Today in History: Friday, October 8, 2021

Television and Radio
“The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” debuted on CBS radio in 1942. The TV show version aired for 14 seasons on ABC (from 1952 to 1966) and remains the longest running live action scripted sitcom in TV history…Also in 1942: Comedy duo Abbott and Costello launched their weekly radio show…There were four other prime time series premieres: “Lawrence Welk’s Top Tunes and New Talent” on ABC in 1956, which aired for three seasons (in addition to Welk’s perennial music/variety hour); NBC workplace sitcom “Working” starring Fred Savage in 1997; the NBC dramedy “Ed” in 2000, which featured “Modern Family’s” Julie Bowen; and WB sitcom “Nikki,“ also in 2000…TV movie “The Burning Bed,” with Farrah Fawcett and Paul Le Mat, debuted in 1984… also in 1984, quiz show “Trivia Trap” hosted by Bob Eubanks debuted on ABC daytime. It only ran for six months, but reruns occasionally air on the digital subchannel Buzzr…NBC sitcom “Empty Nest”, starring Richard Mulligan, Dinah Manoff, Kristy McNichol, David Leisure and Park Overall, opened its 7-season run in 1988. While the characters often appeared on lead-in “The Golden Girls” (and vice versa), technically “Empty Nest” was not a spinoff. The characters were introduced “Empty Nest.”

Movies:
Silent short “The Second Hundred Years,“ starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, was released in theaters in 1927. This was prior to their official billing as the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy.

Music:
John Lennon released single “Imagine” in 1971.

Celebrity Birthdays
Actor Paul Hogan (“Crocodile Dundee”) is 82; Jesse Jackson is 80; Original “SNL” cast member Chevy Chase is 78; author R.L. Stine (“Goosebumps”) is also 78; TV personality Sarah Purcell (“Real People”) is 73; Oscar-nominated actress Sigourney Weaver is 72; singer Robert “Kool” Bell of Kool and the Gang is 71; comedian Darrell Hammond (“Saturday Night Live”) is 66; actress Stephanie Zimbalist (“Remington Steele”) is 65; actress Kim Wayans (“In The House,” ″In Living Color”) is 60; singer CeCe Winans is 57; Olympic gold medalist swimmer Matt Biondi is 56; actress Karyn Parsons (“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”) is 55; singer Teddy Riley is also 55; actress Emily Procter (“CSI: Miami”) is 53; Oscar winner Matt Damon is 51; actress Kristanna Loken (“The L Word,” “Burn Notice”) is 42; singer Byron Reeder of Mista is 42; singer Noelle Scaggs of Fitz and the Tantrums is also 42; wrestler The Miz is 41; actor J.R. Ramirez (TV’s “Manifest”) is 41; singer-songwriter Peter Hernandez aka Bruno Mars is 36; actor Angus T. Jones (“Two and a Half Men”) is 28; actress Molly Quinn (“Castle”) is also 28; actress Bella Thorne (TV’s “Shake It Up,” film “Midnight Sun”) is 24.

Did You Know?
The  role of Francine Hughes on “The Burning Bed” was originally offered to Cheryl Ladd, but she declined the part. Ladd, of course, joined the cast of “Charlie’s Angels” on ABC in season 2 as Farrah Fawcett’s sister after Fawcett prematurely exited.