Here’s a brief look back in time for this day, April 21.
In 1895, the Eidoloscope is introduced to the public, creating one of the first mass media inventions. This device allowed an entire room full of viewers to watch motion pictures as opposed to the kinetoscope, which could only allow one person at a time. It also allowed longer films to be played without the need for replacing or pulling film. The first film to be commercially produced with this invention was a boxing match. Concepts for a movie theater are introduced the following year in New Orleans, where a makeshift one was converted from a vacant store.
In 1918, notorious German war pilot Manfred von Richthofen is killed in action over France. Initially a cavalryman, he later transferred to the Imperial Air Service as a pilot: an experimental and dangerous profession during the airplane’s infancy. However, Richthofen was a natural fighter pilot. By this point, he had over 80 combat victories under his belt. His ride, a red triplane, was the most feared vessel to ever soar the skies. His luck ran out during his pursuit of a Canadian Royal Air Force novice when he got shot in the chest, crash landing near the French village of Vaux-sur-Somme. Richthofen was found slumped over the plane’s machine guns, having been killed before the crash. While the human behind this story was mortal, the legendary title attached to him still echoes to this day: the Red Baron.
In 2016, famed musical artist Prince dies at the age of 57 in Minnesota. His cause of death was listed as an accidental fentanyl overdose. His blend of funk, rock, and pop transcended him into international stardom, particularly after the release of his 1984 album Purple Rain. Prince is also recognized as one of the best guitar players of the modern era. His overdose is believed to have been sourced from his chronic hip pain, in which he was prescribed opioids to help him cope. Fentanyl, a highly addictive synthetic painkiller, has so far contributed to the deaths of high-profile musicians such as Tom Petty, Mac Miller, and Coolio.