JUDY GARLAND A HIT AT CARNEGIE HALL
Judy Garland, who won her 1st Oscar nomination for her role as "Dorothy" in the acclaimed "Wizard of Oz", performed this evening at Carnegie Hall in New York City to a packed house.
Miss Garland received a standing ovation from an appreciative audience even before she sang a note.
She sang 27 songs, all which were interrupted by ovations.*
*Judy Garland's performance at Carnegie Hall has been called "the greatest in showbiz history".
Judy Garland Concert Program
April 23, 1961
JFK PRAISES CHARLES DE GAULLE
President Kennedy, who along with the 1st Lady will be visiting France in a few weeks, praised the President of France, Charles De Gaulle, today.
JFK was complimentary of the French President's fast response to stop an attempted coup by French generals in Algeria.
French President Charles De Gaulle
Photograph by Egon Steiner
May 20, 1961
April 23, 1963
CASTRO FREES LAST BAY OF PIGS PRISONERS
Premier Fidel Castro of communist Cuba has freed the last group of prisoners of war taken at the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in April 1961.
Attorney General Robert Kennedy called on Cuban exiles to form a unified group for more effective interaction with the administration on Cuban policy.
Fidel Castro
April 23, 1967
Russian Cosmonaut Plunges To His Death
Soviet Cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov lost his life today as the parachute which was to bring him safely back to earth failed to deploy.
Komarov, who made his 1st space journey in 1964, had completed 24 hours & 16 orbits aboard Soyuz I when he experienced problems on re-entry to the earth's atmosphere.
He made 2 additional orbits, re-entered successfully, but his previous issues had caused the parachute to jam.
At 23,000 feet the chute failed to deploy & the spacecraft plunged to the earth.
Mr. Komarov is to be cremated & his ashes will be buried in the Kremlin Wall.
Soviet Comonaut Vladimir Komarov
April 23, 1969
RFK'S KILLER GETS DEATH PENALTY
Sirhan Sirhan, the man who shot Senator Robert Kennedy on June 5, 1968, has received the death penalty.
Senator Kennedy, formerly JFK's Attorney General, ran for the Democratic nomination for President in 1968.
RFK announced his candidacy by saying: "I run not to oppose any man, but to propose new policies."
He was particularly concerned about the war in Vietnam.
After winning the California Primary on June 4, RFK had just completed a short victory speech in the ballroom of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles when he was shot.*
*In 1972, California abolished the Death Penalty & Sirhan's sentence was changed to Life.
He continues to serve his sentence today.
RFK Assassin, Sirhan Sirhan
April 23, 1945
TRUMAN TELLS MOLTOV "LIKE IT IS"
Harry S Truman, less than 2 weeks after assuming the Presidency, told Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov today that his government has been breaking agreements & that Premier Joseph Stalin needs to keep his word.
Molotov, in shock, replied that he had never been treated in such a fashion.
President Truman answered if the Soviets kept their word then he wouldn't have to be so treated.
Molotov stormed out of the meeting, but the President seemed quite pleased with his own performance.
Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov
(center)
April 23, 1564
April 23, 1616
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S BIRTH & DEATH DATES
Records show that playwright William Shakespeare was Baptized on April 26, 1564 but since there is no birth certificate, it is assumed he would have been born on April 23 because it was customary in those days to baptize newborns 3 days after birth.
If this assumption is correct, Shakespeare died on his 52nd birthday in 1616.
Shakespeare was born in Strafford-on-Avon, England.
Today his plays are still read & performed around the world.
Ben Johnson said: "He was not of an age, but for all time."
"All the world's a stage
and all men & women merely players
they have their exits & their entrances
and one man in his time plays many parts."
As You Like It, Act II, Scene 7.
William Shakespeare
(1564-1616)
April 23, 1014
HIGH KING BRIAN OF IRELAND ASSASSINATED
Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, was assassinated today by a group of Norsemen.
The King, who was the 1st to resist the Norse invaders, had just won a victory over them but after the battle, which took place near Dublin, the retreating enemy came across his tent & killed him.*
*The Irish Kennedys take their name from the nephew of High King Brian Boru. Kennedy is the anglicized form of the Irish name O'Cinneide.
