It happened in...1908

#### 24th

Start of publication of Robert Baden-Powell's Scouting for Boys in London. The book will over time sell over 100 million copies and effectively begin the worldwide Boy Scout movement.

### February

#### 1st

##### Film producer George Pal born

***George Pal*** (February 1, 1908 – May 2, 1980) was a Hungarian-American animator, film director and producer, principally associated with the fantasy and science-fiction genres. He became an American citizen after emigrating from Europe.

***Career Highlights***

* The Great Rupert (1950) (producer)
* Destination Moon (1950) (producer)
* When Worlds Collide (1951) (producer)
* The War of the Worlds (1953) (producer)
* Houdini (1953) (producer)
* The Naked Jungle (1954) (producer)
* Conquest of Space (1955) (producer)
* Tom Thumb (1958) (producer and director)
* The Time Machine (1960) (producer, director and "Morlock" designer)
* Atlantis, the Lost Continent (1961) (producer and director)
* The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962) (producer and director)
* 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964) (producer and director)
* The Power (with Michael Rennie) (1968) (producer)
* Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze (1975) (producer)

#### 7th

##### Actor Buster Crabbe born

***Buster Crabbe*** (February 7, 1908 – April 23, 1983) was an American two-time Olympic swimmer and movie actor. He won the 1932 Olympic gold medal for 400-metre freestyle swimming event, which launched his career onto the silver screen. He starred in a number of popular films in the 1930s and 1940s. Crabbe is the only actor to play Tarzan, Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers – the top three syndicated comic strip heroes of the 1930s.

***Career Highlights***

* 1928 Summer Olympics: Bronze medal for 1,500m freestyle
* 1932 Summer Olympics: Gold medal for 400m freestyle
* Tarzan the Fearless (1933)
* Flash Gordon (1936)
* Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938)
* Buck Rogers (1939)
* Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940)

### March

#### 9th

Inter Milan, a well-known football club in Italy, founded

#### 27th

The first Scout troop outside the U.K. is formed in Gibraltar.

### July

#### 1st

Estée Lauder, American cosmetics entrepreneur, is born

#### 13th

1908 Summer Olympics held in London, up to July 25.

### August

#### 8th

The Hoover Company of Canton, Ohio, acquires manufacturing rights to the upright portable vacuum cleaner just invented by James M. Spangler.

#### 17th

Émile Cohl makes the first fully animated film, Fantasmagorie.

#### 27th

Donald Bradman, Australian cricketer, is born

#### 30th

Fred MacMurray, actor and star of numerous Disney pictures, is born.  He would be the first recipient of the Disney Legends Award.

### September

#### 27th

Henry Ford produces his first Model T automobile at the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant in Detroit, Michigan.

### October

#### 1st

Penny Post established between the United Kingdom and United States.

#### 6th

Carole Lombard, American actress, is born

#### 19th

1908 Winter Olympics are held in London, up to October 31

### November

#### 20th

Alistair Cooke, English-born American journalist, is born

### December

#### 14th

Laurence Naismith, English actor, is born

#### 25th

Quentin Crisp, English gay icon, author and raconteur, is born