Today in History: Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Television
Six series of note concluded: “Family Ties” on NBC and Cybill Shepherd/Bruce Willis detective dramedy “Moonlighting” on ABC, both in 1989; ABC sitcom “Coach” in 1997; NBC’s “Seinfeld” in 1998; WB drama “Dawson’s Creek” in 2003; and the NBC political drama “The West Wing” in 2006.

Herve Villechaize exited ABC’s “Fantasy Island” after season six in 1983. In the final season, he was replaced with a more sedate butler type named Lawrence, played by “Mr. Belvedere’s” Christopher Hewitt…Remember Judy (Jaime Foxworth), the middle child of the Winslow’s on ABC comedy “Family Matters”? She disappeared without a trace at the end of season four in 1993 and was never referred to again. Also departing as a series regular on “Family Matters” was Telma Hopkins as Harriette’s (Jo Marie Payton) sister Rachel…Donna Mills, Cindy Williams, Michael Ontkean and Louise Fletcher were featured in CBS television movie “The Stepford Husbands” in 1996. It was the sequel to 1975 theatrical “The Stepford Wives”.

Music:
Singles “When I Need You” from Leo Sayer and “Anything For You” by Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine in 1987 and 1988, respectively.

Movies:
Movie openings: “Conan the Barbarian,” with Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Earl Jones, in 1982; “Troy,“ starring Brad Pitt, in 2004.

Celebrity Birthdays:
Movie director-producer George Lucas is 80; director Robert Zemeckis (“Forrest Gump,” ″Back to the Future”) is 73; musician David Byrne (Talking Heads) is 72; actor Tim Roth (“Lie to Me”) is 63; actor Danny Huston (“John Adams”) is 62; musician Fabrice Morvan of Milli Vanilli is 58; singer Raphael Saadiq (Tony! Toni! Tone!) is 58; actress Cate Blanchett (“Mrs. America”) is 55; singer Danny Wood of New Kids on the Block is also 55; director Sofia Coppola (“Lost In Translation”) is 53; actor Gabriel Mann (“Revenge”) is 52; singer Shanice is 50; actress Carla Jimenez (“Growing Up Fisher”) is 49; singer-guitarist Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys is 44; actress Amber Tamblyn (“Two and a Half Men,” ″Joan of Arcadia”) is 41; actress Lina Esco (“S.W.A.T.”) is 39; actress Miranda Cosgrove (“iCarly”) is 31.

Did You Know?:
The producers originally wanted Matthew Broderick to play Alex P. Keaton (instead of Michael J. Fox) on “Family Ties,” but the actor had to decline the role when his father, James Broderick, became terminally ill. James Broderick, of course, played Meredith Baxter’s father on ABC drama “Family” (which aired from 1976 to 1980).

There was talk of a revival of “Coach” with Craig T. Nelson on ABC a few years ago, but it never moved forward.