MILESTONES: November 30, birthdays for Ben Stiller, Chrissy Teigen, Sandra Oh

Brooklyn Today

November 30, 2017 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Ben Stiller. Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

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Greetings, Brooklyn. Today is the 336th day of the year.

On this day in 1921, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle front page reported that an investigation began on the weak building inspection system in the latest disaster: the collapse of the American Theater on Bedford Avenue. The theater building had collapsed, killing at least seven (the count was rising as that edition went to press) and leaving only the walls and lobby intact. The District Attorney’s Office also began an investigation of contractors, subcontractors and workmen to pinpoint who was responsible for the collapse. An accompanying story listed nine other buildings that had collapsed since Jan. 1, 1920. Seven of those nine had all collapsed during 1921, including the Strand Theater at New Utrecht Avenue and 69th Street, the wall of a synagogue in Borough Park and buildings on Furman and Washington Streets.

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On this day in 1936, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle front page reported on cheers for President Franklin D. Roosevelt and for the U.S.S. Brooklyn, which was launched and christened as it began its maiden voyage into Wallabout Basin. Dignitaries attending the ship’s christening included Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia and Brooklyn Borough President Raymond Ingersoll … Meanwhile, in Buenos Aires, police were unable to contain a jubilant throng of 500,000 gathered for the arrival of President Roosevelt. Throwing him flowers, the crowds shouted, “Viva Roosevelt!”— thus giving the 32nd president “the greatest reception accorded anyone in Argentine history” up to that point, according to the UPI dispatch.

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On this day in 1942, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle front page reported that the death toll in Boston’s Cocoanut Grove Club fire had risen to 479, and that prosecutions were underway. A 16-year old boy named Stanley F. Tomaszewski admitted to “innocently” sparking the flyer when he had used a match to change a light bulb. The Cocoanut Grove Club was a few blocks from the Boston Public Garden … Meanwhile, in Brooklyn, former Magistrate Joseph Goldstein charged in a case before Brooklyn Supreme Court that the State Commission on Correction was “thumbing its nose” at the borough by delaying a decision on the dilapidated Raymond Street Jail.

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On this day in 1947, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle front page reported that the U.N., convening in Flushing, had voted 33-13 (with 10 abstentions) to partition Palestine into Arab and Jewish states. The vote to back this plan, sponsored by the U.S. and the Soviet Union, was hailed in the Jewish communities in Palestine and Brooklyn. However, it angered the Arab community, which vowed a holy war in the belief that they were being thrown out of the territory that they considered their homeland since New Testament times. After the vote, the Arab delegation protested by walking out of the General Assembly. Part of Palestine would be renamed the State of Israel, which was created on May 14, 1948.

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NOTABLE PEOPLE born on this day include U.S. Sen. RICHARD BURR, who was born in 1955; founder of the Children’s Television Workshop and creator of “Sesame Street” JOAN GANZ COONEY, who was born in 1929; actress KALEY CUOCO, who was born in 1985; actress ELISHA CUTHBERT, who was born in 1982; actress JESSALYN GILSIG, who was born in 1971; singer and songwriter BILLY IDOL, who was born in 1955; former baseball and football player BO JACKSON, who was born in 1962; convicted Watergate conspirator and radio talk show host G. GORDON LIDDY, who was born in Brooklyn 1930; dramatist DAVID MAMET, who was born in 1947; comedian and actor COLIN MOCHRIE, who was born in 1957; actress SANDRA OH, who was born in 1971; actor MANDY PATINKIN, who was born in 1952; former baseball player IVAN “PUDGE” RODRIGUEZ, who was born in 1971; actress AMY RYAN, who was born in 1969; director RIDLEY SCOTT, who was born in 1937; actor BEN STILLER, who was born in 1965; singer and songwriter NOEL PAUL STOOKEY, who was born in 1937; supermodel and actress CHRISSY TEIGEN, who was born in 1985; and actress ALLISON WILLIAMS, who was born in 1988.

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TODAY IS COMPUTER SECURITY DAY. The use of computers and the concern for security increase daily. This annual observance, which began in 1988, reminds people to protect their computers, programs and data at home and at work. More than 1,500 companies participate worldwide.

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GORDON PARKS WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1912. The award-winning and groundbreaking photojournalist and filmmaker was born the youngest of 15 to a poor family. His photography career encompassed glamorous fashion shoots for Vogue, as well as portraits of world leaders and searing photo essays for Life, where he was the magazine’s first black staff photographer. Parks became the first major black Hollywood film director, with such important works as “The Learning Tree” and “Shaft.” He died in New York in 2006.

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“THRILLER” WAS RELEASED ON THIS DAY IN 1982. Michael Jackson’s sixth studio album is one of the most popular and most important albums of all time, charting seven songs in the top 10. It broke pop charts wide open for black artists, who had often been relegated to R&B charts, and simultaneously gave musical forms like genre crossovers in its songwriting and production. “Thriller” stayed on the charts for more than three years and has sold more than 110 million copies. The album was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry in 2008.

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THE STATUE OF RAMSES II WAS UNEARTHED ON THIS DAY IN 1991. Egyptian construction workers in the ancient provincial town of Akhimim unearthed a statue of the Egyptian king. The statue was uncovered during an excavation to prepare a foundation for a post office. An additional statue was uncovered 33 feet away, but the subject was unknown.