Historical Events
- Dec 1 "Moscow Circus Cirk Valentin" closes at Gershwin NYC after 32 performances
- Dec 1 Colorado party wins Paraguay parliamentary election
French Victory
Dec 1 Davis Cup Tennis, Lyon: Frenchman Guy Forget upsets Pete Sampras 7-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to clinch a 3-1 final win over the US
Dan Marino
Dec 1 Miami quarterback Dan Marino sets an NFL record when he reaches 3,000 yards passing for the 8th time in his career during Dolphin's 33-14 win over Tampa Bay at Joe Robbie Stadium
Nursultan Nazarbayev
Dec 1 Nursultan Nazarbayev sworn in as president of Kazakhstan
Payne Stewart
Dec 1 Reigning US Open champion Payne Stewart wins only 1 hole, but claims the Skins Game at La Quinta and sets record in the process; 3-foot birdie putt at 14th hole earns 8 skins worth $260,000; record for most money won on 1 hole
Once on This Island
Dec 1 Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens' musical "Once on This Island", based on Rosa Guy's novel "My Love, My Love" (a Caribbean-set retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid"), closes at Booth Theater, NYC, after 469 performances
- Dec 1 Ukrainian people vote for independence
- Dec 1 US 75th manned space mission "STS 44" Atlantis 10 lands
- Dec 2 Australia routs India by 10 wickets in the 1st cricket Test in Brisbane; first Test to be officiated by a match referee; former England captain MJK Smith does the honours
- Dec 2 Former Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bobby Bonilla becomes highest paid player in MLB when he agrees to record $29 million-5 year deal with New York Mets
- Dec 2 Muslim Shi'ites release American hostage Joseph Cicippio held in Lebanon
Hogan vs. The Undertaker
Dec 3 Hulk Hogan defeats the Undertaker at 'This Tuesday in Texas' at the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio to become 4-time WWF champion
- Dec 3 Muslim Shi'ites in Beirut, Lebanon release US political hostage Alann Steen [1]
- Dec 3 White House Chief of Staff John Sununu resigns
- Dec 4 Country music mother and daughter act The Judds "farewell" concert at Murphy Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee; later re-unions and "farewells" in 2000, 2010, 2015, and 2021
- Dec 4 Muslim Shi'ites release last US hostage Terry Anderson (held 6½ years)
- Dec 4 Pan American World Airways ceased operations
- Dec 4 Patricia Bowman testifies that William Kennedy Smith raped her
- Dec 5 "Catskills on Broadway" opens at Lunt-Fontanne NYC for 452 performances
- Dec 5 Charles Keating Jr (Lincoln Savings & Loan fraud), found guilty
- Dec 5 NY Daily News files for protection under chapter 11
- Dec 6 "Star Trek VI-Undiscovered Country" premieres
- Dec 7 A J Kitt, US, wins World Skiing Cup
Nick & Nora
Dec 8 Charles Strouse and Richard Maltby, Jr's musical "Nick & Nora" opens at Marquis Theater, NYC; runs for 9 performances
The Homecoming
Dec 8 Revival of Harold Pinter's stage drama "The Homecoming" closes at Criterion Theater, NYC, after limited run of 49 performances
- Dec 8 Russia, Belorussia & Ukraine form Commonwealth of Ind States
- Dec 8 The Romanian Constitution is adopted in a referendum.
Jackson, Cyrus, Boyz II Men Win
Dec 9 2nd Billboard Music Awards: Michael Jackson, Billy Ray Cyrus, Boyz II Men & U2 win
Spira Sentenced
Dec 10 Howard Spira sentenced to 2½ years in prison for trying to extort money from Yankees owner George Steinbrenner
- Dec 10 Jackie Martling walks off of Howard Stern show for 1 day
The Crucible Revived
Dec 10 Revival of Arthur Miller's stage drama "The Crucible" opens at Belasco Theater, NYC, runs for 32 performances
Hook
Dec 11 "Hook", a swashbuckling film sequel to the Peter Pan story, directed by Steven Spielberg, and starring Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman premieres
- Dec 11 William Kennedy Smith found not guilty of rape
- Dec 12 Abuja replaces Lagos as the capital city of Nigeria
- Dec 12 NJ Nets set NBA record of 22 blocks beating Nuggets 121-81
- Dec 12 Orion Pictures filed Chapter 11 for bankruptcy protection
- Dec 12 Tampa Bay Buccaneer Dexter Manley retires after failing drug test
- Dec 13 Both North and South Korea sign an accord calling for reconciliation
- Dec 13 NY assembly speaker Mel Miller is convicted of federal mail fraud
- Dec 13 Ricky Pierce (Seattle) ends NBA free throw streak of 75 games
- Dec 14 57th Heisman Trophy Award: Desmond Howard, Michigan (WR)
- Dec 14 Ferry boat Salem Express sinks in the Red Sea, 476 killed
- Dec 15 Charles Strouse and Richard Maltby, Jr's musical "Nick & Nora" closes at Marquis Theater, NYC, after 9 performances
- Dec 16 Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
- Dec 16 MLB expansion club Florida Marlins sign their 1st player, 16-year-old pitcher Clemente Nunez
- Dec 16 UN reverses ruling that Zionism is racism by 111-25 (13 abstain) vote
- Dec 17 Cleveland Cavaliers beat Miami Heat 148-80, by record 68 pts
- Dec 17 NBA's most lopsided game Cleveland beats Miami 148-80
- Dec 17 Patrick Manning becomes premier of Trinidad & Tobago
- Dec 17 Pittsburgh Penguins score team record 8 goals in one period in 2nd session of 10-2 win over NHL expansion San Jose Sharks
- Dec 17 Soap opera "One Life To Live" airs its 6,000th episode
- Dec 18 DeForest Kelly (Dr McCoy on Star Trek) gets a star in Hollywood
- Dec 18 General Motors announces closing of 21 plants
- Dec 19 "A Christmas Carol" opens at Eugene O'Neill Theater NYC for 14 performances
- Dec 19 6,000th episode of One Life To Live
Yeltsin Controls Kremlin
Dec 19 Boris Yeltsin takes control of the Kremlin
- Dec 19 NY Yankee pitcher Steve Howe arrested for cocaine possession
"Father of the Bride"
Dec 20 "Father of the Bride" film comedy starring Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, and Martin Short, premieres; film is a re-make of 1950 vehicle for Spencer Tracy and ELizabeth Taylor
- Dec 20 Missouri court sentences Palestinian militant Zein Isa and his wife Maria to death for the "honor killing" of their teenaged daughter Palestina in St. Louis; he dies of diabetes complications before execution, she dies of natural causes while in prison
- Dec 20 NHL approves expansion teams Tampa Lightning & Ottawa Senators
Paul Keating PM
Dec 20 Paul Keating becomes Prime Minister of Australia after rolling Bob Hawke for leadership of the Labor party
- Dec 21 95 share in Madrid Spain $1.3 billion lottery (#47996)
- Dec 21 El Sayid Nosair acquitted of killing Meir Kahane
- Dec 21 Soviet Union formally dissolves as 11 of 12 republics sign treaty forming the Commonwealth of Independent States
- Dec 23 NY Daily News publisher Kevin Maxwell resigns
- Dec 24 Ballon d'Or: Marseille forward Jean-Pierre Papin is named Europe's best football player; first from the French League to win the trophy
- Dec 25 Last day of a washout Pakistan v Sri Lanka at Gujranwala
Gorbachev Resigns
Dec 25 Mikhail Gorbachev formally resigns as President of USSR in a televised speech
Pittsburgh Routs Toronto
Dec 26 Future Hockey Hall of Fame right wing Joe Mullen scores 4 goals for the second straight NHL game as the Pittsburgh Penguins rout Toronto, 12-1; Mario Lemieux adds 2 goals & 5 assists and Kevin Stevens has 2 goals & 4 assists
Chuck Noll Retires
Dec 26 Future Pro Football HOF coach Chuck Noll retires as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers (1969–1991)
Jack Ruby's Gun
Dec 26 Gun of Jack Ruby, killer of Lee Harvey Oswald, sells for $220,000 at auction
- Dec 26 Militant Sikhs kill 55 and wounds 70 in India
- Dec 26 NY Islander Derek King ties NJ Devils 5-5 with ½ second left
- Dec 27 Bengals hire Dave Shula as youngest NFL coach (32)
- Dec 28 8 are crushed to death at a RAP basketball game at City College, NYC
- Dec 28 Blockbuster Bowl 2: Alabama beats Colorado, 30-25
- Dec 28 Irene the Icon of Greek Orthodox church returns after being stolen
- Dec 28 Ninibeth Beatriz Leal Jiminez, 20, of Venez, crowned 41st Miss World
Ted Turner Man of the Year
Dec 28 Ted Turner is named Time Magazine Man of Year
"A Christmas Carol"
Dec 29 "A Christmas Carol", starring Patrick Stewart, in a one-man show, closes at Eugene O'Neill Theater, NYC, after a limited run of 14 performances
- Dec 29 12th United Negro College Fund "Parade of Stars" telethon, hosted by Lou Rawls airs from Aquarius Theatre in Hollywood, and The Apollo Theatre in Harlem, NYC
China Airlines Crash
Dec 29 Boeing 747-200F freight plane of China Airlines crashes into mountain shortly after takeoff from Chiang Kai-shek International Airportat Taipei, Taiwan, killing 5-member crew
- Dec 31 CPN, Communist Party of Netherland - last day of existence
- Dec 31 Daniel R. McCarthy elected NY Yankee managing general partner
- Dec 31 Dow Jones closes at record high 3168.83
- Dec 31 J. Donald Crump resigns as CFL Commissioner
Famous Birthdays
- Dec 1 Sun Yang, Chinese swimmer (Olympic gold 400m, 1,500m 2012, 200m freestyle 2016), born in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
Charlie Puth (32 years old)
Dec 2 American singer-songwriter (Voicenotes; "Marvin Gaye"; "See You Again"), born in Rumson, New Jersey
- Dec 2 Chloé Dufour-Lapointe, Canadian alpine freestyle skier (World C'ship gold dual moguls 2013), born in Montreal, Quebec
- Dec 6 CoCo Vandeweghe, American tennis player (US Open doubles 2018; US Federation Cup 2017), born in Rancho Santa Fe, California
- Dec 10 Kiki Layne, American actress (If Beale Street Could Talk), born in Cincinnati, Ohio
- Dec 12 Daniel Magder, Canadian actor (The Famous Jett Jackson), born in Toronto, Ontario
- Dec 13 Dermot Kennedy, Irish singer-songwriter ("Power Over Me"; "Giants"), born in Rathcoole, County Dublin, Ireland
- Dec 13 Jay Greenberg, American classical composer, born in New Haven, Connecticut
- Dec 14 Offset [Kiari Cephus], American rapper (Migos), born in Lawrenceville, Georgia
- Dec 15 Alana Haim, American singer (Haim) and actress (Licorice Pizza), born in Los Angeles, California
- Dec 19 Declan Galbraith, British pop singer ("Tell Me Why"), born in Hoo St. Werburgh Kent, England
DaBaby (32 years old)
Dec 22 American rapper and singer-songwriter (Rockstar), born in Cleveland, Ohio
Louis Tomlinson (32 years old)
Dec 24 English pop singer (One Direction), born in Doncaster, England
- Dec 24 Taylor Zakhar Perez, American actor (Red, White and Royal Blue), born in Chicago, Illinois
- Dec 26 Gabriella Smith, American contemporary classical composer (Forgotten Lullabyes; Bioluminescence Chaconne), born in Berkeley, California
- Dec 29 Slim Jxmmi [Aaquil Brown], American singer and rapper (Rae Sremmurd - "Black Beatles"; "Sunflower"), born in Inglewood, California
- Dec 31 Denée Benton, American actress (Hamilton, The Gilded Age), born in Orlando, Florida
Famous Weddings
Cindy Crawford & Richard Gere
Dec 12 Actor Richard Gere (42) weds supermodel Cindy Crawford (25) in Las Vegas
David Robinson
Dec 16 NBA center David Robinson (26) weds Valerie Hoggatt at a Baptist church ceremony in San Antonio, Texas
Jane Fonda & Ted Turner
Dec 21 Actress Jane Fonda (55) weds CNN founder Ted Turner at the groom's home in north Florida
Famous Deaths
- Dec 1 Byron Webster, British-American actor (That Man Bolt), dies of AIDS at 58
- Dec 1 George Joseph Stigler, US economist (Nobel Prize 1982), dies at 80
- Dec 2 George Lott, American tennis player (12 Grand Slam doubles titles), dies at 85
- Dec 3 Casey Walters, American actor (True Story of Lynn Stuart), dies after a stroke at 75
- Dec 4 Alex Graham, Scottish cartoonist who created the comic strip "Fred Basset", dies at 78
- Dec 5 Aad Mansfield, soccer player/trainer (ADO/Feyenoord/FC Utrecht), dies
- Dec 5 Jill Browne, dies at 54
- Dec 5 Richard Speck, American mass murderer (raped and killed 8 student nurses in 1966), dies a day before his 50th birthday
- Dec 5 Robert Karvelas, American actor (Get Smart -"Larabee"), dies at 70
- Dec 6 Ann Sorg Coston, actress (Anna-Aldrich Family), dies at 62
- Dec 6 Jack Hunter [John Averona], American big band vocalist (Elliot Lawrence Orchestra - "Apple Blossom Time"), dies at 72
- Dec 7 Michael Taylor, Male Model (b. 1913)
- Dec 8 (Wilbur) "Buck" Clayton, American jazz trumpet player (Count Basie; Billie Holiday; Lester Young), and bandleader, dies at 80
- Dec 8 Kimberly Bergalis, got AIDS from health care worker, dies at 23
- Dec 9 Berenice Abbott, American photographer (The World of Atget; Changing New York), dies at 93
- Dec 10 Greta Kempton, American artist (b. 1901)
- Dec 10 Headman Tshabalala, South African singer (Ladysmith Black Mambazo), shot and killed at 44
- Dec 11 Artur Lundkvist, Swedish writer and professor (Swedish Academy), dies at 85
- Dec 11 Robert Q. Lewis, American TV host (Masquerade Party, Robert Q Lewis Show), dies at 71
- Dec 11 Simon Scott, American actor, dies of Alzheimer's disease at 71
- Dec 12 (Albert Ronald) "Ronnie" Ross, Scottish jazz and session baritone saxophonist, dies of cancer at 58
- Dec 12 Eleanor Boardman, actor (Crowd), dies in at 93
- Dec 12 Ken Keltner, American MLB baseball third baseman, 1937-50 (Cleveland Indians; Boston Red Sox), dies of a heart attack at 75
- Dec 12 Lex Karsemeijer, Dutch tenor and choral director (Sweet 16, Pro Musica), dies
- Dec 13 Andre Pieyre de Mandiargues, French writer (La Marge), dies at 82
- Dec 14 John Arlott, British cricket commentator and writer (BBC), dies of emphysema at 77
- Dec 14 Robert Eddison, British actor (Uncle Silas), dies at 83
- Dec 15 Horatio Luro, American horse trainer (43 x stakes winners; Decidedly, Northern Dancer), dies from pancreatic cancer at 90
- Dec 15 Ray Smith, British actor (And Then You Die), dies at 55
- Dec 16 Fred Scott, American actor and singing cowboy, known as "The Silvery-Voiced Buckaroo" (Melody of the Plains), dies at 89
- Dec 17 Armand Frappier, French Canadian physician and microbiologist, dies at 87
- Dec 17 John Blatnik, (Rep-Minnesota, 1947-75), dies at 80
- Dec 18 George Abecassis, English Formula 1 driver (b. 1913)
- Dec 18 June Storey, Canadian-born American actress (South of the Border), dies of cancer at 73
- Dec 19 Ernest K Gann, US adventure novelist, dies at 81
- Dec 19 Joe Cole, American roadie (Black Flag, Rollins Band), shot and killed at 30
- Dec 19 Paul Maxwell, Canadian actor (Aliens, City of Fear, Freedom to Die), dies at 70
- Dec 20 Albert Van Vlierberghe, Belgian cyclist (b. 1942)
- Dec 20 Andries Dirj Copier, Dutch glass designer (the Guild glass), dies at 90
- Dec 20 Fop I Brouwer, Dutch biologist, radio presenter, and writer (Everything That Lives and Grows), dies at 79
- Dec 20 Helene Heigh, American actress (Undercover Woman; Teen Age Thunder; 9 to 5), dies at 86
- Dec 20 Sam Rabin [Rabinowitz], British sculptor, artist, actor and freestyle wrestler (Olympic bronze middleweight 1928), dies at 88
- Dec 20 Simone Beck, French chef, teacher, and cookbook author (with Julia Child - Mastering the Art of French Cooking), dies at 87
- Dec 20 Stephen Birnbaum, American tourism writer, dies at 54
- Dec 20 Walter Chiari [Annicchiarico], Italian actor (Bellissima; The Little Hut), dies of a heart attack at 67
- Dec 22 Ernst Krenek, Austrian-American concert, opera, and electronic music composer (Johnny Spielt Auf: Orpheus and Eurydike; Fibonacci-Mobile), dies at 91
- Dec 23 Byron Q Griffith, producer/actor, dies at 73
- Dec 23 Rosa Jackson Lumpkin, among the oldest people in the world, dies at 115
- Dec 24 Walter Hudson, 1,025 lb man, dies at 46
- Dec 25 Curt Bois, actor (Great Waltz, Boat is Full), dies at 90
- Dec 25 Mahmood Hussain, Pakistan cricket swing bowler (27 Tests, 68 wickets; Karachi, Pakistan Universities), dies from diabetes mellitus at 59
- Dec 25 Orane Demazis, French actress (Marius, Fanny et Caesar), dies at 87
- Dec 25 Sal Provenza, entertainer, dies of lymphoma at 45
- Dec 25 Tom Newman, American actor (Cape Fear (1962); Tales From The Dark Side), dies of a heart attack at 60
- Dec 27 Edward M Love, American Broadaway dancer and choreographer, dies of AIDS at 43
- Dec 27 John Morgan Evans, actor, dies after lengthy illness at 49
- Dec 27 W Hudson, US "strongest man to the world" (540 kg), dies
- Dec 28 Cassandra Harris [Sandra Waites], Australian actress (For Your Eyes Only), dies of ovarian cancer at 43
- Dec 28 Jacques Aubuchon, actor (Hoax, Thunder Road), dies of heart failure
- Dec 29 Harry Brannon, American popular radio singer of the 1940s (WOR- New York), and later clergyman, dies of Alzheimer's disease at 71
- Dec 29 Julia McCarthy, Scottish actress (London Belongs To Me), dies of cancer at 64
- Dec 31 Felicja Blumental, Polish-Brazilian concert pianist (Villa-Lobos' Piano Concerto No. 5; Penderecki's Partita for Harpsichord), dies at 83
- Dec 31 Georges Poulet, French-Belgian critic (Temps Humain), dies at 89
