Douglas Fairbanks was born on this day in 1883 He was an American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. He was best known for his swashbuckling roles in silent films such as The Thief of Bagdad, Robin Hood, and The Mark of Zorro but spent the early part of his career making comedies.An astute businessman, Fairbanks was a founding member of United Artists. Fairbanks was also a founding member of The Motion Picture Academy and hosted the first Oscars Ceremony in 1929. With his marriage to Mary Pickford in 1920, the couple became Hollywood royalty and Fairbanks was referred to as "The King of Hollywood", a nickname later passed on to actor Clark Gable. His career rapidly declined however with the advent of the "talkies". His final film was The Private Life of Don Juan (1934). He was a member of Beverly Hills Lodge #528 in Beverly Hills, California.

On this day in 1785, Mason Benjamin Franklin wrote in a letter that he had invented bifocals.