August 17 in Pop Culture History

August 17th Fun Facts, Trivia and History

August 17th History Highlights

  • 1807 – Robert Fulton’s steamboat begin its first trip between Albany and New York City.
  • 1978 – Maxie Anderson, Larry Newman, and Ben Abruzzo became the first people to make a transatlantic trip across the ocean, landing in Miserey, France after a 137 hour trip from Maine.
  • 1998 – President Bill Clinton made the statement “It depends on what your meaning of ‘is’ is”.
  • August 17, 19** Birthday (fictional) Lois Lane, DC Comics
  • If you were born on August 17th,
    You were likely conceived the week of… November 24th (prior year)

August 17th is…

Black Cat Appreciation Day
I Love My Feet Day!
Massachusetts DayNonprofit Day
Thrift Shop Day
Vanilla Custard Day

August 17th Birthday Quotes

” There is nothing worse than having your personal problems become somebody else’s entertainment.”
– Maureen O’Hara

” Remember these words when I am dead. First, be sure you’re right, then go ahead.”
– Davy Crockett

” You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”
– Mae West

“Stressed about things I shouldn’t even be stressing about.”
– Lil Pump

” Life’s too short to be a Go-Go for twenty years.”
– Belinda Carlisle

” Time goes on. So whatever you’re going to do, do it. Do it now. Don’t wait.”
– Robert De Niro

August 17th Birthdays

1786 – Davy Crockett, American soldier, and politician (died in 1836)
1893 – Mae West, American comedic actress (died in 1980)
1909 – Larry Clinton, American trumpet player, and bandleader (died in 1985)
1919 – Georgia Gibbs, American singer (died in 2006)
1920 – Maureen O’Hara, Irish-American actress (died in 2015)
1943 – Robert De Niro, American actor
1945 – Rachel Pollack, American comic book author, and poet
1958 – Belinda Carlisle, American singer, The Go-Gos
1960 – Sean Penn, American actor
1982 – Mark Salling, American actor (died in 2018)
2000 – Lil Pump, American rapper and songwriter
 

August 17th History

 1807
Robert Fulton’s North River Steamboat left New York, New York, to Albany, New York, on the Hudson River, inaugurating the first commercial steamboat service in the world.

1870
Mount Rainier – 14,417 ft (4,394 m) – Washington, USA – First ascent: August 17, 1870 by Hazard Stevens and P. B. Van Trump

1896
Bridget Driscoll was run over by a Benz car in The Crystal Palace, London grounds. She was the UK’s first pedestrian motoring fatality.

1907
Pike Place Market, in Seattle’s historic district, opened.

1908
Émile Cohl released Fantasmagorie. It is one of the earliest examples of traditional (hand-drawn) animation and is considered by film historians to be the first animated cartoon.

1953
The first meeting of Narcotics Anonymous took place in Southern California.

1958
Pioneer 0, America’s first attempt at lunar orbit, is launched using the first Thor-Able rocket and failed.

1959
Kind of Blue by Miles Davis, the best-selling jazz recording of all time, was released.

1968
#1 Hit August 17, 1968September 20, 1968: Young Rascals – People Got to Be Free

1969
Hurricane Camille (Category 5) hit the U.S. Gulf Coast, killing 256 people.

1974
#1 Hit August 17, 1974August 23, 1974: Paper Lace – The Night Chicago Died

1977
The Soviet icebreaker Arktika became the first surface ship to reach the North Pole.

1978
Double Eagle II became the first balloon to cross the Atlantic Ocean when it landed in Miserey, France near Paris, 137 hours after leaving Presque Isle, Maine

1990
(Earthquake) Izmit, Turkey

1998
President Clinton admitted to having an “inappropriate” relationship with an intern, Monica Lewinsky.

August 17, 19** Birthday (fictional) Lois Lane, DC Comics

2002
#1 Hit August 17, 2002October 4, 2002: Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland – Dilemma

2005
Weeds premiered on Showtime

2007
August 17, 2007 – High School Musical 2 aired on The Disney Channel

2008
American swimmer Michael Phelps was the first to win eight gold medals in one Olympic Games.

Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts

A group of Goldfinches is called a Charm.

Robby the Robot starred in films such as Forbidden Planet and television’s The Addams Family

Alan’s Law of Research: The theory is supported as long as the funds are.

Olivia Newton-John was sewn into the leather trousers she wears in the last scene of Grease.

Q: What do you give to a sick lemon? A: Lemon aid!

When mopping the floor, use very hot water. It evaporates and dries quicker. #LifeProTip

A group of Hedgehogs is called an Array.

The Scary Statistic: Falling Down odds: 1-in-246

What to do: Stay in a chair, or lie on the ground.

The first mainstream album in history to be recorded & mixed digitally and released in CD format was ‘The Visitors’ by ABBA

The biggest film of 1945: The Bells of St. Mary’s (Drama) earned ~ $21,000,000

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