Historical Events
- Jan 1 1st woman formally ordained an Episcopal priest (Jacqueline Means)
- Jan 1 43rd Orange Bowl: #11 Ohio State beats #12 Colorado, 27-10
- Jan 1 43rd Sugar Bowl: #1 Pittsburgh beats #4 Georgia, 27-3; Tony Dorsett runs for record 202 yards
- Jan 1 63rd Rose Bowl: #3 Southern California beats #2 Michigan, 14-6
- Jan 1 Belgium reapportions 2,359 communities into 596
- Jan 1 Czech intellects begin Human Rights Group Chapter 77
Ted Turner Suspended
Jan 2 MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspends Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turner for one year due to tampering charges in Gary Matthews free-agency signing
- Jan 3 "The Police Tapes" premiere on New York City TV station WNET, based somewhat on 1960s NYPD officers who worked in its South Bronx
- Jan 3 Former Home Secretary Roy Jenkins announces his intention to be Britain's first President of the European Commission
Apple Incorporated
Jan 3 Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs incorporate Apple Computer, Inc
EMI Drops Sex Pistols
Jan 6 EMI records drop punk rock group Sex Pistols
- Jan 8 Australian Open Women's Tennis: In an all-Australian final Kerry Melville Reid wins her first and only Grand Slam singles title; beats Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat 7-5, 6-2
Tanner Defeats Vilas
Jan 9 Australian Open Men's Tennis: American Roscoe Tanner wins his first and only Grand Slam event; beats Guillermo Vilas of Argentina 6-3, 6-3, 6-3
- Jan 9 Revival of George Gershwin's "Porgy & Bess" closes at Uris Theater, NYC, after 122 performances
Raider Win Over Vikings
Jan 9 Super Bowl XI, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA: Oakland Raiders beat Minnesota Vikings, 32-14; MVP: Fred Biletnikoff, Oakland, WR
- Jan 10 20th hat trick in Islander history - Bobby Nystrom
- Jan 10 Steve Allen's "Meeting Of The Minds", a round table talk-show in which he interviews figures from history debuts on PBS
- Jan 11 France releases Abu Daoud, a Palestinian suspected of involvement in massacre of Israeli athletes at 1972 Munich Olympics
- Jan 11 MLB Chicago Cubs trade outfielder Rick Monday to Los Angeles Dodgers for Bill Buckner
- Jan 11 Poetry's Bollingen Prize awarded to David Ignatow
- Jan 12 "Ipi Tombi" opens at Harkness Theater NYC for 39 performances
- Jan 12 Anti-French demonstrations takes place in Israel after Paris released Abu Daoud, responsible 1972 Munich massacre of Israeli athletes
- Jan 14 "Fantasy Island" starring Ricardo Montalbán and Hervé Villechaize premieres on ABC TV
"Low"
Jan 14 RCA releases David Bowie's 11th studio album, "Low"; the album is the first collaboration with Brian Eno, in what becomes known as his 'Berlin trilogy'
- Jan 15 Coneheads debut on "Saturday Night Live"
- Jan 15 Festac '77, the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture, begins in Lagos, Nigeria
- Jan 16 Cap's H Monahan scored on 2nd penalty shot against Islanders
- Jan 17 Gary Gilmore is executed by firing squad in the Utah state prison, convicted of murder
- Jan 17 KC releases Tommy Davis, ends an 18-year career with 10 teams
- Jan 17 NFL Pro Bowl, Seattle Kingdome: AFC beats NFC, 24-14; MVP: Mel Blount, Pittsburgh Steelers, CB
- Jan 17 Zaire president Mobutu visits Belgium
- Jan 18 Australia's worst rail disaster occurs in Sydney, killing 83 people
Pakistan Defeats Australia
Jan 18 Pakistan cricket all-rounder Imran Khan takes 6 for 63 in the Australian 2nd innings for a match total of 12 to lead his side to an easy 8 wicket 3rd Test win in Sydney
- Jan 18 Scientists identify a previously unknown bacterium as the cause of the mysterious Legionnaires' disease.
Banks Elected
Jan 19 Ernie Banks elected to Baseball Hall of Fame
- Jan 19 Snow falls in Miami, Florida. This is the only time in the history of the city that snowfall has occurred. It also fell in the Bahamas.
- Jan 19 US President Ford pardons Iva Toguri D'Aquino (Tokyo Rose)
- Jan 19 World's largest crowd gathering - the Hindu Kumbh Mela in India attracts a then record 15 million people
- Jan 20 George H. W. Bush ends his term as 11th director of CIA replaced by E. Henry Knoche as acting director
Carter Pardons Draft Evaders
Jan 21 US President Jimmy Carter pardons almost all Vietnam War draft evaders
- Jan 23 $1.5-million Serge Lepage dress exhibited, Paris
- Jan 23 Mini-series "Roots" premieres on ABC
- Jan 24 Massacre of Atocha in Madrid: Five labor lawyers murdered by fascists in Madrid during the Spanish transition to democracy
- Jan 25 30th NHL All-Star Game, Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, BC: Wales beats Campbell, 4-3; MVP: Rick Martin, Buffalo Sabres, LW
- Jan 26 Soviet figure skaters Sergei Shakrai & Marine Tcherkasova are 1st to perform a quadruple twist lift in Helsinki
34th Golden Globes
Jan 29 34th Golden Globes: "Rocky", Peter Finch, & Faye Dunaway win
- Jan 30 8th (final) part of "Roots" is most-watched US entertainment show ever (100 million)
Border's 1st-Class Debut
Jan 30 Allan Border scores 36 in his 1st-class innings (NSW vs Qld)
- Jan 30 Edward W. Stack replaces Paul Kerr ad president of baseball's Hall of Fame
4th American Music Awards
Jan 31 4th American Music Awards: Olivia Newton-John & Elton John win
- Jan 31 Frenchman Francois Claustre freed, after 33 months as hostage in Chad
Baseball Hall of Fame
Jan 31 Joe Sewell, Amos Rusie and Al López elected to Baseball Hall of Fame
- Jan 31 The Pompidou Centre, designed by architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, housing the greatest collection of modern and contemporary art in Europe, is inaugurated in Paris [1]
Famous Birthdays
- Jan 1 Hasan Salihamidžić, Bosnian soccer utility (42 caps; Bayern Munich, 234 games, sporting director), born in Jablanica, Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Jan 2 Brian Boucher, American NHL hockey goaltender, 1999-2013 (Philadelphia Flyers, Phoenix Coyotes, and 5 other teams; NHL modern record for longest shutout streak 332:01, 2003-04) and broadcaster, born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island
- Jan 3 A.J. Burnett, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 2015; World Series 2009; AL strikeout leader 2008; no-hitter 2001), born in North Little Rock, Arkansas
- Jan 3 Lee Bowyer, English soccer midfielder and manager (1 cap; Leeds United; manager Charlton Athletic 2018-19), born in London, England
- Jan 3 Mayumi Iizuka, Japanese voice actress (seiyū)
- Jan 4 Dan Shanahan, Irish hurler, born in Lismore, Republic of Ireland
- Jan 4 David Millar, Scottish road racing cyclist (banned in 2004 for doping), born in Mtarfa, Malta
- Jan 4 Irán Castillo, Mexican actress, born in Veracruz, Mexico
- Jan 4 Tim Wheeler, Irish pop-rock singer-songwriter (Ash - "Shining Light"), born in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland
- Jan 7 Dustin Diamond, American actor (Saved By Bell - "Screech"), born in San Jose, California (d. 2021)
- Jan 7 John Gidding, American architect & TV host (Designed to Sell), born in Istanbul, Turkey
- Jan 7 Michael Kaeshammer, German-Canadian jazz and boogie-woogie pianist, and Juno Award-winning vocalist ("Days Like These"), born in Offenburg, West Germany
- Jan 7 Michelle Behennah, British model, born in Singapore
- Jan 8 Amber Benson, American actress, born in Birmingham, Alabama
- Jan 8 Lee Yoo-jin, Korean actress, born in Seoul, South Korea
- Jan 8 Ron Pederson, Canadian actor, born in Edmonton, Canada
- Jan 8 Ryan Frances, American actor (Trevor-Sisters), born in Los Angeles County, California
- Jan 9 Beth Troutman, American production assistant, born in Concord, North Carolina
- Jan 11 Nadia Turner, American rock singer and television personality (American Idol), born in Miami, Florida
- Jan 11 Shomari Buchanan, American football player, born in Corpus Christi, Texas
- Jan 12 Cade McNown, American College Football HOF quarterback who won Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award 1998 UCLA; Chicago Bears, born in Portland, Oregon
- Jan 12 Piolo Pascual, Filipino actor, born in Manila, Philippines
- Jan 12 Yoandy Garlobo, Cuban baseball player, born in Jovellanos, Cuba
- Jan 13 James Posey, American basketball small forward (NBA C'ship 2006 Miami Heat, 2008 Boston Celtics, 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers [assistant coach]), born in Cleveland, Ohio
Orlando Bloom (47 years old)
Jan 13 English actor (Pirates of the Caribbean, The Lord of the Rings), born in Canterbury, England
- Jan 14 Terry Ryan, Canadian NHL left wing who played in 8 games (Montreal Canadiens, 1996-99), born in St. John's, Newfoundland
- Jan 15 Giorgia Meloni, Italian journalist and right-wing politician (Prime Minister, 2022- present; leader of the Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d'Italia - FdI), 2014-present), born in Rome, Italy
- Jan 15 Simon James Cook, British cricketer, born in Oxford, England
- Jan 17 Ali el Kattabi, Dutch soccer player (Sparta), born in Schiedam, Netherlands
- Jan 17 Kevin Thorn, American professional wrestler, born in Memphis, Tennessee
- Jan 17 Leigh Whannell, Australian screenwriter and actor, born in Melbourne, Australia
- Jan 18 Alina Jidkova, Russian tennis player, born in Moscow, Russia
- Jan 18 Curtis Cregan, American actor, born in Vintage, Pennsylvania
- Jan 18 Richard Archer, British rock singer-songwriter and guitarist (Hard-Fi), born in Staines-upon-Thames, Surrey, England
- Jan 19 Annie Miller, American tennis player (1995 Darmstadt Germany), born in Midland, Michigan
- Jan 19 Cocco [Makishi Satoko], Japanese pop singer, born in Naha, Japan
- Jan 19 Lauren, Cameroonian footballer, born in Kribi, Cameroon
- Jan 19 Nicole [Denisse Laval Soza], Chilean pop singer and guitarist, born in Chile
- Jan 19 Taliesin Jaffe, American actor (Willy-Hail to the Chief), born in Venice, California
- Jan 20 Melody [Nathalie Lefebvre], Belgian pop singer, born in Ronse, Belgium
- Jan 20 Paul Adams, South African cricketer (lefty very unorthodox bowler for South Africa), born in Cape Town, South Africa
- Jan 20 Sid Wilson, American heavy metal turntablist (Slipknot), born in Des Moines, Iowa
- Jan 21 Al Baxter, Australian rugby union footballer
- Jan 21 Jerry Trainor, American actor (Drake & Josh; iCarly), born in San Diego, California
- Jan 21 Phil Neville, English footballer
- Jan 22 Hidetoshi Nakata, Japanese footballer, born in Kofu, Japan
- Jan 22 Jono Gibbes, New Zealand rugby union flanker (8 caps; Chiefs) and coach (Ulster, La Rochelle), born in Henderson, New Zealand
- Jan 22 Simone Menezes, Brazilian-Italian orchestra conductor, born in Brasilia, Brazil
- Jan 24 Lenka Cenkova, Czech tennis player (1995 Futures-Vaihingen-GER), born in Trinec, Czechia
- Jan 26 Justin Gimelstob, American tennis player (Australian Open, French Open mixed doubles 1998; Hopman Cup 1997), born in Livingston, New Jersey
- Jan 26 Leandro Fresco, Argentine ambient-electronic musician, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Jan 26 Vince Carter, American basketball forward (8 x NBA All Star; NBA Rookie of the Year 1999, Toronto Raptors; Olympic gold 2000), born in Daytona Beach, Florida
- Jan 28 Daunte Culpepper, American football player
- Jan 28 Joey Fatone, American pop singer (NSYNC - "Bye Bye Bye"), dancer, actor (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), born in Brooklyn, New York
- Jan 28 Lyle Overbay, American baseball player
- Jan 28 Matt DeVries, American heavy metal guitarist (Chimaira), born in Cleveland, Ohio
- Jan 28 Takuma Sato, Japanese auto racer (Indianapolis 500 2017, 20), born in Tokyo, Japan
- Jan 29 Justin Hartley, American actor (Smallville, This Us), born in Knoxville, Illinois
- Jan 30 Deltha O'Neal, American football player, born in Palo Alto, California
- Jan 31 Jim Kleinsasser, American football tight end, born in Carrington, North Dakota
- Jan 31 Kate Shindle, American actress, born in Toledo, Ohio
- Jan 31 Kerry Washington, American actress (Scandal), born in The Bronx, New York
- Jan 31 Shingo Katori, Japanese actor and singer (SMAP), born in Yokohama, Japan
Famous Divorces
Martin Scorsese
Jan 19 American film director Martin Scorsese (34) divorces Julia Cameron (28) after 1 year of marriage
Famous Deaths
- Jan 1 Roland Hayes, American lyric tenor, arranger, and composer, dies at 89
- Jan 3 Avraham Ofer, Israeli minister of housing, commits suicide
- Jan 3 Benno Stokvis, Dutch attorney/politician, dies at 75
- Jan 5 Onslow Stevens, American actor (This is the Life), dies at 74
- Jan 6 Hanns Lilje, German Lutheran bishop and antifascist (Church und Welt), dies at 77
- Jan 6 Niall MacGinnis, Irish character actor (Curse of the Demon, Helen of Troy), dies from cancer at 63
- Jan 9 Alexey Fedorovich Kozlovsky, Russian composer, dies at 71
- Jan 9 Hal Sawyer, TV host (Sawyer Views Hollywood), dies at 62
- Jan 10 Ruth Wakefield, American inventor who created the Toll House Cookie, the first chocolate chip cookie, dies at 73
- Jan 12 Henri-Georges Clouzot, French director (Les Diaboliques, Truth), dies at 69
- Jan 14 Anaïs Nin, French author (Henry and June), dies of cervical cancer at 73
Anthony Eden (1897-1977)
Jan 14 British Prime Minister (Conservative: 1955-57) and Foreign Secretary, dies of liver cancer at 79
Peter Finch (1916-1977)
Jan 14 British-Australian radio, stage, and BAFTA and Academy Award-winning screen actor (Network; The Nun's Story; Raid on Entebbe), dies of a heart attack at 60
- Jan 16 Leif Panduro, Danish writer ('k Have varnish on traditions), dies at 53
- Jan 17 Gary Gilmore, American murderer executed in Utah at 36, 1st US execution since 1967
- Jan 18 Carl Zuckmayer, German-Swiss-American playwright (Second Wind), dies at 80
- Jan 18 Paul Nordoff, American composer (Every Soul Is a Circus), and music therapist (Nordoff-Robbins method), dies at 67
- Jan 18 Yvonne Printemps, French singer and actress (Paris Waltz, Voyage to America), dies at 81
- Jan 21 John Vincent, American composer, dies at 74
- Jan 21 Sandro Penna, Italian poet, dies at 70
- Jan 21 Zoltan Vasarhelyi, composer, dies at 76
- Jan 22 Pascual Pérez, Argentine boxer (World flyweight champion 1954-60; Olympic gold Flyweight 1948), dies at 50
- Jan 23 Bernard "Toots" Shor, New York restaurateur (Toot's Shor's Restaurant), dies at 73
- Jan 23 Dick Burnett, American musician ("Man of Constant Sorrow"), dies at 93
- Jan 25 Donald Kerr, American actor (Devil Bat, Killer Bats), dies at 85
- Jan 26 Margaret Hayes, American actress (Blackboard Jungle, Robert Montgomery Presents), dies from cancer and hepatitis at 60
- Jan 27 Walter Baldwin, American actor (The Best Years of Our Lives, The Long, Long Trailer), dies at 88
- Jan 28 Burton "Burt" Mustin, American actor (All in the Family, The Andy Griffith Show), dies at 92
- Jan 29 Buster Nupen, South African cricket all-rounder (17 Tests, 50 wickets; one eye only), dies at 75
- Jan 29 Freddie Prinze, American comedian and actor (Chico & the Man), commits suicide by shooting himself in the head at 22
