ON THIS DAY in 1970, U.S. Army Lieutenant William Calley went on trial for the 1968 My Lai massacre of Vietnamese civilians. The incident was documented in the 1989 British TV production, FOUR HOURS IN MY LAI.
Reel History
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ON THIS DAY in 42 BC, the Roman emperor Tiberius was born. Tiberius was portrayed by James Mason in the 1985 TV miniseries, A.D.
ON THIS DAY in 1959, four members of the Clutter family were murdered at their farm near Holcomb, Kansas. The incident was chronicled in the 1967 Richard Brooks film, IN COLD BLOOD, starring Robert Blake and Scott Wilson.
ON THIS DAY in 1908, Wisconsin Senator Joseph “Joe” McCarthy was born. McCarthy was portrayed by Joe Don Baker in the 1992 HBO movie, CITIZEN COHN, also starring James Woods.
ON THIS DAY in 1850, Scottish novelist Robert Louis Stevenson was born. Stevenson’s first major literary success, TREASURE ISLAND, was adapted for the screen in 1934 and starred Jackie Cooper and Wallace Beery.
ON THIS DAY in 1912, Naval officer and polar explorer Robert Scott and his men were found frozen to death on the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica. The story of the expedition was dramatized in the 1948 film, SCOTT OF THE ANTARCTIC, starring John Mills.
ON THIS DAY in 1926, U.S. Route 66 was established, running from Chicago to Los Angeles. The highway was featured in the 1940 John Ford film, THE GRAPES OF WRATH, with Henry Fonda.
ON THIS DAY in 1971, Khmer Rouge forces attacked the city of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, killing 44. Subsequent events in the aftermath of this attack were depicted in the 1984 film, THE KILLING FIELDS, with Sam Waterston.
ON THIS DAY in 1888, serial murderer Jack the Ripper killed his final victim, Mary Jane Kelly. In 2001, this event was depicted in the film, FROM HELL, with Johnny Depp, Heather Graham and Ian Holm.
ON THIS DAY in 1900, author and journalist Margaret Mitchell was born in Atlanta. The 1939 screen adaptation of Mitchell’s novel, GONE WITH THE WIND, starred Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh.
ON THIS DAY in 2000, the controversial U.S. Presidential election took place that later resulted in the Bush v. Gore Supreme Court decision. These events were depicted in the 2008 HBO film, RECOUNT, starring Kevin Spacey, John Hurt and Laura Dern.
ON THIS DAY in 1854, composer and conductor John Philip Sousa was born. In 1952, Sousa was portrayed by Clifton Webb in STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER.
ON THIS DAY in 1862, President Lincoln removed Major General George B. McClellan for the second time as commander of the Union Army. This incident is depicted in the 2012 Steven Spielberg film, LINCOLN, starring Daniel Day-Lewis.
ON THIS DAY in 1960, Dr. Jane Goodall discovered chimpanzees creating tools, the first-ever such observation made about non-human animals. Her discovery was featured in the 2006 HBO film, CHIMPS, SO LIKE US.
ON THIS DAY in 1969, on national television, President Nixon asked the so-called “silent majority” to support his stance on the Vietnam War and other policies. This event was depicted in the 1995 Oliver Stone film, NIXON, starring Anthony Hopkins.
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