1968: Hot Wheels Roll into Town
Elliott Handler was the co-founder of Mattel, a company he started with his wife, Ruth. Her claim to fame was creating Barbie. Elliott wanted to create something just as iconic for boys, so he worked with a GM car designer and a real rocket scientist and created Hot Wheels. It was on this day in 1968 that Custom Camaro hit store shelves which was quickly followed by 15 other cars. Together, the grouping was named the “Original Sweet 16.” Each all-metal die-cast car came with its own collector button. (Image: Trinitro Tolueno/Wikimedia)
1953: The First Spit-Take on TV
The very first recorded spit-take occurred during the 1906 silent movie, Dream of a Rare-bit “performed” by Jack Brawn.
When it comes to TV, Danny Thomas is usually the one people credit for doing the first spit-take during The Danny Thomas Show. However, it was Desi Arnaz who did it first on I Love Lucy during the episode, “The Ricardos Change Apartments.” In the episode, Ricky Ricardo translates what Lucy is saying to his Cuban friends, but he accidentally repeats it English before laughing. (Image: Robert M. Reyes / Flickr)
1980: Mount St. Helens Blows Her Top
Located in Washington State, Mount St. Helens lost her cool erupting and killing 57 people and causing $3 billion in damages.
1927: Two Tickets Please
Grauman’s Chinese Theater opened in Hollywood. It was the first theater to offer air conditioning, but the concessions stand didn’t come until 1930.
1990: Pass the Dramamine
In France, a modified TGV high-speed electric passenger train achieved a new rail world speed record of 320.2 mph.
Movies Released
- 2001: Shrek
- 2007: Shrek the Third
- 2012: Battleship
- 2018: Book Club
- 2018: Cargo
- 2018: Deadpool 2
- 2018: Show Dogs
- 2012: What to Expect When You’re Expecting
TV Series Debuts
- 2020: Stargirl
Famous Birthdays
- 1897: Frank Capra (film director)
- 1902: Meredith Wilson (playwright)
- 1912: Perry Como (singer)
- 1917: Bill Everett (comic book artist)
- 1920: Pope John Paul II
- 1931: Don Martin (cartoonist)
- 1946: Reggie Jackson (baseball player)
- 1966: Michael Tait (singer)
- 1970: Tine Fey (actress)
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