On This Day for October 18 - Alaska Purchase approved, Pierre Elliott Trudeau is featured, and more

This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, click here to view. October 18 FEATURED BIOGRAPHY Pierre Elliott Trudeau READ MORE   FEATURED EVENT 1867 Alaska Purchase approved READ MORE   Advertisement Advertisement   MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY 2007: After eight years of self-imposed exile, Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan, and hours later she was nearly killed when her motorcade was bombed in Karāchi; she was assassinated in December. 1988: The American sitcom Roseanne, starring Roseanne Barr, premiered on ABC and became hugely popular, noted for deriving humour from the everyday struggles of middle-class families and for tackling controversial issues. [See if Roseanne made our list of 10 of the best American sitcoms.] 1961: The acclaimed musical film West Side Story, an adaptation of a Broadway play, was released in American theatres; it won 10 Academy Awards, including that for best picture. [ Sort fact from fiction in our film quiz.] 1956: Tennis player Martina Navratilova—who dominated the sport in the late 20th century, winning 18 Grand Slam singles titles—was born in Prague. [How much do you know about tennis?] 1939: Lee Harvey Oswald, the accused assassin of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, was born in New Orleans. [Read about nine infamous assassins and the world leaders they dispatched.] 1931: American gangster Al Capone was convicted of federal income-tax evasion and was subsequently sentenced to 11 years in prison. [Take our quiz about mobster nicknames .] SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY 1919 Pierre Elliott Trudeau prime minister of Canada 1939 Lee Harvey Oswald American accused assassin 1926 Chuck Berry American musician 1927 George C. Scott American actor 1984 Lindsey Vonn American skier 1939 Mike Ditka American football player and coach SEE ALL BIOS ON THIS DAY   Advertisement   FOLLOW: To unsubscribe from Britannica e-mails, click here. Encyclopædia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Chicago, Illinois 60654 United States © 2020 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Privacy Policy • Help