What Happened in December 1924

Historical Events

  • Dec 1 Plutarco Elías Calles becomes President of Mexico
  • Dec 1 George & Ira Gershwin's musical "Lady Be Good" premieres in NYC

Book releaseHistoric Publication

Dec 1 "La Révolution surréaliste" publishes its first issue in Paris, edited by André Breton

Writer and Surrealist André Breton
Writer and Surrealist
André Breton
  • Dec 1 The Boston Bruins beat fellow expansion Montreal Maroons, 2-1 at Boston Arena; first NHL game to be played in the United States
  • Dec 2 British-German trade agreement signed
  • Dec 5 Hamilton Tiger Red Green scores 5 goals to beat Tor Maple Leafs 10-5
  • Dec 7 German election (Social Democrats win, Nazis & Communists lose)
  • Dec 9 Netherlands & Hungary trade treaty signed
  • Dec 9 Michael Hainisch re-elected Austrian president
  • Dec 10 Agreement reached on permanent rotation of World Series with each league, getting games 1, 2, 6, 7 in alternating years
  • Dec 12 Spanish troops leave Morocco
  • Dec 13 KOA-AM in Denver CO begins radio transmissions

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Dec 14 Chiang Kai-shek occupies Hankou

Chinese Military and Political Leader Chiang Kai-shek
Chinese Military and Political Leader
Chiang Kai-shek
  • Dec 14 Respighi's symphony "Pini di Roma" premieres in Paris
  • Dec 16 Noel Coward's "Vortex" premieres in London

Electoral defeatElection of Interest

Dec 16 Hiram Bingham is elected as a Republican to serve in the U.S. Senate forcing him to resign as Governor of Connecticut after serving only one day in office, the shortest term of any Connecticut Governor

Archaeologist and Explorer Hiram Bingham
Archaeologist and Explorer
Hiram Bingham

  • Dec 17 1st US diesel electric locomotive enters service, Bronx, NY
  • Dec 17 The Hamilton Tigers and Ottawa Senators battle out the first scoreless game in NHL history; Jake Forbes (Hamilton) and Alex Connell (Ottawa) each record shutouts
  • Dec 19 Test Cricket debut of Bill Ponsford, who scored 110 in 1st innings
  • Dec 19 The last Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost is sold in London, England.

BattleCoup d'état

Dec 20 Adolf Hitler freed from jail early, having served only nine months of five-year sentence for "Beer Hall Putsch"

Dictator of Nazi Germany Adolf Hitler
Dictator of Nazi Germany
Adolf Hitler
  • Dec 22 Babe Dye of NHL's Toronto St Patricks scores 5 goals beat Bruins 10-2
  • Dec 22 Philip Barry's "Youngest" premieres in NYC
  • Dec 24 1st radio transmission of NCRV in Netherlands
  • Dec 24 Albania becomes a republic (ex-premier Ahmed Zogoe's coup)
  • Dec 24 Richard Rodgers Theater (46th St Chanin's) opens at 226 W 46th NYC
  • Dec 24 School in Babb's Switch, Oklahoma, catches fire, 36 die

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Dec 26 Judy Garland, 2½, billed as Baby Frances, makes her show business debut

Actress Judy Garland
Actress
Judy Garland
  • Dec 27 Albania is declared a dictatorship under Ahmed Beg Zofu
  • Dec 27 The US signs a treaty with the Dominican Republic, which supersedes that of 1907: in July, the Us had withdrawn its Marines and ended its occupation

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Dec 30 Astronomer Edwin Hubble formally announces existence of other galactic systems at meeting of the American Astronomical Society

Astronomer Edwin Hubble
Astronomer
Edwin Hubble

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Dec 31 Italian Fascist Mussolini orders the suppression of opposition newspapers

Italian Dictator Benito Mussolini
Italian Dictator
Benito Mussolini

Famous Birthdays

  • Dec 2 Alexander Haig Jr, American General and 59th Secretary of State (1981-82), born in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania (d. 2010)
  • Dec 2 John Herbert "Jonathan" Frid, Canadian actor (Barnabas Collins-Dark Shadows), born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (d. 2012)
  • Dec 3 John Backus, inventor (FORTRAN computer language)
  • Dec 3 Roberto Mières, Argentine racing driver
  • Dec 3 Francisco Sionil José, Filipino novelist, Philippine National Artist for Literature
  • Dec 4 John C. Portman Jr., American architect (Ivan Allen Award-1964), born in Walhalla, South Carolina (d. 2017)
  • Dec 5 George Savalas, Greek-American actor (Kojak, Kelly's Heroes), born in The Bronx, New York (d. 1985)
  • Dec 5 Beverly Hanson, American golfer (3 LPGA major titles), born in Fargo, North Dakota (d. 2014)
  • Dec 6 Wallace "Wally" Cox, American comedian and actor (Mister, Underdog, Peepers, Hollywood Squares), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 1973)
  • Dec 6 Sergey Yablonsky, Soviet and Russian mathematician and one of the founders of the Soviet school of mathematical cybernetics and discrete mathematics (d. 1998), born in Moscow, Russia
  • Dec 7 John Love, Zimbabwean Formula One driver, born in Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia (d. 2005)

Person of interestMário Soares

Dec 7 Mário Soares, 17th President of Portugal (1986-96) and Prime Minister (1976-78 and 1983-85), born in Lisbon, Portugal (d. 2017)

President of Portugal Mário Soares
President of Portugal
Mário Soares
  • Dec 12 Ed Koch, American lawyer and politician (NY Mayor (D) 1977-89), Judge (People's Court), born in NYC, New York (d. 2013)
  • Dec 12 Francis Miroglio, French composer (Extensions), born in Marseille, France (d. 2005)
  • Dec 12 Nevit Kodallı, Turkish composer, born in Mersin, Turkey (d. 2009)
  • Dec 12 Olivier Gendebien, Belgian racing driver, born in Brussels, Belgium (d. 1998)
  • Dec 13 Larry Doby, American Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder (1st African-American in AL, Cleveland Indians), born in Camden, South Carolina (d. 2003)
  • Dec 14 Marion Morgan, American singer (Stop the Music)
  • Dec 14 Siiri Rantanen, Finnish cross country skier (Olympic gold 1956), born in Tohmajärvi, North Karelia, Finland
  • Dec 14 Raj Kapoor, Indian actor known as "the greatest showman of Hindi cinema" (Awaara, Boot Polish), born in Peshawar, British India (d. 1988)
  • Dec 15 Ida Haendel, Polish violinist/author (Woman with Violin)
  • Dec 19 Edmund Purdom, British actor (The Egyptian, Asissi Underground, Pieces), born in Hertfordshire, England (d. 2009)
  • Dec 19 Peter Prowtiny, English real estate developer/multi-millionaire
  • Dec 19 Carlo Chiti, Italian race car engineer (d. 1994)

Person of interestDoug Harvey

Dec 19 Doug Harvey, Canadian ice hockey defence player ('100 Greatest NHL Players), born in Montreal, Quebec (d. 1989)

NHL Legend Doug Harvey
NHL Legend
Doug Harvey
  • Dec 19 Gary Morton, second husband of Lucille Ball (d. 1999)
  • Dec 19 Michel Tournier, French writer ( Friday, or, The Other Island), born in Paris (d. 2016)
  • Dec 20 Errol John, Trinidadian actor & playwright (A Man from the Sun, The Nun's Story, Assault on a Queen), born in Port of Spain, Trinidad (d. 1988)
  • Dec 20 Judy LaMarsh, Canadian politician & broadcaster, born in Chatham-Kent, Canada (d. 1980)
  • Dec 21 Johan W "Jo" van Marle, KNVB-chairman (1980-93), born in Zwolle, Netherlands (d. 1995)
  • Dec 21 Rita Reys [Maria Reijs], Dutch jazz singer, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 2013)
  • Dec 22 Francesco "Frank" Corsaro, American opera director (The Night of the Iguana, Play of the Week), born in NYC, New York (d. 2017)
  • Dec 23 Floyd Kalber, American television journalist & anchorman (NBC Weekend News Anchor-1973), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 2004)
  • Dec 24 Roy Miller, West Indian cricketer (WI all-rounder in one Test 1953, 23 & 0-28), born in Kingston, Jamaica
  • Dec 24 Willem Drees, Dutch statesman (Prime Minister 1948–1958), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1988)
  • Dec 24 [Irving] Lee Dorsey, American pop and R&B singer (Working in the Coal Mine), born in New Orleans, Louisiana (d. 1986)
  • Dec 24 Grigory Kriss, Russian Olympic champion fencer, born in Kiev, Ukraine
  • Dec 25 Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Indian politician, 10th Prime Minister of India (1996, 1998-2004), born in Gwalior, India (d. 2018)
  • Dec 25 Rod Serling, writer and host (Twilight Zone, Night Gallery), born in Syracuse, New York (d. 1975)
  • Dec 25 Henry Sy Sr., Chinese Malay businessman 'Philippines Retail King', born in Amoy, China
  • Dec 26 Frank Broyles, American athlete, long time athletic director of the University of Arkansas.
  • Dec 27 James A McClure, (Sen-R-Idaho)
  • Dec 27 Mokta Ould Daddah, president Mauritania (1961-78)
  • Dec 27 Wouter Eijkelemboom, Dutch architect (Holy-hospital, Vlaardingen)
  • Dec 28 Milton Obote, President of Uganda (d. 2005)
  • Dec 28 Christine Norden, British actress (Little Shop of Horrors, Night Beat), born in Sunderland, England (d. 1988)
  • Dec 29 Dub Jones, American NFL halfback, coach (Cleveland Browns, 2 x Pro Bowl), born in Arcadia, Louisiana
  • Dec 31 Victoria Draves, American platform/springboard diver (Olympic gold 1948)
  • Dec 31 Taylor Mead, American writer, actor and performer (Factory, Taylor Mead's Ass), born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan (d. 2013)

Famous Weddings


LoveWedding of Interest

Dec 11 Photographer Alfred Stieglitz (60) marries artist Georgia O'Keeffe (37) in Cliffside Park, New Jersey

Painter and Sculptor Georgia O’Keeffe
Painter and Sculptor
Georgia O’Keeffe
Photographer Alfred Stieglitz
Photographer
Alfred Stieglitz

Famous Deaths

  • Dec 2 Kazimieras Būga, Lithuanian philologist (b. 1879)
  • Dec 6 Gene Stratton-Porter, American author, screenwriter and naturalist (b. 1863)
  • Dec 8 Franz X Scharwenka, German pianist/composer (Mataswintha), dies at 74
  • Dec 9 Bernard Zweers, Dutch composer (Gisbertus of Aemstel, To My Fatherland), dies at 70

Person of interestSamuel Gompers

Dec 13 Samuel Gompers, American labor union leader (American Federation of Labor), dies at 74

Founder of the American Federation of Labor Samuel Gompers
Founder of the American Federation of Labor
Samuel Gompers
  • Dec 15 T. Frank Appleby, American Republican Party politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey), dies at 60
  • Dec 27 William Archer, Scottish critic/playwright (Green Goddess), dies at 68
  • Dec 28 Léon Bakst, Russian painter and scene and costume designer, dis at 58
  • Dec 29 Carl Spitteler, Swiss writer, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1845)