This Month In YesterYear History: November

In this series, we stop to look back at the big pop culture moments from the past 20 (2003), 25 (1998), and 30 (1993) years ago!   

Below, you'll find a little time capsule of what was significant in our lives back then.  Hopefully, as you read these brief synopses of the past, you'll begin to remember the who, when, and where of your memories from those years.  That's why I created this site, after all! 

POINTS OF REFERENCE

2003:  On November 2nd, Margaret Okayo of Kenya breaks her own record at the New York City Marathon with a time of 2 hours, 22 minutes, 31 seconds.  Arrested Development, the television program starring Jason Bateman and Michael Cera, debuts on the 2nd.  On the 3rd, Grant Fuhr and Pat LaFontaine were inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame.  Country singer Toby Keith released "Shock'n Y'all," his 8th album.  Alan Jackson and Martina McBride won at the 37th CMA Awards on the 5th.  On the 16th, Matt Kenseth won the 55th Nascar Championship (Sprint Cup).  Roger Federer won his first of six Tennis Masters Cups on the same day.  On the 17th, Britney Spears became the youngest singer to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  On November 18, the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that a ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.  On November 26, the supersonic airliner Concorde makes her final flight, returning to Bristol, England, for the last time.  

1998:  On the 1st, San Francisco 49'ers Steve Young and Jerry Rice connect for their 80th touchdown, surpassing Dan Marino and Mark Clayton, the previous record holders.  Star Trek Insurrection, starring Patrick Stewart, debuts on November 10.  On the same day, Vice President Al Gore signed the Kyoto Protocol, which officially "recognizes" climate change.  On the 16th, Monica Lewinsky gets a multi-million dollar book deal about her affair with President Clinton.  Mariah Carey released the album "#1s" on the 17th.  Whitney Houston also released "My Love Is Your Love" on the 17th.  Van Gogh's "Portrait of the Artist Without Beard" sold for $71.5 million on the 19th.  On November 22nd, Jeff Gordon won the 48th annual NASCAR championship.  On the 26th, Prime Minister Tony Blair became the first PM of the United Kingdom to address Ireland's Parliament.  On the 30th, Deutsch Bank purchased Banker's Trust for $10 billion, creating the largest bank in the world.  

1993:  On November 2nd, Roger Moore of James Bond fame has prostate surgery.  On that same day, Christie Todd Whitman was elected the first female governor of New Jersey.  Also, on the 2nd, Rudy Guiliani won the race for Mayor of New York City, the first Republican since 1965.  On the 3rd, New Jersey Devil's Ken Daneyko sets the "Ironman" record, playing 322 straight games for the Devils.  Atlanta Braves pitcher Greg Maddux becomes the first pitcher since Sandy Koufax to win back-to-back Cy Young Awards on the 3rd.  On the 6th, Evander Holyfield defeats Riddick Bowe in 12 rounds.  On November 11, Pope John Paul was hospitalized after breaking his shoulder.  Dale Earnhardt won the 43rd NASCAR Cup Championship on the 14th.  Don Shula becomes the NFL's winningest coach on the 14th.  On the 15th, Joey Buttafuoco was sentenced to 6 months in jail for the statutory rape of Amy Fisher, the Long Island Lolita.  Boris Yeltsin closed the Lenin Museum on November 16.  On the 18th, the U.S. House of Representatives approved of NAFTA.  The federal government charges Vince McMahon with steroid distribution on the same day.  Snoop Dog's debut album "Doggystyle" drops on November 23.  On November 30, the NFL announced its 30th team:  The Jacksonville Jaguars.  Also, on the 30th, "Schindler's List" premiers in Washington, D.C. No making out during the movie!  

TOP MOVIES

2003: "The Matrix Revolutions" -  This science fiction film was written and directed by the Wachowski siblings.  This third installment of The Matrix series was released just six months following The Matrix Reloaded.  The film stars Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Mary Alice, who replaced Gloria Foster as The Oracle.  

The film was released simultaneously in 108 territories by Warner Bros. Pictures on November 5, 2003.  While this was the final entry in the original trilogy, The Matrix storyline continued with The Matrix Online video game.

It was the first live-action feature film released in regular and IMAX theaters simultaneously.  It grossed $427.3 million worldwide.  It received mixed reviews on Metacritic and negative reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, which criticized it for focusing on special effects over story. 

A fourth film, The Matrix Resurrections, began production in February 2020 and was released on December 22, 2021.

1998: "The Waterboy" -  This 1998 comedy film was written by and stars Adam Sandler as the titular character.  The film also stars Kathy Bates, Fairuza Balk, Henry Winkler, Jerry Reed, Larry Gilliard, Jr., Peter Dante, and Jonathan Loughran.  

Lynn Swann, Lawrence Taylor, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Cowher, Paul "The Big Show" Wight, and Rob Schneider have cameo appearances.  The film was highly profitable, earning $39.4 million in its opening weekend alone in the United States, reaching a total of $190 million worldwide.  The film received mixed reviews from critics but still has a cult following today.

1993: "The Three Musketeers" -  The Three Musketeers was a 1993 action-adventure comedy adaptation of the classic French story starring Charlie Sheen, Keifer Sutherland, Oliver Platt, Chris O'Donnell, Tim Curry, and Rebecca De Mornay.  Produced by Walt Disney Pictures, in association with Caravan Pictures and The Kerner Entertainment Company, this film was directed by Stephen Herek (Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, Mr. Holland's Opus).  

The film is loosely based on the 1844 French novel The Three Musketeers (Les Trois Mousquetaires) by Alexandre Dumas.  It recounts the adventures of D'Artagnan on his quest to join the three title characters in becoming a musketeer.   This adaptation simplifies the story for modern audiences, including children.  

The film was highly anticipated after Disney announced that its September 1993 test screenings for the film showed the most positive response it had ever received from an audience.  However, after its release, it received highly negative reviews from critics and fans compared to Southerland and Sheen's previous western film, Young Guns.

Chris O'Donnell was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award as Worst Supporting Actor but lost to Woody Harrelson for Indecent Proposal.

TOP SONGS

2003:  "Here Without You" by 3 Doors Down

1998:  "Doo Wop (That Thing)" by Lauryn Hill

1993:  "I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)" by Meatloaf

TOP TV NEWS

2003:  

November 2 - Arrested Development debuts.

November 2 - "CBS at 75," a special celebrating the network's 75th anniversary, is broadcast on CBS.

November 10 - The 4,000th episode of Wheel of Fortune is broadcast in syndication, featuring a clip show of the past Wheel memorable moments.  

November 19 - The 2003 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is broadcast on CBS, with 9.4 million people tuning in.  

1998:  

November 8 - The Milwaukee, Raleigh, Birmingham, and Charleston stations owned by Sinclair Broadcasting air several Trek:  Voyager episodes with much fanfare after receiving permission from Ufrom and Paramount Television.

November 16 - Elmo's World debuts as part of Sesame Street's 30th season premiere.

November 20 - The Rugrats Movie, based on Nickelodeon's hit series Rugrats is released in theaters.  The movie introduces the new character "Dil Pickles," who became the main character in Rugrats the following January.  The film was a commercial success, earning over $100 million domestically.  To promote the movie, Nickelodeon put all Rugrats episodes on hiatus for the week, marking the first time since 1994 that Rugrats was not part of Nick's daily schedule.  

1993:  

November 2 - Warner Bros. announces the formation of The W.B. Television Network.  

November 9 - On CNN, Larry King moderates a debate between Ross Perot and Al Gore over NAFTA that was watched by 11.1 million households, the largest ever for an ad-supported cable network until October 23, 2006, when the New York Giants played the Dallas Cowboys on ESPN's Monday Night Football.  

November 13 - The iconic Rugrats episode "Angelica Breaks a Leg" is broadcast on Nickelodeon.

November 15 - Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Christina Aguilera join the cast of the Disney Channel series "The New Mickey Mouse Club."  

November 22 - Food Network makes its debut.  

November 25 - Home Alone makes its network television premiere on NBC.

November 26 - The Cartoon Network's first original animated program, The Moxy Show, debuts.