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This Day in History: Sunday, May 16, 2021

© by Photo courtesy of CBS

Television
Four series of note concluded: “The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok” on CBS in 1958; drama “In the Heat of the Night” (which began on NBC and ended on CBS) in 1995; and CBS sitcoms “Everybody Loves Raymond” in 2005 and “The Big Bang Theory” in 2019. At 12 seasons, “The Big Bang Theory” is tied with “My Three Sons” and “Two and a Half Men” as the second longest running live action sitcom in television history. Number one at 14 seasons is “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet”, which aired on ABC from 1952 to 1966.

Movies:
Laurel and Hardy theatrical short “Our Wife” opened in theaters in 1931. The logline: Oliver is making plans to be married to his sweetheart Dulcy (Babe London) with Stan as his best man, but the plans are thwarted when Dulcy’s father (James Finlayson) sees a picture of Ollie and forbids the marriage. The couple plan to elope, and steal away at night to a Justice of the Peace…“Top Gun”, directed by Tony Scott and starring Tom Cruise opened in theaters in 1986. The film was inspired by an article titled “Top Guns” published in California magazine three years earlier…“Mulholland Drive”, directed by David Lynch, and starring Justin Theroux and Naomi Watts, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2001…“Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones” directed by George Lucas, and starring Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman opened in theaters in 2002.

Music:
Paul McCartney released “McCartney II” album in 1980…Single “Bette Davis Eyes” by Kim Carnes hit #1 for nine straight weeks in 1981.

Sports:
Rocky Marciano beat Don Cockell by TKO in the 9th round at Kezar Stadium, San Francisco to retain his world heavyweight boxing title in 1955…Muhammad Ali TKO’d Ron Lyle in 11 for the heavyweight boxing title in 1975…Michael Jordan was named Rookie of the Year in 1985.

-Did You Know?:
Talks of a spin-off series from “Everybody Loves Raymond” focused on Robert (Brad Garrett) and Amy Barone (Monica Horan) never surfaced. Instead, the sitcom simply signed-off after 210 episodes with the family eating at the kitchen table together.