What Happened On
Congressman Alexander Pirnie drawing a draft number
Congressman Alexander Pirnie drawing a draft number
Vietnam War Draft
December 1, 1969
The U.S. selective services conducts its first lottery to determine the order of call to military service for the Vietnam War. The first date drawn was September 14, making registrants with that birthday the first to be called.
The draft applied to men born between born January 1, 1944 to December 31, 1950 (males aged 19 to 26).
The last Vietnam draft call was in 1972.
Rosa Parks Refuses to Give Up Her Seat on the Bus
December 1, 1955
Rosa Parks had initially seated herself in the black section of the bus. However, when the whites-only section became filled, the bus driver declared the section she was sitting in was now whites-only and asked her and several other blacks to move. The other blacks moved, but Parks refused prompting her arrest. Her arrest led to a year-long city bus boycott which then led to ruling that bus segregation was unconstitutional.
While some claim she wouldn't give up her seat because she was tired, Parks said, "I was not tired physically, or no more tired than I usually was at the end of a working day … No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in."
Ex-GI Becomes Blonde Bombshell
December 1, 1952
The New York Daily News runs a front page story with this headline, "Ex-GI-Becomes-Blonde-Bombshell" about Christine Jorgensen. She had just underwent sex change surgery in Denmark. She became the first widely-known sex change recipient in the U.S. The headline made her an instant celebrity. Writings: Christine Jorgensen: A Personal Autobiography.
Cars fueling up before gas rationing begins
Cars fueling up before gas rationing begins
World War II - National Gas Rationing
December 1, 1942
In order to conserve gas and rubber for the war effort, nationwide gas rationing in U.S. goes into effect. There was an extreme shortage of natural rubber, as Japan had conquered many of the rubber-producing regions of Southeast Asia.
To receive a gasoline ration card, a driver had to certify a need for gasoline and ownership of no more than five tires. Excess tires were confiscated by the government, due to the rubber shortages. The lowest priority rationing allowed only 3 gallons (11 liters) per week; military industry workers were allowed up to 8 gallons (30 liters) per week; truckers, doctors, clergy, police, firemen, and civil defense workers were unrestricted.
Seventeen eastern states had begun rationing gas the previous May.
Other measures that would be taken to conserve fuel and rubber included a 35 mph (56 km/h) speed limit, known as the "Victory Speed Limit", banning of new car sales, and banning all forms of automobile racing, including the Indianapolis 500.
World War II - Japan Sanctions War
December 1, 1941
Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo sanctions war against United States, United Kingdom, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. A week later, the Japanese would attack Pearl Harbor and officially declare war against the U.S. and Great Britain.
Experimental Version of Ford's Assembly Line
Experimental Version of Ford's Assembly Line
Ford's Moving Assembly Line
December 1, 1913
Ford begins using a moving assembly line for the mass production of the entire automobile. This reduced the time to build a Model T from over 12 hours to 2½ hours. Further improvements in his assembly line over the next year reduced this time to only 93 minutes.
Ford had been inspired by Chicago meat packers, where cows and hogs were slaughtered, dressed, and packed using overhead trolleys that took the meat from worker to worker.
Ford implemented his first moving assembly line the previous April for the production of flywheel magnetos.
USS Somers with the men hanging from the yardarm
USS Somers with the men hanging from the yardarm
First U.S. Naval Officer Executed for Mutiny
December 1, 1842
19-year-old Midshipman Philip Spencer is hanged from the yardarm of the USS Somers for attempted mutiny. His father was President John Tyler's Secretary of War at the time.
Spencer joined the navy with the help of his father John C. Spencer the current U.S. Secretary of War. He twice assaulted an officer aboard the USS North Carolina while under the influence of alcohol. He was then reassigned to the USS John Adams, where he was involved in a drunken brawl with a Royal Navy officer while on shore leave. He attempted to avoid court-martial by resigning, but his resignation was rejected and he was reassigned to the USS Somers. He was then accused of forming a plan with two other sailors to seize the Somers and sail her as a pirate ship. The three men were hanged on the yardarm.
The Somers affair was the inspiration for the Billy Budd character in Herman Melville's novel Billy Budd, Sailor. Melville was the first cousin of an officer aboard the ship.
Jackson Wins the Vote, But Loses the Presidency
December 1, 1824
Andrew Jackson defeats John Quincy Adams (99 to 84 electoral votes) in the U.S. Presidential election. However, since this was not the necessary majority, the election was turned over to the House of Representatives as per the 12th Amendment. They eventually chose Adams making him President. This infuriated Jackson supporters since Jackson had won both the electoral vote and popular vote.
Jackson ran again in the next presidential election of 1828, defeating Adams in a landslide.
Cardboard Robber
December 1, 1992
Police rush a video store and draw weapons on an armed gunman. The gunman turned out to be a cardboard cutout of Denzel Washington.
A passer-by had reported seeing a gunman inside the store and seven police cruisers rushed to the video store, only to find a cardboard cutout of Washington dressed as a police officer and holding a gun to promote his movie Ricochet.
Eurotunnel
December 1, 1990
The first stage of the tunnel under the English Channel connecting Britain to France is completed. The tunnel was completed in 1994.
The Vatican
December 1, 1989
Pope John Paul II and Mikhail Gorbachev meet in Rome, signaling the end of 70 years of hostility between the Vatican and the USSR.
First Woman Elected to the British Parliament
December 1, 1919
American-born Viscountess Lady Astor takes her seat in the House of Commons.
First Drive-Up Gas Station
December 1, 1913
Opens in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Birthdays
Richard Pryor
Born December 1, 1940 d. 2005
American Emmy-Grammy winning comedian. In 1980, while on a freebasing binge, he doused himself in rum, set himself on fire, and then ran down the street ablaze in front of his home until subdued by police. Film: Lady Sings the Blues (1972), Blazing Saddles (1974, co-wrote), Silverstreak (1976), Stir Crazy (1980), Richard Pryor Live on Sunset Strip (1982), and Brewster's Millions (1985).
Woody Allen (Allen Stewart Konigsberg)
Born December 1, 1935
American Oscar-winning director, comedian, writer. Film: What's New Pussycat? (1965), Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (1972), Annie Hall (1977, winner of four Oscars, including Best Director and Best Original Screenplay), and Hannah and Her Sisters (1986, Oscar).
Madame Tussaud (Marie Grosholtz)
Born December 1, 1761 d. 1850
French wax sculptor. Her wax museum (founded 1835) is one of the major tourist attractions in London, and now has branches in Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, Copenhagen, and New York City. She was imprisoned for being a royalist during the French Revolution and sentenced to execution by guillotine. However, she was saved for her talents in wax and employed to make death masks of others who were victims of the guillotine, including Marie Antoinette, Marat, and Robespierre.
Charlene Tilton
Born December 1, 1958
American actress. TV: Dallas (Lucy Ewing).
Richard Keith (Keith Thibodeaux)
Born December 1, 1950
American actor. TV: I Love Lucy (Little Ricky).
Elizabeth Baur
Born December 1, 1947 d. 2017
American actress. TV: Lancer (Teresa O'Brien) and Ironside (Fran Belding).
Bette Midler
Born December 1, 1945
American Grammy-winning singer, actress. Film: The Rose (1979), Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986), Ruthless People (1986), and Outrageous Fortune (1987).
John Densmore (John Paul Densmore)
Born December 1, 1944
American drummer, with the Doors. Music: Light My Fire (1967, #1) and L.A. Woman (1971).
Lee Trevino
Born December 1, 1939
American golfer, 2-time U.S. Open winner (1968, 71), 2-time British Open winner (1971-72), 2-time PGA Championship winner (1974, 84), and winner of the U.S. Senior Open (1990).
Dianne Lennon
Born December 1, 1939
American singer, one of the Lennon Sisters. She and her sisters were a mainstay of The Lawrence Welk Show during the 50's and 60's.
Lou Rawls
Born December 1, 1933 d. 2006
American Grammy-winning blues singer, actor. Music: Love Is A Hurtin' Thing (1966, #1) and You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine (1976, #1). Also known for his phrase "Yeahhhh, buddy!"
David Doyle
Born December 1, 1929 d. 1997
American actor. TV: Charlie's Angels (1976-81, Bosley) and Rugrats (1991-97, voice of Grandpa Pickles).
Mary Martin
Born December 1, 1913 d. 1990
American Tony-Emmy-winning actress. Stage: Peter Pan (title role), South Pacific, and The Sound of Music. TV: Peter Pan (1956, Emmy). She is the real-life mother of Larry Hagman.
Cyril Ritchard
Born December 1, 1898 d. 1977
Australian actor. Stage: Peter Pan (1954, Captain Hook).
Rex Todhunter Stout
Born December 1, 1886 d. 1975
American author. Creator of the detective Nero Wolfe (1934).
Alexandra of Denmark
Born December 1, 1844 d. 1925
Queen of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, wife of King Edward VII of England.
Deaths
USS Somers with the men hanging from the yardarm
USS Somers with the men hanging from the yardarm
First U.S. Naval Officer Executed for Mutiny
Philip Spencer
Died December 1, 1842 b. 1823
American naval officer. He was the first U.S. naval officer executed for mutiny. His father was President John Tyler's Secretary of War at the time.
Spencer joined the navy with the help of his father John C. Spencer the current U.S. Secretary of War. He twice assaulted an officer aboard the USS North Carolina while under the influence of alcohol. He was then reassigned to the USS John Adams, where he was involved in a drunken brawl with a Royal Navy officer while on shore leave. He attempted to avoid court-martial by resigning, but his resignation was rejected and he was reassigned to the USS Somers. He was then accused of forming a plan with two other sailors to seize the Somers and sail her as a pirate ship. The three men were hanged on the yardarm.
The Somers affair was the inspiration for the Billy Budd character in Herman Melville's novel Billy Budd, Sailor. Melville was the first cousin of an officer aboard the ship.
Sandra Day O'Connor
Died December 1, 2023 b. 1930
American lawyer, U.S. Supreme Court Justice. She was the first woman associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1981-2006).
Ken Berry
Died December 1, 2018 b. 1933
American actor. TV: F Troop (1965-67, Capt. Wilton Parmenter), Mayberry R.F.D. (1968-71, Sam Jones), and Mama's Family (1983-90, Vint).
Paul Benedict
Died December 1, 2008 b. 1938
American actor. He had acromegaly, which accounted for his over-sized nose and lower jaw. He was diagnosed by an endocrinologist who saw him in a play. Film: The Addams Family (1991, Judge Womack). TV: The Jeffersons (1975-85, Harry Bentley), and Sesame Street (1972-88, The Mad Painter).
Jimmy Hatlo
Died December 1, 1963 b. 1897
American cartoonist. Creator of They'll Do It Every Time (1929) and Little Iodine (1943).
Sir George Everest
Died December 1, 1866 b. 1790
British surveyor. For whom Mt. Everest is named.
Oliver Wolcott
Died December 1, 1797 b. 1726
American statesman. Signer of the Declaration of Independence and governor of Connecticut (1796-97).
Leo X (Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici)
Died December 1, 1521 b. 1475
Italian religious leader, 217th Pope (1513-21). His granting of indulgences for contributions to the Church led to the Reformation. He excommunicated Martin Luther in 1521. He was ordained a priest after being elected Pope, making him the last non-priest to be elected Pope.
Henry I
Died December 1, 1135 b. 1068
King of England (1100-35).