What Happened in April 1949

Historical Events

  • Apr 3 KQW-AM in San Francisco CA changes call letters to KCBS
  • Apr 3 WLWS (now WCMH) TV channel 4 in Columbus, OH (NBC) begins broadcasting
  • Apr 4 Israel & Jordan sign armistice agreement
  • Apr 4 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) treaty signed in Washington, D.C.
  • Apr 4 WKRC TV channel 12 in Cincinnati, OH (ABC) begins broadcasting
  • Apr 5 60 year old St Anthony's Hospital in Effingham, Illinois, catches fire, killing 77 people
  • Apr 5 Fireside Theater debuts on US television.

South Pacific

Apr 7 Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's musical "South Pacific", starring Ezio Pinza and Mary Martin opens at Majestic Theater, NYC; runs for 1928 performances and wins 10 Tony Awards

  • Apr 9 Revival of Sidney Howard's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1924 stage drama "They Knew What They Wanted", closes at the Music Box Theatre, NYC, after 61 performances
  • Apr 9 UN International Court of Justice holds Albania responsible for incidents in Corfu Channel and awards Britain damages

13th US Masters

Apr 10 13th US Masters Tournament, Augusta National GC: Sam Snead wins his first of 3 green jackets by 3 strokes over Johnny Bulla and Lloyd Mangrum

  • Apr 13 Basketball Association of America Finals: Minneapolis Lakers beat Washington Capitols, 77-56 to take series, 4 games to 2; BAA and National Basketball League merge later that year to create the NBA
  • Apr 13 Philip S. Hench at Mayo Clinc announces discovery of cortisone to treat rheumatoid arthritis
  • Apr 14 International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg's last judgment

Redemptoris Nostri

Apr 15 Pope Pius XII publishes encyclical Redemptoris nostri

  • Apr 16 Stanley Cup Final, Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, ON: 3-peat for Toronto Maple Leafs as they beat Detroit Red Wings, 3-1 for a 4 game series sweep
  • Apr 18 53rd Boston Marathon won by Gösta Leandersson of Sweden in 2:31:50.8
  • Apr 18 Republic of Ireland withdraws from British Commonwealth

Plaque for Ruth

Apr 19 Yankees dedicate a plaque for Babe Ruth

Shoemaker's First Win

Apr 20 Jockey Bill Shoemaker wins his 1st race, in Albany, California

  • Apr 23 Chinese Red army conquers Nanjing
  • Apr 23 Courtesy mail boxes for motorists started in San Francisco
  • Apr 23 Netherlands annexes Elten & Tudderen
  • Apr 24 3rd Tony Awards: "Death of a Salesman" & "Kiss Me Kate" win
  • Apr 25 Friedrich Durrenmatt's "Romulus der Grosse" premieres in Basel
  • Apr 26 Transjordan is officially renamed the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
  • Apr 28 Former Philippine First Lady Aurora Quezon, 61, assassinated while en route to dedicate a hospital in memory of her late husband; her daughter and 10 others also killed
1949 History

Famous Birthdays

  • Apr 1 Gérard Mestrallet, French businessman (Engie), born in Paris, France
  • Apr 1 Gill Scott-Heron, American poet, singer, and pianist ("Whitey On The Moon"; “Johannesburg"), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2011)
  • Apr 1 Paul Manafort, American political consultant (Trump campaign chairman), born in New Britain, Connecticut
  • Apr 1 Sammy Nelson, Irish soccer left back (51 caps Northern Ireland; Arsenal), born in Belfast, Northern Ireland
  • Apr 2 Joseph "Joe" Vitale, American singer, songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist (Roller Coaster Weekend), born in Canton, Ohio
  • Apr 2 Pamela Reed, actress (Grand, Kindergarten Cop, Home Court), born in Tacoma, Washington
  • Apr 2 Paul Gambaccini, American-British disc jockey, born in Bronx, New York
  • Apr 3 Daniel Catán, Mexican composer (Rappaccini's Daughter; Florencia en el Amazonas), born in Mexico City (d. 2011)
  • Apr 3 Eric Kloss, American jazz saxophonist, born in Greenville, Pennsylvania
  • Apr 3 Greg Calbi, American mastering engineer (Eric Carmen; John Lennon; David Bowie; Bruce Springsteen), born in Yonkers, New York
  • Apr 3 Jan Keizer, Dutch pop singer (BZN - "Rhythm of My Heart"), born in Volendam, Netherlands
  • Apr 3 Lyle Alzado, American NFL defensive linesman (LA Raiders) and actor (Oceans of Fire, Hangfire), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1992)
  • Apr 3 Richard Thompson, English singer-songwriter, and guitarist ("Tear-Stained Letter"; "1952 Vincent Black Lightning"), born in Notting Hill Gate, London
  • Apr 4 Larry Lingle, American rock guitarist (The Four Seasons, 1979-93), born in Kansas City, Missouri
  • Apr 4 Michael Fennelly, American musician (The Millennium, Crabby Appleton), born in New York, New York
  • Apr 4 Shing-Tung Yau, Hong Kong-born American mathematician, born in Shantou, Guangdong Province, China
  • Apr 5 John Berg, American actor (Star Trek: Nemesis), born in Wichita Falls, Texas (d. 2007)
  • Apr 5 Judith Arlene Resnik, ast (STS 41D, 51L-Chal disaster), born in Akron, Ohio
  • Apr 6 Jane Actman, American actress (Barbara-Paul Lynde Show), born in New York City
  • Apr 6 Mary Maples Dunn, American college president (Smith College), born in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin (d. 2017)
  • Apr 7 John Oates, American rock guitarist and vocalist (Hall & Oates - "Rich Girl"; "Maneater"), born in New York City
  • Apr 7 Patricia Paay [Anglaia Margareth Paaij], Dutch singer (You Are Not Hip), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands
  • Apr 8 Jim Lampley, American broadcaster (Monday Night Baseball), born in Hendersonville, North Carolina
  • Apr 8 Tom Owen [Rowbotham], British actor (Last of the Summer Wine, 2000-10 - "Tom"), born in Marylebone, London, England (d. 2022)
  • Apr 9 (David Allan) "Chico" Ryan, American rock bassist and singer (Sha Na Na, 1973-98), born in Arlington, Massachusetts (d. 1998)
  • Apr 9 Alex Sadkin, American audio engineer, and record producer (Grace Jones; Thompson Twins), born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (d. 1987)
  • Apr 10 Eric Troyer, American musician (ELO Part II, The Orchestra), born in Elkhart, Indiana
  • Apr 11 Bernd Eichinger, German film producer and director, born in Neuburg an der Donau, Germany (d. 2011)
  • Apr 11 Carl Franklin, American actor (Devil in a Blue Dress), born in Richmond, California
  • Apr 11 Jean-Pierre Bastiat, French rugby union lock (32 Tests; US Dax), born in Pouillon, France (d. 2021)
  • Apr 12 Carol Ross Barney, American architect (1st woman to design US federal building), born in Chicago, Illinois
  • Apr 12 Scott Turow, American lawyer and author (Presumed Innocent), born in Chicago, Illinois

Christopher Hitchens (1949-2011)

Apr 13 English author and columnist (Vanity Fair, New Statesman), born in Portsmouth, England

  • Apr 13 Jean-Jacques Favier, French engineer and astronaut (STS 78), born in Kehl, Germany
  • Apr 13 Philippe Petit, French high-wire artist, born in Nemours, Seine-et-Marne, France
  • Apr 13 Ricardo Zuniño, Argentine racing driver, born in San Juan, Argentina
  • Apr 14 Chris Langham, English comedian and actor (The Thick of It, Help), born in London, England
  • Apr 14 DeAnne Julius, American-English economist
  • Apr 14 John Shea, actor (Honeymoon, New Life, Lois & Clark), born in North Conway, New Hampshire
  • Apr 14 Sonja Kristina [Shaw], English songwriter and actress (Hair; Curved Air), born in Brentwood, England
  • Apr 15 Alla Pugacheva, Russian pop singer, born in Moscow, USSR
  • Apr 15 Craig Zadan, American film producer, born in Miami, Florida
  • Apr 16 Melody Patterson, American actress (F Troop), born in Inglewood, California (d. 2015)
  • Apr 16 Tom Kelly, American songwriter, with Billy Steinberg ("Like A Virgin"; "True Colors"; "I Touch Myself"), and session vocalist, born in Indiana
  • Apr 18 Andrew Powell, British composer, performer, and music producer (Donovan; Kate Bush - "The Kick Inside"), born in Surrey, England
  • Apr 18 Geoff Bodine, American race car driver, born in Chemung, New York
  • Apr 19 Larry Walters, American "lawn chair" pilot, born in Los Angeles, California (d. 1993)
  • Apr 19 Paloma Picasso, French-Spanish businesswoman, jewelry designer (Tiffany & Co.), and perfume maker, born in Vallauris, France

Jessica Lange (74 years old)

Apr 20 American actress (King Kong, Tootsie, American Horror Stories), born in Cloquet, Minnesota

  • Apr 20 Toller Cranston, Canadian figure skater (Olympic bronze men's singles 1976; World C'ship bronze 1974) and painter, born in Hamilton, Ontario (d. 2015)
  • Apr 20 Veronica Cartwright, English-American actress (Invasion of the Body Snatchers), born in Bristol, England
  • Apr 21 Patti LuPone, American stage and screen Tony Award-winning actress and Grammy Award-winning singer (Evita; Life Goes On), born in Northport, Long Island, New York
  • Apr 22 Spencer Haywood, American Basketball Hall of Fame forward (Olympic gold 1968; NBA C'ship 1980 LA Lakers; NBA All-Star 1972–75; ABA All-Star Game MVP 1970), born in Silver City, Mississippi
  • Apr 23 Blair Brown, American actress (Altered States, Molly Dodd), born in Washington, D.C.
  • Apr 23 David Cross, British progressive rock electric violinist (King Crimson, 1972-74; David Cross Band; Radius), born in Turnchapel, England
  • Apr 23 John Miles, British vocalist and musician (John Miles Band - "Rebel"; "Zaragon"; Alan Parsons Project), born in Jarrow, Durham, England (d. 2021)
  • Apr 23 Joyce DeWitt, American actress (Janet Wood-Three's Company), born in Wheeling, West Virginia
  • Apr 24 Véronique Sanson, French singer and songwriter ("Amoureuse"), born in Boulogne-Billancourt, Île-de-France, France
  • Apr 25 Dominique Strauss-Kahn, French economist, lawyer, and politician, born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
  • Apr 25 James Fenton, English poet and journalist, born in Lincoln, England
  • Apr 25 Michael Brown, American musician and songwriter (Don't Walk Away Renee), born in New York City (d. 2015)
  • Apr 25 Vicente Pernía, Argentine soccer right back (7 caps; Estudiantes de La Plata, Boca Juniors), born in Tandil, Argentina
  • Apr 25 Watermelon Slim [William Homans], American blues musician (The Wheel Man), born in Boston, Massachusetts
  • Apr 26 Carlos Bianchi, Argentine soccer forward and coach (14 caps; Vélez Sarsfield, Boca Juniors), born in Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • Apr 26 Jerry Blackwell, American professional wrestler, born in Stone Mountain, Georgia (d. 1995)
  • Apr 26 Jimmy Hall, American rocker (Wet Willie), born in Birmingham, Alabama
  • Apr 27 Doug Sheehan, American actor (Knots Landing, 1983-87 - "Ben": General Hospital, 1979-82 - "Joe Kelly"), born in Santa Monica, California
  • Apr 27 Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Japanese professional wrestler (NJPW/PWF/UWF), born in Iwate, Japan
  • Apr 28 Bruno Kirby, American actor (d. 2006)
  • Apr 28 Indian Larry, American stuntsman (d. 2004)
  • Apr 28 Jerome "Jay" Apt, American astronaut (STS 37, 47, 59, 79), born in Springfield, Massachusetts
  • Apr 28 Paul Guilfoyle, American actor (CSI, Mrs. Doubtfire), born in Boston, Massachusetts
  • Apr 29 Anita Dobson, British stage and screen actress (EastEnders, 1985-88 - "Angie Watts"), and singer ("Anyone Can Fall in Love"), born in Stepney, London, England
  • Apr 29 Eddie Hart, American 100m runner (Olympics, 1972)

António Guterres (74 years old)

Apr 30 114th Prime Minister of Portugal (1995-2002) and 9th Secretary-General of the United Nations (2017-), born in Lisbon, Portugal

  • Apr 30 Phil Garner, American baseball player and manager (Astros), born in Jefferson City, Tennessee
Born in 1949

Famous Weddings

Jacques Plante

Apr 30 Ice hockey goaltender Jacques Plante (20) weds Jacqueline Gagne in Quebec, Canada

Famous Deaths

  • Apr 3 Basil Harwood, English composer, dies at 89
  • Apr 6 Seymour Hicks, British actor and theatrical impresario (Scrooge), dies at 78
  • Apr 6 Stanley Christopherson, cricketer (1884, MCC President during WWII), dies
  • Apr 13 C. V. France, British actor (The Skin Game, Adventure in Blackmail), dies at 80
  • Apr 14 Joseph Augustine Cushman, American paleontologist, dies at 68

Wallace Beery (1886-1949)

Apr 15 American circus performer (Ringling Brothers Circus) and actor (Alias a Gentleman, Dinner at 8), dies from a heart attack at 64

  • Apr 18 Leonard Bloomfield, American linguist (Structural Linguistics), dies at 62
  • Apr 18 Will Hay [William Thomson Hay], British comedian, actor and amateur astronomer, dies from a stroke at 60
  • Apr 19 Stephen Samuel Wise, American Rabbi and President of Zionist Org of America, dies at 75
  • Apr 19 Ulrich Salchow, Swedish figure skater (Olympic gold men's singles 1908; 10 x World C'ship gold), dies at 71
  • Apr 25 Jankel Adler, Polish painter and printmaker, dies at 53
  • Apr 28 Aurora Quezon, First Lady of the Philippines, assassinated at 61