Dashed left edge = started before January 1904 ·
Dashed right edge = ongoing beyond January 1904
Events in January 1904 5
1904 – 1983George Balanchine (1904-1983)Died 30 April 1983, aged 79George Balanchine was a Georgian-American choreographer who co-founded the New York City Ballet and is considered one of the most influential figures in twentieth-century ballet. He pioneered a neoclassical style that reshaped American dance. His works remain core repertoire for ballet companies worldwide.
1904 – 1987Ray Bolger (1904-1987)American dancer and actor, the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz.
1904Ray Bolger born in BostonRay Bolger is born in Boston.
1904 – 1908The Herero and Nama genocideThe first genocide of the twentieth centuryThe Herero rise against German settlers in South-West Africa. After the battle at Waterberg, General Lothar von Trotha issues an extermination order: any Herero found within the German frontier, with or without a weapon, will be shot. Survivors are driven into the Omaheke desert and the waterholes are sealed. The Nama rise the following year and are treated the same way. Perhaps 65,000 of 80,000 Herero and 10,000 of 20,000 Nama die, many in camps on Shark Island. Germany formally recognised it as genocide in 2021.
1904 – 1986Cary Grant (1904-1986)Died 29 November 1986, aged 82English-born Hollywood actor known for his suave leading roles in films such as North by Northwest and Bringing Up Baby. He became one of the defining film stars of the twentieth century across a career spanning four decades. He suffered a stroke while on a speaking tour and died in Iowa.