Comedian Bob Hope gave what he says is his last Christmas show
to U.S. servicemen in Saigon. Hope was a star of stage, radio, TV
and over 50 feature films.
 

Hope was one of many Hollywood stars who followed the tradition
of traveling overseas to entertain American troops stationed abroad.

The 1972 show marked Hope’s ninth consecutive Christmas Vietnam appearance. Although some antiwar protesters criticized Hope for supporting government policies in Vietnam, the comedian said he believed it was his responsibility to lift spirits by entertaining the
troops.

The USO Christmas Show at Tan Son Nhut Air Base.

TIM MAGUIRE

The Beatles arrived at JFK airport in New York City to begin their
first U.S. tour on this day in 1964. The arrival of the Fab Four from
England was dubbed…“Beatlemania”. A new era of Rock ‘n’ Roll
began.

Troyal Garth Brooks is 57 years old today.

Pop country singer and musician Garth Brooks was named the Best-Selling
Solo Artist of the Century in the United States by the RIAA in 2007. His first
album, an EP, hit #2 on the Country Billboard in 1989. Brooks released six
albums that went diamond by the time he returned from retirement in 2009. 

Buddy Holly and the Crickets began their one and only UK tour at London’s
Trocadero Club, playing 25 dates of two sets a night. It proved to be a major 
influence on the British rock scene.