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10/12/2024 65 Harry Belafonte — Banana Boat Song +4 54 Nat King Cole — When I Fall In Love 47 Dean Martin — Volare 32 The Everly Brothers — Bird Dog 20 Elvis Presley — King Creole 12 Johnny Duncan & The Blue Grass Boys — Last Train To San Fernando 06 Marty Wilde — A Teenager In Love -6

Jay Ward died on this day 35 years ago, aged 69. - Ward's first cartoon was 1948's Crusader Rabbit, the first animated series designed specifically for television. The show ran until 1952, but Ward ended up losing the rights to the characters to the network. - Ward's most famous creation was The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (titular moose and squirrel seen above), running from 1959 to 1964. The show would also introduce other famous cartoon characters in its other segments, Dudley Do-Right and Peabody's Improbable History. Ward followed this with the equally-famous George of the Jungle in 1967; each of these properties eventually got the film treatment (some better than others). - Ward used his Rocky and Bullwinkle fame to lease an island, dubbing it "Moosylvania" after Bullwinkle's fictional home. He would make a petition to have Moosylvania become a state, and would end up going to Washington, DC to meet with John F. Kennedy- the only problem was that he arrived the day the Cuban Missile Crisis began and had to scrap these plans. - Ward was also known for making the original design of Cap'n Crunch:

Hugh Jackman is 56.

10/11/2024 58 The Sisters of Mercy ft. Ofra Haza - Temple of Love (1992) 33 Spin Doctors - Two Princes +4 32 Annie Lennox - Little Bird/Love Song for a Vampire 32 Billy Joel - The River of Dreams 26 SWV - Right Here (Human Nature Remix) 26 Dina Carroll - Don’t Be a Stranger 24 Faith No More - I’m Easy/Be Aggressive 21 Mr. Big - To Be With You  17 Sub Sub ft. Melanie Williams - Ain’t No Love (Ain’t No Use) 11 Michael Jackson - Remember the Time 11 Richard Marx - Hazard 10 Madonna - Erotica -1 06 Whitney Houston - I Have Nothing 00 Vanessa Williams - Save The Best For Last -5

10/11/2024 51 Harry Belafonte— Banana Boat Song +3 50 Nat King Cole — When I Fall In Love 45 Dean Martin — Volare 36 The Everly Brothers — Bird Dog 28 Johnny Duncan & The Blue Grass Boys — Last Train To San Fernando 21 Elvis Presley — King Creole 14 Marty Wilde — A Teenager In Love -6 11 The Everly Brothers — Wake Up Little Susie +1

Neal Hefti died on this day 16 years ago, aged 85. - Hefti was inspired to become a musician after watching performances by people like Dizzy Gillespie and Cab Calloway, and would begin writing his own compositions in his late teens for local bands in Nebraska that included (lesser-remembered) bandleaders such as Nat Towles and Money Johnson. He would also join big bands as a trumpet player. In 1950 Hefti began writing songs for one of his idols- Count Basie, and he wrote most of the songs on one of his most well-received albums, 1958's The Atomic Mr. Basie. - As the era of swing and jazz came to an end thanks to rock and roll, Hefti would soon seek work as a film and TV composer. Among his most well-known soundtracks included both the movie and TV show adaptations of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple, and the 1965 film Harlow for which he received a Grammy nomination for its title song "Girl Talk": However, Hefti's most famous composition was the theme song for the Adam West Batman show: - Hefti retired following his wife's death in 1978, and lived for another three decades.

Dawn French is 67.

10/10/2024 52 The Sisters of Mercy ft. Ofra Haza - Temple of Love (1992) 47 Spin Doctors - Two Princes +4 32 Billy Joel - The River of Dreams 24 Dina Carroll - Don’t Be a Stranger 24 SWV - Right Here (Human Nature Remix) 22 Faith No More - I’m Easy/Be Aggressive 21 Mr. Big - To Be With You  20 Annie Lennox - Little Bird/Love Song for a Vampire 18 Whitney Houston - I Have Nothing 17 Sub Sub ft. Melanie Williams - Ain’t No Love (Ain’t No Use) 14 Richard Marx - Hazard 12 Bizarre Inc ft. Angie Brown - I’m Gonna Get You 11 Madonna - Erotica 11 Michael Jackson - Remember the Time 06 Vanessa Williams - Save The Best For Last -6

10/10/2024 48 Nat King Cole — When I Fall In Love 48 Dean Martin — Volare 48 Harry Belafonte — Banana Boat Song +4 36 The Everly Brothers — Bird Dog 31 Johnny Duncan & The Blue Grass Boys — Last Train To San Fernando 31 Elvis Presley — King Creole 27 Marty Wilde — A Teenager In Love 11 The Everly Brothers — Wake Up Little Susie 00 The Everly Brothers — ’Til I Kissed You -6

1987: Ozzy Osbourne (1/31) 1989: Frank Bruno, Mike Ditka, Ozzy Osbourne, Brian Wilson, David Jenkins (5/32) 1990: Mike Ditka, Rex Williams, Oprah Winfrey, Terry Waite (4/42) 1991: Leo Beenhakker (1/40)  1992: Shaun Ryder (1/37) 1993: George Lineker (1/56) 1994: Edmund White, Holly Johnson, Peter Shilton (3/50) 1995: Holly Johnson (1/50) 1996: Mr T (1/50) 1997: (0/50) 1998: (0/50) 1999: Nick Leeson, Carly Simon (2/50) 2000: Louis Farrakhan (1/50) 2001: Liza Minnelli (1/50) 2002: (0/50)  2003: (0/50) 2004: (0/50) 2005: Hamed Karzai (1/50) 2006: (0/50)  2007: Louis Farrakhan (1/50) 2008: Russell Watson, Hamed Karzai, Charles Taylor (3/50) 2009: (0/50) 2010: (0/50) 2011: Ali Khamenei, Dick Cheney, Michael Douglas (3/50) 2012: Dick Van Dyke, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi (2/50) 2013: (0/50) 2014: Dick Van Dyke (1/50)  2015: Jake Roberts (1/50) 2016: Prunella Scales, Jimmy Carter, Tommy Chong, Sandy Gall, Paul Gascoigne (5/50) 2017: Jimmy Carter, Sandy Gall, Emperor Akihito (3/50) 2018: Linda Nolan, Prunella Scales, Jimmy Carter, Dick Van Dyke, Stanley Baxter, Mel Brooks, Louis Farrakhan, Ronnie Wood, Joni Mitchell, Paul Gascoigne (10/50) 2019: Jimmy Carter, Emperor Akihito, Alan Greenspan, Dick Van Dyke, Vanessa Redgrave, Cleo Laine, Prunella Scales (7/50)  2020: Dick Van Dyke, Emperor Akihito, Alan Greenspan, Jimmy Carter, Prunella Scales, Willie Nelson, Dick Cheney, Imelda Marcos, Joanne Woodward, Jean-Marie Le Pen, David Attenborough (11/50) 2021: Dick Van Dyke, Emperor Akihito, Alan Greenspan, Jimmy Carter, Ali Khamenei, Prunella Scales, Dick Cheney, Imelda Marcos, Yoko Ono, Linda Nolan, Joanne Woodward, Mel Brooks, Willie Nelson, Jean-Marie Le Pen, Raul Castro, Stanley Baxter, Vanessa Redgrave (17/50) 2022: Dick Van Dyke, Alan Greenspan, Nigel Starmer-Smith, Jimmy Carter, Dick Cheney, Mel Brooks, David Attenborough, Emperor Akihito, Sandy Gall, Desmond Morris, Jean-Marie Le Pen, James Whale, Cleo Laine, Denis Law, Prunella Scales, Stanley Baxter, Noam Chomsky, Norman Tebbit, Douglas Hurd, Marianne Faithfull, Linda Ronstadt (21/50) 2023: Dick Van Dyke, Alan Greenspan, Nigel Starmer-Smith, Jimmy Carter, Dick Cheney, Mel Brooks, Robert Wagner, Norman Tebbit, Sandy Gall, Joanne Woodward, Ethel Kennedy, Desmond Morris, Stanley Baxter, Jean-Marie Le Pen, Cleo Laine, Alan Alda, Prunella Scales, Yoko Ono, Marianne Faithfull, Angie Dickinson, Robert Duvall, Imelda Marcos, Ali Khamenei, Pete Murray, Willie Nelson, Dennis Skinner, Sonny Rollins, Hal Linden, Linda Nolan, Andy Taylor (29/50) Updated for Ethel Kennedy.

Christopher Reeve died on this day 20 years ago, aged 52. - Reeve attended Juilliard before going into professional acting, and was classmates with Robin Williams there. His first major role was as Nicky in the Broadway play A Matter of Gravity, where he would befriend Katharine Hepburn. - Reeve would quickly become a star when in 1978, he was cast as Superman, starring in a quadrilogy of films as the superhero until 1987's Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. He was planned to star in a fifth Superman movie, but Superman IV was panned to where its production company (Cannon Films) went bankrupt: - Other movies Reeve was known for starring in included Deathtrap (alongside Michael Caine), Switching Channels, Bump in the Night, and The Rose and the Jackal. - Reeve took up horse riding as a hobby in 1985 (despite the fact he was mildly allergic to horsehair, but soon overcame his allergies), and began competing in dressage competitions. A 1995 accident during one of these would put an end to that and his acting career- but began a new one for him. - After snapping his neck in the injury (which rendered him quadriplegic), Reeve would become an activist for people with physical disabilities. He would host the 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta, and was elected the chairman of the American Paralysis Association that same year (which was renamed after him and his wife Dana in 2007). He was also known for making a guest appearance on Sesame Street in 2000 (he was also a guest star on The Muppet Show in 1980): - Reeve died after going into cardiac arrest, believed to have been caused by an antibiotic he took which his body rejected.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is 50.

10/9/2024 51 Spin Doctors - Two Princes +4 46 The Sisters of Mercy ft. Ofra Haza - Temple of Love (1992) 32 Billy Joel - The River of Dreams 24 Annie Lennox - Little Bird/Love Song for a Vampire 24 Faith No More - I’m Easy/Be Aggressive 22 Dina Carroll - Don’t Be a Stranger 22 SWV - Right Here (Human Nature Remix) 21 Richard Marx - Hazard 21 Mr. Big - To Be With You  20 Sub Sub ft. Melanie Williams - Ain’t No Love (Ain’t No Use)  18 Whitney Houston - I Have Nothing 17 Bizarre Inc ft. Angie Brown - I’m Gonna Get You 14 Michael Jackson - Remember the Time  12 Vanessa Williams - Save The Best For Last  11 Madonna - Erotica  00 Curiosity - Can't Hold On Anymore -6

10/9/2024 49 Nat King Cole — When I Fall In Love 48 Dean Martin — Volare 48 Harry Belafonte — Banana Boat Song +4 40 Johnny Duncan & The Blue Grass Boys — Last Train To San Fernando 35 Elvis Presley — King Creole 30 The Everly Brothers — Bird Dog 25 Marty Wilde — A Teenager in Love -3 17 The Everly Brothers — Wake Up Little Susie 14 The Everly Brothers — ’Til I Kissed You 00 Elvis Presley — Hard Headed Woman -3

Jan Hooks died on this day 10 years ago, aged 57. - Hooks got her start as a stand-up comedian before getting TV roles on shows such as Not Necessarily the News, and also appeared in Pee-wee's Big Adventure as an Alamo tour guide: - Hooks was initial turned down for a role on Saturday Night Live in 1985 in favor of Joan Cusack, but was hired for the show's 1986 season. She was known for her impersonations of politician's wives, which included but were not limited to Hillary Clinton, Nancy Reagan, and (not a future First Lady) Ivana Trump, as well as celebrities such as Sinead O'Connor. - Hooks left SNL in 1991 in order to star in the final two seasons of Designing Women following Jean Smart's departure. Other well-known TV roles included Vicki in 3rd Rock From the Sun (which got her an Emmy nomination in 1998), and Apu's wife Manjula in six episodes of The Simpsons between 1997 and 2002: - Hooks was diagnosed with leukemia in 2009, which went into remission. However, she was diagnosed with throat cancer in April 2014, opting to go into hospice care and succumbing to her battle six months later.

Ini Kamoze is 67.

10/8/2024 51 The Sisters of Mercy ft. Ofra Haza - Temple of Love (1992) 42 Spin Doctors - Two Princes +4 32 Billy Joel - The River of Dreams 27 Richard Marx- Hazard 26 Whitney Houston - I Have Nothing 24 Faith No More - I’m Easy/Be Aggressive 24 Dina Carroll - Don’t Be a Stranger 24 Annie Lennox - Little Bird/Love Song for a Vampire 23 Bizarre Inc ft. Angie Brown - I’m Gonna Get You 22 SWV - Right Here (Human Nature Remix) 21 Mr. Big - To Be With You  20 Sub Sub ft. Melanie Williams - Ain’t No Love (Ain’t No Use)  14 Michael Jackson - Remember the Time  12 Vanessa Williams - Save The Best For Last  11 Madonna - Erotica  06 Curiosity - Hang On in There Baby -6

10/8/2024 58 Nat King Cole — When I Fall In Love 51 Dean Martin — Volare 47 Elvis Presley — King Creole 40 Harry Belafonte — Banana Boat Song +4 34 Johnny Duncan & The Blue Grass Boys — Last Train To San Fernando 30 Marty Wilde — A Teenager in Love 30 The Everly Brothers — Bird Dog 19 The Everly Brothers — Wake Up Little Susie 15 Elvis Presley - Hard Headed Woman -3 14 The Everly Brothers — ’Til I Kissed You -3

Wendell Willkie died on this day 80 years ago, aged 52. - Initially, Willkie was a Democrat, with his first political idol being William Jennings Bryan- who stayed overnight once at his family's home in 1900. - Willkie got his law degree in 1916, and would become well-known as an attorney in Ohio. He moved to New York in 1929 and took his law career to a nationwide level, becoming a well-known figure for defending private electric companies in Tennessee against being bought by the Tennessee Valley Authority (its creation being a part of FDR's New Deal). - Dissatisfied with FDR's policies, Willkie switched his party registration to Republican in 1939. He was considered a dark horse candidate, but due to large support clubs and a deadlocked Republican National Committee, Willkie was nominated in the 1940 election. Willkie lost to FDR by 449-82 in the Electoral College, receiving 45% of the popular vote: - Despite his opposition to FDR, he supported the Lend-Lease system, which enraged his fellow Republicans, and soon become a personal friend to his political rival, going on diplomatic visits to the UK during World War II. - Willkie ran for president again in 1944, winning the New Hampshire Republican primary, but withdrew after a poor result in the Wisconsin primary. - In the last two months of his life, Willkie suffered from several heart attacks, exacerbated by his smoking habits.

Sigourney Weaver is 75.

10/7/2024 47 The Sisters of Mercy ft. Ofra Haza - Temple of Love (1992)  46 Spin Doctors - Two Princes +4 33 Annie Lennox - Little Bird/Love Song for a Vampire 32 Billy Joel - The River of Dreams 25 Richard Marx - Hazard 25 Whitney Houston - I Have Nothing 24 Faith No More - I’m Easy/Be Aggressive 24 Dina Carroll - Don’t Be a Stranger 24 SWV - Right Here (Human Nature Remix)  23 Bizarre Inc ft. Angie Brown - I’m Gonna Get You 21 Mr. Big - To Be With You  20 Sub Sub ft. Melanie Williams - Ain’t No Love (Ain’t No Use)  17 Madonna - Erotica  17 Michael Jackson - Remember the Time  13 Vanessa Williams - Save The Best For Last  12 Curiosity - Hang On in There Baby -5 00 Chaka Demus & Pliers - Tease Me -1

10/7/2024 54 Nat King Cole — When I Fall In Love 48 Harry Belafonte — Banana Boat Song 45 Dean Martin — Volare 43 Elvis Presley — King Creole 39 Johnny Duncan & The Blue Grass Boys — Last Train To San Fernando 33 Marty Wilde - A Teenager in Love 30 The Everly Brothers — Bird Dog 24 The Everly Brothers — Wake Up Little Susie 17 Elvis Presley — Hard Headed Woman 17 The Everly Brothers — ’Til I Kissed You 06 Debbie Reynolds — Tammy  06 Dean Martin — Return To Me 00 Jim Dale — Be My Girl -6

Grim Natwick died on this day 34 years ago, aged 100. - Natwick's actual first name was Myron, and his nickname was purposefully ironic- many of his friends at school called him "anything but grim". - Natwick's first job in the art industry was drawing the covers of sheet music, before getting hired as a character designer for Fleischer Studios. In 1930, he created one of the most famous cartoon characters of the era- Betty Boop, who was originally designed as an anthropomorphic dog before being made human: - From there, Natwick worked at Iwerks Studios beginning in 1933, redesigning his character Flip the Frog and designing the new character of Willie Whopper (a human boy who appeared in 14 cartoons between 1933 and 1934). - Natwick was hired to work at Disney in 1934, with his first work being for their 1935 short The Cookie Carnival, mostly animating the female sugar cookie queen. He was also the lead animator for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, notably animating this scene: - In his later years, he would work on the 1958 Felix the Cat TV show, The Thief and the Cobbler (which was in development hell for such a long time, it released three years after his death), and his final work, 1977's Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure.

Mookie Betts is 32.

10/6/2024 48 Spin Doctors - Two Princes +4 35 Annie Lennox - Little Bird/Love Song for a Vampire 35 Richard Marx - Hazard 32 Billy Joel - The River of Dreams 31 The Sisters of Mercy ft. Ofra Haza - Temple of Love (1992)  27 Whitney Houston - I Have Nothing 24 SWV - Right Here (Human Nature Remix)  23 Faith No More - I’m Easy/Be Aggressive 23 Dina Carroll - Don’t Be a Stranger 23 Bizarre Inc ft. Angie Brown - I’m Gonna Get You  21 Mr. Big - To Be With You  20 Sub Sub ft. Melanie Williams - Ain’t No Love (Ain’t No Use)  19 Vanessa Williams - Save The Best For Last  17 Madonna - Erotica  17 Curiosity - Hang On in There Baby  17 Michael Jackson - Remember the Time  09 Chaka Demus & Pliers - Tease Me -2 00 West End ft. Sybil - The Love I Lost -4