Epic Idiot's what happened
On This Day

February 24

2001
Iraq War: Secretary of State Colin Powell on Iraqi WMDs: "He has not developed any significant capability with respect to weapons of mass destruction. He is unable to project conventional power against his neighbors."

1969
First close-up pictures of Mars: U.S. space probe Mariner 6 is launched, sending back the pictures in July.

1967
The Boston Strangler: Albert DeSalvo escapes from a mental institution. He was captured the next day.

1961
First U.S. pay TV is authorized by the FCC for a three-year trial. The first pay programs were broadcast in June of 1962.

1949
First rocket to reach outer space is launched, by German engineer Wernher von Braun, at New Mexico.

1938
First commercial production of nylon, toothbrushes bristles, by the E.I. du Pont Co.

1863
Territory of Arizona is established by Congress.

1803
First U.S. law overturned by the Supreme Court, the case of Marbury vs. Madison.

303
Christianity:First official Roman edict for the persecution of Christians is published, by Roman Emperor Maximian.

1947
Edward James Olmos, American Emmy-winning actor. TV: Miami Vice (Lt. Martin Castillo).

1938
James Farentino, American actor. TV: The Bold Ones (Neil Darrell) and Dynasty (Dr. Nick Toscanni).

1932
Michel Legrand, French Oscar-winning film composer. Film Music: Summer of '42 (1971, Oscar) and Brian's Song (1972, Oscar).

1921
Abe Vigoda, American actor. TV: Barney Miller (Det. Fish).

1890     d. 1975
Marjorie Main (Mary Tomlinson), American actress. Ma of the Ma and Pa Kettle films (1947-55).

1786     d. 1859
Wilhelm Karl Grimm, German author. He and his brother wrote Grimm's Fairy Tales (1812-15).

1536     d. 1605
Clement VIII, Italian religious leader, 231st Pope (1592-1605).

1500     d. 1558
Charles V, King of Spain (1516-56) and Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (1519-56). He declared Martin Luther an outlaw and a heretic. (Source: An Almanac of the Christian Church)

2006     b. 1924
Don Knotts, American Emmy-winning actor. TV: Search For Tomorrow (the mute Wilbur Peabody), The Andy Griffith Show (Deputy Barney Fife), and Three's Company (Mr. Furley). Film: The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964), The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966), The Reluctant Astronaut (1967), The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975).

2006     b. 1924
Dennis Weaver, American Emmy-winning actor. TV: Gunsmoke (deputy Chester Goode, Emmy), Gentle Ben (Tom Wedloe), and McCloud (title role).

1994     b. 1917
Dinah Shore (Frances Rose Shore), American singer, Emmy-winning TV personality. She won a total of 10 Emmy awards, more than any other performer.

1993     b. 1948
Toy Caldwell Jr., American guitarist, songwriter, formed the Marshall Tucker Band, Heard It in a Love Song (1977) and Take the Highway.

1991     b. 1920
George Gobel, American Emmy-winning TV and Radio star.

1990     b. 1919
Malcolm Stevenson Forbes, American magazine publisher.

1982     b. 1910
Virginia Bruce, American actress. Film: The Great Ziegfeld (1936) and The Invisible Woman (1941).

1875     b. 1786
Robert Marc Séguin, the Elder, French engineer. He and Guillaume Henry Dufour designed and built the first permanent wire-cable suspension bridge (1823).

1825     b. 1754
Thomas Bowdler, English physician. The term "bowdlerize" - meaning self-righteous censorship - is derived from his rewrites of Shakespeare and parts of the Old Testament in which he removed all text he considered offensive.

1815     b. 1765
Robert Fulton, American inventor, steamboat pioneer.

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