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On This Day
Discover events that happened On This Day including famous birthdays and notable deaths. Each day we highlight famous people, past and present, who have impacted our world. Browse sections by selecting the links below or click the calendar to view events on another day.
December 24
Events on This Day
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1893
120 years ago
Henry Ford constructs an internal combustion engine and completes his first successful test in his kitchen sink.
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1923
90 years ago
President Calvin Coolidge lights up the first national Christmas tree to grace the grounds of the White House.
-
1990
23 years ago
Dictator Saddam Hussein announces Tel Aviv as a prime target if there is war in the Persian Gulf, with Israel promising retaliation.
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1997
16 years ago
At 62, Woody Allen marries Soon-Yi Previn, the 27-year-old adopted daughter of his former girlfriend Mia Farrow.
December 24
Born on This Day
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Howard Hughes
- In these groups:
- Famous Recluses
- Famous Dropouts
- Famous Capricorns
Howard Hughes
Entrepreneur / 1905 - 1976
Howard Hughes produced and directed movies in the '30s. He had a playboy lifestyle and love of aviation. After a plane accident in 1946, he became reclusive.
Born: December 24, 1905
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States
Occupation: Entrepreneur -
Mary Higgins Clark
- In these groups:
- Famous Irish-Americans
- Famous Capricorns
- Famous People Named Mary
Mary Higgins Clark
Author / 1927 -
Mary Higgins Clark is a bestselling author of mystery and suspense books, best known for the novel Where Are the Children?
1927 | 85 years old
Author -
Kit Carson
- In these groups:
- Famous Military Veterans
- Wild West
- Famous Capricorns
Kit Carson
Explorer, Folk Hero, Military Leader / 1809 - 1868
Kit Carson was an American frontiersman, trapper, soldier and Indian agent who made an important contribution to the westward expansion of the United States.
1809 | 58 years old
Explorer, Folk Hero, Military Leader -
Ricky Martin
- In these groups:
- Hispanic Musicians and Singers
- U.N. Goodwill Ambassadors
- Guests on Glee
Ricky Martin
Singer / 1971 -
Pop singer Ricky Martin was a member of Menudo as a teenager and is now known for such solo pop hits as "Livin' La Vida Loca" and "She Bangs."
Born: December 24, 1971
Age: 41 years old
Birthplace: San Juan
Occupation: Singer -
Ava Gardner
- In these groups:
- Famous Capricorns
- Famous Actresses
- Famous Film Actresses
Ava Gardner
Film Actress, Pin-up / 1922 - 1990
Actress Ava Gardner was a sultry beauty famous for playing femme fatale roles, and for her marriages to Frank Sinatra, Artie Shaw and Mickey Rooney.
1922 | 67 years old
Film Actress, Pin-up -
Hamid Karzai
- In these groups:
- Famous Capricorns
- Famous People Born in 1957
- Famous People Born on December 24
Hamid Karzai
World Leader / 1957 -
Hamid Karzai worked to overthrow the Taliban before becoming president of Afghanistan in 2004. As president he faced enormous political and economic challenges.
1957 | 55 years old
World Leader
December 24
Died on This Day
-
Vasco da GamaVasco da Gama
Explorer / 1460 - 1524
Vasco da Gama was the first person to sail directly from Europe to India.
Died: December 24, 1524
Age: 64 years old
Place: Cochin , India
Occupation: Explorer -
Harold PinterHarold Pinter
Activist, Playwright, Poet, Screenwriter / 1930 - 2008
Harold Pinter is a renowned British playwright who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2005.
2008 | 78 years old
Activist, Playwright, Poet, ... -
Peter Lawford
- In these groups:
- The Rat Pack
- Ocean's Eleven Members
- Famous Virgoans
Peter Lawford
Film Actor / 1923 - 1984
Actor Peter Lawford ran with the Rat Pack, married a Kennedy, and was the last person to speak to Marilyn Monroe. He also made movies now and then.
1984 | 61 years old
Film Actor
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Play Nowprofile name: Howard Hughes profile occupation: Entrepreneur
profile id: 278967
profile name: Mary Higgins Clark profile occupation: Author
profile id: 9239728
profile name: Kit Carson profile occupation: Explorer, Folk Hero, Military Leader
profile id: 9542230
profile name: Ricky Martin profile occupation: Singer
profile id: 9306531
profile name: Ava Gardner profile occupation: Film Actress, Pin-up
profile id: 537356
profile name: Hamid Karzai profile occupation: World Leader
profile id: 9305736
profile name: Vasco da Gama profile occupation: Explorer
profile id: 9441163
profile name: Harold Pinter profile occupation: Activist, Playwright, Poet, ...
profile id: 9542183
profile name: Peter Lawford profile occupation: Film Actor
profile id: 9298747
profile name: Henry Ford profile occupation: Entrepreneur
profile id: 9256384
profile name: Calvin Coolidge profile occupation: U.S. Vice President
profile id: 9347918
profile name: Saddam Hussein profile occupation: World Leader
profile id: 9181734
profile name: Woody Allen profile occupation: Screenwriter
profile id: 9292027
profile name: Mia Farrow profile occupation: Film Actress
profile id: 9240288
profile name: Enrico Caruso profile occupation: Singer
profile id: 9275533
profile name: Walt Disney profile occupation: Entrepreneur
profile id: 278900
profile name: Bret Michaels profile occupation: Singer
profile id: 9526675
profile name: Caspar Weinberger profile occupation: Lawyer
profile id: 38066
profile name: George H.W. Bush profile occupation: Diplomat
profile id: 38142
profile name: Rickey Henderson profile occupation: Baseball Player
profile id: 37151
profile name: Leonel Fernández Reyna profile occupation: World Leader
profile id: 38125
profile name: Ernesto Zedillo profile occupation: World Leader
profile id: 37152
profile name: Venustiano Carranza profile occupation: World Leader
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Upcoming Birthdays
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Rickey Henderson
- In these groups:
- Famous Lefties
- Famous Black Athletes
- Famous Capricorns
Rickey Henderson
Baseball Player, Coach / 1958 -
African American Rickey Henderson is a professional baseball player best known for setting a record for the most stolen bases in major league baseball in 1991.
December 25, 1958
Baseball Player -
Leonel Fernández Reyna
- In these groups:
- Famous Capricorns
- Famous People Born in 1953
- Famous Dominicans
Leonel Fernández Reyna
World Leader / 1953 -
Leonel Fernández Reyna is a Dominican politician who became his country's president in 1996 and again in 2004.December 26, 1953
World Leader -
Ernesto Zedillo
- In these groups:
- Famous Capricorns
- Famous People Born in 1951
- Famous Mexicans
Ernesto Zedillo
Economist, World Leader / 1951 -
Ernesto Zedillo was president of Mexico 1994–2000. He made a major effort to restore public confidence damaged by the scandals of the Salinas administration.
December 27, 1951
World Leader -
Venustiano Carranza
- In these groups:
- Fantastic Facial Hair
- Famous Capricorns
- Famous Military Leaders
Venustiano Carranza
Military Leader, World Leader / 1859 - 1920
Venustiano Carranza was a revolutionary during Mexico's civil war and became the Mexican Republic's first president in 1917.
December 28, 1859
World Leader
Famous Capricorns
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Larry Clark
- In these groups:
- Famous Capricorns
- Famous Photographers
- Famous Film Directors
Larry Clark
Photographer, Director / 1943 -
American photographer and film director Larry Clark is known for his images and movies, like Kids, that graphically depict unconventional teenage activities.
January 19, 1943
Photographer, Director -
Don Shula
- In these groups:
- Famous Capricorns
- Famous Coaches
- Famous People Named Don
Don Shula
Coach / 1930 -
Don Shula was the head coach of the NFL's Miami Dolphins from 1970 to 1996, leading the team to a Super Bowl championship and an undefeated season.January 4, 1930
Coach
