On This Day June 15

1992
Vice-Pres. Dan Quayle misspells "potato" at an elementary school spelling bee.

1919
First non-stop transatlantic airplane flight: British aviators Captain John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown take off, completing their trip on June 16.

1878
First attempt at motion pictures: Leland Stanford commissions Eadweard Muybridge to film a horse galloping using 12 cameras, each taking one picture. He was trying to determine if a horse ever lifts all four hooves from the ground while galloping. (Click to view animation)

1846
Treaty signed with Great Britain setting the 49th parallel as the northwest boundary making Idaho, Oregon, and Washington undisputed U.S. territory.

1775
American Revolution: George Washington is appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.

1752
Ben Franklin Flies a Kite: Franklin performs his famous experiment, proving that lighting and electricity are related.

1649
First American witchcraft trial: Margaret Jones is convicted and executed in Charleston, Massachusetts.

1215
Magna Carta is signed by King John, at Runnymede. Among other things it provide a uniform system of measurements.

1964
Courteney Cox, American actress. Film: Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994, Ace's girlfriend Lauren), Scream (1996), Scream 2 (1997), and Scream 3 (2000). TV: Family Ties (Alex's girlfriend) and Friends (Monica Geller).

1963
Helen Hunt, American actress. TV: St. Elsewhere (Dr. Morrison's Girlfriend Clancy).

1950
Michel Lotito, French omnivore. His diet has included 10 bicycles, 7 TVs, 6 chandeliers, a Cessna light aircraft, a shopping cart, and a coffin. (source: Guinness Book of World Records)

1943
Johnny Hallyday, French rock idol. Known for his French versions of hits by stars like Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry.

1941 d. 1994
Harry Nilsson (Harry Nelson), American Grammy-winning singer, songwriter. Music: wrote One (#1 for Three Dog Night), Everybody's Talking (1969, Grammy, theme to the movie Midnight Cowboy), and the animated TV film The Point!

1937
Waylon Jennings, American Grammy-winning country singer. He was supposed to be on the plane that crashed and killed Buddy Holly, but he had given up his seat to J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson. Music: Turn the Page (1985) Mammas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys, and the theme song for TV's The Dukes of Hazzard (he also narrated).

1807 d. 1899
William Nast, American clergyman, founder of the first German Methodist church in the U.S.

2003 b. 1911
Hume Cronyn, Canadian Tony-winning actor, director. Film: The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946).

1993 b. 1917
John Connally Jr., American politician, governor of Texas (1963-68), Pres. Nixon's treasury secretary (1971-72). He was shot while riding with Pres. Kennedy during his assassination (1963).

1989 b. 1934
Victor French, American actor. TV: Little House on the Prairie (Isaiah Edwards) and Highway to Heaven (Mark Gordman).

1929 b. 1849
Charles Francis Brush, American electrician, inventor of the arc light.

1888 b. 1831
Frederick III, Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia (March - June 1888). He died of cancer shortly after ascending to the throne.

June 15

Events

Birthdays

Deaths