Unusual meetings through history

Meetings are a workplace function where you will often meet with an array of people: colleagues, clients, partners, suppliers and acquaintances. Some meetings will go well, and some, well maybe not so much. You will be inspired, informed, receive instruction or updates, and sometimes you may even be a little bored.

Throughout history there have been many notable meetings in many different forms: from cultural and religious leaders, pop icons, actors, artists, athletes, inventors, scientists and authors. The common denominator is that these people met, discussed and created ideas, whether by chance or by prearranged details.

Some of these meetings with unexpected participants subsequently resulted in unlikely friendships, the formation of business partnerships, intense discussion of world issues, and some may have even changed the course of history. Given the chance, whose meeting would you like to have been part of?

A historic handshake in outta space

Thomas Stafford & Alexei Leonov

In 1975, two men shook hands. A normal everyday occurrence of course, but what was special about this particular meeting was that it took place in outer space, between Russian cosmonaut Alexey Leonov and American Astronaut Brigadier General Thomas Stafford. This meeting was estimated to be watched by a billion people</strong>; a joint space mission dubbed the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, was an effort to bring together two nations after the great space race of the 1960s.

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“The King” in the Whitehouse

Richard Nixon & Elvis Presley

On December 21 1970, Elvis Presley requested a meeting with President Richard Nixon by writing a six-page letter, where he also asked to become a ‘Federal Agent-at-Large’. During the meeting, Nixon granted his wish and even presented ‘The King’ with an honorary badge.

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United by Chickens

Colonel Sanders and Alice Cooper

Sometime in 1970, an event created the opportunity for a bizarre chance meeting between fried chicken connoisseur Colonel Sanders and shock rocker Alice Cooper. The irony of their respective history with chickens was not lost on either of them, and thus resulted in this image. It was a short and sweet meeting, and perhaps if not for the photograph, we might never have known.

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The silent screen Star and the Scientist

Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin

Two icons in their respected fields, Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin were reportedly great friends. During a meeting at the premiere of City Lights in 1931, it is reported Einstein said “What I admire most in your art is the universality. You don’t say a word, but the whole world understands you“, to which Chaplin reportedly replied “True, but your glory is even bigger: The whole world admires you when nobody understands you“.

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An unlikely business partnership

Nancy Reagan and Mr. T

An unlikely meeting and friendship developed on the 12th December 1983, when First lady Nancy Reagan met with A-Team star Mr. T, who was dressed as Santa Claus for the Christmas decor preview party at the White House. Nancy and Mr. T later worked together on a national anti-drug campaign, following Nancy’s death, Mr. T wrote “working with the First Lady was the highlight of my career.”

Samuel James I Inside Sales I Condeco