What Happened On
Geraldo Rivera Opens Al Capone's Vaults
April 21, 1986
Geraldo Rivera is broadcast live opening Al Capone's secret underground vault, only to find empty bottles. The show included a medical examiner should bodies be found, and agents from the Internal Revenue Service to collect any of Capone's money that might be discovered. This show received the highest rating in syndicated TV history to that time, with an estimated 30 million viewers.
First U.S. Revolving Restaurant
April 21, 1962
The Eye of the Needle (now SkyCity) at the top of the Space Needle, in Seattle, Washington, opens. It is now the oldest operating revolving restaurant in the world. The Space Needle was built for the 1962 World's Fair.
Red Baron with his distinctive red triplane
Red Baron with his distinctive red triplane
Red Baron Killed in Combat
April 21, 1918
The German World War I flying ace Red Baron (Baron Von Richthofen) is killed in combat. Canadian pilot Roy Brown was originally credited with the kill, but evidence shows that he was probably killed by ground fire.
When Brown saw a fellow pilot being chased by the Red Baron, he dived in pursuit firing at the Red Baron. Brown eventually had to pull out of the dive and lost sight of the pair. It is believed that the Red Baron turned and while flying low was shot and killed by Australian Army ground fire and crashed near the Australian trenches. Although Brown marked his initial report of the fight as "indecisive", his commanding officer changed it to "decisive" and he was credited with the kill.
The Red Baron shot down 80 enemy aircraft. In a single month alone (April 1917), he shot down 22 British aircraft, including four in a single day.
Cook (left) and photo allegedly taken at North Pole
Cook (left) and photo allegedly taken at North Pole
First to Reach North Pole?
April 21, 1908
Dr. Frederick A. Cook claims to have reached the North Pole on this date, almost a year before Robert Peary claims to have reached the pole. Cook's claims have been disputed and Peary is generally credited with reaching the pole first. Cook had served as surgeon on Peary's first Arctic expedition (1891-92) and in 1901 was sent to rescue Peary when it was believed he was lost in the Arctic.
"Surrender of Santa Anna" by William Henry Huddle
"Surrender of Santa Anna" by William Henry Huddle
Texas Independence - Battle of San Jacinto
April 21, 1836
The battle is won when Gen. Sam Houston defeated the much larger Mexican army led by Mexican President Santa Anna. Santa Anna was captured and surrendered the following day, paving the way for Texas' independence. Sam Houston would become the first president of the Republic of Texas.
First U.S. Coin
April 21, 1787
A 1¢ coin is authorized by the Continental Congress. The final design was inspired by Benjamin Franklin's works, and thus became known as the Franklin cent.
The combination of the word "Fugio" (Latin for "I fly"), the sundial, and the message "Mind Your Business" formed a rebus meaning, "time flies, do your work."
The reverse side would contain the motto "We Are One" surrounded by thirteen chain links, representing the original thirteen colonies.
It is also known as the Fugio cent because of the word "Fugio" on it.
Denying Jesus Punishable by Death
April 21, 1649
The Maryland Toleration Act is passed by the Maryland Legislature. It provided for toleration of various Christian denominations not previously allowed. However, denying the divinity of Jesus Christ or blaspheming the Holy Trinity could be punished by death or the seizure of lands. The act was repealed in 1654.
First Discovery of Extra-Solar Planets
April 21, 1994
Penn State astronomer Alexander Wolszczan announces the confirmation of the discovery of a cluster of three planets orbiting a star in the constellation Virgo. They had been first observed in 1991.
How to Win the Boston Marathon - Without Really Trying
April 21, 1980
Rosie Ruiz is the first woman to cross the finish line at the 1980 Boston Marathon. However, no one could remember having seen her during the race nor were there any photographs of her in the race. Later, members of the crowd said they saw her jump into the race near the finish line.
Birthdays
Photo Credit: Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com
Photo Credit: Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com
Tony Danza
Born April 21, 1951
American actor. TV: Taxi (1978-83, boxer/taxi driver Tony Banta) and Who's the Boss? (1984-92, Tony Micelli). Danza was discovered by a producer at a boxing gymnasium and then was cast as a taxi driver/part-time boxer on the television show Taxi.
Iggy Pop (James Newell Osterburg)
Born April 21, 1947
American singer. Music: Real Wild Child (1986).
Charles Grodin
Born April 21, 1935 d. 2021
American Emmy-winning actor, writer, host. Film: Heaven Can Wait (1978), The Great Muppet Caper (1981), Ishtar (1987), Beethoven (1992), and Clifford (1994). TV: The Young Marrieds (1965, Matt Crane Stevens).
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary)
Born April 21, 1926 d. 2022
Queen of the United Kingdom (1952‑2022). Although born in April, she celebrates her birthday in June. Her reign of 70 years and 214 days was the longest of any British monarch.
Alistair Maclean
Born April 21, 1922 d. 1987
Scottish novelist, World War II veteran. Writings: Guns of Navarone (1957) and Ice Station Zebra (1963).
Anthony Quinn (Antonio Rudolfo Oaxaca Quinn)
Born April 21, 1915 d. 2001
Irish-Mexican Oscar-winning actor. Film: Lust for Life (1956, for which he won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, even though he was only in the film for only eight minutes) and Zorba the Greek (1964).
Percy Williams Bridgman
Born April 21, 1882 d. 1961
American Nobel prize-winning physicist. He was the first Harvard physicist to win the Nobel Prize for Physics (1946 for his work in high pressure). He was able to reach pressures of 400,000 atmospheres.
Edwin Stanton Porter
Born April 21, 1870 d. 1941
Italian-born American film director. Film: The Life of an American Fireman (1903, the first American film to use intercutting), The Great Train Robbery (1903, the first motion picture with a plot), and The Eternal City (1915).
Oskar Hertwig
Born April 21, 1849 d. 1922
German embryologist. He discovered that a single spermatozoon (sperm cell) could fertilize an egg (1875).
Walther Flemming
Born April 21, 1843 d. 1905
German anatomist. He was the first to systematically observe and describe the behavior of chromosomes in the cell nucleus during normal cell division. He also coined the term mitosis (1882, the process of cell division).
Father of the Bicycle Industry
James Starley
Born April 21, 1830 d. 1881
English inventor. He is considered the father of the bicycle industry. He also invented the open differential.
Charlotte Brontë
Born April 21, 1816 d. 1855
English novelist. Writings: Jane Eyre (1847).
Friedrich Froebel
Born April 21, 1782 d. 1852
German educator. He founded the first kindergarten (1837). Because of his radical teaching beliefs, in 1851 kindergartens were banned by the Prussian minister of education.
Alexander Anderson
Born April 21, 1775 d. 1870
America's first wood engraver. He illustrated more than 100 volumes of English classics, including Bell's Anatomy and Webster's Spelling Book.
Deaths
Photo Credit: Joel Bremer
Photo Credit: Joel Bremer
Prince (Prince Rogers Nelson)
Died April 21, 2016 b. 1958
American Oscar-Grammy-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer. Film: Purple Rain (1984, Oscar for Best Song Score). On his 35th birthday he announced that he was changing his name to a combined form of the male and female symbols. Although originally neglecting to specify a pronunciation, two months later he settled on Victor.
Red Baron with his distinctive red triplane
Red Baron with his distinctive red triplane
Red Baron (Baron Manfred Von Richthofen)
Died April 21, 1918 b. 1892
German World War I flying ace. He shot down 80 enemy aircraft. In the month of April of 1917 alone, he shot down 22 British aircraft, including four in a single day. Canadian pilot Roy Brown is credited with killing him in action, although evidence shows that the Baron was probably killed by ground fire.
When Brown saw a fellow pilot being chased by the Red Baron, he dived in pursuit firing at the Red Baron. Brown eventually had to pull out of the dive and lost sight of the pair. It is believed that the Red Baron turned and while flying low was shot and killed by Australian Army ground fire and crashed near the Australian trenches. Although Brown marked his initial report of the fight as "indecisive", his commanding officer changed it to "decisive" and he was credited with the kill.
Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens)
Died April 21, 1910 b. 1835
American author, steamboat pilot, creator of Tom Sawyer (1876) and Huckleberry Finn (1885).
He took his pen name from a riverboat leadsman's cry "mark twain," meaning a river depth of two fathoms (12 feet), which was considered safe for a steamboat.
Twain was born shortly after the 1835 appearance of Halley's Comet, and as he neared his death he predicted,
"I came in with Halley's Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year, and I expect to go out with it. It will be the greatest disappointment of my life if I don't go out with Halley's Comet. The Almighty has said, no doubt: 'Now here are these two unaccountable freaks; they came in together, they must go out together'."
Twain died of a heart attack one day after the comet's closest approach to Earth in 1910.
Quote: "If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything."
Ken Kercheval
Died April 21, 2019 b. 1935
American actor. TV: Dallas (1978-91, Cliff Barnes).
Troyer as Mini-Me
Troyer as Mini-Me
Verne Troyer
Died April 21, 2018 b. 1969
American actor, stunt performer, and comedian. At a height of 2 ft 8 in (81 cm), he was one of the shortest men in the world. Film: Austin Powers films (1999-2002, Mini-Me), Jingle All the Way (1996, Little Santa), and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001, goblin Griphook).
Troyer was born into an Amish community, but his family left the faith when he was a child.
Troyer died at age 49 of alcohol poisoning, which was later ruled a suicide.
"Jimmy the Greek" Snyder (Dimetrios Georgios Synodinos)
Died April 21, 1996 b. 1918
American oddsmaker. In 1988 he was fired by CBS for stating that blacks are better athletes due to selective breeding by slave owners.
Rudi Gernreich
Died April 21, 1985 b. 1922
Austrian-born American fashion designer, introduced topless bathing suits (1964), thong bathing suits, and the first designer jeans.
Gummo Marx (Milton Marx)
Died April 21, 1977 b. 1892
American comedian, one of the Marx Brothers. He left the team to join the military during World War I before they reached stardom. After the war he became a talent agent; his clients included his brother Groucho Marx. Gummo helped develop the radio show The Life of Riley.
Sir Edward Victor Appleton
Died April 21, 1965 b. 1892
English Nobel-winning physicist, discovered the conductive "Appleton layer" in the ionosphere making long range radar and radio transmission possible.
Eleonora Duse
Died April 21, 1924 b. 1858
Italian actress. She was the first woman featured on the cover of Time magazine (1923). She is considered the greatest tragic actress of modern time.
Henry VII
Died April 21, 1509 b. 1457
King of England (1485-1509). Henry won the throne by defeating King Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field, the culmination of the Wars of the Roses. He was the last king of England to win his throne on the battle field.
Alexander II
Died April 21, 1073 b. ????
Italian religious leader, 156th Pope (1061-73).