FEBRUARY 1, 1935

Full News Archive

• Headline: Death of Popular Novelist J. S. Fletcher. Impact: J.S. Fletcher's mysteries inspired countless amateur detectives, leading to the invention of the private investigator role in 20th-century literature, and ultimately a spike in unsolved case files. Thanks, Fletcher!. Fact: J.S. Fletcher wrote so many detective stories that he could probably solve his own murder mystery if he were alive today!.
• Headline: De Mille Prevails in Landmark Tax Case. Impact: DeMille winning a tax suit encouraged future filmmakers to believe they could outsmart the IRS, leading to a long line of Hollywood tax evasion stories. Thanks, C.B. DeMille, for the blueprint!. Fact: Winning a tax lawsuit is like winning a gold medal in procrastination; you just avoided the inevitable longer than everyone else..
• Headline: Reich Bans Pola Negri in Film.. Impact: The Reich's ban on Pola Negri in films set a precedent for censorship that would echo through decades of Hollywood, giving rise to the phrase 'You’re not in my movie!' as a polite way to deny someone.. Fact: Pola Negri was once so famous that banning her was like telling a Kardashian to stay off social media. Good luck with that!.
• Headline: AVIATION GROUP ELECTS.; Aeronautical Chamber Retains Officers in Gesture of Confidence. Impact: The re-election of aviation group officers gave a false sense of stability that would keep people flying into the future, unaware of the impending turbulence—both in the skies and in their careers.. Fact: In aviation, retaining officers is like keeping the same pilot for a decade; eventually, they might need a break—preferably with a parachute!.
• Headline: HELEN HOWE OFFERS EIGHT SOLO SKETCHES; Impersonator Performs for Two Hours at Belasco Before an Enthusiastic Audience.. Impact: Helen Howe's solo sketches sparked a revolution in one-person shows, inspiring future comedians to think they could also be the center of attention for hours. Spoiler alert: not everyone is that entertaining.. Fact: Two hours of impersonations sounds exhausting; I can only imagine the crowd’s relief when she finally decided to impersonate a clock and wrap it up!.
• Headline: Fat Man Watching Trial Breaks 2 Benches in Day. Impact: The fat man's bench-breaking escapade turned him into an unwitting symbol of America’s struggle with obesity, leading to countless gym memberships and 'before and after' photos that would make even the benches cry.. Fact: Breaking benches in a courtroom is the ultimate mic drop; too bad no one will remember the verdict after that performance!.
• Headline: TOSCANINI CHEERED IN SCHUBERT FINALE; The C Major Symphony Stirs Audience at Carnegie Hall to High Enthusiasm. CELLO CONCERTO HEARD Piatigorsky Is Soloist With the Philharmonic in Premiere of Castelnuovo-Tedesco Work.. Impact: Toscanini's triumphant performance created an obsession with classical music that would inspire future generations to pretend they understood it while secretly Googling the plot of every opera.. Fact: Being cheered for conducting a symphony is like being applauded for breathing; it’s nice, but we all know it’s just a matter of time before someone demands an encore!.