The Weekly Almanac with Tiki Jane July 26, 2026

American actress Olivia de Havilland, who won Academy Awards for her performances in To Each His Own and The Heiress, passed away at age 104, on this day in 2020 The notorious murderer Ed Gein—who inspired numerous books and films, including Psycho and The Silence of the Lambs—died in a mental hospital as a result of lung cancer, on this day in 1984 Sandra Bullock—known for her charismatic energy and wit on-screen, especially as girl-next-door characters in romantic comedies—was born in Arlington, Virginia, on this day in 1964. Los Angeles experienced its first major smog as a “hellish cloud” descended on the city, limiting visibility to three blocks; the noxious smog was later blamed, in part, on the exhaust from vehicles, on this day in 1943 On this day in 1775, The U.S. Postal Service was established by the Second Continental Congress, and Benjamin Franklin was named the first postmaster general.