December 8, 2021 ON THIS DAY
FROM THE DAILY MAIL ARCHIVE DECEMBER 8, 1941
The new Greta Garbo film, Two-Faced Woman, which has been banned in some U.S. towns, has been withdrawn from all cinemas to make some revisions. The film was denounced by the League of Decency and 67 Catholic Church representatives as dangerous to public morals.
DECEMBER 8, 1955
Mr ATTLEE has accepted an earldom — the traditional honour of a former prime minister — on his resignation from the Socialist leadership. His 33 years in the House of Commons are ended.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Teri HATCHER, 57. The U.S. star of Desperate Housewives (for which she was paid around £280,000 per episode) played Lois Lane in The New Adventures Of Superman and a Bond girl in Tomorrow Never Dies. in 1996, this photo of her draped in a Superman cape was the most downloaded picture on the internet.
BILL BRYSON, 70. The U.S.-born author announced his retirement last year so he could devote himself to ‘enjoying my family — i have masses of grandchildren and i would love to spend more time with them’. His Notes From A Small island, documenting his travels around Britain, was voted the book that best represented the english in a World Book Day poll in 2013.
BORN ON THIS DAY
LUCIAN FREUD (19222011). The Berlin-born artist — hailed as the greatest living painter before his death at 88 and the father of some 15 children — set a record price for a work by a living artist when his Benefits Supervisor Sleeping sold for £17 million in 2008. in 1933, aged ten, the grandson of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud fled Nazi Germany to Britain with his family. He said the move was ‘linked to my luck’ and brought him to London — ‘the place i prefer in every way to anywhere i’ve been’.
DIEGO RIVERA (1886-1957). The Mexican painter held the record for highest price paid at auction for a Latin American artwork until last month, when he was overtaken by Frida Kahlo, his wife. Her painting Diego y yo — a self-portrait that features rivera’s face on her forehead — sold for £25 million.
ON DECEMBER 8…
IN 1987, the Soviets’ Mikhail Gorbachev and U.S. president ronald reagan signed the first treaty to reduce the size of their ground-based nuclear arsenals. IN 2016, Mick Jagger became a father for the eighth time, at 73 — when his 29-year-old U.S. ballerina girlfriend Melanie Hamrick gave birth to Deveraux Octavian [which comes from eighth in Latin] Basil.
WORD WIZARDRY
GUESS THE DEFINITION: Antipole (c 1820) A) The opposite pole. B) Diagonally across. C) The reciprocal love of children
for their parents. Answer below.
PHRASE EXPLAINED Dress rehearsal:
A final preparation; it comes from the theatre, in which it refers to a rehearsal of a play or performance in costume complete with scenery, props and lights, typically the final rehearsal.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity. Horace Mann, U.S. politician (1796-1859)
JOKE OF THE DAY
i NEARLY drowned in a bowl of muesli ... A strong currant pulled me in. Guess The Definition answer: A.