but technical difficulties prevented it from being delivered until the following day.
Unfortunately, the cable's signal quality declined rapidly, slowing transmission to an almost unusable speed. The cable was destroyed the following month when excessive voltage was applied to it while trying to improve operation. During the three weeks it was working, 732 messages were sent across it. The next transatlantic cable wasn't laid until eight years later.
Slavery
August 16, 1619
First slaves in America arrive in Virginia.
Birthdays
Photo Credit: Olavtenbroek
Photo Credit: Olavtenbroek
Madonna (Madonna Louise Ciccone)
Born August 16, 1958
American Grammy-winning Hall of Fame pop singer. Known as the "Queen of Pop", she has sold more than 300 million records and is the best-selling female recording artist of all time. Music: Like a Virgin (1984, #1). Film: Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Dick Tracy (1990), A League of Their Own (1992), and Evita (1996).
Julie Newmar (Julie Newmeyer)
Born August 16, 1933
American actress. One of several actresses to play Catwomen on the TV series Batman (1966-67).
Oktyabrskaya and a T-34 tank similar to hers
Photo Credit: Bundesarchiv
Oktyabrskaya and a T-34 tank similar to hersPhoto Credit: Bundesarchiv
Fighting Girlfriend
Mariya Vasilyevna Oktyabrskaya
Born August 16, 1905 d. 1944
Soviet tank driver. What would you do to avenge your spouse's death? Oktyabrskaya bought a tank and fought the Germans.
When she learned her husband had been killed fighting the Germans during WWII she sold all of her possessions and bought a tank for the Red Army. Her conditions were that the tank be named "Fighting Girlfriend" and that she be allowed to drive it. Seen at first as a publicity stunt, she fought in several battles proving herself an able and skilled tank driver. She died of wounds received while repairing her tank under heavy fire after it had been hit by a German anti-tank shell.
She was the first female tank driver awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union award (the Soviet Union's highest award for bravery during combat).
Lawrence of Arabia (Thomas Edward Lawrence)
Born August 16, 1888 d. 1935
English soldier, spy, diplomat, and secret agent. During World War I, he organized the Arab revolt that ended Turkish rule over Arabia.
Timothy Hutton
Born August 16, 1960
American Oscar-winning actor. Film: Ordinary People (1980, Oscar) and The Falcon and the Snowman (1985).
James Cameron
Born August 16, 1954
Canadian Oscar-winning film producer. Film: The Terminator (1984), True Lies (1984), Titanic (1997), and Avatar (2009).
Lesley Ann Warren
Born August 16, 1946
American actress. TV: Mission: Impossible (Dana Lambert).
Robert Culp
Born August 16, 1930 d. 2010
American actor. TV: Trackdown (1957-59, Texas Ranger Hoby Gilman), I Spy (1965-68, Tennis playing spy Kelly Robinson) and Greatest American Hero (1981-83, FBI Agent Bill Maxwell).
Frank Gifford
Born August 16, 1930 d. 2015
American football player, Emmy-winning sportscaster for Monday Night Football. Gifford won the NFL MVP Award (1956).
Eydie Gormé (Edith Gormezano)
Born August 16, 1928 d. 2013
American Grammy-Emmy-winning singer. Wife of partner Steve Lawrence.
Fess Parker (Fess Elisha Parker, Jr.)
Born August 16, 1924 d. 2010
American actor. TV: Disneyland (1955-56, Davy Crockett) and Daniel Boone (1964-70, title role). His portrayal of Davy Crockett launched the coonskin hat craze in the U.S.
Bard of Beer and Broads
Charles Bukowski (Heinrich Karl Bukowski)
Born August 16, 1920 d. 1994
German-born American poet, novelist. Known as the "Bard of Beer and Broads". His heavy drinking and hard living provided the setting for the film Barfly (1987). Writings: Flowers, Fist and Bestial Wall (1959) and Ham on Rye (1982).
Quote: "The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence".
Quote: "Find what you love and let it kill you".
George Meany
Born August 16, 1894 d. 1980
American labor official. He was unanimously elected the first president of the AFL-CIO (1955-79).
Prince Valiant, 1938
Prince Valiant, 1938
Hal Foster (Harold Rudolf Foster)
Born August 16, 1892 d. 1982
Canadian-American cartoonist. Creator and artist for Prince Valiant (1937-71) and artist for the Tarzan comic strip (1929-37). His comics were known for their high level of draftsmanship and attention to detail.
Hugo Gernsback
Born August 16, 1884 d. 1967
American publisher, pioneer science fiction author. He founded Modern Electronics (1908, the first radio magazine) and Amazing Stories (1926).
Gabriel Lippmann
Born August 16, 1845 d. 1921
French Nobel-winning physicist. He received the Nobel Prize (1908) for producing the first color photographic plates.
Deaths
Aretha Franklin
Died August 16, 2018 b. 1942
American Grammy-winning Hall of Fame soul singer. "The Queen of Soul". Music: Respect (1967, #1). Film: The Blues Brothers (1980). She has more million-selling singles than any other female artist.
Elvis Presley
Died August 16, 1977 b. 1935
American singer, "The King of Rock 'n' Roll." He sold more than a billion records. Elvis had a twin brother who died in childbirth.
Bela Lugosi (Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó)
Died August 16, 1956 b. 1882
Hungarian-born American horror actor. Film: Dracula (1931), Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943, Ygor), and Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959, called "the worst movie ever made"). He was buried wearing his Dracula costume.
Babe Ruth (George Herman Ruth)
Died August 16, 1948 b. 1895
American baseball legend. Called "The Sultan of Swat," he hit 714 home runs while playing MLB from 1914 to 1935. He pitched 29 2/3 scoreless innings in the 1918 World Series, a record that stood until 1961.
Inventor of Coca-Cola
John Stith Pemberton
Died August 16, 1888 b. 1831
American pharmacist. He created Coca-Cola (1886), calling it "Esteemed Brain Tonic and Intellectual Beverage." He started out by trying to create an opium-free pain relief medicine to alleviate his addiction to morphine, which started as a result of wounds received in 1865 fighting in the Civil War. The result was the very popular "French Wine Coca", which was made from Peruvian Coca, wine, and kola nut. In 1886, Atlanta and Fulton County passed prohibition legislation, forcing him to make a non-alcoholic version in which he substituted syrup for the wine and called it "Coca-Cola". While experimenting with the formula, he accidentally mixed the base with carbonated water. He liked the result so much that he decided to make a fountain drink instead of a medicine. Nearly bankrupt and suffering health issues, Pemberton sold the rights to Coca-Cola shortly before his death. He had wanted to retain a share of the ownership to leave to his son, but his son wanted the money instead.
The original formula, which was created as an alternative to morphine, contained about nine milligrams of cocaine per glass (a typical line of cocaine is 50-75 mg), but this was reduced to trace amounts by the early 1900s and eliminated altogether in 1929.
Peter Fonda
Died August 16, 2019 b. 1940
American actor. Film: Easy Rider (1969, producer, co-writer, and as Captain America), Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (1974), and Ulee's Gold (1997). He is the son of actor Henry Fonda and the brother of actress Jane Fonda.
William Windom
Died August 16, 2012 b. 1923
American actor. TV: Murder, She Wrote (Dr. Seth Hazlitt).
Oveta Culp Hobby
Died August 16, 1995 b. 1905
American government official. She was the first secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, first commanding officer of the Women's Army Corps, and the first woman in the Army to receive the Distinguished Service Medal.
Stewart Granger (James Leblanche Stewart)
Died August 16, 1993 b. 1913
British-born American actor. Film: King Solomon's Mines (1950), The Prisoner of Zenda (1952), and The Last Safari (1967).
Amanda Blake (Beverly Louise Neill)
Died August 16, 1989 b. 1929
American actress. Amanda Blake is best known for her portrayal of Miss Kitty Russell on TV's Gunsmoke (1955-74). She had a pet lion named Kemo that she would bring onto the Gunsmoke set. She and her husband operated an animal compound at her home, where Kemo lived, and ran an experimental breeding program for cheetahs.
Selman Abraham Waksman
Died August 16, 1973 b. 1888
Ukrainian-born American Nobel-winning microbiologist. While a professor at Rutgers University, he and student Albert Schatz discovered streptomycin, the first antibiotic to successfully treat tuberculosis (1944). He also coined the term "antibiotic," which means "against life."
R.B. Fuller (Ralph Briggs Fuller)
Died August 16, 1963 b. 1890
American cartoonist. Created Oaky Doaks (1935).
Margaret Mitchell
Died August 16, 1949 b. 1900
American Pulitzer-winning author. Writings: Gone with the Wind (1937, Pulitzer).
Peter I
Died August 16, 1921 b. 1844
King of Serbia (1903-21).
Robert Wilhelm Bunsen
Died August 16, 1899 b. 1811
German chemist. He invented the Bunsen burner and discovered the elements cesium and rubidium.
Jean-Martin Charcot
Died August 16, 1893 b. 1825
French physician. He and Guillaume Duchenne founded modern neurology. As one of his pupils, Sigmund Freud's interest in the psychological aspects of neurosis was initiated by his use of hypnosis.