January 4, 2021 ON THIS DAY
FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE JANUARY 4, 1967
JUST three hours after his death from cancer in Dallas this afternoon the voice of Jack Ruby was heard again. Before he died, Ruby made a secret recording denying he was part of any plot to assassinate President Kennedy. He insisted it was coincidence that he entered Dallas police headquarters as Lee Harvey Oswald was being taken away. Ruby shot the President’s alleged assassin.
JANUARY 4, 1984
ENGLISHMEN have become sloppy lovers — and it’s because they’re sloppy eaters, it is claimed. Junk food takes away your appetite for romance, says Barbara Cartland, creator of countless broodingly handsome heroes. ‘I blame the women for not cooking the right foods,’ says the romantic novelist. ‘How can the English be good lovers if they are so rheumatic they can’t get into bed?’
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
CRAIG REVEL HORWOOD, 56. The Australian- born choreographer is the only Strictly Come Dancing judge who has been on the panel for every series. At a screen test, he was asked to comment on newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky’s rehearsal video. He said: ‘Whoever that woman is, darling, can’t walk, let alone dance.’ Asked to ‘truncate it into three words’, he blasted: ‘Dull, dull, dull’ and got the job. Kaplinsky went on to win Strictly’s first series. MICHAEL STIPE, 61. As frontman of R.E.M., the U.S. singer-songwriter had hits with Losing My Religion and Shiny Happy People. Researchers in 2001 found that cows produce more milk when listening to relaxing music — R.E.M.’s Everybody Hurts was a favourite.
BORN ON THIS DAY
FLOYD PATTERSON (1935-2006). The U.S. boxer became the youngest world heavyweight champion at 21 and the first fighter to regain the title. Patterson admitted he was far more sensitive than people expected: ‘you can hit me and I won’t think much of it, but you can say something and hurt me very much.’ CHARLES STRATTON (1838-1883). The 3ft 3in-tall U.S. circus star began performing at age four using the stage name general Tom Thumb. He became a global celebrity during his time with P.T. Barnum and fans included Queen victoria and Abraham Lincoln. Stratton, who was played by Sam Humphrey in the 2017 film The greatest Showman, died aged 45 and 10,000 people went to see his body lying in state.
ON JANUARY 4 . . .
IN 1972, Rose Heilbron became the first female judge at the Old Bailey in London. IN 1990, BBC sitcom One Foot In The grave was first broadcast.
WORD WIZARDRY
GUESS THE DEFINITION: Anencephalous (c1830) A) Sullen or shy. B) Curmudgeonly. C) Lacking a brain. Answer below PHRASE EXPLAINED Dark horse: A person of unknown abilities who may spring a surprise. It is a racing metaphor indicating an unknown horse which could win the race unexpectedly.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
The important thing is not to think much but to love much. St Teresa of Avila, Spanish Carmelite nun (1515-1582)
JOKE OF THE DAY
I TOLD my boss I was tired of being a human cannonball. Then he fired me. Guess The Definition answer: C.