Pop Culture Happenings: January

We rocked around the clock in 1974, took a bite of an Apple in 1984 and had a Moment of Zen in 1999.

__1974__

50 years ago

On Jan. 15, 1974, the TV sitcom “Happy Days,” created by Garry Marshall, began its 11-year run on ABC. The series presented an idealized vision of life in the 1950s and early 1960s Midwestern United States, and it starred Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham and Henry Winkler as his friend Fonzie. “Happy Days” spawned several spin-offs, including “Laverne & Shirley,” “Mork & Mindy” and “Joanie Loves Chachi.”

January 1974 honorable mentions: On Jan. 16, the novel “Jaws” by Peter Benchley was published by Doubleday, and on Jan. 18, “The Six Million Dollar Man,” starring Lee Majors, premiered on ABC TV.

__1984__

40 years ago

On Jan. 22, 1984, Apple unveiled the first Macintosh personal computer on a television commercial entitled “1984” shown during Super Bowl XVIII. The Macintosh was the first successful mass-market, all-in-one desktop personal computer with a graphical user interface, built-in screen and mouse. The motherboard, a nine-inch monitor and a floppy drive were housed in a beige case with integrated carrying handle. It sold for $2,495, and sales of the Macintosh were strong at its initial release, reaching 70,000 units by May 3, 1984. It played a pivotal role in establishing desktop publishing as a general office function.

January 1984 honorable mention: On Jan. 17, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled (5-4) that private use of home VCRs to tape TV programs for later viewing does not violate federal copyright laws.

__1999__

25 years ago

On Jan. 11, 1999, American comedian Jon Stewart succeeded Craig Kilborn as host of the late-night talk and satirical news program “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central. The show draws its comedy and satire from recent news stories, as well as political figures and media organizations and often uses self-referential humor. Several cast members went on to successful film and TV careers, including Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell and Josh Oliver. Stewart’s last episode of “The Daily Show” was on Aug. 6, 2015, and he has since gone on to lend his voice to causes such as the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which provides health monitoring and financial aid to sick first responders of the Sept. 11 attacks.

January 1999 honorable mentions: On Jan. 4, Former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura was sworn in as governor of Minnesota, and on Jan. 11, Marty Schottenheimer resigned as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs.