ON THIS DAY
October 14, 2020
FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE OCTOBER 14, 1942
wOmen are to be enrolled in the Home Guard. The decision has been made largely as a result of pressure on the authorities by women’s organisations and also because it is recognised there is work for them to do. It has been laid down definitely that they will be enrolled for non-combatant duties only.
OCTOBER 14, 1978
A THeOrY that Sid Vicious’s girlfriend committed a ‘hara-kiri’ suicide is likely to be put forward by the defence when the 21-year-old former Sex Pistol is arraigned for murder in new York. nancy Spungen, the 20-year-old blonde some friends say was secretly married to Vicious, was found in their west Side hotel room with a hunting knife buried in her stomach.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Ben wHISHAw, 40, was the youngest person ever to play Hamlet at the Old Vic — aged 23. In 2018 he starred as norman Scott in the BBC’s A Very english Scandal, earning a Bafta, Golden Globe and emmy. He has played Bond’s millennial Q since 2012. His grandfather was a British spy in the German army during world war II, changing his surname from Stellmacher to whishaw. Ben (pictured), who has a twin brother, James, said: ‘every step of my grandparents’ story is remarkable.’ LeSLeY JOSePH, 75. The actress from London shot to fame as Dorien Green in sitcom Birds Of A Feather. She shared a flat with her drama school classmate Dame maureen Lipman. After meeting the Pope for a BBC2 series, she said: ‘when he came round, he said you don’t look 72 and I said, “Oh bless you”. Then I realised I’d just blessed the Pope, like any good Jewish girl would do.’
BORN ON THIS DAY
DwIGHT D. eISenHOwer (1890-1969). The 34th U.S. president was Supreme Allied Commander during world war II and oversaw the invasion of normandy on D-Day. The third of seven sons, he won the presidency in 1953 under the slogan ‘I like Ike’. He took up painting as a hobby after encouragement from winston Churchill but admitted of his 250 works: ‘They would have burned this s*** a long time ago if I weren’t the President.’ LILLIAn GISH (1893-1993). The U.S. film star (pictured) made her debut at five, saying later: ‘To become an actress, one cannot begin too soon.’ Her last film role was opposite Bette Davis in 1987’s The whales Of August. when she died, at 99, her manager said: ‘She was the same age as film. They both came into the world in 1893.’
ON OCTOBER 14...
IN 1892, The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes, the first collection of Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories about the Baker Street detective, was published. IN 2007, the first episode of Keeping Up with The Kardashians was broadcast.
WORD WIZARDRY
GUESS THE DEFINITION: Strepitous (c.late 17th century) A) Stealthily. B) Boisterous, noisy. C) Anxiously, nervously. Answer below
PHRASE EXPLAINED
Suck it and see: To try something to find out if it will be a success. Thought to have originated in music halls, it referred to a pill which has to be sucked first to see if it will achieve its purpose.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
The real hero is always a hero by mistake; he dreams of being an honest coward like everybody else. Umberto Eco, Italian writer (1932-2016)
JOKE OF THE DAY
I DIDn’T like my beard at first. But it’s growing on me. Guess the Definition answer: B.