MOMENTS IN TIME

• On Feb. 10, 1920, "Kathleen Mavourneen," starring Theda Bara, provokes a riot when it opens in San Francisco. Rioters sacked the Sun Theater in protest of the film's portrayal of the Irish poor.

• On Feb. 4, 1941, the United Service Organization is founded to offer support for U.S. service members and their families. The USO sent many actors, musicians and other performers to entertain the troops. Comedian Bob Hope made annual trips to entertain overseas troops from World War II through Desert Storm in 1991.

• On Feb. 6, 1952, King George VI of Great Britain and Northern Ireland dies at the royal estate at Sandringham. Princess Elizabeth, the oldest of the king's two daughters, was crowned Queen Elizabeth II on June 2, 1953, at age 27.

• On Feb. 7, 1964, the Beatles arrive in New York from London on their first visit to the United States. Two days later, an estimated 40 percent of the U.S. population tuned in to watch the band's appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show."

• On Feb 9, 1973, Max Yasgur, owner of the 600-acre farm where the Woodstock music festival took place in August 1969, dies in Florida at age 53. More than 400,000 people attended the three-day festival in upstate New York. Concert organizers had expected only 50,000 to show up.

• On Feb 8, 1983, gunmen steal the champion Irish race horse Shergar from a stud farm owned by the Aga Khan in County Kildare, Ireland. The 5-year-old thoroughbred stallion was worth $13.5 million. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of more than $2 million. Despite a highly publicized search by authorities, Shergar was never seen again and no ransom was paid.

• On Feb. 5, 1994, Byron de la Beckwith is convicted of the assassination of civil-rights leader Medger Evers 31 years earlier in Jackson, Miss. Beckwith, widely recognized as the killer, was prosecuted for murder in 1964. However, two allwhite juries deadlocked and refused to convict.