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The Cryogenic Rush Job
RETRO
Dr James Bedford became the first dead body to be cryogenically frozen on 12th January, 1967 – a day still commemorated in the ‘suspended animation’ community as Bedford Day. But in this burgeoning (pseudo)science, there were plenty of preparations yet to be made. Which meant that the freezing team – lead not by scientists but enthusiasts – …
Mariah’s Christmas Hit
RETRO
All I Want For Christmas Is You has made Mariah Carey a fortune – but it took an astonishing 25 years for the song to finally reach Number One on the Billboard Hot 100; a feat it achieved on 21st December, 2019, becoming America’s first festive-themed chart-topper since The Chipmunk Song in 1958. When originally …
The Krays in Soho
RETRO
The Hideaway Club, now part of London’s Chinatown, opened on 16th December, 1964. Ronnie and Reggie Kray didn’t turn up for the big night, even though they had booked a table. It was an opening gambit in a war of intimidation against the manager of the club, Huw Cargill McCowan – to whom the gangsters …
Napoleon’s Second Funeral
RETRO
Napoleon was buried in an unmarked grave in St. Helena. But, 19 years later, on 15th December, 1840, he got buried again: this time at Les Invalides, Paris. It was an ornate state occasion, involving multiple caskets, 500 sailors, 14 semi-naked female statues… and a lot of lardy cakes. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and …
Dubya Dodges A Shoe-ing
RETRO
When George W Bush flew to Baghdad for a press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on 14th December, 2008, he had hoped the headlines would reflect his triumphant appraisal of his deployment of American troops. Instead, it became known as the day he got some shoes thrown at him. The man throwing the …
Who Ate All The Mayonnaise?
RETRO
Michelle “Cardboard Shell” Lesco achieved her third world record in competitive eating on 13th December, 2018 – this time for consuming the most amount of mayonnaise in three minutes. She consumed 2,448g – the equivalent of 3.5 jars, and 16,000 calories. Her previous titles were the fastest time to eat a bowl of pasta (26.69 …
Sinatra’s Slapstick Kidnapping
RETRO
19 year-old singer Frank Sinatra, Jr was snatched from his casino dressing room on 10th December, 1962. His famous father was willing to pay the kidnappers a $1 million ransom – but they insisted they only required $240,000. When the case went to trial, the defence suggested that the Sinatras may have been in on …
Welcome To Wetherspoons
RETRO
Now a 900 strong pub chain, with an annual turnover of £1.6 billion, J.D. Wetherspoon is a big name on the British high street. But when entrepreneur Tim Martin flung open the doors of the first branch in London’s Muswell Hill on 9th December, 1979, it was known as ‘Tim’s Free House’ – and closed …
There’s Something About Mary
RETRO
The Pope defined the dogma of The Immaculate Conception – confirming that, in the view of the Catholic Church, Christ’s mother Mary had not only been ‘full of grace’, but was completely absent of sin even at her own conception – on 8th December, 1854. Despite this having been an unofficial concept amongst the faithful …
Morecambe, Wise & Mr Preview
RETRO
Oscar-winning conductor André Previn was an unlikely choice of celebrity guest for the Christmas special of ‘The Morcambe and Wise Show’ recorded on 7th December, 1971 – but the 13-minute sketch they taped together remains one of Britain’s all-time favourites. The music hall-style caper – which revolves around a comically catastrophic interpretation of Grieg’s Piano …