ON THIS DAY
FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE
MARCH 19, 1940 RENEWED co-operation between Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini in a determined diplomatic offensive, is regarded as certain following their meeting at the Brenner Pass. Blinds were drawn in the saloon of Signor Mussolini’s train while he talked with Herr Hitler for two and a half hours.
MARCH 19, 1965 UNDERGROUND travellers were put on their honour for Monday’s unofficial strike. Commuters were asked to throw their fare money into honesty boxes at the end of their journeys. Usual Monday takings on the Underground are about £80,000. But the boxes at stations yielded only £50,000.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
URSULA ANDRESS, 84. The Swiss actress (right), was the original Bond girl, Honey Ryder, in the first 007 film, Dr No. Her voice was dubbed but she said her famous white cotton bikini ‘made me into a success’. But she is not a fan of the more recent films, saying: ‘I hate special effects.’ In 2012, she was voted Britain’s all-time favourite Bond beach babe. BRUCE WILLIS, 65. The German-born American actor starred in The Sixth Sense and Die Hard. The ex-husband of actress Demi Moore had a stutter as a child. He said: ‘There was a lot of bullying in my life, and I had to fight my way out. Kids get mean.’ Willis has made 58 films, earning more than £4 billion at the box office.
BORN ON THIS DAY
RICHARD WILLIAMS (1933-2019). The Canadian-born animator, who spent most of his life in Britain, won two Oscars for his work on 1988’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He also worked on two Pink Panther films and animated the Cresta Bear adverts. Aged 15, he saved up for a bus trip from Toronto to Hollywood and took the Disney studio tour three days in a row. Each time he was thrown out because he left the group to talk to the animators, but was eventually invited to meet Walt Disney. TOMMy COOPER (19211984). The fez-wearing comedian (pictured), was known as the ‘tightest man in showbusiness’. He would offer doormen a choice of three empty envelopes as their tip, commiserating, by saying: ‘Oh well, better luck next time.’ Cooper was an alcoholic, and his wife once said: ‘There is one trick Tommy can do really well and that’s making a drink disappear.’
ON MARCH 19…
IN 1965, Tailor And Cutter magazine asked the Rolling Stones to wear ties to save tie makers from closing down.
IN 1992, The Duke and Duchess of york split after six years of marriage.
WORD WIZARDRY
GUESS THE DEFINITION: Sortilege (late 14th century)
A)To clear a path for soldiers. B) A box holding communion wafers. C) Fortunetelling from a card Answer below.
PHRASE EXPLAINED See the light at the end of the tunnel – meaning to hope that a situation or task will finish soon. It alludes to the small amount of light that seems to get nearer.