1582 – Pope Gregory XIII announced the Gregorian calendar on the 24th February 1582.
1711 – The London première of Rinaldo by George Frideric Handel was on the 24th February 1711, the 1st Italian opera written for the London stage.
1863 – Arizona was organized as a United States territory on the 24th February 1863.
1875 – The SS Gothenburg hit the Great Barrier Reef and sank off the Australian east coast on the 24th February 1875, killing approximately 100 people, including high profile civil servants and dignitaries.
1920 – The Nazi Party was founded on the 24th February 1920.
1942 – The Battle of Los Angeles was on the 24th February 1942, one of the largest documented UFO sightings in history. The event lasted into the early hours of the 25th February 1942.
1942 – Paul Jones the English singer and harmonica player from Manfred Mann was born on the 24th February 1942.
1947 ~ Rupert Holmes the British-born American composer, singer-songwriter, musician and author was born on the 24th February 1947. Rupert Holmes is best known for his number one hit Escape (The Piña Colada Song) in 1979, and also his Top 10 song Him in 1980. Rupert Holmes is also known for his 1985 Tony Award-winning musical Drood and his 2007 Drama Desk Award-winning book for the Broadway musical Curtains, and his television series Remember WENN. Official website: www.RupertHolmes.com |YouTube video: Rupert Holmes – Escape (The Piña Colada Song – 1980)…YouTube video: Rupert Holmes – Him (1979)…
1948 ~ Dennis Waterman the English actor and singer was born on the 24th February 1948. Dennis Waterman is best known for his tough-guy roles on television including The Sweeney, Minder and New Tricks. As well as starring in Minder, Dennis Waterman also sang the theme song I Could Be So Good For You which was a No.3 hit in the UK and in the Top 10 in Australia in 1980 (written in 1979 by his then wife Patricia Waterman and Gerard Kenny). YouTube video: Dennis Waterman – I Could Be So Good For You (1980)…
1950 ~ George Thorogood the American singer-songwriter and guitarist was born on the 24th February 1950. YouTube video: George Thorogood ~ Bad To The Bone (1982)…
1954 ~ Plastic Bertrand the Belgian musician, songwriter, producer, editor and television presenter was born Roger Allen François Jouret on the 24th February 1954. Plastic Bertrand is best known for the international hit single Ça plane pour moi in 1978. The 1977 Ça plane pour moi song was written by Yvan Lacomblez aka Pipou, and the vocals were actually performed by the record’s producer Lou Deprijck. Ça plane pour moi is a French idiomatic expression which roughly translate to Everything’s going well for me (literal meaning = It is gliding for me). YouTube video: Plastic Bertrand – Ca Plane Pour Moi (1978 promo-video on rage)…
1955 – Alain Prost the French race car driver was born on the 24th February 1955.
1955 – Steve Jobs the American businessman and co-founder of Apple Inc. and Pixar was born on the 24th February 1955 (died 2011).
1965 – Kristin Davis the American actress was born on the 24th February 1965.
1966 – Billy Zane the American actor and producer was born on the 24th February 1966.
1989 – Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini offerred a US$3 million bounty for the death of The Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie on the 24th February 1989.
1989 – United Airlines Flight 811, bound for New Zealand from Honolulu, Hawaii, ripped open during flight on the 24th February 1989, blowing 9 passengers out of the business-class section.
2007 – Japan launched its 4th spy satellite on the 24th February 2007, stepping up its ability to monitor potential threats from North Korea.
2008 – Fidel Castro retired as the President of Cuba on the 24th February 2008, after nearly 50 years.
2010 – Sachin Tendulkar became the 1st Cricket player to score a Double hundred in One Day International format on the 24th February 2010.
2011 – Final Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery was on the 24th February 2011.