Title: 1997 Content: 1997 (MCMXCVII) was . == Births == * February 13 - Prince Michael Jackson I, American actor, singer, songwriter, guitarist, pianist, record producer and voice actor * April 1 – Asa Butterfield, English actor * April 15 - Maisie Williams, British actress * May 1 – Ariel Gade, American actress * September 8 – Matthew Josten, American actor * October 2 - Liezel Lopez, Philippine actress * November 16 – Alex Polidori, Italian actress and younger sister of Gabriele Patriarca * November 19 – McCaughey septuplets, famous American set of septuplets *July 18 - Maria Nikka Feliselda, Filipina Bassist * August 10 – Kylie Jenner, American television personality and founder of Kylie Cosmetics == Deaths == === January === * January 8 – Melvin Calvin, American chemist (b. 1911) * January 9 – Edward Osobka-Morawski, Polish politician (b. 1909) * January 10 – Alexander R. Todd, Scottish chemist (b. 1907) * January 10 – Sheldon Leonard, American producer (b. 1907) * January 12 – Charles Brenton Huggins, Canadian cancer researcher (b. 1901) * January 15 – Helenio Herrera, Argentine football manager (b. 1916) * January 17 – Clyde Tombaugh, American astronomer (b. 1906) * January 18 – Paul Tsongas, American politician (b. 1941) * January 19 – James Dickey, American poet and novelist (b. 1923) * January 21 – Colonel Tom Parker, Dutch-born American celebrity manager (b. 1909) * January 25 – Jeane Dixon, American psychic (b. 1904) === February === * February 1 – Herb Caen, American newspaper columnist (b. 1916) * February 1 – Marjorie Reynolds, American actress (b. 1917) * February 2 – Chico Science, Brazilian musician (b. 1967) * February 5 – Pamela Harriman, U.S. Ambassador to France (b. 1920) * February 16 – Bozorg Alavi, Iranian writer (b. 1904) * February 17 – Asfaw Wossen, Emperor-in-exile of Ethiopia (b. 1916) * February 19 – Deng Xiaoping, Leader of the People's Republic of China (b. 1904) * February 21 – Josef Posipal, German footballer (b. 1927) === March === * March 6 – Cheddi Jagan, President of Guyana (b. 1918) * March 6 – Michael Manley, Prime Minister of Jamaica (b. 1924) * March 9 – The Notorious B.I.G., American rapper (b. 1972) * March 14 – Fred Zinnemann, American director (b. 1907) * March 19 – Willem de Kooning, Dutch artist (b. 1904) * March 21 - Wilbert Awdry, English writer (b. 1911) * March 31 – Lyman Spitzer, American physicist (b. 1914) === April === * April 5 – Allen Ginsberg, American poet (b. 1926) * April 7 – Georgi Shonin, Soviet cosmonaut (b. 1935) * April 7 – Tomoyuki Tanaka, Japanese movie producer (b. 1910) * April 11 – Wang Xiaobo, Chinese writer (b. 1952) * April 12 – George Wald, American scientist (b. 1903) * April 17 – Chaim Herzog, President of Israel (b. 1918) * April 21 – Diosdado Macapagal, President of the Philippines (b. 1910) === May === * May 2 – John Eccles, Australian neuropsychologist (b. 1903) * May 4 – Wijeyananda Dahanayake, Prime Minister of Ceylon (b. 1902) * May 16 – Giuseppe De Santis, Italian movie director (b. 1917) * May 20 – Virgilio Barco Vargas, President of Colombia (b. 1922) * May 22 – Alfred Hershey, American biochemist (b. 1908) * May 29 – Jeff Buckley, American musician (b. 1966) === June === * June 1 – Nikolai Tikhonov, Premier of the Soviet Union (b. 1905) * June 2 – Helen Jacobs, American tennis player (b. 1908) * June 6 – Magda Gabor, American actress (b. 1914) * June 14 – Richard Jaeckel, American actor (b. 1926) * June 15 – Edmond Leburton, Prime Minister of Belgium (b. 1915) * June 23 – Betty Shabazz, American widow of Malcolm X (b. 1936) * June 24 – Brian Keith, American actor (b. 1921) * June 25 – Jacques Cousteau, French underwater explorer (b. 1910) * June 26 – Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, Hawaiian singer (b. 1959) * June 29 – William Hickey, American actor (b. 1927) === July === * July 1 – Robert Mitchum, American actor (b. 1917) * July 2 – James Stewart, American actor (b. 1908) * July 15 – Gianni Versace, Italian fashion designer (b. 1946) * July 18 – Eugene Shoemaker, American astronomer (b. 1928) * July 24 – Saw Maung, Prime Minister of Myanmar (b. 1928) * July 24 – Frank Parker, American tennis player (b. 1916) * July 28 – Seni Pramoj, Prime Minister of Thailand (b. 1905) * July 30 – Bảo Đại, Vietnamese Emperor (b. 1913) === August === * August 2 – William S. Burroughs, American writer (b. 1914) * August 4 – Jeanne Calment, French supercentenarian (b. 1875) * August 8 – Sviatoslav Richter, Ukrainian pianist (b. 1915) * August 12 – Luther Allison, American musician (b. 1939) * August 23 – John Kendrew, British molecular biologist (b. 1917) * August 30 – Ernst Willimowski, Polish footballer (b. 1931) * August 31 – Diana, Princess of Wales (b. 1961) * August 31 – Dodi al- Fayed, Egyptian businessman (b. 1955) === September === * September 5 – Mother Teresa, Albanian nun and missionary (b. 1910) * September 7 – Mobutu Sese Seko, President of Zaire (b. 1930) * September 9 – Burgess Meredith, American actor (b. 1907) * September 11 – Matrika Prasad Koirala, Prime Minister of Nepal (b. 1912) * September 17 – Red Skelton, American entertainer (b. 1913) * September 18 – Jimmy Witherspoon, American blues singer (b. 1920) * September 29 – Roy Lichtenstein, American artist (b. 1923) === October === * October 5 – Brian Pillman, American professional wrestler (b. 1962) * October 12 – John Denver, American musician (b. 1943) * October 16 – James A. Michener, American writer (b. 1907) * October 16 – Audra Lindley, American actress (b. 1918) * October 22 – Leonid Amalrik, Russian animator (b. 1905) * October 30 – Samuel Fuller, American screenwriter and director (b. 1912) === November === * November 8 – Mohammad-Ali Jamalzadeh, Iranian writer (b. 1892) * November 22 – Michael Hutchence, Australian musician (b. 1960) * November 25 – Hastings Banda, 1st President of Malawi (b. 1907) === December === * December 1 – Stephane Grappelli, French violinist (b. 1908) * December 7 – Billy Bremner, Scottish footballer (b. 1942) * December 16 – Lillian Disney, American artist (b. 1899) * December 18 – Chris Farley, American actor and comedian (b. 1964) * December 20 – Juzo Itami, Japanese movie director (b. 1933) * December 24 – Toshiro Mifune, Japanese actor (b. 1920) * December 27 – Billy Wright, Northern Irish paramilitary leader (b. 1960) == Events == === January === * January 1 – Kofi Annan becomes Secretary-General of the UN. * January 8 – Mister Rogers receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. * January 9 – Yachtsman Tony Bullimore is found alive five days after his boat capsized in the Southern Ocean. * January 18 – In north west Rwanda, Hutu militia members kill 3 Spanish aid workers, 3 soldiers and seriously wound 1 other. * January 19 – Yasser Arafat returns to Hebron after more than 30 years and joins celebrations over the handover of the last Israeli-controlled West Bank city. * January 20 – Bill Clinton starts his second term as President of the United States. * January 21 – Newt Gingrich becomes the first leader of the United States House of Representatives to be internally disciplined for ethical misconduct. * January 22 – Madeleine Albright becomes the first female secretary of state after confirmation by the United States Senate. * January 23 – Mir Aimal Kasi receives the death sentence for a 1993 assault rifle attack outside CIA headquarters that killed 2 and wounded 3 others. * January 27 – It is revealed that French museums had nearly 2,000 pieces of art that were stolen by Nazis. * January 28 – Clive Davis receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. === February === * February 22 – Scientists in Scotland announce the cloning of Dolly, born on July 5, 1996. * February 23 – A small fire occurs on the Mir space station. * February 27 – Divorce becomes legal in the Republic of Ireland. === March === * March 6 – Guyana's President Cheddi Jagan dies in office. * March 22 – At age 14, Tara Lipinski becomes the youngest figure skating world champion. * March 24 – The movie The English Patient wins an Academy Award for best picture. === April === * April 29 – 126 people are killed in a train crash in Hunan, China. === May === * May 1 – Tony Blair of the Labour Party is elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in a landslide victory over the Conservatives, who lose all of their seats in Scotland and Wales, and lose power after 18 years in Government. * May 3 – Katrina and the Waves win the Eurovision Song Contest for the United Kingdom. * May 10 – An earthquake in northeastern Iran kills 2400 people. * May 16 – Mobutu Sese Seko leaves Zaire. * May 17 – Laurent Kabila's troops enter Kinshasa, as Zaire changes its name to Democratic Republic of the Congo. * May 23 – Mohammad Khatami is elected President of Iran. === June === * June 13 – Timothy McVeigh is sentenced to death for the Oklahoma City bombing. * June 25 – The town of Plymouth on the Caribbean island of Montserrat is evacuated as the Soufriere Hills volcano erupts. * June 26 – Bertie Ahern becomes Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland. === July === * July 1 – The United Kingdom hands control of Hong Kong back to the People's Republic of China. * July 15 – Fashion designer Gianni Versace is shot dead in Florida by spree killer Andrew Cunanan. * July 25 – K. R. Narayanan becomes President of India. === August === * August 4 – Jeanne Calment dies after a record human lifespan of 122 years and 164 days. * August 6 – Korean Air Flight 801 crash lands on the island of Guam, killing 228 people. * August 31 – Diana, Princess of Wales, Dodi Fayed and their driver Henri Paul are killed in a car crash in Paris. === September === * September 5 – The 2004 Summer Olympics are awarded to Athens, Greece. * September 6 – The funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales takes place at Westminster Abbey in London. It is watched by over 2 billion people worldwide. * September 11 – Voters in Scotland approve the creation of their own regional parliament in a referendum. * September 18 – Voters in Wales approve the creation of their own Assembly in a referendum. * September 26 – The regions of Umbria and Marche in Italy are hit by a strong earthquake. * September 26 - An Airbus A300 of Garuda Indonesia Airlines crashes in Medan, Sumatra, killing all 234 people on board. === October === * October 15 – NASA launches the Cassini-Huygens probe to Saturn. * October 16 – The New York Times' first colour photographs appear. === November === * November 11 – Mary McAleese is chosen to succeed Mary Robinson as President of the Republic of Ireland, marking the first-ever woman to woman Presidential transfer. * November 17 – 62 people are killed by Islamist terrorists in Luxor, Egypt. === December === * December 11 – The Kyoto protocol is approved by a UN committee. * December 19 – Janet Jagan becomes President of Guyana, succeeding her deceased husband, Cheddi Jagan. * December 19 – James Cameron's movie Titanic is released in the US. === Other significant events === * Algerian Civil War: Hundreds of people are killed in massacres throughout the year. == Nobel Prizes == *Chemistry: Paul D. Boyer, John E. Walker, Jens C. Skou *Economics: Robert C. Merton, Myron C. Scholes *Literature: Dario Fo *Nobel Peace Prize: International Campaign to Ban Landmines, Jody Williams *Physics: Steven Chu, Claude Cohen- Tannoudji, William D. Phillips *Medicine: Stanley B. Prusiner == Movies Released == * Air Force One * Amistad * As Good as It Gets * Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery * Batman & Robin * Breakdown * Cop Land * Con Air * Contact * Face/Off * Fire Down Below * Gattaca * Good Will Hunting * Hercules * Home Alone 3 * Into Thin Air * L.A. Confidential * Liar Liar * Men in Black * Mononoke Hime * My Best Friend's Wedding * Suicide Kings * The Fifth Element * The Full Monty * The Ice Storm * The Lost World: Jurassic Park * The Rainmaker * The Sweet Hereafter * Titanic * Tomorrow Never Dies * U Turn * Power Rangers Turbo: The Movie * Volcano == New books == * American Pastoral – Philip Roth * Are You Experienced? – William Sutcliffe * Barney's Version – Mordecai Richler * The Best Laid Plans – Sidney Sheldon * The Bible Code – Michael Drosnin * Budgie: The Little Helicopter – Sarah Ferguson * Cat & Mouse – James Patterson * Cold Mountain – Charles Frazier * Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs – Dave Barry * Deja Dead – Kathy Reichs * Diana: Her True Story – Andrew Morton * Everyday Wicca – Gerina Dunwich * Fall On Your Knees – Ann-Marie MacDonald * The Ghost – Danielle Steel * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone – J. K. Rowling * Hornet's Nest – Patricia Cornwell * I Am the Most Interesting Book of All (translation) – Marie Bashkirtseff * Instruments of Darkness – Nancy Huston * Jingo – Terry Pratchett * Larry's Party – Carol Shields * Last Standing Woman – Winona LaDuke * Moab Is My Washpot – Stephen Fry (autobiography) * Morisson of Peking – Cyril Pearl * Muhammad: A Biography of the Prophet – Karen Armstrong * Night Train – Martin Amis * The Partner – John Grisham * Pretend You Don't See Her – Mary Higgins Clark * The Ranch – Danielle Steel * The Red Tent – Anita Diamant * Special Delivery – Danielle Steel * The Subtle Knife – Philip Pullman * Timequake – Kurt Vonnegut * Toulouse-Lautrec: The Soul of Montmartre – Reinhold Heller * Tuesdays With Morrie – Mitch Albom * Unnatural Exposure – Patricia Cornwell * A Walk in the Woods – Bill Bryson * A Wiccan's Guide to Prophecy and Divination – Gerina Dunwich == Hit songs == * Candle in the Wind 1997 – Elton John * "MMMBop" – Hanson * "My Heart Will Go On" – Céline Dion * "Wannabe" – The Spice Girls * "A Long December" – Counting Crows * "All By Myself" – Céline Dion * "Bitch" – Meredith Brooks * "Don't Speak" – No Doubt * "Forty Six & 2" – Tool * "Longneck Bottle" – Garth Brooks * "Magdalene" – Lenny Kravitz * "Silver Springs" – Fleetwood Mac * "The Difference" – The Wallflowers * "Volcano" – Presidents of the United States of America * "You Were Meant For Me" – Jewel