Epic Idiot's what happened
On This Day

August 15

1985
Michael Jackson pays $47.5 for the publishing rights to the Beatles's song catalogue.

1973
Vietnam War: U.S. ceases bombing Cambodia.

1970
First woman to play professional football: Pat Palinkas holds the ball for her place kicker husband, Steve, of the Orlando Panthers (Atlantic Coast football league).

1969
Woodstock festival begins, near Bethel, New York.

1948
Network TV News: CBS begins the first network TV news broadcast.

1945
World War II: Japanese Emperor Hirohito, upon announcing the Japanese surrender, tells his people to "bear the unbearable and endure the unendurable."

1918
First full-length feature cartoon: The Sinking of the Lusitania is released.

1915
Papers revealing Germany's plans to create disorder among the American people are published by the New York World. They were signed by the German Ambassador and the German Embassy financial advisor, who had lost the papers.

1914
Panama Canal is declared open to world commerce.

1870
First continuous chain of rails connecting Pacific and Atlantic ports is completed, Comanche (Strasburg), Colorado.

1790
First American bishop: Father Carroll is ordained. He was placed in charge of the Diocese of Baltimore.

1944
Linda Ellerbee, American TV news journalist.

1933
Bobby Helms, American country singer, Fraulein (1956, #1), My Special Angel (1957, #1), and Jingle Bell Rock (1957).

1925
Mike Conners (Krekor Ohanian), American actor. TV: Mannix (Joe Mannix). He also played Kirk Ohanian in the TV movie The Killer Who Wouldn't Die (1976).

1912
Julia Child, American chef.

1888     d. 1935
Lawrence of Arabia (Thomas Edward Lawrence), English soldier, spy, diplomat, and secret agent. During the World War I, he organized the Arab revolt that ended Turkish rule over Arabia.

1879     d. 1959
Ethel Barrymore (Ethel Mae Blyth), actress, star of Ethel Barrymore Theatre.

1771     d. 1832
Sir Walter Scott, Scottish poet, novelist. Writings: Waverley (1814) and Ivanhoe (1819).

1769     d. 1821
Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France (1804-14), King of Italy (1805-14). He was exiled to the south Atlantic island of St. Helena after his defeat in 1815 to the British at the Battle of Waterloo.

????
Gunther Toody, character on the TV show Car 54, Where Are You? played by Joe E. Ross.

1995     b. 1906
John Cameron Swayze, American actor, TV personality, and Timex pitchman ("Takes a licking and keeps on ticking.").

1982     b. 1905
Ernie Bushmiller (Ernest Paul Bushmiller), American cartoonist, creator of Nancy and her friend Sluggo.

1981     b. 1905
Mickey Goldmill, character in the Rocky movies (Rocky Balboa's manager, as played by Burgess Meredith).

1935     b. 1879
Will Rogers, American humorist, author. He died in an airplane crash with Wiley Post.

Please send Corrections and Omissions to epicidiot.com