March 2, 1944 - The Academy awards are presented for the first time, as a variety show. Hosted by Jack Benny, the ceremony took place at Graumans Chinese Theater in Los Angeles. The program was broadcast locally, due to a lack of national interest. Awards were presented to Bing Crosby, best actor for his male lead in the picture Going My Way, which won best film. Ingrid Bergman won best actress for her performance in Gaslight.
March 17, 1944 - Wedding of actor Charlton Heston and Lydia Clarke.
March 15, 1954 - The day Doo-Wap music was born, when the Chords recorded their song Sh-boom. The Chords were discovered by a talent agent in 1953 while singing on their way to a subway station. He then arranged an audition with a new R&B label called Cat Records. Sh-boom reached the top ten.
March 15, 1954 - CBS Morning Show premieres with Walter Cronkite & Jack Paar.
March 19, 1954 - The first color telecast of a prize fight, broadcast from Madison Square Garden in New York City, Giardello vs Troy.
March 24, 1954 - The stockholders of the two firms Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and the Hudson Motor Car Company approved a merger creating the American Motors Corporation (AMC), the most successful post war independent manufacturer of cars.
March 25, 1954 - RCA manufactures 1st color TV set.
March 6, 1964 - Elijah Muhammad renames Cassius Clay, Muhammad Ali.
March 10, 1964 - The first Ford Mustang is produced. According to historian Gary Witzenburg, No new car in history had ever received the publicity and attention that the media lavished on Fords sporty small car. The Mustang became available to the public on April 16, and was offered at a base price of $2,368, although most buyers averaged $1000 in additional features. Two men were credited with the success of the Mustang. Within Ford, Don Frey, the product manager, but to the public, Ford executive Lee Iacocca.
March 16, 1964 - The release of the Beatles album Can’t Buy Me Love, the largest advance-selling record in history, with 2.1 million advance orders placed around the world. The album helped to break Elvis Presley’s record of the most concurrent singles on Billboards Hot 100 Chart. Elvis had nine, and now the Beatles had 14.
March 19, 1964 - Sean Connerys 1st day of shooting on Goldfinger.
March 20, 1964 - Funny Girl with Barbra Streisand opens on Broadway.
March 24, 1964 - Kennedy half-dollar issued.
Published in U S Legacies Magazine March 2004
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