Shortly after midnight on August 13, 1961, East German soldiers
began laying down barbed wire and bricks as a barrier between
Soviet-controlled East Berlin and the democratic western section
of the city.

Danielle Spencer, a fan favorite for her role as Dee Thomas
on the classic sitcom What’s Happening!!, has passed away.

Spencer died on Monday at a hospital in Richmond, Virginia,
as confirmed by her What’s Happening!! co-star, Haywood
Nelson, to The Hollywood Reporter.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a double
mastectomy in 2014. In 2018, she had emergency surgery
to address brain bleeding.

Released August 5, 1976 – April 28, 1979 on ABC.

National Vinyl Record Day is an annual event to celebrate the history and enjoyment of listening to music on vinyl records.

1950’s

 
CARLATA BRADLEY

A Russian nuclear submarine sank to the bottom of the Barents
Sea on August 12, 2000; all 118 crew members are later found
dead. The exact cause of the disaster remains unknown.

Kursk left port on August 10 to take part in war games with the
Russian military. Russian ships, planes and submarines met
up in the Barents Sea, which is above the Arctic Circle, to
practice military maneuvers.

On August 11, 1973, the nostalgic teenage coming-of-age
movie American Graffiti, directed and co-written by George
Lucas, opened in theaters across the U.S.

Set in California in the summer of 1962, American Graffiti
was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best
Director and Best Picture, and helped well as the former
child actor and future Oscar-winning filmmaker Ron
Howard.

The film’s success enabled Lucas to get his next movie
made, the mega-hit Star Wars (1977).

George Lucas during the filming of the movie.  

Richard Dreyfuss (77)

Harrison Ford (83)

Ron Howard (71)