National and world events 50 years ago.
The Aristocats premiered on December 11. One of the most popular films of 1971, the animated movie was the last project approved by Walt Disney before his death in 1966.
Jim Morrison and The Doors performed together for the last time in New Orleans. Morrison experienced an apparent nervous breakdown during the performance. He later recorded the album L.A. Woman with the group before beginning a leave of absence and moving to Paris. He died in Paris in July 1971.
Love Story was released on December 16 in the United States and Canada. Starring Ali MacGraw and Ryan O’Neal, the film would go on to be the highest-earning film of 1971.
Elvis Presley visited the White House on December 21, greeted by President Richard Nixon and leading to one of the iconic photos of the time. The visit was actually not made public for more than a year until it was mentioned in a Washington Post column in January 1972. It later became the subject of several books and two films.
Also on December 21, the Navy F-14 Tomcat made its first flight. The prototype F-14 crashed nine days later, with the pilots able to eject safely.
The North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York topped out to its full 110-story height on December 23., becoming the tallest building in the world.
The U.S. Defense Command announced on Christmas, December 25, that 23 American servicemen had been killed in combat in Vietnam during the week December 12-18, the lowest number in more than five years.
Hello Dolly, the longest-running Broadway musical up to that time, closed on December 27 after its 2,844th performance. Its longest-running status didn’t last long, as it was surpassed by Fiddler on the Roof in July 1971. Ethel Merman played the role of Dolly Levi in the closing run. She had been preceded by Carol Channing, Ginger Rogers, Martha Raye, Betty Grable, Pearl Bailey, and Phyllis Diller.