Timeline December 1968

Events in December 1968 24

• 1896 – 1968 Trygve Lie (1896-1968) Died 30 December 1968, aged 72 The Norwegian politician served as the first Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1946 to 1952, steering the organization through its earliest and most formative years, including the Korean War. He died at his home in Norway. He had earlier served as Norway's foreign minister during the Second World War.
• 1902 – 1968 John Steinbeck (1902-1968) Died 20 December 1968, aged 66 The American novelist, author of "The Grapes of Wrath" and "Of Mice and Men," died of heart disease at his home in New York City. He had won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1962. His writing chronicled the struggles of working-class Americans during the Great Depression.
• 1902 – 1968 Tallulah Bankhead (1902-1968) Died 12 December 1968, aged 66 The American stage and film actress, known for her deep voice and flamboyant public persona, died of complications from influenza and emphysema in New York City. She was celebrated for her Broadway performances, including in "The Little Foxes." Her outsized personality made her a fixture of American celebrity culture for decades.
• 1959 – 1968 Nine-Year Courtship with Sonja Haraldsen Began a relationship with Sonja Haraldsen, a commoner and the daughter of a clothing merchant. King Olav and the government opposed the match for nine years, insisting he marry a woman of royal blood. Harald reportedly told his father he would never marry if he could not marry Sonja.
• 1962 – 1968 Hit Factory with Dionne Warwick With Hal David, wrote a remarkable run of hit songs for Dionne Warwick including Walk on By, I Say a Little Prayer, Do You Know the Way to San Jose and Anyone Who Had a Heart. Fifteen titles reached the American Top 40.
• 1963 – 1968 PhD at UC San Diego Moved to the United States to pursue a PhD in molecular biology at the University of California, San Diego, studying under Masaki Hayashi. Completed his doctorate in 1968.
• 1965 – 1968 Education Graduated from Tulane University with a degree in political science in 1965, then earned a law degree from Northwestern University School of Law in 1968.
• 1966 – 1968 Dallas Music Scene Became a fixture of the Dallas music scene, playing in several bands including the Warlocks and American Blues, where he met bassist Dusty Hill. The two also briefly toured as a fake version of the British band The Zombies.
• 1966 – 1968 University of Birmingham Studied English and drama at the University of Birmingham, graduating with a combined BA in 1968. Decided to concentrate on acting rather than pursue an academic career.
• 1967 – 1968 The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour Moved to Los Angeles and was hired as the announcer for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour on CBS, his big break in Hollywood. Appeared in 32 episodes.
• 1968 1968: Graham Hill Lotus Hill won his second title in a season marked by the death of team leader Jim Clark. He stepped up as Lotus's lead driver and delivered in Clark's absence.
• 1968 Hair — London Cast Landed his first professional role in the original London cast of the musical Hair. It was here that he met Richard O'Brien, who would later write the role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter specifically for him.
• 1968 Just Because I'm a Woman Released Just Because I'm a Woman, the title song of her first RCA album, challenging the double standard applied to women's sexuality. The song was a feminist statement years before the movement reached the mainstream.
• 1968 Kusama's Self-Obliteration Film Her collaborative experimental film Kusama's Self-Obliteration, showing her painting polka dots on everything around her, won prizes at film festivals in Belgium and the United States. In the same year, she opened a fashion boutique at Bloomingdale's and presided over one of the first gay weddings in New York.
• 1968 Moved to Chicago Moved to Chicago when her husband Edgar got a house musician gig at the London House jazz club. Joined the Free Street Theater as an actress and singer, and appeared in the Chicago premiere of Hair.
• 1968 Robert F. Kennedy Campaign Worked on Robert F. Kennedy's presidential campaign, an experience that sparked his own political ambitions.
• 1968 Bob Seger releases Ramblin' Gamblin' Man First national hit His first top-twenty hit.
• 1968 James Taylor releases his debut on Apple Records Signed by the Beatles The first non-British artist on Apple.
• 1968 Janis Joplin leaves Big Brother Solo career Goes solo with the Kozmic Blues Band.
• 1968 Elvis Presley's '68 Comeback Special airs The NBC special, with Elvis in black leather, revives his career as a live performer after years of film work.
• 1968 Beggars Banquet Seventh album — December 6, 1968 Beggars Banquet, released on December 6, 1968, marked the Stones' return to blues roots after their psychedelic experiment. It included "Sympathy for the Devil" and "Street Fighting Man" — widely considered the beginning of their classic period.
• 1968 Zodiac Killer's first confirmed murders Unidentified serial killer begins attacks in Northern California An unidentified assailant later dubbed the Zodiac Killer shot and killed two teenagers, David Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen, near Vallejo, California. The killer would claim further victims and taunt police and newspapers with coded letters over the following years. The case remains officially unsolved.
• 1968 Apollo 8 orbits the Moon First crewed spacecraft to leave Earth orbit and circle the Moon Astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell and William Anders became the first humans to leave low Earth orbit, travel to the Moon, and orbit it, completing ten lunar orbits before returning safely. During the mission the crew read from the Book of Genesis in a broadcast watched around the world. The flight paved the way for the Apollo 11 landing the following year.
• 1968 – present Helena Christensen Supermodel Icon One of the original 1990s supermodels and a former Victoria’s Secret Angel.