Historical Events
- Jan 1 13th Rose Bowl: Stanford ties Alabama, 7-7
- Jan 1 Brooklyn announces release of future Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Zack Wheat after 18 consecutive seasons with Robins; Wheat hits .324 in final season with Philadelphia A's
- Jan 1 Communist uprising in West Java
Gregory Conquers Julius Caesar
Jan 1 Turkey adopts the Gregorian calendar: December 18, 1926 (Julian), is immediately followed by January 1, 1927 (Gregorian).
- Jan 5 Fox Studios exhibits Movietone
Public Hearing Begins
Jan 5 MLB Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis begins 3-day public hearing on charges that 4 games played between Chicago & Detroit in 1917 had been thrown to White Sox
Octet opus 11
Jan 9 Dmitri Shostakovich' Octet opus 11 premieres in Moscow
- Jan 9 Fire in Laurier Palace cinema in Montreal, 78 children died
- Jan 10 Fritz Lang's silent film "Metropolis" premieres in Berlin
- Jan 10 Howard Lindsay and Bertrand Robinson's stage comedy "Tommy", starring Alan Bunce, Peg Entwistle, and Sidney Toler, opens at the Gaiety Theatre, NYC; runs for 232 performances
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Jan 11 Louis B. Mayer head of film studio MGM announces creation of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Scopes Guilty Verdict Overturned
Jan 15 Tennessee Supreme Court overturns (on a technicality) John T. Scopes' guilty verdict for teaching evolution in the “Scopes monkey trial”, but the law itself remains in force
- Jan 19 British government decides to send troops to China
- Jan 21 1st national opera broadcast from a US opera house (Faust, Chicago)
- Jan 26 Maxwell Anderson's play "Saturday's Children" premieres in New York City
Patterson Defeats Hawkes
Jan 27 Australian Championships Men's Tennis: Gerald Patterson wins his only home title; beats countryman John Hawkes 3-6, 6-4, 3-6, 18-16, 6-3
- Jan 27 Australian Championships Women's Tennis, Melbourne: Esna Boyd wins title after 5 consecutive runner-up finishes; beats Sylvia Lance Harper 5-7, 6-1, 6-2
- Jan 28 Serbian-Croatian-Slavic government of Oezonowitsj falls
- Jan 29 4th German government of Marx forms
- Jan 30 Left wins national election in Thuringen
- Jan 31 Internationall allied military command in Germany disbands
NL Rules on Hornby
Jan 31 NL rules future Baseball Hall of Fame infielder Rogers Hornsby can't hold stock in the St. Louis Cardinals and play for the NY Giants; earns $2,916 dividend on same day
Famous Birthdays
- Jan 1 Calum MacKay, Canadian NHL ice hockey player, 1947-55 (Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens), born in Toronto, Ontario (d. 2001)
- Jan 1 Carl Scheib, American baseball pitcher (at the time [1943] youngest player in MLB history at 16; Philadelphia A’s), born in Gratz, Pennsylvania (d. 2018)
- Jan 1 Doak Walker, American College and Pro Football Hall of Fame halfback (Heisman Trophy 1948; Pro Bowl 1950-51, 53–55; First-team All-Pro 1950–51, 53–54; Detroit Lions), born in Dallas, Texas (d. 1998)
- Jan 1 Juliusz Łuciuk, Polish composer (Hymnus de Caritate; Dzikie wino/ Virgin Ivy), born in Brzeźnica, Poland (d. 2020)
- Jan 1 Maurice Béjart, French choreographer (d. 2007)
- Jan 1 Patricia "Pat" Heywood, Scottish actress (10 Rillington Place, Lucky Feller), born in Gretna Green, Scotland
Vernon L. Smith (97 years old)
Jan 1 American economist and Nobel laureate, born in Wichita, Kansas
- Jan 1 Yuri Grigorovich, Leningrad, choreographer
- Jan 2 David Herbert, publisher
- Jan 4 Barbara Rush, American stage and screen actress (Peyton Place - "Marsha"; It Came From Outer Space; Flamingo Road), born in Denver, Colorado (d. 2024) [1]
- Jan 4 Paul Desmarais, Canadian businessman
- Jan 6 Jesse Leonard Steinfeld, 11th US Surgeon General (1969-73), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 2014)
- Jan 8 Charles Tomlinson, British poet and translator, born in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire (d. 2015)
- Jan 10 Basu Chatterjee, Indian film director (Rajanigandha, Chhoti Si Baat), born in Ajmer, Merwara, British India (d. 2020)
- Jan 10 Gisele MacKenzie [LaFlèche], Canadian singer and actress (Your Hit Parade), born in Winnipeg, Manitoba (d. 2003)
- Jan 10 Johnnie Ray, American pop singer ("Cry"), born in Dallas, Oregon (d. 1990)
- Jan 10 Lee Philips, American actor and director (Peyton Place, Ellery Queen), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1999)
- Jan 10 Otto Stich, Swiss politician, born in Basel, Switzerland (d. 2012)
- Jan 11 John Hayes, New Zealand cricket fast bowler (15 Tests, 30 wickets; Auckland CA), born in Auckland, New Zealand (d. 2007)
- Jan 11 Wilton "Bogey" Gaynair, Jamaican-German jazz saxophonist ("Blue Bogey"; "Kingston Bypass"), born in Kingston, Jamaica (d. 1995)
- Jan 12 Salvatore Martirano, American composer, born in Yonkers, New York (d. 1995)
- Jan 13 Brock Adams, American politician (d. 2004)
- Jan 13 Sydney Brenner, South African biologist known for his contributions on the genetic code and molecular biology (Nobel Laureate 2002), born in Germiston, Transvaal, South Africa (d. 2019)
- Jan 14 Ivan Kalita, Soviet equestrian dressage (Olympic silver 1968), born in Tambov Governorate (d. 1996)
- Jan 14 John Mallard, English medical physicist (developed MRI and PET scans), born in Northampton, England (d. 2021)
- Jan 14 Zuzana Ruzickova, Czech harpsichordist and Holocaust survivor, born in Bohemia, Czech Republic (d. 2017)
- Jan 15 Francis Routh, British organist, composer (Sacred Tetralogy), magazine editor (Composer), educator, and music promoter (Redcliffe Festival), born in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England (d. 2021)
- Jan 17 Donald Erb, American composer known for large orchestral works, born in Youngstown, Ohio (d. 2008)
- Jan 17 Dr Tom Dooley, American humanitarian (d. 1961)
- Jan 17 Eartha Kitt, American singer (Santa Baby), dancer, activist, and actress (Batman - "Catwoman"), born in North, South Carolina (d. 2008)
- Jan 17 Michael Wooller, British TV and film producer (Omnibus), born in Lancashire, England (d. 1996)
- Jan 18 Sundaram Balachander, Indian veena player, born in Mylapore, Chennai, India (d. 1990)
- Jan 20 Geoffrey Atkins, British racquets player (World Champion 1954-72), born in Pune, India (d. 2021)
- Jan 20 Olivier Strebelle, Belgian sculptor, born in Brussels, Belgium (d. 2017)
- Jan 21 Clive Churchill, Australian rugby league fullback (37 Tests; NSW 27 games; South Sydney; RL "Immortal") and coach (Australia 29 Tests, South Sydney), born in Newcastle, Australia (d. 1985)
- Jan 22 (Fletcher) Joe Perry, American AAFC/NFL Hall of Fame fullback, 1948-63, 3X Pro Bowl (San Francisco 49ers; Baltimore Colts), and US Navy veteran, born in Stephens, Arkansas (d. 2011)
- Jan 22 Lou Creekmur, American football player (Detroit Lions) and hall of famer, born in Hopelawn, New Jersey (d. 2009)
- Jan 23 Lars-Eric Lindblad, Swedish-American entrepreneur and explorer, born in Solna Municipality, Sweden (d. 1994)
- Jan 24 Jerry Burns, American football coach (University of Iowa 1961-65; Minnesota Vikings 1986-91), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2021)
- Jan 24 Paula Hawkins, American politician (Sen-R-FL, 1981-86), born in Salt Lake City, Utah (d. 2009)
- Jan 24 Sir Patrick Macnaghten, 11th Baronet, British aristocrat (d. 2007)
- Jan 25 Antônio Carlos Jobim [Tom Jobim], Brazilian singer-songwriter and composer (Getz/Gilberto), born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (d. 1994)
- Jan 25 Fernie Flaman, Canadian Hockey HOF defenceman (Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs) and coach (Northeastern University 1970-89), born in Dysart, Canada (d. 2012)
- Jan 25 Gregg Palmer [Palmer Edvind Lee], American actor (Scream, To Hell & Back), born in San Francisco, California (d. 2015)
- Jan 25 Seung Sahn, Korean zen teacher (Korean line), born in North Korea (d. 2004)
- Jan 26 José Azcona del Hoyo, President of Honduras (1986-90), born in La Ceiba, Honduras (d. 2005)
- Jan 26 William Redfield, American actor (Jimmy Hughes Rookie Cop, Marriage), born in New York City (d. 1976)
- Jan 27 Doretta Morrow, American actress (Because You're Mine), born in New York City (d. 1968)
- Jan 27 Michael Craig [Gregson], American actor (Escape 2000, Vault of Horror), born in Poona, British India
- Jan 27 Nancy Dickerson, pioneering American radio and TV journalist (NBC, CBS), born in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin (d. 1997)
- Jan 28 Anthony Garner, director (Conservative Central Office)
- Jan 28 Don Fraser, American boxing promoter (LA venues; Sugar Ray Robinson, Ruben Olivares, George Foreman; known for colourful wardrobe, offbeat PR gimmicks), born in Blythe, California (d. 2019)
- Jan 28 J D Hughes, Principal (Ruskin College-Oxford)
- Jan 28 Ronnie Scott [Schatt], British jazz saxophonist and club-owner, born in Aldgate, East London, England (d. 1996)
- Jan 28 Roy Caton, American trumpet player and session musician, born in Frackville, Pennsylvania (d. 2010)
- Jan 29 Edward Abbey, American author and environmentalist (Desert Solitaire), born in Indiana, Pennsylvania (d. 1989)
- Jan 30 Ahmed Abdul-Malik [Jonathan Tim, Jr.], American jazz double bassist and oud player (Odetta; Thelonius Monk), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1993)
Olof Palme (1927-1986)
Jan 30 Prime Minister of Sweden (1969-76, 1982-86) assassinated, born in Stockholm, Sweden
Lorraine Warren (1927-2019)
Jan 31 American paranormal investigator (Amityville haunting), born in Monroe, Connecticut
Famous Weddings
Jack Benny
Jan 14 American comedian Jack Benny (32) weds American salesgirl Sadie Marks (later known as Mary Livingstone) (22) at the Clayton Hotel in Waukegan, Illinois, until his death in 1974
Famous Deaths
Juliette Gordon Low (1860-1927)
Jan 17 American activist and founder of the Girl Scouts of America, dies of breast cancer at 66
- Jan 19 Carlota of Mexico, princess of Belgium and empress consort of Mexico (1864-67), dies at 86
- Jan 19 Jim McLaughlin, American Hall of Fame thoroughbred jockey (Kentucky Derby 1881, Preakness Stakes 1885, 6 x Belmont Stakes), dies at 65
- Jan 21 Floris H Verster, Dutch painter/cartoonist/etcher, dies at 65
- Jan 22 John McCausland, American Brigadier General (Confederate Army), dies at 90
- Jan 27 Blessed Jurgis Matulaitis-Matulevičius (Matulewicz), Lithuanian bishop
- Jan 30 Friedrich Ernst Koch, German composer, dies at 64
