What Happened On
First TV Commercial
July 1, 1941
Television's first official commercial is aired by WNBT of New York. It was a 10-second ad for Bulova Watches and consisted of a WNBT test pattern modified to look like a clock. The Bulova logo, with the phrase "Bulova Watch Time", appeared in the lower right-hand of the test pattern.
This was the first day that commercial television was authorized in the U.S. While this was the first official legally-authorized TV ad, stations had previously read messages from sponsors as "experiments" in advertising.
The U.K. wouldn't get TV ads until 1955.
Top: Opening day and collapse, bottom: swaying in the wind
Top: Opening day and collapse, bottom: swaying in the wind
Tacoma Bridge Collapse
July 1, 1940
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge is opened to the public. It would dramatically collapse four months later. It was located in the U.S. state of Washington and was the word's third-longest suspension bridge at the time. Even while being constructed, winds caused the bridge to sway with the workers calling it "Galloping Gertie". The following November during 40 mph (64 km/h) winds, the bridge began oscillating in an alternating twisting motion that gradually increased in amplitude until the deck tore apart.
The only fatality of the collapse was a dog named Tubby who was a passenger in the last car to drive onto the bridge. The driver of the car was unable to rescue the dog from the car due to the swaying and car sliding back and forth. He was barely able to make it off the bridge himself. During a lull in the winds, another attempt was made to save the dog, but failed when the frightened dog bit one of the would-be rescuers.
Tug of War
Tug of War
Olympics - First Time Held in the U.S.
July 1, 1904
The Olympic games make their way to the U.S., opening at the St. Louis Exposition. Due to high travel expenses, many European athletes did not attend, including Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who restarted the Olympic games in 1896 (after a 1600 year absence). Only 62 of the 651 athletes came from outside North America, and only 12-15 nations were represented. This was the first time the Olympics were held outside of Europe.
Gymnast George Eyser would win six medals in a single day, even though he had a wooden leg.
The 1904 Summer Olympics are also notable as the first of the modern Olympics to have black Africans compete, both competing in the Marathon on August 30. Len Tau (Len Taunyane) and Yamasani (Jan Mashiani) were two Tswana tribesmen who were in a St. Louis Exposition side show and decided to enter the marathon at the last minute. Len Tau finished ninth and Mashiani came in twelfth. Tau could have done better, but he was chased nearly a mile off course by aggressive dogs.
The following day on August 31, African-American George C. Poage won bronze in the 400-meter hurdles becoming the first black person to win a medal in the modern Olympics. He went on to win another bronze medal in the 200-meter hurdle the following day.
The games ran till November 23.
Spanish-American War - Charge of San Juan Hill
July 1, 1898
Future U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders wage their victorious assault.
First U.S. Zoo
July 1, 1874
The Philadelphia Zoological Society opens. Admission was 25¢ and it housed 1,000 animals, including buffalo, deer, wolves, foxes, bears, monkeys, 67 bird species, and 15 reptiles.
Crowd with Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg
Crowd with Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg
Civil War - Battle of Gettysburg
July 1, 1863
The Battle of Gettysburg marked the beginning of the end of the war for the South. Confederate General Robert E. Lee had marched his men into Pennsylvania where he was met by Union General George G. Meade at Gettysburg. Before the battle ended on July 3rd, each side would lose more than 3,000 men. This was the deadliest battle of the war. Union casualties were 23,055 (3,155 killed, 14,531 wounded, 5,369 captured or missing), while Confederate casualties are estimated as 23,231 (4,708 killed, 12,693 wounded, 5,830 captured or missing). Nearly a third of Lee's general officers were killed, wounded, or captured. After his defeat, Lee offered his resignation to President Jefferson Davis, but was refused.
Ann Landers Getting a Divorce
July 1, 1975
Advice columnist Ann Landers announces in her column that she is getting a divorce.
ACTION
July 1, 1971
ACTION is established to coordinate certain social and economic programs sponsored by the federal government.
Where's Huddles?
July 1, 1970
Where's Huddles? debuts on CBS, a prime-time cartoon about two professional football players.
Medicare
July 1, 1966
Medicare coverage begins. The first Medicare patient is treated today at the Polyclinic Hospital in New York City.
Zip Code
July 1, 1963
The U.S. postal service places the zip code system into effect.
General Services Administration
July 1, 1949
General Services Administration is established, manages government property and records.
Income Tax Withholding
July 1, 1943
Income Tax withholding goes into effect requiring employers to collect taxes from their employees as they are paid.
Executive Office of the President
July 1, 1939
The Executive Office of the U.S. President is established, purpose is to advise and provide information to the President.
First Sports Writer Punched by a Major League Baseball Player
July 1, 1892
Chicago Cubs outfielder Jimmy Ryan slugs George Bechel.
Bureau of Internal Revenue
July 1, 1862
Bureau of Internal Revenue is established by the U.S. Congress.
First U.S. Postage Stamps
July 1, 1847
The first stamps to be issued by the U.S. Post Office Department go on sale. They consisted of a 5¢ stamp featuring Benjamin Franklin and a 10¢ stamp featuring George Washington.
Closest Recorded Comet Approach
July 1, 1770
Lexell's Comet comes within 1,403,632 miles (2,258,927 kilometers) of Earth.
Birthdays
Princess Diana (Diana Spencer)
Born July 1, 1961 d. 1997
Princess of Wales. First wife (1981-1996) of then Charles, Prince of Wales. She died in a car crash in a Paris tunnel along with her boyfriend Dodi Al-Fayed and driver Henri Paul. It is estimated that 2.5 billion people watched her funeral on TV. An 18-month French judicial investigation found that the crash was caused by the driver, who lost control of the car at a high speed while drunk and on antidepressants. The investigation concluded that the paparazzi were not near the Mercedes when it crashed. Fayed's father, Mohamed Al-Fayed, has claimed that the couple were executed by MI6 agents because Diana was pregnant with Dodi Fayed's child and were about to announce their engagement.
David Prowse
Born July 1, 1935 d. 2020
English actor, weightlifting champion (heavyweight 1962-64), Darth Vader in the Star Wars Trilogy (voice provided by James Earl Jones). Although a fan favorite, in 2010 he was banned from attending Lucas Film events; reportedly for annoying George Lucas. He claims that LucasFilm has never paid him any residual payments on Return of the Jedi because the film has yet to make a profit. Film: A Clockwork Orange (1971, muscular body guard), and Horror of Frankenstein (1970, the monster).
Pamela Anderson
Born July 1, 1967
Canadian actress. TV: Home Improvement (Lisa the Tool Time Girl) and Baywatch (lifeguard C.J. Parker).
Carl Lewis
Born July 1, 1961
American track athlete, won four Olympic gold medals in 1984, two in 1988, and two more in 1992.
Dan Aykroyd
Born July 1, 1952
Canadian-born Emmy-winning comedian. TV: Saturday Night Live. Music: Elwood Blues of the Blues Brothers.
Daryl Anderson
Born July 1, 1951
American actor. TV: Lou Grant (Animal).
David Duke
Born July 1, 1950
American political leader. Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, Nazi sympathizer, Louisiana State Representative (1990-92), and U.S. presidential candidate.
Deborah Harry
Born July 1, 1945
American singer, with Blondie. Music: Heart of Glass (1979, #1), Call Me (1980, #1), and Rapture (1981, #1). Film: Videodrome (1982).
The song Rapture by the group Blondie made #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it the first #1 song to feature rap vocals. While it was not the first single featuring rapping to be commercially successful, it was the first to top the charts.
Karen Black (Karen Ziegler)
Born July 1, 1939 d. 2013
American actress. Film: Easy Rider (1969, as the acid-tripping whore) and Five Easy Pieces (1970, waitress). TV: Trilogy of Terror (1975, memorable as the spear-wielding doll's victim).
Sydney Pollack
Born July 1, 1934 d. 2008
American Oscar-winning director. Film: Three Days of the Condor (1975) and Out of Africa (1985, Oscar)
Farr as corporal Klinger
Farr as corporal Klinger
Jamie Farr
Born July 1, 1934
American actor. TV: M*A*S*H (1972-83, cross-dressing Max Klinger) and regular on TV games shows. Farr was originally cast for a single episode of M*A*S*H, but due to the popularity of his character soon became a regular. In the show, Farr wore his actual U.S. Army-issued dog tags, having served in Korea after the Korean War.
The character Max Klinger was inspired by comedian Lenny Bruce's attempt to be discharged from World War II service by dressing in a WAVES uniform.
Farley Granger
Born July 1, 1925 d. 2011
American actor. Film: Rope (1948) and Strangers on a Train (1951). TV: One Life to Live (the first Dr. Will Vernon) and As the World Turns (Earl Mitchell).
Olivia De Havilland
Born July 1, 1916 d. 2020
British-American Oscar-winning actress. Film: Gone with the Wind (1939, Melanie). She and her sister Joan Fontaine are the only siblings to have won lead acting Oscars.
Estée Lauder (Josephine Esther Mentzer)
Born July 1, 1908 d. 2004
American cosmetics executive. Quote: "There are no ugly women - only women who don't care or who don't believe they are attractive."
Myron Cohen
Born July 1, 1902 d. 1986
American comedian. World's most famous Jewish story teller.
James M. Cain
Born July 1, 1892 d. 1977
American author. Writings: The Postman Always Rings Twice (1934).
Benjamin Oliver Davis
Born July 1, 1877 d. 1970
American soldier. First African-American U.S. Army general (1940).
Louis Blériot
Born July 1, 1872 d. 1936
French aviator, inventor. He was the first person to fly an airplane across the English Channel (1909).
Thomas Green Clemson
Born July 1, 1807 d. 1888
American mining engineer, politician, founder of Clemson University.
Baron Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz
Born July 1, 1646 d. 1716
German mathematician for whom the Leibniz series is named. He created the notation "dy/dx", the integral sign "∫", designed a machine that could multiply and divide (1671), introduced binary numbers (1679), and created differential (1684) and integral calculus (1686).
Deaths
Photo Credit: cs:User:Li-sung
Photo Credit: cs:User:Li-sung
The British Schindler
Nicholas Winton
Died July 1, 2015 b. 1909
British humanitarian. "The British Schindler". He organized the rescue of 669 children, most of them Jewish, from Czechoslovakia during the onset of WWII (1938), in an operation known as the Czech Kindertransport (German for "children transportation"). Winton arranged for their passage to Britain and Sweden. Most of the parents, who weren't allowed entry to Britain or other countries, died in Nazi concentration camps. The last group of 250 children was stopped at the last minute due to the outbreak of WWII on its day of departure. Of those 250, only two survived the war. He had contacted other countries, including U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, but they refused to accept the refugees. He said he could have saved thousands more if other countries would have accepted them.
He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to humanity (2003) and awarded the Order of the White Lion - 1st class (2014), the highest honor of the Czech Republic.
Winton was honored on the 
TV Show That's Life (1988).
Marlon Brando
Died July 1, 2004 b. 1924
American Oscar-winning actor. Film: A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), The Wild One (1953), On the Waterfront (1954, Oscar), The Godfather (1972, Don Corleone), and Superman (1978, Superman's father).
Walter Matthau (Walter Matthow)
Died July 1, 2000 b. 1920
American Oscar-Tony-winning actor. Stage: A Shot in the Dark (1961, Tony). Film: The Fortune Cookie (1966, Oscar), and The Odd Couple (1968, Oscar Madison). Quote: "I never mind my wife having the last word. In fact, I'm delighted when she gets to it."
Inventor of M&Ms
Forrest Edward Mars, Sr.
Died July 1, 1999 b. 1904
American candy maker. Inventor of M&M's. They were designed so that soldiers would not get their trigger fingers sticky.
Mars got the idea for M&Ms in the 1930s when he saw soldiers eating British-made Smarties during the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). Smarties were chocolate pellets with a colored shell of hardened sugar syrup, preventing them from melting. Mars received a patent for his process and began manufacturing them in 1941. During World War II, the candies were sold only to the military.
The M&M name represents the names of Mars and Bruce Murrie, who had a 20% share in the product and was the son of Hershey Chocolate's president William F. R. Murrie.
The slogan "Melts in your mouth, not in your hand" was introduced in 1949.
Mars also invented the Mars candy bar (1932) and established Uncle Ben's Rice products and the Pedigree pet food brand. He was the son of Frank C. Mars, founder of the Mars, Inc. candy company, which he took over upon the death of his father in 1934.
Wolfman Jack (Robert Smith)
Died July 1, 1995 b. 1938
American Radio Hall of Fame deejay. The disc jockey Wolfman Jack is known for his gravelly voice and his role as himself in the 1973 film American Graffiti.
In 1962, Smith began working at a country music radio station in Shreveport, Louisiana where he adopted his DJ persona of Wolfman Jack. In 1963, he moved his act to the Mexican border-blaster station XERF-AM in Ciudad Acuña, broadcasting at much higher power than allowed by U.S. stations. XERF's signal could be picked up all over North America and sometimes even in Europe and the Soviet Union. His shows were punctuated with howls and him urging his listeners to "get naked" or "lay your hands on the radio and squeeze my knobs".
In 1971, he moved to station KDAY 1580 Los Angeles and began selling tapes of his shows to other stations. At his peak, he was on more than 2,000 stations in 53 countries, including Armed Forces Radio from 1970 to 1986.
He also recorded several music albums, including the 1965 Boogie With The Wolfman by Wolfman Jack & the Wolfpack, was featured on The Guess Who's 1974 hit Clap for the Wolfman, and hosted the TV show The Midnight Special (1972-81).
Michael Landon as Little Joe
Michael Landon as Little Joe
Michael Landon (Eugene Maurice Orowitz)
Died July 1, 1991 b. 1936
American actor. TV: Bonanza (1959-73, Little Joe Cartwright), Little House on the Prairie (1974-83, Charles Ingalls), and Highway to Heaven (1984-89, Jonathan Smith). Film: I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957, title role).
Landon was on the cover of TV Guide 22 times, second only to Lucille Ball.
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Died July 1, 1896 b. 1811
American author. Writings: Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852, which was the first American novel to sell 1,000,000 copies).
Hugh Downs
Died July 1, 2020 b. 1921
American Emmy-winning news anchor, TV personality. He once held the Guinness World Record for the most hours on commercial network television before being surpassed by Regis Philbin.
TV: Tonight Starring Jack Paar (1957-62, announcer and sidekick), Today (1962-71, co-host), Concentration (1958-69, host), and 20/20 (1978-99, anchor).
Ilene Woods
Died July 1, 2010 b. 1929
American actress/singer. Film: Cinderella (1950, voice of Cinderella).
Karl Malden (Mladen Sekulovich)
Died July 1, 2009 b. 1912
American Oscar-Emmy-winning actor. Film: A Streetcar Named Desire (1951, Oscar, Mitch). TV: The Streets of San Francisco (Lt. Stone).
Bodnar receiving Calder Memorial Trophy in 1944
Bodnar receiving Calder Memorial Trophy in 1944
Gus Bodnar
Died July 1, 2005 b. 1923
Canadian hockey player. Bodnar scored a goal 15 seconds into his first NHL game (1943), setting the record for fastest goal by a player in his first NHL game.
He played 12 seasons in the National Hockey League.
Robert Mitchum
Died July 1, 1997 b. 1917
American actor. Film: The Night of the Hunter (1955) and Thunder Road (1958). At age 14, he was sentenced to a Georgia chain gang for vagrancy, from which he escaped.
Margaux Hemingway
Died July 1, 1996 b. 1954
American actress, supermodel, granddaughter of writer Ernest Hemingway. She appeared on the covers of Cosmopolitan, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, and TIME. She committed suicide by drug overdose. Film: They Call Me Bruce? (1982).
Franco Cristaldi
Died July 1, 1992 b. 1924
Italian Oscar-winning producer, Amarcord (1973) and Cinema Paradiso (1990).
Richard Buckminster Fuller
Died July 1, 1983 b. 1895
American architect, invented the geodesic dome.
Juan Domingo Perón
Died July 1, 1974 b. 1895
President of Argentina (1946-55, 73-74). His opposition to the Church led to his excommunication by Pope Pius XII. He was forced to resign in 1955 after a revolt, but was welcomed back in 1973 by an unstable country.
Allan Pinkerton
Died July 1, 1884 b. 1819
Scottish-American detective, spy. Pinkerton co-founded the first U.S. detective agency (1850), and was the first chief of the U.S. Army's secret service.
Pinkerton was an abolitionist and his Illinois home was a stop on the Underground Railroad.
Charles Goodyear
Died July 1, 1860 b. 1800
American inventor. He patented the process of vulcanization (1844), which made the rubber industry possible.