O.J. Simpson arrested, debut of 'Jaws': The News Journal archives, week of June 18

"Pages of history" features excerpts from The News Journal archives including the Wilmington Morning News and the Evening Journal.

June 18, 1994, The News Journal

O.J. Simpson’s run ends in arrest; charged in double slaying

O.J. Simpson was captured in his driveway Friday night after running from charges of murdering his ex-wife and her male friend and leading police along 60 miles of freeways and city streets.

“I can’t express the fear I had that this matter would not end the way it did,” said Simpson’s attorney, Robert Shapiro, who had worried earlier that the former football great would kill himself….

The arrest shortly before 9 p.m. culminated an incredible drama that unfolded on live national TV. Police first announced charges against Simpson, then said he had disappeared and finally followed him along the highways for more than an hour.

After the white Ford Bronco came to a halt at Simpson’s estate, a man believed to be his lifelong friend and teammate, Al Cowlings, got out. Simpson’s lawyer arrived at the mansion nearly an hour later and the arrest came minutes later….

June 19, 1983, Sunday News Journal

First U.S. woman in space says thrill matches Disney’s best

A female voice came floating down from space Saturday, after the shuttle Challenger roared into Earth orbit with a crew of five astronauts – four men and Sally K. Ride, the first American woman to fly into space.

“Have you ever been to Disneyland?” Ride asked Mission Control Center in Houston. “Well, this is definitely an E ticket,” a reference to the high-priced ticket that Disneyland used to sell for admittance to its best rides and attractions.

She and astronauts Robert L. Crippen, Frederick H. Hauck, John M. Fabian and Norman E. Thagard flew into Earth orbit Saturday morning as the shuttle began its seventh journey into space….

Among the women watching Ride’s journey into space history at the Kennedy Space Center were feminist author Gloria Steinem, film star Jane Fonda, a half-dozen congresswomen and a dozen prominent American businesswomen including Chase Manhattan Vice President Elaine Bond and First Boston Managing Director Carol Eininger….

Catch up on history: The News Journal archives, week of March 13

June 21, 1975, the Evening Journal

Jaws: Top grossing, engrossing – and gross

“Jaws,” if you’ll pardon the pun, will put teeth in the summer’s movie business. And gray hair on its audience.

The $8 million film about a marauding great white shark off a resort colony is geared to be – and will be – the year’s top grossing film. Like “The Exorcist” and “The Godfather” before it, “Jaws” will be THE picture to see, and everyone will oblige the producers.

Quite simply, “Jaws” is the most terrifying, totally engrossing picture of the year – perhaps of any year.

Its terror is not that of some google-eyed, web-footed “Creature from the Black Lagoon” or giant mutant ants or even of a colossal ape. Instead, its terror is the truth – knowledge that anyone is shark bait in salt water of virtually any depth. The average shark attack occurs in 3 feet of water, 10 feet from shore….

As presented by 27-year-old director Steven Spielberg, “Jaws” shoots for action and shocks, not messages, from the deep….

The real star is the white plastic shark, nicknamed Bruce by its creator, former Disney special effects chief Robert A. Mattey. Mattey built three robot sharks – one to turn left, another right and one to swim underwater – at $150,000 per shark.

Despite the security of the movie theater, the shark’s every appearance draws screams from the audience….

Even the old master, Alfred Hitchcock, might skip a heartbeat or two over “Jaws.”

Recent great white sighting: OCEARCH-tagged great white shark Penny reaches NJ after traveling past Delaware

June 22, 1956, Wilmington Morning News

Miller refuses to name Communists, will marry Marilyn Monroe

Playwright Arthur Miller put on a real life drama in two acts today by (1) announcing he will marry Marilyn Monroe and (2) publicly acknowledging he had erred by supporting Communist fronts.

“I would not support a cause dominated by Communists,” he said.

The Capitol was the backdrop for the drama: Miller, 40, tall and lanky in a navy blue suit and smoking a pipe, was center stage before the House Committee on un-American Activities.

The Pulitzer Prize winner told the committee he wanted a passport to go to England to see about production of a play and “to join the woman who will be my wife.”

It was during a recess he told reporters he would marry the curvaceous Marilyn with the blonde hair before she goes to London July 13 to make a movie….

Now the man who wrote such plays as “Death of a Salesman” and “The Crucible” will marry the pinup girl of the troops….

The committee called Miller to talk about why he was denied a passport in 1954 on the grounds that his travel abroad would not be in the best interests of the United States.

“I was never under Communist Party discipline,” Miller said. “As for contributing to front groups, I wouldn’t deny that – I’m here to tell the truth.”

Then the question came for Miller to name others who had been at what he said he understood to be meetings of Communist writers in 1939 or 1940.

“I could not use the name of another person and bring trouble on him,” Miller said….

Reach reporter Ben Mace at rmace@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: O.J. Simpson arrested, debut of 'Jaws': News Journal archives, June 18