December 27

December 27 is the 361st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. (362nd in a leap year). There are 4 days remaining.

Events:

• 1703 - Portugal and England sign the Methuen Treaty which gives preference to Portuguese imported wines into England.
• 1831 - Charles Darwin embarks on his historic journey aboard the HMS Beagle.
• 1836 - The worst ever avalanche in England occurs at Lewes, Sussex, killing 8 people.
• 1845 - Anesthesia is used for childbirth for the first time (Dr. Crawford Williamson Long[?] in Jefferson, Georgia).
• 1904 - James Barrie's play Peter Pan premiers in London.
• 1932 - Radio City Music Hall opens
• 1945 - The World Bank is created with the signing of an agreement by 28 nations.
• 1945 - Korea is divided
• 1947 - Howdy Doody[?], a children's television program, makes its debut (NBC).
• 1949 - Queen Juliana of the Netherlands grants Indonesia sovereignty.
• 1968 - The long-running radio program The Breakfast Club[?] signs off for the last time (ABC radio).
• 1978 - Spain becomes a democracy after 40 years of dictatorship.
• 1979 - The Soviet Union seizes control of Afghanistan and Babrak Karmal replaces overthrown and executed President Hafizullah Amin.
• 1985 - Palestinian guerrillas kill twenty people inside Rome and Vienna airports.
• 1985 - American naturalist Dian Fossey is found murdered in Rwanda.
• 1996 - Taliban forces retake the strategic Bagram air base[?] which solidifies their buffer zone around Kabul.
• 1997 - Protestant paramilitary leader Billy Wright is assassinated in Northern Ireland.
• 2001 - China is granted permanent normal trade status with the United States.

Births:

• 1571 - Johannes Kepler, astronomer (+ 1630)
• 1822 - Louis Pasteur, French scientist (+ 1895)
• 1879 - Sydney Greenstreet, actor
• 1891 - Sir Mackenzie Bowell, fifth Prime Minister of Canada (+ 1896)
• 1888 - Thea von Harbou[?], author and actress (+ 1954)
• 1896 - Carl Zuckmayer[?], author and dramatist (+ 1977)
• 1896 - Louis Bromfield[?], writer (+ 1956)
• 1900 - Hans Stuck[?], automobile racer (+ 1978)
• 1901 - Marlene Dietrich, actress and singer (+ 1992)
• 1906 - Oscar Levant[?], composer, actor (+ 1972)
• 1907 - Sebastian Haffner[?], publicist (+ 1999)
• 1915 - Louis Masters[?], sexologist (+ 2001)
• 1925 - Michel Piccolo[?], actor
• 1927 - Agnes Nixon[?], soap opera producer, director, writer
• 1934 - Larissa Latynina, Soviet gymnast
• 1943 - Cokie Roberts[?], journalist
• 1947 - Steven Spielberg, American film director
• 1948 - Gérard Depardieu, French actor

Deaths:

• 1950 - Max Beckmann, painter
• 1972 - Lester B. Pearson, fourteenth Prime Minister of Canada
• 1981 - Hoagy Carmichael, composer, singer
• 1988 - Hal Ashby[?], film director
• 1997 - Billy Wright, Protestant paramilitary leader
• 2002 - George Roy Hill, film director

Holidays and Observances:

• Feast of the Holy Innocents, Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican; in Mexico and Spain Holy Innocents Day is a day of practical jokes, like April Fool's Day

December 26 - December 28 - November 27 - January 27 -- listing of all days

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