DYR Today, February 29

“February 29”

“BORN TODAY”

• 1972 – Antonio Sabato Jr. 1972 – Dave Williams (RIP)
• 1972 – Joey Greco 1956 – Jonathan Coleman
• 1952 – Tim Powers
• 1948 – Ken Foree
• 1944 – Dennis Farina (RIP)
• 1936 – Jack Lousma
• 1936 – Alex Rocco (RIP)
• 1928 – Tempest Storm
• 1928 – Joss Ackland
• 1920 – Michele Morgan
• 1920 – James Mitchell (RIP)
• 1916 – Dinah Shore (RIP)
• “DIED TODAY”
• Gil Elvgren (Born: March 15, 1914 / Died: February 29, 1980)
• Wes Farrell (Born: December 21, 1939 / Died: February 29, 1996)
• Dennis Danell (Born: June 24, 1961 / Died: February 29, 2000)
• Davy Jones (Born: December 30, 1945 / Died: February 29, 2012)

“MOVIES TODAY”

• 1964 – Merrie Melodies: Bartholomew Versus the Wheel aired.
• 1968 – The Secret War of Harry Frigg is a 1968 comedy film set in World War II. It was directed by Jack Smight and starred Paul Newman.
• 1980 – Foxes – An American teen drama film starring Jodie Foster, Scott Baio, Sally Kellerman, Randy Quaid and Cherie Currie (in her film acting debut). The original music score is composed by Giorgio Moroder, and features the song”On the Radio”, sung by Donna Summer.
• 1980 – The Ninth Configuration (also known as Twinkle, Twinkle, “Killer” Kane) An American film nominated at the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama

“MUSIC TODAY”

• 1960 – Percy Faith’s “Theme From ‘A Summer Place'” again was #1.
• 1964 – Meet the Beatles, the first album in America, was #1 for the third week.
• 1964 – We were introduced to a new group on this date.  The great Temptations first debuted on the chart with their first career single–“The Way You Do the Things You Do”.
• 1964 – “Fun, Fun Fun” from the Beach Boys moved from 69 to 27.
• 1964 – The Beatles remained at #1 for the fourth week with “I Want To Hold Your Hand”.  Their follow-up “She Loves You” was up to #2 while the 4 Seasons made a bid with “Dawn (Go Away)”, which moved from 11 to 3.  The Rivieras had another hot song as “California Sun” moved from 14 to 8.
• 1968 – Aretha Franklin won her first Grammy, taking home Best Female R&B Performance for “Respect”.
• 1992 – Newcomers Mr. Big completed their run to the top with “To Be With You”.  The only new Top 10 song was “Masterpiece” by Atlantic Starr, which moved from 15 to 8.
• 1992 – Garth Brooks was in the middle of one of the most amazing album runs in the Rock Era.  Three times his album Ropin’ the Wind had been bumped out of #1 only to return and now, the album scored its 14th week at the top.
• 1992 – Mr Big started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘To Be With You’, a No.3 hit in the UK.
• 1992 – Travis Tritt joins the Grand Ole Opry, while Trisha Yearwood debuts on the show, singing “She’s In Love With The Boy”.
• 1992 – U2 kicked off their north American leg of the ‘Zoo TV Tour’, at The Lakeland Civic Centre Arena, Florida. Many acts have appeared here, including Elvis Presley,  The Rolling Stones, Rush and  Bob Dylan. It was here where KISS guitarist Ace Frehley was nearly electrocuted, during a concert on December 11, 1976.
• 1996 – The “John Michael Montgomery” album leaps to triple-platinum status.
• 2000 – Warner Bros. releases Faith Hill’s “The Way You Love Me” to radio
• “TV/RADIO TODAY”
• 1956 – The Disneyland television series airs a look at Disneyland’s Adventureland via the Jungle Cruise attraction. Also presented is a look at the nature film Water Birds.
• 1984 – Roy Rogers has a guest role on the ABC series “The Fall Guy.” The episode, titled “King Of The Cowboys,” finds several former silver-screen cowboys trying to chase down diamond smugglers.
• 1940 – Actress Hattie McDaniel wins Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mammy in the Civil War epic Gone With the Wind, becoming the first African-American to ever win an Oscar.
• 1940 – Disney is awarded an Oscar (Short Subjects, Cartoon) for the Silly Symphony short The Ugly Duckling at the 1939 Academy Awards (held at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles).
• 1968 – Johnny Cash and June Carter announce their plans to marry during the 10th annual Grammy awards in Nashville, as they collect the trophy for Best Country & Western Duet, Trio or Group with “Jackson”.
• 1972 – John Lennon’s immigration visa in the United States expired.  Lennon would go through hell for 3 1/2 years battling the Nixon White House to stay in the country.  Lennon claimed, and was later validated, that Nixon was trying to deport him because Lennon didn’t agree with the Vietnam War.
• 1976 – Michael Nesmith, guitarist of the Monkees and a solo artist, married wife Kathyrn.
• 1980 – The glasses belonging to Buddy Holly and a wristwatch worn by J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper) were found by the Mason City Sheriff in Iowa among old police files.  The items had been worn by the two stars when their plane crashed February 3, 1959.
• 2000 – Disney’s An Extremely Goofy Movie makes its home-video premiere. It features the voice of Bill Farmer as Goofy.
• 2000 – Autlan de Navarro, Mexico announced it would build a public monument Plaza Carlos Santa, to honor elite guitarist Carlos Santana.  The monument and a statue was unveiled on February 28, 2001 and the street Avenue Carlos Santana was named after their native son.