Jonestown massacre
Jim Jones, leader of the Peoples Temple religious community that he formed in the 1950s, and some 900 of his followers died this day in 1978 in Guyana in a massive act of murder-suicide known as the Jonestown massacre. 1978.
The first push-button (Touch-Tone) telephones debuted in the United States, eventually replacing most rotary-dial models. 1963.
John Christian Watson, the first Labor prime minister of Australia, died in Sydney. 1941.
Walt Disney released Steamboat Willie, the first animated film with sound to feature Mickey Mouse; the huge success of the cartoon helped make Mickey an iconic character and led to the Disney Company‘s dominance in the animated market. 1928.
Prince Charles (Carl) of Denmark was elected king of Norway as Haakon VII. 1905.
Brazilian sculptor and architect Aleijadinho, known for his beautiful Rococo statues and his churches, died in Mariana. 1814.
Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, which replaced an earlier basilica, was consecrated; it is the second largest religious building in Christendom. 1626.
Owen Wilson’s path to Hollywood comedy stardom began with what he once described as a “little idea” that he cooked up in his early 20s with Wes Anderson, his college friend and lifelong collaborator. That little idea grew into a small-budget independent movie called Bottle Rocket (1996), which launched their respective—often intersecting—careers.
