December 9, ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ premieres
Today is Tuesday, December 9, the 343rd day of the year 2025. There are 22 days left in the year.
Today in history:
On December 9, 1965, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” the first animated special featuring characters from Charles M. Schulz’s “Peanuts” comic strip, premiered on CBS.
Also on this date:
In 1979, scientists certified the global eradication of smallpox, a disease that killed an estimated 300 million people in the 20th century.
In 1990, Lech Wałęsa (lek vah-WEN’-sah), founder of Solidarity, won Poland’s first free presidential election since 1926.
In 1992, the first U.S. Marines landed before dawn on a beach in Somalia in support of Operation Restore Hope; they were greeted by hundreds of journalists awaiting their arrival.
In 2006, the Space Shuttle Discovery embarked on a mission to complete and rewire the International Space Station.
In 2013, scientists revealed that NASA’s Curiosity rover had discovered signs of an ancient freshwater lake on Mars.
In 2019, an island volcano off the coast of New Zealand called Whakaari, or White Island, erupted, killing 22 tourists and guides and seriously injuring several others. Most of the 47 people on the island were American and Australian cruise ship passengers taking a walking tour with the guides.
In 2021, a truck full of migrants crashed in southern Mexico, killing at least 53 people and injuring dozens more.
Today’s birthdays:
- Actress Judi Dench is 91 years old.
- Actor Beau Bridges is 84 years old.
- Tom Kite, member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, is 76 years old.
- Actor John Malkovich is 72 years old.
- Singer Donny Osmond is 68 years old.
- Actress Felicity Huffman is 63 years old.
- Empress Masako of Japan is 62 years old.
- Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York is 59 years old.
- Rock singer and musician Jakob Dylan (Wallflowers) is 56 years old.
- Actor Simon Helberg is 45 years old.
- Olympic gymnastics gold medalist McKayla Maroney is 30 years old.
- Actor Nico Parker is 21 years old.
