Today in History: Sunday, May 2, 2021

Television and Radio:
ABC action/adventure “The Fall Guy,” starring Lee Majors, concluded in 1986 after five seasons…Phil Donahue taped the final edition of his syndicated daytime talk show, “Donahue,” in 1996, which aired for 29 years…In 2010, Conan O’Brien made his first television appearance since exiting NBC’s “The Tonight Show.“ He did an interview with Steve Kroft on CBS’ “60 Minutes”…The cast of “The Big Bang Theory” were the first TV actors to be immortalized in cement outside Hollywood’s Chinese theater in Los Angeles in 2019.
 
Movies:
“The Postman Always Rings Twice” film based on the novel by James M. Cain, and starring Lana Turner and John Garfield opened in theaters in 1946. This version was the third filming of “The Postman Always Rings Twice”, but the first under the novel’s original title and the first in English. Previously, the novel had been filmed as “Le Dermier Tournant” (“The Last Turning”) in France in 1939 and as “Obessione” (“Obsession”) in Italy in 1943…“Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery”, starring Mike Myers and Elizabeth Hurley was released in 1997…“Iron Man“, starring Robert Downey, Jr. opened in theaters in 2008.

Theater:
The Pulitzer prize was awarded to Thornton Wilder for his play “Our Town” in 1938.

Songs:
Ella Fitzgerald recorded single “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” with Chick Webb and His Orchestra in 1938…The “Killin’ Time” debut album by Clint Black was released in 1989. It was named the Billboard Album of the Year.

Celebrity Birthdays:
The Good Fight” star Christine Baranski is 69; designer Donatella Versace is 66; Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is 49; soccer player David Beckham is 46; “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” star Ellie Kemper is 41.

-Did You Know?:
Lee Majors got his big break when he was chosen over 400 actors, including Burt Reynolds, for the role of Heath Barkley on ABC western “The Big Valley.” It aired from 1965 to 1969 and also featured another newcomer, Linda Evans.