ON THIS DAY IN RECENT HISTORY ~ May 18

ON THIS DAY IN RECENT HISTORY ~
MAY 18

What was happening on this day in modern history? Let's take a look at some of the big events, Birthdays, and anniversaries for May 18th....


1897 - Dracula, a novel by Irish author Bram Stoker is published.
1897 - Frank Capra, Ital, director (Its a Wonderful Life, Arsenic & Old Lace) is born.
1899 - World Goodwill Day-26 nations meet in 1st Hague Peace Conference.
1910 - Passage of Earth through tail of Halley's Comet causes near-panic.
1912 - Perry Como, [Pierino], Canonsburg Pa, singer/TV (Perry Como Show) is born.

1917 - US passes Selective Service act.
1920 - John Paul II, [Karol Wojtyla], Wadowice, Poland, 264th Roman Catholic Pope (1978-2005) is born.
1922 - Bill Macy, Revere Mass, actor (Walter-Maude, Oh! Calcutta) is born.
1927 - Grauman's Chinese Theater opens in Hollywood Calif.
1930 - Pernell Roberts, Jr., actor ("Bonanza," "Trapper John, M.D.") (d. 2010) is born.

1933 - Tennessee Valley Act (TVA) Act signed by FDR, to build dams.
1934 - Academy Award 1st called Oscar in print (Sidney Skolsky).
1934 - Congress approves "Lindbergh Act," makes kidnapping a capital offense.
1934 - TWA begins commercial service.
1942 - NYC ends night baseball games for rest of WW II.
1946 - Reggie Jackson, "Mr October" baseball rightfielder (Yankees, A's) is born.
1948 - Joe Bonsall, Phila, country singer (Oak Ridge Boys-Elvira) is born.
1952 - George Strait, Pearsall Tx, country singer (All My Exes Live in Texas) is born.

1953 - Jacqueline Cochran is 1st woman to break the sound barrier.
1956 - Mickey Mantle hits HR from both sides of plate for record 3rd time.
1960 - Eillen Fulton begins playing Lisa on As the World Turn (for > 30 yrs).
1963 - "If You Wanna Be Happy" by Jimmy Soul hits #1.

1964 - David Frost interviews Paul McCartney on BBC.
1964 - Supreme Court rules unconstitutional to deprive naturalized citizens of citizenship if they return to home country for more than 3 years.
1965 - Gene Roddenberry suggests 16 names including Kirk for Star Trek Captain.
1968 - Tiny Tim's "Tiptoe through the Tulips" is released.

1969 - Apollo 10 (Stafford/Cernan/Young) launched toward lunar orbit.
1972 - "Me & The Chimp," last airs on CBS-TV.
1972 - John Sebastian makes 63 consecutive free throws while blindfolded.
1974 - "Streak" by Ray Stevens hits #1.

 

 

1978 - The final episode of "Baretta" airs.
1980 - Mount St Helens blows its top in Washington State, 60 die.
1982 - Unification Church founder Rev Sun Myung Moon convicted of tax evasion.
1983 - Senate revises immigration laws, gives millions of illegal aliens legal status under an amnesty program.
1985 - "One Night In Bangkok" by Murray Head hits #3.
1990 - Return To Green Acres TV movie airs.

 

 

 

1990 - Jill Ireland, actress (Carry on Nurse, Family), dies of cancer at 54.
1992 - Supreme Court rules states could not force mentally unstable criminal defendants to take anti-psychotic drugs.
1995 - Elizabeth Montgomery, actress (Bewitched), dies of cancer at 62.

 

 

1997 - Tiger Woods wins Byron Nelson Golf Classic.
1998 - United States v. Microsoft: The United States Department of Justice and 20 U.S. states file an antitrust case against Microsoft.

1998 - The final episode of "Murphy Brown" airs on CBS.
2004 - "Hee Haw Collection" is released. It is the first time that full shows are released on VHS and DVD.