What Happened On
Texas Chainsaw Massacre
August 18, 1973
According to the 1974 movie, which claimed to be based on actual events, the Texas Chainsaw Massacre occurred on August 18, 1973. And while the movie was in fact mostly fictional, the character of Leatherface and some story details were inspired by the crimes of murderer Ed Gein, who robbed graves and made trophies and keepsakes from human body parts.
The movie was initially banned in several countries due to violence. Produced for only $300,000, it went on to gross $30 million in the U.S. market. It also set the stage for future slasher movies with its use of use of power tools as murder weapons and the characterization of the killer as a large, hulking, faceless figure.
The movie Psycho was based on Robert Bloch's novel of the same name, which was also loosely based on Ed Gein. The character Norman Bates and Ed Gein each had deceased, domineering mothers, had sealed off a room in their home as a shrine to their mother, and dressed in women's clothes.
U.S. Army trucks roll across the University of Mississippi campus in the wake of the riots when Meredith entered
U.S. Army trucks roll across the University of Mississippi campus in the wake of the riots when Meredith entered
First Black to Graduate from the University of Mississippi
August 18, 1963
James Meredith graduates. 3,000 troops were used to put down riots when he entered the 115-year-old university in 1962.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton (left) and Susan B. Anthony and Women's suffrage postcard
Women's Right to Vote
August 18, 1920
19th Amendment to the U.S. constitution granting American women the right to vote is ratified after being approved by Tennessee, providing the necessary two-thirds majority of states needed for ratification.
Lost Colony of Roanoke
August 18, 1590
Sir John White returns to the colony of Roanoke to find all of the colonists missing. The only clue to their fate was the word "CROATOAN" carved on a post. Although their fate has never been determined, some believe the colonists joined with the local tribes, such as the Croatans. There are other reports that the colonists were slaughtered by Chief Powhatan because they had merged with a rival tribe. A month after the colonists arrived in Roanoke in 1587, Virginia Dare was born. She was the first English child born in the Americas. Dare disappeared with the other lost colonists. Sir John White was her grandfather.
First Recorded Climb of Mt. Whitney
August 18, 1873
The second highest peak in the U.S. is reached by John Lucas, Charles Begole, and A.H. Johnson.
Aaron Montgomery Ward
Aaron Montgomery Ward
First Mail-Order Catalog
August 18, 1872
Aaron Montgomery Ward issues his first catalog. It consisted of a single 8 × 12 in (20 × 30 cm) sheet listing 163 items for sale and included a money-back guarantee. By 1883, the catalog had grown to 240 pages and 10,000 items.
Birthdays
First Miss America
Margaret Gorman
Born August 18, 1905 d. 1995
American beauty contestant. She was the first Miss America (1921). At age 16, she won the "Inner-City Beauty" pageant, competing as Miss Washington, D.C. The contest was judged on 50% audience applause and 50% judges' decision after a day of mingling with the contestants. A newspaperman coined the term "Miss America" for the winner and the following year it became known as the Miss America Pageant, with Gorman declared as the first Miss America. She is the youngest ever winner. Her measurements were 30-25-32.
Madeleine Stowe
Born August 18, 1958
American actress, co-star of The Last of the Mohicans (1992).
Patrick Swayze
Born August 18, 1952 d. 2009
American actor, dancer. He first danced professionally for the Disney on Parade ice show in 1972, touring throughout the United States. Film: Red Dawn (1984), Dirty Dancing (1987), Road House (1989), and Ghost (1990).
Martin Mull (left) as Barth Gimble
Martin Mull (left) as Barth Gimble
Martin Mull
Born August 18, 1943 d. 2024
American actor. TV: Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976-77, Garth Gimble), Fernwood 2-Night (1977, host - Garth Gimble's brother Barth), and Two and a Half Men (2088-13, Russell, the drug-using pharmacist).
Robert Redford
Born August 18, 1936
American actor, Oscar-winning director. He is the founder of the Sundance Film Festival and was the first man to appear on the cover of Ladies' Home Journal magazine. Film: Barefoot in the Park (1967), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), The Sting (1973), All The President's Men (1976), and Ordinary People (1980, Best Director Oscar).
Roman Polanski
Born August 18, 1933
Polish director. Film: Repulsion (1965), The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967), and Rosemary's Baby (1968). In 1977, he fled the U.S. while awaiting trial for raping a 13-year-old girl. He was married to actress Sharon Tate when she and others were killed by Charles Manson's followers.
Rosalynn Carter
Born August 18, 1927 d. 2023
American First Lady.
Shelley Winters (Shirley Schrift)
Born August 18, 1920 d. 2006
American Oscar-Emmy-winning actress. Film: A Place In the Sun (1951), The Diary of Anne Frank (1959, Oscar as Mrs. Petronella Van Daan), A Patch of Blue (1965, Oscar), Bloody Mamma (1970, Ma Barker), and The Poseidon Adventure (1972). TV: Roseanne (1991-96, Roseanne's grandmother).
Caspar Weinberger
Born August 18, 1917 d. 2006
American politician. Casper Weinberger was secretary of health, education, and welfare (1973-75), secretary of defense under President Ronald Reagan. He was indicted in the Iran-Contra Affair but pardoned by U.S. President George H. W. Bush (1992).
The Customer Is Always Right
Marshall Field
Born August 18, 1834 d. 1906
American businessman. He founded the department store chain bearing his name. He died of pneumonia contracted while playing golf with Abraham Lincoln's son Robert Todd Lincoln. The quote "The customer is always right" is attributed to him.
Meriwether Lewis
Born August 18, 1774 d. 1809
American soldier, explorer, governor of Louisiana territory. He and William Clark explored the American West (1804-06) establishing a route to the Pacific.
Virginia Dare
Born August 18, 1587 d. circa 1590
first child born in North America to English parents. She disappeared with the Lost Colony of Roanoke.
Deaths
Photo Credit: Silly rabbit
Photo Credit: Silly rabbit
B.F. Skinner (Burrhus Frederic Skinner)
Died August 18, 1990 b. 1904
American psychologist, pioneer in behaviorism. He worked on WWII Project Pigeon, which attempted to develop pigeon-guided bombs. A glider with a bomb attached had a guidance system in the nose cone. The guidance system projected and image onto a screen. Several pigeons that were trained to recognize a particular target would peck at the screen when they saw the target. If the target moved to the edge of the screen, the pigeon's pecking would follow it on the screen and the guidance system would adjust the direction of the glider to re-center the target, thus keeping the glider on course.
André-Jacques Garnerin
Died August 18, 1823 b. 1769
French balloonist, inventor of the frameless parachute. He made the first frameless parachute jump (1797). His parachute was an umbrella-like design of white canvas with a diameter of approximately 23 feet (7 m). Garnerin rode in a basket attached to the bottom of the parachute. The parachute and basket were suspended below a hot air balloon via a rope running through the center pole of the umbrella. At a height of approximately 3,000 feet (1,000 m) he severed the rope connecting his parachute to the balloon. Even though the basket swung wildly during the descent, Garnerin emerged uninjured.
He was killed when he was hit by a wooden beam while making one of his balloons.
Photo Credit: jbach
Photo Credit: jbach
Phil Donahue
Died August 18, 2024 b. 1935
American Emmy-winning talk show host. TV: Donahue (1967-96).
Alain Delon (Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon)
Died August 18, 2024 b. 1935
French actor. Film: Le Samourai (1967) and Borsalino (1970). He was one of France's biggest screen stars of the 1960s and '70s.
Anita Loos
Died August 18, 1981 b. 1889
American author, playwright. Writings: Gentleman Prefer Blondes (1925) and But Gentleman Marry Brunettes (1928).
Ralph Byrd
Died August 18, 1952 b. 1909
American actor. Dick Tracy of the movies and TV series.
Walter Chrysler and the Chrysler Building
Walter Chrysler and the Chrysler Building
Walter Percy Chrysler
Died August 18, 1940 b. 1875
American auto executive. Founder of the Chrysler Corporation in 1925, which along with General Motors Corporation and the Ford Motor Company became part of what was colloquially called "the Big 3" American automobile companies.
The original Chrysler Six automobile included a carburetor air filter, high compression engine, full pressure lubrication, and an oil filter, features absent from most autos at the time. The advanced engineering and testing that went into Chrysler cars helped drive the company into second place in U.S. sales by 1936.
Paul IV (Gian Pietro Carafa)
Died August 18, 1559 b. 1476
Italian religious leader, 223rd Pope (1555-59).
Alexander VI (Rodrigo de Borja)
Died August 18, 1503 b. 1431
Spanish-born religious leader, 214th Pope (1492-1503).
Adrian V (Ottobuono de' Fieschi)
Died August 18, 1276 b. circa 1215
Italian religious leader, 186th Pope (July - Aug. 1276). He died without having been ordained to the priesthood. His name is on the oldest extant piece of English statute law, the Statute of Marlborough of 1267, where the formal title mentions as a witness "the Lord Ottobon, at that time legate in England." In 1268 he issued a set of canons, which formed the basis of church law in England until the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century.