ON THIS DAY
FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE
February 21, 1938 ANTHONy EDEN is out. It was officially announced yesterday that Mr Eden had quit as Foreign Secretary. He wrote in his resignation letter to the Prime Minister [Neville Chamberlain]: ‘Our differences, whatever they may be, cannot efface… our friendship.’ [Chamberlain’s policy of friendship towards Italy and Mussolini sparked the protest]. February 21, 1966 WOMEN bus drivers may be recruited by London Transport to ease staff shortages. However, the Transport and General Workers Union has objected. Its leaders say driving a double-decker in rush-hour would be too much for a woman, and men might refuse to work with female drivers.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
TyNE DALy, 73. The American actress (pictured) played Detective Mary Beth Lacey in 1980s crime show Cagney & Lacey. During the series’ run, either Daly or co-star Sharon Gless won the best actress Emmy every single year. After the series ended, there was a break-in at the costume warehouse. Daly said: ‘All Cagney’s clothes were stolen and none of Lacey’s were. I was so insulted!’ MICHAEL McINTyRE, 43. The Londonborn comic was £35,000 in debt before making it big. Named the world’s most successful stand-up comedian in 2013, he earned £21million in ticket sales in a year. McIntyre said he made no one laugh at school: ‘I was a real misfit. I used to just hide in the library on my own.’
BORN ON THIS DAY
HUBERT DE GIvENCHy (19272018). The 6ft 6in French fashion designer founded his couture house in 1952, later creating the outfit worn by the Duchess of Windsor for her husband’s funeral and the black gown worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast At Tiffany’s (right). He was credited with introducing the idea of ‘separates’ — blouses, jackets and skirts that could be mixed and matched. He once said: ‘you must, if it’s possible, be born with a kind of elegance.’ ALAN RICKMAN (1946-2016). The Londonborn actor and director did more than 68 films, including Die Hard, Love Actually and the Harry Potter movies. He was dubbed ‘cinema’s greatest silver-tongued devil’, but feared typecasting and refused a Bond villain role. Ex-Labour minister Peter Mandelson wanted Rickman to play him in any biopic, as ‘he’s not afraid to play the hard guy’.
ON FEBRUARY 21...
IN 1922, the UK declared Egypt’s independence.
IN 1958, a logo by UK artist Gerald Holtom was accepted by the Direct Action Committee Against Nuclear War. Adopted by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, it is now the worldwide ‘peace symbol’.
WORD WIZARDRY
GUESS THE DEFINITION: Doryphore (1952) A) A persistent critic. B) Person who deploys politeness. C) Chatterbox. answer below. PHRASE EXPLAINED Chock-a-block:
Crammed full of people or things. It comes from sailing ships’ block and tackle used to move cargo and describes when two blocks wedge close together.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
always do sober what you said you’d do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut. Ernest Hemingway, U.S. novelist (1899-1961)
JOKE OF THE DAY
WHICH vegetables struggle to breathe? artichokes. Guess The Definition answer: a.