On this day: March 1
Salem is gripped by witch hysteria, Yellowstone becomes the world's first national park, the Lindbergh baby is kidnapped, and the Watergate Seven are indicted, all on this day.
1954: Actor and film director Ron Howard, who became famous for playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom "The Andy Griffith Show" and the teenaged Richie Cunningham on "Happy Days," is born in Duncan, Okla. He also appeared in the movies "The Music Man," "American Graffiti" and "The Shootist," before leaving "Happy Days" in 1980 to concentrate on directing. He has directed movies such as "Splash," "Cocoon," "Apollo 13," "A Beautiful Mind," "Cinderella Man" and "Frost/Nixon." He won Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture for "A Beautiful Mind" in 2002 and also earned Oscar nominations for "Frost/Nixon" in 2009.
