Today’s Past in the Movies … May 20

May 20 … What occurred in movie-land today in years past?

Events on this day:

1891 – Thomas Edison’s kinetoscope makes it first public display.
1895 – First commercial motion picture screening, shown at 153 Broadway, New York City.
1926 – Thomas Edison states his opinion that Americans prefer silent movies over “talkies”.
1994 – In New York City, Sony Theaters & Cineplex raise price of movie tickets to $8.00
1998 – Willow records $8,300,169 box office on opening weekend.
2001 – Shrek records $42,347,760 box office on opening weekend.
2007 – Shrek the Third records $121,629,270 box office on opening weekend.

Born on this day:

1908 – Jimmy Stewart (Actor: Its a Wonderful Life, Harvey, Rear Window)
1936 – Anthony Zerbe (Actor: Cool Hand Luke, The Omega Man, Papillon)
1955 – Zbigniew Preisner (Film Composer: Europa Europa, Three Colors trilogy)
1959 – Bronson Pinchot (Actor: Risky Business, Beverly Hills Cop, True Romance)
1968 – Timothy Olyphant (Actor: Dreamcatcher, Live Free or Die Hard, Hitman)

Died on this day:

1989 – Gilda Radner (Comedienne/Actress: The Woman in Red, Haunted Honeymoon)