› added 8 years ago

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TIL Paul Williams, songwriter for 1979 classic, “The Muppet Movie” said, “Jim Henson gave more freedom than anybody. I said, ‘You want to hear the songs as we’re writing them?’ He said, 'No. I’ll hear them in the studio. I know I’m gonna love them.’ You don’t get that kind of freedom these days.”

78OVx TIL in May 1945, the 12th Army Group under the command of Omar Bradley numbered 1.3 million men in 43 divisions, and is the largest group of US soldiers to ever serve under an American field commander.
OopKg TIL Doctor Who actor Patrick Troughton left his wife months after she gave birth to their third child, to live with his girlfriend - with whom he had three children. He maintained a deception of having stayed with his original family and his own mother died unaware of the truth 24 years later
nej9P TIL that in 1865 the dictator of Paraguay plunged his country into an ill-advised war with Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. In just five years, Paraguay lost over half its population, including up to 90% of its men. It was arguably the worst military defeat ever suffered by a modern nation state.
e6bk TIL when Conan O'Brien was bought out of his contract with NBC, he paid 50 stagehands and crew members who were not part of the deal at least six weeks severance pay out of his own pocket.
jNYOj TIL Captain Cook's return to Hawaii coincided with the Makahiki, a Hawaiian harvest festival of worship for the god Lono. Coincidentally the form of Cook's ship resembled certain artifacts that formed part of the season of worship. He was flayed a month later after trying to kidnap the king.