March 25

Legendary singer Aretha Franklin born (1942); HBD Sir Elton John (1947); Martin Luther King Jr.-led march from Selma to Montgomery completed (1965); Saudi Arabian King Faisal assassinated by his nephew (1975); HBD race car driver Danica Patrick (1982).

March 24

World famous magician Harry Houdini born (1874); RIP author Jules Verne (1905); Dorothy Height, civil and women’s rights activist, born (1912); HBD 1440 reader Bill Shotto (1952); Exxon Valdez oil tanker runs aground, eventually spills 11 million gallons of oil (1989).

March 23

Patrick Henry delivers "Give me liberty, or give me death!" speech (1775); Sir Roger Bannister, first person to run a sub-4-minute mile, born (1929); Adolf Hitler becomes dictator of Germany (1933); RIP Elizabeth Taylor (2011).

March 22

HBD William Shatner (1931); HBD legendary musical theater composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (1948); HBD sports broadcaster Bob Costas (1952); HBD Reese Witherspoon (1976); Terrorist drives car into crowd in London, killing five and injuring 50 (2017).

March 19

American novelist Philip Roth born (1933); HBD Glenn Close (1947); HBD Bruce Willis (1955); Texas Western, now known as UTEP, is first basketball team to win NCAA Championship with all-Black starting lineup (1966); Iraq War begins (2003).

March 18

President Grover Cleveland born (1837); HBD actress and first Black Miss America Vanessa Williams (1963); Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov becomes first person to walk in space (1965); HBD Queen Latifah (1970); RIP rock and roll pioneer Chuck Berry (2017).

Edgar Cayce

Did you know...

... that today is the birthday of Edgar Cayce (1877)? Edgar Cayce was an American who claimed to be a psychic with the ability to channel answers to questions on subjects such as health or Atlantis while in a self-induced trance. Trivia fans: Cayce has been called the sleeping prophet, the father of holistic medicine, and the most documented psychic of the 20th century.

Samuel Johnson

(September 18th 1709 – December 13th 1784) (aged 75) British author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer. Johnson was a devout Anglican and committed Tory, and has been described as “arguably the most distinguished man of letters in English history”

Fred McFeely Rogers

(March 20, 1928 – February 27, 2003) was an American educator, Presbyterian minister, songwriter, author, and television host. Rogers was most famous for creating and hosting Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood (1968–2001), which featured his gentle, soft-spoken personality and directness to his audiences

Douglas Adams

(11 March 1952 – 11 May 2001) was an English writer, humorist and dramatist. He is best known as the author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, which started life in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before developing into a “trilogy” of five books that sold over 15 million copies in his lifetime, a television series, several stage plays, comics, a computer game, and in 2005 a feature film.

Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama is the leader of the Gelug or “Yellow Hat” branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word dalai meaning “Ocean” and the Tibetan word bla-ma (with a silent “b”) meaning “teacher

March 16

US Founding Father James Madison born (1751); US Military Academy is established (1802); Comedian Jerry Lewis born (1926); RIP Nobel Prize-winning author Selma Lagerlöf (1940); Dow Jones drops by 2,997, single-largest point drop in history, amid pandemic fears (2020).

March 15

Julius Caesar assassinated by Brutus (44 BCE); President Andrew Jackson born (1767); Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg born (1933); Terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand kills 51 (2019).

March 17

First St. Patrick’s Day parade held (1601); Golf legend Bobby Jones born (1902); Singer Nat King Cole born (1919); National Gallery of Art opens in Washington, DC (1941); HBD soccer great Mia Hamm (1972).

Oprah Gail Winfrey

(January 29, 1954) An American television host, actress, producer, and philanthropist, best known for her self-titled, multi-award winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history.

Neil deGrasse Tyson

(born October 5, 1958) is an American astrophysicist and science communicator. He is currently the Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium at the Rose Center for Earth and Space and a research associate in the department of astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History. From 2006 to 2011 he hosted the educational science television show NOVA ScienceNow on PBS and has been a frequent guest on The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Real Time with Bill Maher, and Jeopardy!

Eugene Wesley Roddenberry

 

(August 19, 1921 – October 24, 1991) was an American television screenwriter and producer. He is best remembered for creating the original Star Trek television series.

March 12

Girl Scouts of the USA is founded (1912); American author and poet Jack Kerouac born (1922); HBD civil rights leader and politician Andrew Young (1932); HBD actress and singer Liza Minnelli (1946); First female priests are ordained by the Church of England (1994).

March 11

Civil rights leader Ralph Abernathy born (1926); RIP Sir Alexander Fleming, scientist who discovered penicillin (1955); Janet Reno confirmed as first female attorney general in the US (1993); Coordinated bombings kill 191 people aboard trains in Madrid (2004).

Chuck Norris

Did you know...

... that today is the birthday of actor and martial artist, Chuck Norris (1940)? Trivia fans alike may all know that Chuck Norris can slam a revolving door; Chuck Norris doesn't have to do anything for a Klondike Bar; Chuck Norris invented Texas; and last but not least, some people wear Superman pajamas. Superman wears Chuck Norris pajamas. ;-)

March 10

Courrières mining accident kills 1,099 in France (1906); RIP Harriet Tubman (1913); HBD Sharon Stone (1958); Dot-com bubble peaks as the Nasdaq hits 5,048 (2000); Ethiopian Airlines flight crashes, killing 157 (2019).

March 9

Cartographer Amerigo Vespucci born (1454); First person in space Yuri Gagarin born (1934); Barbie doll debuts at American Toy Fair (1959); Rapper Notorious B.I.G. is shot and killed (1997).

March 8

New York Stock Exchange established (1817); American actress Claire Trevor born (1910); RIP president William Taft (1930); RIP baseball great Joe DiMaggio (1999); Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappears, 239 people die (2014).

March 5

Five American colonists shot by British troops in Boston Massacre (1770); Joseph Stalin dies (1953); RIP singer Patsy Cline (1963); HBD actress Eva Mendes (1974); Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez dies (2013).

March 6

Did you know... ... that today is the birthday of Michelangelo (1475), Rob Reiner (1945), and Shaquille O'Neal (1972)? If you were born today, then you are in the company of some great talent! Now get out there and paint, direct, or shoot a basketball! ;-)

John Candy

John Franklin Candy (October 31, 1950 – March 4, 1994)[1] was a Canadian actor and comedian known mainly for his work in Hollywood films. Candy rose to fame as a member of the Toronto branch of the Second City and its Second City Television (SCTV) series, and through his appearances in comedy films, including Stripes, Splash, Cool Runnings, Summer Rental, The Great Outdoors, Spaceballs, and Uncle Buck, as well as more dramatic roles in Only the Lonely and JFK. One of his most renowned onscreen performances was as Del Griffith, the talkative shower-curtain ring salesman in the John Hughes comedy Planes, Trains and Automobiles. In addition to his work as an actor, Candy was a co-owner of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League from 1991 until his death, and the team won the 1991 Grey Cup under his ownership. Candy died of a heart attack in 1994 at the age of 43. His final two films, Wagons East and Canadian Bacon, are dedicated to his memory.

In 1971, John Candy was cast in a small part as a Shriner in Creeps by David E. Freeman, a new Canadian play about cerebral palsy, in the inaugural season of the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto.[3]:22

Candy guest-starred on a Canadian children's television series, Cucumber, and made a small, uncredited appearance in Class of '44 (1973).

He had a small part in The ABC Afternoon Playbreak ("Last Bride of Salem") and had a regular role on the TV series Dr. Zonk and the Zunkins (1974–75).

In 1975, he played Richie, an accused killer, in episode "Web of Guilt" on the Canadian TV show Police Surgeon.[4] He was in It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time (1975), shot in Canada, as well as the children's sitcom Coming Up Rosie (1975–78) with Dan Aykroyd.

Candy had a small role in Tunnel Vision (1976).

In 1976, Candy played a supporting role (with Rick Moranis) on Peter Gzowski's short-lived, late-night television talk show, 90 Minutes Live. In 1978, Candy had a small role as a bank employee (with Christopher Plummer and Elliott Gould) in the Canadian thriller The Silent Partner.

SCTVEdit

As a member of Toronto's branch of The Second City,[5] he gained wide North American popularity, which grew when he became a cast member on the influential Toronto-based comedy-variety show Second City Television (SCTV). NBC picked the show up in 1981 and it quickly became a fan favorite. It won Emmy Awards for the show's writing in 1981 and 1982.[6]

Among Candy's SCTV characters were unscrupulous street-beat TV personality Johnny LaRue, 3-D horror auteur Doctor Tongue, sycophantic and easily amused talk-show sidekick William B. Williams, and Melonville's corrupt Mayor Tommy Shanks.

Other characters included the cheerful Leutonian clarinetist Yosh Shmenge, who was half of the Happy Wanderers and the subject of the mockumentary The Last Polka, folksy fishin' musician Gil Fisher, handsome if accent-challenged TV actor Steve Roman, Pepi Longsocks, hapless children's entertainer Mr. Messenger, corrupt soap-opera doctor William Wainwright, smut merchant Harry, "the Guy With the Snake on His Face", and Giorgy, "everyone's favourite Cossack".[citation needed]

Mimicry was one of Candy's talents, which he used often at SCTV. Celebrities impersonated by Candy include Jerry Mathers, Divine, Orson Welles, Julia Child, Richard Burton, Silvio Gigante, Luciano Pavarotti, Jimmy the Greek, Andrew Sarris, Tip O'Neill, Don Rickles, Curly Howard, Merlin Olsen, Jackie Gleason, Tom Selleck, Gordon Pinsent, Darryl Sittler, Ed Asner, Gertrude Stein, Morgy Kneele, Doug McGrath, and Hervé Villechaize.[citation needed]

During the series' run he appeared in films like The Clown Murders (1976) and had a lead in a low-budget comedy, Find the Lady (1976). He guest starred on shows like The David Steinberg Show and King of Kensington and had a small role in the thriller The Silent Partner (1978).

Early Hollywood rolesEdit

In 1979, Candy took a short hiatus from SCTV and began a more active film career, appearing in a minor role in Lost and Found (1979) and playing a U.S. Army soldier in Steven Spielberg's big-budget comedy 1941.

He returned to Canada for roles in The Courage of Kavik, the Wolf Dog (1980) and the action thriller Double Negative (1980). He had a supporting role as easygoing parole officer Burton Mercer in The Blues Brothers (1980), starring Aykroyd, and did an episode of Tales of the Klondike (1981) for Canadian TV.

Rising fameEdit

Candy played the lovable, mild-mannered Army recruit Dewey Oxberger in Stripes (1981), directed by Canadian Ivan Reitman, which was one of the most successful films of the year. He provided voices for multiple characters in the animated film Heavy Metal (1981).

From 1981 to 1983, Candy appeared in SCTV Network on television. He made a cameo appearance in Harold Ramis's National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), his first collaboration with John Hughes, who wrote the script.

Candy appeared on Saturday Night Live twice (hosting in 1983) while still appearing on SCTV. According to writer-comedian Bob Odenkirk, Candy was reputedly the "most-burned potential host" of SNL, in that he was asked to host many times, only for plans to be changed by the SNL staff at the last minute.[7]

Candy headlined in the Canadian film Going Berserk (1983). He was approached to play the character of accountant Louis Tully in Ghostbusters (completed and released in 1984), starring Aykroyd and directed by Reitman, but ultimately did not get the role because of his conflicting ideas of how to play the character; the part went instead to SCTV colleague Rick Moranis, whose ideas were better received. However, Candy did make a contribution to the franchise, as one of the many people chanting "Ghostbusters" in the video for Ray Parker Jr.'s hit single for the movie.

StardomEdit

Candy played Tom Hanks's womanizing brother in the hit romantic comedy Splash, generally considered his break-out role.[8]

Candy went back to Canada to star in The Last Polka (1985) which he also wrote with co-star Eugene Levy. He was Richard Pryor's best friend on Brewster's Millions (1985) and had a cameo in the Sesame Street film Follow That Bird (1985).

Candy's first lead role in a Hollywood film came with Summer Rental (1985), directed by Carl Reiner.[9] He was reunited with Hanks in Volunteers (1985), though the film did not do as well as Splash. He had a cameo in The Canadian Conspiracy (1985) and appeared alongside Martin Short in Dave Thomas: The Incredible Time Travels of Henry Osgood (1985) in Canada.

Candy's second starring role in a Hollywood film was Armed and Dangerous (1986) with Levy and Meg Ryan. He had a cameo in Little Shop of Horrors (1986) and appeared in Really Weird Tales (1987). He also had a supporting role in Mel Brooks' Spaceballs (1987).

Collaboration with John Hughes and beyondEdit

Candy had a hit film when he starred in Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987) with Steve Martin, written and directed by John Hughes. He did a cameo in Hughes' She's Having a Baby (1988), then starred in a film written by Hughes, The Great Outdoors (1988), co starring Aykroyd.

Candy provided the voice for Don the horse in Hot to Trot (1988) and starred in a flop comedy, Who's Harry Crumb? (1989), which he also produced. He was one of several names in Cannonball Fever (1989) and had another hit film with Hughes in Uncle Buck (1989).

Candy also produced and starred in a Saturday-morning animated series on NBC titled Camp Candy in 1989. The show was set in a fictional summer camp run by Candy, featured his two children in supporting roles, and also spawned a brief comic book series published by Marvel Comics' Star Comics imprint.[10]

Candy made The Rocket Boy (1989) in Canada and had a cameo in two more films written by Hughes, the hit film Home Alone (1990) and the box office flop Career Opportunities (1991).

He provided a voice for The Rescuers Down Under (1990) and had a supporting role in Nothing But Trouble (1991), Dan Aykroyd's notorious box office flop.

During this time, Candy played a dramatic role as Dean Andrews Jr., a shady Southern lawyer in Oliver Stone's JFK (1991).

In 1991, Bruce McNall, Wayne Gretzky, and Candy became owners of the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts.[11] The celebrity ownership group attracted attention in Canada and the team spent a significant amount of money, even signing some highly touted National Football League prospects such as wide receiver Raghib Ismail. The Argonauts took home the 1991 Grey Cup, beating Calgary, 36–21, in the final.[12] Only McNall's name was etched onto the Grey Cup trophy as an owner of the team, but the CFL corrected the error in 2007 and added Candy's and Gretzky's names as well.[13]

From 1988 to 1990 Candy hosted "Radio Kandy," a hot adult contemporary radio music countdown syndicated by Premiere Networks.



Candy's grave at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California

Later careerEdit

Chris Columbus wrote and directed Only the Lonely (1991) starring Candy and Maureen O'Hara, which was well-reviewed, but not a big hit.

Also unsuccessful were the comedies Delirious (1991) and Once Upon a Crime... (1992). He had a cameo in Boris and Natasha: The Movie (1992) and the successful Rookie of the Year (1993).

Candy starred in his first comedic hit in a number of years with Cool Runnings (1993).

He made his directorial debut in the 1994 comedy Hostage for a Day, in which he also made a cameo appearance.[citation needed] His last appearances were in Canadian Bacon (1995) and Wagons East.

Unfinished projectsEdit

Candy was in talks to portray Ignatius J. Reilly in a now-shelved film adaptation of John Kennedy Toole's Pulitzer Prize–winning novel A Confederacy of Dunces.[14][15][16] He had also expressed interest in portraying Atuk in a film adaptation of Mordecai Richler's The Incomparable Atuk and Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle in a biopic based on the silent film comedian's life.[17][18] These three shelved projects have been alleged as cursed because Candy, John Belushi, Sam Kinison and Chris Farley were each attached to all three roles, and they all died before they could make any of these films.[19][20]

March 4

HB Antonio Vivaldi, violinist and composer (1678); Jeannette Rankin becomes first female member of US House of Representatives (1917); Frances Perkins becomes secretary of labor, first female member of US Cabinet (1933); RIP actor and comedian John Candy (1994); RIP actor Luke Perry (2019).

March 3

Inventor Alexander Graham Bell born (1847); "The Star-Spangled Banner" becomes the US national anthem (1931); HBD track and field great Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1962); Turkish Airlines flight crashes outside Paris, killing all 346 aboard (1974); RIP Sir Roger Bannister, first person to run a sub-four-minute mile (2018).

March 2

Children’s author Dr. Seuss born (1904); Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Jones born (1919); Former Soviet Union president Mikhail Gorbachev born (1931); Wilt Chamberlain sets all-time NBA record with 100 points in a single game (1962).

March 1

Articles of Confederation are ratified, go into effect in US (1781); Writer Ralph Ellison born (1914); Peace Corps is established (1961); HBD actress Lupita Nyong'o (1983); HBD Justin Bieber (1994).