On This Day for October 4 - Sputnik 1 launched by U.S.S.R., Charlton Heston is featured, and more

This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, click here to view. October 04 FEATURED BIOGRAPHY Charlton Heston READ MORE   FEATURED EVENT 1957 Sputnik 1 launched by U.S.S.R. READ MORE   Advertisement Advertisement   MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY 2014: Haitian politician Jean-Claude Duvalier ("Baby Doc"), who was president of Haiti from 1971 to 1986, died in Port-au-Prince while he was on trial for alleged human rights abuses. [Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about the Caribbean.] 1989: The American racehorse Secretariat, who in 1973 won the U.S. Triple Crown (the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes), was euthanized after contracting laminitis. [Test your knowledge of famous horses.] 1970: American singer Janis Joplin , who was known for her fierce and uninhibited musical style, died of an accidental overdose of heroin. [Is 27 an especially deadly age for musicians?] 1895: American film comedian and director Buster Keaton, who was known for his deadpan expression and his imaginative and often elaborate visual comedy, was born. [ Sort fact from fiction in our quiz about movies.] 1853: The Crimean War began as Ottoman Turks (later joined by England and France) declared war on Russia; the fighting lasted more than two years and ended with Russia's defeat. [ Take our quiz about the Ottoman Empire.] 1822: Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th president of the United States (1877–81), who brought post-Civil War Reconstruction to an end in the South, was born. [ How much do you know about Reconstruction?] SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY 1956 Christoph Waltz Austrian actor 1946 Susan Sarandon American actress 1923 Charlton Heston American actor 1895 Buster Keaton American actor 1822 Rutherford B. Hayes president of United States 1941 Anne Rice American author 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