On this day ...
SEPTEMBER 18
1905: Greta Garbo, above, the Swedish shop girl who became one of the most legendary film stars of all time, was born.
1948: Some 7000 tons of food supplies and petrol were airlifted into Berlin by British and American aircraft, defying a three-month Russian blockade.
1951: The Al Read Show started on BBC radio, with Jimmy Edwards and Pat Kirkwood. Read originated the catchphrases “Right monkey” and “You’ll be lucky!”
1961: UN secretary-general Dag Hammarskjold was killed when his plane was sabotaged and crashed in the jungle in Northern Rhodesia.
1970: Rock star Jimi Hendrix died in an ambulance on the way to hospital, apparently suffering from a drug overdose.
1976: In China, 800 million citizens paid a last tribute to their leader Mao Tse-Tung at the beginning of a memorial service. For three minutes, one-fifth of the world’s population stood in silence.
1981: France abolished execution by guillotine.
ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR: A biker who took selfies and pulled wheelies on a motorway before speeding at up to 117mph was jailed for eight months and given a 28-month driving ban. BIRTHDAYS: Peter Shilton, above, former goalkeeper/ football manager, 69; John Aldridge, former football manager and TV pundit, 60; John Fashanu, TV presenter and former footballer, 56; Darren Gough, former cricketer, 48; Jada Pinkett Smith, actress, 47; James Marsden, actor, 45; Dizzee Rascal, singer/rapper, 34.