The Weight Goes to School: This Day in History

Most famously, April 10th marks the "accepted" date that Paul McCartney publicly announced the break-up of The Beatles (39 years ago!). However, after a bit of research, it turns out that April 10th is not only a significant date in Beatles history, but throughout the history of music, film and literature in general:

-(1925) F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is first published in NYC by Charles Scribner's Sons.

-(1929) Famed The Seventh Seal actor and staple of numerous Ingmar Bergman films, Max Von Sydow is born.

-(1938) Legendary musician, composer, and bandleader, Joe "King" Oliver dies at the age of 52. King Oliver is perhaps best known for his tutelage of jazz great Louis Armstrong.

-(1959) Acclaimed rock/jazz guitarist and founding member of The Stray Cats Brian Setzer is born.

-(1962) Stuart Sutcliffe, a member of The Quarrymen and original bassist for The Beatles, passes away at the age of 21 from a brain hemorrhage. According to many sources, both Sutcliffe and Lennon are credited with naming The Beatles.

-(1968) In the Heat of the Night wins the Oscar for Best Picture.

-(1968) Mickey Hart joins the Grateful Dead.*

-(1970) Paul McCartney formally announces the break-up of The Beatles; or, according to McCartney apologists, Paul merely issues a press release to promote his upcoming solo album McCartney. The other theory is that Lennon "broke-up" the band on September 20, 1969 when he asked McCartney for a "divorce."

-(1971) The French Connection wins the Oscar for Best Picture.

-(1979) Nino Rota, best known for composing the themes to The Godfather and Romeo and Juliet, and his lifetime collaboration with Federico Fellini, dies at the age of 67.

-(1992) Comedian Sam Kinnison dies in a tragic auto accident at the age 38.

*Wikipedia states September 1967; I'm unable to confirm either date, but it's likely Mickey probably informally "sat in" with the band earlier than September.

From Top to Bottom: F. Scott Fitzgerald; Nino Rota; Stuart Sutcliffe; King Oliver; Max Von Sydow (seated on the right in the photo); Mickey Hart; Sam Kinnison