The Author of Willie Wonka is born - This Day in History – Sept 13th

Roald Dahl, a successful popular children’s author whose work became well-received Hollywood movies was born on this day back in South Wales in 1916.  Mr. Dahl, is known for movies such as:

• Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
• James and the Giant Peach
• Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 
• Gremlins

However, Mr. Dahl, wrote a movie for grownups as well, the James Bond film, You Only Live Twice. This movie feature Sean Connery as the Master Spy and Ladies Man, James Bond.

According to http://www.sfsite.com/12b/dahl23.htm:

“East Africa, World War II broke out and Roald Dahl joined Britain's Royal Air Force as a pilot. Later, one of his duties for the British diplomatic corps was spying on the US government in Washington. There, he met C.S. Forester, who encouraged him to draft a story about his most exciting adventure as a pilot, later published in the Saturday Evening Post. In 1960, he began writing bedtime stories for children, the first of which was James and the Giant Peach. 

Mr. Dahl lived to the age of 74.  He died in 1916.  Married twice, his first Wife was famous Oscar winning actress Patricia Neal.

Queen of TV Talk gives her audience member a new car 

Oprah Winfrey, known as the, “Queen of Talk TV,” surprised her studio audience by giving each member a brand new car back in 2004. The vehicle was a $28,500 Pontiac G-6 sedan. The media later found out that Oprah had not donated the cars but the automobile manufacturer Pontiac was the culprit.  Pontiac thought that this was a good marketing tool to push its advertising of this car plus they paid the state sales tax on each vehicle.

The audience members who accepted the vehicles still had to pat the federal and state income taxes for this gift.  According to history.com, “Federal and state income taxes added up to about $6,000 for most winners. Some people paid the taxes by taking out car loans; others traded their new Pontiacs for cheaper, less souped-up cars. "It's not really a free car," one winner said. "It's more of a 75 percent-off car. Of course, that's still not such a bad deal."

Note: The video is from a car giveaway of Volkswagens

Francis Scott Keys’ Star-Spangled Banner

Back in 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote a famous patriotic poem that would later be apart of American patriotic celebrations.  This poem is “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The poem was originally called, “The Defense of Fort McHenry,” but its name was changed due to Mr. Key’s witnessing the sight of the American flag flying over Fort McHenry during the War of 1812.

This poem was set to a drinking tune composed by John Stafford Smith.  Consequently, in 1916 President Woodrow Wilson declared that this poem/song should be played at all official events. As of 1931, it was adopted as the United States National Anthem. 

All History facts provided from the link below:

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/president-carter-attends-willie-nelson-concert-at-white-house?catId=9