The News from 12 August, 1939—Saturday
The world premiere of the film “The Wizard of Oz” is held in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin; this unlikely location is chosen as a test-site for the film, before the movie goes into world-wide release; music composer Herbert Stothart was a native of Milwaukee; Meinhardt Raabe, who plays the coroner Munchkin was born in Watertown, Wisconsin
Southern Pacific Railroad’s streamliner “The City of San Francisco,” derails near Harney, Nevada, and falls into the Humboldt River; 24 people are killed and 121 injured; a coroner’s jury and a railroad hearing board determine that the wreck was caused by sabotage; no one is ever charged with the crime
At Wrigley Field in Chicago, the Cubs defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 6 to 4
After meeting with New York City Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia, US President Franklin Roosevelt leaves on board USS Tuscaloosa for a Canadian cruise
John F. Kennedy (with Torbert Macdonald) leaves London for a trip to Germany
George Hamilton (actor) is born in Memphis, Tennessee; his screen credits will later include: “Lone Star (1952),” “All the Fine Young Cannibals (1960),” “Where the Boys Are (1960),” “The Victors (1963),” “The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing (1973),” the TV miniseries “Roots (1977),” “The Godfather Part III (1990),” and many less memorable endeavors
Oliver Ford Davies (actor) is born in Ealing, Middlesex, UK; he would later appear as Sio Bibble in “Star Wars: Episodes I, II and III,” and as Dr. James Sheppard in “Poirot: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd”
Britain, France and the Soviet Union begin negotiations for an alliance as a deterrent to Nazi Germany’s expansionism; the talks will be suspended on 17 August because of Polish objections; and permanently ended by the Soviets on 25 August, 1939
There are 19 days of peace remaining.