DO YOU BELIEVE?
September 21 in history:
A letter about Santa Claus appeared in the newspaper in September…on this date in 1897. The New York Sun printed the letter from 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon, which asked “Is there a Santa Claus?” The famous response by editor Francis P. Church included the answer, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.”
The Mormon Church began with a vision seen by Joseph Smith on September 21st, 1823. Smith said an angel named Moroni appeared to him, and revealed the existence of golden plates which would be translated into the Book of Mormon.
A musical called “The Book of Mormon” would become a Broadway hit in 2011. A big hit musical from the 1940′s, “Annie Get Your Gun,” was revived on September 21st, 1966, in New York. The show’s original star, Ethel Merman, once again played Annie Oakley in the new version.
Mary Martin starred in the touring company of “Annie Get Your Gun” when Merman was performing in the original Broadway run. September 21st is the birthday of Martin’s son Larry Hagman (1931), who starred on TV in “Dallas” and “I Dream of Jeannie.”
(Letter and editorial courtesy of lettersofnote.com.)
