Today in History: Sunday, March 10, 2024

Television
“The Incredible Hulk,“ starring Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno, premiered as a regularly scheduled series in 1978. It aired through 1982 and was introduced as a two-hour pilot movie in November 1977…Also in 1978, CBS introduced short-lived dramedy “Husbands, Wives and Lovers”…Willard Scott joined NBC’s “Today” show in 1980 and stayed with the morning franchise through 2015…Also in 1980, game show “Wheel of Fortune” on NBC introduced the Bonus Round…MTV debuted Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean video in 1983…ABC crime drama “Sirens” debuted in 1993. After 13 episodes, it moved into first-run syndication for one additional season…Long-running “Buffy, the Vampire Slayer,“ starring Sarah Michelle Gellar and adapted from the 1992 movie of the same name, began on The WB in 1997. It concluded on UPN on May 20, 2003, and it spun-off “Angel” with David Boreanaz (which aired from 1999 to 2004)… ABC’s “Two Guys, A Girl and a Pizza Place” debuted in 1998. The sitcom that starred Ryan Reynolds, Richard Ruccolo and Traylor Howard ran for three-and-one-half seasons…Survival reality series “Man vs. Wild” hosted by Bear Grylls debuted on Discovery in 2006. It aired for seven seasons with 73 episodes and four specials within a five-year period…Legal drama “Canterbury’s Law” starring Julianna Marguiles debuted on Fox in 2008. It only lasted six episodes but Marguiles would find greater success the following year with another TV law drama, “The Good Wife“…”High Society“, a “Gossip Girl“-esque reality series set in Manhattan, premiered on The CW in 2010. It concluded after eight episodes…One of the all-time memorable moments in the history of “The Bachelor” occurred during the 18th season finale of the long-running romance competition on ABC in 2014. Clare Crawley, after being rejected by bachelor Juan Pablo Galavis, told him “What you just made me go through, I would never want my children having you as a father!“…Also in 2014, NBC premiered “Believe“, the J.J. Abrams-produced drama about a boy with telekinetic powers. The series, which starred Jake McLaughlin, Delroy Lindo, Kyle MacLachlan and Jamie Chung, ran for 12 episodes…Reality series “60 Days In” that involves participants to reside in prison for a two-month period launched on A&E in 2016. It has produced six seasons, to date…The series finale of “The Vampire Diaries” aired on The CW in 2017. It starred Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder and concluded after eight seasons and 171 episodes.

Movies and Theater:
“Jezebel”, directed by William Wyler, and starring Bette Davis and Henry Fonda opened in theaters in 1938. The film was offered as compensation for Davis after she failed to win the part of Scarlett O’Hara in “Gone With the Wind”…The play “Sweet Bird of Youth” debuted in New York City in 1959…“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” opened at the Belasco Theater in New York City for 45 performances in 1975.

Music:
Barbra Streisand recorded singles “The Singer” and “I Can Do It” in 1970…Kim Carnes single “Bette Davis Eyes” was released in 1981. It was named Billboard Song of the Year…Emmy-winning special “Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul” originally aired on CBS in 2019. Hosted by Tyler Perry, the list of performers who paid tribute to the legendary Aretha Franklin included Yolanda Adams, Andra Day, Shirley Caesar, Alessia Cara, Brandi Carlile, Chloe X Halle, Kelly Clarkson, Common, Celine Dion, H.E.R., Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Patti LaBelle, Janelle Monáe, SZA and BeBe Winans.

News:
The PalmPilot, created by Jeffrey Hawkins, went on sale in 1997. Over one million units were reportedly sold by 1998.

Celebrity Birthdays:
“Walker, Texas Ranger” star Chuck Norris is 84; singer Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean is also 84; actress Katharine Houghton (“Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner?”) is 79; “Shark Tank’s” Barbara Corcoran is 75; Playboy playmate and actress Shannon Tweed is 67; Oscar nominee Sharon Stone is 66; magician Lance Burton is 64; music producer Rick Rubin is 62; “A Different World” star Jasmine Guy is 60; singer Edie Brickell is 58; actress Paget Brewster (“Criminal Minds”) is 55; “Mad Men” star Jon Hamm is 53; rapper-producer Timothy Mosley aka Timbaland is 52; actor Cristian de la Fuente (“In Plain Sight”) is 50; singer Robin Thicke is 47; actor Thomas Middleditch (“B Positive”) is 42; singer Carrie Underwood is 41; actress Olivia Wilde (“House”) is 40; singer Emeli Sande is 37; actress Emily Osment (“Young Sheldon”) is 32.

Did You Know?
Chuck Norris appeared as Cordell Walker, his character from “Walker, Texas Ranger” in four episodes of short-lived spin-off “Sons of Thunder” in 1999. He also appeared in the role in one episode of CBS drama “Martial Law.”