On Oct. 31, 1926, magician Harry Houdini died in Detroit of gangrene and peritonitis resulting from a ruptured appendix. He was 52.
In 1967, The Stooges played their first concert, at a Halloween party at their house in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
In 1970, singer Michelle Phillips of The Mamas and The Papas married actor Dennis Hopper. They divorced after eight days.
In 1986, Pink Floyd guitarist Roger Waters filed suit in London to dissolve Pink Floyd and retain the rights to the name. The other members of the band were granted temporary rights to the name and later full rights.
In 1988, actor John Houseman died at the age of 96 in Malibu, California. He’s probably best known for his work on “The Paper Chase.”
Also in 1988, singer Debbie Gibson held a séance at her Halloween party to contact Liberace (lih-ber-AH’-chee) and Sid Vicious.
In 1991, Joseph Papp, the producer who brought “A Chorus Line” to Broadway, died in New York. He was 70.
In 1993, movie director Federico Fellini died in Rome at age 73.
Also in 1993, actor River Phoenix died after collapsing outside a Los Angeles nightclub. He was 23.
In 1996, Elizabeth Taylor’s divorce from Larry Fortensky was finalized.
In 1997, more than 200 counterfeit tickets were confiscated when Jane’s Addiction reunited for a show in New York. Hundreds of fans were turned away, and refunds were given to legitimate ticketholders.
In 2020, actor Johnny Depp lost his libel case against The Sun tabloid for labeling him a “wife beater.”
In 2022, Taylor Swift became the first act in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 chart to take the top ten spots. All ten songs came from her “Midnights” album, with “Anti-Hero” at number one.
Today’s Birthdays: Actor Lee Grant is 99. Anchorman Dan Rather is 93. Folk singer Tom Paxton is 87. Actor Ron Rifkin (“Alias”) is 86. Actor Sally Kirkland is 83. Actor Brian Doyle-Murray (“Caddyshack,” “SpongeBob SquarePants”) is 79. Actor Stephen Rea (“The Crying Game,” ″V For Vendetta”) is 78. Actor Deidre Hall (“Days Of Our Lives”) is 77. Journalist Jane Pauley is 74. Broadway performer Brian Stokes Mitchell is 67. Director Peter Jackson (“Lord of the Rings”) is 63. Drummer Larry Mullen Junior of U2 is 63. Drummer Mikkey Dee of Motorhead and of Scorpions is 61. Guitarist Johnny Marr of Modest Mouse (and The Smiths) is 61. Actor Dermot Mulroney is 61. Actor Rob Schneider is 61. Country singer Darryl Worley is 60. Actor Mike O’Malley (“Yes, Dear,” “Glee”) is 59. Guitarist Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys is 58. Musician Rob Van Winkle (Vanilla Ice) is 57. Guitarist Rogers Stevens of Blind Melon is 55. Singer Linn Berggren of Ace of Base is 54. Reality show host Troy Hartman (“Extreme Survival,” ″No Boundaries”) is 53. Gospel singer Smokie Norful is 51. Actor Piper Perabo is 48. Actor Brian Hallisay (TV’s “Revenge”) is 46. Actor Samaire (SAH’-mee-rah) Armstrong (TV’s “Resurrection”) is 44. Actor Eddie Kaye Thomas (“American Pie”) is 44. Guitarist Frank Iero (My Chemical Romance) is 43. Actor Justin Chatwin (“American Gothic”) is 42. Actor Holly Taylor (“The Americans”) is 27. Actor Danielle Rose Russell (“Legacies,” “The Originals”) is 25. Singer-actor Willow Smith is 24.
The Litchfield High School Theater production of “Footloose” begins tonight and continues Friday and Saturday evenings at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Bernie Aaker Auditorium.
Tickets are on sale at the Litchfield High School office, on the School District website and they will also be sold at the door.
Director Sara Dollerschell says “Footloose” takes place in a small Midwestern town that has banned dancing because of the fear of it being a dangerous influence for young people. She says it is different from the movie version, with more songs, but the themes are similar.
Dollerschell says she’s had a great cast and crew to work with and many of the students have been balancing their rehearsals with other activities. She says many of them will go right from “Footloose” into the Litchfield High School Marching Band indoor concert next weekend.
Sophomore Xander Chvatal is in the drumline with the marching band and is also in cross-country so he’s gone right from meets to rehearsals and his mom has had food in the car for him. He says his character is Willard who becomes the best friend of the lead character, Ren.
Xander says Willard cannot dance, but by the end of the show, he knows how to dance. Senior Hailey Vines is in the role of Rusty – a friend of the lead female character in “Footloose” – Ariel. She says she has also choreographed the entire production and the other actors learned their moves quite easily.
Vines says she is captain of the Litchfield High School dance team. She says she’s probably been in about 13 theater productions in her lifetime.
Retiring state Representative Dean Urdahl and his wife, Karen, are hosting an open house to thank area residents for their support during his 22 years in the Minnesota House of Representatives. The event will be from 3-to-6 p.m. on Sunday, November 10th at the Litchfield Opera House.
A short program will take place at 4 p.m. and snacks will be provided. Urdahl says he has a great appreciation for the incredible support local people have shown him over the years and this event is a way of thanking them. He says everyone is welcome, and he looks forward to personally extending his gratitude to those who entrusted him to be their voice in the House over the years.
Urdahl is not seeking re-election in District 16A and announced last March he will retire from the House when his 11th term expires this January.
