Daily Archives: December 23, 2014

The Beach Boys make first appearance on ‘Shindig!’ 50 years ago this hour (Dec 23 1964)

1960s, Popular Music 1960s, Television 1960s


Video: 'The Beach Boys - Dance, Dance, Dance (Shindig - 1964)'

(Wednesday, December 23, 1964, 8:30 p.m. EST) — Only hours after Brian Wilson suffered a nervous breakdown on a flight from Los Angeles to Houston, The Beach Boys made their first appearance on ABC-TV’s musical variety series Shindig! tonight (taped Dec. 14, 1964), performing “Dance, Dance, Dance,” “Little Saint Nick,” “Monster Mash,” “Papa Oom Mow Mow,” “Johnny B. Goode,” and “We Three Kings of Orient Are” at ABC Studios in Los Angeles. Continue reading The Beach Boys make first appearance on ‘Shindig!’ 50 years ago this hour (Dec 23 1964) →

George Harrison shoots ‘Ding Dong, Ding Dong’ promo video 40 years ago today (Dec 23 1974)

1970s, Popular Music 1970s, The Beatles 1970s


Video: 'George Harrison - Ding, Dong, Ding Dong'

(Monday, December 23, 1974) — Three days following the conclusion of his “George Harrison & Friends North American Tour,” former Beatle George Harrison shot a 16mm color promotional clip for for his new single “Ding Dong, Ding Dong” (released today in the U.S., having been released in the UK on Dec. 6, 1974) at his Friar Park mansion near London.

First successful human kidney transplant took place 60 years ago this hour (Dec 23 1954)

1950s


Video: 'Remembering Marvin Miller,Joseph Murray, Earl Carroll'

(Thursday, December 23, 1954, 11:15 a.m. EST) — The first successful human kidney transplant took place today at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston as a surgical team led by Dr. Joseph Murray removed a kidney from 23-year-old Ronald Herrick and implanted it in Herrick’s twin brother, Richard, who was dying of chronic nephritis.

Because the donor and recipient were identical twins, tissue rejection was not an issue. Richard Herrick lived until 1962; Ronald Herrick died in 2010.

Skies clear for American planes over Bastogne 70 years ago this hour (Dec 23 1944)

1940s, World War II


Video: 'WW2: The Battle of the Bulge' (Dec. 23, 1944, at 30:23)

(Saturday, December 23, 1944, 9:00 a.m. local time; during the Battle of the Bulge on the Western Front of World War II) — The skies over Bastogne cleared today just in time for American planes to relieve and support the soldiers pinned down on the ground and and stalling the German offensive. Continue reading Skies clear for American planes over Bastogne 70 years ago this hour (Dec 23 1944) →