1958

During the filming in Spain of the Biblical epic Solomon and Sheba, one of the scenes was a strenuous, swashbuckling swordfight between 44 year-old actor Tyrone Power and co-star George Sanders . Power suffered a fatal heart attack and died on the way to the hospital.

Producer Michael Todd (the third husband of Elizabeth Taylor) and co-developer of the Todd A-O sound system, was killed in a plane crash near Albuquerque, New Mexico. Taylor went on to ‘steal’ married actor Eddie Fisher (Todd’s best friend) away from Debbie Reynolds.

A small-time gangster named Johnny Stompanato, Lana Turner’s lover, was fatally stabbed with a butcher knife by Turner’s 14 year-old daughter, Cheryl Crane during an incident of abuse in their home in Beverly Hills. During the inquest (filmed for TV), Turner nearly collapsed on the stand during dramatic testimony. The killing was declared a justifiable homicide of self-defense by the coroner’s jury.

21 year-old Jack Nicholson made his screen debut in producer Roger Corman’s low-budget juvenile delinquent drama The Cry Baby Killer.

Elvis Presley was inducted into the Army.  14-year-old Bobby Fischer won the United States Chess Championship.  Pizza Hut was founded.  President Eisenhower signed the Alaska Statehood Act into law.  U.S. Marines were ordered into Lebanon at the request of President Chamoun.  The first U.S. earth satellite went into orbit.

A Death in the Family by James Agee won the Pulitzer Prize for Literature.  Look Homeward, Angel by Ketti Frings won for Drama.  “Volare” by Domenico Modugno spent ten weeks atop the Billboard charts.  Charles de Gaulle was Time Magazine’s Man of the Year.

The European Economic Community (Common Market) became effective.  Egypt and Syria merged into United Arab Republic. Khrushchev became premier of Soviet Union.  Gen. Charles de Gaulle became French premier, remaining in power until 1969. Rebel troops under Che Guevara invaded Santa Clara, Cuba. Cuban President Fulgencio Batista resigned two days later.  Godtfred Kirk Christiansen filed a patent for the iconic plastic Lego brick.

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I have previously reviewed , , and  on this site.  The films I will select from are here.

Photo montage from the Oscar winners

Photo montage of nominees in the major categories