1946
EVENTS
January 10
First meeting of the United Nations
Project Diana bounces Radar waves off the Moon, measuring the exact distance between the earth and the moon and proving that the communication was possible between the earth and outer space, effectively opening the space age.
February 14
ENIAC (for "Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer"), the first general-purpose electronic computer, is unveiled at the University of Pennsylvania
July 5 - Bikinis go on sale in Paris
December 26 - Flamingo Hotel opens in Las Vegas.
Births
January 3 - John Paul Jones, English bassist (Led Zeppelin)
January 3 - Cissy King, American dancer and singer The Lawrence Welk Show
January 5 - Diane Keaton, American actress
January 6 - Syd Barrett, English guitarist and singer (Pink Floyd) (d. 2006)
January 8 - Robby Krieger, American musician (The Doors)
Naomi Judd, American singer
January 19 - Dolly Parton, American singer and actress
January 20 - David Lynch, American film director
January 26 - Gene Siskel, American film critic (d. 1999)
January 27 - Nedra Talley, American singer (Ronettes)
February 14 - Gregory Hines, American dancer and actor (d. 2003)
February 19 - Karen Silkwood, American activist (d. 1974)
March 6 - David Gilmour, English musician (Pink Floyd)
March 7 - Peter Wolf, American musician (J Geils Band)
March 12 - Liza Minnelli, American singer and actress
March 15 - Bobby Bonds, baseball player and manager (d. 2003)
April 4 - Dave Hill, English guitarist (Slade)
May 2 - Lesley Gore, American singer
May 9 - Candice Bergen, American actress
May 10 - Dave Mason, English musician (Traffic)
May 19 - André the Giant, French professional wrestling (d. 1993)
May 20 - Cher, American actress and singer
June 14 - Donald Trump, American real estate magnate
June 15 - Janet Lennon, American singer, The Lennon Sisters
July 13 - Cheech Marin, American actor and comedian
July 15 - Linda Ronstadt, American singer and songwriter
July 23 - Sally Flynn, American singer The Lawrence Welk Show
August 19 - Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States
August 23 - Keith Moon, English drummer (The Who) (d. 1978)
September 5 - Freddie Mercury, Zanzibar-born singer (Queen) (d. 1991)
September 9 - Bruce Palmer, Canadian musician (Buffalo Springfield) (d. 2004)
September 9 - Billy Preston, American soul musician (d. 2006)
October 8 - John T. Walton, son of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton (d. 2005)
October 14 - Justin Hayward, English singer and songwriter (Moody Blues)
October 16 - Suzanne Somers, American actress
October 26 - Pat Sajak, American game show host
November 1 - Ric Grech, British bassist (Family, Blind Faith, Traffic (d. 1990)
November 5 - Gram Parsons, American musician (d. 1973)
November 6 - Sally Field, American actress
December 2 - Gianni Versace, Italian fashion designer (d. 1997)
December 21 - Carl Wilson, American musician (d. 1998)
December 23 - Susan Lucci, American actor
December 28 - Edgar Winter, American musician
December 29 - Marianne Faithfull, English singer and actress
December 30 - Patti Smith, American poet and singer
Deaths
July 13 - Alfred Stieglitz, American photographer (b. 1864)
July 27 - Gertrude Stein, American writer (b. 1874)
August 13 - H.G. Wells, English writer (b. 1866)
December 25 - W.C. Fields, American actor and comedian (b. 1880)
Musical Events
Al Jolson rerecords his old hits for the soundtrack of his Columbia biopic The Jolson Story, and becomes a superstar to the post-war generation as well
Dean Martin's musical career begins
Little Walter's musical career begins
B.B. King's musical career begins
Lightnin' Hopkins' musical career begins
Chet Atkins' musical career begins
Georgia Gibbs signs with the Majestic label
Frankie Laine records "That's My Desire"
Bill Haley's professional musical career begins as a member of The Down Homers. His earliest known recordings are made during a Down Homers radio performance; these recordings would not be released until 2006.
Albums released
Merry Christmas Music - Perry Como
Show Boat - Original Broadway Cast
The Voice Of Frank Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
Top hit records
"A Fine Romance" by Martha Tilton and Johnny Mercer
"Candy" by Johnny Mercer, Jo Stafford & the Pied Pipers
"Choo Choo Ch' Boogie" by Louis Jordan & his Tympany Five
"The Christmas Song" by the King Cole Trio
"The Coffee Song" by Frank Sinatra
"Coming Home" by Dorothy Squires
"Day By Day" by Frank Sinatra
"Doin' What Comes Natur'lly" by Dinah Shore with Spade Cooley & his Orchestra
"Five Minutes More", recorded by
Frank Sinatra
Tex Beneke-Glenn Miller Orchestra with vocal by Tex Beneke
"Fools Rush In" by Jo Stafford
"I Get A Kick Out Of You" by Margaret Whiting
"(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons" by the King Cole Trio
"I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time" by Jo Stafford
"The Gypsy", recorded by *The Ink Spots
Dinah Shore
"Hawaiian War Chant" by Spike Jones & his City Slickers
"Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop", recorded by
Lionel Hampton & his Orchestra
Tex Beneke-Glenn Miller Orchestra with vocal by Tex Beneke
"Huggin' And Chalkin' " by Hoagy Carmichael
"I Dream Of You" by Archie Lewis and The Geraldo Strings
"I'm A Big Girl Now" by Sammy Kaye & his Orchestra with vocal by Betty Barclay
"I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" by Perry Como
"Laughing On The Outside", recorded by
Dinah Shore
Andy Russell
Sammy Kaye & his Orchestra with vocal by Billy Williams
"Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow", recorded by
Vaughn Monroe & his Orchestra with vocal by Vaughn Monroe (first charted December 1945)
Woody Herman and his Orchestra with vocal by Woody Herman
"Oh What It Seemed To Be", recorded by
Frankie Carle & his Orchestra with vocal by Marjorie Hughes
Frank Sinatra
Charlie Spivak & his Orchestra with vocal by Jimmy Saunders
Dick Haymes & Helen Forrest
"The Old Lamplighter", recorded by
Kay Kyser & his Orchestra with vocal by Michael Douglas
Hal Derwin & his Orchestra
Sammy Kaye & his Orchestra with vocal by Billy Williams
"Ole Buttermilk Sky", recorded by
Hoagy Carmichael
Helen Carroll & The Satisfiers
Paul Weston & his Orchestra with vocal by Matt Dennis
Kay Kyser & his Orchestra with vocal by Michael Douglas & the Campus Kids
"One-Zy Two-Zy", recorded by
Freddy Martin & his Orchestra with vocal by The Martin Men
Phil Harris
"Personality" by Johnny Mercer & The Pied Pipers
"Pretending" by Andy Russell
"Prisoner Of Love", recorded by
The Ink Spots
Perry Como
"Rumors Are Flying", recorded by
Frankie Carle & his Orchestra with vocal by Marjorie Hughes
Andrews Sisters with Les Paul
Betty Rhodes
Tony Martin
"Shoo Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy", recorded by
Stan Kenton & his Orchestra with vocal by June Christy
Dinah Shore
"Sioux City Sue" by Bing Crosby and The Jesters
"South America, Take It Away", recorded by
Xavier Cugat & his Orchestra with vocal by Buddy Clark
Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters
"Stone Cold Dead In The Market" by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan
"Surrender" by Perry Como
"Symphony", recorded by
Freddy Martin & his Orchestra with vocal by Clyde Rogers (first charted December 1945)
Benny Goodman & his Orchestra with vocal by Liza Morrow
Bing Crosby
Jo Stafford
"Take the A Train" by Duke Ellington
"They Say It's Wonderful", recorded by
Perry Como
Frank Sinatra
"To Each His Own", recorded by
Eddy Howard
Tony Martin
The Modernaires with [[Paula Kelly (singer)
The Ink Spots
Freddy Martin & his Orchestra with vocal by Stuart Wade
"We'll Gather Lilacs" by Geraldo and his Orchestra
"Winter Wonderland" by Perry Como
"You Won't Be Satisfied" by Les Brown & his Orchestra with vocal by Doris Day
"You're The Top" by Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra
Other recorded popular music
"Ain't That Just Like A Woman" - Frankie Laine
"Aren't You Glad You're You?" - Bing Crosby
"Black And Blue" - Frankie Laine
"Blue Skies" - Bing Crosby
"Blue Turning Grey Over You" - Frankie Laine
"By The River Sainte Marie" - Frankie Laine
"Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" - Dinah Shore
"Come Rain Or Come Shine" - Dinah Shore
"Crying Won't Help You" - Tampa Red
"The Darktown Poker Club" - Phil Harris
"Frim Fram Sauce" - Louis Armstrong
"A Gal In Calico"- Bing Crosby
"Gee, It's Good To Hold You" - Woody Herman (Frances Wayne, vocal)
"Give Me The Moon Over Brooklyn" - Guy Lombardo & The Lombardo Trio
"I Cover The Waterfront" - The Ink Spots
"I Guess I'll Get The Papers And Go Home" - The Mills Brothers
"Ol' Man Mose" - Georgia Gibbs
"On The Sunny Side Of The Street" - Frankie Laine
"Passe" - Tex Beneke
"Put The Blame On Mame" - Dinah Shore
"September In The Rain" - Frankie Laine
"September Song" - Frank Sinatra
"Seems Like Old Times" - Guy Lombardo
"Seems Like Old Times" - Vaughn Monroe with The Norton Sisters
"Some Little Bug" - Phil Harris
"That Old Black Magic" - Frank Sinatra
"That's What I Like About The South" - Phil Harris
"Time After Time" - Frank Sinatra
"Les trois cloches" ("The Three Bells") - Édith Piaf
"La Vie En Rose" - Édith Piaf
"West End Blues" - Frankie Laine
"When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" - Bing Crosby
"You Keep Coming Back Like A Song" - Bing Crosby
"You Keep Coming Back Like A Song" - Georgia Gibbs
"You Keep Coming Back Like A Song" - Jo Stafford
"Your Father's Moustache" - Woody Herman
"You Won't Be Satisfied Until You Break My Heart" - Freddy Martin
"Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" - Johnny Mercer
Top grossing films
1. The Bells of St. Mary's
2. Leave Her to Heaven
3. tie Blue Skies, Road to Utopia, Spellbound
Academy Awards:
Best Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives - Goldwyn, RKO Radio
Best Director: William Wyler - The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Actor: Fredric March - The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Actress: Olivia de Havilland - To Each His Own
Best Supporting Actor: Harold Russell - The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Supporting Actress: Anne Baxter - The Razor's Edge (1946 film)
Golden Globe Awards:
Best Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Director: Frank Capra - It's a Wonderful Life
Best Actor: Gregory Peck - The Yearling
Best Actress: Rosalind Russell - Sister Kenny
Best Film Promoting International Understanding: The Last Chance (Switzerland)
Films released in 1946
Beauty and the Beast (La Belle et la Bête), directed by Jean Cocteau, starring Jean Marais and Josette Day
The Beast with Five Fingers, starring Robert Alda and Peter Lorre
The Best Years of Our Lives
Beware, directed by Bud Pollard, starring Louis Jordan
The Big Sleep, starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall
The Blue Dahlia
Blue Skies
Boom in the Moon starring Buster Keaton
The Captive Heart, the first Prisoner of War film from World War II
Duel in the Sun
Great Expectations, directed by David Lean
Green for Danger, starring Alastair Sim
The Green Years
The Harvey Girls, directed by George Sidney, starring Judy Garland
It's a Wonderful Life, directed by Frank Capra, starring James Stewart
Ivan the Terrible
Little Giant, starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello
The Jolson Story
Make Mine Music
A Matter of Life and Death, written and directed by Powell and Pressburger
My Darling Clementine
Night and Day
A Night in Casablanca with the Marx Brothers
Notorious, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman
The Overlanders
The Postman Always Rings Twice
The Razor's Edge, starring Tyrone Power
Road to Utopia
Smithy
Song of the South by Walt Disney, combines animation and live action.
The Spiral Staircase
Theirs is the Glory
The Time of Their Lives, starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello
To Each His Own
Tomorrow is Forever
Without Reservations
The Yearling, starring Gregory Peck and Jane Wyman
1946 Musical Hits
The Gypsy-Ink Spots (also Dinah Shore)
Oh! What It Seemed to Be-Frankie Carle (also Frank Sinatra)
Rumors Are Flying-Frankie Carle
To Each His Own-Eddy Howard (also Freddy Martin and The Ink Spots)
The Old Lamplighter-Sammy Kaye
For Sentimental Reasons-Nat King Cole
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!-Vaughn Monroe
Five Minutes More-Frank Sinatra
Prisoner of Love-Perry Como
Old Buttermilk Sky-Kay Kyser
Or Select A Year Below
All rights reserved © Robert Falk, 2007