SMOOTH TALKERS

November 19 in history:

A new national cemetery was consecrated on November 19th, 1863 at the site of the Civil War Battle of Gettysburg.  The event is remembered today because of President Abraham Lincoln’s two-minute address which began “Fourscore and seven years ago…”

The late-’80s musical group Milli Vanilli is remembered today because its two front men, known as Rob and Fab, did not actually use their own voices on their debut album.  The duo announced on November 19th, 1990, that they would give back their Grammy for Best New Artist, awarded nine months earlier.

Two men whose voices and faces became familiar to talk-show fans were born on November 19th:

Comedian Dick Cavett (1936) was given a daytime talk show on ABC in 1968, eventually leading to a late-night show on that network and a series on PBS.  Cavett appeared as himself in two movies that won the Oscar for best picture:  “Annie Hall” (1977) and “Forrest Gump” (1994).

Larry King appeared as himself in many movies during the 25 years he hosted a prime-time talk show on CNN.  King was born on November 19th, 1933 – exactly five years to the day before his long-time boss at CNN, Ted Turner.

LADIES FIRST

January 5th in history:

George and Martha Washington never lived in the White House, but they were married at the “White House” in January of 1759.  This White House was Martha’s plantation in Virginia.  Sources disagree on what day the Washington wedding took place.  Some say it was January 5th.  Others say it was on the 6th, or the 17th.  Martha became the first “First Lady” of the United States 30 years later.

Jane Wyman also married a future U.S. President, Ronald Reagan, but wasn’t married to him long enough to be a First Lady. When Reagan was president, Wyman was starring on TV in “Falcon Crest.”  Her movie career included a Best Actress Oscar for the movie Johnny Belinda.  Wyman was born January 5th, 1917.

Another Oscar winner born on this day is Diane Keaton (1946), the first of many ladies to earn an Academy Award for acting in a Woody Allen film (Annie Hall).  Keaton’s credits include Reds and the Godfather movies.  She also starred in a TV movie as Amelia Earhart, the first lady to fly solo across the Atlantic.  Earhart was declared dead on this date in 1939, more than a year after she disappeared while trying to fly around the world.

And Nellie Tayloe Ross became America’s first “lady governor” when she was sworn in as governor of Wyoming on January 5th, 1925.  Nellie had won a special election to succeed her husband, William Ross, who had died after an appendectomy.