Trivia

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About "Risky Business"

On August 5, 1983, the film Risky Business, starring an 18-year-old Tom Cruise opened in theaters across the country. Here are five things you probably didn't know about the 80s classic "Risky Business"...

The Original Movie Title Was "White Boys Off the Lake"

Because Risky Business takes place next to Lake Michigan, it was almost given a completely different title, as confirmed by its writer and director Paul Brickman.“The working title was White Boys off the Lake,” Brickman has been quoted as saying. “I think the studio rejected that because it sounded like an off-Broadway play. So we started doing word association to come up with a new title.”

The Director Wasn’t That Impressed With Tom Cruise

Cruise was working in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on The Outsiders when he was called to audition for the role of Joel in Risky Business. He showed up at the office with a chipped tooth, greasy hair, and sporting a jean jacket and Oklahoma accent, so director Paul Brickman wasn’t impressed. Cruise said he went for a second audition with Rebecca De Mornay, and it wasn’t that good, but Brickman believed he could still perform in the role.

The Underwear Scene Was Improvised

In what became the movie’s most iconic moment, Cruise dances to “Old Time Rock and Roll” in his underwear, using a candlestick holder as his microphone. Filmed in Skokie, Illinois, in a schoolhouse, Cruise ad-libbed the entire scene, sliding across the floor in his socks with his collar turned up and dancing around the room. In the script, it only said: “Joel dances in underwear through the house.”

Tom Cruise And Rebecca De Mornay Dated in Real Life

Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay began dating during the movie’s production, which made for a slightly awkward scenario.This was because Harry Dean Stanton was also starring in the movie, and he and De Mornay had previously been romantically involved after meeting during filming of 1981’s One from the Heart. The long-distance relationship between Cruise and De Mornay dissolved some time after Cruise shot the film Legend, in London, and before he went off to film Top Gun.

The Movie Caused Sales of Ray-Ban Wayfarers to Increase by 2,000 Percent

Back in the early '80s, Ray-Ban sales were poor and the company was about to discontinue Wayfarers. The brand needed a life raft. And one came…in the form of a pants-free Tom Cruise. When Risky Business came out in 1983, Tom Cruise and his iconic Wayfarers rescued the Ray-Ban brand. After the release of Risky Business, Wayfarer sales rocketed by some 2,000 percent, confirming the power of Tom Cruise. 

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5 Lesser-Know Interesting Facts About Lucille Ball

On August 6, 1911, Lucille Desiree Ball, one of America’s most famous redheads and beloved comic actresses, was born near Jamestown, New York. Here are five lesser-known facts about Lucille Ball...

She Was Registered With The Communist Party

As reported by The Los Angeles Times in 1953, Ball was once connected to the Communist Party. Apparently, it was a “short association” in 1936, but her family was investigated by the House Un-American Activities Committee. Ball explained her connection by saying the only reason she registered as a Communist was to please her grandfather, Fred Hunt, a Socialist.

“Star Trek” Wouldn’t Have Existed Without Her

If it were not for Lucy, there would be no Star Trek today,” former studio executive Ed Holly told Desilu historian Coyne Steven Sanders. CBS wasn’t interested in “Star Trek,” but Ball, who was talented at spotting a new show that would appeal to large numbers of viewers, overruled the decision and had the pilot produced. The initial pilot bombed, so a second pilot was made and funded by Ball that starred William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk. Star Trek ended up making the 1966 fall TV schedule.

Ball’s Pregnancy Was the First on Television

As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, she also made headlines by becoming the first pregnant woman to play a pregnant woman on TV. Season 2 of “I Love Lucy” was a first on television because Lucille Ball was pregnant with Desi Arnaz Jr and it was written into the script. If network execs hadn’t agreed to it, the show might have been canceled or suspended until she had her baby. The birth of her own baby coincided with Lucy Ricardo’s, and about 44 million viewers tuned in to watch.

She and Her Husband Were Television’s First Interracial Couple

Kathleen Brady, who wrote a popular book about Lucille Ball, said the network executives and Philip Morris, the sponsor, wanted her to star in her own show but had no interest in her husband, Desi. Brady said. “They said that the American public would not accept Desi as the husband of a red-blooded American girl.” However, Ball defended Arnaz, and according to Brady, she told CBS that they’d have to either cast them both or neither of them.

She Was The First Woman to Run a Major Production Company

Following Ball’s divorce from Desi Arnaz in 1960,  she bought out Arnaz’s shares of Desilu for $2.5 million, making her the first female CEO of a major production company. Per the outlet, she later sold her Desilu shares to Paramount Studios for $17 million.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About The Purple Heart_3

On August 7, 1782, General George Washington, the commander in chief of the Continental Army, created the “Badge for Military Merit,” otherwise known as a “Purple Heart.” Here are five things you didn't know about the Purple Heart...

The Original Purple Heart Was a Cloth Patch

The current design of the Purple Heart falls in line with other military awards, with a purple and gold ribbon that is pinned to the uniform, and a metal heart with a gold-colored likeness of George Washington. Originally, it was a purple cloth heart, first plain and later embroidered with the word "Merit" in white. The medal was redesigned in the 1930s.

Civilians Used to Be Able to Receive a Purple Heart

 Journalist Erie Pyle is one of the most famous civilians to earn the Purple Heart. Pyle was a war correspondent who covered World War II from the trenches of Europe. He was killed during the Battle of Okinawa. Civilians were eligible to receive the Purple Heart between 1942 and 1997. Today, they receive the Defense of Freedom Medal. 

World War II Holds the Record for Most Purple Hearts Awarded

As of August 2019, almost two million Purple Hearts have been awarded. World War II saw more Purple Hearts awarded than any other conflict — by a lot. In fact, about 1.07 million Purple Hearts were awarded during World War II, more than were awarded in all of the other conflicts of the 20th century combined. The Gulf War of the early 1990s saw the fewest awarded, with fewer than 1,000 medals.

Some Famous People Have Received The Purple Heart

Although each Purple Heart recipient deserves widespread recognition, a handful of honorees standout as household names.  Some famous Purple Heart recipients include actors (Charles Bronson, James Garner, Rod Serling), writers (Kurt Vonnegut, Oliver Stone), athletes (Warren Spahn, Pat Tillman, Rocky Bleier), and even animals Sergeant Stubby the dog and Sergeant Reckless the horse.

Animals Can No Longer Receive a Purple Heart Unless It's Commemorative

Animals have long shown that they are just as brave as humans. For this reason, an animal that was wounded in combat used to be eligible to receive the Purple Heart medal, and a few actually did. However, this honor was later stopped in 1944 because an official thought the idea of an animal receiving the award could be seen as insulting to injured humans. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed legislation that officially barred animals from receiving the medal. Since then, some animals have received commemorative Purple Hearts, namely existing medals from humans who donated one of theirs

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Wrigley Field

On August 8, 1988, the lights went on at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Previously limited to daytime games only, Cubs fans could now watch games at night under powerful, bright lights. Here are five things you didn't know about Wrigley Field...

It Took 47 Years for Lights to Be Added to Wrigley Field

Lights were supposed to be added to Wrigley Field back in 1941. However, once Pearl Harbor was bombed and the U.S. entered World War II, the steel meant for the lighting setup was donated to the war effort, putting a stop to all lighting plans. In addition to that, Chicago ordered Wrigley Field to avoid all night games because of the potential for bothering neighbors. It wasn't until 1988 that the city and the organization that ran Wrigley Field agreed on terms that allowed night games to occur.

And Then the First Night Game Got Rained Out

Of course, the universe has a sense of humor, and after waiting all those decades for a night game at Wrigley, the very first night game was rained out during the bottom of the fourth inning. Baseball games need to get through five innings to be considered an official game, so while the Cubs-Phillies matchup is technically considered the first night game at Wrigley Field, it's not considered the first official night game. That honor goes to the Cubs-Mets game played the next night, on August 9.

Catching a Home Run Ball Is Subject to Strict Etiquette

Thinking of catching a Cubs game at Wrigley and hopefully catching a home run ball for a souvenir? You can do one or the other, but not both at Wrigley. There the tradition is to hand home run balls back to the Cubs players who hit them or to throw the ball back on the field if it was hit by an opponent. This etiquette extends outside the park, too. If someone finds a home run ball that's been hit out of the park, that person is supposed to try to throw the ball back in.

The Famous Ivy Backdrop Was Planted in 1937

Ivy has adorned the outfield walls at Wrigley Field for so long that it's basically impossible to imagine baseball without it. In 1937, Bill Veeck Jr., the son of the Cubs's president, planted ivy vines against the outfield wall. It was originally 350 Japanese bittersweet plants and 200 Boston ivy plants, but the Boston ivy eventually took over.

So Far, No One's Hit the Scoreboard With a Baseball

The Wrigley Field scoreboard is a huge, manually operated board that sticks out and up -- ripe for more than a few hits with baseballs. Or so you'd think. Despite its prominent placement, it has never been struck with a batted ball. One man was able to hit it with a golf ball; that was golfer Sam Snead when he teed off from home late and hit it in 1951.

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5 Facts About The Bombing on Nagasaki & Hiroshima_2

On August 9, 1945, the United States detonated a nuclear device over Nagasaki effectively bringing the war with Japan to an end. Here are 5 things you didn't know about an attack that ended the Pacific portion of World War II.

Japanese Citizens Were Warned About the Upcoming Nuclear Attack

Days before the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, American planes dropped leaflets that warned residents of the cities to evacuate. The pamphlets said that bombs could not differentiate between military factories and people, so as part of America’s humanitarian beliefs, citizens were being asked to save their lives. Radio broadcasts also warned citizens every quarter of an hour, and after Hiroshima, those in Nagasaki were told to run.

The Bombs Used on Nagasaki and Hiroshima Were Different

The two bombs were very different since “Little Boy,” the bomb used on Hiroshima, was made of enriched Uranium-235, and the one used on Nagasaki used 8 kg of Plutonium-239. The latter was sourced through a much more detailed process. The United States used the difference to evaluate each bomb's effectiveness.

To Build the Hiroshima Bomb, the United States Used All the Uranium That Existed

Building Little Boy by using 141 pounds of Uranium came at a price since it used almost all the uranium that existed at that time. In “Command and Control,” author Eric Schlosser said that the majority of the Uranium was destroyed before reaching the supercritical phase. Schlosser noted that only .7 g of uranium was used to create an explosion that killed about 80,000 people in Hiroshima.

One Japanese Man May Be the Luckiest in History

A Japanese citizen, Tsutomu Yamaguchi, survived the blasts in both cities and is recognized by the government of Japan as the only person to do so. On August 6, 1945, he was in Hiroshima as part of his work for Mitsubishi and was in the blast but survived. He went back to Nagasaki on August 7 and was in the city for the second explosion and survived that too, dying at age 93 in 2010.

The Pilot of The Enola Gay Met Hiroshima Victims on This Is Your Life

In 1955, ten years after the bombing, several Japanese victims were flown to America to receive plastic surgery. US television thought it would be a good opportunity to reunite victims of the Hiroshima bombing with the co-pilot of the plane which dropped the bomb. Footage of the extraordinary meeting was featured in a US documentary, and it appears that the meeting was every bit as awkward as you might expect.

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I did  not  know  that no one  has  hit the  score board  with  a  baseball===

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5 Things You Didn't Know About The Louvre Museum

August 10, 1793, marked the opening of the Louvre Museum in Paris by the French revolutionary government. Here are five things you didn’t know about the world's largest art museum...

It Only Had 721 Works of Art When it First Opened

When the Louvre first opened, there were only 721 works of art at first (537 paintings, 184 objects). Today, it houses over 38,000 pieces of art from all over Europe. Covering 60,000 square meters, it is estimated that a visitor would need around 100 days to completely tour the museum and see it all. Trying to tour the Louvre in one day is impossible.

The Museum Started Out as a Fortress

The original Louvre was a moated fortress constructed in 1190 by King Philip II. The fortress became a palace in the 16th century, and when the Palace of Versailles became the home of the French monarchy, a section of it was used to house the Louvre and its art academies and was expanded over the years. It houses many famous works of art such as the “Mona Lisa” and paintings by Johannes Vermeer.

Napoleon Temporarily Renamed The Museum After Himself

 Interestingly, Napoléon Bonaparte actually (and temporarily) renamed the Louvre after himself. He called it the Musée Napoléon.  In addition, during his rule Napoleon had the Mona Lisa hung in his private bedroom! After the emperor's reign ended in exile in 1815, the museum was given its current name, the Musée du Louvre.

The “Mona Lisa” Is Smaller Than People Think

Those lucky people who’ve seen the “Mona Lisa” are surprised at how small it is, measuring only 21 x 30 inches. The painting has bodyguards who shield it from harm and is surrounded by bulletproof glass. The 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa and its subsequent return was reported worldwide, leading to a massive increase in public recognition of the painting. About 6 million people view the painting at the Louvre each year.

The Louvre May Be Haunted

The Louvre goes back to 1190, so it is reported to have an eclectic collection of ghosts that haunt it. Some of those said to be ghostly wanderers in the Louvre include a mummy named Belphegor, a WWII German soldier, Roman soldier, painter, and a young muse. The most famous ghost is that of Jean l’Ecorcheur, nicknamed “Jack the Skinner,” who was a henchman of Catherine de Medici and probably someone you wouldn’t want to meet in the dark.

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5 Surprising Facts You Didn't Know About Robin Williams

On August 11, 2014, Oscar-winning actor Robin Williams died at 63 by suicide. Here are 5 surprising facts you probably didn’t know about this inventive comedian who was admired by millions....

His Classmates Vote Him Least Likely to Succeed

Williams spent his high school senior year in Marin County, California, where he was voted "least likely to succeed" and the "funniest person in the class". His track coach referred to Williams as being “kind of quiet” when he was a student. But soon after graduation, Williams set off on the course that would see him win an Academy Award, four Golden Globes, two Emmys and five Grammys, so only half of the predictions made by his classmates’ came true.

He Was a Central Park Mime

David Sorine, the photographer, snapped photos of two mimes in 1974 at Central Park, and one was the future star Robin Williams. Williams was attending Juilliard to study acting at the time, and miming in the park allowed him to pick up a little extra money and practice. In the movie Shakes the Clown, Williams appears as a mime instructor named Marty Fromage.

He Wasn't The First Choice to Play Mork

In a 1978 “Happy Days” episode called “My Favorite Orkan,” a different actor was originally hired to play Mork which first introduced the character to the world. The actor quit, and producer Garry Marshall came to the set and asked: “Does anyone know a funny Martian?” When Robin Williams was asked to audition and to come in the room and have a seat, he sat in the chair on his head. It isn’t surprising Williams got the job for the guest appearance and later starred on the spinoff “Mork and Mindy” which ran for four seasons.

He Almost Starred in the Movie "The Shining"

It might be difficult to imagine a comedian in the lead roll of Stephen King’s The Shining, but that’s what director Stanley Kubrick had in mind at first. Surprisingly, he decided Williams was “too psychotic” and cast Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrence instead. Of course Williams and Shelley Duvall would reunite for a decidedly less successful film (1980's 'Popeye').

He Ushered in the Era of Celebrity Voice Acting

The Disney movie Aladdin was a resounding success in 1992, and Williams was the voice of Genie. According to a 2011 article in The Atlantic, “Less than 20 years ago, voice acting was almost exclusively the realm of voice actors—people specifically trained to provide voices for animated characters. As it turns out, the rise of the celebrity voice actor can be traced to a single film: Disney’s 1992 breakout animated hit Aladdin.”  Following the success of Aladdin, other big names joined in doing the voices in animated films, including Shrek, Toy Story and The Lion King. Williams went on to voice both the Happy Feet movies and one of the Aladdin sequels.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About "The Wizard of Oz"

On August 12, 1939, the musical fantasy The Wizard of Oz, opened for its world premiere at Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. While most of us know the story of Dorothy, Toto, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and The Cowardly Lion, here are 5 interesting facts about what was happening behind the scenes for the film…

The Ruby Slippers Didn’t Start Out Red

In “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” the book by Frank L. Baum, Dorothy was wearing silver shoes. It was the screenwriter who changed the slippers to ruby because they would contrast better in technicolor against the yellow brick road. When Diana Ross and Michael Jackson performed in The Wiz in 1978, the original silver slippers were brought back.  

Toto Earned More Than The Munchkin Actors

Move over Lassie. Though the actors who played The Munchkins earned a very decent wage for actors in the 1930's (by one account, they earned $25 per week — about $450 per week today), Toto was really the top dog on set. Toto earned a whopping $125 ($2,250 today) per week to star in the film. Not bad for a small pooch. Toto went on to star in a total of 16 films before passing away at the age of 11 in 1945.

Producers Wanted to Cut Out “Over the Rainbow”

The Wizard of Oz runs for 1 hour 52 minutes, but producers wanted to keep it down to 100 minutes and talked about cutting out “Over the Rainbow” several times. Louis B. Mayer, the studio head, thought no one would want to listen to a slow ballad sung by a girl on a farm. Arthur Freed, the associate producer, threatened to walk out if the song was cut, so it was left in and became an iconic part of the film.

Dorothy Started Out as a Blonde

During the early filming of the movie, Judy Garland was wearing a blonde wig, much fancier makeup, and a baby doll dress. However, producers changed their minds and reshot the film with Dorothy more like a dark-haired farm girl. A hairdresser for MGM saved the wig and gave it as a gift to Garland’s daughter Liza Minelli many years later. When it came up for sale, a bidding war between collectors, which brought the price up to $17,920.

Garland’s Daughter Married the Tin Man’s Son

Judy Garland, who played Dorothy, and Jack Haley, who played the Tin Man, could have been in-laws after their two children, Liza Minnelli and Jack Haley Jr., were married in 1974. Minnelli’s mother never knew it though because she died in 1969 at age 47. Jack Haley Sr might not have gotten the role since Buddy Ebsen was originally slated to play the part but had to bow out after discovering he was allergic to the makeup.

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5 Amazing Facts to Celebrate Left-Handers Day

On August 13, 1992, International Left-Handers Day was established to increase awareness by the public on the disadvantages and advantages of being a leftie. Left-handed or not, you may be surprised by the following 5 facts about southpaws… 

About 11 Percent of People Around the World Are Left-Handed

In the old days, both parents and teachers tried to train a left-handed child to use their right hand instead.It all has to do with the way the brain is wired, and some people are just wired differently. Many left-handed people tend to have the right-hand side of the brain as dominant, and this controls areas such as creativity, art and music, while right-handers use their left hemisphere more. The left hemisphere controls areas such as science, math, writing and language.

Half of All Cats Are Left-Handed

Lefties may be under-represented in the human species, but our furry friends in the animal kingdom are more than making up for it. Around 50 per cent of cats are left-handed, according to research. Other dominant left-handed animals include kangaroos, which tend to favor their left paw for things like grooming and eating. Also, studies have shown that 90% of parrots use their left foot to pick things up.

There Are Many Famous Left-Handers Leaders

At least four of the past seven presidents have been left-handed: Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Gerald Ford. Ronald Reagan also often shows up on the list of lefties even though he wrote with his right hand. Lefties in the British royal family include the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, and Prince William. 

Careers For Lefties

Lefty careers In a 1996 study, Harvard Medical School researchers found that orthopedic surgeons, librarians and mathematicians were mostly right-handed while attorneys and architects were, as a group, "either the least right-handed or the most left-handed." Other studies have shown that there are more left-handed people working as artists and musicians and in university settings. One surprising fact is that one out of four astronauts are left-handed, including Mike Collins and Buzz Aldrin from Apollo II. 

Left-Handed People Tend to Scare More Easily

In a horror movie experiment, left-handers who watched an eight-minute clip from The Silence of the Lambs showed more fear than right-handers. Scientists believe that this may be because the right side of the brain is dominant in lefties and is more involved in fear responses.

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5 Things You Didn't Probably Didn't Know About WWII_2

On August 14, 1945, President Harry S. Truman announced that Japan had surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, effectively bringing an end to World War II. Here are five things you may not know about World War II.

President Roosevelt Used Al Capone’s Armored Limousine

It was feared that Roosevelt might be an assassination target during World War II, and the Secret Service didn’t have a car that was bulletproof to take him to give his Infamy Speech. One of the agents recalled that the U.S. Treasury had Al Capone’s armored limousine, which they had confiscated in 1931. The only comment Roosevelt made was that he hoped “Mr. Capone” wouldn’t have minded him borrowing it.

A 12-Year-Old Served in World War II

While the legal age for serving in the war was 18, one young man lied in order to serve his country. Calvin Graham, a 12-year-old Texas boy, lied about his age and enlisted in the Navy after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He served on the USS South Dakota as a gunner, including in a battle with eight Japanese destroyers. He managed to keep his age a secret until he was injured, at which time his true age was discovered

DJs in America Could Not Take Requests From Listeners

The Office of Censorship was established in 1941 to censor communications, which included no longer taking listeners’ requests for songs on the radio. Interviews with people on the street were discontinued. The fear was that secret messages might be sent by enemy spies using these methods.

Japan and Russia Never Signed the Peace Treaty

This could prove to be quite fatal if anything was to happen between the two countries. However, not signing a peace treaty is due to the fact that both countries are still fighting over the Kuril Islands. Each country believes they are the rightful owners of the islands.

The Soviet Union Suffered the Highest Number of Casualties

The Soviets and Germans signed a nonaggression pact in 1931, but the Nazis attacked the Soviet Union in June 1941 anyway, which they called Operation Barbarossa. The Soviets then joined the Allies in their fight, and by the end of the war, between 70 million and 85 million people had died. The Soviets suffered the highest losses in the war with nearly 23 million dead.

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Check Out These Far Out Facts About Woodstock_2

Over 400,000 People Were in Attendance.

The promoters originally expected around 50,000 attendees. That number then swelled to 200,000. But when the gates opened on August 15, 1969, over 400,000 people had made the pilgrimage to the small town of Bethel, NY about 50 miles from the festival's namesake, Woodstock, NY. There were so many people that festival organizers ran out of food on the first day. Attendees ate sandwiches provided by volunteers and some resorted to drinking milk straight from cows. Surprisingly, however, there were no reports of violence and only a few drug-related arrests throughout the three-day event.

32 of Music's Biggest Names Performed Over the Weekend

Woodstock may have been disorganized regarding crowd control, but the organizers did a very, very good job of putting together the line-up of artists. 32 of folk and rock music's biggest bands and artists performed from Friday to Monday, including Joe Cocker, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and The Who. Performers also included Ravi Shankar, and the festival was officially opened with words from Sri Swami Satchidananda, who was one of the people who introduced yoga practices to the West. At Woodstock, he led a mass chant of "OM" and was nicknamed the Woodstock Guru.

The Crowds Were So Big That the County Declared the Site a Disaster Area

Woodstock was organized to an extent, but crowd control kind of got out of hand. The festival was originally planned for a different site about 30 miles from Woodstock, NY, but the town where it was going to be held managed to ban the festival. Max Yasgur's farm, near Bethel, NY, seemed like a good candidate. Yasgur was a conservative who was also dedicated to freedom of expression, and he allowed the organizers to rent out farmland for the concert. However, that fast change of location meant that the concert wasn't set up to collect money for tickets -- or even collect the tickets themselves -- so the organizers declared it a free concert. As a result, people showed up in more than droves, overwhelming any available food, water, and sanitation resources. Rain and the resulting muddy, cold conditions didn't help. Sullivan County declared the farm a disaster area, and the state's governor, Nelson Rockefeller, almost sent military troops in to help control the crowd.

The Owner of The Dairy Farm Refused to Allow Another Festival

Why was there no Woodstock 1970 at Max Yasgur's farm? He wouldn't allow it. Yasgur's decision to allow the concert in 1969 met with a lot of resistance and some hostility from neighbors. While Yasgur himself didn't appear to be angry about what happened, he refused to let organizers hold another festival on his land in 1970 and claimed he was just going back to being a dairy farmer.

Jimi Hendrix Performed -- After Half of the Attendees Had Already Started to Leave

What a way to wrap up Woodstock -- and what a way to start a workweek. Woodstock wrapped up on Monday morning with a two-hour set by Jimi Hendrix. He started playing at 9 a.m., when people had already started leaving to go back to their regular lives but continued to play for two hours, one of the longest sets in his career. In fact, many people waited to see him start playing but then left during the set. Estimates put the Monday morning crowd at only about 200,000 people, down from 400,000 at the festival's peak. Hendrix didn't play with the Experience as that band had already broken up. He had a temporary band that he played with at Woodstock. His performance, especially of "The Star-Spangled Banner," has become one of the more legendary performances of the rock era.

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5 Shocking Facts You Didn't Know About Elvis Presley_3

On August 16, 1977, Elvis Presley died of a heart attack. Elvis Presley, just 42 years old, was found unconscious on the bathroom floor of his Memphis mansion, Graceland.  Here are five shocking facts you probably didn't know about Elvis Presley...

Elvis Had a Twin Brother Who Died at Birth

Elvis Aaron Presley was born on January 8, 1935, just a half-hour after his mother gave birth to his twin brother, Jesse Garon. Sadly, Jesse was stillborn and buried the next day in an unmarked grave. Though Elvis never met Jesse in life, he spoke of his brother frequently. His mother, Gladys, often said Elvis had the energy of two people.

He Used Shoe Polish to Make His Hair Black

Elvis was born blond, believe it or not, and there's a picture of him with dark golden hair at Graceland -- the only picture of him as a blond that's available for public viewing. He started dyeing his hair jet black when he was a teenager but had to use shoe polish because actual hair dye was too expensive. He did later start using a combination of real hair dyes to achieve the jet-black look.

He Didn’t Write Any of His Own Songs

“Heartbreak Hotel” was one of Elvis’ first ever hits. Released in 1956, it became his first song to earn over one million dollars. However, Elvis didn’t write it – instead the track was written by Mae Boren Axton and Thomas Durden. Presley didn’t actually write a single one of his hits – the King’s appeal was based on his stage presence, singing voice and of course those gyrating hips.

Elvis Had a Pet Chimp Named Scatter

Michael Jackson was not the only celebrity to have a pet chimp. Originally, the chimp was part of an educational children's program on public television, and Elvis adopted him and named him Scatter. However, Scatter didn't do too well when placed in his new environment. He went from the calm environment of a children's show to the unpredictable world of touring with a bunch of musicians. Heended up terrorizing guests at Graceland – he was once punched by a female guest who took offence after Scatter put his hands somewhere very inappropriate.

President Bill Clinton Was Denied Access to Elvis's Bedroom.

Rumor has it that the heavily guarded room where Elvis spent his final hours remains in the exact condition it was in the night he died. Clothes remain in the drawers, sheets on the bed, and nothing touched. It's the holy grail for any Elvis fan, but almost no one has ever walked through the plush double doors. Only Elvis's family and the estate manager have keys to the padlocks, and when President Clinton toured the facility in the 1990s, he was denied access. Rumor has it there's only been one non-Presley to cross the threshold into the King's domain: actor Nicolas Cage. Cage married Elvis's daughter, Lisa Marie, and as the story goes, got a personal tour of the bedroom as his wedding present.

[dgrimm60]

PHKRAUSE

I did not  know  that  the dairy farmer  that   agree  to  let the  Wood Stock  happen  did  not  let  another  one the next  year===

dgrimm69

 

[dgrimm60]

PHKRAUSE

I  did  not    know   that he  was  blond  and  died  his  hair with  black  shoe polish=====

dgrimm60

[phkrause]

5 Things You Didn't Know About Genghis Khan_2

On August 18, 1227, after years of conquering enemies, Genghis Khan died. Genghis Khan was the founder of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death.  Here are five things you didn't know about Genghis Khan…

Genghis Khan Wasn’t His Name

"Genghis Khan" is really a title and honorific meaning something akin to "supreme ruler." The man who would become the “Great Khan” of the Mongols was born along the banks of the Onon River sometime around 1162 and originally named Temujin, which was the name of an enemy slain by his father; the naming was meant to be a celebration of the victory. He didn’t get the name “Genghis Kahn” until 1206, when he was proclaimed leader of the Mongols. While “Khan” is a traditional title meaning “leader” or “ruler,” historians are still unsure of the origins of “Genghis.”

There is No Record Of What He Looked Like

For such an influential figure, very little is known about Genghis Kahn’s personal life or even his physical appearance. No contemporary portraits or sculptures of him have survived, and what little information historians do have is often contradictory or unreliable. Most accounts describe him as tall and strong with a flowing mane of hair and a long, bushy beard. One chronicler described him as red-headed and with green eyes, which might sound strange but did occur among the Mongols.

He Was Responsible For The Deaths of as Many as 40 Million People

Because it was so long ago and accounts are spotty, it is unknown exactly how many died due to Khan’s conquests, but historians put the number at somewhere around 40 million.  Census records during the Middle Ages show that during the lifetime of the Khan, the population dropped by tens of millions. In addition, scholars estimate that he may have killed 75%  of modern-day Iran’s population during his war with the Khwarezmid Empire.  All told, the Mongols’ attacks may have reduced the entire world population by as much as 11 percent.

His Death Remains a Mystery

Genghis Khan reportedly died from injuries after he fell from his horse in 1227 but other sources list everything from malaria to an arrow wound in the knee. His followers went to great pains to conceal where he was buried. According to legend, his funeral procession slaughtered everyone they came in contact with during their journey and then repeatedly rode horses over his grave to help conceal it.  It is believed by some scholars that the tomb is most likely on or around a Mongolian mountain called Burkhan Khaldun, but the site has yet to be located.

The Soviet Union Tried to Erase His Memory

Genghis Khan is now seen as a national hero and founding father of Mongolia, but during the 20th century, it was illegal to even say his name. The Soviets went overboard to erase any memory of the Khan by removing anything about him in school textbooks and forbidding pilgrimages to Khentii, where he was born.