The movie Kind Hearts and Coronets is a black comedy about a man who cheerfully murders eight of his relatives in order to claim a noble title in the UK. Alec Guiness plays all eight of the victims.
The first Dodge Coronets were 1949 models. The Coronet name was used through 1959, then dropped until being reintroduced for 1965. The last year for Coronets in the USA was 1976, but the Coronet badge was used during the 1980’s for cars sold in Colombia.
Lyndon Johnson, Democrat of Texas, was inaugurated for a full term as President of the United States on Jan. 20, 1965. The Vice Presidency had been vacant since LBJ became President upon the assassination of John F. Kennedy on Nov. 22, 1963. Hubert Humphrey, Democrat of Minnesota, became Johnson’s VP at the start of the new term.
In real life, Humphrey Bogart played tournament chess, one level below master level, and it was reportedly his idea that Rick Blaine be portrayed as a chess player, which also served as a metaphor for the sparring relationship of the characters played by Bogart and Claude Rains in the movie Casablanca.
Paul Henreid, known for his suave European roles in Casablanca and other films, spent the latter part of his career directing episodes of many television westerns, includeng Cheyenne, Maverick, Sugarfoot, Iron Horse, Big Valley, Bonanza, Virginian and others.
Gen. Phil Sheridan’s famed war horse Rienzi was stuffed and mounted after its death, and is now on display at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.
The last wild passenger pigeon was killed by a young boy in Pike County, Ohio on March 24, 1900. Stuffed and mounted, this specimen is preserved in the Ohio State Museum.
Christopher Pike was captain of the USS Enterprise before Capt. James T. Kirk. He was played by two different actors in the original series, Jeffrey Hunter (with the character in the prime of life) and Sean Kenney (as badly injured by radiation), and by Bruce Greenwood in the recent movie reboot.
The National Lampoon was founded by Harvard graduates Doug Kenney, Henry Beard, and Robert Hoffman after the success of several Harvard Lampoon parodies (including Bored of the Rings).
Harvard Yard is a grassy area of about 25 acres adjacent to Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that constitutes the oldest part and the center of the campus of Harvard University.
Prince William of Wales was named Duke of Cambridge by his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II on the day of his wedding to Miss Katherine Middleton, who thus became Duchess of Cambridge.
Sonny Shroyer had it written into his contract that if his spin-off, Enos, didn’t last a full season, he could return to The Dukes of Hazzard. Enos only lasted 17 episodes, after which Shroyer returned to the Dukes.
Professional basketball’s Walt Hazzard attended Philadelphia’s Overbrook High School, which claims at least ten other alumni who made it to the NBA, the most famous of whom was Wilt Chamberlain.
Though a notoriously poor foul shooter, hovering about 50% for his career, Wilt Chamberlain converted on 28 of 32 in his 100-point game, which was played in Hershey PA, where they make chocolate bars.
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain taught every subject in the Bowdoin College curriculum but mathematics. The Civil War hero also served as president of the college, and as governor of Maine.
Austen Chamberlain wore a monocle, and favoured rearming Britain in the 30s.
An apparatus for reaming holes drilled in the Earth to provide storage of up to 50,000 barrels of liquefied petroleum gases was patented by Austen M. Shook of Houston, TX on August 12, 1958.
All Shook Up is a 2005 jukebox musical with the story based on William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and songs made popular by Elvis.
Elvis Presley’s middle name has been spelled as Aaron or Aron in various legal records.
Hank and Tommy Aaron still hold the major league record for most home runs by brothers at 768: Hank’s 755 and Tommy’s 13.