"La Maison ensorcelée" released 1906

La Maison ensorcelee (The House of Ghosts or The Witch House), released February 9, 1906 in Denmark, is one of the first haunted house movies.  Directed by Segundo de Chomon, it uses stop-motion animation and superimposition photography to ramp up the spooky activity.

Two men and a woman take refuge in a small house in the woods and experience paranormal activity such as disappearing furniture, a knife cuts food by itself, and a ghost.

"Humorous phases of funny faces" first animated cartoon 1906

Historians agree that Humorous Phases of Funny Faces is the first animated cartoon, which first aired April 6, 1906.  It was directed by James Stuart Blackton and filmed in 1904 but was released in 1906.

Celebrating Black History Month: Ted Poston, African-American awarded Polk Award for National Reporting

Ted Poston, born July 4, 1906 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, is one of the first African-American journalists to work for a mainstream, white-owned newspaper, the New York Post.  He was a reporter for the New York Amsterdam News, which was published for the African-American community in 1928.  He became the editor in 1935. 

He was hired by the New York Post in 1936, the third black reporter for a major NYC daily paper.  He reported on Jackie Robinsons' entrance to the MLB, and the Little Rock Nine.

Poston worked for the Office of War Information during WWII as part of the Negro Liaison, FDR's Black Cabinet.

He was awarded the George Polk Award in 1949 for National Reporting.  He passed away in January 1974.

Clyde Tombaugh, discoverer of Pluto, born 1906

Clyde Tombaugh, born February 4, 1906 in Streator, Illinois, is the man who discovered Pluto, then the ninth planet in the solar system.  Based on the observations of Percival Lowell, Tombaugh finally discovered Pluto in 1930.  He discovered many asteroids and minor planets.  Asteroid 1604 Tombaugh, which was discovered in 1931, is named after him.

He passed away in January 1997 in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Ben Reifel, first Native American elected to US Congress

Benjamin Reifel, or "Lone Feather" born September 19, 1906 in a log cabin on the Rosebud Indian Reservation, near Parmelee, South Dakota, was the first Native American  to be elected to the US Congress.  His mother was a Lakota Sioux and he became a public administrator and politician for the Lakota Sioux tribe.

He worked for the Department of the Interior starting in 1933 and served during WWII, achieving the rank of lieutenant colonel.  He retired from the South Dakota area administrator of the Bureau of Indian Affairs in March 1960 and ran for Congress.  He was elected to the 87th Congress and served four more turns, from January 1961-January 1971. 

He passed away from cancer in January 1990.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: Santiago Ramón y Cajal, first person of Spanish origin to win a scientific Nobel Prize

Santiago Ramon y Cajal, born May 1, 1852 in Navarre, Spain, is the first person of Spanish origin to win a scientific Nobel Prize.  His work with Italian scientist Camillo Golgi on the structure of the nervous system was recognized in 1906 when they were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

He won many awards, prizes and distinctions throughout his career.  He passed away in October 1934.  

An asteroid 117413 Ramonycajal has been named in his honor.

Happy birthday, Miss Marple!

Marvelous British actress Joan Hickson would have been 110 years old today, but unfortunately she passed away in 1998.  She won the hearts of many Agatha Christie fans as her portrayal as the elderly spinster sleuth, Miss Jane Marple of St, Mary Mead.

Dame Christie saw Joan in a production of Appointment With Death and wrote her a letter saying she hoped one day Joan would play Miss Marple.  She won a Royal Television Society award in 1987 for Best Performance - Female for her protrayal of Miss Marple.

I just watched her in Body In The Library last night!