DYR Today, February 2

“BORN TODAY”

1959 – Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper play their last show as part of the “Winter Dance Party” tour, stopping this night at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, IA. Admission: $1.25. The last song of the night: The Big Bopper’s “Chantilly Lace.”
1959 – Frankie Avalon’s “Venus” was released
1974 – Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” goes to #1 on the Billboard country chart
1974 – Barbra Striesand’s 1st #1 hit, “The Way We Were”
1981 – George Strait records his first hit, “Unwound,” at Music City Music Hall in Nashville
1991 – Paul Overstreet earns a #1 country single in Billboard with “Daddy’s Come Around”

1955 – The Disneyland television series presents the 1949 “The Wind in the Willows” featuring Mr. Toad
1957 – Fats Domino makes an appearance on ‘s The Perry Como Show, singing his hits “Blue Monday” and “Blueberry Hill.”
1967 – Disney’s comedy feature Monkeys, Go Home! premieres. Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, the film tells the zany story of American Henry Dussard (played by Dean Jones) who inherits a picturesque but badly neglected olive farm in southern France..)
1973 “Midnight Special” rock music show debuts on NBC-TV
1973 NBC debuts The Midnight Special rock variety show, its response to ABC’s popular In Concert series. The first host: Helen Reddy.
1977 – Today is Surprise Day on episode 13 of The New Mickey Mouse Club. Mouseketeer Allison is given a special surprise at the Talent Showcase in “Allison’s Wonderland,” along with clips from Sleeping Beauty.
1986 – Disney returns to Sunday night TV, with Michael Eisner hosting the first Disney Sunday Movie, “Help Wanted: Kids,” starring Cindy Williams and Bill Hudson. (The comedy will rank 41 out of the week’s 68 network programs.)

1925 – Sears, Roebuck Opens It’s First Store. Sears opens it’s first retail store in the Merchandise building (part of it’s headquarters building in Chicago). The first retail store was just an expansion of it’s existing catalog business started in the 1890’s
1964 – U.S.A. GI Joe Launched Sunday, 2nd February, 1964 : Following the success of the Barbie doll for girls Hasbro launch G.I. Joe an action figure for boys. G.I. Joe stood for “Government Issue Joe” , There were four originally four figures launched one for each branch of the Armed Forces.
1973 – Elvis Presley meets boxer Muhammed Ali in Las Vegas, presenting him with a robe emblazoned with the words “The People’s Champion.” Ali responds by giving Elvis boxing gloves inscribed “You’re the greatest” (left) and “To Elvis, my main man, from Muhammad Ali” (right). Ali recollects later: “I felt sorry for him because he didn’t enjoy life the way he should. He stayed indoors all the time. I told him he should go out and see people.”
1999 – Freddy Fender is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Freddy Fender – Before The Next Teardrop Falls