Hollywood took over in 1931 with an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s novel directed by Great Britain’s James Whale. Boris Karloff was the monster, a role that led to a monster career for Karloff. From then on, Frankenstein lived in sequel after sequel and adaptation after adaptation. Karloff reprised his role in two such films -- The Bride of Frankenstein in 1935 and Son of Frankenstein in 1939. 

The opening scene in The Bride of Frankenstein features the author, Mary Shelley. Ms. Shelley is played by Elsa Lanchester. Lon Chaney picked up the monster role following in the difficult, huge footsteps of Karloff. 

Mary Shelley and Dr. Frankenstein really were on to something. The movie and TV industries continue to create Frankenstein spin-offs, thrilling ... or should we say, scaring the pants off new generations. 

On this day in 1907 actress Shirley Booth ( Thelma Booth Ford) was born in New York City. Booth, best known from 1950s television as the zany maid Hazel, was also a remarkable actress on stage on screen. She won a Tony, an Oscar, the Cannes Festival award and numerous critics' commendations for her role as the slovenly Lola Delany in 'Come Back, Little Sheba'. Booth went on to act in more films including 'The Matchmaker' which was a precursor to the musical 'Hello Dolly!' 
 1907: John William Mauchly, amerik. Physiker und Ingenieur, Mitentwickler des ersten Digitalrechners, geboren
1907 Fred MacMurray Kankakee Ill, actor (Caine Mutiny, My 3 Sons) , geboren

 1916: Das Osmanische Reich erklärt Rumänien den Krieg.

 1916: Rumänien bricht die diplomatischen Beziehungen zu Bulgarien ab.
1916 Boston's Dutch Leonard no-hits St Louis Browns, 4-0
1916 Paul Von Hindenburg becomes chief-of-General-Staff in Germany
 

gestorben (in München): Der deutsche Physiker und Nobelpreisträger für Physik von 1911, Wilhelm Wien (*13.1.1864, in Gaffken im Samland). 
Franco Fraticelli (I), Filmschaffende/R, geboren (72), Filmschaffende/R, geboren
1928 Bill Daily Des Moines Iowa, actor (I Dream of Jeannie, Newhart) , geboren
1928 Johnny Mann Balt Md, music director (Johnny Mann Stand Up & Cheer) , geboren

 1947 - Peggy Lipton
actress: Twin Peaks, The Mod Squad, geboren

 1947 - Jon (Paul) Kolb
football: Pittsburgh Steelers tackle: Super Bowl: IX, X, XIII, XIV, geboren
1947 Peggy Lipton Lawrence NY, actress (Julie-Mod Squad, Twin Peaks) , geboren

1968 - The stars came out for charity as John and Yoko Lennon hosted the One on One concert in New York’s Madison Square Garden. Among the music greats appearing were Stevie Wonder and Roberta Flack. Over $250,000 was raised to aid mentally retarded children. 
1968 1st record under Apple label (Beatle's Hey Jude)

1974 - The largest fountain in America, the visual symbol of the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was dedicated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania this day. The fountain takes up one-fifth of 36-acre Point State Park at the convergence of the Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio Rivers. 90 percent of the fountain is unseen. That’s the part that pumps water from an underground river (a fourth, unnamed river that runs under the city and flows south, unlike the other three rivers), stores it and feeds it into the fountain. Designed by Charles Stotz and Louis Fosner and built by Robert R. Busse, the fountain is controlled by computers and operates automatically. Wind velocity specifies the height of the water column (2 feet in diameter by up to 200 ft. high. 24 white and gold quartz-iodine lights present a dramatic display of shifting colors by night. That’s how you can see the fountain in all its glory whenever the Pittsburgh Steelers play on Monday Night Football. The most interesting structural fact and a very complicated procedure -- this fountain was built to withstand water pressure from beneath, so the pressure would not push it up and cause it to float. 
 1974: Die Niederlande starten ihren ersten Satelliten "ANS". Der Forschungssatellit soll astronomische Untersuchungen anstellen.
 1974: Franz Beckenbauer wird zum dritten Mal Deutschlands Fußballer des Jahres.
1974 Express train runs full speed into Zagreb, Yugo rail yard killing 153

1984 - Beatles fans paid $271,180 dollars for memorabilia at an auction in London, England. An unpublished manuscript by John Lennon brought the largest amount -- $23,056. A snare drum belonging to Ringo Starr brought $1,440. 

1984 - President Ronald Reagan, along with Red Barber, Bill Stern, Graham McNamee, Don Dunphy and Ted Husing were inducted into the Sportscasters Hall of Fame, in ceremonies at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. 
 1984: Die Raumfähre "Discovery" startet zu ihrem Jungfernflug. "STS 41-D" ist die insgesamt 12. Shuttle-Mission.
1984 12th Space Shuttle Mission (41-D)-Discovery 1-launched (6 days)

Madeleine Borel (101), Schweizerin mit Freude am Risiko, schwört auf das Gleitschirmfliegen als Verjüngungskur. «Das Fliegen macht mich glücklicher und jünger», sagt die furchtlose Dame aus dem Kanton Neuenburg nach einem Flug an ihrem 101. Geburtstag

2000 - Bei einem Unfall der Pariser U-Bahn werden 24 Personen verletzt. Der Unfall, bei dem ein Teil der U-Bahn umkippt, ereignet sich in der Metrostation Notre-Dame de Lorette

30 2002 Karlsruhe: Bundesverfassungsgericht entscheidet gegen die Teilnahme von Guido Westerwelle beim Fernsehduell Schröder / Stoiber am 8. September