Trivia

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I  did  not  know  what  they  names the  1st  pants===

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I  did  not  know that JIM  HENSON was  offered  to be the  voice   Yoda  but  turned  it  down===

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Martha Washington

President George Washington’s devoted widow and the nation’s first first lady, Martha Dandridge Custis Washington, died at her Mt. Vernon home on this day in 1802. Here are five things you probably didn't know about Martha Washington....

She Was Already a Rich Widow When She Met George Washington

Martha and George were married on January 6, 1759, and went on to live as a couple until George passed away on December 12, 1799. Although it was the only marriage for George, Martha had been married once before. Her first husband was a wealthy planter named Daniel Parke Custis, whom she married on May 15, 1750. At the time of their wedding, she was just 18 years old, but her husband was in his late 30s. With Custis dying on July 8, 1757, presumably of a heart attack, the marriage could only last for seven years. After his death, she inherited  17,500 acres of land, and over 300 slaves.

She Had Never Been Referred to as “First Lady” in Her Lifetime

Since Martha was married to the first US president, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that she was the country’s first First Lady. But the title was rarely used to refer to the spouse of a president until the 1930s. In fact, in all her life, Martha was never referred to as “First Lady.” Instead, she was commonly addressed as "Lady Washington."  An article published in the newspaper St. Johnsbury Caledonian in 1838, nearly four decades after her death, was the first time she was referred to as “the first lady of the nation.”

She Is One of Only Two Women to Have Appeared on U.S. Paper Money

Women rarely appear on U.S. currency, with perhaps the most well-known being the Susan B. Anthony and Sacagawea dollar coins. But as far as paper money goes, only two women have appeared. The first was Pocahontas, who was featured on a $20 bill in the 1860s. The other was Martha Washington, featured on $1 silver certificates in the 1880s and 1890s. There have been no other women on U.S. paper currency since then.

She Freed George Washington’s Slaves

Under the provisions of his will, George Washington declared that the 123 slaves that he owned were to gain their freedom after his Martha's death. There was a fear that these slaves could revolt and kill Martha in order to gain their freedom early. Fearing for her life, Martha, at the urging of relatives, decided to free her deceased husband’s slaves early. On January 1, 1801, a bit more than a year after George’s death, Washington’s slaves gained their liberty.

She Outlived Two Husbands And Four Children.

Tragically, Martha outlived not only the two men she got married to, but also the four kids she had given birth to. All four of her children were fathered by Custis – she had none with George. Two of the kids died before reaching the age of four, while one passed away at the age of 16.J ohn Parke Custis was her only child to make it to adulthood and get married. However, he too died prematurely, at the age of 26, after having contracted “camp fever” while serving as a civilian aide-de-camp to his stepfather during the siege of Yorktown. After already having witnessed the death of her two husbands and four children, Martha died on May 22, 1802, at the age of 70.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Bonnie And Clyde_2

On May 23, 1934, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow took their last ride in a stolen car and died in a hail of bullets. To mark the anniversary of the death of the notorious lovers-turned-robbers, here are five surprising things you didn't know about Bonnie and Clyde...

Being Bank Robbers Didn’t Make Them Wealthy

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were famous Depression-era criminals in an era that included John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, Ma Barker and Pretty Boy Floyd. They and their gang mostly targeted gas stations, grocery stores and shops, and were known to break open gumball machines for the change. Although they had a reputation as major criminals, oftentimes their take only amounted to $5 or $10. 

"Souvenir" Hunters Flocked to The Scene of Their Death

On May 23, 1934, a six-man posse led by former Texas Ranger captain Frank Hamer ambushed Bonnie and Clyde and pumped more than 130 rounds of bullets into their stolen Ford V-8 outside Sailes, Louisiana.  After dozens of robberies and 13 murders in their name, Bonnie and Clyde's crime spree had finally come to an end. News spread like wildfire when Bonnie and Clyde died in a hail of bullets, and locals arrived at the scene to scavenge souvenirs. According to Jeff Guinn’s book Go Down Together, one man tried to cut off Clyde’s ear with a pocket knife and another attempted to sever his trigger finger before the lawmen intervened.

Bonnie Died Wearing a Wedding Ring—But it Wasn’t Clyde’s

Six days before turning 16, Bonnie married high school classmate Roy Thornton. The couple separated because of his infidelity, and Thornton went to prison for armed robbery in 1929. Soon after, Bonnie met Clyde, and although the pair fell in love, she never divorced Thornton. On the day Bonnie and Clyde were killed in 1934, she was still wearing Thornton’s wedding ring and had a tattoo on the inside of her right thigh with two interconnected hearts labeled “Bonnie” and “Roy.”

The Car They Died in Is Displayed at a Casino

Following the shootout that took the lives of Bonnie and Clyde, the bullet riddled Ford V-8 they had been driving was returned to its former owner before it was stolen, a woman named Ruth Warren of Topeka, Kansas. Eventually, Warren sold the car to to Charles Stanley, an anti-crime lecturer who used it as a sideshow attraction. It ended up in Primm, Nevada, about 40 miles from Las Vegas, where it is now an attraction in the lobby of Whiskey Pete’s Casino, along with other Bonnie and Clyde memorabilia.

Bonnie and Clyde Were Buried Separately

Although linked in life, Bonnie and Clyde were split in death. While the pair wished to be buried side-by-side, Bonnie’s mother, who had disapproved of her relationship with Clyde, had her daughter buried in a separate Dallas cemetery. Clyde was buried next to his brother Marvin underneath a gravestone with his hand-picked epitaph: “Gone but not forgotten.”

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I did  not  know that she  has been  married  before and  had 4 children by her  1st  husband=====

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5 Fascinating Facts About The Brooklyn Bridge_2

Today marks the anniversary of the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge which opened to traffic on May 24, 1883.  To celebrate, the Trivia Today team put together these five fascinating facts you may not know about the Brooklyn Bridge...

27 People Died Building The Bridge

Though the Brooklyn Bridge was a feat of engineering for its time, it came with a cost. 27 people lost their lives during the 14 years that the bridge was under construction. Many died as a result compression sickness (otherwise known as the "bends"), contracted while constructing the bridge towers' foundations under the East River. However, the most bizarre death was actually the first one: John Roebling, the bridge's designer and chief engineer, died suddenly of a freak accident just weeks before construction kicked off. While he was taking a compass reading at the East River, a boat smashed into his foot and crushed some of his toes. Two weeks later, Roebling was dead from tetanus.

There's a Bunker And Wine Cellar Built Into The Bridge

Those looming towers aren't just for show—inside, there are several secrets from the bridge's 135-year-long history. Up until World War I, the city rented out space within one of the towers for wine storage. And in 2006, maintenance workers discovered a Cold War-era fallout shelter still fully-stocked with supplies. Workers found large canisters of water, boxes of crackers, medical supplies, and paper blankets all intended to protect a select few in the event of a nuclear attack.

A Female Engineer Completed the Project

Emily Warren Roebling, Washington Roebling’s wife, stepped in when her husband became ill and took over as a liaison of the project for her husband by overseeing the management, construction and design of the bridge. Progressive for times, she later earned a certificate in law from New York University, which didn’t allow women to attend law school. A plaque located on the bridge honors John A. Roebling, Washington Roebling, and his wife, Emily.

A Rooster Made the First Trip Across the Bridge

Emily Warren Roebling, with a rooster in her lap, was the first person to travel across the Brooklyn Bridge. This was one week before the bridge was officially opened with attendees such as President Chester A. Arthur and the Governor of New York Grover Cleveland attending the ceremony. The rooster rode along as a symbol of luck and victory.

The Name of the Bridge Changed Over The Years

The span across the river from Brooklyn to Manhattan was first called the Brooklyn Bridge back in 1867. It was also called the Great East River Suspension Bridge and the Great East River Bridge. In 1915, the name was officially changed to the Brooklyn Bridge.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About The Oprah Winfrey Show_2

On May 25, 2011, "The Oprah Winfrey Show" aired its final broadcast, ending a 25-year run that won multiple awards over the years. Here are five things you probably didn’t know about “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”

Roger Ebert Convinced Oprah Winfrey to Sign a Syndication Deal

Oprah Winfrey and Roger Ebert went on a couple of dates early in her career, and although their romance never blossomed, something great did come out of the pairing. On Oprah's 20th anniversary special she revealed—for the first time—that Roger Ebert was the person who convinced her to go into syndication…while they were on a date! Naturally, Roger took Oprah to a movie on their first date, and then he treated her to dinner at Hamburger Hamlet. According to Winfrey, Ebert jotted down on a napkin how much money she could make, to which she replied, "Done deal!" 

Her Interview With Michael Jackson is The Most Watched Interview in Television History

On February 10, 1993, Oprah sat down with Michael Jackson for what would be the most-watched interview in television history. The unprecedented live event drew a worldwide audience of 90 million people. Barbara Walters' interview with Monica Lewinsky came in second with 74 million viewers, while The Richard Nixon interview by David Frost came in a distant third with 45 million viewers.

She Was Sued By a Group Of Texas Cattlemen

In 1996, Winfrey admitted that she did not eat hamburgers because of the dangers caused by an outbreak of mad cow disease. A group of cattlemen sued her for defamation, claiming that her comment cost them $11 million in profits. In 1998, the court sided with Winfrey, who declared that "Free speech not only lives, it rocks", and added that she still did not eat hamburgers

The Car Giveaway Came With a Hefty Price

Audience members and home viewers were astonished in 2004 when Winfrey gave all 276 members of her studio audience a brand-new Pontiac G6. The total cost of those cars? Just under $8 million. Those audience members weren’t as happy when they found out they had to pay taxes on it. Although Winfrey paid the registration and sales tax, gift tax still had to be paid to the IRS by the new owners. For members in the studio audience that day, the tax bill for that new car was as much as $6000.

The Show Was Really Successful

“The Oprah Winfrey Show” show received 47 Daytime Emmy Awards before Winfrey decided to stop submitting the show for consideration in 2000. She reportedly wanted to make more room for others in the daytime arena to be nominated, and win. The show aired the final episode in May 2011 after running for almost 25 years. This gives it the distinction of being the longest-running of all the daytime talks shows.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Sonia Sotomayor

On May 26, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Federal Appeals Judge Sonia Sotomayor to be the first Hispanic justice on the Supreme Court. Here are five things you probably didn’t know about Justice Sotomayor...

Justice Sotomayor Saved Baseball

Justice Sotomayor is from the South Bronx, so it isn’t surprising that she is a big fan of the New York Yankees and baseball. In 1995 she ended a 232-day long baseball strike, ruling against the owners in favor of the players.  Some say Sotomayor "saved baseball" after ending a dispute that could have ruined the sport for good. In 2009, she even threw out the first pitch at a Yankees game as part of their celebration in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.

She Wanted To Be Nancy Drew

It was as a child that Sotomayor became intrigued by the law. According to an interview she gave with NPR, one of Sotomayor's main inspirations as a kid was fictional star detective Nancy Drew. "When I was young I wanted to be a detective, like Nancy Drew," she said. Justice Sonia Sotomayor didn't become a teen detective. Instead, she made history.

Her First Judicial Nomination Came From A Republican

According to CNN, Sotomayor spent the first 13 years of her legal career as a lawyer in first the public and then the private sector. In 1992, she received her first judicial appointment from the president, to the US District Court in the Southern District of New York. The president at that time was not a Democrat.  She was appointed to the U.S. District Court by President George H. W. Bush.

Perry Mason Inspired Her To Be a Judge

According to Biography.com, there was a specific moment when Sotomayor decided that she was going to be a judge, and it happened while she was watching Perry Mason, a legal drama from the 1950s and 1960s. She watched as a prosecutor said that he didn't mind losing if the defendant was actually innocent, and then she realized that "if that was the prosecutor's job, then the guy who made the decision to dismiss the case was the judge. That was what I was going to be."

She Has Accomplished a Number of Firsts

Sotomayor was the New York Southern District’s youngest judge as well as the first federal judge in New York who was Hispanic. She was also the first woman who was Puerto Rican that served as a U.S. federal court judge. Upon her appointment as an associate justice to the U.S. Supreme Court by President Barack Obama, she became the first Latina and Hispanic Justice to take a seat on the bench.

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6 Things You Didn't Know About The Golden Gate Bridge_2

On May 27, 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge connecting San Francisco and Marin County, California, opened to the public after five years of construction. Here are 6 fascinating facts you probably didn't know about the Golden Gate Bridge…

The Bridge is Painted "International Orange"

The Navy was initially concerned about visibility for passing ships in foggy conditions, and pressed for black and yellow stripes to be painted on the Golden Gate Bridge. The Army Air Corps pushed for a more festive, candy-cane combination of red and white stripes to make the bridge more noticeable from the air. Ultimately, however, the architects decided on the reddish-orange color you see today after being inspired by the basic red primer coated on the steel beams when they arrived in San Francisco. The official color is named "International Orange" and is the same color used by NASA for astronaut spacesuits.

The Golden Gate Bridge Broke Records

When it was built, the Golden Gate Bridge spanned 4,200 feet and staked its claim as the longest suspension bridge in the world. The bridge held this record until 1964 when it was finally surpassed by the Verrazzano Bridge in New York City. Now, the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge in Japan holds the coveted title.

It is The Top Suicide Location in The World

In August 1937, three months after the Golden Gate Bridge opened, H.B. Wobber became the first of more than 1,500 people to commit suicide by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge. That’s an average of one person less than every three weeks. There are 11 crisis counseling telephones on the bridge that connect to trained suicide prevention counselors, and plans to build a net under the span as a suicide deterrent are being considered.

It’s The 9th “Most Instagrammed” Attraction in The United States

The Golden Gate Bridge was tagged in over 2 million pictures on Instagram, making it the 9th most popular US destination on the app. Disneyland, another iconic California attraction, came in on top with over 8 million tagged posts.

Over 1 Billion People Have Used the Golden Gate Bridge

In February 1985, the one-billionth car was recorded and the driver was even given a hard hat and a case of champagne to celebrate the occasion. The bridge reports that 112,000 vehicles cross it every day.

You Can Tell The Weather By Looking at The Bridge

The construction of the Golden Gate Bridge allows it to expand and contract with the weather, so you can eyeball the day’s temperature just by looking at the bridge. The deck can either fall or rise by up to 16 feet, depending on how warm it is. There's just one problem with using that system to decide if you need a sweater, though: the deck is always about two hours behind the actual weather due to the thermal mass of the bridge.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Volkswagen_2

On May 28, 1937, the government of Germany–then under the control of Adolf Hitler, founded the state owned automobile company, Volkswagenwerk. It was known as “The People’s Car Company.” Here are 5 things you probably didn’t know about Volkswagen.

Hitler Wanted The German Government to Manufacture a Car for The People

As head of the Nazi Party in 1937, Adolf Hitler pushed for a car to be built that the average German family could afford since he realized vehicles were too expensive for the majority of families. He wanted one built that could hold two adults and three children, reach a minimum speed of 60 mph, and be priced around that of a motorcycle. Although it was challenging to invent, Volkswagen changed the way Germans and others around the world lived by being practical and affordable.

Ferdinand Porsche Designed The Beetle

Volkswagen's success wouldn't have been possible without the mastery and talent of Ferdinand Porsche. Porsche, the developer of one of the world’s most popular sports cars, and his son, designed the Volkswagen Beetle. His main objectives were to design a vehicle that was inexpensive to purchase and repair, and had an air-cooled engine. It only took him 10 months to come up with a working prototype of the first Volkswagen vehicle.This car was called the Type 1, more commonly referred to as the Beetle. It has become the foundation for Volkswagen's success. It is approximated that there have been over 25 million Beetles sold worldwide. It is one of the highest selling vehicles in the world, all thanks to Ferdinand Porsche.

It Isn’t Called the Beetle Worldwide

The Volkswagen Beetle wasn’t called a Beetle at first, but the name became popular after it was referred to by that name in 1938 in an article published by The New York Times. In France, it is called the French word for ladybug; in Italian, it translates to Beetle, just as in the United States. The nickname in Bolivia is turtle; and in Indonesia, it is called the frog.

The Advertising for the Beetle Was Eye-Catching and Hilarious

Volkswagen’s “Think Small” ad campaign for the Beetle was revolutionary in the advertising industry and left people laughing and heading to the nearest salesroom. Advertised as the slowest fastback, easy to push and a car that made your house look bigger, people couldn’t help but continue reading the advertisements.  In 1969, Volkswagen even ran a print ad with the tag line, "It's Ugly, but It Gets You There."

Their Cars Are Named After Winds

Many of Volkswagen's most famous models are named after winds. Volkswagen has had a long history of naming their vehicles after oceanic currents.  For example, The Golf refers to the Gulf Stream, Jetta is German for "jet stream," Passat means "trade wind," the Scirocco is named after Sirocco, a Mediterranean wind, and the Polo references polar winds. 

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I did  not  know that many of the  names  are  after  winds====

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6 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Bob Hope_2

On this day in 2003, Bob Hope turned 100 years old.  Dubbed “Mr. Entertainment” and the “King of Comedy,” Hope died less than two months after his 100th birthday celebration. Here are 6 things you probably didn't know about Bob Hope…

Hope Had 35 Official State Birthday Honors

In honor of Hope's 100th birthday, 35 states, including California, declared May 29 as Bob Hope Day (or a similar name). Hope, though, was in rather poor health and had also been having trouble with his hearing and sight. Some of his children went to the Hollywood celebration in his place.

He Was a Harlem Globetrotter

Hope was named an honorary Globetrotter in 1977, receiving jersey number 1.  He accepted the honor in typical Hope style by joking, "To be perfectly frank, I deserve to be a Globetrotter ...The Trotters are famed for making baskets. I’ve been making baskets myself lately, and if the psychiatrists let me out for an hour, I’ll be there for your presentation.”

He Spent 48 Christmases Overseas

Bob Hope and his wife, Dolores, had four children named Linda, Anthony, William and Eleanora, but he missed spending 48 Christmases with them. He spent those holidays performing with the USO overseas entertaining the troops, beginning in 1942 during World War II. His Christmas show from Vietnam in 1972, is one of the most popular, and his last show was in 1990 and broadcast from Bermuda.

Without Bob Hope, There Would Have Been No Tony Bennett.

Singer Tony Bennett is so ubiquitous now that it's hard to imagine a time when he was struggling. But there was a time like that, and Bob Hope was the one who got Bennett out of that trap. Bennett had been working under the stage name of Joe Barry, and while his voice was good, the name seemed off. Hope advised him to choose a stage name closer to his birth name (Benedetto) and came up with Tony Bennett. 

Tiger Woods Played Golf With Hope at Age Two

In 1978, Earl Woods brought his 2-year-old son, Tiger, to “The Mike Douglas Show” to compete in a putting contest as Bob Hope and actor Jimmy Stewart looked on. The little boy missed the first put and made the audience laugh when he moved the ball to within several inches of the hole for his second try. At 21, when he was the hottest golf player in the country, Hope called to ask if he would play at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic but was turned down because of a scheduling conflict.

“Gilligan’s Island” Might Not Have Happened Except for Hope

Sherwood Schwartz was in school studying for a biology degree but needed a job, so he wrote jokes for Bob Hope, who had a radio program. Hope liked Schwartz’s jokes so much he hired him as a member of his writing staff. That was just the beginning because Schwartz went on to create “Gilligan’s Island” and “The Brady Bunch” as well as write for popular comedian Red Skelton. Schwartz described his rise in Hollywood as an accident his whole life.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About The Lincoln Memorial

On May 30, 1922, former President William Howard Taft dedicated the Lincoln Memorial to honor the memory and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. Here are 5 things you probably didn't know about this iconic monument...

There Are 36 Columns

The temple is surrounded by 36 Doric columns, each representing a state in the Union at the time of Lincoln’s assassination. The symbolism being that without the columns, the roof would fall; just like without the states, the nation would fall. Until the year 2008, the image of the Lincoln Memorial was seen on the back side of the U.S. penny.

Urban Legend Says He’s Signing

Take a good look at Lincoln's hands at the memorial. They appear to be in different positions, and smart visitors have noticed that one hand is in a position that looks like the letter "A" in sign language, while the other looks a lot like the letter "L" -- as in Abraham Lincoln. Officially, this is just a coincidence. However, it's a nice story to ponder because Lincoln was the president who signed the charter for Gallaudet University, a university dedicated to teaching deaf students. Another popular myth is that there is a face hidden in the back of Lincoln’s hair, meant to immortalize the designer Daniel Chester French.

40% of The Monument is Underground

When viewers bask in the 99-foot-tall, 202-foot-wide Lincoln Memorial, they’re really only seeing a little more than half of the construction. What many people do not know is that about 40% of the monument is actually underground. Rooted beneath the ground is the piece’s foundation, which extends 66 feet into the earth at its deepest point to help support the weight of the massive and heavy memorial site.

Construction Began on Abe’s Birthday

Wouldn’t you love a giant memorial for your birthday? That’s exactly what architects Daniel Chester French and Henry Bacon gave Abraham on February 12, 1914. Ground broke for the project 49 years after his death. In total, the construction took eight years, with work slowing during World War I due to material shortages. The memorial opened in 1922, just in time for a 78-year-old Robert Todd Lincoln -- the president's son -- to see the unveiling.

Four Score And Seven Steps

It’s an impressive climb up the staircase to the chamber of the Lincoln Memorial, but perhaps you didn’t know that it’s also a very fitting climb. The ascent from the lip of the Reflecting Pool into the temple itself clocks in at exactly 87, or "fourscore and seven," marble steps.  In other words, four score and seven steps, reminiscent of the celebrated start of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Examine these steps closely as you climb; halfway up the staircase there’s a marked stone where Martin Luther King, Jr. stood while delivering his “I Have a Dream” speech.

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I did  not  know  that  the 36 columns  of the  monument  represented the  36  states  in the  union  when  LINCLON  was  shot====

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5 Huge Facts You Didn't Know About Big Ben

On May 31, 1859, Big Ben located at the top of the 320-foot-high Elizabeth Tower, rang out over the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London, for the first time.  Here are five facts you probably didn't know about Big Ben...

Big Ben Is the Name of the Bell, Not the Tower or Clock

Those who've seen London only from TV sets and movie theaters know of Big Ben as that huge tower with the clock face on it.  But "Big Ben" is actually the name of just the bell inside. The clock is named the Great Clock of Westminster, and the tower has been known at different times as the Clock Tower, St. Stephen's Tower, and the Elizabeth Tower. The structure was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012, in honor of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

The Bell Isn’t the Original

The original bell was cast by Warners of Norton, weighed 16.5 tons, and was shipped to London to be installed when the clock tower was completed. Testing of the clock went on in the meantime and was fine until the designer, Edmund Beckett Denison, changed the hammer to a much larger one. This decision caused the original bell to break, and the pieces were melted down. A new bell was cast from the melted remains of the original one, but two months later, that bell broke too. The problem was solved when the bell was turned a quarter clockwise and chimed with an even lighter hammer.

Money Makes The Time Accurate

Money may make the world go round, but it also makes the clock on Big Ben keep accurate time. Old British pennies are stacked on top of the clock’s pendulum to balance it, which makes its timekeeping more consistent and steadies its swing. By adding or taking away one of the coins changes the accuracy of the clock by 2/5ths of a second.

The Clock Survived a Nazi Bombing

During World War II, the Nazis bombed central and southern England for two years, a sustained campaign known as the Blitz. One of these runs in 1941 managed to hit the building that housed the parliament and damaged the roof over Big Ben, as well as some of its dials. However, the clock kept working even though much of the structure around it needed repair. Unfortunately, the clock didn't do so well in 1949, when a flock of birds decided to rest on the clock's minute hand. Apparently, so many of them landed on the minute hand, their weight slowed the clock down enough that it became four and one half minutes slow.

Big Ben Has Been Eerily Quiet Since 2017

It shouldn't be a surprise that Big Ben occasionally needs major maintenance and refurbishing, but this latest round is a big one. Workers have been in the middle of a restoration project on the clock and tower since 2017, and as part of the project, Big Ben's regular daily chimes have stopped. This is because the loud chimes could put the workers at risk (you really don't want to be that close to the chimes because of the volume). The clock will still chime on special occasions like New Year's Eve, but until at least 2021, the clock will remain mostly silent.

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5 Shocking Facts You Didn't Know About Marilyn Monroe

Norma Jeane Mortenson, who would become better known around the world as Marilyn Monroe–was born on this day in 1926. Here are five interesting facts that even the paparazzi didn't know about Marilyn Monroe...

Monroe Changed Her Name a Number of Times

Born in Los Angeles on June 1, 1926, Monroe's birth certificate bore the name Norma Jeane Mortensen, but she was baptized Norma Jeane Baker. In her 20s, she modeled under the names Jean Norman and Mona Monroe. Once she became an actress, her initial idea for a screen name was Jean Adair, and she would sign into hotels as Zelda Zonk. She unofficially changed her name to Marilyn Monroe in 1946 but didn't legally change it until Feb. 23, 1956.

Hugh Hefner Snagged a Spot Next to Her for Eternity.

Monroe famously graced the cover of the first ever Playboy magazine, and though she and Hefner never met in life, they'll be spending eternity next to each other in Westwood Cemetery in Hollywood. The plots next to Monroe have quite the history—Joe DiMaggio originally owned the crypt above her but sold it after their divorce. Hefner bought the plot from a private seller who realized that the spot in the crypt next to Monroe could fetch a good price. The Los Angeles Times reported that Hefner paid $75,000 to buy the drawer next to Monroe's in a Los Angeles mausoleum, where her crypt is often marked by the lipstick kisses of her fans.

ps:He obviously has never read the Bible!!

Britney Spears Owns a Pair of Her Levis.

Marilyn Monroe's closet has a history of selling for some pretty insane prices. Her spangled dress worn while singing "Happy Birthday" to John F. Kennedy sold for well over $1.2 million, and her iconic white dress worn in The Seven-Year Itch sold for a whopping $4.6 million at a Beverly Hills auction. Tommy Hilfiger bought a pair of her Levis for over $40,000 and then gifted them to a young Britney Spears during a photo shoot.  

She Helped Make Ella Fitzgerald a Star

Initially, Ella Fitzgerald couldn’t get a booking at the Hollywood nightclub, Mocambo, because of her race. Being on of her biggest fans, Marilyn  Monroe called the owner of popular Hollywood nightclub Mocambo and asked them to book Ella Fitzgerald. In return, the famous actress promised to take a front table at the club every night — and she did, helping to propel Fitzgerald's legendary music career. 

She Only Got $50 for Her Nude Photographs

Marilyn Monroe was only paid $50 for the famous nude photographs that appeared in Playboy Magazine. These photos were originally taken in 1949 by photographer Tom Kelley and were used to be in the calendar. Hugh Hefner bought the photographs years later for $500 and used them in the inaugural issue of Playboy Magazine and went on to make millions from the photographs.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Queen Elizabeth_4

On June 2, 1953, Queen Elizabeth II was formally crowned  monarch of the United Kingdom following the unexpected death of her father. Here are 5 surprising facts you probably didn’t know about the longest-reigning British monarch....

The Queen's Proper Title is Quite a Mouthful

The Queen's full title—Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom, Canada and Her other Realms and Territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith—is rather a mouthful.

She Doesn't Need A Passport To Travel

The Queen is probably one of the most traveled people in the world, having visited some 116 nations during her reign. Despite all of those journeys though, the Queen has never needed a passport. "As a British passport is issued in the name of Her Majesty, it is unnecessary for The Queen to possess one,” reads the royal family’s website. For the same reason, she also doesn’t have a driver’s license but is free to drive on public roads. Oh, and she's exempt from taxes, but still voluntarily pays income and capital gains taxes.

She Was The First Head Of State To Use Email

In 1974, Queen Elizabeth II sent an email while at the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment. It was sent on the precursor to the internet, known as ARPANET, and was the first head of state to ever use such a service. Meanwhile, she sent her first Tweet through a royal account in 2014 to mark the opening of the Science Museum.

She Brings Her Own Toilet Paper on the Road.

Despite being an experienced traveler, The Queen doesn't pack light. In addition to dozens of outfits, her own food and water, and even a personal supply of blood that matches her type, Elizabeth brings her own toilet paper wherever she goes. You can recognize it by the special seal holding each fresh roll together—only Phillip or The Queen herself are allowed to break it.

Humor Will Be Banned From British Television After Her Death

It’s one of those strange but true things; humor is banned on British television for 12 days after the queen dies. Once the BBC announces her death, it will be airing documentaries about the life of the queen and cannot show anything that is humorous until after the funeral. Reportedly, the BBC keeps black suits and other appropriate clothing available, so newscasters can change quickly when the need arises.