What Happened in October 1947

Historical Events

  • Oct 1 1st helicopter air mail & express service, LA, Ca
  • Oct 1 The F-86 Sabre flies for the first time.
  • Oct 1 US control of Haitian customs & governmental revenue ends
  • Oct 1 William Wister Haines' "Command Decision" premieres in NYC
  • Oct 2 Henry Duffy's musical "Music in My Heart", based on life and work of Piotr Tchaikovsky, opens at Adelphi Theater, NYC; runs for 124 performances
  • Oct 2 New York Yankees catcher Yogi Berra hits the first pinch-hit home run in Baseball World Series history off Ralph Branca in the 7th inning of a 9-8 loss to the Brooklyn Dodgers in Game 3
  • Oct 2 Revised International Telecommunication Convention adopted
  • Oct 3 1st telescope lens 200" (508 cm) in diameter completed
  • Oct 3 Manning Sherwin and Harold Purcell's musical "Under the Counter" opens at Shubert Theater, NYC; runs for 27 performances
  • Oct 3 WMAL (now WJLA) TV channel 7 in Washington, D.C. (ABC) begins

Gionfriddo robs DiMaggio

Oct 5 Brooklyn outfielder Al Gionfriddo makes famous catch off Joe DiMaggio in Game 6 of Baseball World Series; Dodgers beat Yankees, 8-6; catch inspires "back-back-back" expression

1st White House Televised Speech

Oct 5 Harry Truman makes the 1st Presidential address televised from the White House

  • Oct 6 Baseball World Series: NY Yankees beat Brooklyn Dodgers, 5-2 at Yankee Stadium to clinch series, 4 games to 3; 11th championship in team history
  • Oct 7 Larry MacPhail resigns as NY Yankees GM after final game of 4-3 World Series win over Brooklyn Dodgers
  • Oct 9 First telephone conversation between occupants of a moving car and an airplane
  • Oct 9 Julie Styne and Sammy Cahn's musical "High Button Shoes" premieres at the New Century Theatre, NYC (later transferred to the Shubert, then to The Broadway Theatre, NYC; runs for 727 performances

Allegro

Oct 10 Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's musical "Allegro" opens at Majestic Theater, NYC; runs for 318 performances

  • Oct 11 Brazil & Chile break diplomatic relations with USSR
  • Oct 13 1st NHL All-Star Game, Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, ON: All-Stars beat Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-3
  • Oct 13 Children's puppet TV program "Junior Jamboree", later renamed "Kukla, Fran & Ollie" premieres locally on WBKB in Chicago, Illinois

1st Supersonic Flight

Oct 14 Chuck Yeager in Bell XS-1 makes 1st supersonic flight (Mach 1.015)

  • Oct 19 De Gaulles RPF wins French municipal elections
  • Oct 20 HUAC opens hearings into alleged Communist influence in Hollywood
  • Oct 20 Radio rights for the Baseball World Series sell for $475,000 for 3 years

Medea

Oct 20 Robinson Jeffers' play "Medea" adapted from Euripides premieres in NYC

  • Oct 21 Dutch Dakota explodes near Copenhagen, 16 die
  • Oct 21 J.B Priestley's stage drama "An Inspector Calls" opens at the Booth Theatre, NYC; runs for 95 performances
  • Oct 23 Husband & wife Carl Cori & Gerty Cori are 1st spouses to be awarded joint Nobel Prizes for Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of the course of the catalytic conversion of glycogen" (alongside Bernardo Alberto Houssay)
  • Oct 23 NAACP petition on racism "An Appeal to the World" presented to UN
  • Oct 24 Series of forest fires burn over $30 million of timber across the New England States
  • Oct 25 Bradman scores 156 for South Australia v India, 152 mins, 22 fours
  • Oct 25 Manning Sherwin and Harold Purcell's musical "Under the Counter" closes at Shubert Theater, NYC, after 27 performances
  • Oct 25 Sam Breadon sells Cards to Robert Hannegan & Fred Saigh for $4M
  • Oct 26 Maharajah of Jammu & Kashmir accedes to India
  • Oct 26 The British military occupation ends in Iraq

You Bet Your Life

Oct 27 "You Bet Your Life" with Groucho Marx premieres on ABC radio

  • Oct 27 WMAR TV channel 2 in Baltimore, MD (NBC) begins broadcasting
  • Oct 29 Belgium, Luxembourg & Netherlands form Benelux Union
  • Oct 29 Trial of art forger Han van Meegeren begins in Amsterdam
  • Oct 30 23 countries sign GATT agreement in Geneva

Hymnus Ambrosianus

Oct 30 Darius Milhaud's 3rd Symphony "Hymnus Ambrosianus" premieres in Paris


1947 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Oct 1 Aaron Ciechanover, Israeli biologist
  • Oct 1 Adriano Tilgher, Italian politician
  • Oct 1 Dave Arneson, American game designer (Dungeons & Dragons), born in Hennepin County, Minnesota (d. 2009)
  • Oct 1 Jane Dornacker, American stand-up comic, songwriter, rock vocalist (The Tubes), born in Albuquerque, New Mexico (d. 1986)
  • Oct 1 Larry Lamb, British actor (EastEnders; Gavin & Stacey), born in Edmonton, Middlesex, England
  • Oct 1 Mariska Veres, Dutch singer (Shocking Blue), born in The Hague, the Netherlands (d. 2006)
  • Oct 1 Martin Turner, British rock bassist, songwriter and singer (Wishbone Ash - Argus), born in Torquay, Devon, England
  • Oct 1 Rob Davis, British musician and songwriter (Mud - "L'L'Lucy"; Spiller - "Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)"), born in London, England
  • Oct 1 Stephen Collins, actor (Star Trek I, Tattingers), born in Des Moines, Iowa
  • Oct 2 (Frank) "Skip" Konte, American keyboardist, songwriter (The Blues Image - "Ride Captain Ride"; Three Dog Night, 1973-76), and record producer, born in Canon City, Oklahoma
  • Oct 3 Alan Rachins, American actor (Douglas-LA Law), born in Cambridge, Massachusetts
  • Oct 3 Ben Cauley, American R&B trumpeter (The Bar-Kays - "Soul Finger") and Otis Redding plane crash survivor, born in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 2015)
  • Oct 3 Fred DeLuca, American co-founder of the Subway chain, born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2015)
  • Oct 3 John Perry Barlow, American lyricist (Grateful Dead - "Estimated Prophet"; "I Need A Miracle"; "Cassidy"), essayist, internet pioneer, and activist, born near Cora, Wyoming (d. 2018)
  • Oct 4 (Paul) Julien Clerc, French chanson and pop singer-songwriter, and pianist, born in Paris, France
  • Oct 4 Ann Widdecombe, British politician
  • Oct 4 Jim Fielder, American rock bassist (Blood, Sweat & Tears, 1967-74), and session musician, born in Denton, Texas
  • Oct 5 Brian Johnson, British hard rock singer-songwriter (AC/DC - "Back In Black"), born in Dunston, Gateshead, England
  • Oct 6 Aleksandr Stepanovich Andryushkov, Russian colonel/cosmonaut
  • Oct 6 Klaus Dibiasi, Italian diver (Olympic gold 10m platform 1968, 72, 76), born in Hall in Tirol, Austria
  • Oct 6 Paul Martinez, British session bass player and songwriter (Cat Stevens; Robert Plant; Groove Holmes), born in Leicester, Leicestershire, England
  • Oct 7 Philip Malcolm "Pip" Williams, British record producer and arranger (Status Quo; Moody Blues), born in Hillingdon, Middlesex, England
  • Oct 8 Emiel Puttemans, Flemish athlete, born in Vossem, Belgium
  • Oct 8 Sheila Ferguson, American pop singer and songwriter (The Three Degrees - "When Will I See You Again"), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Oct 8 Tony Wilson, Trinidadian rock songwriter, bassist, and vocalist (Hot Chocolate - "You Sexy Thing"), born in Trinidad
  • Oct 8 Yelena Ivanovna Dobrokvashina, Russian cosmonaut (Soyuz T-15a), born in Moscow
  • Oct 9 Isabelle "France" Gall, French pop singer (Donner Pour Donner, Sacré Charlemagne), born in Paris, France (d. 2018)
  • Oct 9 Tony Zappone, American broadcaster and journalist, born in Tampa, Florida
  • Oct 9 William E. McAnulty, Jr., American lawyer (1st African American justice on the Kentucky Supreme Court), born in Indianapolis, Indiana (d. 2007)
  • Oct 10 Giant Haystacks [Martin Ruane], English professional wrestler, born in Camberwell, London, England (d. 1998)
  • Oct 11 George McCorkle, American guitarist, and songwriter (Marshall Tucker Band - "Fire on the Mountain"), born in Chester, South Carolina (d. 2007)
  • Oct 11 Lucas Papademos, Greek economist and Prime Minister of Greece (2011-12), born in Athens, Greece
  • Oct 11 Thomas Boswell, American sports columnist (Washington Post), born in Washington, D.C.
  • Oct 12 Chris Wallace, American newscaster (NBC Weekend News), born in Chicago, Illinois
  • Oct 12 George Lam, Hong Kong veteran Cantopop singer, born in Hong Kong
  • Oct 13 Jerry Trupiano, American sports broadcaster, born in St. Louis, Missouri
  • Oct 13 Sammy Hagar, American rock vocalist ("I Can't Drive 55"; Van Halen, 1985-96 - "Right Now"), born in Salinas, California
  • Oct 14 Al Atkins, British rock singer (Judas Priest, 1969-73), born in West Bromwich, West Midlands, England
  • Oct 14 Bob Kuechenberg, American football guard (6 x Pro Bowl; Super Bowl 1972, 73 Miami Dolphins; First-team All-Pro 1975, 78), born in Gary, Indiana (d. 2019)
  • Oct 14 Charlie Joiner, American NFL receiver (Houston, Cincinnati, San Diego), born in Many, Louisiana
  • Oct 14 Lukas Resetarits, Austrian cabaret artist, born in Stinatz, Austria
  • Oct 14 Norman Harris, American soul, R&B, and disco session guitarist (Philadelphia International; O'Jays; Salsoul Orchestra), born in Danville, Virginia (d. 1987)
  • Oct 15 Lynn Lowry, American actress (Cat People, Crazies), born in East St. Louis, Illinois
  • Oct 16 Bob Weir, American guitarist and singer (Grateful Dead - "I Need A Miracle", "Sugar Magnolia"; RatDog; Dead & Company), born in San Francisco, California
  • Oct 16 David Zucker, American director (Airplane, Naked Gun, Top Secret), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Oct 17 Charles A Ingene, macromarketing researcher
  • Oct 17 Gene Green, American politician (Rep-D-Texas 1993-2019), born in Houston, Texas
  • Oct 17 Michael McKean, American actor (Laverne & Shirley, - "Lenny"; Saturday Night Live, 1994-95; This Is Spinal Tap), born in New York City
  • Oct 18 (John) "JJ" Johnson, American NBA basketball player, 1970-82 (Cleveland Cavaliers, Seattle SuperSonics, and 2 other teams), born in Carthage, Mississippi (d. 2016)
  • Oct 18 Job Cohen, Dutch politician, Mayor of Amsterdam
  • Oct 18 Joe Morton, American actor (Hal-Grady, Abel Marsh-Another World), born in New York City
  • Oct 18 Laura Nyro, American singer-songwriter ("Wedding Bell Blues"; "Stoned Soul Picnic"; "And When I Die"), born in The Bronx, New York (d. 1997)
  • Oct 18 Luc Journet, Belgian physician (Order of Zonnetempel)
  • Oct 18 Paul Chuckle, British comedian
  • Oct 19 Giorgio Cavazzano, Italian comic strip artist
  • Oct 19 Wilbert Hart, American singer (Delfonics - "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)"; "La-La Means I Love You"), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Oct 20 Bernard Lapasset, French rugby union executive (Chairman World Rugby 2008-16; President French Federation of Rugby Union 1991-2008), born in Tarbes, France (d. 2023)
  • Oct 20 Younis Ahmed, cricketer (batted for Pakistan in 1969 & again in 1987), born in Jalandhar, India
  • Oct 22 Edward F. Feighan, (Rep-D-OH, 1983-93), born in Lakewood, Ohio
  • Oct 22 Haley Barbour, American politician, governor of Mississippi
  • Oct 22 Lee Meredith [Judith Lee Sauls], River Edge NJ, actress (Producers)
  • Oct 22 Neil Rolnick, American electronic music composer and educator (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - iEAR Studios, 1981-2013), born in Dallas, Texas
  • Oct 22 Raymond Bachand, French Canadian politician and businessman
  • Oct 23 Greg Ridley, British rock bassist (Spooky Tooth; Humble Pie), born in Carlisle, Cumberland, England (d. 2003)
  • Oct 24 Edgar Broughton, British rocker (Edgar Broughton Band - "Out Demons, Out!"), born in Warwick, Warwickshire, England

Kevin Kline (76 years old)

Oct 24 American actor (Sophie's Choice, Big Chill), born in St. Louis, Missouri

  • Oct 25 Glenn Tipton, British rock guitarist (Judas Priest - "Breakin' the Law"), born in Blackheath, England
  • Oct 25 Mickey McGee, American session and touring drummer (Linda Ronstadt; Jackson Browne; Flying Burrito Brothers; Juice Newton), and songwriter ("I'll Never Love Again"), born in New Orleans, Louisiana (d. 2020)

Hillary Clinton (76 years old)

Oct 26 US 1st Lady (1993-2001), Senator (NY, 2001-09), Secretary of State (2009-13) and 2016 Democratic Presidential nominee, born in Chicago, Illinois

  • Oct 26 Ian Ashley, British racing driver, born in Wuppertal, Germany
  • Oct 26 Marilyn Middleton Pollock, American jazz and blues singer, born in Chicago, Illinois
  • Oct 26 Trevor Joyce, Irish poet (The Poems of Sweeny Peregrine), born in Dublin, Ireland
  • Oct 27 Terry Anderson, American journalist, US hostage held in Lebanon (1985-91), born in Lorain, Ohio
  • Oct 28 Tom Fitzsimmons, actor (Franklin-Paper Chase), born in San Francisco, California
  • Oct 29 Helen Coonan, Australian politician (Senator for New South Wales), born in Mangoplah, Australia

Richard Dreyfuss (76 years old)

Oct 29 American actor (Jaws, Nuts, Mr Holland's Opus), born in Brooklyn, New York

  • Oct 30 Chris Komar, American ballet dancer and artistic director (Milwaukee Ballet, 1969-72; Merce Cunningham Dance Company, 1972-93), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (d. 1996)
  • Oct 30 Timothy B. Schmit, American bass player and singer (Eagles - "I Can't Tell You Why"; Poco - "Cimmarron Rose"), born in Oakland, California
  • Oct 31 Deidre Hall, American actress (Days of our Lives, Our House), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Oct 31 Frank Shorter, American marathoner (Olympic gold/silver-72, 76), born in Munich, Germany
  • Oct 31 Howard Skempton, British experimental and classical composer, pianist, and accordionist (Scratch Orchestra), born in Chester, Cheshire, England
  • Oct 31 Jennifer Hosten, Grenadian radio host and beauty queen (1st black Miss World 1970), born in St George's, Grenada
Born in 1947

Famous Deaths

  • Oct 2 Peter D. Ouspensky, Russian mathematician and philosopher (b. 1878)
  • Oct 4 Max Planck, German physicist, father of Quantum Physics (Planck Constant, Nobel 1918), dies at 89
  • Oct 6 Leevi Antti Madetoya, composer, dies at 60
  • Oct 10 [Joseph Jacinto] Jo Mora, Uruguayan-born American cartoonist, cowboy and illustrator who lived with the Hopi tribe and wrote extensively of his experiences, dies at 70
  • Oct 12 Ian Hamilton, British military commander (Boer Wars, Gallipoli Campaign), dies at 94
  • Oct 12 Nelson Betancourt, Trinidad and Tobago cricket wicket-keeper (WI Test 1930), dies at 42
  • Oct 13 Sydney Webb, English socialist and economist (founded London School of Economics) and husband of Beatrice Webb, dies at 88
  • Oct 24 Dudley Digges, Irish actor (Mutiny on the Bounty, The Invisible Man), dies at 68
  • Oct 26 Canon Edwin Sidney Savage, English rector (b. 1862)
  • Oct 29 Frances Cleveland, American First Lady (1885-89 93-97), wife of Grover Cleveland dies at 83
  • Oct 29 Theodore Holland, British composer, dies at 69