What Happened in November 1948

Historical Events

  • Nov 1 Mao's Red army conquers Mukden, Manchuria

Election of Interest

Nov 2 US President Harry Truman is re-elected in an upset victory over Republican candidate Thomas E. Dewey

  • Nov 2 WJZ TV channel 13 in Baltimore, MD (ABC) begins broadcasting

NHL All-Star Game

Nov 3 2nd NHL All-Star Game, Chicago Stadium, Chicago, IL: All-Stars beat Toronto Maple Leafs, 3-1; Gordie Howe's first of 23 All-Star appearances

  • Nov 3 Kleggie Hermsen and Bones McKinney each score 17 points as Washington Capitols beat Philadelphia Warriors, 77-70 at Washington Coliseum to win first of 15 straight games to start season; best start in NBA history

Film & TV History

Nov 4 American humorist Will Rogers commemorated by US Postage Service on 3-cent stamp

Nobel Prize in Literature

Nov 4 American-born British poet T. S. Eliot wins Nobel Prize for literature

Hideki Tojo

Nov 12 Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo sentenced to death by war crimes tribunal

  • Nov 12 The first mobile betatron (particle accelerator) begins operation at the U.S. Naval Ordnance Laboratory, White Oak, Maryland
  • Nov 13 "As the Girls Go" opens at Winter Garden Theater NYC for 420 performances

Louis St. Laurent

Nov 15 Louis St. Laurent is sworn in as the 12th Prime Minister of Canada

Mackenzie King Retires

Nov 15 Mackenzie King retires after 22 years as Prime Minister of Canada

  • Nov 17 Britain's House of Commons votes to nationalize steel industry
  • Nov 20 US balloon reaches height of 42.7 km (record)
  • Nov 23 Dr Frank G. Back (NYC) patents lens to provide zoom effects
  • Nov 24 "Bicycle Thieves", Italian film directed by Vittorio De Sica, starring himself and Cesare Zavattini, is released (Honorary Academy Award 1950)
  • Nov 24 WAVE TV channel 3 in Louisville, Kentucky (NBC) begins broadcasting
  • Nov 25 16-inch coastal guns removed from Fort Funston, San Francisco
  • Nov 25 KING TV channel 5 in Seattle, WA (NBC) begins broadcasting

First Polaroid Camera

Nov 26 1st Polaroid camera sold for $89.75 in Boston at the Jordan Marsh department store. The Land Camera model 95 becomes prototype for all Polaroid Land cameras for next 15 years

  • Nov 27 CFL Grey Cup, Varsity Stadium, Toronto: Calgary Stampeders win their first Championship; defeat Ottawa Rough Riders, 12-7
  • Nov 27 Honda 1st opens in America
  • Nov 28 Edited film serial "Hopalong Cassidy" premieres on TV, later becoming the 1st network western series on NBC
  • Nov 29 1st opera to be televised, "Othello", broadcast from the Metropolitain Opera House in New York City
  • Nov 29 KOB TV channel 4 in Albuquerque, NM (NBC) begins broadcasting
  • Nov 29 Puppet TV show "Kukla, Fran, & Ollie" starring Fran Allison debuts on NBC's WNBQ in Chicago, Illinois
  • Nov 30 Baseball's Negro National League disbands
  • Nov 30 Player-manager Lou Boudreau is selected AL MVP
  • Nov 30 Soviets set up a separate municipal government in East Berlin
1948 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Nov 1 Anna Stuart, American actress (Another World, All My Children), born in Bluefield, West Virginia
  • Nov 1 Calvin Russell [Kosler], American blues, roots, and rock singer-songwriter and guitarist (Dream Of The Dog), born in Austin, Texas (d. 2011)
  • Nov 2 Dmitri Smirnov, Russian-British classical composer (Solo for Harp; The; Red Bells), and teacher, born in Minsk, USSR (now Belarus) (d. 2020)
  • Nov 2 Rich Gooch, American rock bassist (Quarterflash - "Harden My Heart"), born in Oregon
  • Nov 2 Víctor Galíndez, Argentine boxer (WBA light heavyweight title 1974-79), born in Vedia, Buenos Aires (d. 1980)
  • Nov 3 Hugh Moffatt, American country music singer and songwriter, born in Fort Worth, Texas
  • Nov 3 Lulu [Marie Lawrie], Scottish singer ("Boom Bang-a-Bang"; "The Boat That I Row"), actress (To Sir, With Love), and television personality, born in Glasgow, Scotland
  • Nov 3 Tom Shales, American Pulitzer Prize-winning television critic (Washington Post, 1977-2010), and author (Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live), born in Elgin, Illinois (d. 2024) [1]
  • Nov 4 Amadou Toumani Touré, Mali politician, President of Mali (2002-12), born in Mopti, Mali (d. 2020) [1]
  • Nov 4 Heber Bartolome, Filipino folk-rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bandurria and kubing player (Banyuhay - "Nena"), born in Cabanatuan, Philippines (d. 2021)
  • Nov 5 Bernard-Henri Lévy, French public intellectual, born in Béni Saf, Oran, French Algeria
  • Nov 5 Charles Bradley, American R&B and funk singer, known as 'The Screaming Eagle of Soul', born in Gainesville, Florida (d. 2017)
  • Nov 5 Hridayananda dasa Goswami, International Society for Krishna Consciousness guru, born in Los Angeles, California
  • Nov 5 Pepper LaBeija [William Jackson], American drag queen and fashion designer, born in The Bronx, New York (d. 2003)
  • Nov 5 Peter Hammill, British singer and songwriter (Van Der Graff Generator; solo - "Patient"), born in Ealing, London
  • Nov 5 Rick Cobb, American hard rock drummer (Bloodrock, 1970-74), born in Texas

Glenn Frey (1948-2016)

Nov 6 American Grammy Award-winning guitarist, singer-songwriter (The Eagles - "Take it Easy"; "Heartache Tonight";"Tequila Sunrise"; solo - "Smuggler's Blues"; "The Heat Is On"), and Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame member, born in Detroit, Michigan

  • Nov 6 Rushton Moreve [Morey], American bass player (Steppenwolf - "Magic Carpet Ride"), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 1981)
  • Nov 7 Alex Ribeiro, Brazilian racing driver, born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil
  • Nov 7 Turner Stephen Bruton, American country songwriter and musician ("Crazy Heart"), born in Wilmington, Delaware (d. 2009)
  • Nov 8 Dale A. Gardner, American naval commander and astronaut (STS 8, STS 51A), born in Fairmont, Minnesota (d. 2014)
  • Nov 9 Alan Gratzer, rock drummer (Reo Speedwagon), born in Syracuse, New York
  • Nov 9 Bille August, Danish director (Best Intentions, Twist & Shout), born in Brede, Denmark
  • Nov 9 Henrik S. Järrel, Swedish politician, born in Stockholm, Sweden
  • Nov 9 Joe Bouchard, American guitarist and bassist, born in Watertown, New York
  • Nov 9 Michel Pagliaro, Canadian rock singer, born in Montreal, Quebec
  • Nov 9 Sharon Stouder, American 100m butterfly swimmer (Olympic gold 1964), born in Altadena, California (d. 2013)
  • Nov 10 Aaron Brown, American broadcast journalist (World News Now), born in Hopkins, Minnesota
  • Nov 10 Mário Viegas, Portuguese actor (The Jew, Divine Comedy, Funeral of Patrao), born in Santarém, Portugal (d. 1996)
  • Nov 11 Robert John "Mutt" Lange, South African songwriter and producer for rock, pop and country artists (Boomtown Rats; AC/DC; Def Leppard; Bryan Adams; Shania Twain), born in Mufulira, Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia)
  • Nov 11 Vincent Schiavelli, American actor (Playroom, Waiting for the Light), born in New York City (d. 2005)

Hassan Rouhani (75 years old)

Nov 12 Iranian lawyer and politician (President of Iran 2013-21), born in Sorkheh, Imperial State of Iran

  • Nov 13 Sheila Frazier, American actress (Gloria-Lazarus Syndrome), born in New York City

Charles III (75 years old)

Nov 14 King of the United Kingdom (2022-) Prince of Wales (1958-2022), born in London, England

  • Nov 14 Ian Stanley, Australian golfer (British Senior Open 2001), born in Melbourne, Australia (d. 2018)
  • Nov 14 Jacob Kohnstamm, Dutch lawyer and politician (Senator, 1999-2004; Undersecretary of the Interior (1994-98; House of Representatives, 1981-82. 1986-94), born in Wassenaar, Netherlands
  • Nov 14 Robert Ginty, American actor (The Paper Chase: Coming Home; The Exterminator), and director, born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2009)
  • Nov 15 Roy P. Dyson, American politician (Rep-D-MD, 1981-2015), born in Great Mills, Maryland
  • Nov 16 Aline Issermann, French director (Amant Magnifiquew), born in Paris, France
  • Nov 16 Bonnie Greer, American-British playwright and critic, born in Chicago, Illinois
  • Nov 16 Chi Coltrane, American pop and new wave rock pianist, singer, and songwriter, born in Racine, Wisconsin
  • Nov 16 Sammy Figueroa, American jazz-funk-Latin-rock session and touring percussionist (Raíces; Chic; Sonny Rollins; Average White Band), born in The Bronx, New York
  • Nov 17 Howard Dean, American politician, Governor of Vermont (1991-2003), born in East Hampton, New York
  • Nov 17 Iain Sutherland, Scottish folk-soft rock vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist (Sutherland Brothers & Quiver - "Arms of Mary"; "(I Don't Want to Love You But) You Got Me Anyway"), born in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland (d. 2019)
  • Nov 17 Jaime Huelamo, Spanish cyclist (Olympic bronze 1972) drug disqualified
  • Nov 17 Tom Wolf, American politician, Governor of Pennsylvania (2015-), born in Mount Wolf, Pennsylvania
  • Nov 18 Andrea Marcovicci, American actress (Berrengers - "Gloria"; Trapper John, M.D. - "Fran"), born in New York City
  • Nov 18 Jack Tatum, American NFL defensive back, 1971-80 (Oakland Raiders, Houston Oilers), born in Cherryville, North Carolina (d. 2010)
  • Nov 18 Ural Nazibovich Sultanov, Russian cosmonaut
  • Nov 20 Jacqueline Hansen, American long distance athlete (world women's marathon record 1974 2:43:54; 1975 2:38:10; Boston Marathon 1973), born in Binghamton, New York
  • Nov 20 John Bolton, American security advisor and diplomat (US Ambassador to UN), born in Baltimore, Maryland
  • Nov 20 Kenjiro Shinozuka, Japanese rally driver who won the Dakar Rally 1997, born in Tokyo (d. 2024)
  • Nov 20 Rance Allen, American gospel singer and musician (Rance Allen Group - Miracle Worker), born in Monroe, Michigan (d. 2020)
  • Nov 20 Richard Masur, American actor (David-One Day at a Time), born in New York City
  • Nov 20 Samuel E. Wright, American stage and screen actor (Enos; Ball Four; The Little Mermaid), born in Camden, South Carolina (d. 2021)
  • Nov 21 Alphonse Mouzon, American jazz musician (Weather Report, Tenacious Records), born in Charleston, South Carolina (d. 2016)
  • Nov 21 George Zimmer, American businessman (Men's Warehouse), born in New York City
  • Nov 21 John "Rabbit" Bundrick, American keyboardist and organist (The Who, The Rocky Horror Picture Show), born in Houston, Texas
  • Nov 21 Leroy "Lonnie" Jordan, American rock keyboardist and vocalist (War - "Why Can't We Be Friends?"), born in San Diego, California
  • Nov 22 Radomir Antić, Serbian soccer defender (1 cap Yugoslavia; Partizan, Luton Town) and manager (Atlético Madrid; Serbia), born in Žitište, Serbia (d. 2020)
  • Nov 23 Bruce Vilanch, American comedy writer (head writer for the Oscars), born in New York City
  • Nov 23 Frank Worthington, English soccer forward (8 caps; Huddersfield Town, Leicester City, Bolton Wanderers) and manager (Tranmere Rovers), born in Halifax, England (d. 2021)
  • Nov 23 Lisa Lindahl, American inventor of the sports bra (Jogbra), born in Montclair, New Jersey [1]
  • Nov 24 Ashok Gandotra, cricketer (in Rio de Janiero Two Tests for India 1969)
  • Nov 24 Spider Robinson, Canadian sci-fi author (3 Hugo, Callahan's Secret)
  • Nov 24 Steve Yeager, catcher (LA Dodger)
  • Nov 25 Jacques P. Dupuis, French Canadian politician
  • Nov 25 Storm Field [Elliot], NY, weatherman (WABC TV, WCBS TV)
  • Nov 26 Claes Elfsberg, Swedish television presenter, born in Stockholm, Sweden
  • Nov 26 Galina Prozumenshchikova, Ukrainian swimmer (Olympic gold USSR 200m breaststroke 1964; silver 100m breaststroke 1968, 72; bronze 200m breaststroke 1968, 72), born in Sevastopol, Ukraine (d. 2015)
  • Nov 26 Krešimir Ćosić, Croatian basketball player, born in Zagreb, PR Croatia, FPR Yugoslavia (d. 1995)
  • Nov 27 Dave Winthrop, American saxophonist (Supertramp, 1970-73), born in New Jersey
  • Nov 28 Agnieszka Holland, Polish actress and director (Europa Europa), born in Warsaw, Poland
  • Nov 28 Beeb Birtles [Gerard Birtlekamp], Dutch-Australian rock guitarist (Little River Band - Diamantina Cocktail), born in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Hans Moravec (75 years old)

Nov 30 Austrian-born American computer scientist ("Mind Children"), born in Kautzen, Austria


Born in 1948

Famous Weddings

Colonel Sanders

Nov 18 KFC founder Colonel Sanders (58) weds his long-time employee Claudia Price

Famous Deaths

  • Nov 9 Edgar Kennedy, American silent and sound screen character actor famous for his 'slow burn' (Laurel & Hardy films; Duck Soup; "Average Man" shorts) and director (From Soup to Nuts), dies of throat cancer at 58
  • Nov 10 Julius Curtius, German Foreign Minister of the Weimar Republic (1929-31) and Minister for Economic Affairs (1926-29), dies at 71
  • Nov 12 Umberto Giordano, Italian composer, chiefly of opera (was Andrea Chénier; Fedora; La cena delle beffe), dies at 81
  • Nov 16 Frederick Gardner Cottrell, American Inventor (electrostatic precipitator), dies at 71
  • Nov 19 Robert Dean Frisbie, American writer of travel literature (Life on Puka Puka), dies at 52

Hack Wilson (1900-1948)

Nov 23 American Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder (MLB single season record 191 RBI 1930; NL HR leader 1926–28, 30; NL RBI leader 1929, 30; Chicago Cubs), dies of internal haemorrhaging at 48

  • Nov 23 Stanner E.V. Taylor, American director and screenwriter (Lucky Jim, Ramona), dies at 71
  • Nov 23 Uzeyir Hajibeyov, Soviet composer who composed the anthem used by Azerbaijan during the Soviet period, dies at 63
  • Nov 24 Raoul Armand Georg Koczalski, composer, dies at 64
  • Nov 25 Charles D. Brown, American actor (Eve Knew Her Apples), dies at 61
  • Nov 25 Kanbun Uechi, karate master (b. 1877)
  • Nov 30 Franco Vittadini, Italian composer, dies at 64