This Date in History - April 6

 

Today would have been actor Phil Leeds' 106th birthday.   You saw him in every TV show ever produced.   And he is one of the names that prompted the most searches on this blog.   Truly.

46 BC:  JULIUS CAESAR DEFEATS CAECILIUS METELLUS SCIPIO AND MARCUS PORCIUS CATO IN THE BATTLE OF THAPSUS.

Huh?  What?  Who?

1199:  KING RICHARD I OF ENGLAND DIES FROM AN INFECTION FOLLOWING THE REMOVAL OF AN ARROW FROM HIS SHOULDER.

Somebody forgot to wear their surgical gloves.

1327:  THE POET PETRARCH FIRST SEES HIS IDEALIZED LOVE, IN AVIGNON.

The gun is in the clock.   Wait.   Wrong Laura.

1667:  AN EARTHQUAKE DEVASTATES DUBROVNIK.

Of course, it did.

1712:  THE NEW YORK SLAVE REVOLT OF 1712 BEGINS NEAR BROADWAY.

So watch out if you're on the TKTS line.

1808:  JOHN JACOB ASTOR INCORPORATES THE AMERICAN FUR COMPANY, THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY MAKE HIM AMERICA'S FIRST MILLIONAIRE.

The birth of the 1 percent.

1830:  CHURCH OF CHRIST, THE ORIGINAL LATTER DAY SAINT MOVEMENT, IS INAUGURATED BY JOSEPH SMITH.

And this is a big date for these folks as you will see.

1841:  US PRESIDENT JOHN TYLER IS SWORN IN, TWO DAYS AFTER BECOMING PRESIDENT UPON WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON'S DEATH.

What took them so long?

1860:  THE REORGANIZED CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS IS COMPLETED BY JOSEPH SMITH III.

Well, they redid that one pretty quickly.

1865:  AMERICAN CIVIL WAR - CONFEDERATE GENERAL ROBERT E LEE'S ARMY LOSES ITS LAST MAJOR BATTLE IN VIRGINIA.

One way ticket to Appomattox.

1869:  CELLULOID IS PATENTED.

Somebody made a shit load of dough on this.

1893:  THE SALT LAKE TEMPLE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS IS DEDICATED.

They love this date of April 6.

1896:  IN ATHENS, THE OPENING OF THE FIRST MODERN OLYMPIC GAMES IS CELEBRATED.

1500 years later.

1916:  ACTOR PHIL LEEDS IS BORN.

Talk about a recognizable face.

1917:  WORLD WAR I - THE US DECLARES WAR ON GERMANY.

Achtung.

1924:  FIRST ROUND-THE-WORLD FLIGHT COMMENCES.

Food for purchase.

1929:  LOUISIANA GOVERNOR HUEY P. LONG IS IMPEACHED.

All the King's men.

1930:  GANDHI RAISES A LUMP OF MUD AND SALT AND DECLARES, "WITH THIS, I AM SHAKING THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE."

"And where's the soap?"

1937:  ACTOR BILLY DEE WILLIAMS IS BORN.

How come he didn't make it into the new Star Wars?

1947:  ACTOR JOHN RATZENBERGER IS BORN.

Cliff!

1947:  THE FIRST TONY AWARDS ARE PRESENTED.

Still the most entertaining awards ceremony around.

1952:  ACTRESS MARILU HENNER IS BORN.

Taxi!

1957:  GREEK TYCOON ARISTOTLE ONASSIS FOUNDS OLYMPIC AIRLINES.

And you thought all he had were yachts.

1972:  VIETNAM WAR:  THE EASTER OFFENSIVE BEGINS AS AMERICAN FORCES START SUSTAINED AIR STRIKES.

Well, that's not very Easter-like.

1992:  AUTHOR ISAAC ASIMOV DIES.

That ends his fantastic voyage.

1996:  ACTRESS GREER GARSON DIES.

The longest Oscar acceptance speech in history.

1998:  COUNTRY SINGER TAMMY WYNETTE DIES.

D-E-A-D.

1998:  CITIBANK IS FORMED.

Let the debt begin.

2014:  ACTOR MICKEY ROONEY DIES.

Andy Hardy Goes to Heaven.

2015:  SINGER RAY CHARLES DIES.

Nothing on his mind now.

2017:  COMIC DON RICKLES DIES.

Heaven got a little funnier on that day.

2020:  ACTOR JAMES DRURY DIES.

TV's Virginian.

Dinner last night:  Crispy chicken sandwich at McHale's Pub.