Today in History: Thursday, March 14, 2024

Television
Camp classic “Batman” concluded on ABC after two-and-one half seasons in 1968 with Zsa Zsa Gabor as villainess Minerva. Launched twice per week on January 12, 1966, “Batman” was an immediate sensation, with both weekly episodes cracking the Top 10. But ratings dipped in season two and the arrival of Yvonne Craig as Batgirl in season three did not help. NBC made a last-minute attempt to keep “Batman” alive, but the sets were already torn down..Mike Wallace retired from newsmagazine “60 Minutes” in 2006 after 37 years…Six programs debuted: 1) short-lived CBS canine police drama “Sam” with Mark Harmon in 1978; 2) short-lived ABC sitcom “When the Whistle Blows” and 3) NBC adventure series “Here’s Boomer“, both in 1980; 4) CNBC financial program “Mad Money” hosted by Jim Cramer in 2005; 5) short-lived MyNetworkTV nightly serial drama “Saints & Sinners” in 2007; and 6) NBC game show “Minute to Win It” hosted by Guy Fieri in 2010.

Movies:
“Our Gang” short “The Lucky Corner,”  with Scotty Beckett and his grandfather Gus the proprietors of a sidewalk lemonade stand, opened in theaters in 1936…The first theater with a movie being projected from the back of the room was opened in New York City in 1937…Musical comedy “The Road to Singapore”, starring Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour, opened in theaters in 1940. It was the first of the seven “Road To” series of pictures spotlighting the trio…British film “Born Free”, based on the book of the same name by Joy Adamson, was released in 1966. It starred Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers.

News:
A Dallas jury found Jack Ruby guilty of the murder of assassin Lee Harvey Oswald in 1964…The “Birmingham Six”, imprisoned for 16 years for their alleged part in an IRA pub bombing, were set free in 1991 after a court agreed that the police fabricated evidence.

Celebrity Birthdays:
Oscar winner Michael Caine is 91; music producer Quincy Jones is also 91; actor Steve Kanaly (“Dallas”) is 78; Billy Crystal is 76; TV and radio personality Rick Dees is 73; actor Adrian Zmed (“TJ Hooker”) is 70; actress Penny Johnson Jerald (“24”) is 64; actress Elise Neal (“All of Us”) is 58; actor Gary Anthony Williams (“Boston Legal”) is 58; actress Betsy Brandt (“Breaking Bad”) is 51; former “Hawaii Five-O” star Grace Park is 50; actor Corey Stoll (“House of Cards”) is 48; actor Chris Klein (“American Pie”) is 47; singer-keyboardist Taylor Hanson of Hanson is 41; actor Jamie Bell (“Billy Elliot”) is 38; actor Ansel Elgort (“The Fault in Our Stars”) is 30.

Did You Know?:
The Riddler, The Joker, The Penguin and Catwoman are remembered as the primary four villains tormenting Batman and Robin on “Batman.” But there were actually 33 in total, and they are listed (in alphabetical order) as follows: Archer; Black Widow; Bookworm; Cabala; Calamity Jan; Catwoman; Chandell; Nora Clavicle; Clock King; Colonel Gumm; Egghead; False Face; The Joker; King Tut; Lady Penelope Peasoup; Lola Lasagne; Lord Ffogg; Louie the Lilac; Ma Parker; The Mad Hatter; Marsha, Queen of Diamonds; Minerva; The Minstrel; Mr. Freeze; Olga, Queen of the Cossacks; The Penguin; The Puzzler; The Riddler; Sandman; Shame; Siren; Dr. Cassandra Spellcraft; and Zelda the Great.