What Happened in November 1945

Historical Events

Nov 1 First issue of Ebony magazine published by John H. Johnson
Nov 3 Australian Test cricket batsman Lindsay Hassett is 124 not out as Australian Services draws with Prince's XI at Delhi; follows his 187 in 1st innings

Music Concert

Nov 3 Dmitri Shostakovich's 9th Symphony premieres in 25th season opening concert of the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, under Yevgeny Mravinsky

Nov 5 Colombia joins the United Nations.
Nov 6 House Committee on Un-American Activities begins investigation of 7 radio commentators
Nov 6 The first landing of a jet on a carrier takes place on USS Wake Island when an FR-1 Fireball touches down
Nov 8 Jacques Belasco and Kay Twomey's musical "The Girl from Nantucket" opens at Adelphi Theater, NYC; runs for 12 performances
Nov 8 Riverboat sinks off Hong Kong; kills 1,550
Nov 10 College football's #1 Army beats #2 Notre Dame 48-0
Nov 10 Harry Revel and Arnold B. Horwitt's musical comedy "Are You with It?" opens at Century Theater, NYC, later moving to the Shubert Theatre; runs for 264 performances
Nov 10 Heavy battle in Surabaya between Indonesian nationalists and returning colonialists after World War II, celebrated as Heroes' Day (Hari Pahlawan).
Nov 12 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to American politician Cordell Hull (for establishing the UN)
Nov 13 Australian Services draw 1st Victory Test against India
Nov 14 H Lindsay and R Crouse's "State of the Union" premieres in NYC
Nov 14 Java: Sutan Sjahrir appointed to form a government as Indonesia's first Prime Minister

Gabriela Mistral

Nov 15 Chilean poet Gabriela Mistral becomes the first Latin American to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature

Nov 15 Rules revised for election of modern players to the Baseball Hall of Fame
Nov 16 Founding of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Nov 16 Two new elements discovered by Glenn Seaborg, James, Morgan and Albert Ghiorso were are announced: americium (atomic number 95) and curium (atomic number 96)
Nov 16 Yeshiva College (University), chartered in NY, 1st US Jewish College
Nov 17 "Girl from Nantucket" closes at Adelphi Theater NYC after 12 performances
Nov 17 Jacques Belasco and Kay Twomey's musical "The Girl from Nantucket" closes at Adelphi Theater, NYC, after 12 performances
Nov 17 New world air speed record 606 mph (975 kph) set by HJ Wilson of RAF

Schoenberg's Prelude

Nov 18 Arnold Schoenberg's Prelude for orchestra & mixed choir, premieres

Dutch Parliament

Nov 20 Queen Wilhelmina opens Dutch parliament in Hague

Queen of the Netherlands Wilhelmina of the Netherlands

Nuremberg War Trials

Nov 20 The Nuremberg war trials begin as 24 Nazi leaders are put on trial before judges representing the victorious Allied powers

Hermann Göring, far left, front row, sits in the dock next to Rudolf Hess and other leading Nazis at the Nuremberg tribunal

Britten's String Quartet No. 2

Nov 21 Benjamin Britten's String Quartet No. 2 premieres at the Wigmore Hall, London, played by the Zorian Quartet

Nov 21 General Motors workers go on strike

Music History

Nov 22 Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe.'s musical "The Day Before Spring" opens at National Theater, NYC; runs for 167 performances

Nov 22 Cleveland Rams end Jim Benton gains 303 yards in 28-21 win over Detroit Lions; NFL single game rushing record - stands for 40+ years
Nov 23 Most US wartime rationing of foods, including meat & butter, ends

Brief Encounter

Nov 26 "Brief Encounter", based on Noël Coward's one-act play "Still Life", directed by David Lean and starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard is released

Playwright, Director and Singer Noël Coward

Greatest Jazz Session Ever

Nov 26 Charlie "Bird" Parker leads recording session for the Savoy label marketed as the "greatest Jazz session ever" with Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis

Jazz Saxophonist and Composer Charlie "Bird" Parker

Nov 26 During snow storm, school bus crashes, kills 15 (Washington)
Nov 27 Dutch resistance fighter Hannie Schaft re-buried in presence of Queen Wilhelmina
Nov 27 General George Marshall named special US envoy to China
Nov 27 Trial against Dutch Fascist NSB leader Anton Mussert begins (later convicted and executed by firing squad)
Nov 28 Australian Services draw second Victory Test Cricket v India at Calcutta

The Lost Weekend

Nov 29 "The Lost Weekend", based on Charles R. Jackson's novel, directed by Billy Wilder and starring Ray Milland and Jane Wyman premieres in Los Angeles (Academy Awards Best Picture 1946)

Nov 29 Yugoslavian Socialist Republic proclaimed

Events in 1945

Famous Birthdays

Nov 1 Rick Grech, British rock musician (Blind Faith; Traffic), born in Bordeaux, France (d. 1990)
Nov 1 Willie Ellison, American NFL running back. 1967-74 (Pro Bowl 1971; Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs), born in Lockhart, Texas (d. 2019)
Nov 2 (John David) J.D. Souther, American singer and songwriter ("Heartache Tonight"; "New Kid In Town"), born in Detroit, Michigan
Nov 2 Larry Little, American Pro Football Hall of Fame guard (5-time Pro Bowl; Super Bowl 1972-73; Miami Dolphins), born in Groveland, Georgia
Nov 3 Bobby LaKind, American conga player, vocalist, songwriter and occasional drummer (The Doobie Brothers), born in New York (d. 1992)

Gerd Müller (1945-2021)

Nov 3 German soccer striker (62 caps; FIFA World Cup 1974; Bayern Munich 453 games, 398 goals), born in Nördlingen, Germany

Ken Holtzman (1945-2024)

Nov 3 American baseball pitcher (2 x no hitters 1969, 71 Chicago Cubs; MLB All Star 1972-73, World Series 1972-74 Oakland A's), born in St. Louis, Missouri [1]

Nov 3 Nick Simper, English bass guitarist (Deep Purple; Warhorse), born in Norwood Green, England
Nov 5 Aleka Papariga, Greek politician (General Secretary of Communist Party of Greece 1991-2013), born in Athens, Greece
Nov 5 Peter Pace, 16th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, born in New York City
Nov 6 Robert J. Mrazek, American politician (Rep-D-NY, 1983-93), born in Newport, Rhode Island
Nov 7 Joe Hindelang, American college baseball coach (USciences, Lafayette, Penn State Uni 1991-2004), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2024)
Nov 8 Arnold Rosner, American composer, born in New York City (d. 2013)
Nov 8 David Jessel, British radio and TV reporter, justice advocate, and author, born in Abingdon, Berkshire, England
Nov 8 Don Murray, American drummer (The Turtles - "Happy Together"), born in Glendale, California (d. 1996)
Nov 8 Judith Lang Zaimont, American pianist and composer, born in Memphis, Tennessee
Nov 8 Tony Mann, Australian cricket leggie (1977 century as nightwatchman v India), born in Middle Swan, Western Australia
Nov 9 Charlie Robinson, American actor (Night Court, 1984-92 - "Mac"; Hart of Dixie), born in Houston, Texas (d. 2021)
Nov 10 Donna Fargo [Yvonne Vaughn], American country singer ("The Happiest Girl in Whole USA"), born in Mount Airy, North Carolina
Nov 11 Bryan 'Pop' Robson, English soccer forward (Newcastle, West Ham), born in Sunderland, County Durham
Nov 11 Chris Dreja, British rock guitarist and bass player (Yardbirds - "For Your Love"), born in Surbiton, Surrey, England

Daniel Ortega (78 years old)

Nov 11 Nicaraguan politician (President of Nicaragua, 1985-90, 2007-), born in La Libertad, Nicaragua

Nov 11 Niaz Ahmed, Pakistani cricket fast bowler (2 Tests, 3 wickets; Dacca, Public Works Dep't, East Pakistan, Railways; only East Pakistani to play Test cricket), born in Varanasi, India (d. 2000)
Nov 11 Vince Martell, American rock guitarist (Vanilla Fudge - "You Keep Me Hangin' On"), born in New York City
Nov 12 Michael Bishop, American sci-fi author (Nebula, Stolen Faces), born in Lincoln, Nebraska

Nov 12 Canadian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and organ player (Buffalo Springfield; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - "Helpless"; solo - "The Needle And The Damage Done"; "Harvest Moon"), born in Toronto, Ontario

Nov 12 Tracy Kidder, American journalist and author (The Soul of a New Machine), born in New York City
Nov 12 Valerie Leon, English actress (Blood from Mummy's Tomb), born in London, England
Nov 13 John B. Craig, American diplomat, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Nov 13 Masahiro Hasemi, Japanese racing driver, born in Ome, Tokyo
Nov 14 Paul Hirsch, American film editor
Nov 14 Stella Obasanjo, Nigerian First Lady (d. 2005)

Anni-Frid Lyngstad (78 years old)

Nov 15 Norwegian-born Swedish singer-songwriter (ABBA - "Fernando"), born in Bjørkåsen, Norway

Nov 15 Bob Gunton, American actor
Nov 16 Mabon "Teenie" Hodges, American rhythm and blues guitarist, and songwriter ("Take Me To The River"; "Love And Happiness"), born in Germantown, Tennessee (d. 2014)
Nov 16 Martine van Hamel, Dutch ballerina (NYC Ballet Co), born in Brussels, Belgium
Nov 16 Steve Railsback, American actor (The Stunt Man, Escape 2000), born in Dallas, Texas

Elvin Hayes (78 years old)

Nov 17 American Basketball Hall of Fame forward (NBA All-Star 1969–1980; NBA scoring champion 1969), born in Rayville, Louisiana

Nov 17 Jeremy Hanley, British Lower house member
Nov 17 Roland Joffe, director (City of Joy, Mission, Killing Fields)
Nov 18 Glen Walken, American actor (Leave it to Larry), born in Queens, New York
Nov 18 Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sri Lankan politician, Prime Minister (2018-22) and President (2005-15), born in Weeraketiya, British Ceylon

Wilma Mankiller (1945-2010)

Nov 18 Native American activist, 1st woman chief of the Cherokee Nation, born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma

Nov 19 Peter Cropper, British violinist (Lindsay Quartet, 1965-2005), born in Southport, Lancashire, England (d. 2015)
Nov 20 Danny McBride, American rock musician (Sha Na Na, 1975-80), born in Somerville, Massachusetts (d. 2009)
Nov 20 Nanette Workman, American-Canadian singer and actress, born in Brooklyn, New York
Nov 20 Rachid Mimouni, Algerian author, born in Boudouaou, Algeria (d. 1995)

Goldie Hawn (78 years old)

Nov 21 American actress (The First Wives Club, Private Benjamin), born in Washington, D.C.

Nov 22 Ivan Pařík, Czech opera conductor and educator, born in Prague, Czechoslovakia
Nov 23 Assaf Dayan, Israeli director and actor (Operation Thunderbolt), born in Nahalal, Mandatory Palestine (d. 2014)
Nov 23 Dennis Nilsen, Scottish serial killer, born in Fraserburgh, Scotland (d. 2018)
Nov 23 Jerry Harris, American sculptor, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 2016)
Nov 24 Lee Michaels [Olsen], American rock Hammond B-3 organist and singer ("Do You Know What I Mean"), and restaurateur (Killer Shrimp), born in Los Angeles, California
Nov 25 Bev Bevan, English drummer (Electric Light Orchestra), born in Birmingham, England
Nov 25 George Webster, American football player (d. 2007)
Nov 25 Patrick Nagel, American artist (d. 1984)
Nov 26 Björn von Sydow, Swedish politician (Minister for Defence), born in Solna, Stockholm, Sweden
Nov 26 Daniel Davis, American actor (Niles-Nanny), born in Gurdon, Arkansas
Nov 26 Ethan Russell, American photographer and author (photographed covers for the Beatles, Rolling Stones and The Who), born in Mt. Kisco, New York
Nov 26 Jim Mullen, Scottish session and touring jazz-rock-funk guitarist (Pete Brown & Piblokto!; Average White Band; Terry Callier), born in Glasgow, Scotland
Nov 26 John McVie, British rock bassist (John Mayall's Blues Breakers; Fleetwood Mac - Rumours, Tusk), born in Ealing, Middlesex, England
Nov 26 Michael Omartian, American session pop, country and contemporary Christian singer-songwriter and keyboardist (We Are The World), and Grammy Award-winning producer (Christopher Cross), born in Evanston, Illinois
Nov 26 Tandy Cronyn, American actress (Twisted, Guardian, Age Old Friends), born in Los Angeles, California
Nov 27 Alain de Cadenet, English auto racer (3 x 24 Hours of Le Mans class 3rd place) and broadcaster (Speed Channel, ESPN, Velocity Channel, Petrolicious website), born in London, England (d. 2022)
Nov 27 Barbara Anderson, American actress (Eve-Ironside, Mission Impossible), born in Brooklyn, New York
Nov 27 James Avery, American actor (Fresh Prince of Bell Air), born in Pughsville, Virginia (d. 2013)
Nov 27 Randy Brecker, American jazz and fusion trumpeter (Brecker Brothers), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Nov 28 Georg Volkert, German soccer striker (12 caps, FRG; 1. FC Nürnberg, Hamburger SV, VfB Stuttgart), born in Ansbach, Germany (d. 2020)
Nov 29 Roger Bambuck, French 4X100 runner (Olympic bronze 1968), born in Guadeloupe
Nov 30 Michael Joyce, Irish stage manager and theatre director, born in Galway, Ireland (d. 1994)
Nov 30 Radu Lupu, Romanian Grammy Award-winning concert pianist (Van Cliburn Competition - gold, 1966; George Enesco Competition - 1st prize, 1967), born in Galati Romania (d. 2022)
Nov 30 Roger Glover, British hard rock bassist (Episode Six; Deep Purple - "Smoke On The Water"; Rainbow), born near Brecon, Wales

Born in 1945

Famous Weddings

Bette Davis

Nov 30 Actress Bette Davis (37) weds artist William Grant Sherry

Famous Deaths

Nov 2 Princess Thyra, daughter of Frederick VIII of Denmark (b. 1880)
Nov 3 Alessandro Longo, Italian composer and musicologist, dies at 80
Nov 3 James Frederick Wagner, father of Priscilla Presley, dies in a plane crash
Nov 7 Alfred Dipper, cricketer (England batsman scored in only Test), dies
Nov 8 August von Mackensen, German field marshal (WWI), dies at 95

Jerome Kern (1885-1945)

Nov 11 American composer (Sally; Leave It To Jane), dies at 60

Nov 16 Kaarlo Sarkia, Finnish poet (Kohtalon Vaaka), dies of tuberculosis at 43
Nov 17 Frederick Francis IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, dies at 63
Nov 20 Francis William Aston, British chemist and physicist who won a Nobel laureate for his work with isotopes and the whole number rule, dies at 68

Alexander Patch (1889-1945)

Nov 21 American WWII general (Guadalcanal Campaign, Operation Dragoon), dies of pneumonia at 55

Nov 21 Ellen Glasgow, American novelist (Ancient Law, Pulitzer-1942), dies at 72
Nov 21 Jimmy Quinn, Scottish soccer striker (11 caps; Celtic 272 games, 188 goals), dies at 67
Nov 21 Robert Benchley, American humorist (My 10 years in a Quandary), dies at 56
Nov 28 Dwight F. Davis, American politician (49th United States Secretary of War) and founder of the Davis Cup, dies at 66

On This Day