Events in year of 1948
- 01-011st color newsreel filmed (Pasadena, California)
- 01-01Bradman scores 132 in the 1st innings of the 3rd Test vs. India
- 01-01Britain nationalizes its railways
- 01-01General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade effective
- 01-01Italy adopts constitution
- 01-01Orissa province accedes to India
- 01-02WNDT (now WNET) TV channel 13 in New York-Newark, New York (PBS) begins
- 01-04Burma declares independence from the UK
- 01-07US President Truman raises taxes for Marshall-plan
- 01-08Queen Wilhelmina signs death sentence against Ans van Dijk for treason
- 01-10"Call Me Mister" closes at National Theater NYC after 734 performances
- 01-121st Supermarket in the UK opens
- 01-12Mohandas Mahatma Gandhi begins his final fast
- 01-12US Supreme Court decision (Sipuel vs. Oklahoma State Board of Regents)
- 01-131st country music TV show, Midwestern Hayride, premieres on WLW Cin
- 01-1635 Haganah members are ambushed and killed in Gush Etzyon
- 01-17Netherlands and Indonesia agree to a cease fire
- 01-17Trial of 11 US Communist party members begins in New York City
- 01-181st courses begin at University of Ibadan, Nigeria
- 01-21West Indies vs. England, Test debut Walcott, Weekes and Jim Laker
- 01-23Bradman scores 201 in 272 minutes vs. India, 21 fours 1 six
- 01-23Test debut of Neil Harvey, vs. India at Adelaide
- 01-24"Music in My Heart" closes at Adelphi Theater NYC after 124 performances
- 01-26Executive Order 9981, end segregation in US Armed Forces signed
- 01-271st locomotive to carry 1,000,000 pounds (450,000 kg) operates
- 01-271st tape recorder sold
- 01-29Commissioner Happy Chandler fines the Yankees, Cubs, and Phillies $500 each for signing high school players
- 01-305th Winter Olympic games open in St. Moritz, Switzerland
- 01-31Magnetic tape recorder developed by Wireway
- 02-01Federation Malaysia forms from 9 sultanates
People born in year of 1948
- 01-03Larry McNeeley: Lafayette, Indiana -- Banjo player (Glen Campbell Hour)
- 01-03Manfred Kokot: East German runner (world record 50 m indoor)
- 01-05Thom Mooney: Rocker
- 01-06Guy Spencer Gardner: Alta Vista, Virginia -- Lt Colonel USAF / Astronaut (STS 27, STS 35)
- 01-06Robert E [Bob] Wise, Jr.: (Rep-D-West Virginia, 1983- )
- 01-07Kaz Lux: Poland -- Singer
- 01-08Gillies Mackinnon: Director (Playboys)
- 01-08Mel Pritchard: Rocker
- 01-09Bill Cowsill: Newport, Rhode Island -- Rock guitarist / vocals (Cowsills-We Can Fly)
- 01-10William Sanderson: Memphis, Tennessee -- Actor (Larry-Newhart, Blade Runner)
- 01-11Madeline Manning-Jackson-Mimms: US 800m runner (1968 Olympics - Gold Medalist)
- 01-12Anthony Andrews: London, England -- Actor (Under the Volcano)
- 01-14Carl Weathers: New Orleans, Louisiana -- Actor (Apollo Creed-Rocky)
- 01-14T-Bone Burnett: Musician / producer
- 01-14Tim Harris: Rocker (Foundations)
- 01-15Dini Petty: Canadian talk show host (CITY-TV)
- 01-15Ronnie Van Zant: Rocker (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
- 01-15Tommy Nolan: Montreal, Quebec -- Actor (Jody-Buckskin)
- 01-16Anatoli Yakovlevich Solovyov: Riga, Russia -- Cosmonaut (TM-5, 9, 15, 26, STS 71)
- 01-16Christopher Moran: English financier / multi-millionaire
- 01-16Cliff Thorburn: Victoria, British Columbia -- Champion snooker player
- 01-18Takeshi Kitano: Tokyo, Japan -- Actor (Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence)
- 01-19Harvey Hinsley: Rocker
- 01-20Jerry Ross: Lt Colonel USAF / Astronaut (STS 61B, 27, 37, 55, 74, sk:88)
- 01-20Melvyn John Pritchard: England, United Kingdom -- Rocker (Barclay James Harvest)
- 01-24Elliott Abrams: Assistant Secretary of State / supplied arms to the Contras
- 01-26Corky Laing: Rocker (Mountain)
- 01-27Chuck Larsen: Rocker (Snuff)
- 01-28Gareth Roscoe: Legal adviser (BBC)
- 01-28Mamoru Mohri Yoichi-machi: Hokkaido, Japan -- Astronaut (STS 47)
People died in year of 1948
- 01-01Hermann K J Zilcher: German pianist / Composer (Liebesmesse), dies at 66
- 01-01Willem Louis Frederic Landre: Composer, dies at 73
- 01-07Raoul Auernheimer: Writer
- 01-08Kurt Schwitters: Writer, dies at 60
- 01-14Anna "Ans" van Dike: Dutch Jewish Nazi-collaborator, executed at 42
- 01-21Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari: Composer, dies at 72
- 01-26Ignaz Friedman: Composer, dies at 65
- 01-30Herb Pennock: Pitcher (New York Yankees) / GM (Phillies)
- 01-30Mahatma Ghandi: Murdered by Hindu extremists in India
- 01-30Orville Wright: US aviation pioneer, dies at 76
- 02-05Johann Blaskowitz: German General (surrendered at Wageningen), dies at 64
- 02-06Robert Brasillach: French Author / Nazi collaborator, dies at 38
- 02-07"Red" McKenzie: Blues-jazz singer (played comb-with-tissue-paper)
- 02-09Karl Valentin: German comic / writer, dies at 65
- 02-10Sergei Eisenstein: Russian director (Battleship Potemkin), dies at 50
- 02-11Sergy Eisenstein: Film director, dies at 50
- 02-21Frederick Archibald Lamond: Composer, dies at 80
- 03-04Antonin Artaud: French Poet / actor (Napoleon), dies at 51
- 03-10Jan Masaryk: Czech Foreign minister, commits suicide or is murdered
- 03-25Warren Hymer: Actor (Show Them No Mercy), dies at 42
- 03-26Helen Ernst: German poster artist / resistance fighter, dies at about 43
- 03-27Karel Candael: Flemish composer, dies at 64
- 03-31Egon E Kisch: Czech writer / journalist (Raging Reporter), dies at 62
- 04-08Josef B Kjellgren: Swedish writer (Guldkedjan), dies at 40
- 04-17Johan P Earl of Limburg Stirum: Diplomat, dies at 75
- 04-21Carlos Lopez Buchardo: Composer, dies at 66
- 04-24Joseph Wihtol: Composer, dies at 84
- 04-24Manuel Marua Ponce: Mexican Composer (Ferial), dies at 65
- 04-24Rosita Marstini: Actress (I Cover Waterfront, Big Parade), dies at 54
- 05-01Christos Ladas: Greek Minister of Justice, murdered
Events in year of 1949
- 01-01KPRC TV channel 2 in Houston, TX (NBC) begins broadcasting
- 01-01KTTV TV channel 11 in Los Angeles, CA (MET) begins broadcasting
- 01-01Tokelau (Union) Islands declared part of New Zealand
- 01-02KDKA TV channel 2 in Pittsburgh, PA (CBS) begins broadcasting
- 01-03"Colgate Theater" dramatic anthology series premieres on NBC TV
- 01-05General Spoor orders cease-fire on Sumatra
- 01-05President Harry S Truman labels his administration the "Fair Deal"
- 01-071st photo of genes taken at University of Southern California by Pease and Baker
- 01-08"Make Mine Manhattan" closes at Broadhurst Theater NYC after 429 performances
- 01-08"My Romance" closes at Shubert Theater NYC after 95 performances
- 01-08"Small Wonder" closes at Coronet Theater NYC after 134 performances
- 01-101st Jewish family show "Goldbergs" premieres on CBS
- 01-10RCA introduces 45 RPM record
- 01-11Snowfall 1st recorded in Los Angeles
- 01-12"Arthur Godfrey & His Friends" premieres on CBS TV
- 01-12Dutch court affirms death sentence against SS chief Hanns Rauter
- 01-13"Along 5th Avenue" opens at Broadhurst Theater NYC for 180 performances
- 01-14Black / Indian race rebellion in Durban, South Africa; 142 die
- 01-16"Rape of Lucretia" closes at Ziegfeld Theater NYC after 23 performances
- 01-16KNBH (now KNBC) TV channel 4 in Los Angeles, CA (NBC) 1st broadcast
- 01-16WTOP (now WUSA) TV channel 9 in Washington, DC (CBS) 1st broadcast
- 01-18"They Stand Accused" courtroom drama premieres on CBS (later DuMont)
- 01-181st US Congressional standing committee headed by Negro (W Dawson)
- 01-18South African Rev Andries P Treurnicht marries Engela Dreyer
- 01-20J Edgar Hoover gives Shirley Temple a tear gas fountain pen
- 01-20President Truman announces his point 4 program
- 01-211st inaugural parade televised (Harry Truman)
- 01-22"All for Love" opens at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC for 121 performances
- 01-22Chinatown telephone exchange closed
- 01-251st Emmy Awards: Shirley Dinsdale and Pantomime Quiz (KTLA) win
People born in year of 1949
- 01-01Nikolai Tikhonovich Moskalenko: Russia -- Cosmonaut
- 01-01Peter Dormer: Arts writer
- 01-02Christopher Durang: Montclair, New Jersey -- Playwright / actor (Sister Mary)
- 01-05George Brown: Rock drummer (Kool & the Gang-Celebration)
- 01-06Michael Boit: Nandi, Kenya -- 800m runner (1972 Olympics - Bronze Medalist)
- 01-06Richard Horowitz: Composer
- 01-07John Christopher Parry: Rocker (Cure)
- 01-07Marshall Chapman: Spartanburg, South Carolina -- Country singer
- 01-10Teresa Graves: Houston, Texas -- Actress (Laugh-in, Get Christie Love)
- 01-10Walter S Browne: US chess champion (1974-78, 1980-84)
- 01-11[Frederick] Dennis Greene: Rocker (Sha Na Na-Shannon)
- 01-11Tom Netherton: Munich, Germany -- Singer (Lawrence Welk Show)
- 01-12James W Dietz: Rower
- 01-12Wayne Wang: Director (Chan is Missing, Slamdance)
- 01-13Rakesh Sharma: India -- Cosmonaut (Soyuz T-11)
- 01-14Christine Belford: Amityville, New York -- Actress (Banacek, Empire, 90210)
- 01-15Howard Allen Twitty: Phoenix, Arizona -- PGA golfer (1979 BC Open)
- 01-17Debbie Watson: La Mirada, California -- Actress (Karen, Tammy)
- 01-20Kieron Walsh: Academic
- 01-22James P Pennington: Rocker (Exile)
- 01-22Rein P Hummel: Dutch MP (PvdA)
- 01-23Robert Cabana: Minneapolis, Minnesota -- Major USMC / Astronaut (STS 41, 53, 68, sk:88)
- 01-24Bart Gordon: (Rep-D-Tennessee, 1985- )
- 01-26Derek Holt: Rocker (Climax Blues Band)
- 01-26Paul Nurse: Dr / Director-General elect (Imperial Cancer Research Fund)
- 01-27Lifford: Viscount
- 01-28Thomas J Downey: (Rep-D-New York, 1975- )
- 01-30William King: Alabama, United States -- Soul trumpeteer (Commodores-Easy)
- 01-31Carol Hawkins: Actress (Dialing for Dingbats)
- 02-01Jimmy Lee Thorpe: Roxboro, North Carolina -- PGA golfer (1985 Greater Milwaukee Open)
People died in year of 1949
- 01-09Amilcare Zanella: Composer, dies at 75
- 01-15Black Dahlia: Murder victim found in LA (basis of the movie)
- 01-15Pompeo Aloisi: Italian Baron / diplomat / senator, dies at 63
- 01-20Josephus T J Cuypers: Architect (Amsterdam Stock Exchange), dies at 87
- 01-25Emil Axman: Composer, dies at 61
- 01-26Victor Fleming: Director (Wizard of Oz, Gone With Wind), dies at 65
- 01-27Boris Asafiev: Composer, dies at 64
- 01-28Gustaf Lazarus Nordqvist: Composer, dies at 62
- 01-31Henri de Vries [Hendricus Walterop]: Actor (Cleopatra), dies at 84
- 02-01Herbert Stothart: Composer, dies at 63
- 02-05Juozas Tallat-Kelpsa: Composer, dies at 50
- 02-08Franco Leoni: Composer, dies at 81
- 02-08Leonid Alexeyevich Polovinkin: Composer, dies at 54
- 02-09Poul Julius Ouscher Schierbeck: Composer, dies at 60
- 02-18Niceto A Zamora y Torres: Premier of Spain (1931-36), dies at 71
- 02-19Auguste Jean Maria Charles Serieyx: Composer, dies at 83
- 02-21Ernest Walker: Composer, dies at 78
- 02-28Stanley Robert Marchant: Composer, dies at 65
- 03-11Juan Lamonte de Grignon: Composer, dies at 76
- 03-12Maria "Beppie" Bakker: Dutch actress / Wife of Piet Vink Sr, dies at 95
- 03-17Felix Bressart: Actor (Escape, Ninotchka, Iceland), dies at 54
- 03-25Hanns A Rauter: German SS-commandant in Netherland, executed at 54
- 03-28Grigoras Dinicu: Composer, dies at 59
- 03-30Friedrich C R Bergius: Chemist (brown coal, Nobel 1931), dies at 64
- 04-03Basil Harwood: Composer, dies at 89
- 04-13C V France: Dies at 80
- 04-14Joseph A Cushman: US paleontologist, dies at 68
- 04-15Wallace Beery: US actor (The Champ), dies at 64
- 04-16Sutan Ibrahim gelor Datuk Tan Malaka: Indon communist, executed at 54
- 04-18Leonard Bloomfield: Linguist / philosopher
Events in year of 1950
- 01-01Ho Chi Minh begins offensive against French troops in Indo China
- 01-06"Happy as Larry" opens at Coronet Theater NYC for 3 performances
- 01-06Britain recognizes Communist government of China
- 01-07"Happy as Larry" closes at Coronet Theater NYC after 3 performances
- 01-07Mental health wing of Mercy Hospital burns, kills 41 (Davenport Ia)
- 01-12Swedish tanker rams British submarine Truculent in Thames, 64 die
- 01-12USSR re-introduces death penalty for treason, espionage and sabotage
- 01-14"As the Girls Go" closes at Winter Garden Theater NYC after 420 performances
- 01-14US recalls all consular officials from China
- 01-154,000 attend National Emergency Civil Rights Conference in Washington DC
- 01-16Belgium, Luxembourg and Netherlands recognize Israel
- 01-17"Alive & Kicking" opens at Winter Garden Theater NYC for 46 performances
- 01-20"Dance Me a Song" opens at Royale Theater NYC for 35 performances
- 01-20Suriname becomes independent part in Realm of the Netherlands
- 01-21"Lend an Ear" closes at National Theater NYC after 460 performances
- 01-21New York jury finds former State Department official Alger Hiss guilty of perjury
- 01-22Polly Riley wins LPGA Tampa Golf Open
- 01-23AP picks "Miracle Braves" of 1914 as greatest sports upset
- 01-23Israeli Knesset resolves Jerusalem is capital of Israel
- 01-23NFL rule changes open way for 2-platoon system (offense & defense)
- 01-23Rebel army of cap Raymond Westerner occupies Bandung
- 01-24Jackie Robinson signs highest contract ($35,000) in Dodger history
- 01-26India becomes a Republic ceaseing to be a British dominion
- 01-272nd Emmy Awards: Ed Wynn Show and Texaco Star Theater win
- 01-28Preston Tucker, auto maker, found not guilty of mail fraud
- 01-30"Robert Montgomery Presents" dramatic anthology premieres on NBC TV
- 01-31President Truman OKs building of hydrogen bomb
- 02-01Urko Kekkonen elected President of Finland
- 02-01USSR demands condemnation of Emperor Hirohito for war crimes
- 02-02"Arms & the Girl" opens at 46th St. Theater NYC for 134 performances
People born in year of 1950
- 01-01Morgan Fisher: Rock keyboardist (British Lions)
- 01-01Svetlana Georgievna Beregovkina: Russia -- Cosmonaut
- 01-01Yevgeni Vladimirovich Saley: Cosmonaut
- 01-03Beth Anderson: Composer
- 01-09Rio Reiser: Rock singer
- 01-12Bob McEwen: (Rep-R-Ohio, 1981- )
- 01-12Marilyn R Smith: Microbiologist
- 01-15David Lynn Jones: Bexar, Arkansas -- Country singer (Bonnie Jean)
- 01-16Debbie Allen: Houston, Texas -- Dancer / actress (3 Girls 3, Lydia-Fame)
- 01-18Claudia de Colombia: Bogato, Colombia -- Spanish singer (Yo Creo En Ti)
- 01-18Gilles Villeneuve: Canadian auto racer
- 01-20Henk Batenburgh: Cabaret performer / singer (Waaldrecht)
- 01-21Joseph R Tanner: Danville, Illinois -- Astronaut (STS 66, 82, sk: 97)
- 01-21Richie Ranno: Rocker
- 01-23Danny Federici: Rocker (E Street Band)
- 01-23Patrick Simmons: Guitarist / vocal (Doobie Brothers-Minute by Minute)
- 01-23Richard Gilliland: Fort Worth, Texas -- Actor (Jonesy-Waltons, Tom-Heartland)
- 01-23William Cunningham: Rock bassist / pianist (Box Tops-Letter)
- 01-24Daniel Auteuil: Algeria -- Actor (Elegant Criminal, Manon of Spring)
- 01-25Gloria Naylor: US author (Women of Brewster Place)
- 01-25Michael Cotton: Rocker (Tubes)
- 01-26David Strathairn: Actor (LA Confidential, Eight Men Out)
- 01-26Jorg Haider: Austrian polical leader (Austrian Freedom Pary)
- 01-28David Carl Hilmers: Iowa, United States -- Colonel USMC / Astronaut (STS 51-J, 26, 36, 42)
- 01-28Glyn Ford: British MEP
- 01-30Bruce Howard Lidington: Actor (Sword of Valiant, Mosses)
- 01-30Silvia Bertolaccini: LPGA golfer
- 02-02Barbara Sukowa: Germany -- Actress (Zentropia, Sicilian, Voyager, Lola)
- 02-02Osamu Kido: Wrestler (NJPW / UWF)
- 02-04James Dunn: US vocalist (Stylistics-You make me feel Brand New)
People died in year of 1950
- 01-02Emil Jannings: Actor (The Way of All Flesh), dies at 65
- 01-06Isaiah Bowman: Geographer / co-founder (Geographical Review), dies at 71
- 01-08Joseph A Schumpeter: Aus / US economist / Minister of Finance, dies at 66
- 01-08Joseph Issac Shneerson: Jewish Lubavitch Chabal leader
- 01-11Karin Michaelis: Writer, dies at 77
- 01-12Koos van de Griend: Composer, dies at 44
- 01-21George Orwell: Author (Animal Farm, 1984), dies in London at 46
- 01-22Alan Hale: Actor (Little John-Adventures of Robin Hood), dies at 57
- 01-24Bull Montana: Actor (Son of Sheik), dies at 62
- 01-26Betsy van den Arend: Dutch [Betje], actress (Miss Hobbs), dies at 78
- 02-03Karl Seitz: President of Austria, dies at 80
- 02-10Armen Tigran Tigranyan: Composer, dies at 70
- 02-14Eduard Hermann: German linguist (Homer), dies at 80
- 02-14Karl G Jansky: Czech discoverer of cosmic radio sources, dies at 44
- 02-18Voranc Prezikov [Lovro Kuhar]: Slavic Author (Jamnica), dies at 56
- 02-19Edyth Walker: US singer, dies at 82
- 02-26Harry Lauder (Maclennan): Scottish comic / singer, dies at about 75
- 02-27Ivan Goll: Writer, dies at 58
- 03-06Lew Lehr: Comedian (Stop Me if I heard this One), dies at 54
- 03-08Jaroslav Kocian: Composer, dies at 67
- 03-11Florence Arliss: Actress (Disraeli), dies at 78
- 03-12L Heinrich Mann: German / US writer (Between the Races), dies at 78
- 03-19Edgar Rice Burroughs: Sci-fi Author (Tarzan of the Apes), dies at 74
- 03-20Walter Eucken: German economist, dies at 59
- 03-28Georgine M "May" Basting: Actress (Occupier), dies at 67
- 04-01Charles R Drew: Surgeon / developer of blood bank concept, dies at 45
- 04-03Adolf Wiklund: Composer, dies at 70
- 04-03Carter G Woodson: American Historian (black studies), dies at 74
- 04-03Kurt Julian Weill: German Composer (Dreigroschenoper), dies at 50
- 04-07Walter Huston: Dies at 66