Today in History: Sunday, January 5, 2025

Television
Daytime serial “All My Children” premiered on ABC in 1970. The series, which famously starred Susan Lucci, ran for 41 years until its abrupt cancellation in 2011. Both “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” were revived briefly by Prospect Park in 2013.

Satirical soap opera “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” debuted in late night syndication in 1976. Produced by Norman Lear, the series produced 325 episodes across 18 months. When Louise Lasser left the show in 1977, it was re-branded “Forever Fernwood” and it followed the trials and tribulations of Mary’s family and friends after she had run away with Sgt. Dennis Foley (Bruce Solomon).

Two short-lived series on NBC premiered: prime time soap “Berrenger’s” in 1985; and crime drama “Blacke’s Magic” starring Hal Linden and Harry Morgan in 1986…On an episode of NBC sitcom “Seinfeld” in 1995, Babs Kramer (Sheree North) revealed that the first name of her son (Michael Richards) is Cosmo…Also in 1995, Morgan Fairchild first appeared on NBC’s “Friends” as Chandler’s (Matthew Perry) romance-novelist mother Nora Bing…On Fox comedy “Ally McBeal” in 1998, the Dancing Baby made its debut. The animation symbolized Ally’s ticking biological clock to have a baby.

Movies:
“Cavalcade” based on the play by Noel Coward, and starring Diana Wynyard and Clive Brook opened in New York in New York in 1933. It won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director (Frank Lloyd).

Music:
Buddy Holly released his last record “It Doesn’t Matter” in 1959. He was killed in a plane crash 29 days later.

In 1969: Creedence Clearwater Revival released their second album “Bayou Country”, featuring singles “Good Golly, Miss Molly” and “Proud Mary”…The Sex Pistols began their final tour in Atlanta, Georgia in 1978… Reaching No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart: “Please Don’t Go” by KC and the Sunshine Band in 1980; the Lenny Kravitz-co-penned “Justify My Love” by Madonna in 1991.

Sports:
The New York Yankees announced the purchase of Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox for $125,000 in 1920. The money was used to finance a staged show called “My Lady Friends.” It gave birth to the “Curse of the Bambino” where within an 86-year period (1918-2004), the Yankees won 26 world championships and the Red Sox won nothing…Dodgers’ legend Jackie Robinson announced his retirement in 1957 rather than be traded to the New York Giants…Reggie Jackson was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1993.

Books:
“Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson was published by Longmans, Green & Co.in 1886.
 
News:
Bonnie Parker met Clyde Barrow for the first time at Clarence Clay’s house in 1930.

Celebrity Birthdays:
Actor Robert Duvall (“The Godfather”) is 94; Oscar winner Diane Keaton is 79; actor Ted Lange (“The Love Boat”) is 77; actress Pamela Sue Martin (“Dynasty”) is 72; actor Vinnie Jones (“X-Men: The Last Stand”) is 60; “Dancing With the Stars” judge Carrie Ann Inaba is 57; rock star Marilyn Mason is 56; Bradley Cooper (“A Star is Born”) is 50; “Mad Men” star January Jones is 47; reality show personality Kristin Cavallari (“Laguna Beach”) is 38.

Did You Know?
TV Guide ranked the death of Coach Leroy Fedders (Norman Alden), who drowns in a bowl of Mary’s chicken soup in the first season of “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman”, #97 on its list of the 100 Greatest T.V. Moments of All Time.