What Happened in April 1934

Historical Events

Bonnie and Clyde Murder

Apr 1 Clyde Barrow kills two young highway patrolmen, H. D. Murphy and Edward Bryant Wheeler, at the intersection of Route 114 near Grapevine, Texas. Bonnie Parker's role in the murders helps turn public perception against the gang for good

Babe Ruth's Broadcasts

Apr 5 Baseball superstar Babe Ruth agrees to do three 15-minute broadcasts a week over NBC for a fee of $39,000 for 13 weeks; $4,000 more than his NY Yankees playing contract

  • Apr 6 418 Lutheran ministers arrested in Germany

Gandhi Ends Civil Disobedience

Apr 7 In India, Mahatma Gandhi suspends his campaign of civil disobedience

  • Apr 10 Stanley Cup Final, Chicago Stadium, Chicago, IL: Chicago Blackhawks beat Detroit Red Wings, 1-0 in double OT for a 3-1 series win; Black Hawks' first Stanley Cup
  • Apr 12 Second highest ever wind speed of 372 km/h (231 mph) recorded on Mt Washington
  • Apr 12 The US Auto-Lite Strike begins, culminating in a five-day melee between Ohio National Guard troops and 6,000 strikers and picketers.
  • Apr 13 4.7 million US families report receiving welfare payments
  • Apr 13 US Congress passes Johnson Debt Default Act
  • Apr 16 38th Boston Marathon won by Dave Komonen of Canada in 2:32:53.8
  • Apr 17 Fenway Park in Boston re-opens after a major renovation including a hand-operated electronic scoreboard, though it didn't help the Red Sox who lost to the Washington Senators 6-5
  • Apr 18 1st "Washateria" (laundromat) opens (Fort Worth, Texas)

Shirley Temple's 1st Film

Apr 19 Shirley Temple appears in her 1st feature length film, "Stand Up & Cheer"

Himmler Chief of Police

Apr 20 Heinrich Himmler appointed chief of all German police including the Prussian secret state police

  • Apr 21 Moe Berg, Senators catcher, plays AL record 117th cons errorless game

Little Bohemia Lodge Raid

Apr 22 US Division of Investigation (later the FBI) under Melvin Purvis botch an operation to capture the John Dillinger Gang at Little Bohemia Lodge, Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin, with 2 dead and 4 injured

  • Apr 28 Soccer team Blue White '34 forms
  • Apr 28 Spanish government of Ricardo Samper forms
  • Apr 28 Tigers' Goose Goslin grounds into 4 straight double plays

Home Owners Loan Act

Apr 28 US President FDR signs Home Owners Loan Act

  • Apr 29 Pittsburgh is last major league city to play a home game on a Sunday
  • Apr 30 Austria gets "Austrian fascist" constitution
1934 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Apr 1 Don Hastings, American actor (Capt Video, Bob-As the World Turns), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • Apr 1 Jim Ed Brown, American country music singer (Nashville on the Road), born in Sparkman, Arkansas
  • Apr 1 Vladimir Posner, Russian-French-American journalist who represented and explained the views of the Soviet Union during the Cold War, born in Paris
  • Apr 2 Brian Glover, British actor and wrestler (Alien 3, Kes), born in Sheffield, England (d. 1997)
  • Apr 2 Christopher France, British permanent secretary (Department of Health) (d. 2014)
  • Apr 2 Paul Joseph Cohen, American mathematician (Cohen forcing, Continuum hypothesis), born in Long Branch, New Jersey (d. 2007)
  • Apr 2 Peter Middleton, British permanent secretary (Treasury)

Jane Goodall (89 years old)

Apr 3 British primatologist, anthropologist, and writer (Through a Window: My Thirty Years With the Chimpanzees of Gombe), born in Hampstead, London, England

  • Apr 3 Jim Parker, American football player, NFL guard and tackle (Baltimore Colts), born in Macon, Georgia (d. 2005)
  • Apr 4 Dorothy Grenfell Williams, radio producer and broadcaster, born in Johannesburg (d. 1994)
  • Apr 5 Roman Herzog, President of Germany (1994-99), born in Landshut, Bavaria, Germany (d. 2017)
  • Apr 5 Stanley Turrentine, American jazz saxophonist (Wonderland), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 2000)
  • Apr 5 Tina Maria Stone, runner (1 year distance record of 15,472 miles)
  • Apr 6 Anton Geesink, Dutch judoka (first non-Japanese world champion, Olympic gold 1964), born in Utrecht, Netherlands (d. 2010)
  • Apr 6 Guy Peellaert, Belgian graphic artist, photographer (Rock Dreams), movie poster and album cover designer (David Bowie -"Diamond Dogs'; Rolling Stones - "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll"), born in Brussels, Belgium (d. 2008)
  • Apr 6 Horace Tapscott, American jazz pianist and composer (Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, 1961-98), born in Houston, Texas (d. 1999)
  • Apr 6 Reijo Jyrkiainen, Finnish composer, born in Suistamo, Finland
  • Apr 7 Ian Richardson, Scottish actor (Francis Urquhart in the BBC's House of Cards), born in Edinburgh, Scotland (d. 2007) [1]
  • Apr 7 Swami Shantananda, Hindu Saint, Philosopher, Disciple of Swami Sivananda, Founder of Temple of Fine Arts
  • Apr 7 Victor Feldman, British jazz pianist and drummer, born in London, England (d. 1987)
  • Apr 8 Kisho Kurokawa, Japanese architect (d. 2007)
  • Apr 9 Bill Birch, New Zealand politician (38th Minister of Finance), born in Hastings, New Zealand
  • Apr 10 David Halberstam, American journalist, historian and author (Pulitzer 1964), born in New York City (d. 2007)
  • Apr 10 Zsolt Durko, Hungarian composer, born in Szeged, Hungary (d. 1997)
  • Apr 11 Dame Anne Poole, British chief nursing officer (Department of Health)
  • Apr 11 Mark Strand, American poet, editor and translator (Another Republic), born in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada (d. 2014)
  • Apr 11 Richard A. Garland, artist and photographer (d. 1994)
  • Apr 12 Charlie Robertson, American politician (mayor of York, Pennsylvania 1994-2002), born in York, Pennsylvania, (d. 2017)
  • Apr 12 Heinz Schneiter, Swiss soccer defender (44 caps; BSC Young Boys) and manager (FC Thun, BSC Young Boys), born in Thun, Switzerland (d. 2017)
  • Apr 13 Horace Kay, American soul singer (Tams - "Hey Girl Don't Bother Me"; "What Kind of Fool (Do You Think I Am)"), born in Atlanta, Georgia (d. 1995)
  • Apr 13 John Muckler, Canadian ice hockey coach (Stanley Cup Edmonton Oilers 1990; Buffalo Sabres, NY Rangers) and executive (GM Ottawa Senators), born in Midland, Ontario (d. 2021)
  • Apr 13 Siegfried Matthus, German composer, born in Zadorozhye, Ozyorsky District, Kaliningrad Oblast
  • Apr 14 Bruce Pairaudeau, West Indian cricketer (WI opening bat in 13 Tests, 115 on debut), born in Georgetown, British Guiana
  • Apr 14 Fredric Jameson, American philosopher and cultural theorist
  • Apr 15 Maureen Arthur, American stage and screen actress (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying; The Love God?), born in San Jose, California (d. 2022)
  • Apr 16 Geoffrey Owen, British editor (Financial Times)
  • Apr 16 Richard Kenshaw, British broadcaster, born in London (d. 2014)
  • Apr 16 Robert Stigwood, Australian-British music entrepreneur (RSO Records), stage (Jesus Christ Superstar) and film (Saturday Night Fever; Grease; Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band) producer, born in Adelaide, South Australia (d. 2016)
  • Apr 17 Don Kirshner, American rock & roll producer known as "The Man With the Golden Ear" (invented bubblegum music), born in Bronx, New York (d. 2011)
  • Apr 18 George Shirley, African-American tenor (first African-American tenor to perform a leading role at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City), born in Indianapolis, Indiana
  • Apr 18 James Drury, American actor (The Virginian), born in New York City (d. 2020)
  • Apr 18 Jan Klusák [Porges], Czech contemporary classical and film score composer, born in Prague, Czechoslovakia
  • Apr 18 Mark Kingston, English actor (Intimate Contact), born in Deptford, London (d. 2011)
  • Apr 19 Bob Halloran, American sportscaster (CBS Sports NY) and event organiser (MGM Mirage), born in New Bedford, Massachusetts (d. 2022)
  • Apr 19 Dickie Goodman, American parody singer and producer ("The Flying Saucer"; "Energy Crisis '74"; "Mr. Jaws"), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1989)
  • Apr 19 Jan Helge Guttorm Bark, Swedish trombonist and composer, born in Härnösand, Sweden
  • Apr 20 Lindsay Oliver John Boynton, furniture historian (d. 1995)
  • Apr 20 Robert G. Wilmers, American banker (M&T Bank), billionaire and philanthropist, born in New York (d. 2017)
  • Apr 21 Martin Horton, cricketer, England off-spin all rounder, 2 Tests 1959)
  • Apr 22 Nico Ladenis, Tanganyikan-British restaurateur (Nico at 90), born in Tanganyika, Tanzania
  • Apr 24 Allen Aylett, Australian Rules football midfielder (North Melbourne FC 220 games) and executive (president North Melbourne FC 1971-76, 2001-05; chairman VFL 1977-84), born in Melbourne, Australia (d. 2022)
  • Apr 24 John Barbour, TV host (Real People), born in Toronto, Ontario

Shirley MacLaine (89 years old)

Apr 24 American actress and mystic (Irma la Douce), born in Richmond, Virginia

  • Apr 25 Denny "Scott" Miller, American actor (Wagon Train), born in Bloomington Ind, (d. 2014)
  • Apr 25 Peter McParland, Northern Irish footballer, born in Newry, Ireland
  • Apr 26 Esteban Sánchez, Spanish classical pianist and pedagogue (Badajoz Conservatoire, 1978-97), born in Orellana la Vieja, Spain (d. 1997)
  • Apr 26 Michael McCloskey, American environmentalist and chairman (Sierra Club), born in Eugene, Oregon
  • Apr 28 Lois Duncan, American young adult novelist (I Know What You Did Last Summer), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2016)
  • Apr 29 Luis Aparicio, Venezuelan Baseball HOF shortstop (13 × MLB All-Star; World Series 1966 Chicago White Sox; AL Rookie of the Year 1956; 9 × Gold Glove Award), born in Maracaibo, Venezuela
  • Apr 29 Pedro Pires, President of Cape Verde (2001-2011), Prime Minister of Cape Verde (1975-91), born in Fogo, Cape Verde
  • Apr 30 Gary Colson, American college basketball coach (Valdosta State Uni, Pepperdine Uni, Uni of New Mexico, Fresno State University), born in Logansport, Indiana (d. 2023)
  • Apr 30 Jerry Lordan, English singer and composer ("Wonderful Land"), born in Paddington, London (d. 1995)
Born in 1934

Famous Deaths

  • Apr 4 Braulio Dueño Colón, Puerto Rican composer, dies at 80
  • Apr 5 Salvatore Di Giacomo, Italian poet and songwriter during "Golden Age of Neapolitan Song", dies at 74
  • Apr 7 William Monroe Trotter, American newspaper editor and activist for African-Americans civil rights, dies in a fall from his roof on his 62nd birthday
  • Apr 11 John Collier, English painter (Lady Godiva) and writer, dies at 84
  • Apr 14 Gerald du Maurier, British actor (Power, Escape!, Masks and Faces), at 61
  • Apr 14 Karl Dane, Danish-American comedian and actor (The Big Parade), dies at 47
  • Apr 28 Charley Patton, American Delta blues musician ("Pony Blues"; "High Water Everywhere"), dies of a mitral valve disorder between the ages of 37 and 43
  • Apr 30 William H. Welch, American pathologist who founded John Hopkins Hospital, dies at 75