Author: Buzznews

Quebec government creates Loto-Québec.

Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and William Anders become the 1st men to orbit the Moon (Apollo 8)

The first human kidney transplant is performed by Dr. Joseph E. Murray at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.

The Walt Disney movie “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” was released.

A National Football League (NFL) championship game was televised nationally for the first time. The Los Angeles Rams beat the Cleveland Browns 24-17.

The Engelbert Humperdinck opera “Hansel und Gretel” was first performed, in Weimar, Germany.

Following a quarrel with Paul Gauguin, Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh cut off part of his own earlobe.

Brett Hull scores his 500 career goals; with father Bobby Hull, first father/son combo to each record 500 goals

Lech Walesa was sworn in as Poland’s first popularly elected president.

Romania’s hard-line Communist ruler, Nicolae Ceausescu, was overthrown in a popular uprising.

Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” single goes #1 for 6 weeks.

Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers 1st joint movie “Flying Down to Rio,” directed by Thornton Freeland, premieres in NYC.

German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen made the first X-ray, of his wife’s hand.

Claude Debussy’s first orchestral masterpiece “Prélude à l’apres-midi d’un faune” premieres in Paris

1st string of Christmas tree lights created by Thomas Edison.

Formerly a branch of the Université Laval de Québec, the Université de Montréal officially opened its door.

Ludwig van Beethoven conducts and performs in concert at the Theater an der Wien, Vienna, with the premiere of his Fifth Symphony, Sixth Symphony, Fourth Piano Concerto (performed by Beethoven himself) and Choral Fantasy (with Beethoven at the piano).

The French Academy of Sciences, founded by Louis XIV with Jean-Baptiste Colbert first meets in the Kings Library

“Gangnam Style” by Psy becomes the first video to reach one billion views on YouTube.

Montreal Machine football team play first CFL game.

270 people were killed when Pan Am Boeing 747 exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, due to a terrorist attack.

David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash (Crosby, Stills & Nash) premiere together in California.

Charles de Gaulle was elected to a seven-year term as the first president of the Fifth Republic of France.

Walt Disney debuted the first, full-length, animated feature in Hollywood, CA. The movie was “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”

French film “Zouzou” premieres in Paris, starring Josephine Baker; 1st black woman to star in a major motion picture

French Scientists Pierre and Marie Curie discover radium.

Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House” was first performed in Copenhagen, Denmark, with a revised happy ending.

Elizabeth II becomes the oldest monarch of the United Kingdom, surpassing Queen Victoria, who lived for 81 years, 7 months and 29 days.

General Noriega, Panama’s former dictator, was overthrown by a United States invasion force invited by the new civilian government. The project was known as Operation Just Cause.

Guy Lafleur, Montreal, became 10th NHLer to score 500 goals.

“The Godfather Part II”, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, is released (Academy Awards Best Picture 1975).

Henri Richard of the Montreal Canadiens scores his 1,000th point.

Elvis Presley receives his draft notice to join the US Army for National Service.

Canadian National Railways established (N America’s longest, 50,000 KM)

Official opening of the Chateau Frontenac hotel in Quebec City.

Opening of first Montreal Post Office.

US electoral collage votes 304 to 227 to nominate Donald Trump for President over the objections of seven faithless electors.

“Titanic” opened in American movie theaters.

“Platoon” directed by Oliver Stone and starring Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe is released (Academy Awards Best Picture 1987)

Ottawa ends commercial relations with South Africa, to protest Apartheid racial policies.

Ron Wood joined The Rolling Stones.

Stanley Kubrick’s X-rated film “A Clockwork Orange” starring Malcolm McDowell premieres.

Chinese invasion of Tibet forces the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to flee.

Start of the First Indochina War.

The first games of the new National Hockey League (NHL) were played. Five teams made up the league: Toronto Arenas, Ottawa Senators, Quebec Bulldogs, the Montreal Canadiens and the Montreal Wanderers.

Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” was first published in England.

Robinson Crusoe leaves his island after 28 years (as per Daniel Defoe).

Céline Dion signs a $10 million contract with Sony Music.

Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) scored his 100th point in the 34th game of the season.

“Wonder Woman” debuts on ABC.

“A Star is Born” film directed by Frank Pierson with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, premieres.

Quebec government founds the multi-campus Université du Québec; Quebec’s first public university and its fourth French language institution; includes six constituent universities, in Montreal, Trois-Rivières, Chicoutimi, Rimouski, Hull and Rouyn.

“The Pink Panther” film premieres directed by Blake Edwards and starring Peter Sellers and David Niven.

Tchaikovski’s ballet “Casse-noisette” premieres in St Petersburg.

Slavery was abolished in the United States with the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution being ratified.

Jean-Antoine Panet elected first President of the Lower Canada Assembly; first Quebec elections.

U.S. President George H.W. Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari signed the North American Free Trade Agreement.

The first episode of television series The Simpsons, “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire”, airs in the United States.

Opening of Quebec Autoroute 15.

“Goldfinger”, 3rd James Bond film, starring Sean Connery and Honor Blackman premieres in London.

Beatles 1st British TV appearance (People & Places).

First contingents of Canadian First Division start arriving in England for service in World War II.

First issue of Vogue is published.

Opening of 1st legislative assembly of Lower Canada in Quebec city.

Avatar, directed by James Cameron, was internationally released.

Pop diva Céline Dion marries her long-time manager René Angélil.

O.J. Simpson becomes 1st NFL running back to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.

The Miami Dolphins became the first NFL team to go unbeaten and untied in a 14-game regular season. The Dolphins went on to defeat the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII.

Jimi Hendrix Experience releases its 1st single, “Hey Joe”.

Canadien rookies Jean Béliveau and Bernie Geoffrion play their first NHL game, tying the Rangers 1-1; Boom Boom scores his first career goal.

French fashion designer Christian Dior and his backer Marcel Boussac found fashion house Christian Dior.

Charlie Chaplin begins his film career at Keystone for $150 a week.

The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower hotel opens its doors to guests for the first time.

In New York, 530 buildings were destroyed by fire.

Last recorded eruption of Mount Fuji in Japan..

Mount Vesuvius in Italy erupts, burying many villages under lava flows and killing around 3,000 people.

Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner makes its maiden flight from Seattle, Washington.

“Million Dollar Baby”, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman is released (Best Picture 2005).

The Leaning Tower of Pisa reopens after 11 years and $27,000,000 to fortify it.

Jean Perron appointed head coach of the Quebec Nordiques, after Ron Lapointe resigns to battle cancer.

Chris Haney and Scott Abbott develop the board game Trivial Pursuit.

American Psychiatric Association declares homosexuality is not a mental illness

Gemini 6 launched; makes 1st rendezvous in space (with Gemini 7).

Commons votes to adopt design for a new National Flag of Canada.

Albert Camus’ play “The Just Assassins” (“Les Justes”) premieres in Paris.

“Gone With the Wind,” based on the novel by Margaret Mitchell, premiered at Loew’s Grand Theater in Atlanta. The movie starred Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” directed by J.J. Abrams and starring Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Harrison Ford has its world premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.

Muntadhar al-Zaidi throws his shoes at then-U.S. President George W. Bush during a press conference in Baghdad, Iraq.

Ben Johnson named Canada’s Male Athlete of the Year.

Israel annexes Golan Heights (occupied during the 1967 Six-Day War).

The Jackson Five made their first network television appearance in the US when they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Prime Minister of Canada, Lester B. Pearson announces that he is retiring from politics, succeeded by Pierre E. Trudeau.

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) started its activities in Daytona Beach, Florida,

Norwegian Roald Amundsen’s expedition is the 1st to each the South Pole.

The Montgolfier brothers’ first balloon lifts off on its first test flight.