Good morning. A stairway in Egypt, a swing of a baseball bat and the Beatles before a royal audience share today’s date. Then we’ll turn back to a Monday in 1991.
📅 On This Day — November 4
It’s National Candy Day—perhaps a reason to revisit a favorite sweet.
1922 — A step into history. Howard Carter’s team uncovered the first step leading to Tutankhamun’s tomb.
1963 — The Beatles meet a royal audience. The group played London’s Royal Variety Performance.
2001 — A World Series walk-off. Luis Gonzalez’s ninth-inning hit gave Arizona a 3–2 Game 7 win over the Yankees.
2001 — A little movie magic. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone had its world premiere in London.
2008 — A historic election. Barack Obama became the first African American elected president of the United States.
⏪ REWIND: 1991
Monday, November 4, 1991
If you were born on November 4, 1991, you turn 35 today. The Madrid peace talks were in the news, a horror film had just opened, and the evening’s television included football and familiar sitcoms.
📰 The Headlines
A difficult conversation begins in Madrid
The first round of direct talks between Israel and Arab delegations began November 3 after the Madrid peace conference opened in late October. The meetings brought adversaries to the table, but major disagreements—including where future negotiations would take place—remained unresolved as the parties left Madrid.
🇺🇸 Five presidents gather in California
On November 4, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library was dedicated in Simi Valley. Reagan joined President George H. W. Bush and former presidents Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford and Richard Nixon: five men who had held the office gathered as the National Archives opened its ninth presidential library.
🎬 At the Movies
A house with a secret
Wes Craven’s The People Under the Stairs opened November 1 and led the domestic weekend box office for November 1–3. In the story, a boy known as Fool enters his landlords’ house and discovers the frightening secret hidden beneath its stairs. Its mix of horror and a family facing eviction gave the premise more to contend with than an ordinary haunted house.
🎵 On the Charts
“Romantic” — Karyn White
Karyn White’s “Romantic” was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 dated November 2, 1991. The single came from her album Ritual of Love, released that September. White had previously reached the R&B chart summit with “Superwoman” and “The Way You Love Me.”
🏁 In Sports
Philadelphia’s big Monday night
The Eagles defeated the visiting New York Giants 30–7 on November 4. Quarterback Jim McMahon connected with Keith Jackson on a 73-yard touchdown, and James Joseph ran for two scores as Philadelphia pulled away.
📺 On Television
Some programs associated with Monday’s network broadcasts:
ABC — MacGyver; Monday Night Football.
CBS — Evening Shade; Major Dad; Murphy Brown; Designing Women; Northern Exposure.
NBC — The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air; Blossom; The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw, Part 2.
FOX — FOX programming for this date could not be established from the sources available.
🏰 Disney Vault
The Muppets step into three dimensions
That spring, Jim Henson’s Muppet*Vision 3D opened at Disney-MGM Studios. The attraction paired a 3D Muppet film with in-theater effects; it was the last film Jim Henson worked on before his death in 1990.
🗞️ The Everday Family
❤️ Health Snap
Give sleep a steady schedule
A regular bedtime and wake-up time can be a useful part of a sleep routine. The CDC recommends keeping a consistent schedule, including on weekends when practical.
🎂 November 4 Birthdays
Delbert McClinton — turns 86 (1940). The singer and harmonica player recorded “Good Man, Good Woman” with Bonnie Raitt.
Chris Difford — turns 72 (1954). The songwriter and guitarist co-founded Squeeze.
Kathy Griffin — turns 66 (1960). The comedian starred in Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List.
Ralph Macchio — turns 65 (1961). He played Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid.
Matthew McConaughey — turns 57 (1969). The actor won an Academy Award for Dallas Buyers Club.
Know someone celebrating today? Send them this edition and ask which of these stories belongs in their own time capsule.
Whether your favorite detail is a song, a family snapshot or a game-winning hit, dates can connect very different memories.
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Until tomorrow,
Yesterday Today
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