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TODAY IN HISTORY: Rising '80s Hollywood star gunned down in her prime
1 of 334Attribution: Getty
By Nick Pearson
July 17, 2023 - 11:56PM
July 18
Rebecca Schaeffer was one of Hollywood's most promising young stars.
A former teen model, she scored roles on popular sitcoms such as CBS' 1986 hit My Sister Sam .
Everything was looking up for Schaeffer, who had booked a number of upcoming gigs as her career continued to progress, but soon it would all go terribly wrong.
Rebecca Schaeffer is pictured here (left) as Patti Russell in My Sister Sam and Pam Dawber as Samantha "Sam" Russell.
Topics:
History
National
World
War
Photography
WWII
WWI
USA
2 of 334Attribution: Getty
As Schaeffer continued to make a name for herself in Hollywood, she was noticed by more and more people.
One of these was 19-year-old crazed fan Robert John Bardo, who took an immediate interest in Schaeffer.
He wrote her letters — one of which she responded too — and followed her career closely.
When he saw Schaeffer in the black comedy Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills in 1989, he became incensed with jealousy after watching the star in a sex scene.
3 of 334Attribution: Nine Archives
Taking inspiration from other stalkers who tracked down stars, Bardo eventually used a private detective to locate Schaeffer's address.
Once there, he knocked on the door, personally meeting Schaeffer, who was preparing for an audition for The Godfather Part III.
After the star persuaded him to leave, it was just an hour until he returned again.
When she opened the door the second time, he fatally shot her at close range.
She was just 21.
4 of 334Attribution: AP
July 17
On July 17, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down while flying over eastern Ukraine. All 298 people on board were killed, including 38 Australians.
The plane had been flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it passed over territory in eastern Donbas controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces.
5 of 334Attribution: A Current Affair
The Russian government denied involvement, but an investigation found in 2016 that the missile had been launched from a Russian system.
6 of 334Attribution: AP Photo/Peter Dejong, Pool
Last year, a Dutch court convicted in absentia two Russians and a Ukrainian separatist for the murders of all on board.
7 of 334Attribution: Supplied
On July 17, 1917, King George V of the United Kingdom issued a royal proclamation declaring the foundation of the House of Windsor.
The British royal family had been German-descended since the House of Hanover took the crown in 1714. With the accession of George V, Queen Victoria's son, the royal household became the House of Saxe-Coburg Gotha, counting its descent from the queen's German husband Prince Albert.
But anti-German sentiment was flying high during World War One, and George was ultimately persuaded to relinquish all ties to German titles and rename the family Windsor, after the royal home of Windsor Castle.
8 of 334Attribution: Nine
Disneyland opened to the public on July 17, 1955, near Anaheim, Florida. The first of the Disney company's theme parks, it was also the only one whose design and construction was supervised by Walt Disney (pictured left) himself.
As of 2021, the park had welcomed over 750 million visitors.
9 of 334Attribution: Photo12/Universal Images Group v
In the early hours of July 17, 1918 Russia's last tsar Nicholas II was executed in a basement by a Bolshevik firing squad along with his wife, four young daughters and son.
10 of 334Attribution: Universal Images Group via Getty
The executions followed Nicholas' abdication, and sent shockwaves throughout Europe.
11 of 334Attribution: US Government
July 16
The first successful atomic test was conducted in the desert of New Mexico on July 16, 1945.
The black and white photo taken 16 milliseconds after detonation showed an enormous fireball.
The sand around the explosion melted into a mildly radioactive green glass.
12 of 334Attribution: AP
J. Robert Oppenheimer, who was head of the program to develop the atom bomb, was deeply troubled by the explosion.
He later recalled how he thought of a passage from the Hindu scripture the Bhagavad Gita.
"Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds," he quoted.
13 of 334Attribution: US Government
The explosion was felt widely around New Mexico and was reported on in local papers.
But the Air Force issued a statement describing the blast as from an ammunition magazine which blew up.
14 of 334Attribution: US Government
Most of the people involved in the program, codenamed The Manhattan Project, had no idea what they were involved in doing.
For those in the laboratory, the device was described only as "the gadget".
15 of 334Attribution: Supplied
Within hours, the unassembled bomb that would be dropped over Hiroshima left San Francisco Harbour across the Pacific aboard the USS Indianapolis.
16 of 334Attribution: National Archives
Nineteen-year-old Gladys Owens (front) had been working as a "Calutron Girl" in Oak Ridge, Tennessee in the months leading up to the test.
For eight hours a day she watched numbers on a gauge, turning dials occasionally.
17 of 334Attribution: National Archives
"If the hand on those meters went too high, we had to get to work and get it back balanced. If it went too low, we had to sit on that stool and watch it," she said.
She had no idea what the meters and gauges were measuring.
It was not until after the first bomb was dropped on Hiroshima that she learnt she had been enriching uranium.
"Sometimes I'm proud of what I was involved in, and sometimes I cry about it. We changed the world."
18 of 334Attribution: Public Domain
The first attempting hijacking of a commercial aircraft takes place in the waters near Macau on July 16, 1948.
Four hijackers charged the cockpit of the Cathay Pacific plane, apparently for the intent of taking the crew and passengers for ransom.
But the plane crashed after the hijackers shot the pilot while he resisted their efforts to take control.
19 of 334Attribution: Public Domain
The lone survivor of the crash was one of the hijackers, Wong Yu.
Wong survived by jumping out of the plane moments before it hit the water.
Wong found himself at the centre of a jurisdiction battle. Macau police said the prosecution should take place in Hong Kong, where the plane was registered.
But the Hong Kong colonial government said the attack took place over Chinese territory.
As a result, he was released without trial and deported to China.
20 of 334Attribution: Talbot Shrewsbury Book
In a bid to stop the spread of the Black Death, King Henry VI announced a ban on kissing in England on July 16, 1439.
At the time, kissing as a greeting was as commonplace as handshakes are now.
21 of 334Attribution: Public Domain
Swedish bank Stockholms Banco issued the first banknotes in Europe on July 16, 1657.
At the time, Swedish coins were made out of silver or copper.
Because they had to be worth the same amount in metal, the copper coins were the size of plates and very annoying to carry around.
The banknotes proved way too popular, causing hyperinflation in Sweden. The parliament was forced to take over, and the bank was liquidated in 1667.
Sweden would not issue banknotes again until the 18th century.
-- no more galleries --
Like and subscribe for daily news
TODAY IN HISTORY: Rising '80s Hollywood star gunned down in her prime
1 of 334Attribution: Getty
By Nick Pearson
July 17, 2023 - 11:56PM
July 18
Rebecca Schaeffer was one of Hollywood's most promising young stars.
A former teen model, she scored roles on popular sitcoms such as CBS' 1986 hit My Sister Sam .
Everything was looking up for Schaeffer, who had booked a number of upcoming gigs as her career continued to progress, but soon it would all go terribly wrong.
Rebecca Schaeffer is pictured here (left) as Patti Russell in My Sister Sam and Pam Dawber as Samantha "Sam" Russell.
Topics:
History
National
World
War
Photography
WWII
WWI
USA
2 of 334Attribution: Getty
As Schaeffer continued to make a name for herself in Hollywood, she was noticed by more and more people.
One of these was 19-year-old crazed fan Robert John Bardo, who took an immediate interest in Schaeffer.
He wrote her letters — one of which she responded too — and followed her career closely.
When he saw Schaeffer in the black comedy Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills in 1989, he became incensed with jealousy after watching the star in a sex scene.
3 of 334Attribution: Nine Archives
Taking inspiration from other stalkers who tracked down stars, Bardo eventually used a private detective to locate Schaeffer's address.
Once there, he knocked on the door, personally meeting Schaeffer, who was preparing for an audition for The Godfather Part III.
After the star persuaded him to leave, it was just an hour until he returned again.
When she opened the door the second time, he fatally shot her at close range.
She was just 21.
4 of 334Attribution: AP
July 17
On July 17, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down while flying over eastern Ukraine. All 298 people on board were killed, including 38 Australians.
The plane had been flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it passed over territory in eastern Donbas controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces.
5 of 334Attribution: A Current Affair
The Russian government denied involvement, but an investigation found in 2016 that the missile had been launched from a Russian system.
6 of 334Attribution: AP Photo/Peter Dejong, Pool
Last year, a Dutch court convicted in absentia two Russians and a Ukrainian separatist for the murders of all on board.
7 of 334Attribution: Supplied
On July 17, 1917, King George V of the United Kingdom issued a royal proclamation declaring the foundation of the House of Windsor.
The British royal family had been German-descended since the House of Hanover took the crown in 1714. With the accession of George V, Queen Victoria's son, the royal household became the House of Saxe-Coburg Gotha, counting its descent from the queen's German husband Prince Albert.
But anti-German sentiment was flying high during World War One, and George was ultimately persuaded to relinquish all ties to German titles and rename the family Windsor, after the royal home of Windsor Castle.
8 of 334Attribution: Nine
Disneyland opened to the public on July 17, 1955, near Anaheim, Florida. The first of the Disney company's theme parks, it was also the only one whose design and construction was supervised by Walt Disney (pictured left) himself.
As of 2021, the park had welcomed over 750 million visitors.
9 of 334Attribution: Photo12/Universal Images Group v
In the early hours of July 17, 1918 Russia's last tsar Nicholas II was executed in a basement by a Bolshevik firing squad along with his wife, four young daughters and son.
10 of 334Attribution: Universal Images Group via Getty
The executions followed Nicholas' abdication, and sent shockwaves throughout Europe.
11 of 334Attribution: US Government
July 16
The first successful atomic test was conducted in the desert of New Mexico on July 16, 1945.
The black and white photo taken 16 milliseconds after detonation showed an enormous fireball.
The sand around the explosion melted into a mildly radioactive green glass.
12 of 334Attribution: AP
J. Robert Oppenheimer, who was head of the program to develop the atom bomb, was deeply troubled by the explosion.
He later recalled how he thought of a passage from the Hindu scripture the Bhagavad Gita.
"Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds," he quoted.
13 of 334Attribution: US Government
The explosion was felt widely around New Mexico and was reported on in local papers.
But the Air Force issued a statement describing the blast as from an ammunition magazine which blew up.
14 of 334Attribution: US Government
Most of the people involved in the program, codenamed The Manhattan Project, had no idea what they were involved in doing.
For those in the laboratory, the device was described only as "the gadget".
15 of 334Attribution: Supplied
Within hours, the unassembled bomb that would be dropped over Hiroshima left San Francisco Harbour across the Pacific aboard the USS Indianapolis.
16 of 334Attribution: National Archives
Nineteen-year-old Gladys Owens (front) had been working as a "Calutron Girl" in Oak Ridge, Tennessee in the months leading up to the test.
For eight hours a day she watched numbers on a gauge, turning dials occasionally.
17 of 334Attribution: National Archives
"If the hand on those meters went too high, we had to get to work and get it back balanced. If it went too low, we had to sit on that stool and watch it," she said.
She had no idea what the meters and gauges were measuring.
It was not until after the first bomb was dropped on Hiroshima that she learnt she had been enriching uranium.
"Sometimes I'm proud of what I was involved in, and sometimes I cry about it. We changed the world."
18 of 334Attribution: Public Domain
The first attempting hijacking of a commercial aircraft takes place in the waters near Macau on July 16, 1948.
Four hijackers charged the cockpit of the Cathay Pacific plane, apparently for the intent of taking the crew and passengers for ransom.
But the plane crashed after the hijackers shot the pilot while he resisted their efforts to take control.
19 of 334Attribution: Public Domain
The lone survivor of the crash was one of the hijackers, Wong Yu.
Wong survived by jumping out of the plane moments before it hit the water.
Wong found himself at the centre of a jurisdiction battle. Macau police said the prosecution should take place in Hong Kong, where the plane was registered.
But the Hong Kong colonial government said the attack took place over Chinese territory.
As a result, he was released without trial and deported to China.
20 of 334Attribution: Talbot Shrewsbury Book
In a bid to stop the spread of the Black Death, King Henry VI announced a ban on kissing in England on July 16, 1439.
At the time, kissing as a greeting was as commonplace as handshakes are now.
21 of 334Attribution: Public Domain
Swedish bank Stockholms Banco issued the first banknotes in Europe on July 16, 1657.
At the time, Swedish coins were made out of silver or copper.
Because they had to be worth the same amount in metal, the copper coins were the size of plates and very annoying to carry around.
The banknotes proved way too popular, causing hyperinflation in Sweden. The parliament was forced to take over, and the bank was liquidated in 1667.
Sweden would not issue banknotes again until the 18th century.
-- no more galleries --
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