On Jan. 22, 1901, Britain’s Queen Victoria died at age 81 after a reign of more than 63 years. She was succeeded by her eldest son, Edward VII.

In 1944, during World War II, Allied forces began landing at Anzio, Italy.

In 1947, America’s first commercially licensed television station west of the Mississippi, KTLA-TV in Los Angeles, made its official debut.

In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court, in its Roe v. Wade decision, declared a nationwide constitutional right to abortion.

In 1973, former President Lyndon B. Johnson died at his Texas ranch at age 64.

In 2006, Kobe Bryant scored 81 points, the second- highest single-game point total in NBA history.

In 2008, actor Heath Ledger was found dead of an accidental prescription overdose in a New York City apartment. He was 28.