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Events on Monday 1 January 1962 8
19621962: Graham HillBRMHill won his first title driving for BRM, beginning a career that would make him the only driver to win the Triple Crown of motorsport: the World Championship, the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
1962 – 1970Early Career and National TheatreBegan appearing in films in the 1960s. Worked with the National Theatre alongside Laurence Olivier and Maggie Smith, building his reputation as a versatile classical actor.
1962 – 1968Hit Factory with Dionne WarwickWith Hal David, wrote a remarkable run of hit songs for Dionne Warwick including Walk on By, I Say a Little Prayer, Do You Know the Way to San Jose and Anyone Who Had a Heart. Fifteen titles reached the American Top 40.
1962Marriage to Edgar de HaasMarried bassist Edgar de Haas. They would have two children, both of whom became performers: son Darius de Haas, a Broadway actor, and daughter Aisha de Haas, a singer and actress.
1962Professional Stage DebutMade his professional stage debut at Dublin's Gate Theatre in a production of Othello, having written a fabricated CV to gain entry.
1962 – 1972Relationship with Joseph CornellHad a passionate, platonic relationship with the surrealist artist Joseph Cornell, 26 years her senior. They called each other daily, sketched each other, and he sent her personalised collages. The relationship lasted until his death in 1972.
1962 – 1966Union CollegeAttended Union College, a small liberal arts school in Barbourville, Kentucky, majoring in chemistry and mathematics. Paid his tuition by raising cattle and growing tobacco on the family farm. Graduated with a BA in 1966.
1962Western Samoa gains independenceFirst Pacific island nation to gain 20th-century independenceWestern Samoa became independent from New Zealand administration on January 1, 1962, the first Pacific island nation to do so in the 20th century. Malietoa Tanumafili II became joint head of state. The country later renamed itself Samoa in 1997.