This was the week that was

Jonathan Sale
Monday 17 May 1999 00:02 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Today In 1510 Sandro Botticelli died, 500 years too early to clean up on the royalties from his much-reproduced Birth of Venus. In 1937, long before someone sat on his trumpet and gave it that 45 degrees upwards tilt, Dizzy Gillespie (below) was featured for the first time on a recording - Teddy Hill's "King Porter Stomp".

Tomorrow In 1827 a molecatcher's daughter was slain by a love rat: this rapidly became the basis of the classic melodrama, Maria Marten or The Red Barn. Architect Walter Gropius was born in 1883: his Bauhaus movement in Berlin was condemned first by locals and much later by Tom Wolfe in From Bauhaus to Our House.

Wednesday In 1954 The Birthday Party had its first night: original audiences scarcely out-numbered the cast. Now it is a wonder of the theatre - as is author Harold Pinter.

Thursday The first commercial screening of a film took place in 1895, at a converted store on Broadway. It was a four-minute movie of a boxing match between "Young Griffo" and "Battling Charles Barnett" (sounds better than Rocky IV). In 1975 sculptor Barbara Hepworth died in a fire at her St Ives studio.

Friday Fats Waller was born in 1904; the podgy pianist grew "Honeysuckle Rose" from seed and created shoe-shop anthem "Your Feet's Too Big".

Today In 1817 Mary Shelley sent Frankenstein to publisher John Murray, who rejected it, little knowing it would inspire a movie of that name, as well as Gods and Monsters, the current film about its director, James Whale.

Sunday Just as in the film Bonnie and Clyde, the stylish young killers Parker and Baron were shot down by American police in 1934.

Jonathan Sale

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in