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THE FOLLOWING EVENTS TOOK PLACE ON JULY 17
1901--Dr. Willis Carrier installs a commerical air conditioning system at a Brooklyn, New York printing plant. The system is the first to provide man-made control over temperature, humidity, ventilation and air quality. For the first two decades of the 20th century, Carrier’s invention was used primarily to cool machines, not people. The development of the centrifugal chiller by Carrier in the early 1920s, led to comfort cooling for movie theaters (remember the marquees with “It’s cool inside”?) and, before long, air conditioning came to department stores, office buildings and railroad cars.
1939--Spencer Davis, founder of the Spencer Davis Group, is born in Wales.
1955--Disneyland opens the gates to “The Happiest Place on Earth” in Anaheim, California. In the famous theme park’s first year of operation, some four million people visited Main Street USA, Fantasyland, Frontierland, and Tomorrowland. On this opening day, Disneyland holds a gala TV broadcast featuring Walt Disney, Bob Cummings, Art Linkletter and Ronald Reagan.
1961--The Beatles perform at the Cavern Club at lunchtime. That night they appear at Litherland Town Hall, Liverpool.
1962--The Beatles perform at McIlroy's Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire. They play two 60-minute sets.
1963--The Beatles tape a radio appearance for the BBC radio program "Easy Beat." The Beatles record their performance of four songs in front of a live teen audience. The songs: I Saw Her Standing There, A Shot of Rhythm and Blues, There's a Place, and Twist and Shout. Recorded at London's Playhouse Theatre. Broadcast on July 21.
1964--The Beatles record their fourth "From Us to You" radio show at the BBC's Paris Studio in London. They tape eight songs: Long Tall Sally, If I Fell, I'm Happy Just To Dance With You, Things We Said Today, I Should Have Known Better, Boys, Kansas City / Hey Hey Hey Hey, and A Hard Day's Night. As usual, the show opens and closes with The Beatles' "From Us to You" adaptation of their hit From Me to You. John Lennon's voice read out the closing credits. Broadcast on August 3.
1964--UK release of Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas single, From a Window (Parlophone). The song, credited to Lennon-McCartney, was written by Paul McCartney. John and Paul cut an acetate demo of the song for Kramer and George Martin to listen to. This is Kramer's fourth single written by Lennon-McCartney. The single will peak at No. 13 in the UK charts. Released in the US on August 12, 1964 (Imperial Records). Top US chart position: No. 23. The Beatles never recorded this song.
1967--US release of The Beatles’ single, All You Need Is Love / Baby You're a Rich Man (Capitol). 11 weeks on Billboard chart; highest position #1.
1967--Harry Epstein (Brian’s father) dies, in Bournemouth. Clive (Brian’s brother), calls Brian with the news, requesting he return to Chapel Street.
1968--The movie, "Yellow Submarine," premieres at the London Pavillion. All of The Beatles are in attendance, with Yoko, Pattie, and Maureen accompanying them. This film does not count towards fulfilling The Beatles' contract with United Artists for three films. The film will turn out to be very popular and will produce numerous novelties and even a minor resurgence of Beatlemania. The director is George Dunning and the producer is Al Brodax. Voices for The Beatles' animated counterparts were done by John Clive (John), Geoffrey Hughes (Paul), Paul Angelus (Ringo), and Peter Battan (George). The Beatles celebrate after the premiere at a party held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel. The Beatles' general lack of interest notwithstanding, "Yellow Submarine" is destined to become a major part of the Fab Four's legend.
1969--The Beatles in the recording studio (Studios Three and Two, EMI Studios, London). Recording overdubs for Oh! Darling and Octopus's Garden.
1971--John Lennon and Yoko Ono are interviewed on the BBC-TV show "Parkinson," which will turn out to be their last public TV appearance in the UK. For the benefit of the Lennon’s private film archive, an aide films John and Yoko arriving and entering the BBC building. John and Yoko later make their entrance on stage to the song Help! being played by the house band. The purpose of the Lennon’s appearance is to promote Yoko’s book, “Grapefruit,” which seems to baffle Parkinson. Parkinson, to Yoko: “You’ve made a film about a fly crawling up a woman’s body, you’ve made your famous ‘Bottoms’ film, and there’s also been a film made of your penis, isn’t there, John?” John: “That’s a joke, really. I made a film called ‘Self Portrait,’ you know, and at that time I was a bit of a prick!” Parkinson then asks about the alienation of the couple in England. Says John: “The British press actually called her ugly. I’ve never seen that about any woman or man, even if the person is ugly. You normally don’t say that in the papers. She’s not ugly, and if she were, you wouldn’t be so mean! They even say attractive things about the most awful looking people to be kind.” Although the broadcast still exists, the program is no longer in the BBC film library. Parts of the interview can be seen in the Lennon’s 1972 “Imagine” film and in the documentary “Imagine: John Lennon.”
1974--John Lennon files an appeal with the US Immigration and Naturalization Service after receiving notification that his earlier appeal of October 31, 1973, has been denied and that he has been ordered to leave the United States within 60 days.
1975--Ringo Starr's wife, Maureen, is granted a divorce from Ringo on the grounds of adultery.
1981--UK release of The Beatles LPs The Beatles, The Early Years (Volume 1) and The Beatles, The Early Years (Volume 2) (Phoenix). Reissue of tracks from the Star-Club tapes of December 31, 1962.
1991--Soul singer, James Brown, is released after spending two years in prison.
1996--Chas Chandler, bassist for The Animals (who also later became Jimi Hendrix's manager), dies in England at age 58.
1997--After 117 years, the Woolworth Corporation closes its last 400 stores.
History offers
1901--Dr. Willis Carrier installs a commerical air conditioning system at a Brooklyn, New York printing plant. The system is the first to provide man-made control over temperature, humidity, ventilation and air quality. For the first two decades of the 20th century, Carrier’s invention was used primarily to cool machines, not people. The development of the centrifugal chiller by Carrier in the early 1920s, led to comfort cooling for movie theaters (remember the marquees with “It’s cool inside”?) and, before long, air conditioning came to department stores, office buildings and railroad cars.
1955--Disneyland opens the gates to “The Happiest Place on Earth” in Anaheim, California. In the famous theme park’s first year of operation, some four million people visited Main Street USA, Fantasyland, Frontierland, and Tomorrowland. On this opening day, Disneyland holds a gala TV broadcast featuring Walt Disney, Bob Cummings, Art Linkletter and Ronald Reagan.
1964--The Beatles record their fourth "From Us to You" radio show at the BBC's Paris Studio in London. They tape eight songs: Long Tall Sally, If I Fell, I'm Happy Just To Dance With You, Things We Said Today, I Should Have Known Better, Boys, Kansas City / Hey Hey Hey Hey, and A Hard Day's Night. As usual, the show opens and closes with The Beatles' "From Us to You" adaptation of their hit From Me to You. John Lennon's voice read out the closing credits. Broadcast on August 3.
1964--UK release of Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas single, From a Window (Parlophone). The song, credited to Lennon-McCartney, was written by Paul McCartney. John and Paul cut an acetate demo of the song for Kramer and George Martin to listen to. This is Kramer's fourth single written by Lennon-McCartney. The single will peak at No. 13 in the UK charts. Released in the US on August 12, 1964 (Imperial Records). Top US chart position: No. 23. The Beatles never recorded this song.
1968--The movie, "Yellow Submarine," premieres at the London Pavillion. All of The Beatles are in attendance, with Yoko, Pattie, and Maureen accompanying them. This film does not count towards fulfilling The Beatles' contract with United Artists for three films. The film will turn out to be very popular and will produce numerous novelties and even a minor resurgence of Beatlemania. The director is George Dunning and the producer is Al Brodax. Voices for The Beatles' animated counterparts were done by John Clive (John), Geoffrey Hughes (Paul), Paul Angelus (Ringo), and Peter Battan (George). The Beatles celebrate after the premiere at a party held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel. The Beatles' general lack of interest notwithstanding, "Yellow Submarine" is destined to become a major part of the Fab Four's legend.
1971--John Lennon and Yoko Ono are interviewed on the BBC-TV show "Parkinson," which will turn out to be their last public TV appearance in the UK. For the benefit of the Lennon’s private film archive, an aide films John and Yoko arriving and entering the BBC building. John and Yoko later make their entrance on stage to the song Help! being played by the house band. The purpose of the Lennon’s appearance is to promote Yoko’s book, “Grapefruit,” which seems to baffle Parkinson. Parkinson, to Yoko: “You’ve made a film about a fly crawling up a woman’s body, you’ve made your famous ‘Bottoms’ film, and there’s also been a film made of your penis, isn’t there, John?” John: “That’s a joke, really. I made a film called ‘Self Portrait,’ you know, and at that time I was a bit of a prick!” Parkinson then asks about the alienation of the couple in England. Says John: “The British press actually called her ugly. I’ve never seen that about any woman or man, even if the person is ugly. You normally don’t say that in the papers. She’s not ugly, and if she were, you wouldn’t be so mean! They even say attractive things about the most awful looking people to be kind.” Although the broadcast still exists, the program is no longer in the BBC film library. Parts of the interview can be seen in the Lennon’s 1972 “Imagine” film and in the documentary “Imagine: John Lennon.”
1975--Ringo Starr's wife, Maureen, is granted a divorce from Ringo on the grounds of adultery.
1981--UK release of The Beatles LPs The Beatles, The Early Years (Volume 1) and The Beatles, The Early Years (Volume 2) (Phoenix). Reissue of tracks from the Star-Club tapes of December 31, 1962.
