What Happened in May 1947

Historical Events

Post-War Constitution

May 3 Japan's post-war constitution goes into effect, granting universal suffrage, stripping Emperor Hirohito of all but symbolic power and outlawing Japan's right to make war

May 5 Mississippi Valley flooding kills 16 & causes $850M in damage
May 5 Pulitzer prize awarded to Robert Penn Warren for his novel "All the King's Men"
May 7 "Kraft Television Theater" premieres on NBC

Japanese Constitution

May 7 General MacArthur approves Japanese constitution

May 7 Paraguayian government unleashes contra revolt

Breadon Talks Down Protest

May 8 A movement among Cardinal players to protest its 1st meeting with Jackie Robinson & the Dodgers is aborted by a talk from owner Sam Breadon

Witold Pilecki Arrested

May 8 Polish resistance fighter Witold Pilecki, who had volunteered to be imprisoned in Auschwitz to gain information about the Holocaust, is arrested by Polish communist police

May 10 "Chocolate Soldier" closes at Century Theater NYC after 69 performances
May 10 72nd Preakness: Doug Dodson aboard Faultless wins in 1:59
May 11 BF Goodrich announced the development of tubeless tire (Akron Ohio)
May 11 Laos accepts constitution for parliamentary democracy
May 13 US Senate approves the Taft-Hartley Act limiting the power of unions

Billie Holliday Arrested

May 16 Billie Holiday is arrested in her New York apartment for possession of narcotics

May 17 "Street Scene" closes at Adelphi Theater NYC after 148 performances
May 18 MLB Philadelphia A's catcher Warren Rosar catches his 147th game without an error
May 22 "Truman Doctrine" goes into effect, aiding Turkey and Greece
May 22 1st US ballistic missile fired
May 23 PC Hooft prize forms for literature
May 25 Coal dust explosion rocks Centralia Coal Co's Mine #5 killing 111 in Illinois

31st Indianapolis 500

May 30 31st Indianapolis 500: Mauri Rose leads for final 8 laps after confused pit messages with teammate Bill Holland to take the controversial victory; race marred by a 41st lap crash that claims life of Shorty Cantlon

May 31 79th Belmont: Ruperto Donoso aboard Phalanx wins in 2:29.6
May 31 Communists seize power in Hungary
May 31 Eastern DC-4 crashes between Ft Deposit & Perryville, Maryland, kills 53
May 31 Italian government of Gasperi forms

1947 History

Famous Birthdays

May 1 Carlos Ward, Panamanian-American jazz and funk saxophonist (B.T. Express; Abdullah Ibrahim; Jazz Composer's Orchestra), born in Ancón, Panama
May 1 Danilo Popivoda, Serbian soccer forward (20 caps Yugoslavia; Olimpija, Eintracht Braunschweig), born in Lovćenac, Serbia (d. 2021)
May 1 Jacob Bekenstein, American-Israeli theoretical physicist (Bekenstein-Hawking radiation), born in Mexico City (d. 2015)
May 1 Jerry Heard, American golfer (5 PGA Tour titles), born in Visalia, California
May 1 Sergio Infante, Chilean poet and writer
May 2 Bill Lowery, American politician (U.S. House of Representatives from California, 1981-93), born in San Diego, California
May 2 James Dyson, British inventor, industrial designer, and entrepreneur (bagless vacuum cleaner; bladeless fan), born in Cromer, Norfolk, England
May 2 Philippe Herreweghe, Belgian conductor, choirmaster (La Chapelle Royale; Collegium Vocale Gent), and period instrument advocate, born in Ghent, Belgium
May 3 Doug Henning, Canadian magician, born in Winnipeg, Manitoba (d. 2000)

Richard Jenkins (76 years old)

May 4 American actor (The Shape of Water, The Visitor), born in DeKalb, Illinois

May 6 Alan Dale, New Zealand born actor (Neighbours), born in Dunedin, New Zealand
May 6 Andy Roberts, New Zealand cricket all-rounder (7 Tests, 1 x 50, 4 wickets; Northern Districts, Waikato, Hamilton & Bay of Plenty), born in Te Aroha, New Zealand (d. 1989)
May 6 Ben Masters, American actor (Vic-Another World, Making Mr Right), born in Corvalis, Oregon
May 6 Martha Nussbaum, American philosopher, born in New York City
May 6 Ronald Rivest, American computer scientist (RSA cryptography), born in Schenectady, New York [1]
May 6 Sandra Fisher, American painter, born in New York City (d. 1994)
May 7 Gary Herbert, American politician, Governor of Utah (2009-), born in American Fork, Utah
May 8 Felicity Lott, British lyric and operatic soprano (We Come To The River), born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
May 8 H. Robert Horvitz, American biologist (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2002 for"genetic regulation of organ development and programmed cell death"), born in Chicago, Illinois
May 8 Phil Sawyer, English rocker (Spencer Davis Group), born in London, England
May 9 Anthony Higgins, British actor (A Walk with Love and Death, Something for Everyone), born in East Northamptonshire, England
May 10 Caroline Cooney, American author
May 10 Jay Ferguson, American rocker (Spirit - "Thunder Island";"I Got A Line on You") and composer (theme for The Office), born in Burbank, California
May 10 Meg Foster, American actress (Sunshine, Cagney & Lacey), born in Reading, Pennsylvania
May 10 Paul Nicholas Young, architect
May 10 Thomas Tessier, American author
May 11 Butch Trucks, American drummer (The Allman Brothers - "Whipping Post"), born in Jacksonville, Florida (d. 2017)
May 12 Catherine "Cat" Yronwode, American writer and editor-in-chief (Eclipse Comics), born in San Francisco, California
May 12 Michael Ignatieff, Canadian politician (Leader of the Liberal Party), born in Toronto, Ontario
May 12 Micheline Lanctôt, American film actor, director and screenwriter, born in Frelighsburg, Quebec
May 13 Edgar Burcksen, Dutch film editor
May 13 Pete Overend Watts, English rock bassist (Mott The Hoople - "All Young Dudes"), born in Yardley, Birmingham, England (d. 2017)
May 13 Robert "Rab" Noakes, Scottish folk-country singer-songwriter ("Turn A Deaf Ear"), born in St Andrews, Fife
May 13 Stephen R. Donaldson, American sci-fi author (The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, Lord Foul's Bane), born in Cleveland, Ohio
May 14 Al Ciner, American rock guitarist (American Breed - "Bend Me, Shape Me"; Three Dog Night - "Joy To The World"), born in Chicago, Illinois
May 14 Dick "Dirt" Tidrow, American MLB pitcher, 1972-84 (Cleveland Indians; New York Yankees and 3 other teams), and executive (Asst GM, San Francisco Giants), born in San Francisco, California
May 14 Jon Landau, American music writer, artist manager, and record producer (Bruce Springsteen; Train; Shania Twain), born in New York City
May 14 Karin Struck, German feminist writer, born in Groß Kiesow
May 14 Tamara Dobson, American actress (Amazons; Cleopatra Jones), born in Baltimore, Maryland (d. 2006)
May 15 Graeham Goble, Australian rock guitarist (Little River Band - Reminiscing), born in Adelaide, Australia
May 16 Barbara Lee, American singer (Chiffons - "He's So Fine"), born in The Bronx, New York (d. 1992)
May 16 Bill Smitrovich, American character actor (Crime Story; Miami Vice; Life Goes On), born in Bridgeport, Connecticut
May 16 Bob Edwards, American Peabody Award-winning broadcast journalist (NPR - "Morning Edition", 1979-2004; Sirius XM - "The Bob Edwards Show", 2004-15), born in Louisville, Kentucky (d. 2024)
May 16 Bob Wagner, American college football coach (University of Hawaiʻi 1988-95), born in Newark, Ohio (d. 2023)
May 16 Darrell Sweet, British hard rock drummer (Nazareth - "Love Hurts"), born in Bournemouth, England (d. 1999)
May 16 Ewald Krolis, Suriname Dutch percussionist and kaseko singer (Caribbean Combo - Mi Kanto Ma Mi De Ete (Fallen But Not Defeated), born in Paramaribo, Suriname (d. 2006)
May 17 John Traicos, cricketer (in Egypt South Africa 1970, Zimbabwe 1992-93)
May 18 Candice Azzara, American actress (Fatso), born in Brooklyn, New York
May 18 John Bruton, Irish politician, Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland (1994-97), born in Dunboyle, Ireland
May 19 Jerry Hyman, American rock trombonist (Blood Sweat & Tears, 1968-70), and chiropractor, born in Brooklyn, New York
May 19 Steve Currie, British rock bassist (T. Rex; Marc Bolan), born in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England (d. 1981)
May 21 Bill Champlin, American Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and producer (Chicago, 1981-2009; Sons of Champlin), born in Oakland, California
May 21 Dorothy Germain Porter, American golfer (US Curtis Cup winning captain 1966), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2012)
May 21 Jiggs Kalra, Indian food writer "Czar of Indian cuisine", born in Punjab region, India (d. 2019)
May 21 Jonathan Hyde, Australian-born actor (Titanic), born in Brisbane, Australia
May 23 Ann Hui, director (Boat People)
May 23 Bernard Comrie, English linguist
May 23 Jane Kenyon, American poet (d. 1995)
May 24 (Robert) "Waddy" Wachtel, American session guitarist, composer and record producer (Warren Zevon; Stevie Nicks; James Taylor; Linda Ronstadt; Jackson Browne), born in New York City
May 24 Albert Bouchard, American musician, singer and songwriter (Blue Öyster Cult - "Don't Fear The Reaper"), born in Watertown, New York
May 24 Cynthia Plaster Caster [Cynthia Albritton], American artist who made plaster casts of celebrity penises and breasts, born in Chicago, Illinois
May 24 Luke Rittner, British art administrator (Arts Council), born in Bath, Somerset, England
May 24 Martin Winterkorn, German automotive executive, born in Leonberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
May 24 Mike Reid, American country singer ("Walk On Faith"), born in Altoona, Pennsylvania
May 25 Karen Valentine, American actress (Love American Style, Room 222), born in Santa Rosa, California
May 25 Mitch Margo, American rocker (The Tokens, The Lion Sleeps Tonight), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2017)
May 26 Darrell Evans, American baseball infielder (MLB All-Star 1973, 83; World Series 1984; AL HR leader 1985; Atlanta Braves, SF Giants, Detroit Tigers), born in Pasadena, California
May 26 Glenn Turner, New Zealand cricket batsman (41 Tests, 2,991 runs @ 44.64; top score 259; chairman national selection panel), born in Dunedin, New Zealand
May 26 Piers Gray, critic/writer
May 26 Sherry Bain, California, actress (Pipe Dreams)
May 27 Branko Oblak, Slovenian soccer midfielder (46 caps Yugoslavia; NK Olimpija, Hajduk Split, Schalke 04, Bayern Munich) and manager (Slovenia 2004-06), born in Ljubljana, Slovenia
May 27 Felix Dennis, English publisher and poet (Dennis Publishing), born in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, England (d. 2014)
May 27 Henry McMaster, American politician, Governor of South Carolina (2017-), born in Columbia, South Carolina
May 27 Liana Alexandra, Romanian pianist and composer, born in Bucharest, Romania (d. 2011)
May 27 Marty Kristian [Vernang] British pop singer, guitarist, and banjo player (The New Seekers - "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing"; Peter, Paul & Marty), born in Leipzig, Germany
May 27 Peter DeFazio, American politician, Rep-D-Oregon (1987-), born in Needham, Massachusetts
May 27 Peter Knight, British folk musician, fiddler, and mandolin player (Steeleye Span; The Wombles), born in London, England
May 28 Leland Sklar, American bass guitarist and session musician (James Taylor; Crosby, Stills & Nash), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
May 28 Lynn Johnston, Canadian cartoonist
May 28 Zahi Hawass, Egyptian Egyptologist
May 29 Anthony Geary, American actor (Luke/Bill-General Hospital), born in Coalville, Utah
May 29 Gene Robinson, American Episcopal Bishop and 1st openly gay priest of any Christian denomination, born in Lexington, Kentucky
May 29 Mark Nelson, American crew member of Biosphere 2, born in Brooklyn, New York
May 30 Jocelyne Bourassa, Canadian golfer (LPGA Rookie of the Year 1972; Canadian Open 1973), born in Shawinigan, Quebec (d. 2021)
May 30 Krishna Das [Jeffrey Kagel], American new age and kirtan vocalist, and record producer (All One), born in Long Island, New York
May 31 (William) "Junior" Campbell, Scottish singer and guitarist (Marmalade - "I See The Rain"), born in Glasgow, Scotland

Born in 1947

Famous Weddings

George Mikan

May 17 NBA center George Mikan (22) weds college sweetheart Patricia Lu Daveny

Famous Deaths

May 1 Sanner, leader of Norger blood bath, executed
May 2 Dorothea Binz, German Nazi war criminal (Ravensbrück concentration camp), executed by hanging for her crimes at 27
May 2 William Moulton Marston, American psychologist (inventor of an early prototype of the lie detector) and writer (co-creator, Wonder Woman), dies at 53
May 5 Ty LaForest, Canadian baseball player, dies at 30
May 8 Harry Gordon Selfridge, American-born department store founder (b. 1858)
May 11 Ture Rangström, Swedish composer, dies at 62
May 14 John Ray Sinnock, US chief engraver (1925-47), dies at 59
May 16 Frederick Gowland Hopkins, British biochemist (Nobel Prize, 1929), dies at 85
May 17 George William Forbes, Prime Minister of New Zealand (b. 1869)
May 18 Hal Chase, American MLB baseball player and manager, dies at 64
May 20 Philipp Lenard, Austrian physicist (Nobel 1905), dies at 84
May 23 Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz, Swiss writer (Le Petit Village), dies at 68
May 27 Ed Konetchy, American MLB player, dies at 61
May 28 August Eigruber, Austrian war criminal, dies at 40
May 30 Georg von Trapp, Austrian WWI submarine commander and inspiration for "The Sound of Music" character, dies at 67
May 30 Sidney Nicholson, English composer, dies at 72
May 31 Adrienne Ames [McClure], American actress (Black Sheep; 24 Hours), dies of cancer at 39
May 31 Henri Casadesus, French violist and composer (Preludes for Viola d'amour), dies at 67

On This Day