Epic Idiot's what happened
On This Day

November 20

1993
NAFTA: The North American Free Trade Agreement is passed by Congress, creating the world's largest free trade zone among the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

1993
Gun Control: The Brady Bill is passed by Congress. It imposed a five-working-day wait when purchasing a handgun.

1992
Windsor Castle: The home of the British royal family for 850 years catches fire causing extensive damage.

1983
The Day After: The ABC movie depicting the aftermath of a nuclear attack airs to 100 million viewers.

1975
Donald Rumsfeld: Rumsfeld becomes the youngest Secretary of Defense in American history. In 2001, he would later become the oldest Secretary of Defense in American history.

1945
Nuremberg trials: Prosecution begins against 24 former Nazi leaders for war crimes; 12 of which were sentenced to death.

1930
Major General Douglas MacArthur becomes Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army.

1888
Timecard clock: American inventor William Bundy patents his device which allows an employee to insert a numbered key and receive a paper stamped with the time and his number.

1789
Bill of Rights: New Jersey becomes the first state to ratify the Bill of Rights.

1959
Sean Young, American actress. Film: Blade Runner (1982, Blonde android) and No Way Out (1987).

1956
Bo Derek (Cathleen Collins), American actress. Film: "10" (1979), Tarzan, the Ape Man (1981) and Bolero (1984).

1947
Joe Walsh, American singer, with The Eagles. Music: Hotel California (1976, #1) and Smuggler's Blues (1985).

1946     d. 1971
Duane Allman, American guitarist, with the Allman Brothers. He also duetted with Eric Clapton for Layla (1970).

1943
Veronica Hamel, American actress. TV: Hill Street Blues (Joyce Davenport).

1938
Dick Smothers, American comedian, one of the Smothers Brothers.

1932
Richard Dawson, English actor. TV: Hogan's Heroes (Corporal Newkirk) and Family Feud (host).

1927
Estelle Parsons, American actress. Film: Bonnie and Clyde (1967, Oscar, as Blanche Barrow), Rachel, Rachel (1968, as the lesbian religious fanatic), Dick Tracy (1990, Tess Truehart).

1926
Kaye Ballard (Catherine Gloria Balotta), American actress.

1925     d. 1968
Robert Francis Kennedy, American politician, U.S. Senator and brother of John F. Kennedy. He was assassinated by Sirhan Bishara Sirhan.

1921     d. 1992
Jim Garrison, former New Orleans district attorney. His investigation of Pres. Kennedy's assassination was the basis of Oliver Stone's movie.

1920
Gene Tierney, American actress. Film: Laura (1944, title role), Leave Her to Heaven (1945), The Razor's Edge (1946), and The Left Hand of God (1955).

1908     d. 2004
Alistair Cooke (Alfred Alistair), English-born journalist, Emmy-winning host of TV's Masterpiece Theatre.  His bones were reportedly stolen by body snatchers working for a tissue recovery firm.

1900     d. 1985
Chester Gould, American cartoonist, creator of  Dick Tracy (1931).

1889     d. 1953
Edwin Powell Hubble, American astronomer, noted for his investigations of nebulae and for creating and developing the concepts of an expanding universe.

1874     d. 1958
James Michael Curley, American politician, "last of the big city political bosses," four-time mayor of Boston, governor of Massachusetts (1935-37). He served two prison terms (1904, 1947) while mayor. The movie The Last Hurrah (1958) was modeled after his career.

1866     d. 1944
Kenesaw Mountain Landis, American federal judge. He served as the first baseball commissioner (1921-44), during which he barred eight Chicago players from baseball in the famous "Black Sox Scandal."

1858     d. 1940
Selma Lagerlof, Swedish author, first woman to receive the Nobel Prize for literature (1909).

1841     d. 1919
Sir Wilfred Laurier, Canadian statesman, premier of Canada (1896-1911).

1761     d. 1830
Pius VIII, Italian religious leader, 253rd Pope (1829-30).

1726     d. 1797
Oliver Wolcott, American statesman, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and governor of Connecticut (1796-97).

1620     d. 1704
Peregrine White, the first child born of English parents in New England. He was born aboard the Mayflower just off of Cape Cod.

1888     b. 1813
Nathaniel Currier, American lithographer, co-founded (1857) Currier & Ives, which recorded American history in their prints from the mid 1800s to the turn of the century.

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