Quiz Kids was a radio and TV series of the 1940s and 1950’s created by Chicago public relations and advertising man Louis G. Cowan, and originally sponsored by Alka-Seltzer. The series was first broadcast on NBC from Chicago, June 28, 1940, airing as a summer replacement show for Alec Templeton Time. It continued on radio for the next 13 years. On television, the show was seen on NBC and CBS from July 6, 1949 to July 5, 1953, with Joe Kelly as quizmaster, and again from January 12 to September 27, 1956, with Clifton Fadiman as host.
Archduke Ferdinand and his wife Sophie one hour before they would be shot a killed by Serb nationalist Gavrilo Princip as they drove through the streets of Sarajevo on this day in 1914.
Six-year-old Elián González returned to Cuba from the U.S. with his father on this day in 2000. The child had been the center of an international custody dispute.
Elián González turned 23 on December 6.
Mike Tyson was disqualified for biting Evander Holyfield’s ear after three rounds of their WBA heavyweight title fight in Las Vegas, NV on this day in 1997.
Mike Tyson (top) biting Evander Holyfield’s ear.
Mel Brooks (Melvin Kaminsky) is 91 years old today.
As a teenager, Mel Brooks was taught the drums by the great Buddy Rich. In 1961, his comedy career took a big leap forward when he and fellow comic legend Carl Reiner created a comedy sketch called The 2000 Year Old Man.
In 2000, the American Film Institute released a list of the top 100 comedy films of all-time and Brooks had three films in the top 20: Blazing Saddles (1974) (#6), The Producers (1968) (#11) and Young Frankenstein (1974) (#13).