Today's Trivia and What Happened on March 23

Separate each of the 7 dogs into separate pens using only 3 straight lines

Separate each of the 7 dogs into separate pens using only 3 straight lines Close Large View

Puzzle Answer

Thumbs Up
4
Thumbs Down
3

Quote: We swallow greedily any lie that flatters us, but we sip only little by little at a truth we find bitter. - Denis Diderot

Quote: We swallow greedily any lie that flatters us, but we sip only little by little at a truth we find bitter. - Denis Diderot Close Large View

Thumbs Up
11
Thumbs Down
0

What Happened On

"Star Wars" Speech go to Video for "Star Wars" Speech

"Star Wars" Speech Close Large View

"Star Wars" Speech

March 23, 1983

U.S. President Ronald Reagan gives what became known as the "Star Wars" speech outlining his Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). It included the use of lasers to shoot down incoming Soviet ICBMs.

Thumbs Up
2
Thumbs Down
1

Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler Close Large View

Adolf Hitler

March 23, 1933

Adolf Hitler passes the Enabling Act which effectively gave him dictatorial powers. He then used that power to ban other political parties.

Thumbs Up
2
Thumbs Down
27

Add Trivia to Your Web Page

Otis demonstrating his elevator at the New York exposition Otis demonstrating his elevator at the New York exposition

Otis demonstrating his elevator at the New York exposition Otis demonstrating his elevator at the New York exposition
Close Large View

First Passenger Elevator

March 23, 1857

The first commercial passenger elevator is opened to the public. Elisha Graves Otis' passenger elevator had a safety device that prevented the fall of the cab if the cable broke. He had demonstrated it at the New York exposition in the Crystal Palace in a dramatic, death-defying presentation in 1854, earning him his first customer, the Haughwout Department Store in New York City.

Thumbs Up
6
Thumbs Down
0

Join Us on Facebook

Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death

Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death Close Large View

Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death

March 23, 1775

Patrick Henry proclaims, "I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!," during the American Revolution.

Thumbs Up
9
Thumbs Down
0

Dan Quayle - "If we do not succeed, then we run the risk of failure"

Dan Quayle - "If we do not succeed, then we run the risk of failure" Close Large View

Dan Quayle - "If we do not succeed, then we run the risk of failure"

March 23, 1990

U.S. Vice-President Dan Quayle in a speech to the Phoenix Republican Forum comments, "If we do not succeed, then we run the risk of failure."

Thumbs Up
1
Thumbs Down
14

Cold Fusion

March 23, 1989

Martin Fleischmann and Stanley Pons report that they had produced fusion at near room temperature. Despite much media frenzy, the inability of others to reproduce their results led the scientific community to eventually reject their claim.

Thumbs Up
2
Thumbs Down
0

Emcee Bud Collyer Emcee Bud Collyer

Emcee Bud Collyer Emcee Bud Collyer
Close Large View

Beat the Clock

March 23, 1950

The TV show Beat the Clock debuts on CBS with Bud Collyer as emcee. Contestants had to complete challenges before the timer ran out. This show provided a then unknown James Dean his first job in TV (1952), testing the challenges done on the show. Host Bud Collyer was also famous for having voiced Superman/Clark Kent on radio and in cartoons.

Thumbs Up
2
Thumbs Down
0

Mussolini

March 23, 1919

Benito Mussolini organizes the Fascio de Combattimento, which became the nucleus of the Fascist Party (1921).

Thumbs Up
1
Thumbs Down
16

Mormon polygamists in prison at the Utah Penitentiary Mormon polygamists in prison at the Utah Penitentiary

Mormon polygamists in prison at the Utah Penitentiary Mormon polygamists in prison at the Utah Penitentiary
Close Large View

U.S. Polygamy Ban

March 23, 1882

The Edmunds Act is signed into law making polygamy a felony and bigamous cohabitation a misdemeanor. More than 1300 men were convicted under this law, but not the women, as they were seen as victims.
Those practicing, or approving of, polygamy were banned from voting and holding public office.

Thumbs Up
8
Thumbs Down
0

Birthdays

Dr. von Braun standing by F-1 Engines Dr. von Braun standing by F-1 Engines

Dr. von Braun standing by F-1 Engines Dr. von Braun standing by F-1 Engines
Close Large View
This is a birthday

Wernher von Braun

Born March 23, 1912 d. 1977

German engineer, SS Officer. He launched the first long-range guided missile (Germany's V-2 Rocket, 1942) and the first U.S. rocket to reach outer space (25 miles, 1949). After World War II, von Braun led the team of German scientists who worked for the U.S. under Project Paper Clip. He developed the Saturn and the Mercury Redstone (which put the first U.S. astronaut in space in 1961) and led the development of the Saturn V booster rocket which was used to put the first men on the Moon (1969).

Thumbs Up
2
Thumbs Down
0

Crawford in Maybelline ad 1946 (left) and Night Gallery 1969 Crawford in Maybelline ad 1946 (left) and Night Gallery 1969

Crawford in Maybelline ad 1946 (left) and Night Gallery 1969 Crawford in Maybelline ad 1946 (left) and Night Gallery 1969
Close Large View
This is a birthday

Joan Crawford (Lucille LeSueur)

Born March 23, 1904 d. 1977

American actress. She starred in the pilot for TV's Night Gallery (1969) as a "…blind queen who reigns in a carpeted penthouse on Fifth Avenue—an imperious, predatory dowager who will soon find a darkness blacker than blindness". Film: What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962).

Thumbs Up
1
Thumbs Down
2

Schuyler Colfax

Schuyler Colfax Close Large View
This is a birthday

Schuyler Colfax

Born March 23, 1823 d. 1885

American politician. 17th U.S. Vice-President (1869-73), 25th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (1863-69), U.S. House of Representatives (1855-69, Indiana). Colfax was known for his opposition to slavery while serving in Congress, and was a founder of the Republican Party.

Thumbs Up
0
Thumbs Down
5

This is a birthday

Princess Eugenie (Eugenie Victoria Helena)

Born March 23, 1990

British royalty, second child of Prince Andrew and the Duchess of York.

Thumbs Up
1
Thumbs Down
0

This is a birthday

Chaka Khan (Yvette Marie Stevens)

Born March 23, 1953

American singer, songwriter. Music: Tell Me Something Good (1974).

Thumbs Up
1
Thumbs Down
0

Bannister in 2009 Bannister in 2009
Photo Credit: Pruneau

Bannister in 2009 Bannister in 2009
Photo Credit: Pruneau
Close Large View
This is a birthday

First Person to Run a 4-Minute Mile

Roger Bannister

Born March 23, 1929 d. 2018

British runner. First person to run a 4-minute mile (1954, 3 minutes 59.4 seconds). According to his book, The Four-Minute Mile, his training consisted primarily of 30-minute runs consisting of hard intervals, 3-4 times a week.

Thumbs Up
11
Thumbs Down
5

Marty Allen

Marty Allen Close Large View
This is a birthday

Marty Allen

Born March 23, 1922 d. 2018

American comedian, with his famous catchphrase "Hello Dere!" TV: Regular on Hollywood Squares.

Thumbs Up
1
Thumbs Down
0

Statue of Morris Frank and Buddy Statue of Morris Frank and Buddy
Photo Credit: Kritzolina

Statue of Morris Frank and Buddy Statue of Morris Frank and Buddy
Photo Credit: Kritzolina
Close Large View
This is a birthday

Morris Frank

Born March 23, 1908 d. 1980

American pioneer for the blind. Blind himself, he brought Buddy the first seeing eye dog in the U.S. (1928) over from Switzerland and co-founded The Seeing Eye, the first dog guide school in the U.S.

Thumbs Up
3
Thumbs Down
0

This is a birthday

Arthur St. Clair

Born March 23, 1737 d. 1818

15th president of the Continental Congress (1787-88).

Thumbs Up
0
Thumbs Down
4

Deaths

First Female U.S. Secretary of State First Female U.S. Secretary of State

First Female U.S. Secretary of State First Female U.S. Secretary of State
Close Large View
This is a death

Madeleine Albright (Marie Jana Korbelová)

Died March 23, 2022 b. 1937

American diplomat. Madeleine Albright served as the United States Secretary of State from 1997 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. She was the first female U.S. Secretary of State.
In 1948, Albright immigrated with her family to the United States from Czechoslovakia and she became a U.S. citizen in 1957.

Thumbs Up
0
Thumbs Down
5

Gary Dahl

Gary Dahl Close Large View
This is a death

Creator of the Pet Rock

Gary Dahl

Died March 23, 2015 b. 1936

American entrepreneur. Creator of the Pet Rock (1975). While sitting in a bar listening to people complain about their pets, he joked that he had the perfect pet - a rock.
He then sold rocks to people as pets, complete with instructions. From the Pet Rock manual: "To be sure, training a rock to come when it's called requires extraordinary patience."

Thumbs Up
3
Thumbs Down
0

Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor Close Large View
This is a death

Elizabeth Taylor

Died March 23, 2011 b. 1932

British-American Oscar-winning actress. She was the first woman paid $1 million to appear in a film (1963, Cleopatra). Film: Lassie Come Home (1943), A Place in the Sun (1951), Butterfield 8 (1960, Oscar), and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966, Oscar).

Thumbs Up
1
Thumbs Down
1

George Segal

George Segal Close Large View
This is a death

George Segal

Died March 23, 2021 b. 1934

American actor. Film: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966, Oscar nomination). TV: Just Shoot Me! (1997-2003, Jack Gallo) and The Goldbergs (2013-21, Albert "Pops" Solomon).

Thumbs Up
1
Thumbs Down
0

Lola Albright

Lola Albright Close Large View
This is a death

Lola Albright

Died March 23, 2017 b. 1924

American actress, singer. TV: Peter Gunn (1958-61, Peter Gunn's girlfriend).

Thumbs Up
1
Thumbs Down
0

This is a death

Joe Garagiola Sr.

Died March 23, 2016 b. 1926

American baseball player, sportscaster.

Thumbs Up
1
Thumbs Down
0

This is a death

Giulietta Masina (Guilia Anna Masina)

Died March 23, 1994 b. 1921

Italian actress, wife of Federico Fellini. Film: La Strada (1954, Gelsomina), and Nights of Cabiria (1956, Cannes Best Actress, as the prostitute).

Thumbs Up
1
Thumbs Down
0

This is a death

First Black Woman U.S. Ambassador

Patricia Roberts Harris

Died March 23, 1985 b. 1924

American lawyer, educator, first black woman U.S. ambassador (1965, Luxembourg) and the first woman to hold two cabinet positions (Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 1977-79 and Secretary of Health Education and Welfare 1979-81).

Thumbs Up
0
Thumbs Down
1

This is a death

John Haley "Zoot" Sims

Died March 23, 1985 b. 1925

American saxophonist. He played with Bobby Sherwood, Benny Goodman, and Woody Herman.

Thumbs Up
1
Thumbs Down
0

This is a death

Barney B. Clark

Died March 23, 1983 b. 1921

American dentist. He was the first person to have a permanent artificial heart successfully implanted (Dec. 2, 1982), performed by Dr. Robert Jarvik.

Thumbs Up
1
Thumbs Down
0

This is a death

Peter Lorre (Laszlo Loewenstein)

Died March 23, 1964 b. 1904

American actor. Film: The Maltese Falcon (1941), Casablanca (1942, Ugarte), and star of the Mr. Moto movies (1930s).

Thumbs Up
2
Thumbs Down
0

This is a death

Harry Thurston Peck

Died March 23, 1914 b. 1856

American educator, magazine editor, coined the word "Bestseller" (1895).

Thumbs Up
1
Thumbs Down
0

This is a death

Morrison Remick Waite

Died March 23, 1888 b. 1816

American jurist, chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1874-88).

Thumbs Up
1
Thumbs Down
0

Samuel Gregory

Samuel Gregory Close Large View
This is a death

Samuel Gregory

Died March 23, 1872 b. 1813

American medical educator. He founded Boston Female Medical School (1848), the first medical school exclusively for women, because he was opposed to male doctors attending births.
By 1852, this school was called the New England Female Medical College. It merged with the Boston University School of Medicine in 1874 to become one of the first co-ed medical schools in the world.
Dr. Rebecca Davis Lee Crumpler graduated in 1864 and was the first African American woman to earn a medical degree.

Thumbs Up
1
Thumbs Down
0

This is a death

Julius III (Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte)

Died March 23, 1555 b. 1487

Italian religious leader, 221st Pope (1550-55).

Thumbs Up
2
Thumbs Down
0