TODAY IN HISTORY
Today is Tuesday, Aug. 29, the 241st day of 2017. There are 124 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History
On August 29, 1967, the series finale of “The Fugitive,” starring David Janssen as a doctor on the run after being wrongly convicted of murdering his wife, aired on ABC-TV, drawing an estimated 78 million viewers.
On this date
1533 — The last Incan King of Peru, Atahualpa, was executed on orders of Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro. 1877 — The second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Brigham Young, died in Salt Lake City, Utah, at age 76. 1910 — Korean Emperor Sunjong abdicated as the JapanKorea Annexation Treaty went into effect. 1944 — 15,000 American troops of the 28th Infantry Division marched down the Champs Elysees in Paris as the French capital continued to celebrate its liberation from the Nazis. 1952 — The composition 4’33” (“Four Minutes, Thirty-three Seconds”) by avant-garde composer John Cage premiered in Woodstock, New York, as David Tudor sat down at a piano, and, for four minutes and 33 seconds, played ... nothing. 1957 — The Senate gave final congressional approval to a Civil Rights Act after South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond (then a Democrat) ended a filibuster that had lasted 24 hours. 1958 — Pop superstar Michael Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana. 1965 — Gemini 5, carrying astronauts Gordon Cooper and Charles “Pete” Conrad, splashed down in the Atlantic after 8 days in space. 1972 — Swimmer Mark Spitz of the United States won the third of his seven gold medals at the Munich Olympics, finishing first in the 200-meter freestyle. 1987 — Academy Award-winning actor Lee Marvin died in Tucson, Arizona, at age 63. 1996 — The Democratic National Convention in Chicago nominated Al Gore for a second term as vice president. Earlier in the day, President Bill Clinton’s chief political strategist, Dick Morris, resigned amid a scandal over his relationship with a prostitute. 2005 — Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast near Buras, Louisiana, bringing floods that devastated New Orleans. More than 1,800 people in the region died.
Five years ago
Seizing the Republican National Convention spotlight in Tampa, Florida, vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan promised Mitt Romney would “not duck the tough issues” if he were to win the White House and that their party would move forcefully to solve the nation’s economic woes.
One year ago
Huma Abedin, a top aide to Hillary Clinton, announced she was separating from her husband, Anthony Weiner, after the former congressman was accused in yet another sexting scandal.
Today’s Birthdays
Actress Betty Lynn (TV: “The Andy Griffith Show”) is 91. Movie director William Friedkin is 82. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is 81. Actor Elliott Gould is 79. Movie director Joel Schumacher is 78. TV personality Robin Leach is 76. Dancer-choreographer Mark Morris is 61. Country musician Dan Truman (Diamond Rio) is 61. Actress Rebecca DeMornay is 58. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch is 50. Singer Me’Shell NdegeOcello is 49. Rhythm-and-blues singer Carl Martin (Shai) is 47. Actress Carla Gugino is 46. Rock musician Kyle Cook (Matchbox Twenty) is 42. Actor John Hensley is 40. Actress Kate Simses is 38. Rock musician David Desrosiers (Simple Plan) is 37. Rapper A+ is 35. Actress Jennifer Landon is 34. Actor Jeffrey Licon is 32. Actress-singer Lea Michele is 31. Actress Charlotte Ritchie is 28. Actress Nicole Gale Anderson is 27.
Thought for today ‘Don’t be consistent, but be simply true.’ Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. American author (1809-1894)