On This Day

"King Kong" film directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, starring Fay Wray premieres at Radio City Music

"King Kong" film directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, starring Fay Wray premieres at Radio City Music Hall and RKO Roxy in NYC

King Kong is a 1933 American pre-Code adventure horror monster film directed and produced by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, with special effects by Willis H. O'Brien and music by Max Steiner. Produced and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, King Kong is the first film in the self-titled franchise, combining live action sequences with stop-motion animation using rear-screen projection. The idea for the film came when Cooper decided to create a motion picture about a giant gorilla struggling against modern civilization. The film stars Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, and Bruce Cabot.

Historical Significance

King Kong is a 1933 American pre-Code adventure horror monster film directed and produced by Merian C.

Key People

Edgar Wallace

writer

British writer

Merian C. Cooper

Actor

Fay Wray

actress

American actress

Events Before

  1. Jacob Coxey Sr. is chosen as the Mayor of Massillon, Ohio

    Jacob Sechler Coxey Sr. (April 16, 1854 – May 18, 1951), sometimes known as General Coxey, was an American politician and perennial candidate.

  2. Italian-American film director Frank Capra (34) weds second wife, American secretary Lucille Warner (29) in Brooklyn, NY

    Italian-American film director Frank Capra (34) weds second wife, American secretary Lucille Warner (29) in Brooklyn, NYC, until her death in 1984

  3. As a member of the gold medal-winning US four-man bobsleigh team at Lake Placid, Eddie Eagan becomes the only Olympian t

    As a member of the gold medal-winning US four-man bobsleigh team at Lake Placid, Eddie Eagan becomes the only Olympian to win gold medals at both the Summer (boxing gold in Antwerp 1920) and Winter Games in different sports

  4. Sydney Harbour Bridge opens in Sydney, Australia

    The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge in Sydney, Australia, spanning Sydney Harbour from the central business district (CBD) to the North Shore.

  5. "Grand Hotel" directed by Edmund Goulding and starring Greta Garbo and John Barrymore premieres in New York, includes th

    "Grand Hotel" directed by Edmund Goulding and starring Greta Garbo and John Barrymore premieres in New York, includes the line "I want to be alone" (Best Picture/Production 1932)

Events After

  1. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (US bank guarantor) comes into effect

    Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (US bank guarantor) comes into effect

  2. American comedian and actor Lou Costello (27) weds American burlesque dancer Anne Battler (21)

    Louis Francis Cristillo (March 6, 1906 – March 3, 1959), better known as Lou Costello, was an American comedian, actor and producer.

  3. FDR devalues the US dollar relative to gold to $35 per ounce

    FDR devalues the US dollar relative to gold to $35 per ounce

  4. British-American entertainer Bob Hope (30) weds American singer Dolores DeFina (24) in Erie, Pennsylvania, until his dea

    British-American entertainer Bob Hope (30) weds American singer Dolores DeFina (24) in Erie, Pennsylvania, until his death in 2003

  5. "It Happened One Night" directed by Frank Capra and starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert opens at NY's Radio City

    "It Happened One Night" directed by Frank Capra and starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert opens at NY's Radio City Music Hall (Academy Awards Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress and Screenplay 1935)

More from the 1930s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on March 2, 1933?
King Kong is a 1933 American pre-Code adventure horror monster film directed and produced by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, with special effects by Willis H.
Why is "King Kong" film directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, starr... significant?
King Kong is a 1933 American pre-Code adventure horror monster film directed and produced by Merian C.
Who was involved in "King Kong" film directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, starr...?
Key figures include Edgar Wallace (writer), Merian C. Cooper (Actor), Fay Wray (actress).

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