What Happened in 1938

Major Events

1938 in Film & TV

  • Feb 11 World's first science fiction TV program - a broadcast of the play R.U.R. by Karel Čapek
  • Feb 16 "Bringing Up Baby" film directed by Howard Hawks, starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant, is released
  • Feb 17 1st public experimental demonstration of Baird color TV (London)
  • Aug 14 BBC's 1st feature film on TV (Student of Prague)

1938 in Music

1938 in Sport

  • Sep 28 Homer in the Gloamin' - famous walk-off home run hit by Gabby Hartnett of the Chicago Cubs against the Pittsburgh Pirates

Did You Know?

DuPont announces its new synthetic polyamide fiber will be called "nylon"

October 27, 1938


More People Born in 1938

Fun Fact About 1938

A radio broadcast of H. G. Wells "The War of the Worlds", narrated by Orson Welles, allegedly causes a mass panic

October 30, 1938


More 1938 Deaths

Famous Weddings in 1938

Famous Divorces in 1938

  • Jul 19 Actor Burgess Meredith (30) divorces actress Margaret Perry (25) after 2 years of marriage
  • Sep 30 Jazz musician Louis Armstrong (37) divorces pianist Lil Armstrong (40) after more than 14 years of marriage
  • Dec 6 Actress Bette Davis (30) divorces musician Harmon Nelson (31) after more than 6 years of marriage

More 1938 Weddings