Banner headline on the November 22, 1963 edition of the Minneapolis Star evening newspaper read, "PRESIDENT SLAIN Sniper Cuts Down Kennedy, Texas Governor in Dallas Parade". It had news and photos about the infamous day in history when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. Meanwhile on television, all of the networks broke into programming as soon as the story hit, and presented wall-to-wall news coverage for the next several days.
But the television program listings carried in the paper were submitted in advance, and on page 23A we see what would have been on had the President not been slain. In those days in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, WCCO-4 was CBS (as it is now), KSTP-5 was NBC, KMSP-9 was ABC and WTCN-11 was independent. Since the Star was an evening paper, the listings start at 4 p.m. Friday and go through 3 p.m. Saturday. Everything listed was preempted that day (although we are not entirely clear what WTCN did that day, as it had no network affiliation at that time).
In addition to the listings, ads on the page promote Lee J. Cobb, Harry Guardino and Gena Rowlands in John O'Hara's "It's Mental Work" on "Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theater" on NBC that night, and local late night movies on Channels 9 and 11.
Programs highlighted by the newspaper included:
6:30--77 SUNSET STRIP. "Lover's Lane," a drama featuring guest Preston Foster.--ch. 9.
7:30--ROUTE 66. "Kiss the Monster, Make Him Sleep." James Coburn and Barbara Mattes appear in drama filmed in Minneapolis.--ch. 4.
7:30--MOVIE. "Goliath Against the Giants." Brad Harris stars in drama shown for the first time on TV in this area. --ch. 11.
8:30--TWILIGHT ZONE. "Night Call." Gladys Cooper is splendid in a weird little story about an elderly invalid who gets phone calls without the aid of the phone company.--ch. 4.
9:00--ALFRED HITCHCOCK. "Body in the Barn." A suspicious woman is positive that her neighbor has been murdered by his wife, and she wants justice done. The story is well paced and cast. Lillian Gish, Peter Lind Hays and Maggie McNamara have the leads.--ch. 4.
9:00--JACK PAAR. Guests: Liberace, Milt Kamen, Cassius Clay and Mary McCarthy.--ch. 5.
10:30--STEVE ALLEN. Guests: Joe Flynn, Janice Baker, Jack Carter and comedienna Gina Wilson. --ch. 4.
10:30--TONIGHT. Guests: Kirk Douglas, Dave King, Henny Youngman and the Willis Sisters.--ch. 5.
SATURDAY AFTERNOON
12:30--SPORTS SPECTACULAR presents charity basketball game between the Harlem Globetrotters and Prince Phillip's Taverners.--ch. 4.
12:30--AMERICAN BANDSTAND. Guests: Johnny Mathis, Connie Stevens, Johnny Crawford and Annette.--ch. 9.
1:15--FOOTBALL. Minnesota vs. Wisconsin.--ch. 4.
This column of tidbits appeared in the February 24, 1910 edition of the Minneapolis Journal evening newspaper, kind of similar to the "News of the Weird" and similar newspaper columns that appear today. One might think everything that happened in 1910 would be an oddity by today's standards, but these were particularly noteworthy to the editor more than a century ago.
Doctors Couldn't Fix His Eye; It Was Glass.
Joseph Cunningham had trouble with a peddler in Hudson street, New York, and his left eye was cracked. He went with it in his hand to St. Vincent's hospital, but the doctors couldn't help him for it was glass, and couldn't even be glued together.
Train Ran Over Him but He Was Not Hurt.
While on his way to school at Columbus, Ohio, Dewey Sims tried to cross the tracks in front of a train and fell. Before he could arise, the train was upon him, but he had fallen such a way he did not receive a scratch as it passed over him.
Died as She Played "Home, Sweet Home."
Literally carried away by her own music, Miss Katherine Beason died playing "Home, Sweet Home," at Attica, Ind. She had a weak heart and doctors said being transported by her own music caused it to give way.
Cured by Dream, Man Throws Away Crutches.
After suffering long from rhumatism, H. M. Post of Owosea, Mich. dreamed he took a new treatment for the malady. When he awoke he found himself completely cured and threw away his crutches.
Woman Has Spent Much of 102 Years in Sleep.
During most of her 102 years, Mrs. Susan Hurlbut of Wilkes-Barre has slept from 10 p.m. until 7 a.m. She is in good health and attributes her longevity to plenty of sleep, and regular habits.
Kills 216 Rats With "Bite-Proof" Gloves.
Arthur Crawford, foreman of E. C. Converce's home near Greenwich, Conn., killed 216 rats in half an hour. There is a rat plague at the henneries. Crawford covers his hands with "bite-proof" gloves, pulls the rats out of holes and breaks their necks.
Convict's Invention Wins Him a Pardon.
William Howard is to be released from the state prison of Nebraska, where he has been serving a sentence for burglary. The cause is a self-balancing aeroplane he has invented, said to be better than all machines so far. He has been promised financial backing.
Lodges in New Henhouse Since Home Burned.
In a few years fire has destroyed four fine homes of Mrs. Evelyn W. Murray, and she now lives in a chicken house near the site of her last house, near Somerville, N. J. She is wealthy, but prefers the chicken house to a hotel, partly, it is said, because she will not intrust animals on the place to servants.
Needs Wife and Job to Get That $20,000.
John E. Mason, a young Englishman in Boston, will have to get married and a job to claim a $20,000 legacy left by his father. He has only a year, and at present has neither the prospect of a job or a wife.
Postoffice Closed; Nobody Wants Job.
Because the government is unable to get any one to serve as postmaster the office at Dry Brook, Ulster county, is abolished. Nobody wants the job because it pays through the cancellation of stamps only about $1 a week.
But the television program listings carried in the paper were submitted in advance, and on page 23A we see what would have been on had the President not been slain. In those days in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, WCCO-4 was CBS (as it is now), KSTP-5 was NBC, KMSP-9 was ABC and WTCN-11 was independent. Since the Star was an evening paper, the listings start at 4 p.m. Friday and go through 3 p.m. Saturday. Everything listed was preempted that day (although we are not entirely clear what WTCN did that day, as it had no network affiliation at that time).