What Happened in 1966

"The Fortune Cookie" Is Released

The Fortune Cookie (alternative UK title: Meet Whiplash Willie) is a 1966 film starring Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon in their first on screen... Read more

Aberfan Disaster

On 21 October, 1966 Tip No 7 which forms part of the main complex of tips at Aberfan slipped and descended upon part of the village killing 116... Read more

U.S. Navy Commences Operation Sea Dragon

Operation Sea Dragon occurred during the Vietnam War and was a series of naval operations beginning in 1966 to interdict sea lines of... Read more

New Orleans Saints awarded NFL's sixteenth franchise

The National Football League awarded its 16th franchise to New Orleans on November 1, 1966. Appropriately, it was All Saints Day. In mid-December,... Read more

Agatha Christie publishes Third Girl

Third Girl is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie and first published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club in November 1966 and in the US... Read more

Electric Prunes release single "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)"

"I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)" is a song written by Annette Tucker and Nancie Mantz, which was recorded in late 1966 by The Electric... Read more

River Arno Flood of 1966

The 1966 Flood of the River Arno in Florence killed many people and damaged or destroyed millions of masterpieces of art and rare books in... Read more

George H.W. Bush Elected to U.S. House of Representatives

Bush served as Chairman of the Republican Party for Harris County, Texas in 1964, but wanted to be more involved in policy making, so he set his... Read more

Ronald Reagan is Elected Governor of California

California Republicans were impressed with Reagan's political views and charisma after his "Time for Choosing" speech, and nominated him for... Read more

Kit Carson Scout Program Goes into Operation

The Kit Carson Scouts (Hoi Chanh Vien in Vietnamese), loosely translated as "members who have returned") belonged to a special program created by... Read more

Stevie Wonder Releases Down to Earth

Down to Earth is a 1966 album by Motown singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder on the Tamla (Motown) label. The album was a departure from Wonder's... Read more

Jeff Buckley is Born

Jeffrey Scott Buckley (November 17, 1966 – May 29, 1997), raised as Scotty Moorhead, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was the... Read more

The Bee Gees release Spicks and Specks

Spicks and Specks is the Bee Gees' second album. It was released in Australia in 1966 as Monday's Rain with "Spicks and Specks" released as the... Read more

Steve Spurrier Wins Heisman Trophy

“Super Steve” Spurrier, University of Florida quarterback 6’2, 203 pounds, broke many Florida and South eastern Conference records. This brilliant... Read more

Cream Releases "Fresh Cream"

Fresh Cream is Cream's December 1966 debut album. It was the first LP release of producer Robert Stigwood's new "Independent" Reaction Records... Read more

The Rolling Stones Release 'Got Live If You Want It!'

Got Live If You Want It! (capitalized got LIVE if you want it! on the cover) is the first live album by British rock band The Rolling Stones. It... Read more

Royce Gracie Is Born

Royce is a member of the Gracie family. He is the son of Hélio Gracie (Helio, along with his older brother Carlos Gracie, are the originators of... Read more

"A Man For All Seasons" Is Released

A Man for All Seasons is a 1966 film based on Robert Bolt's play of the same name about Sir Thomas More. Paul Scofield, who had played More in the... Read more

"The Good, The Bad And The Ugly" Is Released

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Italian: Il Buono, il Brutto, il Cattivo) is a 1966 Italian epic spaghetti western film directed by Sergio Leone,... Read more

"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" First Airs

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is a 1966 American animated television special directed by Chuck Jones. It is based on the homonymous children's... Read more

"Blowup" Is Released

Blowup (as shown in the screen credits, also rendered as Blow-Up on promotional and packaging materials) is a 1966 British-Italian film directed by... Read more

The First Kwanzaa Is Celebrated

Kwanzaa is a weeklong celebration held in the United States honoring universal African heritage and culture, marked by participants lighting a... Read more