.
The early years: 1919
Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin & D.W. Griffith
In 1919, four of the leading figures in Hollywood - Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, D.W. Griffith, and Douglas Fairbanks - decided to form their own film studio to better control their own work. Though initially successful, United Artists foundered as films became more expensive to produce. It was taken over in the 1950s and began to thrive again until the 80s, when it was bought by the studio MGM.
What famous actor announced plans to resurrect United Artists in 2006 as part owner of the company? More...
1924 - The Greenwich Time Signal is broadcast for the first time
The “BBC pips” are 5 short and 1 long tones that are broadcast by many BBC radio stations to mark the precise start of the hour.
1909 - The world's first synthetic plastic is developed
Belgian chemist Leo Baekeland announced his invention of Bakelite at a meeting of the American Chemical Society that day.
1869 - The biggest gold nugget in history is found
The “Welcome Stranger” was found at Moliagul in Australia and had a calculated refined weight of 71.081 kg.
1852 - The Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg opens to the public
It is one of the world's largest and oldest museums and was originally founded in 1764.
Historic Trivia pick
The Internet was originally called ARPANet (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network)
The first workable prototype of the Internet came in the late 1960s with the creation of ARPANET, or the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network. Originally funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, ARPANET used packet switching to allow multiple computers to communicate on a single network.
Long before the technology existed to actually build the internet, many scientists had already anticipated the existence of worldwide networks of information. Nikola Tesla toyed with the idea of a “world wireless system” in the early 1900s, and visionary thinkers like Paul Otlet and Vannevar Bush conceived of mechanized, searchable storage systems of books and media in the 1930s and 1940s. Read more...
United Artists Film Studio is Founded
The early years: 1919
Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin & D.W. Griffith
In 1919, four of the leading figures in Hollywood - Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, D.W. Griffith, and Douglas Fairbanks - decided to form their own film studio to better control their own work. Though initially successful, United Artists foundered as films became more expensive to produce. It was taken over in the 1950s and began to thrive again until the 80s, when it was bought by the studio MGM.
What famous actor announced plans to resurrect United Artists in 2006 as part owner of the company? More...
1924 - The Greenwich Time Signal is broadcast for the first time
The “BBC pips” are 5 short and 1 long tones that are broadcast by many BBC radio stations to mark the precise start of the hour.
1909 - The world's first synthetic plastic is developed
Belgian chemist Leo Baekeland announced his invention of Bakelite at a meeting of the American Chemical Society that day.
1869 - The biggest gold nugget in history is found
The “Welcome Stranger” was found at Moliagul in Australia and had a calculated refined weight of 71.081 kg.
1852 - The Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg opens to the public
It is one of the world's largest and oldest museums and was originally founded in 1764.
Historic Trivia pick
The Internet was originally called ARPANet (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network)
The first workable prototype of the Internet came in the late 1960s with the creation of ARPANET, or the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network. Originally funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, ARPANET used packet switching to allow multiple computers to communicate on a single network.
Long before the technology existed to actually build the internet, many scientists had already anticipated the existence of worldwide networks of information. Nikola Tesla toyed with the idea of a “world wireless system” in the early 1900s, and visionary thinkers like Paul Otlet and Vannevar Bush conceived of mechanized, searchable storage systems of books and media in the 1930s and 1940s. Read more...