What events occurred on January 27th?

Today In …

1880 - The electric light was patented by Thomas Edison.

1888 - The National Geographic Society was founded.

1945 - The Auschwitz concentration camp is liberated by Russian forces during World War II.

1967 - A fire during a flight test killed the three members of the Apollo 1 crew.

Sharing A Birthday Today…

Ross Bagdasarian, the actor and writer who is probably best known as David Seville of the Chipmunks fame, was born in 1918.

Lewis Carroll, the author who brought us the story of “Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland” was born in 1832.

Cris Collinsworth, former football player and now color analyst, was born in 1959.

James Cromwell, star of “Babe” and “The Queen”, was born in 1940.

Alan Cumming, star of “Spy Kids” and “X2: X-Men United” was born in 1965.

Bridget Fonda, the star of “Point of No Return” and “Single White Female” was born in 1964.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the world renowned Austrian composer was born in 1756.

Donna Reed, the Academy Award winning actress who starred in “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “From Here to Eternity” as well as her own TV show, was born in 1921.

Mimi Rogers, star of “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery” and “Lost in Space”, was born in 1956.

Edward John Smith, the Captain of the ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic, was born in 1850.

We Said Goodbye To…

Claude Akins, star of such films as “Rio Bravo” and the 1970’s TV shows “Movin’ On” and “B.J. and the Bear” passed away in 1994 at the age of 75.

John James Audubon, the famed naturalist, passed away in 1851 at the age of 65.

Roger Chaffee, Virgil Grissom and Edward White, the crew members of Apollo 1 were killed in 1967. Chaffee was 31, Grissom was 40 and White was 36.

Thomas Crapper, although he didn’t invent the flushable toilet, he did invent a “Valve-less Water Waste Preventer” that regulated the water inside. He passed away in 1910 at the age of 73.

Jack Parr, the former host of TV’s “The Tonight Show” from 1957 to 1962 passed away in 2004 at the age of 85.

Andre Rene Roussimoff, a.k.a. Andre the Giant, the world famous wrestler and star of “The Princess Bride” passed away in 1993 at the age of 46.

Giuseppe Verdi, the composer of such operas as “Rigoletto” passed away in 1901 at the age of 87.

Top Of The Charts On This Day In…

1973 - “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder

Musical Moments In…

1956 - One of Elvis Presley’s biggest hits is released today. The song? “Heartbreak Hotel”

1968 - Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb and Robin Gibb a.k.a. The Bee Gees play their debut concert in America at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California.

1968 - “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay”, Otis Redding’s biggest hit, was released today. Although the song would become number one in a little over a month, Redding had been killed in a plane crash just days after recording the song.

1984 - While filming a Pepsi commercial, Michael Jackson suffers burns when his hair catches fire from the pyrotechnic effects being used.

TV Moments In…

1976 - The comedy “Laverne & Shirley” makes its debut on ABC. The sitcom starred Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams in the title roles as well as Michael McKean and David L. Lander as their neighbors Lenny and Squiggy.

Memorable Sports Moments In…

1984 - Hockey great, Wayne Gretzky’s, scoring streak came to an end. Gretzky, who had scored in 51 consecutive games, was shut out when his team, the Edmonton Oilers, faced the L.A. Kings.