Clinton-Lewinsky Affair

January 7, 1998

Monica Lewinsky files an affidavit in the Jones case in which she denies ever having a sexual relationship with U.S. President Bill Clinton. This would later prove to be false.

Pete Rose

January 7, 1991

The baseball legend Pete Rose is released from prison after serving a five-month term for income tax evasion.

Hitler's Car?

January 7, 1973

A car reputed to be Adolf Hitler's car is auctioned for $153,000. This set the record for the highest amount ever paid for a car at auction. However, it was discovered later that is was not Hitler's car, but belonged to Gustaf Mannerheim, President of Finland (1944-46). The car was a 1940 Mercedes 770-K, 230-horsepower, armored vehicle capable of speeds of 105 mph (170 kph).

Harlem Globetrotters

January 7, 1927

The famed basketball team the Harlem Globetrotters play their first road game. Although the original players were from the Chicago area, their promoter Abe Saperstein chose the name "New York Harlem Globe Trotters" as Harlem was considered the center of African-American culture at the time. Ironically, they did not play in Harlem until 1968, more than 40 years later.

First Successful Navigation of the Panama Canal

January 7, 1914

A floating crane reaches the Pacific Ocean. It was the first self-propelled vessel to transit the canal from ocean to ocean, crossing the canal in stages during construction. The Panama Canal would officially open seven months later.

Fannie Farmer Cookbook

January 7, 1896

Fanny Farmer publishes her famous cookbook, The Boston Cooking-School Cookbook. The first edition of 3000 quickly sold out and it has become one of the best-known and most influential of American cookbooks and is still in print today. It was one of the first cookbooks to emphasize the importance of accurate measurements.

First Manned Balloon Flight Across the English Channel

January 7, 1785

Jean Pierre Blanchard and Dr. John Jeffries.

Nicolas Cage (Nicholas Coppola)

Born January 7, 1964

American actor. Film: Peggy Sue Got Married (1986) and Wild at Heart (1990).

Kathy Valentine

Born January 7, 1959

American guitarist. With the Go-Go's. Music: We Got the Beat (1981) and Vacation (1982).

Katie Couric

Born January 7, 1957

American TV personality. TV: Today (co-anchor).

Erin Gray

Born January 7, 1950

American actress. TV: Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (Col. Deering) and Silver Spoons (Kate).

Kenny Loggins

Born January 7, 1948

American singer, songwriter. Music: I'm Alright (theme from Caddyshack 1980) and What a Fool Believes (1979, #1, co-writer).

Terry Moore (Helen Koford)

Born January 7, 1929

American actress. Film: Come Back Little Sheba (1952).

William Peter Blatty

Born January 7, 1928 d. 2017

American Oscar-winning screenwriter. He wrote the book The Exorcist (1971), which he finished using $10,000 he won on You Bet Your Life. Blatty also wrote the screenplay for the 1973 movie The Exorcist. The novel is loosely based on a 1949 case of demonic possession and exorcism.

Vincent Gardenia (Vincent Scognamiglio)

Born January 7, 1920 d. 1992

Italian Tony-Emmy-winning actor. TV: All in the Family (Frank Lorenzo).

Butterfly McQueen (Thelma McQueen)

Born January 7, 1911 d. 1995

American Emmy-winning actress. Film: Gone with the Wind (1939, Scarlett O'Hara's maid Prissy. "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' babies!"). TV: Beulah (Oriole, 1950-52).

Orval Faubus

Born January 7, 1910 d. 1994

American politician, Governor of Arkansas (1955-67). In September of 1957, in what is known as the Little Rock Crisis, he ordered the Arkansas National Guard to prevent nine blacks from entering all-white Central High School in Little Rock. President Dwight D. Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas National Guard removing them from Faubus' control and then sent in elements of the 101st Airborne Division to protect the black students. In retaliation, Faubus shut down Little Rock high schools for the 1958-59 school year, in what is referred to as "The Lost Year."

Alan Napier (Alan Napier-Clavering)

Born January 7, 1903 d. 1988

English actor. TV: Batman (1966-68, Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne's butler).

Gene Carr

Born January 7, 1881 d. 1959

American cartoonist. Creator of Lady Bountiful (1902). He was a pioneer of the use of sequential panels in cartoons. Lady Bountiful was one of the first cartoons to have a lady protagonist.

Adolph Zukor

Born January 7, 1873 d. 1976

Hungarian-born U.S. film executive, founder of Paramount Pictures. He distributed the first feature-length film shown in the U.S. (1912, Queen Elizabeth), which was made in France and starred Sarah Bernhardt.

Ludwig III

Born January 7, 1845 d. 1921

King of Bavaria (1913-18). He was the last King of Barvaria.

Gregory XIII (Ugo Buoncompagni)

Born January 7, 1502 d. 1585

Italian religious leader, 226th Pope (1572-85). He congratulated King Gregory IX for ordering the killing of thousands of Huguenots throughout France (1572). He also instituted the Gregorian calendar (1582).

Tommy Lasorda

Died January 7, 2021 b. 1927

American baseball pitcher, Hall of Fame baseball manager. Lasorda played in MLB for the Dodgers in 1954 and 1955 and for the Kansas City Athletics in 1956. He coached for the Dodgers from 1973 through 1976 before taking over as manager. Lasorda won two World Series championships as manager of the Dodgers and was twice named Manager of the Year of the National League.
Lasorda managed the U.S. national baseball team at the 2000 Summer Olympics, leading the Americans to the gold medal, beating favored Cuba, which had won the gold medal at the prior two Olympics. This made him the first manager to win a World Series championship and lead a team to Olympic gold.
Quote: "Talking about your troubles is no good. Eighty percent of your friends don't care and the rest are glad."

Hirohito (Michinomiya Hirohito)

Died January 7, 1989 b. 1901

124th Japanese emperor (1926-89, known as Emperor Shōwa). His reign was designated "Shōwa" (Enlightened Peace). Although his involvement in World War II decisions is debated, he announced Japan's surrender of the war. He was the first Japanese emperor to travel abroad (1971).

Inventor of the Frosted Light Bulb

Marvin Pipkin

Died January 7, 1977 b. 1889

American chemist. Inventor of the light bulb frosted on the inside (1925). As a practical joke, new employees at General Electric's National Electric Lamp were assigned the task of making a practical light bulb frosted on the inside, as it was believed impossible to do. Until new employee Marvin Pipkin was assigned this task - He didn't know it couldn't be done, so he did it.

Nikola Tesla

Died January 7, 1943 b. 1856

Serbian-American inventor, considered America's greatest electrical engineer, credited with inventing radio, and for whom the tesla (unit of magnetic flux density) is named. He invented the first AC induction motor (1883). Known for making incredible claims, Tesla claimed that he invented a death ray that could send concentrated beams of particles through air with the capability of bringing down a fleet of 10,000 enemy airplanes at a distance of 250 miles.

Baby Ruth

Ruth Cleveland

Died January 7, 1904 b. 1891

American child. She was born to President Grover Cleveland and First Lady Frances Cleveland between Cleveland's two terms of office (the only U.S. President to serve two non-consecutive terms) and was their first child.
Her birth created a national sensation and she was popularly known in the media as "Baby Ruth".
In 1921, seventeen years after her death, the Curtiss Candy Company renamed their Kandy Kake (1900–1920) candy bar "Baby Ruth" in honor of her. Coincidently, the famous baseball player Babe Ruth (George Herman Ruth) had hit 54 home runs the year before and had been the home run leader since 1918. Had they named it "Babe Ruth", they probably would have had to compensate him.
She died at age 12 after contracting diphtheria.

Rod Taylor

Died January 7, 2015 b. 1930

Australian actor. TV: Falcon Crest (1988-90, Frank Argretti). Film: The Time Machine (1960, H. George Wells), One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961, voice of Pongo the dog), The Birds (1963, Mitch Brenner), and Inglourious Basterds (2009, Winston Churchill).
He was one of several who turned down the role of Bond in the James Bond series of movies, feeling that the role was beneath him.

The Man Who Dressed the King

Bill Belew

Died January 7, 2008 b. 1931

American costume designer, "The Man Who Dressed the King." He designed Elvis Presley's costumes (1968-77) setting the trend for stage costumes by performers such as the Jackson 5 and The Osmonds. One of his most famous designs was the high-collared jumpsuit used in Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite and on the album cover for Promised Land. He also designed for many other stars, including Gladys Knight and Doc Severensen.

Avery Schreiber

Died January 7, 2002 b. 1935

American comedian, of the comedy team, Burns and Schreiber. He was famous for his Doritos ads in the 1970s. TV: The Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour (1973, co-host).

Trevor Howard

Died January 7, 1988 b. 1913

English Emmy-winning actor. Film: Brief Encounter (1945) and Sons and Lovers (1960). TV: The Invincible Mr. Disraeli (1963, Emmy).

Innocent X

Died January 7, 1655 b. 1574

Italian religious leader, 236th Pope (1644-55). He formally condemned Jansenism (1653).

Catherine of Aragon

Died January 7, 1536 b. 1485

Queen of England, Henry VIII's first wife. After the Pope refused to sanction the King's divorce from her, the King established the Church of England and declared himself the religious ruler for his land.