'Texas Chain Saw Massacre' (1974) inspires side-splitting spinoffs
1890: Yosemite Sam discovers Yosemite National Park
Twisted History: October 1, 2025
On this day in 1974, cult horror classic “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” premiered in director Tobe Hooper’s hometown of Austin, inspiring such lesser-known spinoffs as “The Nebraska Nail Gun Bloodbath,” “The Milwaukee Cordless Multi-Tool Massacre” and, of course, “The Alabama Ball-Peen Hammer Bloodbath.”
On this day in 1890, Yosemite National Park was created by an act of Congress. Unfortunately, the new park was soon being terrorized by a rootin’ tootin’ Looney Tune gunslinger named Yosemite Sam.
On this day in 1908, Henry Ford rolled out his famed Model T, a motorcar he billed as being far safer than its ill-fated predecessor. Ford’s Model TB was discontinued after it was found to cause tuberculosis.
On this day in 1964, the Free Speech Movement was launched at the University of California, Berkeley, where protesters dared authorities to arrest them for publicly saying such taboo words as “balderdash,” “fiddlesticks” and “H-E-double hockey sticks!”
Today’s Birthdays:
Jimmy Carter (1924-2024): 39th U.S. president and Nobel Peace Prize winner; celebrated his 100th birthday by recoiling in horror at the fact that America was about to put a corrupt, demented, malevolent cult leader back in the White House.
Julie Andrews, 90: actress and singer; won the Oscar for Best Nanny in the macabre Alfred Hitchcock spellbinder “Scary Poppins,” nominated for her performance as The Governess in the classic 1965 hip-hop film “The Sound of Rap Music.”
Zach Galifianakis, 56: comedic actor; played a weird friend in the “Hangover” movies, a weird clown in “Baskets,” and an extremely weird talk show host in “Between Two Ferns,” conducting bizarre interviews with such celebs as David Letterman, Brie Larson and Barack Obama.
Brie Larson, 36: Oscar-winning actress who is badass enough to play “Captain Marvel.” Twisted History loved her in the Apple TV series “Lessons in Chemistry.”