On October 20, 1947, the notorious Red Scare kicks into high gear in
Washington, as a Congressional committee begins investigating
Communist influence in one of the world’s richest and most
glamorous communities: Hollywood.

After World War II, the Cold War began to heat up between the world’s
two superpowers—the United States and the communist-controlled
Soviet Union. In Washington, conservative watchdogs worked to out
communists in government before setting their sights on alleged
“Reds” in the famously liberal movie industry. In an investigation that
began in October 1947, the House Un-American Activities Committee 
grilled a number of prominent witnesses, asking bluntly “Are you or
have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?” Whether out
of patriotism or fear, some witnesses—including director Elia Kazan,
actors Gary Cooper and Robert Taylor and studio honchos Walt Disney
and Jack Warner—gave the committee names of colleagues they
suspected of being communists.

A small group known as the “Hollywood Ten” resisted, complaining
that the hearings were illegal and violated their First Amendment
rights.                                                                                       

SANDY KOZEL

On his nationwide CBS-TV program, "See It Now," Edward R.
Murrow, on this day in 1954, used the Wisconsin Republican’s
own filmed and tape-recorded voice to portray him as a man
employing the half-truth as a "staple" and "repeatedly stepping
over the line between investigating and persecuting.

Lawyer Joseph Welch at the Army-McCarthy hearings.

    
President Bill Clinton on January 26, 1998, watched by First Lady 
Hillary, rejects allegations of improper behavior with Monica
Lewinsky.

    
   
After nearly 14 hours of debate, the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives recommended impeachment hearings against President Bill Clinton on two charges, one of perjury and one of obstruction of justice.

MIKE GRACIA

It was on this day in 2005.
    
    
    
    
   

It was on this day in 1865.

John Wilkes Booth (May 10, 1838 – April 26, 1865)

Public testimony at the Iran-Contra hearing began on this day in 1987 with testimony from Oliver North.

Oliver Laurence North will be 75 in October.

On this day in 1981, United States President Reagan announced he
was nominating Arizona Judge Sandra Day O’Connor to become the
first female justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

President Ronald W. Reagan talks with Supreme Court nominee
Sandra Day O’Conner at the White House on July 15, 1981.

Former Beatle drummer Ringo Starr (Sir Richard Starkey) is 78 today.  

TIM MAGUIRE

An exchange between Sen. Joseph McCarthy (right) and Joseph
Welch (left) took place on this day in 1954. Sen. McCarthy was
confronted by Welch over his anti-communist stance. Welch
represented the Army during the Army-McCarthy hearings.   

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Charles John Huffam Dickens
(February 7, 1812 – June 9, 1870) 

Charles Dickens was an English writer and social
critic. He created some of the world’s best-known
fictional characters and is regarded by many as
the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works
enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime,
and by the 20th century critics and scholars had
recognized him as a literary genius. His novels and
short stories enjoy lasting popularity. Dickens
suffered stroke at his home after a full day’s work
on his final novel Edwin Drood and never regained
consciousness. His ending for the unfinished book
remains unknown.

Comedian/actor Richard Pryor was severely burned by a "free-base" mixture that exploded in his home on this day in 1980. He was hospitalized more than two months.

On this day in 1973, Secretariat won the 105th Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths and ran the fastest 1 1/2 miles on dirt at 2:24.

Les Paul (Lester William Polsfuss) (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009)

Les Paul  was one of the pioneers of the solid-body electric guitar. He
taught himself how to play guitar, and while he is mainly known for jazz
and popular music, he had an early career in country music. Paul is
credited with many recording innovations. Although he was not the first
to use the technique, his early experiments with overdubbing (also known
as sound on sound), delay effects such as tape delay phasing effects and multitrack recording were among the first to attract widespread attention

Les Paul is the only person to be included in both the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame and the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

 

He recorded with his wife Mary Ford in the 1950s, and together 
they sold millions of records.