On This Day

Cerebral Palsy telethon raises $23.5 million

A telethon (a portmanteau of "television" and "marathon") is a televised fundraising event that lasts many hours or days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political or other...

A telethon (a portmanteau of "television" and "marathon") is a televised fundraising event that lasts many hours or days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political or other cause.

Most telethons feature heavy solicitations for pledges (promises to donate funds at a later time) by masters of ceremonies or hosts, who are often local celebrities or media personalities combined with variety show style entertainment such as singers, bands and instrumentalists. In some cases, telethons feature content related to the cause being supported, such as interviews with charitable beneficiaries, tours of charity-supported projects, or pre-taped sequences.

Historical Significance

A telethon (a portmanteau of "television" and "marathon") is a televised fundraising event that lasts many hours or days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political or other cause.

Events Before

  1. Peter Burling is born

    Peter Burling, New Zealand athlete, known for new zealand sailor, was born on 1991-01-01. Peter Burling is a New Zealand sailor.

  2. 5% sales tax on consumer goods and services goes into effect in the USSR

    The history of the United States from 1980 until 1991 includes the last year of the Jimmy Carter presidency, eight years of the Ronald Reagan administration, and the first three years of the George...

  3. Baseball officially bans Pete Rose from being elected to the Hall of Fame for betting on baseball

    Peter Edward Rose Sr. (April 14, 1941 – September 30, 2024), nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", was an American professional baseball player and manager.

  4. Operation Desert Storm begins, with US-led coalition forces bombing Iraq, during the Gulf War

    The Gulf War was an armed conflict between Iraq and a 42-country coalition led by the United States.

  5. CBS News correspondent Bob Simon and four TV crew members are captured and held for 40 days by Iraqi forces during the G

    CBS News correspondent Bob Simon and four TV crew members are captured and held for 40 days by Iraqi forces during the Gulf War

Events After

  1. Bryson Tiller is born

    Bryson Tiller musician, known for american singer, was born on 1993-01-02. Bryson Djuan Tiller is an American R&B singer and rapper.

  2. "Farewell My Concubine," directed by Chen Kaige from a novel by Lilian Lee, starring Leslie Cheung, Zhang Fengyi, and Go

    "Farewell My Concubine," directed by Chen Kaige from a novel by Lilian Lee, starring Leslie Cheung, Zhang Fengyi, and Gong Li, premieres in Hong Kong (wins Cannes Palme d'Or 1993)

  3. Brian Lara scores his maiden Test century with 277 for the West Indies v Australia in drawn 3rd Test at the Sydney Crick

    Brian Lara scores his maiden Test century with 277 for the West Indies v Australia in drawn 3rd Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground

  4. Michael Jordan's game-high 35 points leads Chicago Bulls to a 120-95 win over Milwaukee Bucks, giving him exactly 20,000

    Michael Jordan's game-high 35 points leads Chicago Bulls to a 120-95 win over Milwaukee Bucks, giving him exactly 20,000 points in the 620th game of his NBA career, the second-fastest to reach this milestone after Wilt Chamberlain (499)

  5. US Senator Mitch McConnell (51) weds businesswoman Elaine Chao (39)

    US Senator Mitch McConnell (51) weds businesswoman Elaine Chao (39)

More from the 1990s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on January 19, 1992?
A telethon (a portmanteau of "television" and "marathon") is a televised fundraising event that lasts many hours or days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political or other cause. Most telethons feature heavy solicitations for pledges (promises to donate funds at a later time) by masters of ceremonies or hosts, who are often local celebrities or media personalities combined with variety show style entertainment such as singers, bands and instrumentalists. In some cases, telethons feature content related to the cause being supported, such as interviews with charitable beneficiaries, tours of charity-supported projects, or pre-taped sequences.
Why is Cerebral Palsy telethon raises $23.5 million significant?
A telethon (a portmanteau of "television" and "marathon") is a televised fundraising event that lasts many hours or days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political or other cause.

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