1962, Cars: Ford Taunus 12M (P4)

In September 1962 the new Taunus P4 is introduced by Ford of Germany. It was a modern new car that replaced the outdated Ford Taunus 12M P1. The P4 was originally designed for production in North America as the Ford Cardinal. Ford changed its strategy at the last minute and US production was cancelled.

In 1960 a prototype was delivered to Ford in Cologne, the model that emerged from the production two years later would be unchanged.

Ford Taunus 12M two doors (P4) 1962

Ford Taunus 12M two doors (P4) 1962

Ford Taunus 12M four doors (P4) 1962

Ford Taunus 12M coupé (P4) 1962

Ford Taunus 12M station wagon (P4) 1962

The car was available as a front wheel drive two or four-door saloon and a three-door station wagon. In addition Ford Germany also offered a factory built two-door coupé. The car had a new compact V4 engine with 29 kW, 37 kW or 40 kW. The 40 kW version was replaced in the same year by the more powerful 48 kW unit. Ford Germany became one of the trendsetters with the modern V4 engine. The company were able to sell the unit to other smaller European manufacturers. It was used in the Saab 96 and the Matra 530 sports car.

Predecessor: Ford Taunus 12M P1 (1961)

Ford Cardinal Design

Successor: Ford Taunus 15M P6 (1967)

The Taunus P4 was replaced in 1966 by the Ford Taunus P6. A total of 672,695 P4s were produced.

Ford Taunus 12M P4 English Commercials

Ford Taunus 12M P4 German Commercial

Ford Taunus 12M P4 German Commercial

Ford Taunus 12M P4 German Commercial

Ford Taunus 12M P4 German Commercial



Brochure Ford Taunus 12M English (1964)
Brochure Ford Taunus 12M TS German (1964)

1961, Music: The Beatles perform for the first time at the Cavern Club

The Cavern Club in Liverpool was the place where the Beatles (formerly known as 'The Quarrymen' and 'The Silver Beetles') became popular in the UK. The Cavern Club originally opened as a jazz club on 16 January 1957. 'The Quarrymen' made their first appearance at the club on 21 February 1957. On 9 February 1961 the group first performed there under their new name 'The Beatles'. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Pete Best were first seen by Brian Epstein at the club on 9 November 1961. Epstein became their manager and secured them a record contract.

'The Quarrymen' on November 23, 1957 in The New Clubmoor Hall in Liverpool.

Left to right Colin Hanton, Paul McCartney, Len Garry, John Lennon, and Eric Griffiths.

The Quarry Men in 1957: George Harrison (Age 14), John Lennon (Age 16)

& Paul McCartney (Age 15)

'The Beatles' appeared 292 times at the club in 1961, 1962 and 1963, with a final appearance on 3 August 1963, one month after the group recorded "She Loves You", and six months before their first trip to the United States.

The Beatles in the Cavern Club (1961):

George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Pete Best & John Lennon

The Beatles in 1965:
George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney & John Lennon

The Beatles at The Cavern Documentary

 
The Beatles at The Cavern in 1962

1960, Film: “Tirez sur le pianiste”

The French film “Tirez sur le pianiste” (English: “Shoot the Piano Player”) is released on 25 November 1960. This crime drama is directed by one of the founders of La Nouvelle Vague (English: The New Wave), François Truffaut. It is Truffaut's second feature after “Les quatre cents coups” (English: The 400 Blows). Based on the novel “Down There” by the American writer David Goodis the film stars the French/Armenian singer Charles Aznavour as the pianist Charlie Kohler / Edouard Saroyan.

Synopsis

A former virtuose pianist, Charlie Kohler/Edouard Saroyan, gave up after his wife's suicide. Now he is stroking the keys in a Parisian bar. The waitress, Léna, is falling in love with Charlie, who it turns out is not who he says he is. When his brother Chico has trouble with gangsters, Charlie gets involved into the chaos...

Nicole Berger & Charles Aznavour

Charles Aznavour & Marie Dubois

Charles Aznavour

Main Cast

• Charles Aznavour as Charlie Kohler / Edouard Saroyan
• Marie Dubois as Léna
• Nicole Berger as Thérèse Saroyan
• Michèle Mercier as Clarisse
• Serge Davri as Plyne
• Claude Mansard as Momo
• Richard Kanayan as Fido Saroyan
• Albert Rémy as Chico Saroyan
• Jean-Jacques Aslanian as Richard Saroyan
• Daniel Boulanger as Ernest
• Claude Heymann as Lars Schmeel
• Alex Joffé as Passerby
• Boby Lapointe as The Singer
• Catherine Lutz as Mammy

Nicole Berger & Charles Aznavour

Marie Dubois

François Truffaut, Marie Dubois & Charles Aznavour

1960 French Trailer


Screen test Marie Dubois

1977, Television: “Man from Atlantis”

The NBC-series "Man from Atlantis" premiered on September 22, 1977. This American science fiction television series ran for 13 episodes during the 1977–1978 season, following four successful television films that had aired earlier in 1977. The series stars Patrick Duffy as Mark Harris, the only survivor of the lost civilisation of Atlantis. The supporting cast includes Belinda Montgomery as Dr. Elizabeth Merrill, Alan Fudge as C. W. Crawford and Victor Buono as the villainous Mr. Schubert.

Patrick Duffy as Mark Harris

Belinda Montgomery & Patrick Duffy

Patrick Duffy & Belinda Montgomery

Synopsis

Mark Harris (Patrick Duffy) has extraordinary abilities, including the ability to breathe underwater and withstand extreme depth pressures. His hands and feet are webbed and his eyes are unusually sensitive to light. He swims in a dolphin fashion. When he is discovered, he is recruited by the Foundation for Oceanic Research, a governmental agency that conducts top secret research and explores the depths of the ocean in the submarine Cetacean.



Belinda Montgomery & Patrick Duffy

Main Cast

• Patrick Duffy as Mark Harris
• Alan Fudge as C.W. Crawford
• Anson Downes as Airlock Officer
• Belinda Montgomery as Dr. Elizabeth Merrill
• Jean Marie Hon as Jane
• Victor Buono as Dr. Schubert

Man From Atlantis Opening Credits

1976, Deaths: Ivo Van Damme

On 29 December 1976 Ivo Van Damme was killed in a head-on collision, on the auto route between Marseille and Lyon, on his way home from a training session in the south of France. His death, at the age of 22, will always be remembered as one of the great lost talents of modern athletics.

At the 1976 Montreal summer Olympics Van Damme won silver in both the 800 and 1500 m, finishing behind Alberto Juantorena and John Walker, respectively.

Ivo van Damme was born in Brussels on 21 February 1954 as the son of a gendarmerie commandant. He turned to athletics rather late at the age of 17. Until then he played football, he joined his first running club, Daring club of Leuven ion 1970. His breakthrough came in 1973 at the European Junior Championships in Duisburg, he finished fourth behind Steve Ovett.

Montreal 1976 Athletics 800m
1st Alberto Juantoreno (Cuba, 1:43.50),
2nd Ivo Van Damme (Belgium, 1:43.86),
3rd Richard Charles Wohlhuter (USA, 1:44.12)

Montreal 1976 Athletics 800m

Montreal 1976 Athletics 800m

Van Damme is commemorated at an annual international meeting in Brussels, which has become the scene of several record-breaking performances. This is a fitting tribute to a man who appeared to have time on his side but who ran out of that most precious commodity far too soon.

Montreal 1976 Athletics 1500m
1st John Walker (New Zealand, 3:39.17),
2nd Ivo Van Damme (Belgium, 3:39.27),
3rd Paul-Heinz Wellmann (West Germany, 3:39.33)

Montreal 1976 Athletics 1500m

Ivo Van Damme

Montreal 1976 800m

 
Montreal 1976 1500m

1975, Cars: Leyland Princess (ADO71)

On 26 March 1975 the Princess was launched by British Leyland as the 18–22 Series, "the car that has got it all together". It replaced the Austin / Morris / Wolseley ADO17. The numbers 18–22 referred to the available engine sizes, 1800 cc and 2200 cc. For the first six months of production three different versions were produced: Austin, Morris and Wolseley. The Austin model had the original design, featuring trapezoidal headlights and a simple horizontally grille. The Morris and Wolseley cars had a larger styled grille.

The car has a front-wheel drive / transverse engine configuration it gave the Princess a cabin space advantage when compared with similarly sized cars from competing manufacturers. Suspension used BL's Hydragas system. The ride was very soft and smooth almost as smooth as the Citroën CX.

Wolseley Saloon (1975)

Predecessor: Austin 1800 (ADO17) (1965)

Leyland Princess range 1976

Leyland Princess HL 1978

In September 1975 the range was renamed "Princess", a new marque created by British Leyland although it had previously been used as a model name on the Austin Princess limousine from 1947 to 1956. In July 1978, the Princess 2 was introduced. The main change was the replacement of the old 1800 cc B-Series engine with the new O-Series engine. The new engine was offered in two sizes: 1695 cc and 1993 cc.

Leyland Princess 2 range 1978

Production of the Princess ceased in November 1981. It was succeeded by the Austin Ambassador, which was produced from 1982 until 1984 and only ever sold in the UK. 224,942 Princess's and 43,427 Ambassador's were produced.

Successor: Austin Ambassador

Leyland 18-22 Series, Development Story

Leyland Princess, German Ad (1970s)

Leyland Princess, French Ad (1970s)

Brochure Wolseley Saloon (1975, English)

Brochure Leyland Princess (1975, German)

Brochure Leyland Princess 2 (1979, Dutch)