According to the AP on January 16th:
- In 1942, actress Carole Lombard, her mother and about 20 other people were killed when their plane crashed near Las Vegas. They were returning from a war-bond promotion tour.
- In 1957, the Cavern Club in Liverpool, England, opened. It became famous as the place where The Beatles were a house band.
- In 1964, the musical "Hello, Dolly!" starring Carol Channing, opened on Broadway.
- In 1970, The Who began a tour of European opera houses, performing excerpts from the rock opera "Tommy."
- In 1973, the last episode of "Bonanza" aired on NBC.
- In 1976, the live album "Frampton Comes Alive!" was released.
- In 1980, Paul McCartney was jailed in Tokyo after customs agents found marijuana in his luggage. Exactly four years later, he was arrested for marijuana possession in Barbados.
- In 1990, actors Tom Cruise and Mimi Rogers released a statement that said they were ending their three-year marriage.
- In 1991, The Byrds and Wilson Pickett were among those inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
- In 1996, Jamaican authorities opened fire on Jimmy Buffett's seaplane, mistaking it for a drug trafficker's plane. U2 singer Bono was with Buffett, but neither one was hurt.
- Also in 1996, Wayne Newton performed his 25,000th Las Vegas show. Newton has performed more shows as a headliner in Las Vegas than any other entertainer.
Today's birthdays:
- Opera singer Marilyn Horne is 79.
- Singer Barbara Lynn is 71.
- Country singer Ronnie Milsap is 70.
- Country singer Jim Stafford is 69.
- Director John Carpenter is 65.
- Actress-dancer Debbie Allen is 63. Singer Sade is 54.
- Bassist Paul Webb of Talk Talk is 51.
- Singer Maxine Jones of En Vogue is 47.
- Actor David Chokachi ("Baywatch") is 45.
- Actor Richard T. Jones ("Judging Amy") is 41.
- Supermodel Kate Moss is 39.
- Guitarist Nick Valensi of The Strokes is 32.
- Actress Yvonne Zima is 24.
