1963: The Hula-Hoop Receives a Trademark
Although invented for hundreds of years earlier, Arthur Melin, founder of Wham-O products, received a trademark for “his” version of the hoop toy on this day in 1963. The Hula-Hoop was the first hoop toy to be made with plastic with the “shoop shoop” sound inside. The very first were sold for $1.98 and twenty million hoops were sold in the first six months of production. It was a big hit world-wide except for Japan who thought it incited improprieties and Russia who thought it was an example of the “emptiness of American culture.” In 1999, the Hula-Hoop was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. (Image: Wikimedia)
2005: Father Osbourne Knows Best
It was on this day in 2005 that a new TV series, which probably wouldn’t have worked on another network, became MTV’s most-viewed series ever. The reality show, The Osbournes featured the real-life family of Ozzy Osbourne, well most of them anyway. While Ozzy’s wife Sharon and his children Jack and Kelly appeared on the show, eldest daughter Aimee did not. In fact, it is said that when family photos were shown on the screen, Aimee’s face was either cut out or blurred. According to Ozzy, he was stoned during the filming of the entire series. In 2009, the family starred in a new variety series for FOX. It was cancelled after just one episode. (Image: Wikipedia)
Movies Released
- Alice in Wonderland (2010)
- Analyze This (1999)
- Brooklyn’s Finest (2010)
- Coming 2 America (2021)
- Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)
TV Series Debuts
- American Crime (2015)
- Bring It! (2014)
- Feud: Bette and Joan (2017)
- Shaun the Sheep (2007)
- The Arrangement (2017)
- The Osbournes (2002)
Famous Birthdays
- 1908: Rex Harrison (actor)
- 1976: Jack Cassidy (actor)
- 1936: Dean Stockwell (actor)
- 1954: Marsha Warfield (actress)
- 1955: Penn Jillette (magician)
- 1958: Andy Gibb (singer)
- 1963: Joel Osteen (televangelist)
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