What Happened in December 1965

Historical Events

Gemini 7

Dec 4 NASA launches Gemini 7 with Frank Borman and Jim Lovell - later the focus of the first crewed space rendezvous

Masanori Murakami

Dec 4 San Francisco Giant Masanori Murakami, 4-1 this year, does not renew his contract signing instead with the Nankai Hawks of Osaka for $40,000

Dec 5 Brunswick Records releases "My Generation", the debut album of British rock group The Who, in the UK and Australia
Dec 6 2 trucks crash into a crowd of dancers in Sotouboua Togo, kills 125
Dec 6 Pakistan's Islamic Ideology Advisory Committee recommends that Islamic Studies be made a compulsory subject for Muslim students from primary to graduate level.

Catholic, Orthodox Churches Heal Rift

Dec 7 Roman Catholic Pope Paul VI and Orthodox Patriarch Athenagoras I simultaneously lift mutual excommunications that led to the split of the two churches in 1054 in the Great Schism.

Dec 8 Abe Burrows' play "Cactus Flower" premieres in NYC
Dec 8 Nikolai Podgorny succeeds Mikojan as Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet
Dec 8 Pope Paul VI closes final session of the Second Vatican Council - an influential ecumenical council that significantly modernized church practices

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Dec 9 "A Charlie Brown Christmas", the first Peanuts animated special premieres on CBS in the US

Robinson to Baltimore Orioles

Dec 9 Frank Robinson is traded from the Cincinnati Reds to the Baltimore Orioles

Baseball Outfielder and Manager Frank Robinson

Dec 9 Nikolai Podgorny replaces Anastas Mikoyan as president of Soviet Praesidium
Dec 10 Dutch ends economic boycott of Rhodesia
Dec 10 Michael Leonard and Herbert Martin's musical "The Yearling" opens at Alvin Theater, NYC; runs for 3 performances
Dec 10 Test Cricket debut of Doug Walters v England at the Gabba
Dec 11 Michael Leonard and Herbert Martin's musical "The Yearling" closes at Alvin Theater, NYC, after 3 performances
Dec 11 Robert Wright and George Forrest' musical "Anya" closes at Ziegfeld Theater, NYC, after 16 performances

Sayers Touchdown Record

Dec 12 Chicago halfback Gale Sayers ties NFL record for most touchdowns in a game with 6 in 61–20 victory over San Francisco 49ers at Wrigley Field

Dec 12 Doug Walters makes maiden Test ton in 1st Test, goes on to 155
Dec 12 The Beatles' last concert in Great Britain at Capitol Theatre in Cardiff, Wales
Dec 12 Vivian Beaumont Theater opens at 65th St & Amsterdam Ave NYC
Dec 13 Algerian president Boumedienne visits Moscow
Dec 14 "La Grusse Valise" opens at 54th St Theater NYC for 7 performances
Dec 15 3rd cyclone of year kills 15,000 at the mouths of the Ganges River in Bangladesh
Dec 15 David Heneker and John Taylor's musical "Charlie Girl" opens at the Adelphi Theatre, London; runs for 2,202 performances

Event of Interest

Dec 15 Dutch Queen Juliana opens Zeeland Bridge to Oosterschelde

Dec 15 Gemini 6 launched; makes 1st rendezvous in space (with Gemini 7)
Dec 15 William Eckert replaces Ford Frick as 4th Commissioner of Baseball
Dec 16 Gemini 6 returns to Earth
Dec 16 Pioneer 6 launched into solar orbit
Dec 16 Taufa'ahau Tupou IV becomes King of Tonga

Houston Astrodome

Dec 17 1st concert event at Houston Astrodome: Judy Garland headlines, with The Supremes as opening act

Dec 17 British government proclaims ends oil-embargo against Rhodesia
Dec 17 David Levy begins his search for comets
Dec 17 Dutch government shuts Limburgs coal mine
Dec 17 Largest newspaper-Sunday NY Times at 946 pages (50 cents)
Dec 18 "La Grusse Valise" closes at 54th St Theater NYC after 7 performances
Dec 18 Frank Borman and Jim Lovell splash down in the Atlantic after two week Gemini 7 mission
Dec 18 Kenneth LeBel jumps 17 barrels on ice skates

De Gaulle Re-elected

Dec 19 French President De Gaulle re-elected over François Mitterrand

21st President of France François Mitterrand

"Doctor Zhivago"

Dec 22 "Doctor Zhivago" based on the novel by Boris Pasternak, directed by David Lean, and starring Omar Sharif and Julie Christie, premieres in NYC

Dec 22 Belgian government shuts 6 coal mines
Dec 22 Great Britain sets national maximum road speed at 70 miles per hour
Dec 22 Radio Mil (Domincan Republic) transmitter blown up
Dec 25 The Yemeni Nasserite Unionist People's Organisation is founded in Taiz

North Vietnam Bombing Halted

Dec 25 US President Lyndon B. Johnson orders a halt to bombing operations in North Vietnam, hoping to spur peace talks

"Funny Girl"

Dec 26 "Funny Girl" based on the life of Fanny Brice, with Barbra Streisand closes on Broadway

Dec 26 AFL Championship, Balboa Stadium San Diego: Buffalo Bills beat San Diego Chargers 23-0; repeat previous year's win over SD

McCartney on Pirate Radio

Dec 26 Paul McCartney is interviewed on pirate radio station Radio Caroline

Dec 28 Ballon d'Or: Benfica striker Eusébio wins award for best European football player; first Portuguese national to win, and still only Benfica player

Australia Win Over Spain

Dec 28 Davis Cup Men's Tennis, Sydney: John Newcombe & Tony Roche beat José Luis Arilla & Manuel Santana of Spain 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 to give Australia unassailable 3-0 lead; ends 4-1

"Thunderball"

Dec 29 "Thunderball", 4th James Bond film starring Sean Connery and Claudine Auger premieres in Tokyo, Japan

Dec 29 CBS purchases NFL TV rights for 1966-68 at $18.8 million per year

"My World is Empty Without You"

Dec 29 The Supremes release single "My World is Empty Without You"

Ferdinand Marcos President

Dec 30 Ferdinand Marcos inaugurated as President of the Philippines

10th President of the Philippines and Dictator Ferdinand Marcos

Events in 1965

Famous Birthdays

Dec 1 Chantal Chamberland, Canadian jazz guitarist and vocalist ("The Other Woman"), born in Quebec
Dec 1 Henry Honiball, South African rugby union fly-half (35 caps; Sharks [Natal], Bristol), born in Estcourt, South Africa
Dec 2 Shane Flanagan, Australian rugby league coach (Cronulla Sutherland Sharks NRL premiers 2016), born in Sydney, Australia
Dec 3 Andrew Stanton, American Academy Award-winning animator and film director (Wall-E; Finding Nemo), born in Rockport, Massachusetts
Dec 3 Katarina Witt, German figure skater (Olympic gold ladies singles 1984, 88; World C'ship gold 1984-85, 87-88), born in Staaken, Germany
Dec 3 Steve Harris, American actor
Dec 4 Álex de la Iglesia, Spanish film director (As Luck Would Have It), born in Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain
Dec 4 Rob Smits, Dutch experimental rock drummer (Kong) and album cover artist (Broken Hope), born in The Netherlands
Dec 4 Ulf Kirsten, German soccer striker and manager (49 caps GDR; 51 caps Germany; Dynamo Dresden, Bayer Leverkusen), born in Riesa, Germany
Dec 4 Veronica Taylor [McInerney], American voice actress (Pokemon - Ash Ketchum), born in New York City
Dec 5 Johnny Rzeznik, American singer, songwriter and guitarist (Goo Goo Dolls), born in Buffalo, New York
Dec 5 Wayne Smith, Jamaican reggae musician (Under Mi Sleng Teng), born in Kingston, Jamaica
Dec 6 Gordon Durie, Scottish footballer, born in Paisley, Scotland
Dec 7 Colin Hendry, Scottish soccer defender (51 caps; Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers) and coach (Blackpool, Clyde), born in Keith, Scotland
Dec 7 Jeffrey Wright, American actor (Angels in America, Westworld), born in Washington, D.C.
Dec 7 Todd Kabel, Canadian jockey (Sovereign Award for Outstanding Jockey 1992, 95, 2003-06; Queen's Plate 1995, 2000; Prince of Wales Stakes 2000, 07), born in McCreary, Manitoba (d. 2021)

Dec 8 Carina Lau, Hong Kong actress and singer (Days of Being Wild), born in Suzhou, China
Dec 8 Greg Truitt, American NFL player (Cincinnati Bengals), born in Sarasota, Florida
Dec 8 Teresa Weatherspoon, American WNBA guard and coach (NY Liberty), born in Pineland, Texas
Dec 8 Troy Sadowski, American NFL tight end (Cincinnati Bengals), born in Atlanta, Georgia
Dec 9 Brad Savage, American actor (Red Dawn), born in Livonia, Michigan
Dec 9 Joe Ausanio, American baseball player
Dec 9 Vecepia Towery, American Survivor contestant
Dec 10 (Joseph) "J" Mascis, American rock singer and guitarist (Dinosaur Jr), born in Amherst, Massachusetts
Dec 10 Stephanie Morgenstern, Canadian actress and filmmaker (Remembrance), born in Geneva, Switzerland
Dec 11 Jay Bell, American baseball infielder (MLB All-Star 1993, 99; World Series 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks; Gold Glove Award 1993 Pittsburgh Pirates), born in Eglin AFB, Florida
Dec 12 Laurie Grover-Tavares, American biathlete (Olympics 1994), born in Newark, New Jersey
Dec 12 Russell Batiste Jr., American drummer The Meters, 1989-2000; The Funky Meters, 2000-15; Vida Blue), born in New Orleans (d. 2023)
Dec 13 Marko Mäetamm, Estonian artist, born in Viljandi, Estonia
Dec 13 Stacy Sunny, female pro baseball infielder (Colorado Silver Bullets), born in San Bernardino, California
Dec 14 Craig Biggio, American Baseball HOF infielder (7 × MLB All-Star; 4 × Gold Glove Award; 5 × Silver Slugger Award; Houston Astros), born in Smithtown, New York

Dec 14 Ken Hill, American MLB pitcher (Montreal Expos), born in Lynn, Massachusetts
Dec 16 Chris Jones, outfielder (NY Mets), born in Utica, New York
Dec 16 J.B. Smoove [Jerry Brooks], American actor, comedian and writer (SNL, 2003-06; Curb Your Enthusiasm), born in Plymouth, North Carolina
Dec 16 Melanie Sloan, American attorney
Dec 16 Moe Elewonibi, NFL/CFL tackle (Philadelphia Eagles, BC Lions)
Dec 16 Romallis Ellis, lightweight boxer (Olympic bronze 1988), born in Washington, D.C.
Dec 17 Craig Berube, Calahoo, NHL left wing (Washington Capitals)
Dec 17 Jeff Grayer, NBA guard (Charlotte Hornets, Olympic bronze 1988)
Dec 18 Mick Collins, American punk rocker (The Gories; The Dirtbombs), born in Detroit, Michigan
Dec 18 Tommy Davidson, American actor (In Living Color), born in Greenville, Mississippi
Dec 18 Willie Blair, American pitcher (San Diego Padres), born in Paintsville, Kentucky
Dec 19 (Eugene) Chuckii Booker, American R&B musician, songwriter, and producer, born in Los Angeles, California
Dec 19 Jessica Steen, actress (Earth II, Homefront, Trial & Error), born in Toronto, Ontario
Dec 20 Robert Cavanah, Scottish actor, born in Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Dec 21 Andy Dick, American actor (Matthew-Newsradio), born in Charleston, South Carolina

Dec 21 Anke Engelke, Canadian-German comedian, born in Montreal, Quebec
Dec 21 Gabby Glaser, American alt-rock guitarist and songwriter (Luscious Jackson), born in the USA
Dec 24 Millard Powers, American musician and songwriter, born in Greensboro, North Carolina
Dec 24 Nancy Reno, American WPVA volleyballer who won the demonstration event at the 1992 Olympics, born in Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Dec 24 Winston Moss, NFL linebacker (Seattle Seahawks), born in Miami, Florida
Dec 25 Dmitri Mironov, Russian ice hockey defenseman (Olympic gold 1992; NHL All Star 1997-98; Stanley Cup 1998 Detroit RWs, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins), born in Moscow, Russia
Dec 26 Ben Husaby, American cross country skier (Olympics 1994), born in Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Dec 26 Kathleen Nord, German swimmer (Olympic gold GDR 200m butterfly 1988; World C'ship gold 400m medley 1986), born in Magdeburg, Germany (d. 2022)
Dec 27 Chris Mainwaring, Australian Rules Football wing (All Australian 1991, 96; West Coast Eagles), born in Geraldton, Western Australia (d. 2007)
Dec 27 Gamini Wickremasinghe, cricketer (Sri Lanka wicket-keeper)

Salman Khan (58 years old)

Dec 27 Indian actor (Bajrangi Bhaijaan), born in Indore, India

Dec 28 Colleen Dion, American actress (Brett Gardner-Another World), born in Newburgh, New York
Dec 28 Martine Robine, French journalist and Miss France 1984, born in Comines, Nord, France
Dec 29 (Bryan) "Dexter" Holland, American rock singer-songwriter (The Offspring), born in Garden Grove, California
Dec 30 David Baker, UK cyclist, born in Sheffield, England
Dec 30 Heidi Fleiss, American madam
Dec 31 Gong Li, Chinese actress (Farewell My Concubine), born in Shenyang, China
Dec 31 Johan Rockström, Swedish scientist (Director Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Planetary Boundaries guidelines)
Dec 31 Julie Doucet, Canadian underground cartoonist, born in Montreal, Quebec
Dec 31 Nicholas Sparks, American author (The Notebook), born in Omaha, Nebraska

Born in 1965

Famous Weddings

Tony Hancock

Dec 2 Comedian Tony Hancock (40) weds publicist Freddie Ross (35)

Famous Deaths

Dec 2 Maharajkumar of Vizianagram "Vizzy", Indian cricket batsman, captain, administrator, broadcaster and politician (3 Tests), dies at 59

Joseph Erlanger (1874-1965)

Dec 5 American physiologist (shock therapy-Nobel 1944), dies of heart disease at 91

Dec 6 Alberto Vaccari, Italian Jesuit, and old testament scholar, dies at 90

Dec 9 American Baseball HOF catcher (St. Louis Browns), manager (St. Louis Browns, St. Louis Cardinals), and executive (GM St. Louis Cardinals - 4X World Series champions, Brooklyn Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates), noted for bfreaking MLB color barrier by signing Jackie Robinson, dies of heart failure at 83

Dec 10 Henry Cowell, American pianist, composer (The Tides of Manaunaun; Aeolian Harp), and modern music promoter (New Musical Resources), dies of cancer at 68
Dec 12 Johnny Lee, American actor (Song of the South, The Amos 'n' Andy Show), dies from a heart attack at 67
Dec 13 Robert Frederick Sink, United States Army Officer (WWII, Korean War & Vietnam War), dies at 60
Dec 14 Herman Sandby, Danish cellist and composer, dies at 84
Dec 16 Tito Schipa [Raffaele Attilio Amedeo Schipa], Italian tenor/composer (La Rondine), dies at 77
Dec 16 William Somerset Maugham, English author (Razor's Edge), dies at 91
Dec 20 Egon Freiherr von Eickstedt, German anthropologist (classified human into races), dies at 73
Dec 21 Claude Champagne, Canadian composer, dies at 74
Dec 22 Al Ritz [Albert Joachim], American vaudevillian (The Ritz Brothers), dancer and actor (The Gorilla;, Hi'ya, Chum; Straight, Place and Show), dies of a heart attack at 64
Dec 22 Richard Dimbleby, British journalist and broadcaster, dies at 52
Dec 24 William M. Branham, Christian minister (b. 1906)
Dec 26 Nico Donkersloot, Dutch literary and writer, dies at 63
Dec 27 Edgar Ende, German surrealist painter, dies at 64 [1]
Dec 29 Kōsaku Yamada, Japanese composer (Nagauta Symphony), and conductor, dies of a heart attack at 79

On This Day